I'm putting together a single speed. Being a newbie, is it ok to build it with front brake only. This is not a fixed speed.

Two brakes. Front brake isn't enough if you're freewheeling. What if it fails?

Well some people will say one is enough. I personally would go with two, just for that extra safety and stopping power. But I hate dealing with even one brake.

I would go fixed over single speed anyway. The less there is to go wrong, the less there is to manage.

So all the bikes I see posted with one brake are fixed gear? Not sure. I might try fixed gear because I like the simplicity. I definitely don't want a bike with a pair of brakes. I already have that.

go fixed for a few weeks, see what's up. then you can go no brakes

They're fixed, man.

And like pwebb said, if you give it a try, you won't want to go back. Well, you might at first, but you just need to try to tough it out for the first week. Then it becomes second nature.

I'd rather have only a rear than just a front if I was running 1 brake. I won't have the stopping power but I can also 'slam' on it if I have to. if someone cuts you off with a freewheel/front brake setup you're eating **** one way or the other

At the limit of how fast you can brake, the front is doing all the work anyway, so you won't lose much by not having a rear brake. If you're doing long descents it's nice to have two so you can use the rear for some drag in straight sections and let the front cool off, then use the front going into turns to let the rear cool off.

Rear only works for coaster brake bikes - and I would think the stopping force at the rim is stronger than at the hub.

Almost all of them are, but I know of at least two people who run single speeds with a front brake only.

The difference between a single speed and a geared bike is still pretty significant though. You might try that and see. For me, I thought single was the best until I tried fixed.

Please don't perpetuate this exaggerated fear of the front brake. Learn to use your front brake (wow, learning to correctly use your equipment) and you will be able to "slam" on it without flipping over.

Slamming on a rear brake will initiate a skid, which will only cause you have even less control over your bicycle and increase your likely hood of crashing.

lolwut?

I think I need a video of you doing some real speed and 'slamming' on your front brake disaster free!

Of course I wouldn't actually ride a freewheel with only one brake either.

You guys are right. Using your front brake will flip you, using your back will make you fishtail and lose it.

This is why I don't use any brakes. OP, don't use brakes.

Can't stop, don't want to.

Seems to me that the conclusion is that if I use a freewheel I should have both front and rear brakes but if it's a fixed speed there are three options, front, rear or none.

front, both, or none. A rear brake only on a fixed is redundant.

Fixed w a rear brake is rare

Fixed

So is a fixed with two brakes.

OP, majority of people who ride fixed are either brakeless or front brake. Most single speeders ride with at least a front brake and usually two brakes.

Though there was that epic dude who rode with his lever on his seatpost...

Misuse of puctuation... For it to read better I should have typed, "Rear only, works for coaster brake bikes" - meaning the rear brake alone works for coaster brake equipped bikes.

What does wut mean?

y'all cats need to learn how to use brakes.

front = usual brake
back = **** im going to die brake

No, there are definitely folks out there riding single speeds with just the front brake. Generally their backup brakes are either a tree or a person.

Thanks, got it. I even think I understand it.

I see. Or "rear-only works for coaster brakes."

It does, but it's easy to lock up. Funny bc I JUST built a coaster brake bike today and it's fine for a drag but I'm going to put a front on.

What does wut mean? Wut does what mean?