Mountain Biking - How many of you put the front brake lever...

just curious

i dont understand the question... i guess, its more of the lack of a question

edit: sorry about that, the poll never showed up the first time

i dont understand the question... i guess, its more of the lack of a question

edit: sorry about that, the poll never showed up the first time

read it again

read it again

i was having trouble getting a poll started

Front is controlled by left. Maybe I'm a victim to society or something, but its the only way that feels right.

Front is controlled by left. Maybe I'm a victim to society or something, but its the only way that feels right.

sure there is no right or wrong answer, i just wanted to see if i was in the minority

As a motorcyclist of 16 years who just started riding a mountain bike, changing the brake cables was the first thing I did. Bicycles are dangerous enough as it is, and I didn't want to waste any time wondering which lever to use if I had to stop fast. But after the few short rides I've been on, I haven't been able to ride fast enough to see any difference in braking in the front and rear brakes like there is on a motorcycle. On a motorcycle, the front brake is best used to reduce speed and the rear brake is best used for suspension balance while braking. Are things the same on a bicycle?

As a motorcyclist of 16 years who just started riding a mountain bike, changing the brake cables was the first thing I did. Bicycles are dangerous enough as it is, and I didn't want to waste any time wondering which lever to use if I had to stop fast. But after the few short rides I've been on, I haven't been able to ride fast enough to see any difference in braking in the front and rear brakes like there is on a motorcycle. On a motorcycle, the front brake is best used to reduce speed and the rear brake is best used for suspension balance while braking. Are things the same on a bicycle?
i mean more or less they are the same. i tended to drag my rear quite a bit in motocross. more so on my 250 to tame the power a little.

i was just too used to front brake on right after many years of racing motocross with some MTB'ing interspersed. there was no way i wanted that difference, whether braking power is different front/back on the bicycle or not. i don't know what brakes you have, but my hydraulics are definetly strong in the front...probably stronger since i have a larger caliper up front. (just like a motocycle..hehehhe)

i didn't ever want to grab the front accidently thinking it was the back on slippery terrain.

if you like motorcycles, get yourself a gripshift for the right side and then its just like the throttle on a motorcycle!! that's what i did. i don't want to brag or anything, but it looks pretty sweet!

then i removed the front derailleur and shifters so now my whole handle bar layout mimics that of a motorcycle :D

I am a bloody ******....... I voted left but it is actually on the right :o Over 95% of people in Australia will vote this way, it is how bikes come stock from the LBS.

I am a bloody ******....... I voted left but it is actually on the right :o Over 95% of people in Australia will vote this way, it is how bikes come stock from the LBS.

crap...i needed your vote too!!!

I love the front brake on the right side. I'll admit i did wipe a few times when i first switched years ago.

It is funny letting other ppl ride my bike, "watch out for the bra.....ouch"

PS: I never driven a motorcycle

I voted right, but its actually misleading since this is the mtb forum--my fixie and my cross bike both have right hand front braking.

My mountain bike, on the other hand, is on the other hand.

Still though, I often think about switching that over as well.

On my cruiser and hardtail the front is on the left, but on my SS/fixie I have it on the right (only run a front brake) cause I skitch w/ my left left in the city.

Front on the right, rear on the left.

Its how my old Giant came stock, and i never looked back.

front on left, it's always been that way for me, but then when i ride a dirtbik it's no problem switching my mind set to front on right and clutch on left

I voted right, but its actually misleading since this is the mtb forum--my fixie and my cross bike both have right hand front braking.

My mountain bike, on the other hand, is on the other hand.

Still though, I often think about switching that over as well.

come join us on the RIGHT, it's better over here

I had mine on the left side, cuase that's the side it came on.

right side, dominant hand = more control

come join us on the RIGHT, it's better over here

Yes, right is the way of the good people. Sam Hill, Nathan Rennie, Sick Mick, all these bad boys ride right/front brake set up. Basically because that is what a stock bike comes in Australia.

Does anyone actually know why there would be two totally different brake set ups between us and America?

Front brake lever on the right.

