Curious about sidedness

Chris Eilbeck said:

Why do most bikes have the chain on the right and most motorbiks have
the chain on the left?

Chris

The theory for the first one is that it was easier (or cheaper) to have
a freewheel screwed on with a conventional RH thread, which obviously
puts the chain on the right. Tandems, of course, have their timing
chain on the left, and it's possible to rig up lockring-equipped fixed
gear bikes with a chain on the left, or even with one on EACH side - see
http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2005/mar/TheBikeCo-op.htm

As for motorcycles, it's because the gearbox is usually on the left of
the engine. Convention is to change gear with the left foot. Some
motorcycles have the chain on the right though, and there's no hard
technical reason why it can't be so.

Zog The Undeniable said:

Chris Eilbeck said:

Why do most bikes have the chain on the right and most motorbiks have
the chain on the left?
Chris

The theory for the first one is that it was easier (or cheaper) to
have a freewheel screwed on with a conventional RH thread, which
obviously puts the chain on the right. Tandems, of course, have their
timing chain on the left, and it's possible to rig up
lockring-equipped fixed gear bikes with a chain on the left, or even
with one on EACH side - see
http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2005/mar/TheBikeCo-op.htm

That's bizarre!

Quoted message said:

As for motorcycles, it's because the gearbox is usually on the left of
the engine. Convention is to change gear with the left foot. Some
motorcycles have the chain on the right though, and there's no hard
technical reason why it can't be so.

Beats me but thanks for the info.

Chris
--
Chris Eilbeck

Zog The Undeniable came up with the following;:

Quoted message said:

Chris Eilbeck said:

Why do most bikes have the chain on the right and most motorbiks have
the chain on the left?

Chris

The theory for the first one is that it was easier (or cheaper) to have
a freewheel screwed on with a conventional RH thread, which obviously
puts the chain on the right. Tandems, of course, have their timing
chain on the left, and it's possible to rig up lockring-equipped fixed
gear bikes with a chain on the left, or even with one on EACH side - see
http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2005/mar/TheBikeCo-op.htm

As for motorcycles, it's because the gearbox is usually on the left of
the engine. Convention is to change gear with the left foot. Some
motorcycles have the chain on the right though, and there's no hard
technical reason why it can't be so.

I have two motorcycles, one with the chain on the left, one on the right.

I guess the designers only have two choices and go with what's feasible for
the engine/gearbox/frame layout.

--
Paul ...
(8(|) Homer Rules ..... Doh !!!

snip

Quoted message said:

I have two motorcycles, one with the chain on the left, one on the right.

I guess the designers only have two choices and go with what's feasible

for

Quoted message said:

the engine/gearbox/frame layout.

What are they? I recall several small capacity MZs with chains on their
right but both my current chain driven motorcycles have left hand chains.
Was the CG125 a right hander?

John

eatmorepies came up with the following;:

Quoted message said:

snip

Quoted message said:

I have two motorcycles, one with the chain on the left, one on the right.

I guess the designers only have two choices and go with what's feasible

for

Quoted message said:

the engine/gearbox/frame layout.

What are they? I recall several small capacity MZs with chains on their
right but both my current chain driven motorcycles have left hand chains.
Was the CG125 a right hander?

John

Fantic 307 Trials with chain on right and
http://groups.msn.com/LosiPaulsPictures/shoebox.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=124

Beamish Suzuki with chain on left.
http://groups.msn.com/LosiPaulsPictures/shoebox.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=73

--
Paul ...
(8(|) Homer Rules ..... Doh !!!

Zog The Undeniable said:

Chris Eilbeck said:

Why do most bikes have the chain on the right and most motorbiks have
the chain on the left?

Chris

The theory for the first one is that it was easier (or cheaper) to have
a freewheel screwed on with a conventional RH thread, which obviously
puts the chain on the right. Tandems, of course, have their timing
chain on the left,

Not necessarily - some tandems have both chains on the right

Quoted message said:

and it's possible to rig up lockring-equipped fixed
gear bikes with a chain on the left, or even with one on EACH side - see
http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2005/mar/TheBikeCo-op.htm

Two chains are sometimes used on unicycles too.

Quoted message said:

As for motorcycles, it's because the gearbox is usually on the left of
the engine.

No, I think it dates back before that - very early motor cycles were
single-speed, but also had pedals. With the pedal chain on the right,
it was simpler to put the drive chain (or belt) on the other side.

--
Andrew

Naqerj said:

Not necessarily - some tandems have both chains on the right

Aren't they normally hacks using the granny ring to drive the timing chain?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

As for motorcycles, it's because the gearbox is usually on the left of
the engine.

No, I think it dates back before that - very early motor cycles were
single-speed, but also had pedals. With the pedal chain on the right,
it was simpler to put the drive chain (or belt) on the other side.

Hadn't thought of that one - seems quite plausible though.

Zog The Undeniable said:

Naqerj said:

Not necessarily - some tandems have both chains on the right

Aren't they normally hacks using the granny ring to drive the timing chain?

Not on mine. Double chainset on the rear, bmx type freewheeling
chainset on the front, Sachs 3x7 hub, so no front mech needed.

Mind you, I'll grant this isn't a "normal" arrangement.

Tim

Paul - censored said:

Fantic 307 Trials with chain on right and

Quoted message said:

Beamish Suzuki with chain on left.

Italians tended to sometimes follow British convention which had the
gearshift on the right until the 70's as well, Japs have always had
left chain/gearshift AFAIK

In article said:

Why do most bikes have the chain on the right

Being right handed, you wear your sword on the left, and therefore get
onto your mount from the left, unless you are a foreigner from somewhere
the rules were made by peasants, or conquered by an emperor from somewhere
the rules were made by peasants.

On 19/4/05 12:13 pm, in article [email hidden],

Alan Braggins said:

Being right handed, you wear your sword on the left,

Unless you are wearing a short sword which doesn't require the extra length
of the reach across the body to draw (c.f. Roman legionaires and cavalry)

...d

In article said:

Alan Braggins said:

Being right handed, you wear your sword on the left,

Unless you are wearing a short sword which doesn't require the extra length
of the reach across the body to draw (c.f. Roman legionaires and cavalry)

But the Roman cavalry didn't have bicycles.

Zog The Undeniable said:

Naqerj said:

Not necessarily - some tandems have both chains on the right

Aren't they normally hacks using the granny ring to drive the timing chain?

Can be... but there are some "proper" tandems that use same side chains
- my E Stephens Special does. I think that traditionally having both
chains on the same side was considered the correct way of doing things -
it was the advent of front derailleurs that made it more sensible to put
the timing chain on the left. Same side chains put less stress on the
rear b/b - perhaps they'll come back into fashion with Rohloff hubs.

--
Andrew