Ever try a rear brake only on a fixed gear?
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I've only ever used a front brake on a fixed, and it worked so well I wouldn't bother to try anything else. Use your legs to slow and the brake to stop; it's a pretty elegant solution, really.
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Yes, a rear brake will do all of those things. But why leave off the brake that will reliably stop you twice as fast unless either you live in a world where hard braking is never needed or the consequences of not being able to don't matter to you?
I use my rear brake as you suggest. I use my front when I actually want to stop or do it in a hurry. I alternate between the two to keep rim temperatures down on long descents. (And I grab both brake levers as handles when I want to climb.)
It is simple math and physics to show that a front brake will stop you in half the distance that the world's best rear braking can do. Every 10 years or so I break out paper, pencil and calculator and do it from scratch. Same answer every time. (Oh, the numbers vary a little depending on where I locate the center of gravity of the rider, bike weights, etc. But that 2:1 never varies a lot.)
I use my rear brake as you suggest. I use my front when I actually want to stop or do it in a hurry. I alternate between the two to keep rim temperatures down on long descents. (And I grab both brake levers as handles when I want to climb.)
It is simple math and physics to show that a front brake will stop you in half the distance that the world's best rear braking can do. Every 10 years or so I break out paper, pencil and calculator and do it from scratch. Same answer every time. (Oh, the numbers vary a little depending on where I locate the center of gravity of the rider, bike weights, etc. But that 2:1 never varies a lot.)
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I run front and rear. The rear only would work to help modulate speed as you discussed, such as long downhills. Though the front will work better.
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I understand a front brake will stop you faster than a rear. The point of the topic is more about if a rear brake on a fixed gear is worthwhile or rather, how worthwhile. Like for the people who don’t run brakes at all, how much could they benefit from adding just a rear brake. I think what got me thinking of this question is that I use my rear brake to modulate speed a lot more than I ever use my front. I think if I had to have a bike with just a front or rear I would choose rear. I know that isn’t a choice that needs to be made, more of a hypothetical to just think on.
What handlebar setup are you using? I’m having trouble picturing using brake levers as handles during a climb.
What handlebar setup are you using? I’m having trouble picturing using brake levers as handles during a climb.
The true pista bars (with the levers in active use!)
Semi-pista bars
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Why bother? On a fixed gear, you can already brake the rear wheel using your legs, and rear wheel braking efficacy is limited by tire traction (once you start to skid, more braking effort will not slow you any better). Run a front brake and get more/better braking power.
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I had only a rear brake on my first track bike, acquired in 1964, and also my second, bought in 1982. Since the seatstay bridge wasn't drilled on either bike (nor was the fork, of course), I cobbled together a brake mount using a Pletscher rear rack mounting plate and a Mafac brake both times. That setup didn't work all that well, but it enabled me to ride everywhere I wanted to. It was only decades later that some manufacturers began selling fixed-gear bikes with fork crowns and seatstay bridges drilled for front brakes.
If your fork isn't drilled for a brake, it's a much better idea to replace it with one that is drilled, but, yes, a rear brake is much better than no brake at all. The main advantage is that your stopping power is independent of how big a gear you're using and of the gradient you're riding on.
If your fork isn't drilled for a brake, it's a much better idea to replace it with one that is drilled, but, yes, a rear brake is much better than no brake at all. The main advantage is that your stopping power is independent of how big a gear you're using and of the gradient you're riding on.
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If you don't want to drill your frame for a brake caliper, there are a couple options still. First, there are brake mounts that clamp to the fork blades onto which a caliper can be fitted. And there are steer-tube plug mounts that insert into the steer tube below the fork crown to provide a mount point for a caliper. These sometimes have clearance problems with tightly-coupled track frames.
https://www.tracksupermarket.com/hac...no-clamps.html
https://www.tracksupermarket.com/hac...no-clamps.html
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If you are only going to have one brake always the front. The only reason to go rear brake only is if you are on flat paths by the beach on a beach cruiser or some odd set up for someone who is differently able but even then plenty of options for braking with one lever or alternatively.