> Mountain bikes (high end ones anyway) are designed to take the rider and
> the bike down grades that would make you choke while towing a kayak. The
> rim brakes or disc brakes on my mtn bikes could stop me and your kayak rig
> faster than any old Raleigh 10-speed from 20 years ago could stop just me.
> The quality and design of your equipment is what makes the difference.

> Proper braking on a bicycle requires both front and rear brakes be applied
> at the same time. In order to do a set-up like you're suggesting (which I
> still think is unnecessary though not un-useful) would require one of your
> brake levers to have a double cable, so it could pull on both brakes. They
> make lever/cable systems like that for tandems, so that's what I would
> suggest. I just think it would be simpler, if you have one, to use a mtn
> bike with its over-engineered brakes and give that a try first.

With all the discussion on brake systems for trailers, I was reminded of something I saw in an ad for a cycle trailer. It was equipped with an automatic brake that was rigged with a lever on the hitch. As you apply your bike's brakes, the forward momentum of the trailer activates the brake on the trailer. Sounds like it would have braking power applied only where and when it was required... Here is the link.www.cycletote.com

Kelly