when you get on bike

[RussellZero]

I lean the bike - I'm 6'4 but not sure that's a valid excuse, I just find it easier. When dismounting sometimes I unclip, then when stood on the ground just pull the bike up in front of me (front wheelie) and through my legs. Im sure yoga would help, I do have some kind of funny injury in my groin that also means my left knee goes out a bit when cycling instead of straight - might also be related to struggling to get my leg extended over the saddle. #gettingold

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Woman answering here:
no, I don't have trouble getting on my bikes (sizes xs), not even when I have a full size track pump sticking out of my pannier (don't ask!).
I am quite flexible for my age, can touch my toes, do basic yoga poses no probs.
@darts180 do you want to ride a bike too big for you?

 

[Illaveago]

I had to stop swinging my leg over the back when the child seat was fitted to avoid contact between shoe and childs face.

I was thinking of that earlier this afternoon. I thought the alternative would be to swing your leg over the handlebars but then imagined the consequences of getting tangled up.

 

[Mo1959]

I am very inflexible and find I have to tip the bikes on the side to swing my leg over comfortably. I do like my saddles as high as comfortably possible though. My sister in law happened to turn up at dads the other day when I had cycled over to see him and asked how on earth I got on as she thought it looked very high. Lol.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I had to stop swinging my leg over the back when the child seat was fitted to avoid contact between shoe and childs face.

This happened when I converted my bike into an Xtracycle. Suddenly I had two boys where my size 41 boots would normally go. I never kicked them but I did occasionally whack my foot on the handlebers I'd fitted to the seatpost before I got used to having it there...

 

[darts180]

thanks for the replies there and for many understanding as it's quite embarrassing lol I think I am a bit inflexible at the moment. hey could I ask another question at here, you know on the back wheel the bar that goes through centre of wheel, if you release the grip and slide it out, will everything stay in place lol u see i noticed from where people connect trainer to back wheel they slide in a new bar which the trainer connects to but the wheel still stays on at the back.

 

[Gravity Aided]

It should stay on when you remove the quick-release, but the wheel should then remove easily. I always have to lean the bicycle, btw, my days of the Prussian Dismount are over. Oh, and I also ride taller bicycles.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Oh, and I also ride taller bicycles.

You call those bicycles? I've climbed over smaller field gates than those frames! How tall are the head tubes??

 

[mjr]

Well yes, perhaps I should have added a disclaimer about my advice not applying to recumbents, penny-farthings, and hobby horses either, but as the OP has been looking to buy a hybrid I didn't think I needed to.

Some hybrids are built with more relaxed roadster-style angles too. I can also touch the floor with one foot while on the saddle on my road bike and the saddle's at a fine height (vintage bike).

I view the advice to start off by standing on a pedal and thereby lifting oneself into the saddle as rather dangerous due to the reduced steering control while doing so, but I think it's in Bikeability so you're far from alone in advocating it.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Lifting yourself rearwards into the saddle from a straddling position whilst pushing down on the pedal with your preferred leg is a different thing from scootering the bike along with one foot on a pedal then throwing your other leg over the top of the saddle whilst already in motion.

 

[mjr]

You may view it as 'rather dangerous', but it's what the vast majority of normal people do.

You really need to watch normal people in mass cycling areas more. The vast majority have their saddles low enough to touch the floor with at least one set of toes, sometimes even both feet flat, even on types of bike where that means the saddle is really much too low for efficient cycling.

Lifting yourself rearwards into the saddle from a straddling position whilst pushing down on the pedal with your preferred leg is a different thing from scootering the bike along with one foot on a pedal then throwing your other leg over the top of the saddle whilst already in motion.

Indeed. No amount of experience makes bump-starting yourself backwards into the saddle a controlled motion, whereas people can learn to cyclocross mount safely. A scoot-start from sat on the bike is probably better than either, though.

 

[User169]

I was thinking of that earlier this afternoon. I thought the alternative would be to swing your leg over the handlebars but then imagined the consequences of getting tangled up.

Looks cool when you can pull it off.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

You really need to watch normal people in mass cycling areas more. The vast majority have their saddles low enough to touch the floor with at least one set of toes, sometimes even both feet flat, even on types of bike where that means the saddle is really much too low for efficient cycling.


Indeed. No amount of experience makes bump-starting yourself backwards into the saddle a controlled motion, whereas people can learn to cyclocross mount safely. A scoot-start from sat on the bike is probably better than either, though.

In my observation, locally it's generally the BSO MTB riders who go around with their saddles about three inches too low and some also have their knees sticking outwards when they pedal. It may account for the painfully low speed most BSO riders travel at, because the way they have the bikes set cannot be either remotely comfortable or remotely efficient. Riders of proper bikes, regardless of price, seem to generally have their adjustments a bit better optimised. Drop bar riders seem to have the best set ups of everyone, possibly because they have enough interest in cycling to do their homework and find out the optimum adjustments. You have to remember a lot of people who ride bikes don't do so through choice and are ignorant of all the fitting tweaks a more dedicated rider will take for granted.

Personally, I find the bump-start technique the more controlled one as you have both hands on the bars and are starting out from a straight-on stance with both feet on the floor. Mounting in motion means having to be careful not to pull the bars to one side.

 

[mjr]

Personally, I find the bump-start technique the more controlled one as you have both hands on the bars and are starting out from a straight-on stance with both feet on the floor. Mounting in motion means having to be careful not to pull the bars to one side.

Bump-starting is also mounting in motion and you're still pushing down on one side of the bike with enough force to lift yourself up, destabilising it at the outset. A scoot-start from in the saddle allows a much smoother application of power and the foot pushing off is almost immediately counteracted by the other foot pushing the pedal - without the risk of bouncing off the front of the saddle nose if you mistime it.

 

[Gravity Aided]

You call those bicycles? I've climbed over smaller field gates than those frames! How tall are the head tubes??

I shall have to look them up. Currently out at lunch after calls to pharmacies (both jolly and grumpy pharmacies, ) and water coloring. It's my day off, but I have three day week end as it's our labor holiday this week end. I always buy tall frames when available because they just aren't thick on the ground