Brake lever, left or right??

[Fat_Ride]

Just wondering how you all have your brakes set-up?? I always thought it was standard to have your rear lever on the left and the front on the right.....
That was until I came to the US and everyone has the opposite. How do you have yours??

[Rik]

Added a poll for ya :)

I run right front braking, and cannot fathom any reason why a righthanded person would do otherwise...

[notb4dinner]

I've been lead to believe the reason for the difference has to with driving on the opposite side of the road. They're setup so that if you need to make a turn across the road (ie. turning right in .au) you can use the rear brake and indicate with the other hand at the same time.

[shauno]

i dont use brakes. i dont have any on my bike :lol: nah front right left back

[Mugger]

I run right front braking, and cannot fathom any reason why a righthanded person would do otherwise...

Ditto :D

Much easier to break.

[La pointe]

Back on the right....i am frech, and it's like that nearly everywhere in Europe.

[Daver]

a lot of ex- moto guys will be used to riding right/front and back/left brakes... It seems to me that brakes, like most other things, are wrong in America

[Fat_Ride]

Added a poll for ya :)

I run right front braking, and cannot fathom any reason why a righthanded person would do otherwise...

Cheers, I was going to do it that way but I left it open for comments... good either way.

It is funny though watching people have a spin on my bike and fucking themselves up... I only tell them if they're about to go hard downhill or something but it is usually only around the carpark or similar!!!

[TREK24]

I only run a rear. Used to run right rear with V brakes, but with the hydro the lever is left specific and dosen't tend to work to well if the fluid reservoir is turned upside down(to run on the right). I must say though you get used to it pretty quick (to stop flipping onto your butt)

[Ride_Guy]

I've been lead to believe the reason for the difference has to with driving on the opposite side of the road. They're setup so that if you need to make a turn across the road (ie. turning right in .au) you can use the rear brake and indicate with the other hand at the same time.

Thats why brakes are oppisite to ours, and pretty much the only reason....

[Ryan]

I've been lead to believe the reason for the difference has to with driving on the opposite side of the road. They're setup so that if you need to make a turn across the road (ie. turning right in .au) you can use the rear brake and indicate with the other hand at the same time.

Thats why brakes are oppisite to ours, and pretty much the only reason....

I'll third as the right reason, though you still get cack-handed / goofy (back brake right) Australian's who in my experience are either;
a) Ex-bmx riders, eg: Jared or
b) Crazy people, eg: Scott who re-learned his natural braking style and changed from being back-brake-left to back-brake-right when he bought a bike that was set up that way ;)[/i]

[Mahoney_007]

I think the Americans are just to cool to run things the correct way.
If we turn left and use hand signals how are we supposed to use the back brake?

Guy at work runs opposite brake's, I took it for a fang and that is the last time I'll ride a bike setup like that.

And really what are you back to front people gonna do if you ever step aboard a motorbike? Forgive me if I'm wrong but I dont know of any companies that run a right hand clutch?

[Wattsy]

[quote="Mahoney_007"]I think the Americans are just to cool to run things the correct way.
If we turn left and use hand signals how are we supposed to use the back brake?
quote]


the idea is cauz ull be going across opposing traffic, therefore they know if ya turnin and if anything happens, u can brake

[ruthlessgirl]

DH - right rear
XC - right rear
BMX - right rear (only rear)

I liked having it that way when i was teaching people remember rear and right (RRRRR) together much easier... I'm sure the driving & signalling thing is a good idea but i dunno very many that actually signal!

The bmx might get switched to the left but that's only cuz my right arm is semi-useless so having only one brake on the side i can't brake with doesn't make much sense... right or wrong, whatever it made for great fun when i got over there and people tried to ride my bike... also made for fun when you're friend went to grab your lever cuz it never did send ya over the bars & they'd get pissed! :)

As for that whole how do i ride a moto? I just don't...

[Sutek]

I run right front and left front.
May explain why I OTB a shit load :lol:

[bighitter]

i know that a lot of the roadies that i used to work with as a mechanic - run their brakes as Left - front - right - rear.

I run mine f - right - r - left it's just normal :wink:

[spuddy]

Quite funny, i had a mate from the US riding my bike and he was trying to do endos, and was bitching at me cause my brakes were so loose.... im like dude, you can stop on a 10cent coin with them! turns out he was using the wrong lever, and couldnt understand why the heck people would have them 'back-to-front' hehehe

[ja_har]

Yeah I run mine Right rear, thats cause I grew up racing BMX with rear only and it just felt natural to add the front onto the left. It works fine when its whatever your used too, just watch out when riding a mates bike.......

[Dirt Devil]

Right / Front - Same as my dirt bike. Gets confusing (and dangerous)otherwise.

[LTR]

Haha... i was riding a trials bike with front left and i was bouncing around on the back wheel... you can probably guess where this is going! I fell straight on my arse, and it hurt :cry:

Front is RIGHT

[Joel333]

yer i run mine right front, left rear too, not sure why its just feels better that way. :roll:

[dunk]

I'm right/rear, don't know why, its just always been that way. I guess it may have been from the first bike I ever got was set up that way. I don't find it strange, but I'm also a goofy stance.

My mate runs the same, but he comes from a BMX race background.

[j5ive]

it amazing how quick you adapt. I've been left/rear for years but jump on a road bike and I know its going to be right/rear.

[notobe]

I ride BMX, only one brake, on the rear, and the lever is on the left side. but im right handed.

[RaID]

it makes more sense to have
front brake on right
rear brake on left

so if you ever have to ride a moto it wont be that much of a change
in coordination

[Rik]

it amazing how quick you adapt. I've been left/rear for years but jump on a road bike and I know its going to be right/rear.
Heh, yes and no... whenever I ride my brother and fathers roadies I end up flatspotting the tyres 'cause I lock up the rear without even noticing.

[Carlin]

Well I run right rear just because I learnt to that way. I have heard all the arguments both ways and I don't think it makes a difference its whatever you are used to.

I learn't to use right rear because I used to ride a road bike :oops: and it was set up that way. The question is why do roadies run right rear?

[Rik]

The question is why do roadies run right rear?
Primarily a Eurpoean sport, so I guess the same reason as the yanks do...

[j5ive]

What roadies have told me is that it makes it easier for Noobs new to STI. Everything for the rear is on the right side (gears and brakes in the one unit)

[wkkie]

I think its just an overseas thing, driving / riding on opposite sides of the road.

I remember my first ride on a mates Canadian G.T. that was set up right rear, I was trying to be a smart ass and skid close to him. I got close to him and jammed on what I thought was the rear brake.... went over the bars in a big way! Luckily I was on a nice green grassy soft lawn! So no damage... to me or the bike. And I've never been on it since! :)

[dugfast]

i dont think itd make that much of a difference, youd get used to either wouldnt you?

ive got left back, right front.

[mountain_man(1)]

The US are just wierd i'd go for left hand rear brake and right front but it's up to you in the end.

[danv]

I've been lead to believe the reason for the difference has to with driving on the opposite side of the road. They're setup so that if you need to make a turn across the road (ie. turning right in .au) you can use the rear brake and indicate with the other hand at the same time.

Why couldnt you just use the front brake while your indicating with the other hand?

[Rik]

Why couldnt you just use the front brake while your indicating with the other hand?
It's supposedly risky for casual cyclists... that whole "ohs noes front break = ova teh barz!" thing, so they have to use the rear brake mainly. Who knows really... it's silly little things like that which I find amusing.

[MUGEN]

left lever rear
right lever front.

the other way around is not the way to go. i guess u can always change it.