Originally Posted by mihlbach
Until the person in front of you slams on their brakes doing 28 mph and you smash into them. Good way to piss off your geared friends.
Naturally it changes your riding style, but thats a necessity of the increased stopping distance. But I would define that as being more reckless. One could very easily argue that the simple act of adding a front brake makes one more careful than one only riding with a drivetrain brake.
Edit: I don't want to leave the impression of hating on the brakeless. I enjoy it from time to time. I just thing the "Zen", "more careful", "more vigilant" arguements of riding brakeless are illogical and self-deceptive. Better to recognize and accept the risks than to deny them.
The reason you become more watchful is because you perceive riding without a handbrake as an increased risk.
Same as walking through a supposedly bad neighbourhood or driving on a busy street.
It is a natural reflex not a denial of risk.
I generally don't draft geared riders but if they slam on their brakes going 28mph I doubt I'd have much of chance not rear ending them handbrake or not.