Bicycle Mechanics - a really stupid question about brake levers

I've been cycling since I can remember, and I've never bought a complete bike - always built my own buying bits. Last time I was asked whether the front brake should be on the right or left side, and I couldn't answer the question! I always had it on the left 'cause it couples with the front shifter, but I wasn't sure if there is a standard left-front, right-rear configuration, if the standard is opposite or whatever....

Is there any standard ?

claude

The standards are different depending on location.

In the USA, the front brake is on the left and the rear brake is on the right.

In Japan and many places in Europe, it is opposite: front brake on the right and rear brake is on the left.

There is no global standard.

I thought once I'd be cool and savvy and signal a right turn into the office parking lot with my RIGHT arm, the way I've seen recommended by cool, savvy writers.

But I was going too fast to turn, so I squeezed the left (front) brake lever, and almost went over the handlebars.

So if you're going to use both arms to signal, it might be best to have foot-operated brakes.

There is no general standard.

Many riders prefer to use the front brake with their "best" hand for quick response and extra control.

Many bike legislators say bikes should be sold with the front brake on the left hand, to avoid a front wheel lock up and head-over-bars accident. Where this leaves left-handers, I dont know. There is also the issue of offside turns (left in USA, right in UK).

Motorcyclists may want to keep consistancy with their powered machines and use right/front.

I use right/front on all my bikes. I occasionally ride left/front machines, but I dont like it.

A friend of mine who was a motorcycle rider, changed hie mt. bike levers to matchwhat he was accustomed to.
I borrowed it once and he did not tell me,,,!!!nuf said.

Mine are all left-front. I ride different bikes throught the week, so I keep it consistent. I've heard that Cyclocross racers like left-rear. When they're climbing mud while dismounted, it helps footing to be able to lock the rear wheel at times. Dismounted and climbing should be done from the left side of the bike.

Does this help you? Probably not, but I thought it was interesting.

What ever side you chose for left/right, it is a good idea to adjust the rear brake so that it's reaction is slightly faster than the front.

That way, when you are in an emergency/panic situation and you grab both left&right levers hard, you don't go flying over the handlebars and into danger.

Do this adjustment by adjusting your cable tensions so that the caliper of the rear brakes are closer to the rim than on the front brakes. Due to the shorter cable length in the front, you will have to experiment a little to make sure the adjustment is correct.

Originally posted by mike
What ever side you chose for left/right, it is a good idea to adjust the rear brake so that it's reaction is slightly faster than the front.



Very good! Thanks for reminding me of something I used to know but had forgotten during my layoff. I'm going to double-check my brakes for that.

thanks for the help !

I was wondering wether I should try changing from left front to right front, since I have more control on my right hand (right handed) and one of my problems is that I always almost end up over the handlebars on an emergency brake.

claude

Wich brake side is most used?, try the most powerful hand on the most used side
there are no stupid questions, only stupid answers!!!

Claude.
If emergency braking sends you over the bars, then you are not doing it properly.
As you apply the brakes, brace your arms against the bars, and push your butt all the way back. If your handlebars are above the level of your saddle, then lowering them may improve stability.

Regardless, though, the rear brake needs to be applied before the front one, or there's trouble ahead. (See Mike's post above, about adjusting this.)

To add a little unclarity to this post: Sheldon Brown said he likes a front/right combo, being right handed. He even suggested using only the front brake, as he claims the rear is not only ineffective, but prone to skidding.

Personally, I don't care, as long as no one switches them on me without my knowledge.

I did notice on a close call I had that I instinctively hit both brakes. While the rear had very little stopping power, it did help me to skid sideways, which in turn helped me 1) avoid over-the-bar-fun, and 2) make a sharp right as I pointed my front wheel right and my rear wheel slid left.

Originally posted by Pete Clark
To add a little unclarity to this post: Sheldon Brown said he likes a front/right combo, being right handed. He even suggested using only the front brake, as he claims the rear is not only ineffective, but prone to skidding.



Omigosh... I looked up the article by Sheldon Brown in question and read it and now I feel like the caterpillar that was advised to closely consider how he moved his legs to walk. (He ended up in a ditch, hopelessly confused.)

The S. Brown article was very persuasive and scientific, and yet I don't want to re-learn something as fundamental as braking.... :(

I'm reminded of a National Lampoon article many years ago called "Everything You've Been Told Is Wrong."

Sheldon is correct (obviousy) that the front brake is more effective than the rear brake.

I remember as a young teen carrying a 12 foot fishing spear in my right hand and riding "no-hands" with my ten-speed on my way home one evening.

A car pulled out in front of me and I quickly and strongly squeezed the front brake with my left hand.

After flying over my handlebars and having the bike fly over me, I had the unique experience of watching my fingers bend backwards and touch the back of my hand after my hand and face had smashed into the asphalt.

Naturally, I spent much of the rest of the evening in the emergency room.

From that point on, I have always had a light hand on the front brake.

Originally posted by mike
Naturally, I spent much of the rest of the evening in the emergency room.

From that point on, I have always had a light hand on the front brake.

Mike, you reassure me with your grisly tale. I'm certain Mr. Brown probably has hundreds of thousands of miles under his belt, and I'm glad he enjoys using the front brake all by itself, but I have 13,000-plus, and you probably have about 40 times that many, and I'm content to leave things as they are. I'd rather not enjoy my retirement in a full-body cast hooked up to a dozen tubes (had enough of those with stomach surgery!). :)

I often wondered about this very subject. Most motorcrossers I know keep their brakes on their bikes just like their motorcycles right/front for consistency.

I've also heard about the cyclocrossers switching so it's easier to dismount.

I've been thinking of switching mine around just to be different. Why? Why not?

I think it boils down to personal preference. I do know that downhillers switch because they use their front brakes more and claim to have a better "feel" with their right hand (assuming they're right handed)

I work at a bike shop and the "standard" is front/left rear/right if nothing else, maybe because the right shifter is the rear derailleur and so companies keep the rear/right perspective.

I guess if I really want to be different, I should switch my grip shifters around as well. This wouldn't work with triggers or road shift/brake levers.

This would be bad (very bad) if anyone borrowed my bike and didn't know.

Hmmmm, I gotta go and switch my stuff around.

Later Gator
Boomer: :confused: