Hey, I don't know anything about BMX bikes, I'm just wondering what's with the brakes? Some bike have 'em, some don't, some only back brakes, whats going on?

Also, what are the geometry differences between freestyle and race bikes?

Thanks

Well, brakes are 100% personal preference. Most people who actually have both front and back ride flatland. Not all of them, but most. Rear brake is generally just to be able to actually stop, street, dirt, vert, whatever. I personally don't have brakes, and its mostly a build up factor. Without brakes, I can't stop as easily on the run-up to a trick, so I might as well give it a go. A lot less puss outs. And there aren't a whole ton of geo differences between race frames and any others. Its mostly a material difference and a part/setup difference that makes the bike.

A couple of weeks ago I was at my local skatepark and this guy on a brakeless bike nails this ramp, gets rad air, and comes down the back side "like buttah". It was awesome. But some dude on a skateboard was coming off a ramp and the guy on the bike was heading straight for him. The skateboarder had no idea the BMXer was heading up his backside at break-neck speed. The BMXer couldn't stop and wound up having to bail to not hit the skateboarder, wound up scratching his frame and shredding his knees and elbows.

This is why I will always run brakes. They can be ignored when you're going up to a trick; you're only going to "puss out" if it's in your head to "puss out", but if you need to make an emergency stop and you don't have breaks? Good luck.