Advocacy & Safety - Which hand do you use for the front brake? Left or Right?

I was reading Sheldon Brown's article on braking and safety (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html) and was wondering which hand do you use for your front brake and why? Currently, my bikes are set up with the left hand-front brake combo, but my motorcycle is right hand-front brake. I was thinking of switching over my bikes as well.

You're switching to Campy?

I was reading Sheldon Brown's article on braking and safety (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html) and was wondering which hand do you use for your front brake and why? Currently, my bikes are set up with the left hand-front brake combo, but my motorcycle is right hand-front brake. I was thinking of switching over my bikes as well.
If you take your bike to a bikeshop to be serviced, please warn them of this re-adjustment.

Left for me.

Right hand, front brake only. It really is more natural feeling for me.

Left hand front brake.

I'm also left-handed, so his thoughts on handedness don't apply.

Well it depends on your particular braking habits.

The true stopping power comes from the front brakes. If you are in the habit of stopping you motorcycle properly with the front brake, then you have already trained your right hand to be sensitive to stopping.

Something else to consider, in an emergency situation your left hand is trained to disengage the clutch (full squeeze). Now you're on your bicycle, what happens when you grab the clutch, ie. front brake? Would you rather lockup the front or rear in a panic stop?

I use left because it is "standard" and it isn't like my left hand is a big useless ham just because I am right handed.

Don't think it really matters that much - they set up my road and off-road bikes with the brakes on opposite sides, and I just adapt to it. However if I wanted to hand-signal more, then I'd want the REAR brake on my right hand so my left hand is free to signal.

The old rule is "right rear". Its easy to remember and is phonetic. It applies to both brakes and derailers. I was told a few years ago by an expert on bikes that this was not a standard, but in over fifty years of riding bikes with modern caliper brakes and various shifting mechanisms I have never seen the rule broken. The U.S. Government recognises it in their rules of safety equipment required on imported bicycles. I don't think their is any rational to it. It probably got started years ago by someone who mistakenly thought that the rear wheel brake was the important one, like the old coaster brake. It is like the threads on your pedals. However I do not think it wize to break this rule because it is the type of thing that should come natural and you shouldn't have to think about, particularly in emergency situations.

Right hand. I grew up in Australia, where this is the standard. I've been riding a road bike in Canada for the last couple of months set up for the left hand. It wasn't hard to get used to, but I much prefer using my dominant hand for the more important brake, so I switched them two days ago.

Mine's right hand (Australia). I though Europe was right hand too.
Steve.

Mine's right hand (Australia). I though Europe was right hand too.
Steve.


UK is right hand. Not sure about Continental Europe though. Hong Kong is right hand. I think there could be a link to which side of the road you drive/ride on, but have never bothered to verify this.

front gear, front brake - left side
rear gears, rear break - right side

1. it's simple and makes sense.
2. the two things you do most often (rear gear and front brake) are on different hands. This can be useful depending on how you ride.

I think the only reason people prefer the other way round is out of habit. Or because of motorbikes. Even the motorbike comparison is very sketchy, but for me it is irrelevant anyway.

Sheldon Brown is great, but on this subject I disagree with him. His arguments and reasoning are flawed.

Right hand for the front brake. I couldn't imagne having the front brake where i would have to use my left hand, it would just feel weird.

One thing to consider before switching the front brake lever from left to right is the use of the left hand as indicator when doing a left turn. In this situation, I think it is safer to have the remaining (right) hand available for an emergency rear braking than front :eek:

UK is right hand. Not sure about Continental Europe though. Hong Kong is right hand. I think there could be a link to which side of the road you drive/ride on, but have never bothered to verify this.

Nicodemus already replied for the Netherlands. It's the same here: left hand - front brake / front der. I'd be interested to hear how it is in Sweden, because they used to drive on the left hand side of the road (that was decades ago, but still).

--J

When we rented bikes in Ireland last summer, the brakes were reversed from how we have them on our bikes in the US. US == front break on left hand, Ireland == front brake on right hand.

