Mounting my road bike, help!

[jnell]

I recently switched from clipless pedals on my road bike to clip pedals. Since the switch (and possibly before) I have been starting off by sitting on my seat, leaning to my left, clipping in on my right with the crank arm at the highest point and then using that right leg to propel me forward. my question is whether its best to start seated or to start by kicking off with my pelvic area perpendicular to the center of my bike, then mid stride sitting back on my seat. My boyfriend does it that way and questions whether my way is going to leave me someday struck by a car.

Advice, tips? What do you prefer to do?
I hope this is clear.

[Catrin]

I think there are as many different ways to start a bike as there are bikes and riders. What matters is you get going, in my opinion.

I don't start "properly" according to some, I've this head thing where my but has to be in the saddle when I start. After two years I am still doing that, eventually I will get tired of it and do something else. I clip in, however, when the crank is at the bottom of the stroke and then pull it up.

All of that being said, I do get full/proper leg extension in my pedal stroke and I think that is far more important than however we choose to get the bike started. I've a custom bike and it fits me like a glove. The only time I've a problem with this method is when the pavement slopes down on my left side - (my right foot is my power/starting foot), but most of the time it slopes to the right, not the left.

[westtexas]

Like Catrin said, there are many methods to mounting your bike. And there are some people will say are the "right" way. But if the way you do it works for you...

Personally, I could not be sitting in my saddle, clip in and geting going all at once. I straddle the top tube, clip in on the right (at the bottom of the pedal stroke) and then bring the right foot to the top of the pedal stroke position. I then push down with the right to get forward momentum and while standing on the pedal, bring my butt up over the saddle and sit down. Usually I pedal a bit with the right only before clipping in with the left, which gives me some momentum and thus time to get that left foot attached. To unclip, I first do the left, stand on the right, bring my butt up off the saddle and then bend my right knee until my left foot is on the ground and I'm straddling the top bar again.