[CR] Brake levers

(Example: Framebuilders:Alex Singer)

Date: Fri, 16 Jan 2009 14:52:42 -0800
From: "Colin Laing" <colin_laing@yahoo.com>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: [CR] Brake levers



>From Colin Laing

Now that the bar-wrap saga is almost laid to rest, may I submit "brake levers" for discussion...In England, since most of us rode fixed wheel in the winter and even early season time-trials, the one and only brake lever was on the right hand side. Various ideas of this were that we rode on the left-hand side of the road, the right hand was generally the stronger of the two and mainly, if a young chick had joined the group, it was easier to push her along into a head-wind. When racing on the Continent, the mechanic would oblige my request to switch the cables around but with some mirth. On emigrating to the States in 1974, I thought it best to "go with the flow" and did my brakes American and Continental style...all went well until 2 years ago on the "Sunday Bash" whilst in Britain....I switched bikes with a young chap who wanted to try a Campagnolo Record equipped bike ...with about 5 miles to go and in pouring rain, we went down a 1 in 4 (called Scarth Nick),,,and I tapped the wrong side lever going into a bend...The bike did a complete 180 ..I managed luckily to stay upright,,,but even luckier, the other guys thought I did the manouver on purpose and marvelled at my performance..

So, which is the correct side? COLIN LAING ( awaiting Obama's stimulus check)