MAJOR NEWBIE MISTAKE - all you newbies riding this forum - take note. If you can put both feet down while sitting on the saddle your seat is way too low and you are stopping improperly.

I see these poor folks all the time, riding along, knees hitting their chest and no doubt wondering why their legs get so tired so fast. Because your legs can't work efficiently with your knees like that!

When I teach newbie classes, one of the first things we do is make them practice stopping getting off the saddle and placing only one foot down. Then starting up again, one foot always engaged on the pedal and then sitting on the saddle. This is practice for when you get clipless.

The girlfriend of an acquaintance is learning to ride and I have been trying to explain to her the reason she keeps falling over (and thus is scared of riding) is because she insists on trying stop by putting both feet down. This generally causes the bike to go all screwy and you lose balance, flop over and down. This really happens while mountain biking cause terrain is not always even.

Anyway NEWBIES really, practice this. No stopping while on saddle. Use your brakes, not your feet and get off the saddle, while braking and out down one foot, one foot only. OK sorry for my rant but if I can change anything about newbie riders it's this!