Cyclocross - Mount / Dismount Practice tomorrow - Questions

Well, tomorrow I put the cross tires back on the bike and try to learn some mounting and dismounting techniques.

I am a beginner 50+ Clyde, who ain't real flexible. It takes quite a stretch for me to get my leg over the seat as it is in "road mode."

So, some questions:

do I lower the seat to aid in mounts/dismounts?
do I go for cowboy or flying type mount?
what is the best beginner dismount?


I don't expect to be competitive this year, I just started riding in April. But there is enough competitor in me that I want to start off on the right foot, so to speak, and so I come to you for your advice. Ultimately, I will likely get all the lessons I want and more in the races, but any head start I can manage is to the good. I have seen one video of a gent at Rutgers showing a step over mount, but with my seat height for road riding I can't imagine a successful mount that way.

Thanks for your input!

Me too, me too! I've started practicing mounts and dismounts myself, but it is more to get used to clipless pedals than technique. I'd like some beginner advice as well. If there are other southern Washington County crossers who want to get together to practice, I'm in.

david58, where in wet Oregon are you?

It's probably not a good idea to let mounting the bike dictate your saddle height. Lowering the saddle height can also lower your power output. That said, you probably do want your saddle slightly lower for CX than for road riding so that the bike has room to bounce a little below you on rough terrain. That said, check out this photo of Ryan Trebon's bike from yesterday's race:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6064/6111348994_6a312c183c_z.jpg

(BTW, if I'm not mistaken, he was running clinchers.)

Now, let me walk you through how I was taught mounts/dismounts.

1. Practice picking up your bike. Start by finding the spot on the top tube where it balances front to back. Get that spot burned into your brain so you can grab it without thinking, because you'll need to. Practice picking the bike up like a suitcase, grabbing at that spot. Be sure you're lifting with your elbow between you and the saddle. Don't underestimate the importance of having this down pat.

2. Practice running beside your bike. You may feel dumb doing this, but it's important. You need to get a feel for how far you want the bike to be from you when you're running. Start at a trot and speed up as you get comfortable. When you feel very comfortable with this, pick the bike up like a suitcase and run with it that way.

3. Skip ahead to dismounts. Get on the bike and ride slowly on flat ground. Start by just unclipping and re-clipping your right foot as you coast along. When you're ready, try lifting your leg over the saddle and coasting along with your left foot still clipped in. If you're nervous about this, you can try practicing the coasting part first by clipping in your left foot while standing beside the bike and cruising along scooter style. If you can't get your right leg over the saddle while you're coasting, this whole venture probably isn't going to go well. If you can, you'll be able to do this like a pro.

Note: The clinics I've been to have all talked about how you should put your right hand on the top tube as you're dismounting to get ready to lift the bike. I've always found this is a sure recipe for falling on my face. I just can't work out the balance. So I dismount with both hands on the bars (probably releasing with the right hand just as my right foot is coming down). I started out doing it with my hands on the tops of the bars, but now I usually do it from the hoods. If you're comfortable putting a hand on the top tube, that's probably the way to go, but I think it's most important to do what feels comfortable to you.

Note also: Under no circumstances should you even consider touching the brakes while dismounting.

Note also also: Some people will tell you that you should step your right foot through between your left leg and the bike before unclipping your left foot or touching the ground. I am convinced this is non-sense. You can do it that way if you like, but stepping behind your left foot as you unclip the left foot works well and is much easier.

4. Get ready to get on the bike. At this point, I'm assuming a non-flying mount. Mr. Smith will need to tell you how the flying mount works. The way I was taught assumes that remounting doesn't actually involve jumping. Start by standing beside your bike and lifting your leg up onto the saddle. You want your thigh on the saddle with your knee just across. Practice lifting your leg up to this position until it feels natural, then work on doing it from a walk. Eventually, you're going to want to slide onto the bike from that position.

5. Do the mount. Just as above but actually getting on. Again, start very slowly. Walk as you do it, then trot. Don't run until you can do it at a trot. Don't look at the saddle. Look ahead of you. That will be very important in a race.

6. Put it all together. On as long a stretch of flat grassy field as you can find run along getting on the bike, clipping in, spinning the pedals one or twice and then getting off again. Repeat as often as possible.

Actually going over the barrier is important too, but I'll leave it at this for now except to say that you should be stepping over the barrier, not jumping it.

Good luck!

yes, what he said.

Few little details to add: Grabbing the top tube once you are standing on the left pedal only actually helps you dismount the left foot. Grab the top tube and push it away from you slightly while squaring your hips and a step through dismount goes more seamlessly. If you dont push the bike away a little the left foot can hang on and then it's not pretty. This is where cowboy simplifies that a tad but your legs will need to get moving really fast. Of course, by the time you are super fast on the dismount you'll be trying the step through anyway. cowboy works well when momentum is being lost like a 90 deg turn to the barriers or an uphill barrier set. That's what I'm told.

I'm no expert but found my skills day was super useful and am now going to be the only geek in the park doing a bunch of dismounts and remounts.

