Did the brake design change significantly between the 7- and 8-speed Nexus? The rear brake on my Milano works fine. Not super strong,but it does the job for a rear brake.
Of course,I'm used to riding motorcycles,so I use the front and rear brakes differently.
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C'dale BBU('05 and '09)/Super Six/Hooligan8and 3,Kona Dew Deluxe,Novara Buzz/Safari,Surly Big Dummy,Marin Pt Reyes,Giant Defy 1,Schwinn DBX SuperSport,Brompton S6L/S2E-X/M6L-X/S12 T Line