schreef ...
On Tue, 12 Aug 2003 12:02:11 +0200, Marten Hoffmann
wrote:
So, for me, it's better with the left-hand front
brake. I've never wished I had more strength or
dexterity for my braking.

For me, a left-hand rear brake is safer because my right hand is often
busy with the dog leash ...... I've had this setup for years on my town
bike while the MTB and tandem have it the other way round. I never found
any difficulty in emergency stopping.

I'm glad that works for you, but I'm curious as
to how.

Your rear brake provides stopping power when you're going
fast and need an emergency stop, even while your dog is
pulling? IME, the rear tire rarely provides sufficient
traction to brake moderately, let alone in an emergency,
and especially so if you've got a dog pulling you.

You're right there so it's always necessary to look out for the other
traffic and/or obstacles in the woods. I may add that I live in Holland
were cars are used to bicycles with or without children/trailers/dogs
and the like. With the dog I tend to ride more carefully than without
because indeed, making an emergency stop is hard(er).

The point is that when you need to brake with the front brake only *and*
you have a dog leash in your right hand, it's hard to control the bike
since your handlebar will turn with braking and you have to counteract
this turning with only your left hand. When the rear brake is on the
left handle, I can make the bike lose speed at quite a rate (Magura HS-
33 on a hybrid bike) although never as good as with a front brake, of
course. Shifting my weight backwards helps. I also ride forest trails
with the leashed dog and especially on sandy, gravelly tracks you don't
want front-braking only...... I've had it for a while on my new hybrid
bike and still have the scars to prove it :-(

I stand by that point even if your dog is well behaved
and doesn't pull.

You're correct. BTW the dog is not a "pulling" type but for the first
mile. After that it settles into a gentle trot somewhere between 16 and
19 km/h. But I try to always keep an eye open for my "surroundings" in
traffic: cars, playing children, other dogs etc.

Unless you have a very small dog, with short legs, which
can't keep up with you when you go fast, so you go slow
and your rear brake is sufficient. I hate those dogs. G

The dog is of "medium height", some 16-18 inches high at the shoulders.
Once we clocked it at 47 km/h - going downhill and for a short distance
only, but still.....

--
Regards,
Marten