Campag brakes: Front / Left......Rear / Right?



Evo

New Member
Jul 2, 2003
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Just got my first bike with Campag Ergo shifters, and it had this setup. Is this the usual setup for the brake levers on Campag bikes?
 
That's the way they normally set it up for countries that are left-hand-drive..

IMO having it set up the way you have may well be a good thing for right-hand-drive countries, as you still have the ability to signal right in traffic (the more important one, and the only signal legally required of you in Vic.), and use your primary brake at the same time. Just don't ****** the brake too hard, I guess! :)
 
Originally posted by rek
That's the way they normally set it up for countries that are left-hand-drive..

IMO having it set up the way you have may well be a good thing for right-hand-drive countries, as you still have the ability to signal right in traffic (the more important one, and the only signal legally required of you in Vic.), and use your primary brake at the same time. Just don't ****** the brake too hard, I guess! :)

I think if you went to a bike shop in Melbourne all the bikes would have the front brake on the right, makes sense to have the more dexterious hand on the front brake.
 
Yeah, I meant left- and right-hand drive in terms of where a car's steering wheel is, not the side of the road they drive on :)

My brakes are set up the 'normal' way, and it annoys me when turning right through a roundabout, where you have to signal with the right hand, AND be the most wary of blind motorists .. it'd be nice to have the remaining hand controlling the front brake.

(I try to avoid right turns at busy roundabouts where I can..)
 
The usual set-up is front/left, but some people (myself included) changes to front/right - to operate the "main" brake with my "best" hand.
By the way - Steffen Kjærgård (US Postal) had an accident this spring.:His own bike got damaged, and he borrowed one of his teammates spare bike. In a decent/turn he blocked his rear wheel and lost the control of the bike..... Reason: The bike he borrowed had the brake levers oposite to his own...
 
Key is use what you are used to - I didn't and it cost me a broken elbow!

FYI My set up is right rear, left front

gavin
 
Ok well Australian bikes are set up with right front and left back . one so u can single around a right cornor and because most braking is made with the front barke right hand. but in say USA all bikes would be rigt back and left front. I say change it to wat feels right for you nad of course make sure u know what breake is which don't wanat any one over handle bars.
 
Originally posted by rek
That's the way they normally set it up for countries that are left-hand-drive..

Makes sense.....I guess the only other reason it might be is because on campag shifters, both brake and gear cables are hidden in the handlebar tape, and the actual brake is on the right hand side, it makes a nice curve for the cable....should it be the other way, it would be a rather tight bend. I might be off the mark, though. Check this out:
 
From AS/NZS 1927:1998

2.14.1 All bicycles shall be equipped with not less than two brakes, one acting on the front wheel and one on the rear wheel. On a children’s bicycle one brake shall be a back-pedal brake.

2.14.2.1 Handbrake lever location The brake lever for a front brake shall be positioned on the right-hand side of the handlebar, and that for a rear brake on the left-hand side.

In legal terms, shall means it isn't optional.

There's also some other requirements: front, rear and wheel reflectors, a bell, and a chain guard.
 
I'd be going straight to the manager of the bike shop. If you didn't request this specifically, whoever made the bike is incompetent.
 
Your picture/illustration is a bit wrong. If you shift side of the brakes, you have to adjust the cable lenghts (shortening the front brake cable); then the right/front combination gets cleaner than your current left/front.