# Cranks on the left side?



## how (Jul 9, 2015)

So I found this bike in the trash
and took it home for my grandson, changed one tire 
and he was riding it already
The crank is on the left and I looked at some other images
of similar bikes and the cranks are on the left on some
on the right of others.

Not knowing a thing about BMX can anyone explain this?


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## how (Jul 9, 2015)

so i talked to a mechanic this morning
the cranks are on the left for left handed
trick riders, who are stronger and lead on the left


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## bikinjack (Jul 13, 2015)

The biggest reason some riders use left hand drive is for doing grinds on the right side of the bike.  Just as most people can only write or throw a baseball with their right hand or their left hand.  Most people can only do grind tricks on one side or the other of the bike.  Chains tend to break much more often when they are on the same side of the bike as the person grinds on, so somebody came up with the idea of left hand drive for folks who grind on the right.


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## how (Jul 13, 2015)

bikinjack said:


> The biggest reason some riders use left hand drive is for doing grinds on the right side of the bike.  Just as most people can only write or throw a baseball with their right hand or their left hand.  Most people can only do grind tricks on one side or the other of the bike.  Chains tend to break much more often when they are on the same side of the bike as the person grinds on, so somebody came up with the idea of left hand drive for folks who grind on the right.
> 
> View attachment 225249




Thanks for that, I got the bike for free and my 7 year old grandson has been riding it. I was just wondering why on the left, you shed a lot of light on it.


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