Brake cables ..... left or right ?
- Thread starter Maca
- Start date
I have always had Left/Rear, Right/Front.
I remember a friend of mine buying a Mountain Bike through an EU store and having it shipped over. On his first ride out he mentioned he would have to switch the brake cables round because he kept forgetting they were opposite to what he was used to.
To cut a long story short, We got to the top of a bank and all hit our rear brakes to skid in a bit of gravel.
He hit his rear brake which was actually his front, the result, an almighty stoppy and a somersault over the bars.
The guys nickname was Shorty and ever since that day we have called that bank, Shorty's bank.
I remember a friend of mine buying a Mountain Bike through an EU store and having it shipped over. On his first ride out he mentioned he would have to switch the brake cables round because he kept forgetting they were opposite to what he was used to.
To cut a long story short, We got to the top of a bank and all hit our rear brakes to skid in a bit of gravel.
He hit his rear brake which was actually his front, the result, an almighty stoppy and a somersault over the bars.
The guys nickname was Shorty and ever since that day we have called that bank, Shorty's bank.
ScillySuffolk
Retro Guru
All my bikes are front/left:
- I can brake safely and indicate a right turn;
- with DTS, I can brake safely and change gear (I only operate both shifters with my right hand anyway);
- the cable enters the front caliper on the right-hand side, so left/front gives a smoother curve which is more efficient; equally, having right/rear makes for a smoother curve as the cable guides are on the left-hand side of the top tube.
On a side note, I also route the gear cables of my Ergo shifters the "long way around", so that the front derailleur cable enters the right-hand down tube cable stop and vice versa, crossing under the down tube to enter the bottom bracket cable guide as normal.
As well as a smoother curve, this avoids cable rub on the head tube.
- I can brake safely and indicate a right turn;
- with DTS, I can brake safely and change gear (I only operate both shifters with my right hand anyway);
- the cable enters the front caliper on the right-hand side, so left/front gives a smoother curve which is more efficient; equally, having right/rear makes for a smoother curve as the cable guides are on the left-hand side of the top tube.
On a side note, I also route the gear cables of my Ergo shifters the "long way around", so that the front derailleur cable enters the right-hand down tube cable stop and vice versa, crossing under the down tube to enter the bottom bracket cable guide as normal.
As well as a smoother curve, this avoids cable rub on the head tube.
colnagolover
Retro Guru
Quoted from the Barnett Bike Manual, section 35:
"Normal Routing
It is normal that the cable from the right lever go to the rear brake.....Anyone who has ever ridden a bike with hand brakes expects the right lever to operate the rear brake; it would be dangerous to surprise someone with a bike that had levers set up opposite to the norm".
which sounds like pretty sound advice
colnagolover
"Normal Routing
It is normal that the cable from the right lever go to the rear brake.....Anyone who has ever ridden a bike with hand brakes expects the right lever to operate the rear brake; it would be dangerous to surprise someone with a bike that had levers set up opposite to the norm".
which sounds like pretty sound advice
colnagolover
colnagolover
Retro Guru
Being the conventional, bourgeoisie that I am, I assume the "house full of females" covers your good wife and daughters
As for the PM, "så lad gå"
Cheers
colnagolover
As for the PM, "så lad gå"
Cheers
colnagolover
When I had the bike shop I used to ask customers if they were right or left handed..
If they were right then the rear was always the right and if they were left then the rear was on the left.. Stops them slamming the brake on and going over the handlebars as you normally use the hand that is your handed one first...
In one of our recent X races they were loads of crashes on an adverse camber decent, when I checked the bikes all the front brakes were on the right and when they put on the front brake it locked up the front wheel and off they fell. If they had the rear brake on they would have still slowed down and not fallen off....
If they were right then the rear was always the right and if they were left then the rear was on the left.. Stops them slamming the brake on and going over the handlebars as you normally use the hand that is your handed one first...
In one of our recent X races they were loads of crashes on an adverse camber decent, when I checked the bikes all the front brakes were on the right and when they put on the front brake it locked up the front wheel and off they fell. If they had the rear brake on they would have still slowed down and not fallen off....
Matt_wood55
Senior Retro Guru
I have bikes with both combinations (which is a recipe for disaster I know).
Right rear makes sense to me though as the cable runs with aero levers are much better - less rub on the head tube with the rear cable, and smooth run to the front brake from the left.
The only reason I haven't switched them all to right rear is because I don't want to buy any new bar tape!!
Right rear makes sense to me though as the cable runs with aero levers are much better - less rub on the head tube with the rear cable, and smooth run to the front brake from the left.
The only reason I haven't switched them all to right rear is because I don't want to buy any new bar tape!!
