front brake on right?

I like to use the right lever for my front brake. This works well with
the old side pull style calipers because at least some of them have
the cable on the left side. It isn't so great with any of the modern,
dual pivot calipers I have seen because they all are set up for the
cable on the right side. This makes the cable routing not so neat.
My bikes with dual pivot or cantilever brakes end up with an S curve
in the cable.

Are any dual pivot calipers made with the cable on the other side? I
thought I heard somewhere that in some countries the law mandates the
front brake on the right lever. How are the cables routed on these
bikes? What do other folks do about this issue?

Jim Smith wrote:
I like to use the right lever for my front brake. This works well
with
the old side pull style calipers because at least some of them have
the cable on the left side. It isn't so great with any of the
modern,
dual pivot calipers I have seen because they all are set up for the
cable on the right side. This makes the cable routing not so neat.
My bikes with dual pivot or cantilever brakes end up with an S curve
in the cable.

Are any dual pivot calipers made with the cable on the other side? I
thought I heard somewhere that in some countries the law mandates the
front brake on the right lever. How are the cables routed on these
bikes? What do other folks do about this issue?

Left-side-arm dual pivot calipers do exist, but they're generally used
on oddball applications like short-wheelbase recumbents where the chain
goes past the right side of the caliper.

It won't hurt the cables to be wired "opposite". There's enough
flexibility- by far- to allow it to work well. Don't worry about the
"S" curve.

Jeff

Wrote:
Jim Smith wrote:
I like to use the right lever for my front brake. This works well
with
the old side pull style calipers because at least some of them have
the cable on the left side. It isn't so great with any of the
modern,
dual pivot calipers I have seen because they all are set up for the
cable on the right side. This makes the cable routing not so neat.
My bikes with dual pivot or cantilever brakes end up with an S curve
in the cable.

Are any dual pivot calipers made with the cable on the other side?
I
thought I heard somewhere that in some countries the law mandates
the
front brake on the right lever. How are the cables routed on these
bikes? What do other folks do about this issue?

Left-side-arm dual pivot calipers do exist, but they're generally used
on oddball applications like short-wheelbase recumbents where the
chain
goes past the right side of the caliper.

It won't hurt the cables to be wired "opposite". There's enough
flexibility- by far- to allow it to work well. Don't worry about the
"S" curve.

Jeff

Australian bikes have front brake on the right, works fine with campy
and shimano brifters. Makes enormous sense to me to have the hand that
has the most finesse for most people on the most important brake.


--
PiledHigher

In Australia it is a safety requirement (as are reflectors!!) that new bikes
sold must have the rear brake lever on the left, so that when turning right
a hand signal can be given while braking. (Reverse all of the those
directions for the USA).

Having said that, I have all my bikes set up in the US way as I prefer that
my stronger right hand pulls on the weaker rear brake.

There are no problems with cables either way; do what you want.

Justin Vincent

"PiledHigher" wrote in
message ...

Wrote:
Jim Smith wrote:
I like to use the right lever for my front brake. This works well
with
the old side pull style calipers because at least some of them have
the cable on the left side. It isn't so great with any of the
modern,
dual pivot calipers I have seen because they all are set up for the
cable on the right side. This makes the cable routing not so neat.
My bikes with dual pivot or cantilever brakes end up with an S curve
in the cable.

Are any dual pivot calipers made with the cable on the other side?
I
thought I heard somewhere that in some countries the law mandates
the
front brake on the right lever. How are the cables routed on these
bikes? What do other folks do about this issue?

Left-side-arm dual pivot calipers do exist, but they're generally used
on oddball applications like short-wheelbase recumbents where the
chain
goes past the right side of the caliper.

It won't hurt the cables to be wired "opposite". There's enough
flexibility- by far- to allow it to work well. Don't worry about the
"S" curve.

Jeff

Australian bikes have front brake on the right, works fine with campy
and shimano brifters. Makes enormous sense to me to have the hand that
has the most finesse for most people on the most important brake.


