Wait, does everyone mount a bike from the left?

woody33

swarlb wrote: »

How would you manage if you were cycling down a steep hill and turning left ?

Well, when turning left a hand signal would be less necessary, and I would not have to avoid any oncoming traffic that might suddenly appear. The road has a fairly sharp blind bend to the left as I was turning off to the right, while signalling to the car behind me. You with me?

CramCycle

For those of us who have a driver's license, and I suspect everyone else, we realise you can indicate left or right with one hand. It's part of the driving test but also something you'd figure out quick enough if needs must.

swarlb

woody33 wrote: »

Well, when turning left a hand signal would be less necessary, and I would not have to avoid any oncoming traffic that might suddenly appear. The road has a fairly sharp blind bend to the left as I was turning off to the right, while signalling to the car behind me. You with me?

Not really.... I'm just chuckling to myself at the amount of replies to this thread, and the obvious amount of thought that people must put into the reasonably 'easy' way to ride a bicycle.
Take for instance a father, bringing his son (or daughter) into a shop to buy them their first 'real' bike, so they can head off into the world and enjoy this simplest of pleasures.
The debate and thought that must go into it these days must be mind boggling... from .. "Da, eh, how do I actually get on the bike" to "But what if I want to turn right, I wont be able to do it on this bike 'cos the front brake is on the right"
God be with the days when all that was required was a half inch spanner to adjust the saddle height.....

I know I'm being churlish, but Jeez Lads and Lassies.... it's a feckin' bicycle...

What was that saying again.... "It's as easy as....?"

cletus

swarlb wrote: »

Not really.... I'm just chuckling to myself at the amount of replies to this thread, and the obvious amount of thought that people must put into the reasonably 'easy' way to ride a bicycle.
Take for instance a father, bringing his son (or daughter) into a shop to buy them their first 'real' bike, so they can head off into the world and enjoy this simplest of pleasures.
The debate and thought that must go into it these days must be mind boggling... from .. "Da, eh, how do I actually get on the bike" to "But what if I want to turn right, I wont be able to do it on this bike 'cos the front brake is on the right"
God be with the days when all that was required was a half inch spanner to adjust the saddle height.....

I know I'm being churlish, but Jeez Lads and Lassies.... it's a feckin' bicycle...

What was that saying again.... "It's as easy as....?"

I agree in principle with your point, but if we can't discuss bicycle related inanities on this forum, where can we discuss them.

I know what my wife would say to me if I tried to start a chat about which side of the bike I get on from...

Kickstands on the left is universal for bicycles and motorbikes. It only makes sense to go from the left.

Mjolnir

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Right side for me if I stop right foot would go down or if I walk with my bike I'd push from the right side. I'm left handed.

I think the 'correct side' though is the kerb side for motor bikes and horses are traditionally from the left side too as in yee olde times you may been wearing a sword on your left hip.

EDIT: Ha good thing I don't ride CX as I be shredded shouldering the bike on my left shoulder.

Motorbikes we mount on the left cause that's where our kick stand is and the lower side of the bike. I've had to mount high side because people are morons and its awkward af. You're right on the oldin time thing though something to do with the old way of mounting a horse.

swarlb

cletus wrote: »

I agree in principle with your point, but if we can't discuss bicycle related inanities on this forum, where can we discuss them.

I know what my wife would say to me if I tried to start a chat about which side of the bike I get on from...

You're right I suppose....

Here's a thing (ye'd really need to be over 40 to have ridden one when new).
It's fairly difficult, if not downright dangerous, to use the 'old man' approach to ride a Raleigh Chopper)... so, kids must have had to learn a whole new approach to getting on and off one.....and no cleats to worry about either.

Hurrache

I'm still sticking with the 'old man' approach being the best.

