Originally Posted by europa

Now that's just bloody silly and your justification has more to do with poor equipment and/or technique than it does with a brake being involved.

Having a rear brake on a fg increases your control over a wider range of conditions, particularly down long, very steep hills (though even in normal riding), it's just not essential.

You don't HAVE to fit a rear brake, but please don't dream up rubbish reasons for your choice not to.