Switching Levers Around

[PaulSB]

I had an accident five weeks ago which has left me with a weakened right hand and not enough strength to use my right hand for braking or gear change. I can manage this but not without some pain and certainly not quickly enough for an emergency stop.

Is there any reason why I can't have my LBS switch the levers around so the right works as the left and vice versa? I have a feeling my right hand will never function as well again as it did before the accident.

 

[summerdays]

Bikes in europe usually have the brake levers the other way around. Whether you could do it on your bike would depend on the length of the cables I guess, making sure it wasn't restricting turning. What sort of brakes are we taking about? (Not sure that knowing that makes any kind of difference but someone else may know of a reason you can't swap them).

Are your brakes separate or integrated into your gear levers?

 

[alecstilleyedye]

if they are integrated road bike brakes/shifters (shimano sora and above, or campagnolo), you could probably get away with swapping the brake cables (but fit new ones as you do so). the gears are the problem in that the shifters are l/r specific.

if your impairment is going to be relatively short-term, you could just run your bike as a 2 or 3 speed (depending on your chainset). if it is a long-term disability, you may be best finding someone with expertise in this area, who may be able to offer better advice.

 

[PaulSB]

I can't remember the brand but the levers are integrated - push the big or little lever to change up / down, pull on the big lever to brake. Sorry to sound so technically inept, it's because I am!!

I don't mind having all the cables renewed, I just want to ride again without pain or worrying about stopping!

 

[PaulSB]

Just seen the two posts above together. If continental bikes are the opposite way round does this suggest a European set of shifters / brakes could be purchased and fitted?

I think this is going to be a permanent disability. After five weeks there has been little real improvement.

 

[grhm]

AIUI bike in the UK are shipped with the back brake on the left and in europe it t'other way round. I was led to believe it's actually illegal for a UK bike shop to sell you a bike with the brake set the other way round (but I don't have a reference). However, once the bike is yours, there is no reason why you can't swap the brakes over or get the shop to do it for you. (I think this is supposed to ensure personal choice but provide a standard such that muppets don't injure themselves on a new bike cos the brakes were a different way round than expected)

The gears however may be more difficult. I believe europe and uk bikes have the rear gears on the right lever - switching those over might be difficult. I'm sure someone more knowledgable will be along soon...

 

[MartinC]

Which lever operates which brake is optional. It can be changed easily. You may need to change the brake cables if the new cable runs are longer than the old ones. So putting the front brake onto your strong hand is an easy change.

The gear shift isn't so easy. With integrated shifters (Shimano or Campag) the right is alway going to change the rear gears and the left the front. What you can do is use another lever (a bar end control or a down tube gear lever) to change the rear gears. A bar end control can be fitted to the left hand bar end in addition to your integrated shift lever and you could change both gears with your left hand.

A down tube lever will have to be fitted to the right hand side of the down tube but you can still easily operate this with your left hand.

You can either swap the right hand lever with a simple brake only lever to save weight or you can just remove the gear cable.

Hope your hand recovers. If it doesn't I'm sure you can find a reasonable solution.

 

[PaulSB]

That all sounds very positive. Thanks guys

 

[mickle]

What brakes do you have? There are several options available to you. Swapping the cables is dead easy but it's also possible to operate both brakes with one lever using a cable splitter or even run both brakes on one (long) cable.

Bar end shifters seem the way to go methinks.

 

[MartinC]

Another thought. If you google for "Kelly Take Offs" you'll find an American guy who sells attachments that allow you to mount a down tube lever close to the brake lever hood. You could use your left hand brake/shifter to control the front mech and a Kelly Take Off and DT lever to control the rear mech. Handier than a bar end or a DT lever.

Yet another thought. You can get additional brake levers (for cyclo-cross) that fit on the flats of the bars. These allow you to use the brakes from the tops of the bars with a lever like a flat bar brake lever (these are extra levers they don't replace the existing ones). The shape of this lever allows you more leverage and may be better for your right hand.

 

[Saddle bum]

There is no requirement to mount the front brake on the right, it is just convention - one which I have happily ignored for decades. Brake stirrups are made so that the natural cable feed is left lever to front brake.

 

[mickle]

There is no requirement to mount the front brake on the right, it is just convention - one which I have happily ignored for decades. Brake stirrups are made so that the natural cable feed is left lever to front brake.

Nope, it's law. Front brake lever = off-side. In every country which has roads and bicycles.

Brake 'stirrups'?

 

[MartinC]

Sorry Mickle this is wrong. All decent brake stirrups are configured for Left Hand Front Brake. There is a strange convention in the UK to have it the other way round.