I remember the right-to-rear rear convention being safety based. We are apt to forget our training, and apply full lever force during a panic situation. If the stronger hand (typically the right) is on the front brake, then it may get exciting as catapulted flight is added the stopping scenario.
This was somewhat confirmed when we got into tandems in the early 80s. The builder told me: With a tandem, unlike a single, it was safer to have the levers configured with the strong-hand-to-front.
We rode the tandem exclusively, and I became acclimated to it's braking behavior. The first time back on a single, I almost took a flying lesson when I applied "tandem pressure" during my first stop. I can only imagine what would have happened if my tall single (a Masi CM62) had been set up right-to-front.
Pete Imandt
Still hot in
Ramona, CA