Left hand rear brake

[BILLYP2000]

Has anyone swapped their brakes over to the UK standard? i.e. left hand rear, right front. Having the left brake cable enter the down tube from the left looks like it would be too cramped. Has anyone modified the entry for this cable to the right side?

 

[Kernow]

On what bike ? They are all a bit different with cable routing . Left rear rh front is normal in uk , I’ve never seen anyone here using the opposite . My commencal came the other way round , bloody dangerouse if you don’t know and not used it before , but I just swapped the levers over and left the cables as they were , it worked ok with the code r brakes but wouldnt with some other makes .
all motorbikes are rh front brake so really I feel that should be the standard for safety reasons alone

 

[BILLYP2000]

On what bike ? They are all a bit different with cable routing . Left rear rh front is normal in uk , I’ve never seen anyone here using the opposite . My commencal came the other way round , bloody dangerouse if you don’t know and not used it before , but I just swapped the levers over and left the cables as they were , it worked ok with the code r brakes but wouldnt with some other makes .
all motorbikes are rh front brake so really I feel that should be the standard for safety reasons alone

It's on an eOne Sixty 800. SLX brakes are coming straight off and being replaced with CODE R's. Just looks like the left lever not entering the right side of the down tube will be too cramped, especially if/when I take an off and the bars spin.

 

[eFat]

Don't tell me you also have the brake levers on the wrong side in the UK?

 

[Kernow]

Don't tell me you also have the brake levers on the wrong side in the UK?

No uk has the normal front right rear left , bikes from Europe seem to be reversed . Why I don’t know , I can’t see a logical reason for it , especially as many riders come from a motorcycle background ,

 

[Kernow]

It's on an eOne Sixty 800. SLX brakes are coming straight off and being replaced with CODE R's. Just looks like the left lever not entering the right side of the down tube will be too cramped, especially if/when I take an off and the bars spin.

If your changing the brakes anyway it’s wont matter anyway , just re route the new hoses ?

 

[ccrdave]

I think its to do with the ability to brake safely whilst signalling and crossing traffic. we cross oncoming traffick to our right elsewhere they cross oncoming traffic to the left, the rear brake is apparently a safer brake to use when steering and braking one handed

 

[Kernow]

I think its to do with the ability to brake safely whilst signalling and crossing traffic. we cross oncoming traffick to our right elsewhere they cross oncoming traffic to the left, the rear brake is apparently a safer brake to use when steering and braking one handed

Has to the best and only reason or explanation I have heard , but what a feet up arse idea . I wonder how many accidents it’s caused

 

[Re-Cycle]

I'm from The Netherlands, but I want my brakes set up the UK-way
And that is indeed because I've been riding motorcycles for fourty years and cannot get used to the front brake on the left hand side. That's gonna end in a crash for sure

So I did the left-right swap with the brake hoses (Merida E-Onesixty 900 with Shimano brakes). I didn't change the routing so the rear brake hose enters the frame on the left. No problem, it just doesn't look that tidy. Maybe I'll change it some day, but I'm not sure if the hose is long enough if it comes from the right.

You'd also have to swap the cable clamps left-right because one has three holes (brake, rear mech and electric cable) and the other one has one hole (dropper post). And that means re-routing the electric cable as well.

 

[eFat]

No uk has the normal front right rear left

Yes, this NOT the "normal" setting.

 

[Kernow]

So what does the rest of world have , are USA Nz Aus bikes all reversed levers ?

I thought the reason for rh front brake was because most people are right handed , hence it’s become a standard across the world , on every vehicle I can think of we brake with out right side be it hand or foot Except for the rear brake on most motorcycles .

 

[BILLYP2000]

I'm from The Netherlands, but I want my brakes set up the UK-way
And that is indeed because I've been riding motorcycles for fourty years and cannot get used to the front brake on the left hand side. That's gonna end in a crash for sure

So I did the left-right swap with the brake hoses (Merida E-Onesixty 900 with Shimano brakes). I didn't change the routing so the rear brake hose enters the frame on the left. No problem, it just doesn't look that tidy. Maybe I'll change it some day, but I'm not sure if the hose is long enough if it comes from the right.

You'd also have to swap the cable clamps left-right because one has three holes (brake, rear mech and electric cable) and the other one has one hole (dropper post). And that means re-routing the electric cable as well.

This is exactly the issue. If the cables are just a bit untidy and don't fold if the bar spins then I'll probably just live with it. As you say we could swap the clamps over but then the dropper would really have to go on the right hand side of the bar so the cable entry was left hand downtube. Another solution would be to remove the right hand clamp and drill a new hole in it to take the rear brake cable.

 

[BILLYP2000]

So what does the rest of world have , are USA Nz Aus bikes all reversed levers ?

I thought the reason for rh front brake was because most people are right handed , hence it’s become a standard across the world , on every vehicle I can think of we brake with out right side be it hand or foot Except for the rear brake on most motorcycles .

I know Canada is opposite to UK because I recently hired a bike at Bromont bike park in Quebec and had to get them to reverse the brakes on the bike I hired. I always understood the difference to be as ccrdave explained. Regardless, it is what it is and it ain't changing any time soon.

 

[Re-Cycle]

@Billy, you could just swap the cable clamps when re-routing the brake hose.
The clamp with three holes goes to the right for the rear brake hose, dropper cable and electric cable. The one with one hole to the left for the rear mech cable.

That's the way I would want to have it, so maybe I'll do the effort on a rainy day soon...

 

[BILLYP2000]

@Billy, you could just swap the cable clamps when re-routing the brake hose.
The clamp with three holes goes to the right for the rear brake hose, dropper cable and electric cable. The one with one hole to the left for the rear mech cable.

That's the way I would want to have it, so maybe I'll do the effort on a rainy day soon...

Good point and thanks! That will work if the dropper and mech cables are the same diameter (I would have thought they are) as the holes in the clamps are different sizes. What a load of messing around. I just want to ride the thing!

 

[Re-Cycle]

Usually shifter- and dropper cables are the same, 4mm in outer diameter.
Brake cables and -hoses are 5mm in diameter. So it should fit

 

[BILLYP2000]

All sorted!

 

[johnc]

Just woundering where you got the mudgard. Is it an aftermarket item?

 

[BILLYP2000]

It came with the bike. There's a matching rear guard too. This one has been replaced as it's too small and doesn't protect the fork seals.

 

[johnc]

Is this UK? There's no mention on Marida site..

 

[BILLYP2000]

The bike was imported to the UK from a Spanish retailer.

 

[johnc]

Out of luck then! Cheers.

 

[Kernow]

The bike was imported to the UK from a Spanish retailer.

Two mates have just just bought two Meridas , Iam sure they came from Spain , I’ll ask what they did there’s no way they would ride them reversed being bikers .

 

[BILLYP2000]

To be honest they're rubbish. You're better off buying a Marsh Guard or equivalent. The ones on Evans are pretty good.

 

[Kernow]

Two mates have just just bought two Meridas , Iam sure they came from Spain , I’ll ask what they did there’s no way they would ride them reversed being bikers .

Yes they did swap them over , Merida e900 shimano brakes I think was a bit fiddly I think had to buy a new cable clamp on the frame ? But the hoses re routed ok and are long enough

 

[monkeychild]

I've just left mine.