Rear brakes wear quickly - do I need redundant rear brakes? On my bikes I find that I wear out the rear brake a lot faster than the front brake. In fact, I tend to avoid the front brake, and any time that I've used it exclusively, bad things would happen (like the rear of the bike flying over my head as I rush to get away from this flying heap of metal).

So I'm thinking... given that a disc brake system is just a pad that presses against the disc, has anyone considered attaching two completely independent sets of rear brakes to a single disc?

I suspect that one would need a single handle for activating both sets of rear brakes but I'm pretty sure it's not impossible. Apart from the obvious "your frame doesn't have mounts for two brake systems", are there any other reasons why this would be a bad idea? (Cost, weight etc. not being a factor.)

Clarification: my question is about the mounting of two sets of brake pads, specifically. I already know that two hydraulic lines can be merged (e.g., using Outbraker).

Clarification 2: just to reiterate (again), neither cost nor weight nor the complexity of the system are a factor for me, in other words I'm perfectly prepared to live with all of that, provided I get a more reliable, effective and powerful rear brake. The goal isn't just to reduce maintenance but to provide extra power to the rear brake.

Update 3: here's a photo



Update 4: I have accepted one of the answers below, but you should know that I'm definitely doing it -- going to install a second caliper on the rear brake, will probably also extend the size of the rear brake disc to the (rather expensive) Hope 203 rotor. Will post a picture and report when finished.

Update 5: someone might be reading this, so I wanted to give an update on something that I mentioned earlier - Outbraker, the two-hose variety. Basically this thing allows progressive braking with both calipers at the same time. I have installed it for a person who can only use the left hand for braking, and for that purpose it works rather well! The brake calipers no longer have a 'bite point' as the Outbraker acts like a time-delay mechanism.

Update 6: just wanted to post an update on the whole Outbraker thing. Long story short, v1 of Outbraker fell short of its described functionality -- it is actually pretty impossible to bleed, and it seemed to be losing air. Now, to be fair, Outbraker did send me v1.5 for free, but I haven't tested it, since changing brake lines is not a normal occurrence for me. So that's where we're at - nowhere. At least with Outbraker.
The system you suggest has no benefit. The effectiveness of the rear brake is limited by the fact that braking moves your weight forwards and off the rear wheel. The brake you already have should already be capable of skidding your rear wheel. This tells you that the limiting factor isn't the power of the rear brake, but the grip of the rear tyre. Making the rear brake more powerful won't make you stop faster: it just makes you skid sooner. And bear in mind that skidding is not the fastest way to stop&nbsp;&ndash; that (and keeping control) is why cars have anti-lock brakes.

Instead, you need to practise using the brakes properly. If pulling the front brake sends you over the handlebars, you're pulling it too hard. Brakes are not binary: they're not just "on" or "off". Learn how much front brake you can use without endangering yourself (practise on a quiet street at gradually increasing speeds) and remember to brace against the handlebars as you brake so your weight doesn't flop forwards.