For those of you who don't know, Ryan is 6' 5". Check him out.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Jrmu-caCFY

(BTW, if I'm not mistaken, he was running clinchers.)

Upon further reflection, I'm probably wrong about this. I was saying so based on the tires being Clement Crusade PDX, but I just read in Cyclocross Magazine that a tubular version of these is supposed to be introduced this fall.

Grabbing the top tube once you are standing on the left pedal only actually helps you dismount the left foot.+1

Here's a photo of Tim Johnson mid-hover:
http://www.active.com/Assets/Cycling/CyclocrossObDismount3.jpg
http://www.active.com/cycling/Articles/Off_Again__On_Again__Cyclocross_Dismounting_and_Remounting.htm
So there's this moment when you unweight your left foot by pushing on the bars and top tube, that's when you unclip. I know some people (Myerson) teaches unclipping earlier in the process, but I hate bearing weight on the pedals without being clipped in.

The number one skill to practice is a proper remount from a standing start, both hands on the bars, no extra steps, just get on the bike and ride away. Over and over and over again. If you get this right, the rest comes a lot easier.

One last tip: After a portage, carefully PLACE the bike down, don't drop it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVvkZs7tvK4

OK, probably a dumb question, but which foot do you clip in first after a remount? I can get either foot clipped in quickly when I have one already in, but I have the hardest time getting the first one clipped in. Everything about the remount I have seen described ends with you feet presumably dangling over the bike.

I have been thinking that the right should go first, since the right crank arm is already just past TDC after the dismount.

Me too, me too! I've started practicing mounts and dismounts myself, but it is more to get used to clipless pedals than technique. I'd like some beginner advice as well. If there are other southern Washington County crossers who want to get together to practice, I'm in.

david58, where in wet Oregon are you?
I'm in the Albany/Corvallis area. I can forsee a lot of time on my back in the yard today as I start working on this....my Labradors will likely be somewhat amused by the stupid master [again].

The two dogs were entertained. Sheesh. I suppose it's important to be someone's entertainment whenever we can. I will fill that role Saturday....

OK, probably a dumb question, but which foot do you clip in first after a remount?Start pedaling, and worry about clipping in later. Sometimes you'll hit them both perfectly, other times it takes a while, but the key is to keep pedaling whether or not you're clipped in.

Start pedaling, and worry about clipping in later. Sometimes you'll hit them both perfectly, other times it takes a while, but the key is to keep pedaling whether or not you're clipped in.
Thanks. That's pretty much what I've been doing up to now. I'll try to increase my rate of "first time clip-in" as time goes on. For now, I will be content to entertain the crowd with David58.

OK, probably a dumb question, but which foot do you clip in first after a remount?

both at the same time, (worked with toeclips) pedals at 3, And 9:00

or which ever pedal is on the bottom of the pedal stroke, 6:00, I'd say..

Start pedaling, and worry about clipping in later. Sometimes you'll hit them both perfectly, other times it takes a while, but the key is to keep pedaling whether or not you're clipped in.

And don't look down.

And don't look down.Yes! Great point. True on the remount, too.

+1

Here's a photo of Tim Johnson mid-hover:
http://www.active.com/Assets/Cycling/CyclocrossObDismount3.jpg
http://www.active.com/cycling/Articles/Off_Again__On_Again__Cyclocross_Dismounting_and_Remounting.htm
So there's this moment when you unweight your left foot by pushing on the bars and top tube, that's when you unclip. I know some people (Myerson) teaches unclipping earlier in the process, but I hate bearing weight on the pedals without being clipped in.

The number one skill to practice is a proper remount from a standing start, both hands on the bars, no extra steps, just get on the bike and ride away. Over and over and over again. If you get this right, the rest comes a lot easier.

One last tip: After a portage, carefully PLACE the bike down, don't drop it.

What you can't see here is that he's bracing the seat against his right hip which stabilizes the whole process. Andy K (above) said that the top tube grab was not stable for him. Maybe he's not bracing the seat against his hip. When you have your seat braced, the right hand on the top tube should allow you all sorts of control, BUT YOU HAVE TO PRACTICE IT! Part of your training schedule for racing should be 15-20 mounts/dismounts on a training day the week before the race. This is a skill and must be practiced just like off camber turns and jumping the barriers!

Note also also: Some people will tell you that you should step your right foot through between your left leg and the bike before unclipping your left foot or touching the ground. I am convinced this is non-sense. You can do it that way if you like, but stepping behind your left foot as you unclip the left foot works well and is much easier.

Yeah, don't do this. Step behind. Stepping through is the old way of doing it and it's not taught anymore.


4. Get ready to get on the bike. At this point, I'm assuming a non-flying mount. Mr. Smith will need to tell you how the flying mount works. The way I was taught assumes that remounting doesn't actually involve jumping. Start by standing beside your bike and lifting your leg up onto the saddle. You want your thigh on the saddle with your knee just across. Practice lifting your leg up to this position until it feels natural, then work on doing it from a walk. Eventually, you're going to want to slide onto the bike from that position.

You have to push off the ground with your left foot to get your right thigh over the seat. Don't hop or jump, push!