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Wait, does everyone mount a bike from the left?

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    #32
    ted1
    Registered Users Posts: 23,318 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    woody33 wrote: »
    I was really wondering why, if I lose my balance at slow speed, I'm more likely to recover if the bike falls to the left. Something to do with the side I get on from? Do some folks practice the other side? Maybe get on from the back like a Hollywood cowboy? Hmmm, so many questions.

    Right is the dominate side so helps counter balance.


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    #33
    Hrududu
    Registered Users Posts: 1,711 ✭✭✭Hrududu


    I always mount and dismount from the left as it’s at the curb. It’s so engrained that I once caught myself walking around the bike rather get on from the right


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    #34
    loyatemu
    Registered Users Posts: 14,790 ✭✭✭✭loyatemu


    Always the left, I can barely push the bike from the other side.

    I often do that "old man" thing when dismounting, only figured it out a few years back, it's just fun to do.


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    #35
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Don't track riders lead left on a start to push themselves away from the bottom?


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    #36
    saccades
    Registered Users Posts: 1,257 ✭✭✭saccades


    Chocolate foot


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    #37
    rubadub
    Registered Users Posts: 32,373 ✭✭✭✭rubadub


    Cetyl Palmitate wrote: »
    Left handed, left footed. Always mount by keeping left leg standing and swinging right over and dismount left leg first.
    I find it very strange going the other way. So much that I almost have to think through the process before doing it.
    I am right handed, right footed (kicking a football, or kicking a person!) and would always keep the LEFT foot down. It makes sense to me as the right foot is the "action foot" swinging at a football, or swinging it over a bike.

    I also eat in the nontraditional table setting way, fork in right hand, knife in left. Some think anybody doing this must be lefthanded, but I think most lefthanded people eat in the "traditional table setting". If eating with just a fork most righthanded people will hold it in their right. I think there is little skill involved in using a knife with a typical meal so use the left.

    There can be odd historical reasons for things, someone mentioned the chain position. I remember hearing of left/right handed driving dating back to horses and people carrying whips and being able to fend off attackers. I heard of the left/righthanded knife being to do with fending off attackers too, knife always in your dominant hand. Then heard in N American that knives were rarer and shared between family, so you would get a loan of the knife, cut up your food, pass the knife on and eat with the fork in your dominant hand.


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    #38
    eeeee
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 6,831 Mod ✭✭✭✭eeeee


    I mount from the left and dismount from the right.


    Re track riders starting from the left, some do. It can help keep you straight, so you don't go down the track when you start. I start with my right, cos my left leg is ****ed.
    Conventional wisdom says you start on your weak leg so you have a full revolution with your strong leg. My left leg is so weak though that I don't get started at all if I start on it. My starts are bad enough anyway!


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    #39
    YFlyer
    Registered Users Posts: 9,717 ✭✭✭YFlyer


    Thargor wrote: »
    I changed a tube on a crappy MTB for a guy in my estate a couple of weeks ago, Id say he's only about 30 but when I gave it back to him he used the old man mounting technique I hadnt seen in about 20 years, he stood on the left pedal and rolled down the road a bit standing straight up with all his weight on the left crank before swinging his right leg over, I couldn't believe it tbh, it just looked so strange to see a young person do it. He's from Ennis, maybe they're a bit old fashioned down there.

    I'm left legged. I usually mount with swinging the right leg over. When only on one pedal going down a hill I be on the left hand side with the right leg on the pedal. Majority of the time when getting off the bike, I jump to the left side. Probably due to cycling on LHS of roads.

    Edit: when on one pedal, for some reason, going down a hill. I can have either left foot or right foot on the left pedal.


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    #40
    Harrybelafonte
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,450 ✭✭✭Harrybelafonte


    Deleted User wrote: »
    Don't track riders lead left on a start to push themselves away from the bottom?

    Yes, as per eeeee's description, alternatively, if you start at the fence, many would start with the right to push down the banking and away from the fence.

    Also, track riders have a stronger tendency to pull with one leg while pushing with the other, compared to road riders, so that might have some thing to do with it?


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    #41
    Wishbone Ash
    Registered Users Posts: 24,960 ✭✭✭✭Wishbone Ash


    loyatemu wrote: »
    ..I often do that "old man" thing when dismounting, only figured it out a few years back, it's just fun to do.
    It's not really suitable for modern bikes though (and awkward with cleats).


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    #42
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Thargor wrote: »
    I changed a tube on a crappy MTB for a guy in my estate a couple of weeks ago, Id say he's only about 30 but when I gave it back to him he used the old man mounting technique I hadnt seen in about 20 years, he stood on the left pedal and rolled down the road a bit standing straight up with all his weight on the left crank before swinging his right leg over, I couldn't believe it tbh, it just looked so strange to see a young person do it. He's from Ennis, maybe they're a bit old fashioned down there.

    Wait, what do you mean old fashioned? How else do you get on your bike? I'm so confused by this. Am I getting on my bike the wrong way? When did this change?


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    #43
    woody33
    Registered Users Posts: 491 ✭✭woody33


    While swinging my leg over (ooh err) when the bike is in motion, I sometimes feel my baggy shorts catching in the saddle. The potential is there for considerable embarrassment, injury and pain. My other method, useful if I'm at the bottom of a steep hill or in a busy area, is to lean the bike over at 45 degrees or so and step over with my right leg. Not very gainly. Maybe I should just get a girl's bike, and only ride it after dark.


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    #44
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 48,494 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    Deleted User wrote: »
    Wait, what do you mean old fashioned? How else do you get on your bike? I'm so confused by this. Am I getting on my bike the wrong way? When did this change?
    did you not get the circular of the decision from the cyclist's convention in 2013?
    we've been on the velominati to ratify this too, but they are dragging their heels.


