dr1445

currently running hayes nine with the front brake lever on the right, as i also ride motorcycles. no point in grabbing the wrong lever in an emergency stop.
the front master cylinder on the hayes has started to leak so i am looking for a replacement. i see lots of shimano units on ebay, can the current crop of disc brakes be switched from left to right like the hayes nine?

fietsbob

In those with R/L different levers..

You can drain switch hoses and then re fill and bleed them , and sort out the leaks while you are at it..

Some Brakes use the same lever for both sides , not familiar with all .. of them to say which ..

edit : these seem such, just swap the levers.. https://www.hayesdiscbrake.com/suppor...akes/hfx-9-hd/

your LBS will help sort our the parts to cure the leaks. ... Air getting in , or fluid loss?

since making just one lever saves tooling costs over mirror image ones its getting more common.


My Magura HS 33 rim brakes are set up Moto, as is my Cross and Touring bike , others the other way,

since neither lever is the clutch any more, Grab both.


seems no international convention on the rear brake and shift pedals in Motorcycles .. you get used to it.

surreal

I like to run brakes moto-style, especially when we're talkin about a coaster rear. And, yeah, I used to ride motorcycles a lot. But let's be honest here: as F-Bob mentioned, the left lever is going to be a brake on a bike, The whole "muscle memory" concern is a moot point; you'll be in "bike mode" within minutes, and remember which is which.

Still, to partially answer your question, the entire Avid/Sram line of current hydros seem to have ambidextrous levers. These take DOT fluid, rather than the mineral opil of the Shimanos you'd mentioned. Getting some Elixirs or Codes would allow you to continue running Moto, if that's important to you. Many other hydro discs have ambi levers as well...

jimc101

For Shimano brakes, if you buy retail these come with a spare olive & insert, all you need to do it undo the hoses & swap them, which is the same as the hose shortening process, and you may not even need to bleed. All the instructions on how to do this are included with them.

dr1445

jimc101, swap hoses just like swapping cables, i can do that! thanks to all for the info.

jimc101

Almost, you need a 8mm spanner, and just be careful not to loose any fluid.

The new Shimano discs brakes are very easy to bleed if you do have any issues, and it's useful to be able to do it.

dr1445

I looked at rebuilding the hayes but the cost for parts and a bleeding kit did not seem cost effective. If the newer style have any kind of fluid reservoir then it is without a question a simple task.