Do I REALLY need Both front and back brakes?

[crazygringo]

If you really wanna ride with 1 brake. Nothing we say here is gonna change your mind.
The majority of the posts say, yes, get both brakes working. I agree with the majority.

 

[Madwack]

simple as it gets...on dry pavement with only a front brake ....you will be fine....you ever try and brake on pavement with gravel and u are gonna go down..if that front wheel locks....the fron will will dig in and begin to go sideways..taking u and the bike down....releasing the brake will save you..but....dont do it dude....the pain from hitting the pavement is no fun

trust me i just finnished wipen out on my Mountain bike...hip and ribs ooo sore

Maddy

 

[Scottm]

I bet if you look at the rear of the frame where the seat stays leave the seat post, there should be a small bar connecting the stays and it has a small hole in it. That's made so you can add cantilever or center pull brakes to the rear. Or fenders. No need for a new bike.
Here are some good articles on braking techniques and various brakes. http://sheldonbrown.com/brakes/index.html
He does teach about using mostly the front brakes. http://sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html

What kind of motor will you be using? Sometimes my Happy Times throttle sticks wide open. I have had to depend on both front and rear and the soles of my shoes.

 

[crazygringo]

Race car drivers all believe that the brakes are the most important part of the car.

 

[crazygringo]

Another thought came to mind for me about this thread....

the broken bones don't hurt as much as having to lay there while they dig gravel out of your back?

 

[Simonator]

I only have front brakes, but I live dangerously.

 

[Simon_A]

Scottm has best idea, its what I was gonna suggest, disk brake at the front and rim at the rear.
Most of your braking is performed with the front brakes, but as stated in low traction situations you need the rears. With just the front brakes the rear end gets light with hard braking, the rear brakes keep the tail of the bike stable.

Failing that the "sick bike" conversion allows you to keep both sets of disks. Its the planned next evolution of my bike. Happy time, front and rear disk brakes, and geared output on the engine.

 

[andyinchville1]

HI Strontium,

If you want to have disc brakes in the rear AND run a sprocket mounted to the disc hub itself our "top hat" disc hub adapter may be the ticket for you (provided you have enough clearance to move your disc OUT (away from the spokes) about .4 inch ....I am working on the final spacers to make small and precise adjustments and will experiment on a disc brake equipped bike I recently bought before making them generally available for sale.

Hope this helps you.

Andrew

 

[SirJakesus]

I only have front brakes, but I live dangerously.

LOL, This coming from the dude that got creamed by an SUV because he was out on a test run at night with no lights
Indeed if you wish to live dangerously nobody is stopping you. It makes for good pictures and stories anyways... most of the time...

 

[jonboy2five]

slow down...

i have been riding and racing high performance motocycles ( both street and off-road) for 30 years. the front brake is what stops you, especially on pavement, even on a wet road. racers use the front on both pavement and dirt to slow down, and the rear for control and setting the rear end. BTW braking on wet gravel in the middle of a turn is NEVER advisable. ANY hard braking on a two-wheeler should be done on an UPRIGHT bike. my $.02, and i know from whence i speak...good luck, and just get a rim (v-brake) for the rear.