My feeling? Whatever. The only case where it seems to make a difference, as pointed out above, is when signaling with the left hand, you don't want to go OTB because you squeezed too hard on the front brake (so, rear-right makes sense). I suppose in Ireland where they all drive on the "wrong" side of the road :D the switch is equally logical.

front gear, front brake - left side
rear gears, rear break - right side

1. it's simple and makes sense.
2. the two things you do most often (rear gear and front brake) are on different hands. This can be useful depending on how you ride.

I think the only reason people prefer the other way round is out of habit. Or because of motorbikes. Even the motorbike comparison is very sketchy, but for me it is irrelevant anyway.

For me the main reasons are:

A. I'm right handed, like to have the more important front brake on the stronger, more skillful hand.

2. In the U.S. we drive on the right side, signal with the left hand. I prefer to be able to signal and still have my primary brake in easy reach.


Sheldon Brown is great, but on this subject I disagree with him. His arguments and reasoning are flawed.

The fact that we have different preferences does not necessarily mean that either of us has "flawed" arguments or reasoning.

If you have found any flaws in my arguments or reasonaing, I'd appreciate specific examples so that I can correct the errors.

Sheldon "Open To Reasoned Discourse" Brown

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1. it's simple and makes sense.
2. the two things you do most often (rear gear and front brake) are on different hands. This can be useful depending on how you ride.

I think the only reason people prefer the other way round is out of habit. Or because of motorbikes. Even the motorbike comparison is very sketchy, but for me it is irrelevant anyway.

Sheldon Brown is great, but on this subject I disagree with him. His arguments and reasoning are flawed.

I think your arguments are flawed.

I've never ridden a motorcycle in my life. My bike has no gears.

I had not ridden a bike in almost 15 years when I built mine at our local co-op. After building it all up and learning how to install brakes, the volunteer tells me "Hey, you put your brake on the wrong side." I didn't understand.. I'm right handed.. I can barely throw a ball with accuracy with my left hand.. why would I want it controling something that can save my life.

Vincent "I can't even do that with my left hand very well" Macaluso

I grew up with right-front. I've been using left-front for the last couple of years in the US. I prefer right-front, and should get around to re-cabling the bikes one of these days.

My reason for the preference is mainly that it's my stronger hand, and I can modulate the brake better. That said, my left hand isn't that weak and I'm happy using the left-front too. Hand signals don't weigh in that highly - it's extremely rare that I'd want to brake more heavily than the rear brake can cope with and hand signal at the same time.

My early 1960s Bianchi was cabled right-front at the factory, in the days when it was fashionable to run front sidepull brake cables to the NEAREST brake handle, rather than across the stem. Likewise, the two rear brake cable guides were located along the left side of the top tube. My friends' Schwinns were all left-front, and the Weinmann sidepull calipers were mirror images of my Universals.

I used right-front for almost 20 years, but finally switched over to left-front, partly because I got tired of warning anyone borrowing my bike that the brakes were "switched," and partly because today's aero cabling systems are designed for left-front. As a somewhat ambidextrous lefty who does not ride motorcycles, I feel I can brake safely with either polarity, but it is probably best not to have to switch back and forth. Hand signals are a problem on a couple of local 15 percent descents, where I want to keep BOTH hands on the brakes, particularly in wet weather. (Slippery pavement is the one place I diverge from the front-brake-only fans -- a front wheel skid is a megabummer.)

The American right-rear standard is indeed based on the flawed logic that the front brake is DANGEROUS and that the rear brake should be the primary stopper, to be controlled by the dominant hand.

I am American. Left hand for me.

I've never heard "it" called a "front brake" before.

Seems to me that using the dominant hand for the front brake might make sense if all all of us were sporting hands on the other side that were less than useless. From my own experience, it does not take a lot of manual dexterity or strength to engage any of the modern brake systems. In fact, maybe having the weaker hand pulling the front brake might just be better. With the disc brakes now popular, a pinky pull can stop you faster than your butt can pucker.

