I have a confession...starting the bike

[OakLeaf]

She's right that you don't want it in TOO low a gear though. IIRC, Catrin's bike is geared quite low. I think for learning, you want it in a middle-ish gear. You're only going to be pushing the pedal about 1/3 of a revolution before you get on, so you need that to propel the bike fast enough that the gyroscopic forces of the wheel will keep you upright.

Here's a little game that might help you understand that the bike WANTS to stay upright.

Take your front wheel off. Hold it in both hands by the ends of the skewer, and have someone spin the wheel, kind of hard. Now try to tilt the wheel side to side.

That's what keeps your bike upright.

[Catrin]

I start in a low gear so it's easy to pedal with only one foot clipped in.

I start with my left foot clipped in at around 1:00-2:00. Push the left foot/pedal forward and slide back onto the saddle. Once I'm seated, I clip in with the right foot...

You start with it that far back? I thought it needed to be more like 10-11:00. I am going to try these things tonight and see how it goes.

She's right that you don't want it in TOO low a gear though. IIRC, Catrin's bike is geared quite low. I think for learning, you want it in a middle-ish gear. You're only going to be pushing the pedal about 1/3 of a revolution before you get on, so you need that to propel the bike fast enough that the gyroscopic forces of the wheel will keep you upright.

Here's a little game that might help you understand that the bike WANTS to stay upright.

Take your front wheel off. Hold it in both hands by the ends of the skewer, and have someone spin the wheel, kind of hard. Now try to tilt the wheel side to side.

That's what keeps your bike upright.

Yes, my LHT is geared quite low - it has that lovely full mountain bike rear cassette (11-32). I have taught myself to start in whatever gear I happen to be in, but of course this is different. Will play with a middle gear.

I do have a trainer for a few more weeks until it goes back home. I thought about trying that first - but that is so-not-like-the-real-thing when it is so nice and warm outside today. Seems better to go play in the 70+ degrees while I can

Part of the problem in the past may have been from not trusting my foot to stay on the platform pedal - but of course - I am attached to the pedal now... Someone also suggested that I may well be faster once my legs can extend properly. That is another incentive

[sarahspins]

You start with it that far back? I thought it needed to be more like 10-11:00.

I think it depends on which side of the bike you're looking from.. I generally start with mine at about 2 o'clock... if you were looking from the right side (I start with my right foot on the pedal).

[Catrin]

I kind of sort of did it I suppose it depends on how much one's definition - but it was a good beginning.

So there I was, in an empty parking lot. Clipped in my right foot and pulled the pedal up to about 1:00. Then my body just froze. My mind knew what to do but my body said "no I am not doing that". Then I remembered what someone said about it perhaps being a matter of muscle memory and I thought of a middle approach.

I brought my pedal back up to 1:00 then pushed on the pedal and somehow slid the saddle under my butt and just took off. It was certainly my fastest start of all time - normally I have to situate myself on the saddle, shift my butt or my left foot that is on the ground around and finally take off. This was fast once I actually committed, and I did the same thing again when I stopped at an outhouse.

Once the ride was over I tried to start more "properly" and almost succeeded, but my saddle got caught in my shorts as my butt wasn't clearing the saddle. THIS is where the muscle memory comes in I think.

During my ride I tried to get as close as I could to standing while coasting - and I got pretty darn close. I remembered what someone said about allowing the saddle to lean a little against my thigh and that was quite helpful. I think once my body is more accustomed to standing on a moving two-wheel object in motion that the problem will solve itself. Kind of like the clipless thing took care of itself in time

You know, my saddle is only an inch or so too low. It is amazing to me that small distance could be such a bother to the joints and so forth. Someone also suggested in an email that I may well be faster once my legs are extended properly.

[OakLeaf]

You know, my saddle is only an inch or so too low. It is amazing to me that small distance could be such a bother to the joints and so forth.

Girl, three MILLIMETERS make a huge difference to my joints...

[Catrin]

Girl, three MILLIMETERS make a huge difference to my joints...

I am getting ready to bring it up about 3 mm, we did that two weeks ago... I KNOW it matters, but I was riding for such long distances without any trouble... but then my hip flexors got really, really tight, and perhaps that had something to do with the hamstring, I really do not know. I DO know, however, that my leg is finally healed and I do not want further trouble due to something that I can fix.

[GLC1968]

Someone also suggested in an email that I may well be faster once my legs are extended properly.

This is likely true. When I first got my professional fit, the woman raised my saddle by almost 2 cm. I was terrified (and stunned - my legs are so short!) but apparently it had something to do with flexability. Anyway, my power output doubled immediately! I don't remember the exact numbers but the trainer she had me set up on had a power meter on it. JUST changing the saddle height made a remarkable difference. Even if you don't get faster, I'm sure you'll see an improvement in efficiency and that may translate into either faster OR the ability to go further.

Good job! Keep working at it.

[lph]

I kind of sort of did it

W00t! That is so cool Congratulations! Now you do have a place to practice from.

