Right Hand Front Brake Levers?

[Greg Walton]

Being Australian raised and now living here in Switzerland, I've been suprised to find that bikes
here are fitted with Left Hand Front Brake Levers, rather than on the right. I thought that this was
some Euro thing, but I just read a US magazine which said "as this is a UK bike, it was set up with
a right hand front brake, like a motorcycle". As I have spent a lot of time riding motorcycles as
well, I always thought that RHFB levers were some sensible standard. Seems not. Is it just us
british system countries that use RHFB levers, like being stuck with driving on the left?

Anyway it's easy to fix the controls to my liking and a RHFB always seems to intrigue Swiss friends
when they borrow a bike off me

Cheers Greg

I'm really greg dot walton at swissonline dot ch

 

[Drs]

Greg Walton <[email protected]> wrote in message [email protected]
> Being Australian raised and now living here in Switzerland, I've been suprised to find that bikes
> here are fitted with Left Hand Front Brake Levers, rather than on the right.

Mine wasn't.

--

A: Top-posters.
B: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?

 

[Tim Jones]

"Greg Walton" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Being Australian raised and now living here in Switzerland, I've been suprised to find that
> bikes here are fitted with Left Hand Front Brake Levers, rather than on the right. I thought
> that this was some Euro thing, but I just read a US magazine which said "as this is a UK bike,
> it was set up with a right hand front brake, like a motorcycle". As I have spent a lot of time
> riding motorcycles as well, I always thought that RHFB levers were some sensible standard. Seems
> not. Is it just us british system countries that use RHFB levers, like being stuck with driving
> on the left?
>
> Anyway it's easy to fix the controls to my liking and a RHFB always seems to intrigue Swiss
> friends when they borrow a bike off me
>

The reason for this is apparently so you can easily use your rear brake whilst looking over your
right shoulder at traffic coming up behind you.

My bike was set up with a LHFB and the shop I took it into for repair asked if I had been riding in
the US and said something to this effect...

Tim

 

[Shabby]

The Australian Standard is RH front, so any bike shop who doesn't set it up like this is asking to be sued for negligence when someone goes A over T. (They also have to sell a bike with reflectors and a bell, unless it's a race specific bike - ???).

As we drive on the LHS of the road, signalling is done with the RH, so the rear brake is usable with the Left. Hence, you don;t go A over T when you signal.

It also makes more sense to use the dominant hand for the front brake, given that it's most of the braking power in an emergency situation.

 

[Mike]

Tim Jones wrote:

> The reason for this is apparently so you can easily use your rear brake whilst looking over your
> right shoulder at traffic coming up behind you.

Also frees the left hand for signalling in right-side-driving countries. BUT - why favour the _rear_
brake? Surely the front brake is far more important. When stopping hard, the rear brake is next to
useless, as weight transfers to the front wheel.

The "safety" theory doesnt make any sense to me. I've come off the bike after braking too hard on
the rear brake on a corner, and sliding. And if you brake too hard at front, causing the rear to
lift, there is time to ease off, before tumbling over.

 

[Peter Signorini]

"Mike" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Tim Jones wrote:
>
> > The reason for this is apparently so you can easily use your rear brake whilst looking over your
> > right shoulder at traffic coming up behind you.
>
> Also frees the left hand for signalling in right-side-driving countries. BUT - why favour the
> _rear_ brake? Surely the front brake is far more important. When stopping hard, the rear brake is
> next to useless, as weight transfers to the front wheel.
>
> The "safety" theory doesnt make any sense to me. I've come off the bike after braking too hard
> on the rear brake on a corner, and sliding. And if you brake too hard at front, causing the
> rear to lift, there is time to ease off, before tumbling over.

Lifting the rear is not the real concern. Brake _too hard_ while signalling for a RH turn and
holding the bars with one hand - weight suddenly goes forward onto the left end of the bars - you
will do a sudden 'turn and dump' in the middle of the road. Most authorities view this type of
manoeuvre as unsafe.

An experienced rider will not do this of course but design rules have to be aimed at the lowest
common denominator, average Joe on his very average bike.