I do remember being a kid you'd ride any bike you'd get your hands on, there wasn't so much a concern for it being the right fit etc. Remember back to the Snapper and the kid who Colm Meaney, the bike coach, feared would saw his bleedin bollox off. The only way that kid could have got going was the old man approach. I used to take my dads bike and get going that way.

magicbastarder

swarlb wrote: »

It's fairly difficult, if not downright dangerous, to use the 'old man' approach to ride a Raleigh Chopper)... so, kids must have had to learn a whole new approach to getting on and off one.....and no cleats to worry about either.

like this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVIGhYMwRgs

tomasrojo

swarlb wrote: »

Does everyone wear 'cleats' these days ?

I don't. Same clothes on the bike as off, including shoes. I mostly use BXM-style pedals in combination with rubber-soled footwear though, so there's some additional grip.

woody33

Anyway, some well known hand signals:

nomdeboardie

swarlb wrote: »

Does everyone wear 'cleats' these days ?

Toeclips & straps holdout here :cool:/:o
(loose enough to get feet in and out without adjusting, but tight enough to allow a little pull-up on the pedals)

nomdeboardie

swarlb wrote: »

Not really.... I'm just chuckling to myself at the amount of replies to this thread, and the obvious amount of thought that people must put into the reasonably 'easy' way to ride a bicycle.
Take for instance a father, bringing his son (or daughter) into a shop to buy them their first 'real' bike, so they can head off into the world and enjoy this simplest of pleasures.
The debate and thought that must go into it these days must be mind boggling... from .. "Da, eh, how do I actually get on the bike" to "But what if I want to turn right, I wont be able to do it on this bike 'cos the front brake is on the right"
God be with the days when all that was required was a half inch spanner to adjust the saddle height.....

I know I'm being churlish, but Jeez Lads and Lassies.... it's a feckin' bicycle...

What was that saying again.... "It's as easy as....?"

Most of it's just retrospective musing about what we already do rather than overthinking from the get-go :pac:

Type 17

swarlb wrote: »

Does everyone wear 'cleats' these days ?

I use all three - my good bike has cleats, my three older bikes (70's road, 70's flat-bar hack & 90's MTB) have toeclips and my new bike (hybrid) has BMX-style open pedals (might go to toeclips if I don't like it).

Toeclips are a great best-of-both - you can just step onto your bike in street shoes, but you still have more security than open pedals.

crosstownk

swarlb wrote: »

Not really.... I'm just chuckling to myself at the amount of replies to this thread, and the obvious amount of thought that people must put into the reasonably 'easy' way to ride a bicycle.
Take for instance a father, bringing his son (or daughter) into a shop to buy them their first 'real' bike, so they can head off into the world and enjoy this simplest of pleasures.
The debate and thought that must go into it these days must be mind boggling... from .. "Da, eh, how do I actually get on the bike" to "But what if I want to turn right, I wont be able to do it on this bike 'cos the front brake is on the right"
God be with the days when all that was required was a half inch spanner to adjust the saddle height.....

I know I'm being churlish, but Jeez Lads and Lassies.... it's a feckin' bicycle...

What was that saying again.... "It's as easy as....?"

I miss being able to sit at the bar and discuss lighthearted, irrelevant but nonetheless interesting sh1te with like minded easy going folks.

So you'll surely forgive me for doing it here while the bar is closed.

Mc Love

I noticed today the side I get on my bike when stationery i.e. the left is different to the side I get on if I use the stand on the pedal mounting i.e. on the right

woody33

Ok, a quick post... I came across our local postman today, and lurked around nonchalantly as he got on his bike. I noticed it's post office supplied with hub gears and a step through frame. Sure enough he put his left foot on the pedal and stepped through! They don't make postmen like they used to.

nomdeboardie

woody33 wrote: »

Ok, a quick post... I came across our local postman today, and lurked around nonchalantly as he got on his bike. I noticed it's post office supplied with hub gears and a step through frame. Sure enough he put his left foot on the pedal and stepped through! They don't make postmen like they used to.

I read that in the voice of David Attenborough

Thinkingaboutit

I only get on from the right, but I am a citeog.

nomdeboardie

Thinkingaboutit wrote: »

I only get on from the right, but I am a citeog.

Cometh the hour, cometh the username