[Loraura]

I know you will probably want to immediately skip this suggestion I'm about to make. But really, there is no harm in trying it, and it just might work.

Go get your bike.
Take the seat post and saddle off.


Yes, you read that correctly.

Stand over your seatless bike, and clip in on one side.
Bring that clipped in foot up so your crank arms are parallel to the ground.
With both hands on the handlebars, and brakes in reach, now push that pedal down.

Your bike will have no choice but to go forward, and you will have no choice but to raise your other foot off the ground, so all your weight is on the clipped in peddal.

Then coast there, with your clipped in foot down and your other foot free momentarilly.

Don't worry about clipping the other foot in yet.

Now brake and put your unclipped in foot back down on the ground.

Repeat a zillion times.

Getting started isn't about continuing to pedal. It's about pedalling ONCE hard enough to be able to coast for a few seconds.

When you can do that a few times in a row, just push, coast, stop. Push, coast, stop, then put your seat post and saddle back on, and put it on at the proper height.

Don't worry about sitting on it. You won't be sitting yet.

Just do the same exersize again, without worrying about sitting on the saddle.

Push, coast, stop. Push, coast, stop.

Now you can add in the last step:

Push, coast, sit down, stop whenever you want.

[smittykitty]

I've got no advice. Thought the trainer idea might help. Yoga has really helped me regain balance I lost somewhere through the years, plus Yoga is great for flexibility and relaxation. But I do want to say You Go Girl. You've made great strides in such a short time. Remember most of us learned to do all these so called simple things when we were 5 yrs old and were fearless. Gone are the days of "look ma no hands". You'll get there. Sounds like your getting real close.

[featuretile]

First, I want to say how amazing your riding has gone from nothing to so many miles, Catrin.

Then I have a question about this standing and starting thing. I also start with my butt on the saddle. But my bike is tilted over to the side and my left toe is barely touching the ground. My legs seem to be in the right amount of extension when I am riding. I don't have any (hamstring) leg problems. It seems to me that if I raised the saddle any more, I would be too extended. I have gradually raised the height to this point. I ride with half toe clips and flat pedals. Is my body so different that I am in the right amount of extension when I can still barely touch the ground? It's also easier for me to get off this way.

[OakLeaf]

It's not possible for your body to be "different" in that way.

Your bottom bracket is a fixed height from the ground. Your crankarm is a fixed length. Therefore, when your bike is upright, there is a minimum distance that your foot can be from the ground, and remain on the pedal.

On most bikes it's over three inches. I wear size 11 shoes, and my feet aren't THAT big.

[Catrin]

BTW, it is unclear what caused the hamstring problem - while it is healing rather more slowly than I would like, it is improving. If I could force myself to become a slug for a full week then it would likely take care of itself. I am not doing that so I must accept that it just takes time.

I know several people who can, barely, touch their tip-toes to the ground from the saddle, but most people I have spoken to cannot do so. My fitter thinks that I will be able to still just touch the ground when we have it raised the additional inch that will be required.

While my ride today was much shorter than desired or planned, I was able to start in my new way I am not actually sure how I am doing it, but it is a much faster way of starting the bike. I think that it might even be correct, but we will see as the saddle height starts to creep up further.

[chicagogal]

First, I want to say how amazing your riding has gone from nothing to so many miles, Catrin.

Then I have a question about this standing and starting thing. I also start with my butt on the saddle. But my bike is tilted over to the side and my left toe is barely touching the ground. My legs seem to be in the right amount of extension when I am riding. I don't have any (hamstring) leg problems. It seems to me that if I raised the saddle any more, I would be too extended. I have gradually raised the height to this point. I ride with half toe clips and flat pedals. Is my body so different that I am in the right amount of extension when I can still barely touch the ground? It's also easier for me to get off this way.

I also often start off in the saddle. With the bike leaned over enough, I can get a toe down onto the ground. My saddle is definitely at the right height. It has been adjusted by a pro-fitter and my position is optimized for power output. Sitting in the saddle and having a foot down only works on flat ground, and even then can be a little unstable, but I have gotten used to it.

Catrin, here is something you can try, to help you get used to pushing off before getting in the saddle: Push off while sitting on your top tube instead. This will help give you the feel of using your bike as a "scooter" since you will just push off and glide (you won't be able to pedal in that position). Once you master that, push off and glide while standing. If you feel unstable at any point, you can just sit down on your top tube. Then push off, glide while standing, and slide your butt back over your saddle!

[DarcyInOregon]

Catrin, the only thing I can add, because you got great advice, is that perhaps the problem is in your core strength or body strength relative to the body's weight. I know you have lost weight and you work out at the gym, but I've noticed in heavier cyclists that they struggle to start the bike and get on the saddle, and when they lose weight and gain strength they are up on the saddle in one easy movement.

Another suggestion, use a spin bike at the gym to practice some skills, when there are no spin classes going on, like standing up and pedaling.