On which side do you mount?

[Michael Macclan]

Waldo Hinshaw wrote:
> Lurking in this ng is fun, particularly for a pedant like me. It seems the smaller the object,
> such as the nut on a presta valve, the longer the thread.
>
> My question relates to TECHnique and not TECHnology. I just realized that I always get off and
> on from the left side of the bicycle. I am not even sure I could do it from the other side. Is
> this true for everyone? Like mounting a horse? Or do left-handers mount from the right? Or is it
> just random?
>
> I apologize for asking. It is totally unimportant. But I am curious.
From the left, although I am left-handed, footed, everything in fact. I would guess that the reason
is that I'm in the UK and if I mounted from the right I'd be standing in the traffic and not on the
pavement/sidewalk.
--
Michael MacClancy

 

[David Damerell]

Sheldon Brown <[email protected]> wrote:
>Waldo Hinshaw wrote:
>>My question relates to TECHnique and not TECHnology. I just realized that I always get off and
>>on from the left side of the bicycle. I am not even sure I could do it from the other side. Is
>>this true for everyone? Like mounting a horse? Or do left-handers mount from the right? Or is it
>>just random?
>Generally, if you handle a bike from its left side, you're less likely to get your clothing or legs
>soiled by the chain.

It is also easier to mount from the side that is next to the pavement (sidewalk, if you must) than
the side that's in the road. This is an easy choice for us in Britain, Japan, etc...
--
David Damerell <[email protected]> flcl?

 

[Tim McNamara]

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] (Matt J) wrote:

> I'm right-handed but left-eyed.

Huh. What I was taught (lo those many year ago) as a psych undergrad was that if you were left eye
dominant, you would also be naturally left handed. I don't know if more recent research actually
bears that out. Believe it or not, "handedness" is its own research field in
psychology.

 

[David Obando]

Odd question, but intriguing in its oddness!

I can mount with equal ease from the left or right, but curiously, I can only dismount comfortably
to the left... If I try to dismount to the right, stationary or rolling its "whoaaa whoa
whoaaaaa"... Maybe like intimate relations, its just more fun getting on...

David

"Waldo Hinshaw" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Lurking in this ng is fun, particularly for a pedant like me. It seems the smaller the object,
> such as the nut on a presta valve, the longer the thread.
>
> My question relates to TECHnique and not TECHnology. I just realized that
I
> always get off and on from the left side of the bicycle. I am not even
sure
> I could do it from the other side. Is this true for everyone? Like
mounting
> a horse? Or do left-handers mount from the right? Or is it just random?
>
> I apologize for asking. It is totally unimportant. But I am curious.

 

[Andrew Price]

> > I just realized that I always get off and on from the left side of the bicycle. I am not even
sure
> > I could do it from the other side. Is this true for everyone? Like
mounting
> > a horse?
>
Several comments -

1. there are cycling zealots who insist that because a "true cyclist" always mounts and dismounts to
the left, that tyre lables (if printed only on one side) are correctly installed facing out only
from the left side of the wheel, in the middle of the valve stem (arguably because this enables
you most quickly to find the valve and pump the tyre (and pumping always from the left or "off"
side of the bike). This may be discriminatory to the cack handed but I have not met any
statistically significant number of cycling deviants who reject that convention.

2. equestrians of my acquaintance insist on mounting or dismounting on the off side of the horse (at
least in the ex Brit colonies)

3. (dubiously) I am told the side a country drives on was dependent on the side of the road of the
horse mounting posts were provided on - in Brit countries they were on the left of the road.
Horseless carriages, when they arrived, stayed to the side of the road the horses kept to.

4. the bootless and the unhorsed (and those without the benefit of wheels) tended to walk where they
damn well pleased. They may well have become discouraged in that free spirited unconventionality
by the velocity and mass of the vehicles that they came to compete with on roadways - can one
still be arrested for attempting to walk in certain streets in Los Angeles?

best Andrew

 

[Paul Kopit]

I always sleep on the right side of the bed. I won't get into mounting and dismounting. As a cycling
fanatic, I can say that the aerobar on the bedpost is great.

