brb getting this tattooed on my legz

increase your ratio try 60-65 G.I. then increase to larger gear once perfected! That the best way to "create" technique

Being a good rider doesn't make you immune to accidents, as well as the stupidity of other people.

Having a brake is part of "knowing how to ride responsibly." You're willingly handicapping yourself before you even get on the bike. Knowing how to ride responsibly is making sure that your bike is totally functional and you have the most control over it at any given time. No one is all knowing and accidents happen. There is no brakeless argument beyond what the OP said, "going for the whole aesthetic thing."

Scrod.....No brakes on the Raleigh? Suicide hub? Or just on the leader?

I threw a brake on the Raleigh. Eff having a suicide hub with no brake. My Leaders are both brakeless.

goldenradical - I get what you're saying and never claimed to be "all-knowing". Please step away from the soapbox.

Ok, I've listened to all your advice, and understand.

I'm rocking just the 42/16, and ride slow in traffic. most of my commute is along a waterfront, and no traffic, besides that of foot.

I can control my bike, and have been riding to work just fine.

I do admit though, I have ****ty foot retention, and am trying to save money to buy some better cages, but I do have straps. my plastic ass cages won't fit the straps.

Time for a clip/strap upgrade then. Check out the local Co-Op and grab a used set for 10$

fast skids are all about the momentary hop and (what doesn't seem it but really is extremely) VIOLENT weighting of the front wheel. you're not just humping the stem you're ****ing it to death.

but not in actual physical space; just with the momentum of your center of gravity... kicking it forwards violently... it looks more like a little hip-jump and in actuality your hips don't leave more than six inches away from the saddle unless you're just standing up to straighten your legs. it's not violent; rather, it doesn't feel violent, but it's a very, very forceful movement for all of a split second. and from then on it's just getting leverage over the bars to keep your cranks stationary while simultaneously balancing over the front wheel to keep upright without whipping too much.

and even then with all the skill in the world it's just not safe. i ride brakeless in traffic with a 48/19 and a 46/15 and i either a) don't ride where a car would turn into me (biking like you're invisible), or b) slow way the **** down so if i can't avoid a car or risky situation like a busy intersection i'm going slow enough that the others in that situation have enough time to see me and i have enough time to find another way out of that situation. which basically translates to me slowing way down so i don't have to skid down hills(painful and sloooow) as well as simply taking every sideroad/shortcut/pathway that isn't wrong way or so far out of the way i would have to change other plans or areas of the route to accommodate it.
were i to bike fast and skid fast everywhere i'd need and want a brake. and when i bike fast on my bikes with brakes i often find myself not giving as much caution to potentially risky situations, and having to be way more assertive and MAKE cars see me because i'm going too fast to just avoid them, i'm in their way for longer because i'm going more their speed.

i have learned though that you need a certain amount of speed or slope to whip skid to a given angle of drift/whip. whip skidding only happens with a certain velocity or camber. so if that's what you are after, it just takes commitment flow and steeze, and a low gearing. if you're fighting a huge gear it makes it that much harder to control the rear tire through a skid.

If you can't stop at speed, you are not in control of your bike.