What is the difference between a left-sided brake and a right-sided brake. Which is more useful in situations?

Answer 1

If you mean the left brake lever versus the right brake lever:

The left lever usually operates the front brake

the right lever usually operates the rear.

The front brake accounts for 60 to 70% of the stopping power.

The correct way to stop a bike is to try to remember to engage the rear brake first, then the front, If you do it the other way, you could end up flipping the bike.

Answer 2

Most bikes use the left lever for the front brake, and the right one for the rear brake. But some bikes use it moto style, whith the left level for the rear brake, and right lever for the front one.

You need to learn to use your brakes and lean back while braking. Use the same strength in both hands so you break controlably.

Those saying that the front brake is the strongest brake are spot on. When you're braking, the weight tends to move to the front wheel, so that's where it's more important. Look at cars brakes, they have the largest disc in front. It's the same with bikes.

If you want to try something, put your bike on a level ground and walk the bike. Now brake only with the rear brake, and you will notice that the rear tire drags on, but if you brake with the front tire, you'll notice that the bike stops right there. Now, move the bike backwards and do exactly the same thing. You'll notice that now when you press the front brake, the front wheel drags, and when you activate the rear brake, the bike stops.

The front brake is the one that stops the bike, and the rear brake just keeps the rear tire from washing out. So you have to learn to use both brakes, usually with the same pressure.

Maybe the only expeption to rely on the front brake is when the front tire is airborne. this does not mean jumps, but maybe when you're going down some steps or rocks that the front wheel is in the air for a bit. If you use the front brake with the wheel on the air, then it stops like zap! and hits the ground without any control.

Answer 3

Right side brake works on the rear wheel, left side on the front. because of the weight distribution and the forward movement of a bicycle, using the front brake results in the most powerful braking. However, if you brake to hard, you might go over the handlebars or cause the front wheel to wash out and crash. Rear braking is less powerfull, but because the rear wheel actually always just follows the front end, it's a lot more easier to control when it blocks. best braking performance is obtained by using both brakes and gradually increasing braking power. you do that by using the brake levers with al fingers as if you are squeezing an orange. that way you build up power without blocking the wheels.

Answer 4

its just the side the brake lever is on. right is usually the back while the left is usually the front. while most BMX bikes only have back brakes front brakes are stronger and stop you faster without doing an endo if you know how and practice. if you have both congrats u can use both but i would suggest using just the front brake because it stops u in half the time a rear brake does it just takes getting used to

Answer 5

On most bikes, one is for the front brake and the other is for the rear brake. Although most new bikes now are set with the right as the front wheel's brake and the left as the rear wheel's brake (I think; I don't have a bike in front of me right now... you should look and see by gently grabbing each one and watching what the brakes do). If you are riding and grab the front brake too much, you could topple over your handlebars. If you grab the rear brake too hard, you could skid out (I've never had this problem tho').

For a complete description of bicycle brake systems, including a decent description of braking techniques, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_brake_systems.

Answer 6

All of the above answers are right, but since the front braking power is so much better than the rear, and modern bicycles have the gear and braking systems unified in to one lever, I strongly suggest that you practice braking with the left (front) brake and leave your right hand lever free to move gears upwards and be ready to start pedaling again once the reason for braking is overcome.