 

[Paul Kopit]

I think horses came before bicycles and I recall that you get on them from the left.

 

[Paul Kopit]

On Fri, 21 Feb 2003 07:21:16 GMT, "David Obando" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I can mount with equal ease from the left or right, but curiously, I can only dismount comfortably
>to the left... If I try to dismount to the right, stationary or rolling its "whoaaa whoa
>whoaaaaa"... Maybe like intimate relations, its just more fun getting on...

I felt the same way. On a ride I had a miserable time with a pedal and it was very hard to clip out.
Within ½ hour where I had to stop for lights, I was clipping the right foot out without problem. If
it matters, I'm a leftie.

 

[Jkpoulos7]

>I ghost-ride my bike then run behind the bike and leap onto the saddle, John Wayne-style!! Yee
>haw!!! ;-)
>

With my sword scabbard on my left leg I mount from the left

 

[A Muzi]

"Andrew Price" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]... -snip-

tyre lables (if printed only on one
> side) are correctly installed facing out only from the left side of the wheel, in the middle of
> the valve stem (arguably because this enables you most quickly to find the valve and pump the tyre
> (and pumping always from the left or "off" side of the bike). This may be discriminatory to the
cack
> handed but I have not met any statistically significant number of cycling deviants who reject that
> convention.

-snip-

Maybe where you are. Here, the convention is label on the right - the "photo" side of the bike.

--
Andrew Muzi http://www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April 1971

 

[Todd Fahrner]

"Andrew Price" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...

> 1. there are cycling zealots who insist that because a "true cyclist" always mounts and dismounts
> to the left,

zealotry? all it takes is one small solid reason to tip the decision: i think sheldon nailed it: the
chain is less likely to mar your pants/leg if you tend to mount/walk to the left.

> that tyre lables (if printed only on one side) are correctly installed facing out only from the
> left side of the wheel, in the middle of the valve stem (arguably because this enables you most
> quickly to find the valve and pump the tyre (and pumping always from the left or "off" side of
> the bike).

i had learned that the labels were to go on the right, with the reason being that one could read all
of the bike's componentry labeling from the same side (drivetrain et al). as for lining up the label
with the valve stem, there's real sense in that: once you identify at which "o'clock" your tube is
punctured (with the stem being 12), you know where to look in the tire casing for the bit of wire or
glass or whatever responsible.

 

[John Albergo]

Andrew Price wrote:

>
>1. there are cycling zealots who insist that because a "true cyclist" always mounts and dismounts
> to the left, that tyre lables (if printed only on one side) are correctly installed facing out
> only from the left side of the wheel, in the middle of the valve stem (arguably because this
> enables you most quickly to find the valve and pump the tyre (and pumping always from the left
> or "off" side of the bike).
>
Aligning the stem with the label gives a useful reference when fixing flats. Once you've found the
hole in the tube you have a good idea where to examine the tire for residual debris or for cord
damage. While this can often be checked blind (with the fingers), there have been times when I've
prevented future problems by knowing just where to carefully examine the tire.

 

[Jeff]

I always mount left. Habit from childhood.

Just tried it from the right. Fell on the concrete. Head hurts.

 

[Ant]

Jim Price <[email protected]> wrote in message
>I've just built a fixed wheel bike, and I haven't learnt the rolling start on that, yet (any
>tips anybody?), so I mount that while stationary, rather than push off and throw my leg over,
>as it were.
>
> JimP

Speaking of light hearted topics, mounting bikes, and fixed gear: do any of you fixed gear riders do
the 'levitation' mount? i never actually rotate the pedal forward anymore to mount the bike. as long
as i can kick off with my other leg, the momentum carries my weight up on the backstroke. it's a
sort of fun feeling, and ive gotten a few looks from bystanders and bicyclists alike

'his freewheel must be broken'.

or fixed, more accurately.

cheers

 

[Dennis Baker]

"Waldo Hinshaw" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Lurking in this ng is fun, particularly for a pedant like me. It seems the smaller the object,
> such as the nut on a presta valve, the longer the thread.
>
> My question relates to TECHnique and not TECHnology. I just realized that I always get off and
> on from the left side of the bicycle. I am not even sure I could do it from the other side. Is
> this true for everyone? Like mounting a horse? Or do left-handers mount from the right? Or is it
> just random?
>
> I apologize for asking. It is totally unimportant. But I am curious.

