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- CommentAuthorstinky pete
- CommentTimeApr 20th 2009
Here’s one for you.
Why is it that on most bikes the front brake is operated with the left brake lever?
I theorize that the bike industry figured that most of the population is right handed & deliberately put the front brake on the left side of the bars in an attempt to reduce the likelihood of one of there buyers going over the bars from to much front brake & sueing the crap out of them. On a 91 Bianchi board walk the front brake had a spring device inline that prevented cable force to exceed a set level. It seems to me that the device would have been better suited to the rear wheel to help prevent wheel lock-up.
I for one am right handed. I have greater dexterity & strength in my right hand so I equip my bikes with the front brake on the right side of the bars. I have found through the years that this setup just makes sense and works best for me.
I won’t even go into the whole thing about how motorcycles are set up... -
- CommentAuthorscruggle
- CommentTimeApr 20th 2009
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html#whichside -
- CommentAuthorstinky pete
- CommentTimeApr 20th 2009
Posted By: scrugglehttp://www.sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html#whichside
Sorry, but I don’t think that helped, but I appreciate the input. -
- CommentAuthorupthemaiden
- CommentTimeApr 20th 2009
Don't know that it'll help, but cyclocross bikes in the usa are often front brake right, and rear brake left, but I believe that's something to do with dismounting and having your hands in a place that you can still brake effectively. If I have two brakes I'll just mount them the normal way to stick to what I'm used to, if I only have one brake, I'll mount it on whatever side the lever is made for, and not think a thing of it.
On road bikes with STIs I prefer having the front brake on the left lever because it lets me stop with the stronger brake and still down shift with the right lever without having to try that awkward braking and shifting at the same time, especially on sram levers where the two function independently. -
- CommentAuthorbobbysiegs
- CommentTimeApr 21st 2009
i ride normal brakes on all my brake-equipped bikes except cross. its however you like your brakes, i used to run a front brake on my fixie and had it on the right. my right hand is way stronger, so its natural.
on a side note, upthemaiden is right, cross bikes (such as mine) have moto style brakes. its so when you dismount, you can scrub off speed from your rear wheel using your left (dismount) side instead of flipping the bike over with you attached. -
- CommentAuthorhardsole5280
- CommentTimeApr 22nd 2009
Pete, there is a very simple logical reason brake levers are mounted with the front on the left side, you are actually not that far off base with your theory. I can't believe non of you bike nerds know this.
In 1947 a German man named Hansel Bustinhymens was doing a study on the long term effects of carrying beer under arm while riding a bicycle, and concluded that most people preferred the use of their right arms to bear the weight, and the left to operate the brake of their bicycle. This discovery lead to the brake configuration we all know today- because when operation of only one brake is necessary it is less likely one will toss themselves over bar when operating the rear brake while riding drunk. Thank god for German ingenuity. -
- CommentAuthorstinky pete
- CommentTimeApr 22nd 2009
I just knew there had to be some mystical reason for this, thank you Sir!
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