"Scootering" my bike

[Catrin]

Do most of you start on a mountain bike facing downhill like that? I hate when I can't get that second foot clipped in but need to stand up on the pedals. Scares the bejeebus out of me. How do you start on downhills, Catrin?

Until now I've started with my right foot on the pedal and butt on saddle. My brakes are engaged until I get my body situated, then I let off the brakes while pushing forward with my left foot - as the bike gets going I get the left foot on the pedal and go...

If there is a little flat spot at the top of the hill, I actually prefer to start there but of course that isn't always an option. I CAN start uphill this way if it isn't too steep, but if I can walk it a few feet to get to a flat or downhill bit then I will do that.

Red - I tried that and it was even harder to let go - I just need to practice, and practice and...

I also need to figure out the difference in how it feels between an almost-stall that I can power out of and a real stall so I can get my foot on the ground a split second before falling over This is body awareness I think, my trainer is adding things to help me with this...after all, it isn't like I am clipped in or anything!

[Crankin]

When I scoot across, my left foot is unclipped and doing the scootering and I *think* my right foot, which is still clipped in, is kind of almost completely down. The whole thing is kind of ridiculous, though.
I had one of these intersections (with a light) on my old commute, and it almost stopped me from commuting, after I moved. It's a t intersection, so not super dangerous, but I ended up leaving for work so early, that I actually (shhh, don't tell on me) went through the red light, as there were often no cars at 6:15 AM. Sometimes, I could start off fine, but now, I often dread this spot, as I am usually in it with traffic. This is also why I hate left turns that occur at the top of an incline that doesn't flatten out.

[nscrbug]

I've actually mastered starting from a stop while seated...and my saddle is definitely not low. My right foot is the foot that I always unclip and it touches the ground with my toes. If the stoplight is not unusually long, I'm fine with this method and I can take off with relative ease as long as I remember to gear down into an easier starting gear. If the light is long, then I will often place my entire foot on the ground, which in turn, forces me off the saddle with my left foot still clipped in. Sometimes, if I'm stopped at a light and there is a curb nearby...I will rest my unclipped right foot on the curb and start off from there.