I like having my good hand control the good brake, which frees the left hand up for holding that damned coffee cup.

Right now, my front brake lever is on the left and rear is on the right, but I often find myself using my rear brake too much because my right hand is dominant. I think I might switch it up so that I can use the front brake more. I'm just not confident using the front brake with my left hand.

I've never heard of the front brake being anywhere but on the left.

mx_599 The answer to the question of your signature is "runaway train" right? I didn't google it either.

i have it on the left because that is how it came. but now that i read this post i think i am going to switch it.

who rides brakes on fixed gears? i thought half the point was to eliminate the need for brakes.

Right now, my front brake lever is on the left and rear is on the right, but I often find myself using my rear brake too much because my right hand is dominant. I think I might switch it up so that I can use the front brake more. I'm just not confident using the front brake with my left hand.

make the switch, the time is now!!

I've never heard of the front brake being anywhere but on the left.

mx_599 The answer to the question of your signature is "runaway train" right? I didn't google it either.
correct!!! and the artist is??

as for the brake lever issue...you don't know what you're missing. improved modulation, power, and control can all be yours :rolleyes:

i have it on the left because that is how it came. but now that i read this post i think i am going to switch it.

it's the right thing to do

I painted the frame of my main ride last year, and accidentally built it back up with the front brake on the right lever. I'm so used to it, anything else seems counter-intuitive, so I changed all my other bikes to this setup. I was also a C-section baby.

I painted the frame of my main ride last year, and accidentally built it back up with the front brake on the right lever. I'm so used to it, anything else seems counter-intuitive, so I changed all my other bikes to this setup. I was also a C-section baby.
is that you in the motion picture?? that is hilarious

correct!!! and the artist is??

Soul Asylum :)

I was also a C-section baby.

"I was cesarian born. Can't really tell, except that every time I leave the room I go out through the window."
-Steven Wright.
:)

"I was cesarian born. Can't really tell, except that every time I leave the room I go out through the window."
-Steven Wright.
:)
That is EXACTLY what I was thinking of when I wrote that. :D

Does anyone actually know why there would be two totally different brake set ups between us and America?

I dont know to be honest. But since moving to America a few years ago, they seem to do alot of stuff different just for the hell of it. :)

who rides brakes on fixed gears? i thought half the point was to eliminate the need for brakes.

I do.

In most people the left hand side of the brain is the dominant hemisphere, and the left hand hemisphere controls the right hand side of the persons body. The Left hemisphere is also what controls the more precise functions a person does. Hence that is why most people are right handed. In my opinion I think that having the front brake on the right hand side, will give more precise braking(in the front where you need it most). All my bikes have come with the front brakes on the right and I have left them as is.

To all you motocross riders, isn't the front bake on the right as well ?

Brendan

I am a bloody ******....... I voted left but it is actually on the right :o Over 95% of people in Australia will vote this way, it is how bikes come stock from the LBS.

Except some of the Cannondale's I've put toghether! :p Darn Cannondale! Mine is on the right though! And a great way to sabotage someone to come over there handelbars...switch levers around :D

I am left handed and i used to ride dirtbikes, and the front brake was so natural at the time being on the right side [ just came natural ]. I also rode mountain bikes and its weird how i never thought about that when changing from Dirtbike to Pedal [ I cant remember thinking about it anyway ]. Now that i do, i think the reason for this is because on the dirtbike your paying attention to the cluch alot. I dont know, i havent thought about that for along time [ many years ].

You know, in January I'll be mounting hydros to replace my v's, maybe I should give this right/front thing a try...

slowly but surely the world is coming right.

On a motorcycle, the front brake is best used to reduce speed and the rear brake is best used for suspension balance while braking. Are things the same on a bicycle?
I may be misreading this, but the way I see it, you've got it backwards. The front is the more effective brake due to a little thing called weight transfer. As you brake weight is shifted off the rear wheel to the front of the bike due to deceleration thereby reducing the ability of the rear wheel to grip. If you don't grip you slip.
The rear is to slow you down the front is for stpping
http://www.webbikeworld.com/Motorcycle-Safety/braking-tips.htm
http://sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html

Even if you use the rear brake it will move the weight forward on a bike. I think that you could possibly have better control of the weight of the bike by using the rear as it is not as hard a hit on the bike. So instead of tapping front and going forward heavy, you could move forward slightly with the rear. However Iwould think it made sense using the front to change weight.