Cheers Peter

 

[cfsmtb]

Originally posted by Greg Walton
Being Australian raised and now living here in Switzerland, I've been suprised to find that bikes
here are fitted with Left Hand Front Brake Levers, rather than on the right. I thought that this was
some Euro thing,

It's usually the reverse in Australia.
I've got all my bikes set up with front lefthand, rear righthand, that's my personal preference as I'm left handed. I've been told by many it's a US method.

 

[Mike]

Peter Signorini wrote:

> Lifting the rear is not the real concern. Brake _too hard_ while signalling for a RH turn and
> holding the bars with one hand - weight suddenly goes forward onto the left end of the bars - you
> will do a sudden 'turn and dump' in the middle of the road. Most authorities view this type of
> manoeuvre as unsafe.
>
> An experienced rider will not do this of course but design rules have to be aimed at the lowest
> common denominator, average Joe on his very average bike.

Thanks Peter, that makes sense. But hang on ... does it matter which brake you apply too hard?? I'll
have to go out and try that.

 

[Tim Jones]

"Mike" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Peter Signorini wrote:
>
> > Lifting the rear is not the real concern. Brake _too hard_ while
signalling
> > for a RH turn and holding the bars with one hand - weight suddenly goes forward onto the left
> > end of the bars - you will do a sudden 'turn and
dump'
> > in the middle of the road. Most authorities view this type of manoeuvre
as
> > unsafe.
> >
> > An experienced rider will not do this of course but design rules have to
be
> > aimed at the lowest common denominator, average Joe on his very average bike.
>
> Thanks Peter, that makes sense. But hang on ... does it matter which brake you apply too hard??
> I'll have to go out and try that.
>

If you are starting to turn one handed and have to brake, if the front brake is on you have the rest
of the bike pushing forward into your weak, now slightly lopsided grip on the front wheel - much
more likely to lose it.

If you apply the back brake, you will have the bike dragging backwards from your weak hold on the
bars - much easier to control.

Tim

 

[Greg Walton]

Tim Jones wrote:

> "Greg Walton" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > Being Australian raised and now living here in Switzerland, I've been suprised to find that
> > bikes here are fitted with Left Hand Front Brake Levers, rather than on the right. I thought
> > that this was some Euro thing, but I just read a US magazine which said "as this is a UK bike,
> > it was set up with a right hand front brake, like a motorcycle". As I have spent a lot of time
> > riding motorcycles as well, I always thought that RHFB levers were some sensible standard. Seems
> > not. Is it just us british system countries that use RHFB levers, like being stuck with driving
> > on the left?
> >
> > Anyway it's easy to fix the controls to my liking and a RHFB always seems to intrigue Swiss
> > friends when they borrow a bike off me
> >
>
> The reason for this is apparently so you can easily use your rear brake whilst looking over your
> right shoulder at traffic coming up behind you.
>
> My bike was set up with a LHFB and the shop I took it into for repair asked if I had been riding
> in the US and said something to this effect...
>
> Tim

Thanks for the explanations everyone. Makes sense to be able to trail the rear brake whilst using
the left side of the body for head checks and hand signals in "keep to the right" countries. I'll
continue to use RHFB as it's drilled into my brain, I'm a right hander and I dont want confuse
things when I get back on a motorbike.

I also now assume that motorbikes use RHFB worldwide as the rear brake is controlled by foot, so it
doesnt really impact on the head check and handsignals. And you dont want to be using a motorcycle
front brake when doing these, and or at low speed.

All the different control patterns take some getting used to, and it does worry me a bit the effect
on emergency reactions. At one point I owned:

New Yamaha (Left foot gear change, Right Foot rear brake), Old Triumph (RFGC, LFRB), Old Ducati
(RFRB, LFGC but in an upside down shift pattern) and 3 bicycles, gripshift, thumbshift and
trigger shift.

A RHFB common to all was a small mercy

Cheers Greg

I'm really greg dot walton at swissonline dot ch

 

[Coss.]

