Originally Posted by Daily Commute
grolby, I see your point, but putting extra weight on the front wheel greatly increases the effectiveness of the front brake, which means that even slight front braking is more likely to lock up the front tire. That increases the chance for an endo but, more importantly, when your front wheel locks you can't steer. Not being able to steer makes it nearly impossible to sustain your balance.
I also see the point that front and back may be better than just back. But having panniers on the back only is better than panniers on the front only.
Extra weight on the front wheel does not increase the effectiveness of the front brake nor lead to wheel lock. I've ridden this way for a very long time and never had a front wheel lock in normal conditions. I have experienced wheel lock but that was on ice on an unloaded bike.
Placing the load in the center of the wheel puts it at a place where angular momentum is approaching zero so the load has almost no effect on braking anyway. The force to stop the bike is applied out at the rim. The only effect from the wheel load is increased mass which increases stopping distance but, loaded front or back, the mass would have the same effect on stopping distance.