Wrong-way brake levers

On 3/27/2008 2:07 PM said:

Why do so many of the brake levers on these French porteur bikes face
forward instead of backward?

[snip]

Quoted message said:

Page with lots of them:
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/velos.html

Cool bikes. Probably total clunkers to ride, though.

My 19 y/o son likes older bikes. Has an old Raleigh, a-and a "record
player," too.

Ah! 'e would love to 'ave a French porteur bikes! The styling! The
mudguards and chain guards and swept back 'andlebars with big
bullet-shaped chrome headlights! Of course, being 19, 'e 'as no
monee!(shrug), so it cannot be.

He and a friend bought a Flying Pigeon bike, made in China. Thing fell
apart in a couple months. Heap of rusted pipes and galvanized hardware.
Spokes as big around as 12 penny nails.

--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel"

Quoted message said:

Why do so many of the brake levers on these French porteur bikes face
forward instead of backward?

Style? Internal cable routing? Some mechanical advantage?

Is it just a French thing? They look like a different design, not just
a backwards mount.

Page with lots of them:
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/velos.html

Examples:
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/goeland_grandluxe.jpg

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/goeland_specialparisien.jpg

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/goeland_1950_shift.jpg
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/singer_1950.jpg
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/singer_1960.jpg
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/bikes/images/motobecane/motobecane.jpg
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/porteur_052.jpg
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/porteur_056.jpg

Fashion. It's a current product:
http://www.e-cycle.co.jp/goods/detail.php?id=836&genre=1

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

On 3/27/2008 4:16 PM said:

Mike Rocket J Squirrel said:

On 3/27/2008 2:07 PM said:

Why do so many of the brake levers on these French porteur bikes face
forward instead of backward?

[snip]

Quoted message said:

Page with lots of them:
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/velos.html

Cool bikes. Probably total clunkers to ride, though.

My 19 y/o son likes older bikes. Has an old Raleigh, a-and a "record
player," too.

Ah! 'e would love to 'ave a French porteur bikes! The styling! The
mudguards and chain guards and swept back 'andlebars with big
bullet-shaped chrome headlights! Of course, being 19, 'e 'as no
monee!(shrug), so it cannot be.

He and a friend bought a Flying Pigeon bike, made in China. Thing fell
apart in a couple months. Heap of rusted pipes and galvanized hardware.
Spokes as big around as 12 penny nails.

Dear Mike,

Curious, I looked into Flying Pigeon:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Pigeon

Ominously, clicking on the first external link produces a virus
warning from AVG.

Best to avoid the whole thing, then.

--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel"

Mike Rocket J Squirrel said:

On 3/27/2008 2:07 PM said:

Why do so many of the brake levers on these French porteur bikes face
forward instead of backward?

[snip]

Quoted message said:

Page with lots of them:
 http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/velos.html

Cool bikes. Probably total clunkers to ride, though.

My 19 y/o son likes older bikes. Has an old Raleigh, a-and a "record
player," too.

Ah! 'e would love to 'ave a French porteur bikes! The styling! The
mudguards and chain guards and swept back 'andlebars with big
bullet-shaped chrome headlights! Of course, being 19, 'e 'as no
monee!(shrug), so it cannot be.

He and a friend bought a Flying Pigeon bike, made in China. Thing fell
apart in a couple months. Heap of rusted pipes and galvanized hardware.
Spokes as big around as 12 penny nails.

--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel"

I'm with your son. Broke, digging the styling and loving those
fenders. The swept-back bars don't do it for me, but the chrome
fenders molded to the bike and tire size were darn cool!! My townie
has planet bike freddie fenders. I had to cut them up to get the
front to fit, so I figure it's got another year left (I've had it 2).
They're also ok for 26"-700c tires, which just doesn't look good no
matter what size it ends up on. I'd love a set of nice aluminum
fenders made for my bike and that one tire size. I've actually
considering having them fabricated, but my machine shop fabricating
favor pool is a little shallow at the moment with some favors I've
pulled in the last year or so with the motorcycle. I need another
boating/fishing/kayaking/riding season to re-tilt the favor scale my
way. I'm also concerned the partially rusted and wholly abused frame
would quit right as I got the fenders.

On Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:09:01 -0600, A Muzi <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Why do so many of the brake levers on these French porteur bikes face
forward instead of backward?

Style? Internal cable routing? Some mechanical advantage?

Is it just a French thing? They look like a different design, not just
a backwards mount.

Page with lots of them:
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/velos.html

Examples:
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/goeland_grandluxe.jpg

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/goeland_specialparisien.jpg

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/goeland_1950_shift.jpg
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/singer_1950.jpg
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/singer_1960.jpg
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/bikes/images/motobecane/motobecane.jpg
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/porteur_052.jpg
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/porteur_056.jpg

Fashion. It's a current product:
http://www.e-cycle.co.jp/goods/detail.php?id=836&genre=1

Dear Andrew,

Thanks--so they're fashionable brake levers found on French utility
bikes, still available from Japan--that's just plain weird.

