Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Brake Lever...... Left or Right side?

Just wanted to see what peoples preference was for their brake lever. Left side or right side?

For people who use one brake caliper.

Right side. Like it was in the beginning, like it is for many around the world and for motorcyclists as well.

Front brake, right hand.

right side.

I think the italians, campagnolo, came up with the idea of having the front brake on the left side by making their side pull brakes have the 'pull' on the wrong side.

the cable bends tightly when you setup right front, but it's short enough to not cause any binding.

Right, can hand signal while slowing down. Plus that is how my motorcycles (which I also use hand signals on (no signals)) are set up.

Right side, for all the reasons mentioned above.

Left side for me. Since it's a front brake I wanted it to match my other bikes.

Anybody want to trade for a Salsa right side interrupter lever?

Used both.

Right feels better.

Left works with my small frame size and campy caliper.

Right allows me to signal, as well as lift my left side to get a good look behind me.

right side, all of my family except my younger brother rides motorcycles so he always nearly dies when he tries out our bikes

Whichever way accommodates the cable routing...

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=153143&d=1275251506

Any red-blooded conservationist will appreciate less cable housing ending up in the land fill...

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/2453/seatpost.jpg

I've tried both but definitely prefer the right side. I attribute it to motorcycle riding as most before have said.

Right side, ever since I hurt my left wrist

whatever feels natural. for me, left side cause I'm a left handed.

Left for me, since that's how all my other bicycles have been setup for 20years. I may try out on the right, but IMO the cable would have too much friction from the bend in it... I'm actually thinking of getting the Dia Compe Gran Shot lever..

Germanicus, that is brilliant! But beware: it's a thin line between brilliant and stupid.

Is that on a fixie in case your chain breaks?

Right.

But now that I've been riding my fixed gear with the front brake on the right, when I'm riding the new geared bike the the front brake on the left it really ****s me up switching back and forth.

I'm more used to the front brake being right hand b/c of motorcycles. However, since bikes always have the front brake on the left, that's how I run it on my FG to keep it consistent.

left to match other bikes.

plus, if i'm signaling, i'm not stopping. if i'm stopping, i'm not signaling. this effectively means i only signal when i have already seen that i don't need to stop for the duration of the signal.

whatever feels natural. for me, left side cause I'm a left handed.

See, that's just fine. Use your main hand for the main brake.

I use it on the right as I am right handed.

Right.

But now that I've been riding my fixed gear with the front brake on the right, when I'm riding the new geared bike the the front brake on the left it really ****s me up switching back and forth.

so reroute the geared bike

so reroute the geared bike


I might eventually, but right now it seems like too much work. Maybe when I need to change the bar tape...

Left, as that's the way it's been set up on every complete bike I've ever gotten, and thus every build I've done has been that way as well.

Never thought about the slowing while signalling thing though. I only recently put my brake back on. I figure I can slow before I signal.

Never thought about the slowing while signalling thing though. I only recently put my brake back on. I figure I can slow before I signal.

Living in a hilly area makes this tough.

whatever feels natural. for me, left side cause I'm a left handed.

Bingo.

Well I'm left handed and I switched to right brake and everyone called my bike left handed. That was my impetus, I viewed everyone's bike as right handed. Then I got on a dirtbike and felt right at home. Went to a bicycle museum when I was a kid and saw that bikes had right fronts. I felt like bikes were made for leftys.

Whichever way accommodates the cable routing...

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=153143&d=1275251506
Doesn't look like much room for steering there!

Right Front FTW

Right, because I am a motorcyclist and right handed.

Left, simply out of habit.

Right, because I am a motorcyclist and right handed.

So all bicycles sold today are setup for lefties? :)

well sheldon B likes righty brakes since he claims the dominant hand makes for better brake modulation, I don't see a big enough difference from hand to hand to say that personally. So, since all the bikes I've ever had moved the front brake to the left, I just put it on the left because its what I always have seen. AS I said, Habit.

Moved all mine to the right. Makes most sense with signaling turns to me.

Well, until I read this thread I had no idea anyone ever put the front brake on the left hand side. All bikes sold in the UK come with the front brake on the right, and I stupidly assumed that was universal. Maybe it's because we drive on the left? Though what that should have to do with it I can't really imagine...

so reroute the geared bike

A customer brought in a bike for a tune-up that he had switched (not very common).
Part of the tune up is a test ride. The mechanic hopped on the bike rolled around the parking lot to verify the gears shifted properly, the stem and seatpost were snug, and then checked the brakes....and went right over the bars.

Left for front brake.
Just because it is SOP on most bikes (and all of mine, and we are way into double digits here).

Enjoy

Well, until I read this thread I had no idea anyone ever put the front brake on the left hand side. All bikes sold in the UK come with the front brake on the right, and I stupidly assumed that was universal. Maybe it's because we drive on the left? Though what that should have to do with it I can't really imagine...

All bikes in the US are the opposite. Weird. I prefer mine on the right, too.

A customer brought in a bike for a tune-up that he had switched (not very common).
Part of the tune up is a test ride. The mechanic hopped on the bike rolled around the parking lot to verify the gears shifted properly, the stem and seatpost were snug, and then checked the brakes....and went right over the bars.


well, sorry to hear the guy got hurt.

The guy I replied to is used to right side braking, so he should redo the new bike so he doesn't get himself hurt by accident

Left out of habit. Most of my bikes are geared:

Right side: brake lever operates rear brake. Shifter operates rear derailleur.
Left side: brake lever operates front brake. Shifter operates front derailleur.

Left = front
Right = rear