I'm not going to get involved in the motorcycle thing even though I ride one, it's a Guzzi with an unusual linked brake system and front rear preferences go out the window. On the Haro I had it set up so the front brake was on the right, but the Hoss deluxe came with the front on the left. Same shop, go figure. I didn't notice until I went out riding with the guy who bought my Haro so I must have just compensated for it straight away. Think I'll change them around, now I've noticed its starting to feel weird.

To all you motocross riders, isn't the front bake on the right as well ?

Brendan

yes, it's on the normal side

You know, in January I'll be mounting hydros to replace my v's, maybe I should give this right/front thing a try...

if you vote right, i'll get a full face!

I may be misreading this, but the way I see it, you've got it backwards. The front is the more effective brake due to a little thing called weight transfer. As you brake weight is shifted off the rear wheel to the front of the bike due to deceleration thereby reducing the ability of the rear wheel to grip. If you don't grip you slip.
The rear is to slow you down the front is for stpping
http://www.webbikeworld.com/Motorcycle-Safety/braking-tips.htm
http://sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html

In the sport bike world the rear brake is hardly used. Yeah the front is effective, thats why he said its used to reduce speed. Sometimes riders will drag the rear brake to settle the chassis, and scrub off minor speed in a turn a technique called trail braking (the front brake should NOT be applied in the turn in most cases). In a emergency stop in real world traffic Ivie used the rear brake to panic stop and have slid the rear wheel....not good.

Back on topic: I my front brake is on the left......I may switch it today and see how I like it.

I use my front brake on the left because I keep my right hand for shifting. I don't use my right brake that often unless I'm coming to a stop, or going down something that if I use my front brake I'll flip over.

I use the left side. I'm abidextrous but for things requiring fine motor skills (writing, painting, bicycle brake, etc.) I am left handed--which I why I have it setup this way. My right hand is great for strength activities like throwing a ball or swinging a hockey stick.

I ride it reversed to typical north american setup. This is mostly due to a handicap.

I may be misreading this, but the way I see it, you've got it backwards. The front is the more effective brake due to a little thing called weight transfer. As you brake weight is shifted off the rear wheel to the front of the bike due to deceleration thereby reducing the ability of the rear wheel to grip. If you don't grip you slip.
The rear is to slow you down the front is for stpping
http://www.webbikeworld.com/Motorcycle-Safety/braking-tips.htm
http://sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html

The front brake of a motorcycle is best used for reducing speed, and you're correct about there being weight transfered to the front wheel during braking. Maximum stopping comes with using both brakes just short of locking up, and the rear brake is modulated to prevent the weight transfer from overriding the traction/braking capabilites of the front. And even in the vast majority of the time when you don't need maximum stopping power, being able to modualte the weight transfer and braking makes for a smoother/safer/faster/more enjoyable ride while reinforcing habits that might be needed during a panic stop when you don't want to be pondering what you're supposed to be doing differently. It's also needed when carrying a passenger who might be changing positions during braking.

I ride a BMW with a front end that minimizes front end dive (it's an oilhead with the telelever) that can generate some serious braking power without upseting the suspenion. My bicycle is a specialized hardrock without any suspension, and I haven't been able to get it going fast enough here on the streets in Chicago in the week I've had it to notice much difference in the braking capabilites of either end. But I see where some of you would riding up and down hills and in the dirt - it's going to be a few months until we see dirt here that's not frozen!

I see no benefit for a mountain bike to change it. I tried it once and could not get the hang of it, and saw it as pointless. The only place it makes sense is in cyclocross, so you can stand to one side and slow the bike without wrecking. Other than that, it is just a hassle for me.