I certainly don't know the "real answer" on this one, but having looked through "The Fabulous World of Cycling" (Tonnoir/Merckx), I don't see a single instance of right-lever to front brake, and I can think of one or two reasons: with the non-aero cable routing of the 70s, routing the left lever to the front brake, and right lever to rear brake, made possible a better (shallower) arc of the cable and allowed both cables (front and rear) to cross over the stem and lie close to the stem, keeping them "out of hands' way" as much as possible. I always used to set up the cables in this way and, even so, more than once caught a finger or two on the cable and twitched the front end as a result.
Finally, to show how low this can really go, the "right to rear" setup makes it easy to remember which brake I'm using. After all, they both begin with "R" don't they?
Bill Snyder Lake Balboa, CA
-----Original Message----- From: Stephen Sitz [mailto:stephen@preferred-realtor.com] Sent: Monday, August 26, 2002 1:26 PM To: NortonMarg@aol.com; cbeyer2@volvocars.com; classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: Re: [CR]brake lever connections R or L?
Doesn't this beg the question of why most "racing brakes" (read side-pulls) have the cable connection on the left as you look at the front of each brake. That's to say you would get a better cable line from the right lever to the front brake if the connection point were on the right as you face the front brake. Left or right on the rear brake is basically irrelevant.
Steve "Gios" Sitz Franklin, NC
Stephen Sitz, Associate Broker
stephen@preferred-realtor.com
Preferred Properties of Franklin, Inc.
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> In a message dated 8/26/02 7:27:37 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
> cbeyer2@volvocars.com writes:
>
> << Chris Qvale told me he sets up his bikes with the right lever operating
the
> front brake, because 90+% of people are right-handed, and therefore their
> right hand is stronger. He opined that he thought it would reduce the
> tendency of right-handers to lock up the rear brake. >>
>
> My understanding of the origin/adoption as standard, of the "front brake
on
> the left" had to do with racing team mechanics. Any mechanic who had to
> service the gears of a squadron of bikes, would be mighty tempted to put
the
> rear brake (to stop the rear wheel while on the work stand) in easy reach
on
> the right side of the bike. That would be far more convenient that
reaching
> through the bars to the other side. The convention of the left hand front
> brake may have predated multi-geared racing bikes, I don't know what the
> Randonneurs did in the old days, but my guess is whatever they wanted as
> there was no reason for standardization. Once the road racing crowd
stopped
> being luddites about gearing, I'm sure the team mechanics wanted
> standardization, and since they assembled the bikes...If anyone has a
better
> story, let's hear it!
>
> My personal tendency has been to put the front brake on the rider's
dominant
> side unless they have a different preference. Like Jim, I'm also a
> motorcyclist (right handed) and it's far more natural to pull harder with
> your dominant hand on the brake that has to do the most work and has the
best
> traction.
> Stevan Thomas
> Alameda, CA