Im pretty used to the single gear. I've been riding an SS for almost a year now and have really noticed a difference in my riding and my stamina. Im gonna be using the brakes definitely before getting too into skidding. Im probably going to wait till after I get the OK from my surgeon that Im fully healed from surgery back in march. It was open abdominal surgery do I want to make sure my muscles are fully healed before I try anything that requires a lot of abdominal stress.