Left or Right?

[Dianyla]

I've unclipped/put down the left foot since forever. I also grew up riding horses, and I always "mount" the bicycle from the left side.

My ManFriend unclips his right foot, and he's left-handed/left-legged. I agree with whoever said earlier that lefties are hot.

[Joy]

I taught myself to unclip on the right. Now I wish that I would have chosen the left side because of some problems I have had with my right foot and calf that are related to clicking in and out of the pedal so much on that side (I need foot surgery on that side but keep putting it off). I may try to retrain myself. I just felt more confident with the right side.

[corrine]

I unclip left because it feels more comfortable for me, but my DH who taught me how to ride clipless unclips right. I guess I would have fewer chain tattoos if I unclipped right, but it just feels right to unclip left

[Lise]

I rode half the 21 miles today thinking "I HATE my new cleats!" I was nearly dislocating my hip unclipping at stop lights, and thought I'd fall once. Finally figured out that I just need to use a new forward motion twist to unclip, different from my last cleats. Scary there for a few stops.

I unclip right because that's where the curb is. When I couldn't get my right foot out, I unclipped and leaned left so I wouldn't fall. It wasn't hard, but it was a bear getting my foot back in the clip. I'm used to that left foot just staying put.

[yellow]

Honestly, I'm not sure. I'll have to pay more attention to it, I guess! I suspect mostly right, but I know that I swing the other way as well. Though I am right handed, I have a goofy right side from the hips down, so my left leg is stornger (and larger) than my right leg. I'm still right side dominant... it just doesn't look that way.

[btchance]

Now if you ever rode horses, you always mount the horse from the left. So, I also get on my bike from the left as well as clip out on my left foot.

(Just another trivia to add to the collection).

I'm left handed (most of the time). Left is right for me!

Oh my goodness, I agree with the horse thing. I absolutely can't get on the bike from any side other than the left, even if it's a spinning bike. I also can't walk anywhere w/ my bike unless I'm on the left. It's completely ingrained in me to do it that way. However, I unclip right as it just feels natural to me. Plus my left leg is stronger (maybe from all that eq riding when we only had to work on the rail to the left and I cheated with my right leg ) and you always put your right foot in the stirrup last and take it out first, so maybe that has something do do with it. Who knows?

[Lise]

I also have a very hard time delivering a baby from the right side (that's my right side, not the mom's)...although I believe this qualifies as "thread drift"!

I would have a heck of a time getting on a bike from the right side (ie: left leg swung over).

[Robbin_G]

Too funny. It wasn't a conspiracy by my parents, they just openly encouraged it. Told me they always handed items to me so it was more convenient to use my right hand. Mom is a leftie and hates it because our world makes everything for righties.

My grandmother could write perfectly with both hands. Her school forced everyone to write right handed, but being naturally left handed, wrote with her left when the teachers weren't around.

My mother is nuts. She can write in cursive, backwards with her dominant left hand!!

But me, I unclip left because I like to push off right.

[Lise]

My mother is nuts. She can write in cursive, backwards with her dominant left hand!!

Ummmm....the possibility of alien comes to mind...

Wow. Now that's some skills!

I always push off left--I s'pose because I always unclip right!

[BikeMomma]

Good idea for a poll, Velogirl! (sold that track bike yet?)

I unclip left usually. Before I start, I clip in with my right. But, lately I've been known to just go with both unclipped and then clip in both feet on the fly. I guess I'm consciously trying to convert to ambifootedness, as SK put it (that was you right?).

oh yea -- I mount left too. But I'm right-handed. Go figure.
~BikeMomma

[SadieKate]

My mother is nuts. She can write in cursive, backwards with her dominant left hand!!

OK, I'm now very suspicious of everything my mother told me about her past. Is there some secret family I don't know about? This describes my mother also. But you should insert the word "very" in front of "nuts."

I wonder if this skill is common amongst lefties.

[bikerz]

I seem to be unclipping BOTH feet all the time (seems the best way to avoid falling over - I have a grand total of six (6!) falls from a standstill to my credit...)

[DirtDiva]

I wonder if this skill is common amongst lefties.

I reckon it would offer much more natural writing mechanics (for lack of a better wayto describe it). Lots of lefties have writing that slopes noticeably "backwards" because it allows much more comfortable writing posture.

[betagirl]

I unclip to the right, get on the bike from the left side. My right leg is stronger than my left, and I'm right handed. But I shoot pool lefty Go figure.

[easterbird]

I just started w clipless in middle of March this year. I 'taught' myself and just naturally went to unclipping right. Fell 2 times at stops when I unclipped but forgot to lean enough weight to the right and did a sloooww topple to left. Luckily nowhere near traffic(I'm new remember!). Anyway love this thread. When I first started biking last Sept I just always pushed off with left foot and stopped with right foot down first so the SPD just followed suit. Also can only mount from left (I feel silly because I tried once or twice from right but can't get it together so....and I have to walk my bike on left side too.