I am quite interested in the all-weather maintenance free idea of Shimano roller brakes, although I suspect their lack of power would make them a liability on the front. Anyhow I was perusing Trek’s Australian website and noticed they have a roller brake only model the Soho 2.0 http://www.trekbikes.com/int/en/bikes/2008/urban/soho/soho20e/ (link to international site) that is absent from their US and Canadian catalogues and websites. We also get the SU 3.0 which is a similar story http://www.trekbikes.com/int/en/bike...t_urban/su30e/.

Are roller brakes not considered legal brakes in the US or does Trek think no one would buy a bike equipped with them? Any thoughts?