There are examples in "The Data Book" from France in 1950 and 1951
on pages 115 and 149.

Cheers,

Carl Fogel

Quoted message said:

On 3/27/2008 2:07 PM said:

Why do so many of the brake levers on these French porteur bikes face
forward instead of backward?

[snip]

Quoted message said:

Page with lots of them:
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/velos.html

Mike Rocket J Squirrel said:

Cool bikes. Probably total clunkers to ride, though.

My 19 y/o son likes older bikes. Has an old Raleigh, a-and a "record
player," too.

Ah! 'e would love to 'ave a French porteur bikes! The styling! The
mudguards and chain guards and swept back 'andlebars with big
bullet-shaped chrome headlights! Of course, being 19, 'e 'as no
monee!(shrug), so it cannot be.

He and a friend bought a Flying Pigeon bike, made in China. Thing fell
apart in a couple months. Heap of rusted pipes and galvanized hardware.
Spokes as big around as 12 penny nails.

Yep, Roadsters are an acquired taste. Like so many things, many love 'em
and many hate 'em. YMMV
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Mike Rocket J Squirrel said:

On 3/27/2008 2:07 PM said:

Why do so many of the brake levers on these French porteur bikes face
forward instead of backward?

[snip]

Quoted message said:

Page with lots of them:
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/velos.html

Cool bikes. Probably total clunkers to ride, though.

My 19 y/o son likes older bikes. Has an old Raleigh, a-and a "record
player," too.

Ah! 'e would love to 'ave a French porteur bikes! The styling! The
mudguards and chain guards and swept back 'andlebars with big
bullet-shaped chrome headlights! Of course, being 19, 'e 'as no
monee!(shrug), so it cannot be.

He and a friend bought a Flying Pigeon bike, made in China. Thing fell
apart in a couple months. Heap of rusted pipes and galvanized hardware.
Spokes as big around as 12 penny nails.

Dear Mike,

Curious, I looked into Flying Pigeon:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Pigeon

Ominously, clicking on the first external link produces a virus
warning from AVG.

Cheers,

Carl Fogel

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Why do so many of the brake levers on these French porteur bikes face
forward instead of backward?

Style? Internal cable routing? Some mechanical advantage?

Is it just a French thing? They look like a different design, not just
a backwards mount.

Page with lots of them:
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/velos.html

Examples:
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/goeland_grandluxe.jpg

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/goeland_specialparisien.jpg

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/goeland_1950_shift.jpg
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/singer_1950.jpg
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/singer_1960.jpg
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/bikes/images/motobecane/motobecane.jpg
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/porteur_052.jpg
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/porteur_056.jpg

Quoted message said:

A Muzi said:

Fashion. It's a current product:
http://www.e-cycle.co.jp/goods/detail.php?id=836&genre=1

Quoted message said:

Thanks--so they're fashionable brake levers found on French utility
bikes, still available from Japan--that's just plain weird.
There are examples in "The Data Book" from France in 1950 and 1951
on pages 115 and 149.

This bike just rolled in my door:
http://www.yellowjersey.org/daily.html
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

On Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:20:46 -0600, A Muzi <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] wrote:
> Why do so many of the brake levers on these French porteur bikes face
> forward instead of backward?
>
> Style? Internal cable routing? Some mechanical advantage?
>
> Is it just a French thing? They look like a different design, not just
> a backwards mount.
>
> Page with lots of them:
> http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/velos.html
>
> Examples:
> http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/goeland_grandluxe.jpg
>
> http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/goeland_specialparisien.jpg
>
> http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/goeland_1950_shift.jpg
> http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/singer_1950.jpg
> http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/singer_1960.jpg
> http://www.blackbirdsf.org/bikes/images/motobecane/motobecane.jpg
> http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/porteur_052.jpg
> http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/porteur_056.jpg

Quoted message said:

A Muzi said:

Fashion. It's a current product:
http://www.e-cycle.co.jp/goods/detail.php?id=836&genre=1

Quoted message said:

Thanks--so they're fashionable brake levers found on French utility
bikes, still available from Japan--that's just plain weird.
There are examples in "The Data Book" from France in 1950 and 1951
on pages 115 and 149.

This bike just rolled in my door:
http://www.yellowjersey.org/daily.html

Dear Andrew,

Yes, "rolled" seems like the right word.

Sell him some pedals.

Cheers,

Carl Fogel

A Muzi said:

This bike just rolled in my door:
http://www.yellowjersey.org/daily.html

It's missing a LOT of parts!

