brake cable which way round

[paddington35]

Im doing the brake cables on the aende it has aero hoods,at the moment I've got the right brake lever set for the rear brake,Ive been told before on my other bikes I've had my brake cables set up the continental way,which brake lever is best to run to the rear brake?

Regards
Marc
1990s aende
1990s falcon team banana
2011 cube aerial

 

[mydadscondor]

Just checked mine and the rear brake is set up with the left brake lever on the Condor, Scott, Ribble and Nigel Dean, but my Allin I've got the other way round! Now why did I do that?

 

[Matt_wood55]

THis one will cause discussion!!

I always have the rear on the right. The cables have a much more natural runs.

 

[47p2]

I always have the rear on the right.

This

 

[avalonian]

The great Sheldon says
"In countries where vehicles drive on the left, it is common to set the brakes up so that the front brake is operated by the right lever. The European Union has adopted this as a standard, even though only the United Kingdom and Ireland are left-side driving countries. The standard is not universally observed; a reader has written in to say that the left lever usually controls the front brake in Denmark."

http://sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html
Just looked at my Peugeot and the rear is on the right (headspin)

 

[keithglos]

Re:

Done this before.
As with a car a bike front brake is usually more effective than the rear. Riding through traffic I would prefer to be able to signal with the right hand and still have some braking. Our bikes were always set up front brake on left since early post war.

I think the manufacturing trade in roadster bikes put the rear brake on the left first because of the higher centre of gravity riders felt they might go over the handlebars using the front brake as a priority, but in real life this only happened when they had really lumpy rims with rod brakes.

Keith

 

[Twister]

Re:

In the UK (where we drive on the LHS) brakes are set up:
LH = rear
RH = front

In Continental Europe
RH = rear
LH = front

This is because when turning left we do not cross any other traffic, and so should not need to stop suddenly while signalling. When turning right there is a strong possibility that we would need to brake (giving way to oncoming traffic).

The theory is that stopping using the front brake only would be more likely to send the rider over the handlebars.

On the continent the left turn is across the path of oncoming traffic and so the brakes are reversed.

Hopefully that makes sense.

 

[half cog]

Twister has it right as I understand it.Exception being fixed wheel when front brake goes to the left.This allows right hand signals whilst braking
Peter

 

[mattsccm]

Right for the front unless... Its a European bike from Europe in which case as it came from the factory.
Disagree with the idea of front being on left when fixed. In the days when a fixed was common I doubt there were two standards. In the UK its on the right. At a speed where indicating is really needed the braking comes from the fixed, as virtually all should anyway.

 

[foz]

Sheldon is wrong on this one... most places in europe (at least, all the ones I've been to) have the front brake on the left. That's the way brake calipers are designed, there's a nice curve for the front brake cable if you have the lever on the left, it isn't as smooth if it's on the right. And most if not all frames that have the rear brake cable on one side of the TT have it on the left, so that the exit is on the correct side for the caliper and the entry makes for a smoother cable run from the right lever.

It's not too important though, especially with modern ergo/sti shifters. Back when DT shifters were all there was, front brake on the left meant you could brake while changing gear (or drinking), if needed (quite useful when riding in a bunch).