Hi With motorcycles the front brake lever must be on the RHS. Have you ever tried to use the clutch
and accelerate, it's got nothing to do with being left or right handed. Cheers. Coss. Greg Walton
<[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Tim Jones wrote:
>
> > "Greg Walton" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > > Being Australian raised and now living here in Switzerland, I've been suprised to find that
> > > bikes here are fitted with Left Hand Front Brake Levers, rather than on the right. I thought
> > > that this was some Euro thing, but I just read a US magazine which said "as this is a UK bike,
> > > it was set up with a right hand front brake, like a motorcycle". As I have spent a lot of time
> > > riding motorcycles as well, I always thought that RHFB levers were some sensible standard.
> > > Seems not. Is it just us british system countries that use RHFB levers, like being stuck with
> > > driving on the left?
> > >
> > > Anyway it's easy to fix the controls to my liking and a RHFB always seems to intrigue Swiss
> > > friends when they borrow a bike off me
> > >
> >
> > The reason for this is apparently so you can easily use your rear brake whilst looking over your
> > right shoulder at traffic coming up behind you.
> >
> > My bike was set up with a LHFB and the shop I took it into for repair
asked
> > if I had been riding in the US and said something to this effect...
> >
> > Tim
>
> Thanks for the explanations everyone. Makes sense to be able to trail the
rear
> brake whilst using the left side of the body for head checks and hand
signals
> in "keep to the right" countries. I'll continue to use RHFB as it's
drilled
> into my brain, I'm a right hander and I dont want confuse things when I
get
> back on a motorbike.
>
> I also now assume that motorbikes use RHFB worldwide as the rear brake is controlled by foot, so
> it doesnt really impact on the head check and handsignals. And you dont want to be using a
> motorcycle front brake when
doing
> these, and or at low speed.
>
> All the different control patterns take some getting used to, and it does
worry
> me a bit the effect on emergency reactions. At one point I owned:
>
> New Yamaha (Left foot gear change, Right Foot rear brake), Old Triumph
(RFGC,
> LFRB), Old Ducati (RFRB, LFGC but in an upside down shift pattern) and 3 bicycles, gripshift,
> thumbshift and trigger shift.
>
> A RHFB common to all was a small mercy
>
> Cheers Greg
>
>
> I'm really greg dot walton at swissonline dot ch

 

[John Stevenson]

"Peter Signorini" <[email protected]> wrote in news:[email protected]:

> to be aimed at the lowest common denominator, average Joe on his very average bike.

Not forgetting, of course, that such 'safety' rules are usually written by people who have never
ridden a bike in their lives.

 

[Jake]

I don't know if these emergency break theories hold up. Consider the scenario that you are intending
on doing a left or right turn and that you are indicating with a 'free' hand and suddenly have to
stop abrupty. WHat do you do? You throw your loose hand back on the bars to brace for the stopping?
Or do you keep indicating that you are turning while trying to come to an abrupt stop? OF course
not. And isn't it more dangerous to turn with one hand than to turn with two hands without
indicating? I've never indicated in my life. This is foolish. You are trying to communicate with the
cars. Don't do this. Assume they are oblivious to your existence and you'll be much safer.

"Mike" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Peter Signorini wrote:
>
> > Lifting the rear is not the real concern. Brake _too hard_ while
signalling
> > for a RH turn and holding the bars with one hand - weight suddenly goes forward onto the left
> > end of the bars - you will do a sudden 'turn and
dump'
> > in the middle of the road. Most authorities view this type of manoeuvre
as
> > unsafe.
> >
> > An experienced rider will not do this of course but design rules have to
be
> > aimed at the lowest common denominator, average Joe on his very average bike.
>
> Thanks Peter, that makes sense. But hang on ... does it matter which brake you apply too hard??
> I'll have to go out and try that.

 

[K.A. Moylan]

In article <>, "Jake" <j@com> wrote:

> ... And isn't it more dangerous to turn with one hand than to turn with two hands without
> indicating? I've never indicated in my life. This is foolish. You are trying to communicate with
> the cars. Don't do this. Assume they are oblivious to your existence and you'll be much safer.

I agree that a cyclist shouldn't assume that a motorist has seen him/her, but it doesn't follow that
the motorist always doesn't see the cyclist.
e.g. motorists see cyclists crossing an intersection against a red light.

The law says that all road users must indicate when turning (at least it did the last time I
looked). Cyclists using roads have all the rights & responsibilities of other road users. Therefore,
cyclists must indicate when turning.

Any competent cyclist can go around a corner with one hand on the hanblebars. Even if you can't, you
can still signal until you start turning & then put both hands onto the handlebars.