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    #45
    galvo_clare
    Registered Users Posts: 669 ✭✭✭galvo_clare


    Thargor wrote: »
    He's from Ennis, maybe they're a bit old fashioned down there.

    I’m from Ennis too but I don’t use that method!
    Left handed and I tend to approach and get off from the right but the stand is on the left for my one bike that has one. For the Brompton you also need to be on the left to fold/unfold so I’m gradually trying to train myself. Feels weird to me though so I’m constantly switching sides.


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    #46
    Wishbone Ash
    Registered Users Posts: 24,960 ✭✭✭✭Wishbone Ash


    A couple of lads in our club swing their right leg forward and clockwise over the handlebars. It looks a bit uncomfortable to me.


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    #47
    Mercian Pro
    Registered Users Posts: 2,279 ✭✭✭Mercian Pro


    Pretty sure I get on and off from the left but will check later as I haven't thought about it in over 50 years :)
    I do know that I have always unclipped the right foot when stopping although I have no idea why. It caused a bit of angst a few years ago when I started piloting a tandem for a clubmate who, more conventionally, always put his left foot down. After a few hairy balancing acts with me trying to lean right and him left, I bowed to his greater mass (sorry T) and went to the left.

    The other odd thing about cycling the tandem was riding my own bike back home afterwards. The balance felt totally weird and took about 10 minutes to get back to normal.


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    #48
    Wishbone Ash
    Registered Users Posts: 24,960 ✭✭✭✭Wishbone Ash


    Mercian Pro wrote: »
    Pretty sure I get on and off from the left but will check later as I haven't thought about it in over 50 years ...
    You do.


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    #49
    Harrybelafonte
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,450 ✭✭✭Harrybelafonte


    Wishbone Ash wrote: »
    A couple of lads in our club swing their left leg forward and clockwise over the handlebars. It looks a bit uncomfortable to me.

    That's another track thing too. Bars have no hoods to get leg over and they're usually a little lower than road bars. I'd struggle to do on road bike tbh


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    #50
    homer911
    Registered Users Posts: 5,113 ✭✭✭homer911


    Kick stands are always on the left - is it even possible to have these on the right side of the bike? No, because of the chain!


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    #51
    Thargor
    Registered Users Posts: 17,882 ✭✭✭✭Thargor


    Wishbone Ash wrote: »
    A couple of lads in our club swing their left leg forward and clockwise over the handlebars. It looks a bit uncomfortable to me.
    Any video of this? What does "forward and clockwise over the handlebars" mean?


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    #52
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Tying to picture it too, like they are doing what would be in karate etc. a crescent kick :confused:

    /Goes to try this.

    EDIT: OK tried that and was quickly informed "Dad that looks stupid, I'm telling Mam"


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    #53
    RobertFoster
    Registered Users Posts: 9,137 ✭✭✭RobertFoster


    I think I must be awkward ambidextrous. Normally I (dis)mount on the right, but for the turbo I (dis)mount on the left (old man style).

    For both the left is the first foot clipped in, and the right foot is the one I plant when stopped.

    I use my right side for writing/throwing/kicking, so I think I just prefer to have my strong side as the pivot/balance point.


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    #54
    triggermortis
    Registered Users Posts: 2,684 ✭✭✭triggermortis


    I would throw my right leg over the bike normally, and clip the right foot in first. Always unclip my left foot first when I’m stopping. If I was to do the “old fashioned” way of starting off, I’d want my right foot on a pedal first and throw the left leg over the bike.
    I’m left handed if that makes any difference. I’d play two handed sports ( golf or cricket) right handed but single handed sports like squash left handed.
    To add to this oddness, I play drums but right handed and don’t like watching left handed drummers as their kit set up look wrong to me.


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    #55
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 48,494 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    what's the dominant hand used for in drumming? i didn't know handedness was a thing for drummers.


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    #56
    bazermc
    Registered Users Posts: 3,116 ✭✭✭bazermc


    I get on my bike. I don’t “mount it”!!!


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    #57
    eeeee
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 6,831 Mod ✭✭✭✭eeeee


    Thargor wrote: »
    Any video of this? What does "forward and clockwise over the handlebars" mean?

    Stand at side of bike facing ahead. bike. Swing leg closest to bike over handlebars to the other side.
    Almost all track riders do it when getting on our bikes when they're in the gate.
    Except me :pac:

    It's also the wrong way to get off a horse. Puts a load of pressure on their backs when you swing off the wrong way instead of taking your weight off their backs and dismounting with a leg over teh bum instead of withers.


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    #58
    Lemsiper
    Registered Users Posts: 656 ✭✭✭Lemsiper


    Either side. Depends on the situation.


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    #59
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    what's the dominant hand used for in drumming? i didn't know handedness was a thing for drummers.

    Left hand on the snare , right hand above on the hi-hats. Right foot on the bass drum.

    I can play or could back in the day and there is no way in this lifetime I could play like that or hold a beat and be in time, I'd have to be set up left handed. I could just switch hands as in play not crossed but then my right foot would be a problem on the bass drum.

    It's actually great in one sense when watching youtube videos of people playing guitar or bass. You don't need to mirror the video if you are left handed :)


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    #60
    crosstownk
    Registered Users Posts: 12,863 ✭✭✭✭crosstownk


    Nothing like a visual aid.....

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DI1Ag8vWzIg
    Untitled Image




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    #61
    Wishbone Ash
    Registered Users Posts: 24,960 ✭✭✭✭Wishbone Ash


    Thargor wrote: »
    Any video of this? What does "forward and clockwise over the handlebars" mean?

    (I meant right leg not left leg).

    Stand on left of bike facing forward holding saddle with right hand.
    Lift right leg up and swing over bars to the other side of bike instead of over saddle.


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