Friday Fun: How do you mount your steed?

DonDaddyD

OK so I got to thinking earlier this week about the way I get on my bike. I can only get onto the bike on one side the-non-drive-side. If I tried to get on it from the other side, well I haven't tried. But if I did I'm sure I'd cross over into an alternate reality or something.

Basically, the way I get on my bike is this:

I'm always on the non-drive-side of the bike, I dip the bike at an angle - leaning it towards me - and then I swing my right leg behind me and over the bike, my leg is bent at a perfect 90 degree angle.

The other way I use to mount my bike, albeit when I was younger and had a mountain/hybrid bike, was to run with the bike and then jump in the air ala Superman but still holding the bars and literally swing myself onto the bike seat and pedals all in one movement with the bike still moving. Think Cowboys jumping on a horse while being chased by the Sheriff. It was a skill, trust me!

I've seen some people throw their leg forward and over the bike, this I think is insane.

But it got me thinking, do you have a unique way of mounting your bike and how do you do it get on the thing in general?

rick_chasey

Jump :P

kelsen

I have my legs akimbo and slowly inch it between them from the front...

Jay dubbleU

I use your method although sometimes I put my foot on the nearside pedal, skip a couple of times and then swing my leg over

will3

DonDaddyD wrote:

I've seen some people throw their leg forward and over the bike, this I think is insane.

?

If you've ever ridden a tandem, it's the only way.

rjsterry

I always go for the backflip, landing astride the saddle. Hurts like hell when you misjudge it.


No, I'm a non-drive-side-only guy as well. For the same reason as I always put the same foot down first when stopping/dismounting. If I have to think about it, it will all go wrong and I'll end up on my arse.

CiB

Mine is always waiting in its rack below the bedroom window and I have the wife lower me down on a winch directly onto the saddle.

Seriously - do you people only ever get on from one side? Blimey...

Kiblams

Depending on how enegetic I am feeling I will either; lean the bike towards me (leaning left) and swing my foot over, or put my left foot on the left pedal push off and swing my foot over the bike as I set off.

Both of the above usually involve at least one toe breaking kick to the pannier rack per week :oops:

il_principe

In private, mostly.

Lycra Man

I have three ways. Mostly I stand on the non-drive side, and put my SPD shoe into the SPD pedal, and simultaneously push down on the pedal and swing my right leg up and over the saddle, so I am then sitting in the saddle, facing forward, holding both hands on the handlebars throughout.

Sometimes I push twice with my righrt leg on the ground, left foot engaged in pedal, to get up 'speed', and then swing legs over saddle.

Third way is if I come to a halt in traffic. I dismount standing astride the bike, both feet flat on the ground. When I want to move off, I engage the left foot in the pedal, and stand up in the pedal which 1. gives me forward movement, and b. lifts my ars* into the saddle.

I think if I tried to dismount on the drive side, I would end up on my back.

Lycra Man

benno68

CiB wrote:

Seriously - do you people only ever get on from one side? Blimey...

Always mount from the drive side, both hands on brake hoods tilt a fraction towards me and then left leg over, always clip in with left foot first. - it just feels wrong any other way.

Trying to clip in on the move with my left foot usually ends in embarrassment.

When dismounting, I clip out first with my left and then dismount to the non drive side bit when stopped at a junction I clip my right foot out - ok I'm a weirdo.

benno68

Il Principe wrote:

In private, mostly.

But not always???

CiB

Benno68 wrote:

Il Principe wrote:

In private, mostly.

But not always???

Not always clearly.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1567410/Man-who-had-sex-with-bike-in-court.html

Bhima

I have two ways:

1)
- Hold handlebars
- Lift them to head height
- Walk forward so saddle is inbetween legs
- Lower bike, causing the saddle to move backwards
- You should now be stood with the top tube between your legs

2)
- Hold saddle with right hand
- Face the front of the bike
- Swing right leg in a clockwise arc over the handlebars

I personally find 2 easier, as my bars are incredibly low but 1 is better if you're trying to keep composure and look professional.

benno68

CiB wrote:

Benno68 wrote:

Il Principe wrote:

In private, mostly.

But not always???

Not always clearly.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1567410/Man-who-had-sex-with-bike-in-court.html

Is nothing sacred

Agent57

DonDaddyD wrote:

I'm always on the non-drive-side of the bike, I dip the bike at an angle - leaning it towards me - and then I swing my right leg behind me and over the bike

Me too.

wgwarburton

DonDaddyD wrote:

...I've seen some people throw their leg forward and over the bike, this I think is insane.

I've read this is an affectation of fixie-riders.. don't know if that's true. Would make a modicum of sense on a track-style bike with low 'bars, no brakes and a high saddle, I guess. I can do it but don't (does that make me a gentleman, like with violins? :-) ).

But it got me thinking, do you have a unique way of mounting your bike and how do you do it get on the thing in general?

