Quote Originally Posted by tlkiwi
Back brakes are on the left and front on the right in countries that drive on the left. If I bought a bike somewhere else I'd have to get 'em changed over - would do my head in having them the opposite way around after all this time.
Is there a rational reason why those two things should be correlated? Which side is the rear shifter on? The rear shifter ought to be on the same side as the rear derailleur (or did for downtube shifters). Putting the rear derailleur on the left would require the derailleur hanger on the left dropout, crank on the left side, crank arm pedal threads the opposite way, freewheel freewheeling the opposite way. I'm not sure if the BB fixed cup would have to move to the other side. I can't see manufacturers and framebuilders making those kinds of changes.