I have a confession...starting the bike

[hebe]

I've been doing some practice of this earlier today. My sticking point is worrying about my calf being hit by the pedal as it whizzes around, which of course has never actually happened. I straddle the bike in front of the saddle, with my dominant pedal at about 2 or 3 o'clock, push down hard and hope. I'm a bit wobbly when setting off but hopefully that will sort itself out with time. It's a great thing to practise in a carpark or on a cul de sac with hardly any traffic. My instructor gave me 10minutes work on it at the end of a lesson when it became clear I was struggling to set off on a short steep uphill gradient. I agree with gradually raising the saddle too, my riding is so much more comfortable and I'm sure I can go a little higher still once I'm comfortable with starting and stopping unseated.

[Catrin]

Yes Melalvai, I sadly agree that I should solve this before returning to my 70+ mile rides... my current method just works so well that I have not had an incentive to solve it. That has changed - so will stick to <50 mile rides until it is solved.

Thanks Hebe - I understand the concept - it is just that my body freezes when I try to do it... it is some kind of mental block that I have

So back to my favorite park to practice tonight... At least the 70+ temps will be nice

[Blueberry]

What about putting the bike in a trainer, do you can "practice" standing without the bike moving?

[Catrin]

What about putting the bike in a trainer, do you can "practice" standing without the bike moving?

I can do this, but it is an entirely different dynamic as the bike can't fall over I could use clipless on the trainer and spinning bikes 6 months before I could on the road.

LPH, your comment about it being a lack of muscle memory seems spot-on! I hadn't thought about that being the problem, it makes sense. Lots of practice in my future...

[lph]

I can understand how you're unhappy about not being seated if you normally ride in an upright position with a lot of weight on your saddle and rarely stand on your pedals. The feeling of having your weight on your pedals is quite different from sitting, especially if you have little weight on your hands.

I agree that practicing scooting along on one foot especially sounds like a good exercise. The bike will feel "swingy" and wobbly at first at low speed until you get used to steering more with your feet and hands.

I'd also suggest practicing lifting your weight up off your saddle while riding or coasting. Don't "lose" the saddle completely, keep some pressure against your thigh (this is easier if you lean the bike slightly towards one thigh instead of trying to balance it dead centre). This should force you to start balancing more with your feet and hands. When you're comfortable just standing, try moving the bike around a little, riding gentle curves while coasting downhill.

I'm not an instructor or anything though, but from rock climbing I know that complex movements involving balance have to be broken down into small steps. And the older you are, the more time you have to spend settling each step. I don't think you have a mental block, you just have no muscle memory of how to do it.

I spent forever underwater teaching myself the "back-bend" necessary to dive backwards into the pool. And then one day I just up and did it.

[hebe]

Don't "lose" the saddle completely, keep some pressure against your thigh (this is easier if you lean the bike slightly towards one thigh instead of trying to balance it dead centre).

This! I did this by accident today and it gave me a much smoother set-off. I shall try it again now I know it wasn't a fluke. Thank you lph, and good luck Catrin!

[Owlie]

I am going to tell you a story that as far as I know is known to only four people.
And you may laugh.

When I first bought the bike, I had a real mental block on getting onto the saddle. The nose would get caught on my shorts and it would throw me (still happens, but not as often). My first ride, I was standing on part of the trail in my cheap shorts and borrowed jersey, all frustrated because I could.not. get. on. the. bike. I said to DBF "I think my seat's too high." He fiddled with it for a bit (I was still straddling the bike), then he told me to get on the bike and go. I got on the bike with no problems, and off we went.

In the car on the way back from the trail, DBF turned to me and said "Do you want to know what I did to your seatpost?" I looked at him confusedly. He grinned and said "Nothing." I didn't know whether I wanted to collapse in a heap laughing or smack him.

[lph]

Go dh!

[Roadtrip]

Oh my gosh, I thought I was the ONLY one who had to get going with my butt already up in the saddle. I NEVER could get that power take off during my lessons with the instructor and froze every time. I discovered with my (heavy) cruiser, I had AMPLE power in my right leg to begin the setting off process while using the saddle as leverage, so I showed the instructor and he was good with it (for now) as he wanted me up and riding and feeling more confidant.

At some point I know I'll have to revisit this

My saddle height is at a normal position.. I can barely touch my toes to ground when I'm up in the saddle and have just a slight bend in my leg while crank is all the way down. Now I know this is on a cruiser and completely upright position. Totally different bikes.

Good luck!!
Shannon