Re: Why is frt brake on LH side?

[Michael Dart]

"Destroy" > wrote in message
...
> Being a long time and avid motorcyclist and newish mtn biker, I gotta
> wonder who the idiot was that decided the frt brakes on these 2 vehicles
> should be on opposite sides?
>
> Being that I have ridden motorcycle 10X more than mtn bike, in a panic
> situation it takes a lot on concentration to be sure I hit the proper
> brake on my mtn bike. Normal braking isn't a problem really, just panic
> stops (which isn't often thank goodness).
>
> I'd switch them over but the brakes on my mtn bike (Liquid 10) are
> hydraulic. Is there a way to switch hyd brake from side to side?
>

Depends on what brakes you have. If you have Hayes newer 'flip-flop' type
levers you can simply swap them over. If not you may have to take the hose
loose at the lever/master cylinder and swap hoses and re-bleed them. You
may also have to cut the end off the hoses and use new compression bushings
since they are only good once. But either way it's definitely doable.

Since bicycles were around long before the motorcycle I'd say it was the
'idiot' that invented the motorcycle who got things mixed up. ;^)

Mike - not a motorcyclist but I play one on my DH bike. ;^p

[Andy Chequer]

"Destroy" > wrote in message
...
> Being a long time and avid motorcyclist and newish mtn biker, I gotta
> wonder who the idiot was that decided the frt brakes on these 2 vehicles
> should be on opposite sides?
>
> Being that I have ridden motorcycle 10X more than mtn bike, in a panic
> situation it takes a lot on concentration to be sure I hit the proper
> brake on my mtn bike. Normal braking isn't a problem really, just panic
> stops (which isn't often thank goodness).
>
> I'd switch them over but the brakes on my mtn bike (Liquid 10) are
> hydraulic. Is there a way to switch hyd brake from side to side?

There are different conventions depening on where you are. In the UK, the
front brake is on the right hand lever - in continental Europe it's on the
left. I found this out when I lent my old GT Tequesta to a French
housemate - he came back looking like an extra from a slasher flick. How we
laughed. This doesn't really answer your question, I suppose, but I figure
front brake needs the strongest hand which (unless you're some kind of
wierdo freak left hander person) is the right one.

You can swap them over easily enough provided the brakes are the same make
and model. Disconnect the hoses from the levers and swap them over, then
bleed the system thoroughly.

Andy Chequer

[Mark \(UK\)]

"Destroy" > wrote in message
...
> Being a long time and avid motorcyclist and newish mtn biker, I gotta
> wonder who the idiot was that decided the frt brakes on these 2 vehicles
> should be on opposite sides?
>
> Being that I have ridden motorcycle 10X more than mtn bike, in a panic
> situation it takes a lot on concentration to be sure I hit the proper
> brake on my mtn bike. Normal braking isn't a problem really, just panic
> stops (which isn't often thank goodness).
>
> I'd switch them over but the brakes on my mtn bike (Liquid 10) are
> hydraulic. Is there a way to switch hyd brake from side to side?
>

Depends on the country too, here in the UK bikes have the front brake on the
RHS same as motorbikes, makes life a bit easier and seems much more logical
to me...

Presuming that your hydro hoses have enough slack to switch sides, you'll
just have to disconnect them at the lever and more them across, reattach and
then re-bleed the system. How to do that depends on what brakes you have.

Mark

[Paul Cassel]

Destroy wrote:
> Being a long time and avid motorcyclist and newish mtn biker, I gotta
> wonder who the idiot was that decided the frt brakes on these 2
> vehicles should be on opposite sides?
>
I ride a motorcycle so just switched my push bike brake levers side to side.
Why ask when you can make things the way you want them?

-paul

[di]

"Destroy" > wrote in message
...
> Being a long time and avid motorcyclist and newish mtn biker, I gotta
> wonder who the idiot was that decided the frt brakes on these 2 vehicles
> should be on opposite sides?

Where were you when they had the meeting to discuss where to put the brake
lever?

[MattB]

"Westie" > wrote in message
...
>
<snip>
>
> New Zealand and Australia both have the front brake on the RHS on both
bikes
> and motorcycles.
> You could just remove and reattach the hydraulic hoses. How easy that is
> depends on the brand.
> --
> Westie
>

Yes, I learned this the hard way while visiting my cousins in WA a few years
ago. I tried to lock up and slide the rear wheel on a hired bike on Rotto. I
definitely made an impression on the cousins (as well as myself) but not the
sort I was intending.

Matt

[JD]

Destroy > wrote in message >...
> Being a long time and avid motorcyclist and newish mtn biker, I gotta
> wonder who the idiot was that decided the frt brakes on these 2 vehicles
> should be on opposite sides?

I can tell you who did that. Someone who wanted to watch the more
feeble-minded flail about. I've been riding motorcycles about ten
years longer than mountain biking and it's never been an issue for me.

