FatBottomedGirl

Hey all,

First of all, I'm not sure whether this is the right place to post this, it is about safe ride and about driving technique... if I am wrong, please advise.

Anyway, this is a little embarrassing...
I feel like I cannot ride my bike properly...

My saddle height is such that when my heel is on the pedal at its lowest, my knee is completely straight (I read several versions of this: should the knee be straight when the heel is on the pedal with OR without the shoe?, still it matters little because I am pretty sure I found the right height as far as pedaling is concerned: it does not feel like I have to "extend" my legs either side to pedal down and after a few hundred kms, I felt no knee pain so I think I am fine).

Still, my crankset feels kinda low: when I stop, I can reach the ground with my foot while still on the saddle. This is not a problem since the saddle is high enough and no problem during pedaling...

It is a problem because because of this, I physically am able never to "hop on" the saddle as I am supposed to, when starting (as in: standing, using a pedal as a lift to reach the saddle).
Getting on the saddle each time "works" but I do feel I am not supposed to ride like this. When stopped a bit longer at traffic lights, my foot starts to hurt for being on the absolute tiptoe, when getting on a bike, I do waste stupid extra time by getting on the saddle...

Why do I not do it the right way? that is the embarrassing part: it just creeps me out :/ I do not feel I will have that much balance especially when stepping on a pedal while being at 0 kmh, being *that* forward on the bike, I feel like I will fall over the handlebar...
And once again, my crakset is low enough so I am always physically able to get on the saddle directly....

How should I proceed?

Furthermore, how should one proceed if the current gear is too low (don't tell me to anticipate and have a higher one... sometimes one does not choose)? I mean if I step on the pedal with too low a gear, it will gain no speed before being down: no time to put the other foot on the other pedal, the bike still has not moved so balance is still awful... I mean.. it feels even more awkward...

Starting with too high a gear is almost right, because even the whole weight won't move the bike too fast, but the pedals don't spin that much...

Thanks...

howsteepisit

Lets see, one there is no right way. Biking is fun for heavens sake - let it be fun.

That said, I get off my saddle when I stop, stand astride the bike with the saddle behind you. Pull the right pedal up to the 1:00 position. When starting out press down with the right pedal, and let the momentum of the bike carry you forward while supporting you weight plop youfat butt on the saddle. Press down with the left foot after you are seated., continue alternating right and left foot.

As far a being in a convenient gear when encountering a stopping event - experience counts the most. Once you have stopped, changing of the gear on a derailleur equipped bike is not going to happen, so you have to select the gear based on the conditions when stopped ahead of time. If itsw a hill elect a lower gear to stop in, but never so high as to have to struggle to take off. Remember practice makes perfect, and it takes a lot of repetitions to get good at a task, so just practice and do not worry about it.

UnsafeAlpine

At the LBS I work at, we give a free fit to everyone who purchases a bike from us. The reason we do this is because fit is the single most important thing when it comes to enjoying your ride.

Take your bike to a professional fitter. They should be able to position the components in the most comfortable riding position and, if they're good, will help make sense of stopping and starting.

caloso

If your butt is on the saddle and you're balancing on your tiptoes, you are making it much too hard on yourself.

1. When you coast to a stop, just before reaching 0 kph, stand up on the pedals so that one of them is at 6 o'clock.
2. Take the opposite foot and put it flat on the ground.
3. Now put the other foot on the ground. Notice that by standing on the pedal, you've scooted your butt forward of the saddle and over the top tube. You are now straddling the top tube.
4. While waiting for the light to change, put one of the pedals at 1 or 2 o'clock (that is just forward of the top of the stroke).
5. Put your foot on the raised pedal.
6. When the light changes, stand up on the raised pedal.
7. The pedal will go down, you will be pedaling, and now you can sit down and continue on your way.

Commodus

Yes, this. Many folks want to get onto the saddle too quickly when they start riding. Think about pedaling forward, rather than sitting down immediately. You can sit when you are already going.

Metal Man

I will add that just before you stop turn the bars in the direction of the pedal you are standing on to insure the bike "falls" toward the foot that you have down.

welshTerrier2

Here's a very short video from Sheldon Brown that demonstrates starting and stopping. If you have trouble getting into the starting position, i.e. getting one leg over the top tube so that you are straddling the top tube, try tilting the bike toward the side you're standing on which will lower the height of the top tube.

When stopping, it's extremely important if your feet are locked to the pedals to make sure you lean the bike to the same side as the foot you've released. If you release your right foot when stopping, for example, make sure you lean the bike to the right so you can safely get your foot down. If you free your right foot and then lean the bike to the left with your left foot still locked to the pedal, you'll fall when you stop.

PartsMan

I start out wrong.
I leave the right pedal down and push off with my left foot like I am riding a scooter.
I can start out right if I think about it, but who really cares?

Chris516

The wrong section for this question.

What you need to do, is lower your saddle, only as low as, you can still put a taillight on the seatpost, with the light being at a 90 degree angle to the ground, so it is seen by motorists'.

Also, Don't allow the height of your saddle be where, you cannot put your feet firmly on the ground, when you are on the saddle, and, not at a height, where your knees' lock.

charbucks

I know you say you feel like it's the right height, but have you tried lowering your saddle? From how you describe it, it sounds too high. Also, are you saying that your *heel* is on the pedal? That seems odd.

