Triathlon - Transitions - Bike mount and dismount

I watched my first race a few weeks ago. I've been racing for a while, but this was the first time I actually attended a triathlon just to watch, no praticipation. For most of the race, I watched the transition entry/exit and I noticed something I had been taking for granted: Most people have no idea how to mount and dismount from their bike.

I'm really just curious as to how many of you actually have given this any thought. I can try and explain quickly (I've got to head out and so I can hardly go into any real depth) I guess. They're pretty simple, and maybe I'm just preaching to the choir, this being a slightly different crowd than some sprint-distance racers.

Mounting: Having the crankarms of the bike level, position yourself on the left side. Put your hands on both ends of the hoods or bullhorns if you have them. Start walking/running with the bike, and when you reach a safe enough speed for you, step onto the left pedal with the left foot, and in one fluid motion, swing your right leg over the back of the bike and onto the right pedal, forcing your hips and butt onto the seat. It's all very instantaneous, but the forward momentum of the crankarm moving down after placing your left foot onto the pedal keeps you from falling.

Dismounting: Much simpler. Place your hands on the bullhorns, swing your left leg around the back of the bike, tilting the bike appropriately to keep balance (this comes natural as you try it), and placing your left leg beside the right, which is still it's approriate pedal. Then, merely hop off the bike and run with it to slow it down. Called a Cyclocross dismount.

Very basic instructions, I'm sure someone could elaborate better, but it's somewhere to start.

I think the only really important thing is to unclip when you come to a complete stop. :D

An alternative mount is the running hop.
Many of the faster athletes i've seen use that. They just run along side the bike until they hit the mount line and jump up right over the seat and land on the seat first, before the feet even hit the pedals.
Haven't had the urge to try that one myself due to a fondness for my ummmmm friends down there. It is faster, however, but i'm not sure it's worh the risk.

I get on the bike and start riding as soon as I possible can. I don't have any particular style, just get on it as quick as I can and start pedaling.

I noticed the same thing at my first tri this saturday too. People were actually standing at the mount line at rest to get on their bikes. Very odd. Didn't really notice anyone at the dismount since I was pretty much alone, but I do the cyclecross dismount too. I do the running hop deal to get going. My "friends" are cool with me. I've always done it though and have no idea on how to give advice. Started doing it when I raced mountain bikes :-p

"I think the only really important thing is to unclip when you come to a complete stop". Yeah, couldn't agree more... Took a real bonehead spill over the weekend... Came to a stop sign and unclipped left foot just as the wife unclipped her right and somehow managed to pull just a bit to her right cutting me off resulting in me moving all my weight to the right nothing about what foot was unclipped... There I was on my back with bike on top of me... Wife and the other 20 cyclists laughing... Life is cru :o el!!!!

I tend to lead my bike by the seat out of T1. In IM's there are bike catchers, in that when you get off at the dismount line, race support takes your bike away for you as you run into the changing tent for T2. In one race a technique I used (in the last 1/2 mile) was to just get your feet out of the shoes and place your foot on top the shoes, leaving the shoes attached to the peddles and running in your socks to your T2.

Having the shoes already clipped to the pedals is a must if there is the possibility of getting debris in your shoes while running through the transition area. Mounting and getting up to speed is easy enough. Getting my feet in the shoes without loosing momentum is another story. Adding powder to the shoes and biking without socks helps (my socks get snagged on the velcro straps). I have read some articles which mentioned connecting the heel of the shoe to the bike via small rubber bands but I still can't see how it works. I guess I just need to keep practicing until it is second nature. Getting your feet out of the shoes at the end is no problem as long as you don't move your feet from side to side in the process (nothing like killing the point of a fast T2 like having to retrieve a shoe). I typically bike on the top of the shoes for the last 1/2 mile of a race or a brick workout--I find that it helps get my feet out of the biking mode and ready for the run.