Brake Cable Routing?

[Schwinny]

I route them according to which side of the caliper the pull is on. Or for the rears, if there are cable stops, which side they are on. In loo of that I defer front to my left hand.
But primary consideration for me is to keep the cables off the paint and as out of the way as possible. I personally would never cross them.

 

[Dra]

If you ride motorcycles to you want the left side to the rear or the clutch side. In an emergency your brain will make a decision before you can think and I’d rather pull hard on the left side being the rear vs going over the bar’s.

 

[borgward]

Can anybody site said laws? Many times I have heard laws said about numerous things such as in the 60's engines over so many cubic inches outlawed, etc. Probably edicts from insurance companies.

 

[Schwinn Sales West]

Can anybody site said laws? Many times I have heard laws said about numerous things such as in the 60's engines over so many cubic inches outlawed, etc. Probably edicts from insurance companies.

The Motorcycle Manufacturers Association has been, and currently is, much more organized than the Bicycle Manufacturers Association. The Motorcycle Manufacturers get together regularly to discuss their industry and ways they can collectively improve Comsumer sales. For example, they track and share the information with all of their members the National DMV registration for every Motorcycle, ATV, UTV, and Scooter by market area. This is very detailed broken into market share by model. This was tried in the bicycle industry By Jay Townley and Bill Austin and did not succeed.

The "Laws you mention" were most likely "Agreements" made between the manufacturers. For example, the top speeds of stock street driven motorcycles were getting close to 200 MPH (300KPH) and the manufacturers jointly agreed with the insurance industry to limit the top speeds through the engine management system. The manufacturers support the Rider Safety Program. All of this is done through the MIC Motorcycle Industry Council located in Irvine, CA.

I think, State, Federal Governments, and Insurance Companies are reactive to problems. Manufacturer's being profit driven, are Proactive.

John

 

[dnc1]

That makes sense.
I am right handed, so having the right lever control the front brake would serve the same purpose.
I think the reason for the American arrangement was out of concern for using hand signals in traffic.
The thought being, that the left hand was more visable to motorists, so that should be the one used for turn signals.
Leaving the right hand on the handlebar, the consensus at the time, was that the rear brake was the more controllable, so the rear brake should be operated by the right lever.
That all definitely makes sense, and would be the way I’d go, if the anchor point was on the right side of the caliper, but having it on the left side, leaves the cable routing looking asymmetrical.
The crossover pattern looks way better.

This is the reason why, on vintage British clubmans racing bikes, that are often fixed gear with a front brake only, the front brake lever is always mounted on the left, so you may use the brake whilst turning right (we crazy people still drive on the left side, as you are aware).
It's a safety thing.
Whereas on bikes with two brakes, the front brake brake is invariably on the right hand side.

It’s the American way.
This article from Rene Herse Cycles helps explain why.
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I have much argument with this article concerning the comments re. British cycling history.
Two independent brakes have been a legal requirement in the UK for over a century I believe.
Single coaster brakes were rarely fitted to UK cycles unless used in conjunction with an independent front brake. Rod- brakes were the norm on most traditional bikes for decades.
On fixed gear bicycles, the fixed gear is counted as the second brake, as you can 'leg brake'.
This law still applies to all cycles, excepting 'Ordinaries' and other "front drivers".
Technically, even the circa 1900 tricycle I ride is illegal to use, as it only has one front rod- brake.

 

[cyclingday]

Another conversation on the subject.

So, it sounds like it was mostly dependent on which side of the road, the automobile traffic was on?
Makes perfect sense, I guess?

 

[Dra]

come to America we’re dangerous no brakes required

 

[dnc1]

come to America we’re dangerous no brakes required

Many of my friends consider me dangerous, a few of my fixies have no brakes either, lol.

 

[Vicious Cycle]

I was always told the front brake should be the non-dominant hand

 

[Schwinny]

So it looks like there are regionally conventional ways, aesthetic ways and personal need ways but no steadfast "this is the way."

Then there is the question of how much length on the sheathing, over the bars, under the bars, tight loops, big loops...
I remember a time when the cycling magazines were touting big loops to "reduce friction." So much so that it looked like the cables would flap in the breeze or smack you in the face while riding, yuck,
I think it's a regional and era mix. What's in your head for the bike you once liked best and the style of that era.
When I'm routing and cutting cables on my own bikes, sometimes I'll end up doing them a couple, maybe three or four times before I get the right feel and look on the handle position and sheath length. Cables are cheap when using bulk stock, and you can make them shorter but not longer.

I prefer as little cable as possible positioned to not rub the paint. Front on the left if possible, never crossing the cables. I've even drilled stems on center pull fronts to minimize cable length and obstruction.
I think a failsafe might be to get a brochure pic of the model in question and emulate what the factory did.