Brake lever position ?

Stevo_666

Are the brake levers on bikes usually on the left for the front brake and the right for the rear brake or vice versa?

I ask because I've nearly been over the bars a couple of times on account of my two bikes having the levers in opposite positions. I get used to one, then forget when I go on the other :oops: (Anthem has front brake lever on the left: Boardman has front brake lever on the right).

Is there a 'protocol' for this or is it whatever side the manufacturer fancies?

nicklouse

where are you and where were the bikes bought?

in the UK they tend to follow the MC way right front.

Stevo_666

Nick,

As hinted at in my profile, I'm in Kent : Both bikes were bought via authorised dealers in South East England.

Cheers,
Steve.

nicklouse

at a guess then they are getting European stock, or NA stock (less likely).

Or the mechanic aint British .

TommyEss

Yep - UK conventional is right hand = front brake.

The other way is continental/US - and pretty much everywhere else I guess.

Stevo_666

Interesting - may be Giant were trying to keep up with demand for the Anthems in 2009 and shipped a few in from Europe? In any event I quite like the continental positioning

Tom Barton

What is it with the continentals and doing everything backwards...

nicklouse

road rules.

TommyEss

Aye - as Sheldon points out, it's all to do with being able to use your primary brake whilst indicating for the more dangerous turn - i.e. across traffic.

This is on the incorrect assumption that the back brake is primary (which Sheldon goes on to explain is no the case)

stunter ant

I always run Front brake on the Right, Ive spent my life on Motorcross bikes so i couldnt change!

I even have a rear brake on my left hand handlebar for my Stunt bike(motorcycle)= Wheelies on seat,tank etc..

Chunkers1980

This has made me think about a few things….

The drive train is always on the right – this is good in the UK as it keeps your mech away from the curb, but not so in Europe, why was it chosen to have the drive train there when I’d have thought the left would be best for Europe and RotW.

So given the drive side is on the right the only place that disks can fit (on the rear anyhow) is the left, making it sensible to have the front disc on the left too as this will help balance out the weight distribution of the bike.

So, having the front brake on the left means that the cable run from the handle bar will be (is) best that the brake lever is on the right, so Europe , who run the front lever on the left will have an inferior cable line to the front disc. Who decided it was best to have the drive train on the right and why was that adopted as the standard, was it because as usual us Brits got there first and everyone else has had to follow?

Also, just noticed a Motorbike has it’s drive train was on the left, is there a standard across motorbikes….or as parts for motorbikes are only standard by manufacturer and parts made directly for them they choose which suits them best?

P-Jay

Chunkers1980 wrote:

Also, just noticed a Motorbike has it’s drive train was on the left, is there a standard across motorbikes….or as parts for motorbikes are only standard by manufacturer and parts made directly for them they choose which suits them best?

I would guess the drivetrain is on the left on a MB as the rear brake leaver is on the right (at your foot) and it allows the caliper and leaver to be on the same side.

That's just a guess though, you don't have to go back far to see lots of non-standerdised motorbikes with gears and brakes on the same foot and throttles that roll forward and all sorts of quazy qurap.

stunter ant

Buell, BMW, Harley Davidson they run RH drive

Atz

I run all my bikes "euro style". No reason for it other than my first hardtail came set up like that and I've got used to it. Also makes renting bikes abroad much easier.

Raymondavalon

stunter ant wrote:

I always run Front brake on the Right, Ive spent my life on Motorcross bikes so i couldnt change!

Same here.
My son (who lives in South Africa) bought a Mongoose HT over December and that had the rear brake on the right of the bars. I rode the bike a few times and had to extra careful when applying the stoppers. He rides motorcycles / quads but has no problem with the inverted style bicycle brake setup

GHill

I run my brakes moto/uk style. Almost got caught out in Whistler on a hire bike, at the top of a large slab of granite.

cee

when you hire bikes abroad, can you swap the levers to the correct sides?

GHill

cee wrote:

when you hire bikes abroad, can you swap the levers to the correct sides?

Depends on the brakes. Avid's are very easy to flip flop with an allen key, Shimano (certainly the cheaper models) have a reservoir on top so no.

delcol

the shop your renting from will swap them for you they do in whistler...

when i got my spesh demo in whistler last year the brakes were opposite,
the sales guy said take it for a spin round the village to get a feel for it..

i nearly ended up over the bars...

mr hill which trail was you on riding granit slabs..

i love the slick rock in whistler.

Stevo_666

I had a similar problem with cars once - had a Japanese import and a Ford - the Jap car had indicators on the right and washer/wipers on the left. I lost count of the number of times I cleaned the windscreen when trying to indicate.....

Back to bikes - wondering now if I should change one. Can't decide which way I prefer :roll:

biff55

changed over front brake to left side within 48 hrs of recieving bike.
just made more sense in my warped left-handed world

GHill

delcol wrote:

mr hill which trail was you on riding granit slabs..

i love the slick rock in whistler.

One of the Zappa trails, somewhere close to some guys playing frisbee golf. I forget the name as we linked so many of them together. The amount of grip you get from the granite really confused me. I expected very little grip, but I guess it gives the split cedar a run for it's money.

Rich9

My Cube came with brakes tuther way round. Got changed over before it left the shop

delcol

lost lake trails.. yeah fun flowing trails some good slick rock in there,, and over the road on cut yer bars.. kill me thrill me to has some sick slick rock....

stevo 666

i still do that now have a jdm honda crx delsol had nearly 7 years also have a pug parnter combi van i drive the sol daily and the pug on weekends i always put the wipers on to turn corners especially roundabouts, and put the indicators on when it rains... :oops:

Daz555

Stevo 666 wrote:

I had a similar problem with cars once - had a Japanese import and a Ford - the Jap car had indicators on the right and washer/wipers on the left. I lost count of the number of times I cleaned the windscreen when trying to indicate.....

Back to bikes - wondering now if I should change one. Can't decide which way I prefer :roll:

Japanese cars have indicator on the right and I much prefer it. It allows you to change gear and still be able to flick the indicator on or off as you steer. Much better for right hand drive. The default position for indicators is fine for left hand drive countries.

Back to bicycles. It is weird that motorcycles have standardised controls across the world (front brake on right) but bicycles have not.

butcher of bakersfield

Daz555 wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

I had a similar problem with cars once - had a Japanese import and a Ford - the Jap car had indicators on the right and washer/wipers on the left. I lost count of the number of times I cleaned the windscreen when trying to indicate.....

Back to bikes - wondering now if I should change one. Can't decide which way I prefer :roll:

Japanese cars have indicator on the right and I much prefer it. It allows you to change gear and still be able to flick the indicator on or off as you steer. Much better for right hand drive. The default position for indicators is fine for left hand drive countries.

I've got a jap import with winkers on the right at the minute, and it does make a lot of sense, but even though I learned to drive in a car with indicators on the right, I still find myself a bit lost on which side to flick from time to time.

When it comes down to something as important as a set of highly sensitive brakes, they always stay the same way round - front brake on the right! If I hired a bike and they were the other way round, I think I'd have to get the tools out once I got round the corner and swap them. It's either that or a very likely injury.