A silly debate IMO. No one is right. No one is wrong.

A silly debate IMO. No one is right. No one is wrong.

But but but...give up our beloved Holy Wars? :D

Most humans can learn to use a brake on either hand. Heck, I could probably operate a mouth brake, or elbow brake or something. Your body is an amazing machine, and you can train it to do just about anything. The exact position of the brake is unlikely to make a monumental difference in your abilities.

That said, I prefer front brake on the right. It lets me signal while braking (I rarely use the rear brake, and some of my bikes don't even have them), it matches my motorbikes (though I cabled my brakes 'backwards' before I got into motorbikes), and to me, it just makes sense.

Ride with them however you want, but its worth it to give yourself a chance to try things out that aren't 'standards'. Most 'standards' out there have shakey logical grounds, they are only standards because someone started doing it, and everyone else followed along like sheep. Don't be constrained by them just for the sake of standards. If left-front works best for you, then great. You can get motorcycles cabled up the other way around too. :)

peace,
sam

For me the main reasons are:

A. I'm right handed, like to have the more important front brake on the stronger, more skillful hand.

2. In the U.S. we drive on the right side, signal with the left hand. I prefer to be able to signal and still have my primary brake in easy reach.


(I agree this "argument" cannot be "won", there are just different ways of doing things. I write this merely to clarify some of the differences.)

Regarding number ii above: around here we too drive on the right side. But we use both hands for signalling, left and right hand for respective turns. (Those of us who bother with all this signalling stuff in the first place, that is.) So no matter which way my brakes are set up, I will have to use the secondary brake alone occasionally, while signalling with the other hand. No biggie. But I do prefer having the primary brake and rear shifting on different hands, as Nicodemus described.

--J

It's related to the hand signal and the ability to keep the rear brake at hand on a left turn while signaling, full stop. :rolleyes:

I'm missing something here. Don't you signal in both directions? Are the road rules different in the US? I can't see the relevance with left or right lever placement vs hand signals.
Steve.

I'm missing something here. Don't you signal in both directions? Are the road rules different in the US? I can't see the relevance with left or right lever placement vs hand signals.
Steve.

In the US, all of the signals are normally done using the left arm. There are some areas where you can (legally) signal a right turn using your right arm, but it's very uncommon in my experience.

So, why would you want to have rear brake and signal? I would hate to turn while using the rear brake.

Right-front for me. No reason to do it otherwise. As Sheldon points out, the rear brake is pretty much useless except on slippery pavement or very bumpy roads.

As you are preparing to turn left with your left hand out, it is safer to have the rear break at hand to adjust your speed for letting traffic coming up and prior to leaning/turning rather than the front brake.

A right turn is usually easier, a short signal prior to the actual turn is enough, sometime even not even necessary if no vehicle behind. And as someone mentioned, the left hand can be used to signal right (link to illustration (http://encarta.msn.com/media_461530245/Bicycling_Hand_Signals.html)).

I must say, because this "right turn signal with the left hand" is not widely known by motorists (and bicyclists..), I prefer using the right arm.

Front on the left even though I'm also an avid motorcyclist. Somehow the brain just understands that if there's a throttle and clutch the front brakes on the right and if not it's on the left.

SS

In the US, all of the signals are normally done using the left arm. There are some areas where you can (legally) signal a right turn using your right arm, but it's very uncommon in my experience.

Wow, Thanks for that.I should check my road rules. I think I'm the only cyclist here in Japan who gives siginals anyway.
Steve.

In the US, all of the signals are normally done using the left arm. There are some areas where you can (legally) signal a right turn using your right arm, but it's very uncommon in my experience.

Plus, sometimes you need your left hand when you show the discourteous driver...uh...which direction Heaven is... :D

My bike only has a rear brake, which sucks so bad its not even funny. So I use my shoe to stop. But, still I prefer my right hand to brake. But I have no front brake, so I'll say I like to use my left foot to activate my front brake.

So, why would you want to have rear brake and signal? I would hate to turn while using the rear brake.

