Brakes lever right handed vs left

[boywander]

It’s been a long while since I’ve seen left hand lever to the rear caliper. The norm is right lever to the rear caliper.
What’s the idea behind the left to rear position?
Does it have something to do with motorcycle clutch is on the left lever?

[jkbrwn]

https://www.renehersecycles.com/whic...r-which-brake/

I am from the UK, where right hand front is the norm. I have tried left hand front and it was insanely weird. A decade of riding right hand front meant it was genuinely dangerous to use left hand front.

[Octave]

I started running my brakes "moto" (aka left hand = rear brake) after an accident that took a few square cm out of my right hand, leaving it weak and less useful. I never went back, though it's been about 5 years now. One of the bigger advantages is being able to modulate the rear brake while using your dominant hand (if you're a righty) for other things, like eating, drinking, or actuating a camera.

[crn3371]

I had the brakes on my bike switched to left/rear, right/front, because as a long time motorcycle rider my right hand is programmed to brake the front wheel.

[jpw]

As above, in the UK it's the right hand for the front brake. Exactly the opposite in the rest of Europe. In fact Rose Bikes (Germany) has stopped selling bikes to the UK because it claims it's just too disruptive to its business to be setting up bikes to comply with the UK's braking regulation.

However, for right handed people would it be better to have the front brake on the left hand and the back brake on the right to better balance braking force, and visa versa? Regardless, I don't change the cabling when I go across to France.

[robt57]

CX always reversed here. Not caused a problem going back and forth somehow. Like going vintage Brit MC to non. One skid or grind and you remember to remember...

[Germany_chris]

I build every bike R-front L-rear

[mark.m.draper]

Originally Posted by Germany_chris

I build every bike R-front L-rear

I understand the benefits of having one's dominant hand operate the front brake, as I've done it on a fixed-gear where I had only one brake. But how does it feel to have the right hand operate the front brake but the rear shifting? Do you ever get yourself mixed up?

[jkbrwn]

Originally Posted by jpw

However, for right handed people would it be better to have the front brake on the left hand and the back brake on the right to better balance braking force, and visa versa?

I dunno, for me it is way more intuitive to use your dominant hand with the dominant brake. Slightly different as a car has only one brake pedal, but in the same way that I wouldn't brake with my left foot, I wouldn't want to use my most powerful brake with my left hand either, as I have less control and dexterity with my left hand and foot.

[jkbrwn]

Originally Posted by mark.m.draper

I understand the benefits of having one's dominant hand operate the front brake, as I've done it on a fixed-gear where I had only one brake. But how does it feel to have the right hand operate the front brake but the rear shifting? Do you ever get yourself mixed up?

Not even slightly. If your bikes have only ever been set up this way, like mine, it's a non-issue.

[Mr B]

I'm British, and Left-handed, so currently:

Road Bike - set up Left-Hand Front due to component design & cable rub* and a desire to learn the ways of my adopted home through putting more thought into every road ride

Commuter - set up Left-Hand Rear due to several decades of riding all kinds of bikes on UK roads and needing to act on instinct and muscle memory far more frequently

MTB (WIP) - will be equipped with SRAM Level Ultimates, the levers for which are completely symmetrical and reversible, so I haven't decided yet...



*a Road Front rim brake is usually designed for the cable to come from the Left lever, and top-tube Rear brake cable routing generally favours the Right lever

[ColonelJLloyd]

Originally Posted by jkbrwn

Not even slightly. If your bikes have only ever been set up this way, like mine, it's a non-issue.

Same. I have only ever setup my bikes with the right hand lever operating the front brake.

I'll point out that having the right lever control the front brake (the dominant, most useful of the two brakes) frees up the left arm to execute correct, standardized road signals (in the US). But, this is lost on most people.

[NHAero]

Ditto on both counts

Originally Posted by ColonelJLloyd

Same. I have only ever setup my bikes with the right hand lever operating the front brake.

I'll point out that having the right lever control the front brake (the dominant, most useful of the two brakes) frees up the left arm to execute correct, standardized road signals (in the US). But, this is lost on most people.

[CSKeller]

My bikes are all left=front brake.

I also ride motorcycle which has the right=front brake.

I'm also left handed and have no problem at all swapping between bike or motorcycle. It's almost automatic.

[rustychisel]

Left handed Australian here, where we drive on left side of the road.

All my bikes are set up left hand rear brake, right hand front brake.