How do you get on your bike?

[ColinJ]

Boring right leg over saddle technique for mounting my bike, and usually the dismount is done with the leg movement in the opposite direction.

I once did a spectacularly wonderful involuntary dismount from my mountain bike though ... I was bombing down some singletrack which suddenly became deeply rutted. My wheels became trapped in the rut and I was not able to slow down enough before the rut came to an end. The front wheel dug in and launched me over the bars. My shoes unclipped themselves from the pedals and I cleared the handlebars, landed on my feet and was able to keep my balance by running away from the fallen bike!

 

[classic33]

Boring right leg over saddle technique for mounting my bike, and usually the dismount is done with the leg movement in the opposite direction.

I once did a spectacularly wonderful involuntary dismount from my mountain bike though ... I was bombing down some singletrack which suddenly became deeply rutted. My wheels became trapped in the rut and I was not able to slow down enough before the rut came to an end. The front wheel dug in and launched me over the bars. My shoes unclipped themselves from the pedals and I cleared the handlebars, landed on my feet and was able to keep my balance by running away from the fallen bike!

All caught on camera!

 

[ColinJ]

All caught on camera!

Unfortunately, not!

I did a similar dismount on another mountain bike ride but tipped over in mid-air, and I face-planted ... DETAILS.

 

[rualexander]

Step over top tube with right leg.
Dismount by swinging right leg forwards over handlebars.

 

[jefmcg]

Left leg over. Don't really even try the other way. I don't even like wheeling it from the left side.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Left leg over. Don't really even try the other way. I don't even like wheeling it from the left side.

Right leg over (after some grunting due to not being flexible anymore) but needs to be pushed non drive side.

 

[slowmotion]

I always swing my right leg over to get on the bike. Being spectacularly lazy, I stand with my left foot on the curb, and the bike in the gutter. It saves five inches of leg elevation.

When dismounting, I come to a halt in the road with my left foot down, lean the bike at an angle towards me, and return my right foot to terra firma over the top tube. It's not something I have thought about really.

 

[freiston]

I swing my left leg over from the right side of the bicycle and find it too difficult the other way round; I put this down to being left-handed/footed/eyed etc.. When younger, I used to scoot and mount (referred to as the 'single footed rollaway' in HLaB's video link above) - I used to dismount whilst moving in a similar fashion.

Twice last year I dismounted off-road head first over the handlebars (the trick being to discover a way of arresting the forward motion of the bike by sinking the front wheel into the track or a gulley) but I didn't want to stop at the time and I wouldn't recommend it.

Edit: Just read ColinJ's accounts - there is a little comfort in knowing I'm no the only one. The first time was where a hard compacted track turned to dust and the wheel bedded in, the second was much more foolish and I took a left turn too fast on a narrow single-track road at a T junction. I couldn't get round staying on the road, so I tried riding it wide on the verge and hit the gulley, about as deep and as long as my wheel. I never managed to land on my feet lol.

 

[LarryDuff]

Always left leg over. Tried once to get the right leg over first but it just wouldn't go.

 

[Morning all]

I too swing my right leg over, I dont get people who swing a leg over the bars though, That just looks wrong.

 

[the_mikey]

Grabbing the handlebars with both hands, standing to the right of the bike, I swing my left leg over the bike.

 

[Tin Pot]

I`ve just realised tonight that I always swing my right leg over the frame. I only know this as I had the bike on the turbo and went to swing my left leg over the frame and could`nt do it. I thought it was just a one off and that I wasn`t standing close enough but I tried two or three times, could`nt do it and it felt completely alien trying to do it!

 

[NorthernDave]

We've got this just outside the door, so it's never really been a problem no matter how high I've got the saddle.

 

[Sunny Portrush]

Must take some skill riding up and down those steps tho........

 

[NorthernDave]

Must take some skill riding up and down those steps tho........

You soon get into the hang of it.