Campag Ergopower cable routing?

B said:

I'm thinking of keeping the same sides for the brakes and gear changing
the same, e.g. left ergo lever control rear brake and front changer
while right ergo controls front brake and rear gear changer.

Is this the best way? are there any disadvantages?

Some people think that is the best way. I don't happen to be one of them.
The only disadvantage I see is that you really should be consistent for
all your bikes. But that really isn't a disadvantage.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | Become MicroSoft-free forever. Ask me how.
_`\(,_ |
(_)/ (_) |

B said:

I'm upgrading my old road bike here in the UK. I'm replacing the
downtube shifters with Ergo levels. The frame has been re-sprayed and
I've had gear cable guides brazed onto the head tube.

The old bike had rear brake on the left and front on the right.
It also had rear gear changer on the right side of the downtube and
front gear change on the left.

I'm thinking of keeping the same sides for the brakes and gear changing
the same, e.g. left ergo lever control rear brake and front changer
while right ergo controls front brake and rear gear changer.

Is this the best way? are there any disadvantages?

It may well be the best way for riding in the U.K. or other places where
traffic goes on the left side of the roadway, because it permits you to
signal turns while still keeping the front brake accessible.

I run my bikes the opposite way here in the U.S., because we travel on
the right. There's an added benefit to this, in that I'm right handed,
so this puts the front brake under the control of my stronger, more
dextrous hand.

See also http://sheldonbrown.com/brakturn for more detail on this
perennial topic.

Sheldon "Right Front" Brown
+-----------------------------------------------+
| I saw a man pursuing the horizon; |
| Round and round they sped. |
| I was disturbed at this; |
| I accosted the man. |
| |
| "It is futile," I said, |
| "You can never--" |
| |
| "You lie," he cried, |
| And ran on. |
| --Stephen Crane |
+-----------------------------------------------+
Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
http://harriscyclery.com
Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

I live in the US, and I've had my levers set up the "wrong way" (i.e.
left-rear, right-front) for a while now, after reading Sheldon's
thoughts on it and thinking about it a little. I've been really happy
with it, and have converted all my bikes to this setup. It allows me
to signal left turns while still maintaining control of the bike by
having access to my more powerful front brakes. It definitely feels
kinda strange when I ride anyone else's bike now. Anyway, I agree with
Sheldon that in the UK, you may be better off if you set it up in
what's considered the "wrong way" in your country (i.e. left-front,
right-rear). Thumbs up to breaking the rules!

In message <[email hidden]>, Sheldon Brown
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

B said:

I'm thinking of keeping the same sides for the brakes and gear
changing the same, e.g. left ergo lever control rear brake and front
changer while right ergo controls front brake and rear gear changer.
Is this the best way? are there any disadvantages?

Normal in the UK.

Quoted message said:

It may well be the best way for riding in the U.K. or other places
where traffic goes on the left side of the roadway, because it permits
you to signal turns while still keeping the front brake accessible.

No, it does not let you signal the important across the traffic turns
while using the front brake in the UK. I think Sheldon has,
uncharacteristically, misread the OP. His usual reasoning for using
standard UK placement in the US should mean standard US placement would
make more sense in the UK.

Quoted message said:

I run my bikes the opposite way here in the U.S., because we travel on
the right. There's an added benefit to this, in that I'm right handed,
so this puts the front brake under the control of my stronger, more
dextrous hand.

I'm not sure that I want to change the brake location I got used to
nearly 40 years ago but I am sure that a solitary handlebar gear control
(hub gears or single chain wheel) should be on the near side so those
across traffic signals are not interrupted by gear changes even though
it means using the less dextrous hand to change gear in left side
driving countries. Just like a car's gear lever (stick).

It's easily done with Sturmey Archer triggers but more tricky with a
twist grip.

--

Martyn Aldis, e-mail [email hidden]
==============================================================================

Sheldon wrote:

<<It may well be the best way for riding in the U.K. or other places
where
traffic goes on the left side of the roadway, because it permits you to
signal turns while still keeping the front brake accessible. >>

I grew up in England. Turns are signalled with left arm out for a left
turn, right arm out for a right turn. So this isn't really a factor
in the choice of brake lever placement in the UK.

I guess I'd be using the rear brake when signalling a right turn and
vice-versa... I don't remember... I still signal this way (it is legal
in WA) and still have the front brake on the right. I suppose I must
use the rear brake when signalling right though it's not something I'm
conciously aware of. I can't think of any non-emergency situation
where it wouldn't be sufficient as a recent ride made clear when I wore
the front pads to the metal backing and I had to use the rear brake for
the rest of the ride to avoid damaging the front rim. Yes, I do use
the front brake almost exclusively.

Orin.

B wrote:
-snip-

Quoted message said:

I'm thinking of keeping the same sides for the brakes and gear changing
the same, e.g. left ergo lever control rear brake and front changer
while right ergo controls front brake and rear gear changer.

Is this the best way? are there any disadvantages?

There are no technical issues, it's purely to your taste.
Ergos work fine either way and you may change them as often
as your opinion.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden]
says...

Quoted message said:

B wrote:
-snip-

Quoted message said:

I'm thinking of keeping the same sides for the brakes and gear changing
the same, e.g. left ergo lever control rear brake and front changer
while right ergo controls front brake and rear gear changer.

Is this the best way? are there any disadvantages?

There are no technical issues, it's purely to your taste.
Ergos work fine either way and you may change them as often

Thanks everyone for your replies.