I normally swing my leg over from the non-drive side, put my right foot into the toeclip and then set off and engage the left clip. Occasionally, I'll engage the left clip first and set off whilst swinging the leg over and engaging the right clip, but I need to be pretty quick to do that on the fixie (need to be sat down, or ready to stand on the right pedal, before the left pedal reaches BDC).

If circumstances dictate I can get on or off either side. I can more-or-less do a rearward dismount (another fixie affectation) but can't pull it off neatly every time.

Cheers,
W.

Clever Pun

will3 wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

I've seen some people throw their leg forward and over the bike, this I think is insane.

?

If you've ever ridden a tandem, it's the only way.

not if you're at the back

will3

Clever Pun wrote:

will3 wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

I've seen some people throw their leg forward and over the bike, this I think is insane.

?

If you've ever ridden a tandem, it's the only way.

not if you're at the back

Srsly that's for gurls. They step over the bike in ladylike fashion

wgwarburton

Bhima wrote:

I have two ways:

1)
- Hold handlebars
- Lift them to head height
- Walk forward so saddle is inbetween legs
- Lower bike, causing the saddle to move backwards
- You should now be stood with the top tube between your legs

This can only work if your saddle is lower than your crotch, surely, or an ungainly hop would be needed...? I would expect that to be way too low for riding...? What am I missing?

2)
- Hold saddle with right hand
- Face the front of the bike
- Swing right leg in a clockwise arc over the handlebars

I personally find 2 easier, as my bars are incredibly low but 1 is better if you're trying to keep composure and look professional.

...and yet, your 'bars are lower still... Are you riding a BMX? :-)

Cheers,
W.

Oddjob62

WGWarburton wrote:

This can only work if your saddle is lower than your crotch, surely, or an ungainly hop would be needed...? I would expect that to be way too low for riding...? What am I missing?

In the starting position you have your crotch over the junction between seetpost and top tube. Don't jam your saddle into your crotch or when you drop the front you're likely to remove some bits you'd rather keep.

Bhima

WGWarburton wrote:

This can only work if your saddle is lower than your crotch,

Well, it sometimes requires you to lift a leg up a bit, but usually the bike has been flipped backwards slightly and it's ok. Basically, this is the same as DDD's standard method, but you are essentially lowering the saddle so very little leg movement is needed.

And my bars are so low because I like to ride in a ridiculously aerodynamic position on my road bike all the time.

wgwarburton

Oddjob62 wrote:

WGWarburton wrote:

... What am I missing?

In the starting position you have your crotch over the junction between seetpost and top tube. Don't jam your saddle into your crotch or when you drop the front you're likely to remove some bits you'd rather keep.

OK, I think I've got it- so the assumptions are that, 1) the nose of the saddle is lower with the front wheel in the air, than it is with both wheels on the ground, and 2) you don't have a rear mudguard, or luggage on the back of the bike...?

Cheers,
W.

CyclingBantam

Bhima wrote:

I have two ways:

1)
- Hold handlebars
- Lift them to head height
- Walk forward so saddle is inbetween legs
- Lower bike, causing the saddle to move backwards
- You should now be stood with the top tube between your legs

2)
- Hold saddle with right hand
- Face the front of the bike
- Swing right leg in a clockwise arc over the handlebars

I personally find 2 easier, as my bars are incredibly low but 1 is better if you're trying to keep composure and look professional.

Clever Pun

I can do both, generally drive side though depending how flexible I'm feeling

MonkeyMonster

given my right hip is fairly well buggered I always keep left leg on the floor, dip bike and right leg over and on.

pst88

Pretty standard for me I think: stand next to the bike, aply front brake, tilt bike towards me whilst swinging a leg back over the saddle, leaving me straddling the top tube. I never mount directly to the saddle, always to the top tube then clip in SPDs then go to the saddle as I ride off. I can mount the bike from either side as conditions dictate but prefer to approach non drive side. I've experimented with the hipster over the handlebars style but it never works out so good, feels like I'm going to trip over the bike somehow.

Aidy

Remove the seatpost, slide the bike between my legs, replace the seatpost.

Lakesman

Benno68 wrote:

CiB wrote:

Benno68 wrote:

Il Principe wrote:

In private, mostly.

But not always???

Not always clearly.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1567410/Man-who-had-sex-with-bike-in-court.html

Is nothing sacred

What ? Old story , but looks like staff entered into his room whilst he was getting off in private with his bike, called the police, and now he's on the register ! So this guy has effectively been prosecuted for masturbating in the privacy of his own room.

Am not fessing up to anything unusual myself like, but find this a disturbing judgement

White Line

Bhima wrote:

2)
- Hold saddle with right hand
- Face the front of the bike
- Swing right leg in a clockwise arc over the handlebars

I too use this method. Can't beat a good old hipster mount.

I also rock the hipster high lock when I see a high enough object to lock the bike too. 8)