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-   -   Brake Lever...... Left or Right side? (https://www.bikeforums.net/singlespeed-fixed-gear/652422-brake-lever-left-right-side.html)

tek336 06-08-10 10:15 AM

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.

Dr. Banzai 06-08-10 10:28 AM

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.

AEO 06-08-10 10:31 AM

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.

ianjk 06-08-10 10:44 AM

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.

TejanoTrackie 06-08-10 10:46 AM

Right side, for all the reasons mentioned above.

Retro Grouch 06-08-10 11:02 AM

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?

chevy42083 06-08-10 11:10 AM

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.

Xgecko 06-08-10 12:21 PM

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

clubman 06-08-10 01:26 PM

Whichever way accommodates the cable routing...

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...3&d=1275251506

Germanicus 06-08-10 05:51 PM

Have a care, Eco riders...
 
Any red-blooded conservationist will appreciate less cable housing ending up in the land fill...

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

coma061 06-08-10 06:01 PM

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

hairnet 06-08-10 06:08 PM

Right side, ever since I hurt my left wrist

erichsia 06-08-10 06:37 PM

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

mestizoracer310 06-08-10 07:54 PM

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..

ScrawnyKayaker 06-08-10 08:14 PM

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?

TheBikeRollsOn 06-08-10 09:21 PM

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.

Triple8Sol 06-09-10 12:32 AM

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.

cc700 06-09-10 01:41 AM

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.

WoundedKnee 06-09-10 01:50 AM


Originally Posted by erichsia (Post 10933141)
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.

hairnet 06-09-10 08:59 AM


Originally Posted by TheBikeRollsOn (Post 10934006)
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

TheBikeRollsOn 06-09-10 09:06 AM


Originally Posted by hairnet (Post 10935612)
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...

cleanupinaisle3 06-09-10 09:13 AM

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.

ianjk 06-09-10 09:44 AM


Originally Posted by cleanupinaisle3 (Post 10935683)

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.

ilikebikes 06-09-10 11:38 AM


Originally Posted by erichsia (Post 10933141)
whatever feels natural. for me, left side cause I'm a left handed.

Bingo.

Dr. Banzai 06-09-10 12:19 PM

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.

phixie 06-10-10 12:41 AM


Originally Posted by clubman (Post 10931480)
Whichever way accommodates the cable routing...

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...3&d=1275251506

Doesn't look like much room for steering there!

Right Front FTW

lostarchitect 06-10-10 10:57 AM

Right, because I am a motorcyclist and right handed.

cg1985 06-10-10 11:03 AM

Left, simply out of habit.

Dr. Banzai 06-10-10 11:03 AM


Originally Posted by lostarchitect (Post 10942256)
Right, because I am a motorcyclist and right handed.

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

cg1985 06-10-10 11:06 AM

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.


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