Brake question-From across the Pond

Woodtourer · Post by **Woodtourer** » 31 Jul 2018, 12:57pm

So is it typical for bikes in the UK to have the right brake lever operate the front brake?

Brucey · Post by **Brucey** » 31 Jul 2018, 1:02pm

yes. In fact it is illegal to sell a new bike any other way.

cheers

fredN4 · Post by **fredN4** » 31 Jul 2018, 1:15pm

even before Brexit!

PDQ Mobile · Post by **PDQ Mobile** » 31 Jul 2018, 2:06pm

And a most sensible arrangment it is too.
By far the best all round.

Ducks and runs quickly!

Post by **Mick F** » 31 Jul 2018, 2:19pm

We had a long-ish thread about this recently. :wink:

It's illegal in UK to sell a bike the "wrong" way round, but there's nothing to stop anyone swapping them over after the purchase and it seems that many folk do.

Woodtourer · Post by **Woodtourer** » 31 Jul 2018, 2:22pm

We will be arriving in the UK in a few weeks and our brakes are the opposite. I guess we will have to walk our bikes!!

Valbrona · Post by **Valbrona** » 31 Jul 2018, 2:52pm

But there's no-one to actually enforce any kind of rule or law in this country, only the most serious of crimes excepted.

Greystoke · Post by **Greystoke** » 31 Jul 2018, 2:57pm

My front brake is on the left, this allows me to use the most effective brake and signal right.

peetee · Post by **peetee** » 31 Jul 2018, 3:11pm

It is not illegal to ride a bike in the UK with brakes on the opposite levers so riders from countries where that is a standard feature are not obliged to swap them. The chance of it causing an accident are tiny. Far smaller, it has to be said, than the chance of causing an accident by inadvertantly pulling the 'wrong' brake because you recently swapped them over.
I have seen police in the UK ignore a cyclist riding on the sidewalk, operating a cell phone and crossing the highway without looking. After witnessing this right in front of them they pulled away and drove right past him. With that sort of attention I doubt they give two hoots where the cables go to and from.

thirdcrank · Post by **thirdcrank** » 31 Jul 2018, 3:40pm

Others have already covered the subject now but if you like something authoritative it's here from CyclingUK's former technical officer, in particular this bit which applies to visitors from other countries:

This regulation has a general exemption for pedal cycles (but not EAPCs) brought into Britain by a foreign visitor for their own temporary use. Nothing in these regulations applies to such a 'temporarily imported' cycle, provided that it has one effective brake as required by the International Convention on Road Traffic. The equivalent of the Road Traffic Acts in most other countries have a similar exemption.

https://www.cyclinguk.org/cyclists-libr ... uction-use

If you have any other doubts, there's plenty more where that came from in the CyclingUK archives.

Several posters have mentioned that this tends to be just one more bit of traffic legislation that the police disregard in this country, but IMO you are right to pay attention to this in the way that you have. Nobody bothers till something goes wrong but if there's a bad crash - ie if there is death or serious injury - then things are looked at much more closely. Obviously, it's immeasurably better if that doesn't happen, but if it does it's best to be street-legal than not.

I'm sure you will enjoy your trip - the big one to remember is that we ride on the left, but that's a rule some drivers ignore when it suits them.

mikeyg123 · Post by **mikeyg123** » 31 Jul 2018, 5:22pm

So which sides are the front break and clutch on a motorcycle in the US?
Swapping those round sounds far more dangerous

Vetus Ossa · Post by **Vetus Ossa** » 31 Jul 2018, 6:18pm

All of my road bikes that I have built up have always had the front brake lever on the left, it’s not a problem, don’t worry about it.
Enjoy your riding over here

Vetus Ossa · Post by **Vetus Ossa** » 31 Jul 2018, 6:22pm

Valbrona wrote:But there's no-one to actually enforce any kind of rule or law in this country, only the most serious of crimes excepted.

Sadly you’re so right.

sjs · Post by **sjs** » 31 Jul 2018, 7:52pm

A Spanish colleague had a nasty accident (steep hill with bend at bottom, barbed wire fence) a few years ago on one of our post-work bike/beer trips as a result of confusion about which brake was which. The beer may have had something to do with it as well.

Paulatic · Post by **Paulatic** » 31 Jul 2018, 7:56pm

Greystoke wrote:My front brake is on the left, this allows me to use the most effective brake and signal right.

My front brake is on the right, this allows me to use the most effective brake and signal left.

Who uses brakes anyway? My 25 ml this afternoon and never touched a lever. I can still recall how to use the sole of my shoe on the back tyre :lol:

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