JD

[John Morgan]

> Being a long time and avid motorcyclist and newish mtn biker, I gotta
> wonder who the idiot was that decided the frt brakes on these 2 vehicles
> should be on opposite sides?

Perhaps the brakes are set up that way on mountain bikes because the
shifters are also handlebar mounted. The shifting for the front is on the
left side and the shifting for the rear is on the right side.

-John Morgan

[stubacca]

wrote:
> > Being a long time and avid motorcyclist and newish mtn biker, I gotta
> > wonder who the idiot was that decided the frt brakes on these 2
> > vehicles should be on opposite sides?
> I can tell you who did that. Someone who wanted to watch the more
> feeble-minded flail about. I've been riding motorcycles about ten years
> longer than mountain biking and it's never been an issue for me.



I'm with ya, bud. Very confusing to get used to. Compounded for me since
I grew up in Australia with right-hand front brakes on bicycles.

My road bike was bought in Oz, so has a right-hand front brake. I just
bought a new mountain bike in the US, and found the right-hand rear
brake weird at first. But now that I'm doing more mountain biking, it
seems pretty logical - most people have a stronger right hand, so may as
well have the brake you use most on the right-hand-side. Since I use the
front brake more on the road bike, I'm leaving both sets of brakes as
they are. Hasn't confused me yet!



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>--------------------------<
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[David Kunz]

Destroy wrote:

> Being a long time and avid motorcyclist and newish mtn biker, I gotta
> wonder who the idiot was that decided the frt brakes on these 2 vehicles
> should be on opposite sides?
>
> Being that I have ridden motorcycle 10X more than mtn bike, in a panic
> situation it takes a lot on concentration to be sure I hit the proper
> brake on my mtn bike. Normal braking isn't a problem really, just panic
> stops (which isn't often thank goodness).
>
> I'd switch them over but the brakes on my mtn bike (Liquid 10) are
> hydraulic. Is there a way to switch hyd brake from side to side?

Hey, the first time that I road a (British?) motorcycle with the shifter
and brake reversed, I had a FEW SMALL problems :).

But, I have no problem switching back and forth between bikes and
motorcycles -- I guess it's a matter of what I'm on? I don't even need
to think about it. But, you can also just switch the cables (as long as
you don't go for the "clutch" :). If you do, you might want to hide if
you loan it do someone :).

David

[Tlacatecatl]

On Tue, 5 Aug 2003 4:32:07 -0700, Destroy wrote:

> Being a long time and avid motorcyclist and newish mtn biker, I gotta
> wonder who the idiot was that decided the frt brakes on these 2 vehicles
> should be on opposite sides?
>
> Being that I have ridden motorcycle 10X more than mtn bike, in a panic
> situation it takes a lot on concentration to be sure I hit the proper
> brake on my mtn bike. Normal braking isn't a problem really, just panic
> stops (which isn't often thank goodness).
>
> I'd switch them over but the brakes on my mtn bike (Liquid 10) are
> hydraulic. Is there a way to switch hyd brake from side to side?


Everything you wanted to know about the whys and wherefores of which brake is
where and when to use which.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html

Short answer: There probably is no good reason why in some countries the
front brake is on the left and in other countries it's on the right.


Tlacatecatl Tlacaxipe

[spademan o---[\) *]

"stubacca" > wrote in message
...
> wrote:
> > > Being a long time and avid motorcyclist and newish mtn biker, I
gotta
> > > wonder who the idiot was that decided the frt brakes on these 2
> > > vehicles should be on opposite sides?
> > I can tell you who did that. Someone who wanted to watch the more
> > feeble-minded flail about. I've been riding motorcycles about ten
years
> > longer than mountain biking and it's never been an issue for me.
>
>
>
> I'm with ya, bud. Very confusing to get used to. Compounded for me since
> I grew up in Australia with right-hand front brakes on bicycles.
>
> My road bike was bought in Oz, so has a right-hand front brake. I just
> bought a new mountain bike in the US, and found the right-hand rear
> brake weird at first. But now that I'm doing more mountain biking, it
> seems pretty logical - most people have a stronger right hand, so may as
> well have the brake you use most on the right-hand-side

Theres something wrong with this statement...

[Stephen Baker]

spademan says:

>Theres something wrong with this statement...
>

very wrong......

Steve

[Cameron]

"spademan o---[) *" > wrote in message ...
>
> "stubacca" > wrote in message
> ...
> > wrote:
>
> >
> > My road bike was bought in Oz, so has a right-hand front brake. I just
> > bought a new mountain bike in the US, and found the right-hand rear
> > brake weird at first. But now that I'm doing more mountain biking, it
> > seems pretty logical - most people have a stronger right hand, so may as
> > well have the brake you use most on the right-hand-side
>
> Theres something wrong with this statement...
>

When a newbie to riding, I lost a lot of blood to figure it out....

--
Cameron