Originally Posted by treechunk
What I'm saying, in terms of actual street performance, is that the ability to SLOW DOWN faster and SPEED UP faster, adds up to more time spent at higher speeds, which will add up to getting places faster. Those two abilities really work best if you have both of them (brakes and lower gearing).
The only thing a brake helps you do is slow down faster. If you're constantly tempted to dump speed, your average goes down. A good brakeless rider rarely stops, hence less fluctuation and better average. I'm playing devil's advocate a little, but the fact is there are two different techniques and between two skilled riders, one isn't necessarily superior.