[CR]right v left brakes

(Example: Framebuilding:Paint)

Date: Mon, 26 Aug 2002 18:04:28 -0400
From: "M_A_Lebr=?ISO-8859-1?B?8w==?=n" <unreceived_dogma@mindspring.com>
To: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]right v left brakes

An anecdote to the right hand/left hand debate: I bought my Holdsworth in Battersea in London in 1975 for the purpose of immediately riding it through the British Isles. The configuration was right hand for the rear, etc, not the "British way". I never thought twice about it until now. Could the shop owner have automatically configured it that way for me without asking because I was American, even if I was going to be spending 2.5 months riding 1800 miles through the British Isles?

It took me over a week to begin to feel comfortable riding on the "wrong" side of the road.

Michael Lebron ----------
>From: "kim hetzel" <trhetzel@earthlink.net>
>To: ltbradley <ltbradley@msn.com>
>Subject: Re: [CR]brake lever connections R or L?
>Date: Mon, Aug 26, 2002, 12:16 AM
>
>Hi Lawrence,
>
>I was born in America. I have been here all my life. I have the front
>brake cable on the right lever and the rear brake on the left lever on my
>1972 Cilo Sprintx. I have had this arrangement for years. I decided long
>time ago to have it this way.
>It has been a personal preference of mine on all of my bikes with brake
>cables. I had not idea until now that other parts of the world have it this
>way. I thought maybe it was this way in Europe, but never followed-up on
>the homework.
>
>Regards,
>Kim Hetzel
>Yelm, WA.
>
>
>
>>Seeing the proficiency badge has made me think about my cycling roots. i.e.
>>England. We ride on the left there (well, we are supposed to...) This means
>>that the brake cables connections are reversed from, for example, the USA or
>>Canada. Even though I have lived in the USA for 18 years or so and am
>>comfortable riding/driving on the right (wrong?!) side of the road I still
>>have to set up my brakes as I did before I moved in 1983 that is, with the
>>rear brake connected to the left lever. Do any other transplants have the
>>same problem? I have even heard of some people preferring the rear brake to
>>the left even when they ride on the right. Are there any conventions,
>>traditions to brake connections?
>>Lawrence Bradley (who is left handed anyway and therefore in his right
>>mind...) Tacoma, WA