How do you start/stop smoothly?

[mybike]

A good rule of thumb is never to be sat in the saddle when the bicycle is not moving. If the saddle is correctly adjusted, it will be too high to allow being seated whilst stationary. A friend of mine sustained a couple of really nasty falls last year before she figured this out. Lowering the saddle is not a good solution, since it encourages the formation of bad habits and increases the effort necessary to turn the pedals.

I did a lot of cycling in my youth, including some training, and I never remember hearing this before. I'll have to try it.

 

[ColinJ]

I did a lot of cycling in my youth, including some training, and I never remember hearing this before. I'll have to try it.

I'd never thought of it, but it is true. The exceptions would be doing trackstands, and when leaning against something such as a strategically placed wall.

 

[flake99please]

Left foot in pedal at 1 o'clock position. Right foot on the ground whilst stood over frame. I lift my right leg whilst pressing down with the pedal on my left foot. In effect its my bodyweight that takes the first half pedal revolution.

 

[ColinJ]

The one time I still struggle is when starting halfway up a very steep hill, say >= 15% gradient.

This kind of thing ...

In such a case it is very easy to grind to a halt and fall off. What I usually do is hang on to a wall, telegraph pole, gate, (whatever), clip my feet on the pedals and get the right pedal to about the 2 o/c position. I give myself a shove off with my left hand and push down at the same time with my right foot.

I had stopped halfway up that hill to take a picture of my super-fit friend Carrie whizzing up it on her mountain bike. The fact that it gave me a breather was a pure coincidence ,,,

I was taking my own advice. I stopped where there was a farm track HERE to my left from which I could launch my assault on the second half of the hill, once I had got my breath back I had finished taking the photos!