Originally Posted by
rogwilco
If you're riding single speed, please for the love of all that's important to you keep both brakes.
If you decide to ride it fixed, you can remove the rear brake without sacrificing your safety, since you can use the pedals to slow down the rear wheel - although that method has some significant disadvantages to a regular bicycle brake, it doesn't have the same braking power and it can only be done safely at a low speed - or to lock up the rear wheel (skidding).
Keeping the front brake is a must on any bicycle that's used on the road imo.
+1. A single brake isn't going to cut it on a ss. Or rather, it will, until it doesn't, and then you're up a creek without a paddle. The front brake is the bulk of your stopping power. Even if you never have a mechanical problem with the front, there are circumstances where you'll also need a back, e.g. coming down a hill on slick pavement, where locking the front wheel is disastrous.
As operator pointed out, how many freewheel-equipped, geared bikes do you see on the road with one brake? Maybe they're onto something?