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Brake levers


RDL101

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Good afternoon and happy heritage day!

i recently rode a lender bike when on holiday and found out to my surprise that the brake levers are reversed from what I am used to-the rear brake was on the left hand side. I have been riding mountainbikes for 20 years and have never had this before.

is this a thing now?

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I bought a bike like 2 years ago and the brakes were reversed as well. Apparently its the way people in the UK ride their bikes but im not too sure if that is true

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50 minutes ago, RDL101 said:

Good afternoon and happy heritage day!

i recently rode a lender bike when on holiday and found out to my surprise that the brake levers are reversed from what I am used to-the rear brake was on the left hand side. I have been riding mountainbikes for 20 years and have never had this before.

is this a thing now?

I’ve heard some countries required it to be like that a long time ago (maybe france or somewhere)

But that may not be the case

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4 minutes ago, Ernst Kromhout said:

I’ve heard some countries required it to be like that a long time ago (maybe france or somewhere)

But that may not be the case

You got me googling ....

 

Screenshot_20210924-185406_Chrome.jpg.08a5fa5972563098225b1230e828b8db.jpg

 

 

For many years I had the front on the right, same as on a motorcycle.

 

Few years back I swopped to rear on the right.

 

 

New bikes are delivered in either configuration .... probably as a result of where it originated

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In some countries its rear left (othetwise known as motorbike style) and other rear right. There are countries where this is mandatory. In the  US its law to sell a bike with left controlling the front. 

In the end its a personal preference and what you are used to, because its very difficult to "un-learn" it. I ride rear rear left my whole life and nearly killed myself on a demo ride once when I forgot this. 

 

So its not better or worse, just different. 

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Just now, ChrisF said:

You got me googling ....

 

Screenshot_20210924-185406_Chrome.jpg.08a5fa5972563098225b1230e828b8db.jpg

 

 

For many years I had the front on the right, same as on a motorcycle.

 

Few years back I swopped to rear on the right.

 

 

New bikes are delivered in either configuration .... probably as a result of where it originated

ahh yes so definitely not france????

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5 minutes ago, FrancoisdeVille said:

In some countries its rear left (othetwise known as motorbike style) and other rear right. There are countries where this is mandatory. In the  US its law to sell a bike with left controlling the front. 

In the end its a personal preference and what you are used to, because its very difficult to "un-learn" it. I ride rear rear left my whole life and nearly killed myself on a demo ride once when I forgot this. 

 

So its not better or worse, just different. 

yes some mtb brakes like the hayes dominion a4s have a flip flop mode where you can just put the left on the right and vice versa without having to change the hoses around

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This was a Trek xcaliber hardtail with shimano brakes. Was an interesting surprise when I ventured offroad with it.

 

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3 minutes ago, RDL101 said:

This was a Trek xcaliber hardtail with shimano brakes. Was an interesting surprise when I ventured offroad with it.

 

My Trek was also rear on the left.

 

 

The Scott was rear on the right .... OUCH !!  Internal routing meant it would not be an easy left.to.right swop ..... the next couple of rides was "interesting" to say the least.  I then swopped the commuters brakes, to have rear on right on both bikes.  Giant also came with rear on right.

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54 minutes ago, Ernst Kromhout said:

yes some mtb brakes like the hayes dominion a4s have a flip flop mode where you can just put the left on the right and vice versa without having to change the hoses around

Surely the hose determine whether its front or back .

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I have always ridden with back brake left front brake right..first was a BSA(1965.)with lever and pushrod mechnism???? only with introduction of disk brakes did i realise..the opp was considered normal...no problem just switching the hoses solved that...it became more of an issues with cables running through the frame   ????but a new learning curve and some rerouting and I'm back too my normal.so nooo not a new thing some of us have been riding like that for over 50 years

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Growing up my dad set my bike up front brake right, so that when I started riding motorbikes it would be natural.

I've been riding mountain bikes with front brake on the left for 20 years now and it still feels strange some days.

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Always had my right brake controlling the rear, and can't understand why a country would make this a law. Surely it's personal preference. I imagine if it had to be swapped around, it would be like driving an automatic car for the first time, and then jamming on the brake thinking it's the clutch, and putting yourself through the front window....

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26 minutes ago, StevieG said:

Always had my right brake controlling the rear, and can't understand why a country would make this a law. Surely it's personal preference. I imagine if it had to be swapped around, it would be like driving an automatic car for the first time, and then jamming on the brake thinking it's the clutch, and putting yourself through the front window....

Ive driven manual cars for almost 8 years now and have never stepped on the brake with the left foot when driving automatics ????

 

 

But this was really funny to imagine thanks ????????????

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where is @Hairy. He's also a big proponent for the wrong UK way of doing things...ie, rear brake on the left lol. 

i agree it's preference.

Sometimes when i ride with my wife she still forgets which side is which though...so i told her once that 
EVERYTHING controlling the rear (gears and brakes) is on your right hand, and on the right hand side of the bike. That made it easy for her to remember. 

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