Rear Brake As A Drag Brake
04-25-14, 04:57 PM
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Rear Brake As A Drag Brake
I've heard that in a hilly area that it's good to have rear brake ( to use as a drag brake) then just having a front brake. What is this list real world experience about that? Does adding a rear brake make a Fixie stop better in places where there is a lot of hills?
04-25-14, 09:51 PM
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If you're riding a lot of hills, two brakes are good for a variety of reasons. The obvious one is that a certain amount of redundancy is nice when the alternative is careening out of control down a mountain.
But moreover, having two brakes means you can alternate them on a long descent and not overheat your front rim. It also means that you can distribute the work between both hands/arms, which is nice on long rides. I've done up to a hilly 400k with only a front brake, and my left arm was MUCH happier when I put a rear brake on as well after that.
Simply controlling your speed down a long descent isn't a scenario of absolute maximum stopping power (which is the usual argument for a front brake over no brakes at all on a fixie); you can scrub of some speed using either brake. But there are good reasons for having both if you ride in hills.
But moreover, having two brakes means you can alternate them on a long descent and not overheat your front rim. It also means that you can distribute the work between both hands/arms, which is nice on long rides. I've done up to a hilly 400k with only a front brake, and my left arm was MUCH happier when I put a rear brake on as well after that.
Simply controlling your speed down a long descent isn't a scenario of absolute maximum stopping power (which is the usual argument for a front brake over no brakes at all on a fixie); you can scrub of some speed using either brake. But there are good reasons for having both if you ride in hills.
