Originally Posted by
bwilli88
I like my front brake to be actuated by the right brake lever, Is there a rule, law, or convention stipulating which brake, Front or Rear, is to be actuated by which lever, Left or Right?
16 CFR 1512.5(b)(8) states
Hand lever location. The rear brake shall be actuated by a control located on the right handlebar and the front brake shall be actuated by a control located on the left handlebar. The left-hand/right-hand locations may be reversed in accordance with an individual customer order. If a single hand lever is used to actuate both front and rear brakes, it shall meet all applicable requirements for hand levers and shall be located on either the right or left handlebar in accordance with the customer's preference.
I've always used front/right - as a right handed person that gives me a stronger grip on the front brake with better control, I can signal with my left hand while braking, and it's consistent with my motorcycles.
Rear derailleur shifting while making a panic stop isn't going to happen that way, although people stop fastest when not trying to think about doing something else (even using the rear brake) so that's not an issue. Traffic lights and stop signs provide ample time to shift and brake.