--
PiledHigher

Jim Smith composed the following;:
I like to use the right lever for my front brake. This works well with
the old side pull style calipers because at least some of them have
the cable on the left side. It isn't so great with any of the modern,
dual pivot calipers I have seen because they all are set up for the
cable on the right side. This makes the cable routing not so neat.
My bikes with dual pivot or cantilever brakes end up with an S curve
in the cable.

Are any dual pivot calipers made with the cable on the other side? I
thought I heard somewhere that in some countries the law mandates the
front brake on the right lever. How are the cables routed on these
bikes? What do other folks do about this issue?

We, in UK, have this setup as standard on almost all bikes. Maybe you
could easily source any components you need from a UK based shop.

--
The Caretaker.
www.4x4prejudice.org
A balanced argument.

Jim Smith wrote:
I like to use the right lever for my front brake. This works well with
the old side pull style calipers because at least some of them have
the cable on the left side. It isn't so great with any of the modern,
dual pivot calipers I have seen because they all are set up for the
cable on the right side. This makes the cable routing not so neat.
My bikes with dual pivot or cantilever brakes end up with an S curve
in the cable.

Are any dual pivot calipers made with the cable on the other side? I
thought I heard somewhere that in some countries the law mandates the
front brake on the right lever. How are the cables routed on these
bikes? What do other folks do about this issue?

I use right-front brakes and I've never had any problems with "normal"
calipers (inc Campagnolo), maybe cos my large frames allow a gentle cable
curvature.

Alhonga deep drop dual pivot calipers have the cable on the "other" side.
Available from St John Street Cycles, UK.

~PB, UK

isn't the difference between front and rear brakes just the side where
the cable attaches?
just swap your front and rear brakes and recable...

"Jim Smith" wrote in message
...

I like to use the right lever for my front brake. This works well with
the old side pull style calipers because at least some of them have
the cable on the left side. It isn't so great with any of the modern,
dual pivot calipers I have seen because they all are set up for the
cable on the right side. This makes the cable routing not so neat.
My bikes with dual pivot or cantilever brakes end up with an S curve
in the cable.

Are any dual pivot calipers made with the cable on the other side? I
thought I heard somewhere that in some countries the law mandates the
front brake on the right lever. How are the cables routed on these
bikes? What do other folks do about this issue?


Add length to your cable housing, and try to give it the largest radius
possible without it being obtrusive. This will reduce friction.

All my bikes have been switched front-right. The MTB needs the cable routed
around the headtube and back to the same side of the cable stop on the top
tube. A little tight but not a problem.

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

"Phil, Squid-in-Training" wrote in
message ...

"Jim Smith" wrote in message
...

I like to use the right lever for my front brake. This works well with
the old side pull style calipers because at least some of them have
the cable on the left side. It isn't so great with any of the modern,
dual pivot calipers I have seen because they all are set up for the
cable on the right side. This makes the cable routing not so neat.
My bikes with dual pivot or cantilever brakes end up with an S curve
in the cable.

Are any dual pivot calipers made with the cable on the other side? I
thought I heard somewhere that in some countries the law mandates the
front brake on the right lever. How are the cables routed on these
bikes? What do other folks do about this issue?


Add length to your cable housing, and try to give it the largest radius
possible without it being obtrusive. This will reduce friction.

All my bikes have been switched front-right. The MTB needs the cable
routed
around the headtube and back to the same side of the cable stop on the top
tube. A little tight but not a problem.


Why is it so hard to operate the front brake with your left hand when you
are righthanded? You can operate all modern brakes just by pulling with one
or two fingers and still get more then enough brake power. I don't get it.

Lou

Lou Holtman wrote:

Why is it so hard to operate the front brake with your left hand when you
are righthanded? You can operate all modern brakes just by pulling with one
or two fingers and still get more then enough brake power. I don't get it.

It's not that it's so "hard" but there are reasons to prefer this set
up, as I do.

I go into some detail on this topic at http://sheldonbrown.com/brakturn

Sheldon "Right Front" Brown
+-------------------------------------------------+
| What is good for you is what is good for you. |
| --Peter Chisholm |
+-------------------------------------------------+
Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
http://harriscyclery.com
Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com