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> [email hidden] wrote:
>> Why do so many of the brake levers on these French porteur bikes face
>> forward instead of backward?
>>
>> Style? Internal cable routing? Some mechanical advantage?
>>
>> Is it just a French thing? They look like a different design, not just
>> a backwards mount.
>>
>> Page with lots of them:
>> http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/velos.html
>>
>> Examples:
>> http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/goeland_grandluxe.jpg
>>
>> http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/goeland_specialparisien.jpg
>>
>> http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/goeland_1950_shift.jpg
>> http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/singer_1950.jpg
>> http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/singer_1960.jpg
>> http://www.blackbirdsf.org/bikes/images/motobecane/motobecane.jpg
>> http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/porteur_052.jpg
>> http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/porteur_056.jpg

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

A Muzi <[email hidden]> wrote:
> Fashion. It's a current product:
> http://www.e-cycle.co.jp/goods/detail.php?id=836&genre=1

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Thanks--so they're fashionable brake levers found on French utility
bikes, still available from Japan--that's just plain weird.
There are examples in "The Data Book" from France in 1950 and 1951
on pages 115 and 149.

Quoted message said:

A Muzi said:

This bike just rolled in my door:
http://www.yellowjersey.org/daily.html

Quoted message said:

Yes, "rolled" seems like the right word.
Sell him some pedals.

Done. Gear cable too.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Quoted message said:

A Muzi said:

This bike just rolled in my door:
http://www.yellowjersey.org/daily.html

Bill Sornson said:

It's missing a LOT of parts!

Pedals and gear cable were the final bits. Done.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

In article <[email hidden]>,

A Muzi said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] wrote:
> Why do so many of the brake levers on these French porteur bikes face
> forward instead of backward?
>
> Style? Internal cable routing? Some mechanical advantage?
>
> Is it just a French thing? They look like a different design, not just
> a backwards mount.
>
> Page with lots of them:
> http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/velos.html
>
> Examples:
> http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/goeland_grandluxe.jpg
>
> http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/goeland_specialparisien.jpg
>
> http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/goeland_1950_shift.jpg
> http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/singer_1950.jpg
> http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/singer_1960.jpg
> http://www.blackbirdsf.org/bikes/images/motobecane/motobecane.jpg
> http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/porteur_052.jpg
> http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/images/porteur_056.jpg

Quoted message said:

A Muzi said:

Fashion. It's a current product:
http://www.e-cycle.co.jp/goods/detail.php?id=836&genre=1

Quoted message said:

Thanks--so they're fashionable brake levers found on French utility
bikes, still available from Japan--that's just plain weird.
There are examples in "The Data Book" from France in 1950 and 1951
on pages 115 and 149.

This bike just rolled in my door:
http://www.yellowjersey.org/daily.html

Most practical townie. Only one change: drop bars.
Love the fork, mud guards and rack.

Is it in for maintenance?

--
Michael Press

A Muzi said:

Quoted message said:

A Muzi said:

This bike just rolled in my door:
http://www.yellowjersey.org/daily.html

Bill Sornson said:

It's missing a LOT of parts!

Pedals and gear cable were the final bits. Done.

Ooops, my bad. Thought it was a fixie (or SS). Didn't even see the rear
brake first time.

Bill "gimme gears too big to miss" S.

Quoted message said:

Why do so many of the brake levers on these French porteur bikes face
forward instead of backward?

Style?

of course

Internal cable routing?

yes

Some mechanical advantage?

the stronger fingers have more leverage

Quoted message said:

Is it just a French thing?

[looks up] Pedersen used them too

--
/Marten

info(apestaartje)m-gineering(punt)nl

Quoted message said:

Curious, I looked into Flying Pigeon:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Pigeon

Ominously, clicking on the first external link produces a virus
warning from AVG.

Yes, you want to be very carefull with asian birdflu!
--
/Marten

info(apestaartje)m-gineering(punt)nl

A Muzi said:

Quoted message said:

A Muzi said:

This bike just rolled in my door:
http://www.yellowjersey.org/daily.html

Bill Sornson said:

It's missing a LOT of parts!

Pedals and gear cable were the final bits. Done.
--
Andrew Muziwww.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

2 questions, if you don't mind. What size are those tires and what
kind of fenders are those?

M-gineering said:

Quoted message said:

Why do so many of the brake levers on these French porteur bikes face
forward instead of backward?

Style?

of course

Internal cable routing?
yes

Some mechanical advantage?
the stronger fingers have more leverage

Quoted message said:

Is it just a French thing?

[looks up] Pedersen used them too

Another slight advantage, aside from better leverage from the stronger
fingers, would be reduced chance of a puncture wound in a crash. Just
don't ride too close to a child swinging a musette bag in a grand tour.

Dave Lehnen

Dave Lehnen said:

M-gineering said:

[email hidden] wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Why do so many of the brake levers on these French porteur bikes face
forward instead of backward?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Style?

of course

Quoted message said:

Internal cable routing?
yes

Quoted message said:

Some mechanical advantage?
the stronger fingers have more leverage

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Is it just a French thing?

Quoted message said:

[looks up] Pedersen used them too

Another slight advantage, aside from better leverage from the stronger
fingers, would be reduced chance of a puncture wound in a crash. Just
don't ride too close to a child swinging a musette bag in a grand tour.

Dave Lehnen

Nashbar had a city bike in the mid-80s with reverse levers, claiming
they'd be less likely to snag on stuff and wouldn't engage by bumping
something you passed too close to. Like a pedestrian.