FatBottomedGirl

How do you guys start on a fixed gear bike? really how do you get it moving while getting on it??
When I do it, I feel like I must have the crank very high, almost vertical, so I have time to:

• push on it
• hop on the saddle
• put my other foot on the other pedal in time to be there for the second stroke before the first gets to the low part and reminds me painfully it is a fixed gear...

Bandera

The same drill for any flavor of drivetrain:

From the NDS rotate Strong side (my right) pedal parallel to ground.
Straddle the bike and lock the front brake
Clip-in strong side foot
Look where you want the bike to go, not at the pedals
Release front brake, push down strong side pedal & lever onto saddle in one motion
Clip in weak side pedal as it comes around w/o looking
Proceed

-Bandera

TimothyH

That's about right. Put your weight on the saddle right away.

Once your weight is on the saddle then you will have time to clip in.

SpeshulEd 

Put leg over top tube. Put foot in pedal. Lift rear wheel. Rotate crank to proper position. Pedal. Put other foot in pedal.

With SPD pedals, getting your foot clipped in is super easy no matter where you are in the rotation. Clips and straps get a bit trickier.

TenSpeedV2

I do this sort of weird push off when I get started. Strong leg (right) is almost parallel to the ground already clipped in, and I sort of just stand up on it while pushing off with my left leg as I go. Ass on the saddle and by then my left leg is clipped in and I am going. Never ridden fixed with anything other than SPD's so I haven't had the experience with flipping the straps and dealing with that.

ThermionicScott 

I'm generally out of the saddle for a few crank rotations while I get up to speed. Like a standing start, but without the benefit of someone holding my bike, so I need to attach my other foot to the pedal within that first rotation.

Once my fixed-gear got me into this habit, it became my process for the derailleur bikes, too.

Scotti G

What brake?

But yes, it's the second time around for my right foot ... too often the third time around, especially late in my ride on my way home after I'm tired!

If it's not obvious, NEVER start on a serious up or downhill. But I guess the downhill would be OK IF I had a brake.

caloso

This, pretty much. I'll put one pedal in the 1 or 2 o'clock position, stand on it, and in one (hopefully smooth motion) sit down and put the other foot on the pedal coming up.

Co1Ev

Like so, just a little less elegantly:

seau grateau

CX mount is the only cool way to get on the bike.

REDMASTA

Never really thought about it, but when I come to a stop light I straddle the top tube both feet on the ground. When I take off I first insert the foot that has the pedal forward or closest to the top and push off as I seat my self in the saddle and as the other pedal comes around I slip the other foot in and off I go full speed ahead.

Bandera

If you never un-clip your strong side until you get to your destination, stop with one foot down at traffic controls you are instantly able to launch in the same well practiced routine when the light changes.

Not being caught flat footed in traffic (or when the gun goes off at a mass start) keeps traffic off your back with a strong in-charge start and a predictable solid stop/dis-mount.

If you look in the Masters Racing sub-forum @Hermes describes how practicing his start was key to winnng his District/Age class in 500M track event. A bad start on the track in a sure loss, a bad start in road traffic can be much more consequential.

prooftheory

Nobody is going with the one-foot track stand?

seau grateau

+1 to this, I never unclip my right foot unless I'm getting off the bike.

andr0id

A) Don't ride a gear so huge you can't start with a little effort from a stop.
B) Start with left crank a little bit ahead of TDC, foot clipped into left pedal, right foot on ground. Butt on saddle or straddling, doesn't really matter, just sit as your starting left pedal stroke.
C) Push down on left pedal, as right pedal reaches top, clip in right foot. If you need a bit more momentum, catch the right foot on the next stroke.
D) Ride away


* swap left and right as you see fit. I keep my left foot clipped in because if my grounded foot ever slips, hopefully I'll fall out of traffic.

REDMASTA

I don't ride clipless and I ride in the bike lane or shoulder so cars will always pass me anyway. I try my best to time lights, when I approach a red light I begin to slow down and try to time it so that it turns green before I stop moving. If I get stuck at a light that will take a long time to turn I will put both feet on the ground because it's more comfortable. When I see that it is coming time for the light to change I'll put my foot back in the pedal strap and get ready to take off.

My car is a stick and I hate traffic lights and do the exact same thing, I'll roll along at 10mph to avoid having to stop at the light. I also don't sit with the my foot on the clutch and the pedal in gear if I'm going to be there a while. I just watch the lights and I'm off the line before anyone else...

Owlex

Am I weird for feeling much more comfortable clipping in left first? I'm right handed, right eyed, right footed. Have just always put in the non-drive-side foot first.

street_sweeper

i clip in my right leg then push off and sit on the saddle and clip in the left as im going, if i have time to get my right leg parallel to the ground i will by lifting up the rear of the bike and spinning the wheel.

Huffandstuff

Correct.

I cross mount getting on and if I'm at a light, it's usually right foot clipped in, sitting on top tube looking casually cool, then a pedal stroke to sit on the seat while clipping left foot in, this is all reversed if I stop with my left foot forward though.

FBinNY 

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S SO COMPLICATED ABOUT IT.

You start and ride it exactly the same as any other bike, except that you can't coast, though who coasts when starting anyway. BITD when we used to clips and straps there was the slight complication that you had to reach down to tighten the straps while pedaling.. These days clipless pedals eliminate even that small inconvenience.

applesoggy

I still use clips and straps,and if you're using the right straps you don't have to reach down to adjust.

seau grateau

Back in the days when people used them as legit foot retention with slotted cleats, they did.

TenSpeedV2

Now I am all gonna be paying attention to how I start off at a light tomorrow. I would really like to learn the cross foot or whatever when I first get on the bike. Standing on the drive side, right foot in and you start rolling and then swing your left leg over all while getting onto the saddle. I have not tried this yet for fear of wrecking like a total noob.

applesoggy

Oh yeah that's right I had Diadora (or something like that too late to Google) in the 80s

79pmooney

I still use slotted cleats and pull my straps tight. Accidentally un-clipping clipless pedals at 200 RPM scares the **** out of me. That is a very real injury that I'm not forgetting for weeks or months. (And that's before I hit the road.) Riding a pedal/cleat system where I can un-clip and have my foot completely free down a fast hill fixed is, for me, completely not fun. But good cleats (ie aluminum with slots in good shape) and good leather straps in good shape and having a good spin makes fast descents FUN! Un-clipping is still possible, but my foot is still on the pedal. Grab the brakes, bleed about 5 mph of speed and all is good.

If you ride a 42-17 and do a 40 mph descent, you're pedaling 200 RPM. That's not a un-achievable pipe dream. Cars have clocked me at that speed many times.

Oh, and to the OP's question: I make my fix gear pedals easy to pick up by adding a huge (and strong) steel tab bolted to the rear rattrap. (I make them from 1/2" x 1/8" flat bar. At any Home Depot.) and the tab I hit with my shoe is more than an inch long. I then add enough washers to the toeclip bolts that the pedals hang toeclip down, tab up to make flipping them back easy. I know it sounds like the weight would really hurt you going uphill. But if you do say a century with hills and you just once have to stop and start on a steep hill, you will realize that was weight very well spent!

Ben