How do you mount and dismount your bike?

[freiston]

I mount from/dismount to the right and I am left-handed, left-footed and left-eyed. I always push off with my right foot on the ground and similarly wait at junctions with my right foot on the ground. I am aware of the safety aspects of the right-hand-side mount/dismount and also that I therefore tend to lean my bike against wall/post/gate etc. with the drive-side to the outside, meaning that if the bike topples, I am much more likely to damage things (lost count of the times I've had to re-align my steel gear hanger). I have tried doing it from the left but I am so bad at it that I genuinely am safer mounting/dismounting on the right.

I would say that my left leg is stronger and I have noticed that either on the bike or on foot, when the going gets tough, I will push with my left leg harder.

As I get older, the more I have to tilt the bike to clear the saddlebag/rack pack.

When I was younger (and not using SPDs), I would often do a scooting mount and a running dismount. Another dismount that I used to employ was to pull a "little wheelie" and step/hop/jump off the back of the bike with the back wheel coming forward and the saddle upwards. On the rare occasion, I would sometimes swing my leg forwards over the handlebar but not often and usually in a "party trick" spirit rather than in earnest. I don't do any of that now

 

[Alex321]

Did it occur to you how problematic it might be if you took a fall with the right on the floor when you invariably fall into the traffic?

Not knocking Mike here, more a general observation. People wear lids and hi vis in the name of safety, and then merrily go against safety with unsafe riding practices.

If I have fallen when coming to a stop, it has always been in the direction away from the unclipped foot, so not the one "on the floor".

But having said that, you have a good point, because I always unclip the left foot. I have fallen to the right a couple of times as a result, fortunately not when there was any passing traffic.

I'll admit, I hadn't really thought about that, it just seems natural to me, as my right leg is stronger, so is the one I want to be pushing with as I start - and I always mount from the left, clipping in the right foot before starting, then clipping in the left once moving. SO it just seems natural to do the opposite when stopping.

 

[I like Skol]

I don't get all this 'falling over when unclipping' malarkey. Sure, in the early days you might have a few 'moments' but once this is passed then it just becomes automatic, autonomous, natural? I continually berate my son because despite riding SPD's for years he still unclips a foot dozens of yards before coming to a stop or reaching an obstacle. This is despite me repeatedly demonstrating you can unclip instantly as you stop, or if you need to put down a foot during a tricky manoeuvre. Also, unclipping in advance increases the chance you will be unable to complete a difficult section.
My SPD tension is set to max but I have never failed to release instantly when needed, and this includes when flying over the bars when strangely the bike always fails to join me in flight.....

 

[matticus]

...
This is despite me repeatedly demonstrating you can unclip instantly as you stop, or if you need to put down a foot during a tricky manoeuvre. Also, unclipping in advance increases the chance you will be unable to complete a difficult section.
My SPD tension is set to max but I have never failed to release instantly when needed, and this includes when flying over the bars when strangely the bike always fails to join me in flight.....

Get him to watch a local CX race - even us total duffers can hop off an SPD bike without any problems.
(the remounts tend to be a bit ropier at the back of the field ... but we generally get going ... )

 

[kayakerles]

Not something I’d given much thought to but ………….. you know how it is, surfing aimlessly through you tube there seems a bizarre amount of info on this! Anyway, just got me thinking, how do you mount and dismount your steed?
I favour (what I think of) as the postie mount/dismount I.e. a little push of with the left foot on the pedal then swing the right leg over the saddle - off you go. Dismount is the reverse. Anyone have any weird methods??

Same here, Julian, except getting off, no push needed, just need to make SURE I'm still rolling as I go to swing that let over! (Hate getting off the bike standing still... too old to be able to make that look graceful!

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

When I dismount I always do it when the bike has totally stopped and the brakes are on

never do it moving - don't think I ever have - at least deliberatly - then have been one or two occasions where I did but it hurt.

 

[Alex321]

When I dismount I always do it when the bike has totally stopped and the brakes are on

never do it moving - don't think I ever have - at least deliberatly - then have been one or two occasions where I did but it hurt.

Yeah, my "moving dismounts" have always been of the involuntary type

 

[brommieinkorea]

Just about everyone who has ridden a horse mounts on the left. The damn horse expects it and would probably move or do something else untoward if you try it from the right. Since I was taught to get on a horse before I could balance a bike (3 y.o.) it never even occurred to me to get on from the wrong (right hand) side. For reference, I was born and raised in the USA.
I do however just step over the main tube of the Bromptons, and usually perform a running dismount - on the left of course.

 

[simongt]

On my Brommy, I mount on the left, dismount on the right, but prefer to hurl it with it on my right which means I have to move to t'other side - ! With my Galaxy and Fox, I mount and dismount on the left.

 

[Illaveago]

I haven't followed this thread for some time and wondered if people mount and dismount by scooting? You see them dismount in a similar way on Triathlons. It's just that I haven't seen people do it for years !

 

[freiston]

I haven't followed this thread for some time and wondered if people mount and dismount by scooting? You see them dismount in a similar way on Triathlons. It's just that I haven't seen people do it for years !

I have found myself doing some scooting dismounts lately - particularly when out with a group of slow rollers, where dismounts are more frequent, off-road (usually on the canal path) and from lower moving speeds than my usual rides. I unclip both feet before the manoeuvre but there's always a little worry that the foot remaining on the pedal will re-engage as I'm swinging the other leg over. I don't think it likely though as I get my instep over the pedal.

 

[Illaveago]

I have found myself doing some scooting dismounts lately - particularly when out with a group of slow rollers, where dismounts are more frequent, off-road (usually on the canal path) and from lower moving speeds than my usual rides. I unclip both feet before the manoeuvre but there's always a little worry that the foot remaining on the pedal will re-engage as I'm swinging the other leg over. I don't think it likely though as I get my instep over the pedal.

You used to see it quite a lot back in the 60's, scooting to get up speed before swinging a leg over. Missing the pedal whilst scooting to cause you to crash though .

 

[Dogtrousers]

I do occasionally dismount straight off the back. Normally if I'm pulling up for something to eat. This way I end up standing behind the bike with instant access to my sandwiches and pork pie in my rack bag. Marginal gains and all that.

 

[lazybloke]

I do occasionally dismount straight off the back. Normally if I'm pulling up for something to eat. This way I end up standing behind the bike with instant access to my sandwiches and pork pie in my rack bag. Marginal gains and all that.

I'm trying to picture exactly how you do that. Frankie Dettori style?

 

[presta]

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

There was a successful world-class golfer who wrote a golfing book explaining technique etc., after which he never won anything, and faded into oblivion. It's a well documented effect apparently, if you try to consciously explain a skill that you perform intuitively the skill will go, because you are suddenly making a conscious effort to do what you previously did automatically without thinking.