T1, is this how it's done - a video?

[Plainsman]

Found this on the net:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2451997485965879069

Is this how you all do it? I mean the second guy. My fear is winding up like the first. Seems like the one who nails it never misses a beat, but that landing on the saddle looks, errr, painful. Now that I have tri shoes, and an event in 2 weeks, I want to give it a shot. Any advice on how to pull this off without killing myself?

[Rahzel]

Yes, that's how a "flying mount" is done. You can also mount the bike with the shoes clipped in, without doing a "flying mount", at a loss of a few seconds of time, as you normally would with your shoes on your feet.

As far as practicing the "flying mount," go find a grassy field with a slight downhill and practice it! It doesn't hurt too bad if you slightly miss the saddle, but if you are way off you'll topple over. Either way, the grass makes things a lot less scary. :)

[rpiopio]

Oh Gawd, that looks painful. Saving 3 or 4 seconds on a long bike ride doesn't seem worth the potential swollen sack pain (if you're a dude of course)

[Plainsman]

Yes, as I prepare for my very first 1/2, I'm thinking I'll lose a few seconds on T1, and save myself the pain. There must to be something less jarring, isn't there???

[CoreMS]

Yeah.....I would forgoe the flying mount. That should be reserved for after you have some experience. You don't save that much time...you still have to lean over and strap your shoes, and if you are not successful you risk losing way more than you will gain. I never do a flying mount and still have one of the quickest T1 times. My suggestion would be not try a flying mount until you have a little more experience....you will be surprised at how many people do not do this.

[2oz]

Oh holy crap that is a horrible way to transition onto the bike. Not only are you throwing your body around vertically after spending so much time horizontal, look at how his legs flail as he lands on the seat. If he was around anybody, he could have easily lost his balance and be thrown off.

The only fast and correct way to transition is to have the left pedal at the 9 o'clock position, hold the bike to your right, and while walking it, put your left foot on the left pedal and stand up on it as you swing your right foot behind and over the seat.

[Plainsman]

That BY FAR sounds like a much more sane approach. Any video links to this method? The flying mount makes me think of the old spoof westerns where the guys jumps over the back of the horse, the horse bucks, and the guy keeps flying.