jolly_codger

Has anyone come up with (or know of) a DIY step or platform to help getting on & off the bike easier when it's mounted in a wheel-on trainer? I am an older cyclist and developing develop hip issues make swinging a leg over a 3" higher top tube a real challenge (especially after a long, draining Zwift ride). Before posting this I did search on a variety of terms on Google and on this sub-forum along with the Indoor Training sub-forum and came up empty, so any help/suggestions will be very much appreciated. I also am posting this on the Indoor Training sub-forum to improve my odds of hearing good ideas.
~John

TennBent

I don't know the extent of your hip issues and I don't have any myself but here is what I do. While facing the bike from the left side and somewhat toward the front, I clip in to the left pedal. As I stand up on the pedal, I swing my right leg around the rear of the bike and plant myself on the seat. Easy peasy. Getting off the bike is simply the reverse. Unclip the right foot, stand and swing the right leg back around to the floor on the left side. Then unclip the left foot. Of course, it can be done from either side; your preference.

caloso

Perhaps parking a kitchen stepladder within reach? They’re light enough that you could grab it from the saddle and maneuver it close to the bike.

spelger

https://www.bikeforums.net/22701550-post2.html

streetsurfer

I use a skateboard. It sits with it’s axles/wheels right between the feet of the trainer so it won’t roll away.

cyclezen

This works great.
If a stepstool is too much, not enough space available, you can get a smaller One step or Two step stool at most any hardware or home supply.
Swinging the leg over or around may still be diificult, depending on your hip issues, but you'll have a higher, stable platform to work from.
The skateboard idea - novel use ! But I could see a Jerry Lewis moment and tragedy... LOL!
Ride on
Yuri

Polaris OBark

Bamboo toilet trainer stool.

davester

The most obvious solution I can think of is to get an inexpensive step-through or vintage mixte bike to dedicate to the trainer. After all, there's no need for a standard men's frame or high performance bike on a stationary trainer. It also solves the problem of sweating all over, and wearing the rear tire out on, your nice bike.

jolly_codger

Thank you all for the ideas. I like Streetsurfer's set-up, just not with the wheels on the trucks (Cyclezen's warning is heeded) . Unfortunately my trainer doesn't have cross members like yours does (would have liked to repurpose the kid's old boards in the garage. In the end I like Polaris OBark's set-up, though I think I will put something more non-slip on the top (like skateboard tape).

gobicycling

On my upstairs bike I have a ladies step through garage sale bike very easy to step over the crossbar which is quite low. No swinging of the legs over anything. On my downstairs trainer, I use a simple very light one step stool which I can push away with my foot once mounted and pull back in with my foot when I want to get off and I'm finished pedaling, like a plastic kitchen stool. That works quite well. I am 83 years old.

streetsurfer

If interested, you can get wraps that go over the wheels which become parking stops of a sort. I keep them on one for use as a balance trainer

Murray Missile 

I did the same thing just before I had total knee replacements this summer. It made my recovery SO much easier. I made some modifications for it's eventual use as my daily rider when the day comes I can no longer mount and dismount from a standard men's frame. I'm only 67 though so hopefully that's a few years down the road.

Bald Paul

You could try this - before you stop riding, shift to your largest gear (big ring front, small cog rear.) Unclip one foot (your preference) and grab the rear brake lever. Backpedal until your crankset is in the 3-9 (horizontal) position, then stand and swing your free leg over. Gradually release the rear brake to allow your clipped in foot to return to the lowest point and dismount.

spelger

wraps or not, this just seems like a disaster waiting to happen. i'll stick with my cinder block, heavy, stable, non-slip.

gringomojado

Take the milk crate off the rear of your shopping/townie bike and use inside along side of your trainer, then
"Just Ride"

gm

Dan Burkhart 

I also have a step through bike on the trainer to aid in my hip replacement recovery.
It’s ok for someone who doesn’t mind the upright riding position and I suppose adjustments could be made for a more aggressive position, but meanwhile I am able to mount and dismount with ease.

oldbobcat

A squatty potty?

staehpj1

They make inexpensive steps for excersise. My wife uses hers for getting on the inversion table. A google search for "exercise step" will turn up plenty of them. They start at about $5 and vary widely in price. You should be able to find one that is the height you want that isn't too expensive. I am a woodworker, but, when she wanted the exercise step I decided I couldn't build anything to compete with what was on the market given the adjustability and price of what was available.

BkSaGo

I just need a few inches of step up, so I use a piece of 4x4 on the floor next to the bike.