The UPHILL side, it's very awkward to mount a bike from the downhill side. Also if for some odd
reason you fail to fully mount the bike you fall into the hillside and not off the edge of the
cliff. Any other sidedness is irrelevant. If for some odd reason I dismount on a flat spot or at the
top or bottom of a hill it's pretty much random.

-- The Ogre http://ogrehut.com

 

[Rex Kerr]

In article <[email protected]>, todd fahrner
<[email protected]> wrote:
>> 1. there are cycling zealots who insist that because a "true cyclist" always mounts and dismounts
>> to the left,
>
>zealotry? all it takes is one small solid reason to tip the decision: i think sheldon nailed it:
>the chain is less likely to mar your pants/leg if you tend to mount/walk to the left.

Hmmm... I always figured it was because that's the side you lean the bike on the kickstand, thus
before mounting you go to the left side to flick up the kickstand.

<duck and cover -- yes, even one of my 'road bikes' (the commuter) has a kick stand! the horror!>

-Rex
--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rex Kerr ICQ: 3917971 | Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that [email protected] | I might
not sin against thee. http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~rkerr | PSALMS 119:11

 

[Coppi]

I always get on and off the bike form the left side - a habit formed by cyclo cross racing. You
always mount and dismount form the left, because you carry the bike on your right shoulder do you
don't get gouged by the drive train... T

"Rex Kerr" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>, todd fahrner
> <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> 1. there are cycling zealots who insist that because a "true cyclist"
always
> >> mounts and dismounts to the left,
> >
> >zealotry? all it takes is one small solid reason to tip the decision: i think sheldon nailed it:
> >the chain is less likely to mar your pants/leg if you tend to mount/walk to the left.
>
> Hmmm... I always figured it was because that's the side you lean the bike on the kickstand, thus
> before mounting you go to the left side to flick up the kickstand.
>
> <duck and cover -- yes, even one of my 'road bikes' (the commuter) has a kick stand! the horror!>
>
> -Rex
> --
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----
> Rex Kerr ICQ: 3917971 | Thy word have I hid in mine heart,
that
> [email protected] | I might not sin against thee. http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~rkerr |
> PSALMS 119:11

 

[Paul D.]

Left.

"Waldo Hinshaw" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Lurking in this ng is fun, particularly for a pedant like me. It seems the smaller the object,
> such as the nut on a presta valve, the longer the thread.
>
> My question relates to TECHnique and not TECHnology. I just realized that
I
> always get off and on from the left side of the bicycle. I am not even
sure
> I could do it from the other side. Is this true for everyone? Like
mounting
> a horse? Or do left-handers mount from the right? Or is it just random?
>
> I apologize for asking. It is totally unimportant. But I am curious.

 

[Dave Jackson]

In article <[email protected]>, "Suzy Jackson"
<[email protected]> wrote:

> "Waldo Hinshaw" wrote ...
> > My question relates to TECHnique and not TECHnology. I just realized that
> I
> > always get off and on from the left side of the bicycle. I am not even
> sure
> > I could do it from the other side. Is this true for everyone? Like
> mounting
> > a horse? Or do left-handers mount from the right? Or is it just random?
>
> You've gotta get on and off on the left side, otherwise you'll frighten your bike.
>
> Regards,
>
> Suzy
>
> --
> ---
> Suzy Jackson [email protected] http://www.suzyj.net
>
>

Make sure you pat it's ass when ya walk behind it too.

Dave in Minnesota

 

[Cheesy]

Originally posted by Waldo Hinshaw
[Or do left-handers mount from the right? Or is it
just random?

Sorry for pulling up an old thread...but I find it interesting. I always used to mount from the left of my bike, then I got hit by a car about 4 months ago, and couldn't lift my right leg high enough for a month or more - and now I always mount from the right of my bike, even though I'm capable of mounting both sides.