When I had my bike fit, I was surprised at how low the saddle was supposed to be. It felt weird at first, but ultimately it's better, and solved my stretched-out reach feeling (my knees were also fine, or so I thought until I started touring with a load). According to this random website, you should be aiming for a 20-30 degree bend in your knee on the downstroke. One key thing for me (which may be what you were talking about with the heel) was having my heel and toe at the same level, i.e. having my foot parallel to the ground. Apparently I was actually pedalling with my heel lifted, but it's really hard to tell unless someone looks at it.

All in all, I second the recommendation to get your bike fit. Starting and stopping shouldn't be as stressful as you describe!

Dahon.Steve

I'm surprised no one caught this.

If you knee is straight, you will have knee problems sometime in the near future. Your knee should have a slight bend when the pedal is at the lowest.

tergal

Hi
In regards to the gears for sudden stops. It is a practice thing but the correct mounting and starting technique as mentioned above will solve some of these issues. The other thing i tend to do is always put the gears back to a slightly easier than i can pedal gear.

This stops me mashing and it means in case of a sudden stop i can start again easier. This gear is completely depended on you and the terrain .

Also Don't over think practice and have fun everything else should come with time.

jon c. 

If you knee is straight, you will have knee problems sometime in the near future. Your knee should have a slight bend when the pedal is at the lowest.

The OP is speaking of having his knee straight with the heel on the pedal simply as a means of determining fit. This is a common fitting tip and one I find to be pretty effective. With your knee straight in that position, you'll have about the correct bend in riding position. Having your toes just able to touch the ground when in the saddle sounds about right. If you have to stop for more than a few seconds, you need to get off the saddle. Sounds to me like the set up is pretty good. (Which is not to say that professional fitting is a bad idea, but this time honored method works pretty well absent a pro fitting.)

As others have said, don't worry about getting in the saddle too quickly when you start. Just get started and your butt will naturally get back up on the saddle as you get going. If you're in too high a gear, you curse silently for not having properly anticipated that and just mash a little harder. No matter how you feel, you won't go over the bars. The force of pressing the pedal down should in fact be pushing you body back toward the seat. Worst thing is if you mash too hard you can lift the front wheel off the ground. But that's not a huge problem, it's just a bit awkward and ungainly. The more you do it, the more comfortable and smooth you'll get.

I would be very careful in thinking about lowering the saddle. I've made that mistake and it plays havoc with your thighs pretty quickly.

welshTerrier2

Check this out: https://www.ebicycles.com/article/det...#saddle-height and this: https://www.bicycling.com/maintenance...g-right-height

FatBottomedGirl

It is bent!
It only is straight when my heel is on the pedal barefoot, so the extra distance provided by the fore of the foot plus the sole allows the required bend angle.
And no, I am *never* pedaling with my heels, I merely used the heel as a measuring tool to set up the height of the saddle.

What jon c. said about lifting the front wheel is actually what creeps me out,... since I start with no speed, and therefore no self-balance on the bike, I grasp my bars real tight and have a tendancy to pull on them as I step on the pedal, and the lower the gear the faster the pedal is down and the higher the risk of lifting the wheel. Once when starting in a very steep uphill section, I was at my lowest gear (28 in front, 25 in back) and the wheel really did lift and since it was a slope so the bike was already in an "up" angle, the lift got even scarier, not no mention the achieved speed was still close to zero.

Still, thanks a lot for your answers, it looks like I will just keep practising...

krobinson103

You can balance at zero speed with a little practice. I sometimes lift the front wheel with my 30kg kid on the back when I take her to school. Its not going to put you down unless you let it. As for starting I usually drop a few gears before I stop if I know I'm headed up from a dead stop. I'll get one pedal moving, engage the other and just stand on the bike for a bit until I know the bike is moving fast enough and then sit down. I actually find a standing start gives me a little more speed at the traffic lights anyway. Also you don't want to grab the bars with a death grip. The bike will naturally find its own balance if you just guide it - don't fight with it. Its the same with a motorcycle. 'Be one with (force) bike luke...."

Notso_fastLane

I'm getting a recumbent trike, so I won't have to unclip when I stop.

delcrossv

That's my wife's solution.

caloso

Or you could learn to trackstand.

Chris516

I did, but added reminders are always good.

Dahon.Steve

I guess everyone correct me! LOL!

Every cyclists has knee problems at one point or another. Changing bikes, tires, saddle, clips, shoes or even bar tape can throw off your fit. All I can say is keep trying and you'll find something that works. I hope.

dougmc

If you're pedalling, the bike will be moving. Even in your very lowest gear, the bike will move, and it'll move enough to keep your balance -- so get going, then go to a higher gear when you're ready to do so. And there's no rush to get your butt on the seat, just get moving. One good pedal stroke will get the bike going enough to balance on level ground, though going up a hill you'll have to keep pedalling -- but then the low gear will make it all easier, not harder.

If the lowest gear is so low that you can't balance the bike while pedalling in it, it's too low to ever be used. And I've never encountered such a bike -- though I can see where a pedicabber's trike might be set up that way (but being a trike, it wouldn't matter.)

Certainly, being in too high of a gear (especially if you're headed up a hill) is a bigger problem than being on two low of a gear.

caloso

She said her knee is straight when her HEEL is on the pedal. Which means it will have a slight bend when the ball of her foot is on the pedal. If I recall correctly, the heel to the pedal method is a old rule of thumb for fitment.