If I do signal, I don't signal _while_ turning - I signal _before_ slowing/stopping to turn. It isn't possible to either brake or turn safely with a hand in the air. I always start braking with the safer rear brake, so that is the brake I want firmly in hand at all times. That is why I prefer the rear brake on the right hand. YMMV

In the US, all of the signals are normally done using the left arm. There are some areas where you can (legally) signal a right turn using your right arm, but it's very uncommon in my experience.

Actually, I have read in the book, The Art of Urban Cycling : Lessons from the Street by Robert Hurst, that turn signaling should be done using both arms. Signaling a right turn using the left arrm is leftover from the automobile early days, prior to turn signal lights.

Actually, I have read in the book, The Art of Urban Cycling : Lessons from the Street by Robert Hurst, that turn signaling should be done using both arms. Signaling a right turn using the left arrm is leftover from the automobile early days, prior to turn signal lights.
It makes far more sense for signalling to be done with the arm on the side you'll be turning on a bicycle or motorcycle, but sadly it's not legal in all states of the US to do this. Bizarre. I can't see any reasonably cop giving someone a ticket for signalling right turns with the right arm, but you never know...

Colorado just modified the road rules on July 1 to allow for right hand - right turn signalling.

I don't think signaling right with right hand is illegal, simply the books refer most often to the left hand signal.

The first time I saw a cyclist using his left hand to signal a right turn, he was coming up on the opposite direction. Recently coming from another country, I thought at the time he was waving at me - there was no-one else around - before he turned and disappeared. I wondered for a while who that must have been. :rolleyes:

I don't think signaling right with right hand is illegal, simply the books refer most often to the left hand signal.
If traffic laws state that a left turn must be signalled with the left arm, technically that makes other signals that aren't expressly stated as 'legal signals' illegal. Like I say, you'd be unlucky to get ticketed for it, but you never do know.

I don't have a front brake.

Actually, I have read in the book, The Art of Urban Cycling : Lessons from the Street by Robert Hurst, that turn signaling should be done using both arms. Signaling a right turn using the left arrm is leftover from the automobile early days, prior to turn signal lights.
Cool! Landstander got that book in the mail a couple of weeks ago...but knowing him, if it's not SciFi or Fantasy it'll just be in his office upstairs collecting dust! ;)

Sorry, landstander, couldn't resist! :p

To add to the list of viable reasons to put your brake on a certain side, I use front on the left merely because I shift with my right hand (downtube shifters). If I'm in the middle of shifting and need to stop I want to use the front brake to stop quickly.

Cool! Landstander got that book in the mail a couple of weeks ago...but knowing him, if it's not SciFi or Fantasy it'll just be in his office upstairs collecting dust! ;)


Nah, it's just waiting 'till I finish reading Effective Cycling (John Forester). Nearly there...

A question from the mechanics klutz with two left hands:

Is it hard to switch them? Just unscrew them and screw them back in on the other side? I could probably do that if no cutting or splicing is required.

California law expressly permits motorcyclists and bicyclists to signal a right turn with the right arm outstretched, which to me is much safer and more logical than the awkward automobile-centric upraised left arm signal.

There are times a right-merge or right-turn signal is HIGHLY desirable, such as where unregulated motor vehicle traffic enters your lane from the right or creates a new lane to your right.

Most of the time, if one is mere feathering one's speed, either brake will do, and one would typically abort a hand signal to execute a panic stop, anyway.

Side note: For safety reasons, I will not ride any bike which lacks a front brake. I know I am not alone.

Side note: For safety reasons, I will not ride any bike which lacks a front brake. I know I am not alone.

Well then you wouldn't like riding my bike, all it has is a rear coaster... :D

For your martini?

If traffic laws state that a left turn must be signalled with the left arm, technically that makes other signals that aren't expressly stated as 'legal signals' illegal. ...


Not quite so. They become "non signals". In other words, if you live in a state where the only legal right signal is done with the left hand, then signalling with the right hand is the equivalent to waving to a friend.