Should we debate whether any road user should indicate a turn? When I'm driving, I sometimes wonder
if my indicating actually makes the road safer for me? Would the roads be safer if no-one indicated?
Would the traffic flow smoother?

Until (if) the law changes, I shall continue to indicate every turn I make when I'm riding. It might
make a difference to me & it doesn't take much skill.

--
e.h. Moylan Canberra, Australia Ski Club: http://www.cccsc.asn.au kamoylan at ozemail dot com dot au

 

[Tim Jones]

"K.A. Moylan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <>, "Jake" <j@com> wrote:
>
> > ... And isn't it more dangerous to turn with one hand than to turn with two hands without
> > indicating? I've never indicated in my life. This is foolish. You are trying to communicate
with
> > the cars. Don't do this. Assume they are oblivious to your existence and you'll be much safer.
>
> I agree that a cyclist shouldn't assume that a motorist has seen him/her, but it doesn't follow
> that the motorist always doesn't see the cyclist.
> e.g. motorists see cyclists crossing an intersection against a red light.
>
> The law says that all road users must indicate when turning (at least it did the last time I
> looked).

Cyclists must indicate right, but do not have to indicate left hand turns (there are some bike
specific rules in there).

> Cyclists using roads have all the rights & responsibilities of other road users. Therefore,
> cyclists must indicate when turning.
>
> Any competent cyclist can go around a corner with one hand on the hanblebars. Even if you can't,
> you can still signal until you start turning & then put both hands onto the handlebars.
>

Exactly what I do - it is a little tricky to turn one handed if you are heading downhill for
example at 40kmh.

>
> Should we debate whether any road user should indicate a turn? When I'm driving, I sometimes
> wonder if my indicating actually makes the road safer for me? Would the roads be safer if no-one
> indicated? Would the traffic flow smoother?
>
> Until (if) the law changes, I shall continue to indicate every turn I make when I'm riding. It
> might make a difference to me & it doesn't take much skill.
>
> --
> K.A. Moylan Canberra, Australia Ski Club: http://www.cccsc.asn.au kamoylan at ozemail dot com
> dot au

 

[Peter Cremasco]

On Sat, 6 Dec 2003 21:03:24 +1100, "Jake" <j@com> wrote:

>stopping? Or do you keep indicating that you are turning while trying to come to an abrupt stop? OF
>course not. And isn't it more dangerous to turn with one hand than to turn with two hands without
>indicating? I've never indicated in my life. This is foolish. You are trying to communicate with

The turn should be signaled BEFORE you enter the turn, not while into
it. If you only start signaling while you're turning, you can probably be fined for not giving
adequate warning.

I tend to signal the turn as I come into it, and then drop both hands onto the bar just before any
final braking and dropping into the turn.

---
Cheers

PeterC

[Rushing headlong: out of control - and there ain't no stopping]
[and there's nothing you can do about it at all]

 

[Alan Walker]

I have always thought, without bothering to check, that right hand = front brake was an
Australian standard.

I therefore have all my bikes set up the other way around, in that hope that anyone who steals one
of my bikes will soon have a nasty accident.

 

[Peter Signorini]

"Jake" <j@com> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> I've never indicated in my life. This is foolish. You are trying to
communicate with
> the cars. Don't do this. Assume they are oblivious to your existence
and....

Your existence will be obliviated!!

Cheers Peter

 

[Hippy]

"Alan Walker" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have always thought, without bothering to check, that right hand = front brake was an Australian
> standard.
>
> I therefore have all my bikes set up the other way around, in that hope that anyone who steals one
> of my bikes will soon have a nasty accident.

What about a friend who borrows your bike?

Seems a little bit extreme for something that might not even happen.

hippy

 

[Etxy]

On one of my bikes, it is set up with the left hand front brake, whereas all of my others are the normal Australian standard. I would never consider having my Mountain bike with a left hand front brake, primarily because I'm rather weaker in the left hand then the right. On my mountain bike, down steep tricky descents, I need all the stopping power I can get. However, the LHFB is on my road bike, and seeing as I'm more cautious on that bike I've never had any problems. It's weird how my brain somehow remembers which bike has which brake setup, but I don't seem to consciously think of the setup. On my new road bike, I'm getting RHFB and I'll see how that goes.