How do you mount and dismount your bike?

[Salad Dodger]

I am getting a bit old, and less flexible in the joints. I am no longer comfortable with swinging my leg over the back of the bike, as I used to do for so many years.

So I stand to the left of my bike, tilt it towards me and put my right leg over the crossbar, then bring the bike back upright and set my right foot on the pedal, ready to ride off.

I will probably buy a new ebike next year, and it will either be a step through one, or at least one of the lowered crossbar style about like this

 

[grldtnr]

I never subconsciously thought about it till now!!
It depends on what I am riding, or what I have been doing previously !
I am not as spry as I used to be, if it's the recumbent trike I stand astride the cruciform and squat down, if I am riding the tourer or a bike with a saddlebag on a bag frame , I swing my left leg over the handlebars from the RH, dismount similarly.
I used to be a 'Postie' , so because of the load on the postie bike used the scoot and shoot method, i.e right foot on the right pedal , push off with left foot , swing over back with the left, I can't do it from the left bizzarely!
With my advancing ArfurRightArse ( hip joint stiffness) I sometimes stand the bike in the gutter and ease myself into the saddle from the back, get settled, then push off.
But never tilt the bike and over the crossbar, I am bound to get tangled up and take a purler!

 

[LeetleGreyCells]

In the UK, if you mount on the left, you never have to step into the road when starting and stopping and you have a step up from the kerb.

 

[vickster]

Stand on left, swing right leg over. Sit on saddle, faff with garmin, pedal away (I no longer clip in but was always right foot first)

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I did have to think about it before I could answer
been doing it since I started riding - learned the scooting system on the Cycling Proficiency Test - where it was a compulsory skill along with other usefull things like being able to park a bike parked next to a kerb supported by the pedal resting on the kerb - which, by the way, is the best way I have ever found to get the bike to fall over either into the road or just to bend the gear change!

Reminded me of being a Primary school teacher for 2 years (retirement wind down - many year at Secondary before that) and a boy accidentally undid his tie and couldn't do it up again. I tried to help and couldn;t work it out
got him to turn round so I could do it from behind (stop sniggering at the back there - I know who you are!!!)
still no idea
ended up having to do it on myself but even then I couldn;t do it the way I always do it because I had thought about it
then finally did it the way my Mum had taught me - but which I haven;t used since about 1974 when I 'invented' a new way - which turned out to be one of the known ways but with no WWW I had to make it up from scratch

So - back to the point - I expect to have trouble getting on my bike today having thought about how I do it yesterday

 

[Biker man]

Fall off and instinctively curl up into a ball before hitting the ground. Works every time.

Do you bounce😄😄

 

[yophie]

With difficulty of course! Personally I get on from the front and kind of manoeuvre myself onto the seat. The only method that has worked for me, everyone does it differently though!

 

[Teamfixed]

Surprised that leg swung over handlebars has not been mentioned? If they are lower than your saddle it makes sense.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I get hoisted on with a crane. Here's a recent picture

 

[HMS_Dave]

Do you bounce😄😄

More of a splat...

 

[ColinJ]

Surprised that leg swung over handlebars has not been mentioned? If they are lower than your saddle it makes sense.

It has been. I am surprised that you didn't notice!

 

[Teamfixed]

It has been. I am surprised that you didn't notice!

But this would fall within the same category as reading instructions

 

[Moon bunny]

Surprised that leg swung over handlebars has not been mentioned? If they are lower than your saddle it makes sense.

The method I use for a diamond framed bike.
Stand level with the handlebars, facing forwards, feet together, right hand holding the stem, swing the right leg forwards and up, letting go with the right hand and taking hold with the left then both hands as necessary, find the pedal with your right foot, push the bike forwards slightly until it is in the right position for sitting on the saddle and away you go. With practice this is all done in one fluid graceful movement, easier to do than describe.

 

[Blue Hills]

Reading this I realise I don't know the answer! It just happens. I "think" I step over the top tube with my right leg, clip in my right foot and push.

I do know I always mount and dismount from the left to keep out of traffic.

I'll pay more attention later today.

be prepared to fall off after this thread has fried your brain/doomed you to overthink it all.

 

[grldtnr]

The method I use for a diamond framed bike.
Stand level with the handlebars, facing forwards, feet together, right hand holding the stem, swing the right leg forwards and up, letting go with the right hand and taking hold with the left then both hands as necessary, find the pedal with your right foot, push the bike forwards slightly until it is in the right position for sitting on the saddle and away you go. With practice this is all done in one fluid graceful movement, easier to do than describe.

You of course are standing to the left of the bike, otherwise you end up sitting bon the 'bars & holding the saddle