Only problem I see here is that I never saw Lance using a front bar end shifter. All the pics and personal observations I've seen have Lance using a front down tube shifter, with a standard left brake lever...A down tube shifter would I believe have too many cables for his ride...
Ed Busch
Vonore Tennesse USA
> Jan. 18, 09
>
> Hello List,
>
> I can confirm what Michael Schmid + Tobit Linke said, brake levers in
> Germany are almost always mounted in the Continental + US style, i.e.
> left to front. As a friend of mine who is a professional mechanic
> confirmed, almost all exceptions he deals with are either British bikes
> or bikes belonging to cyclo-crossers who also ride motorcycles. And there
> are some cheap bikes and roller brake bikes with right to front, as
> mentioned.
>
> One point hasn't been raised yet. All off-topic modern brake+shift
> systems are set up to shift the rear derailleur with the right. Why could
> this play a role with how you set up your brake levers? If you'll bear
> with me, it can play a role for KOF or classic bikes with mixed braking
> systems.
>
> On a racing bike, I'll typically have side-pull brakes front and rear. My
> tandems and heavy touring bikes have cantilever bosses front and rear.
> With bikes in between these extremes, city bikes, commuters and light
> tourers, I personally often prefer a hybrid system with a side- pull in
> the rear and v-brakes in the front. This gives me a combination of
> braking strength in the front and modulation in the rear. Probably not
> most folks' cup of tea, but it works for me. (You can also get strength
> and modulation with Magura HS 66's + 77's, but these are no longer made,
> rare, and off topic).
>
> In the 70's and 80's, I never much liked down tube shifters and preferred
> bar-end shifters. I still like them today, but often prefer the comfort
> of a brake+shift system for the rear. A hybrid system impinges on brake
> levers as follows. My on-topic 70's Bruce Gordon has a rear side-pull
> brake and will receive a new KOF fork with cantilever bosses. The right
> brake (and shift) lever goes to the rear, where it perfectly matches the
> Campagnolo side-pull brake. The left brake lever, which has no shifting
> function, goes to the front and perfectly matches the v-brake without any
> travel-agents etc. The front derailleur is shifted by a bar-end lever on
> the left. BTW, different motives can lead to similar results; on
> mountain stages some racers such as Lance used a similar brake lever
> setup (without front cantis) with a bar-end shifter on the left to reduce
> weight.
>
> In the end, I have to agree with the Jan Heine that neither left to front
> nor right to front is superior. It's just a matter of personal
> preference, use whatever floats your boat.
>
> Greets
>
> Kai Hilbertz
> Munich, Germany