cable routing on sidepull calipers (Shi-Dia,etc.)

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10-01-06 | 06:47 PM

peripatetic

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Joined: Oct 2004

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From: NYC

Bikes: All 70s and 80s, only steel.

cable routing on sidepull calipers (Shi-Dia,etc.)

I have noticed on one of my bikes and a friend's bike, the Shimano or Dia-Compe sidepulls have the cable routing on the right (facing the bike) side of the caliper arms. On most other vintage bikes I've seen, the sidepulls route the cable on the left (facing the bike) side of the arm. It turns out on both the bikes I've mentioned, the only practical way of attaching levers to the front brakes is by switching levers, a la Sheldon Brown. I'm thinking these brakes are "wrong-sided" for one of two reasons, and wondered if anyone could confirm/deny my theories:

1) Development of aero levers, which means that it's a shorter cable path from the normal front lever position to the brake.

2) Brakes made for an Asian market. Maybe since everything in Japan and much of Asia is on the opposite side of the road, brake lever orientation is similar?

Also, was wondering if anyone had any tips on dealing with these kinds of things. On my friend's bike, I have actually installed some "inline" or "cyclocross" style levers for upright braking on her drops, and the only practicable way to do this was to revers the left and right levers. I'm hoping she'll be able to go along with such a scheme.

Thanks.

Last edited by peripatetic; 10-01-06 at 07:20 PM.

10-02-06 | 06:37 AM

LWaB

Senior Member

Joined: Dec 2005

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From: Auld Blighty

Bikes: Early Cannondale tandem, '99 S&S Frezoni Audax, '65 Moulton Stowaway, '52 Claud Butler, TSR30, Brompton

It is because different countries ride on different sides of the road and so have different brake hook-ups for bikes (RH front or LH front). The British started bicyce mass-production so people copied their set-up for a while. The Japanese copied the Europeans (specifically, the Italians) after a while.

10-02-06 | 07:23 AM

Stacey

Non Tribuo Anus Rodentum and off to the next adventure (RIP)

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I set mine up front brake on right... too many years of riding moto to change now.

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10-02-06 | 09:42 AM

John E

feros ferio

Joined: Jul 2000

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From: www.ci.encinitas.ca.us

Bikes: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo; 1960 Capo Sieger (2); 1962 Carlton Franco Suisse; 1970 Peugeot UO-8; 1982 Bianchi Campione d'Italia; 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10;

My 1962 Bianchi's Universal sidepulls were left-routed by your definition, and the non-areo front brake cable was routed from the closer right-hand brake lever. Back then, everyone did near-side routing. Schwinn 3-speeds and Varsities came left-front wired to right-routed Weinmann sidepulls, the mirror image of my "exotic" Italian import.

My 1981 Bianchi's Modolo Speedy sidepulls were also left-routed, and the non-aero front brake cable was routed across the handlebars, from the left-hand brake lever. When I converted to aero brake handles, this routing worked out very well, with a nice gentle curvature of the cable. All of this is a great argument in favor of centerpull brakes -- you can always route them any way you want!

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"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069