vol

When there is an impending accident, such as when you are about to hit a pedestrian/object/vehicle, do you immediately get off your bike completely (both feet on ground), or just stop the bike with one foot still on the pedal? (I mean your immediate reaction, regardless whether you eventually get off the bike)

Machka 

My immediate reaction is to slow down and try to maneouver around whatever it is.

If I have to stop ... it's usually just one foot on the ground.

Why??

Alaraine

my first reactions is to hit both brakes as hard as i can without locking up the tires and try to get around it as well.

OldTryGuy

So far, grab both brakes while butt is placed as far back behind seat with knees bent and chest just about hitting seat top. Have not had to lay it down YET. About 2 weeks ago with a right hooking auto into a parking lot, butt back, brakes, stopped and then proceeded. If cannot ride on, foot down before falling down.

If contact is immanent, OH SHOOT and hope for the best.

pauoos

If I had to come to a complete stop, then my reaction would be to just put one foot down. Presumably I would want to get going again just as soon as the danger had passed.

I can maneuver the bike at very low speeds if I have to, so I rarely need to dismount (or put two feet down) unless the circumstances are somewhat unusual.

Your question is deliciously obtuse. Could you please describe the scenario you are asking about?

BugDude

If I have time to get off the bike before I hit something I think I would have enough time to avoid whatever it is in the way. I'm not that fast at dismounting...perhaps I need to work on that.

gpburdell

Confusing question. If you have time to stop your bike and either get off it or stay on, how is there still an "impending accident?" You can't crash into something if you've stopped, and if something is about to crash into you better to move out of its path instead of stopping.

imi

Depends. Some dangers can be swerved around. Others you need to slam the brakes on. Or fling yourself off the bike into the ditch! Pack of rabid dogs chasing you down, I'd dismount and try to keep the bike between me and them... or try to outrace them... and so on and so on... Hopefully your reaction governed by instinct, experience and a split second decision will be the right one. If not you'll have learned something for the next time around!

spdracr39

If there is time to think about it it is irrelevant.

Panza

All attention to braking and avoiding the worst case collision, you need to be clipped in for this. If youre worried about clipping out, you will naturally unclip in your crash.

vol

Ok sorry if it's not clear. I mean when it happens very suddenly, your almost instinctive reaction with no time to think. The reason I ask is that since my foot can't reach the ground while seated on the saddle unless next to a curb, I would dismount immediately, and so I always feel step-through bikes are much safer. Bikes with high bars scares me. (but please don't turn this thread into a step-through controversy, I'm still interested in your instinctive reaction to avoid an accident)

gpburdell

Still not sure about your concern. First instinct should be to stop or slow as much as possible before then swerving to avoid the obstacle. This has three possible results; you'll either (1) crash, (2) not crash and keep going, or (3) stop without crashing. Only in the last instance do you need to worry about your feet, and I'm not sure how it'd be any different than what you do any other time you come to a stop (other than adrenaline.)

You should be able to straddle the crossbar of your bicycle. Why would the crossbar setup scare you?

As for your foot reaching the ground while seated in the saddle, that's going to be normal to have difficulty doing so. Think through the geometry: your seat should be set for near maximum leg extension at the bottom of the pedal travel and you need some distance between the pedal and the ground.

Machka 

On a bicycle with a top tube, we usually have clearance so we can straddle the bar.

Most of my bicycles have the top tube, and I can't touch the ground with my foot while I'm seated, so if I have to stop, I remain clipped in with my left foot, slide forward off my saddle, and my right foot plants on the ground. All in one nice neat movement.

BlazingPedals

Sort of irrelevant for a recumbent. But, if I were on my upright, the first response would be to stop. If I did need to come to a full stop, I'd have a second or two to get off the saddle and put one or both feet down.

Retro Grouch 

"Impending" means it hasn't happened yet. I do the least that I can. If I can steer around whatever is in my way, that's what I'll do and I seldom look back. If I have to come to a complete stop, I'll put only one foot down if I can. A complete dismount would only happen if the situation was pretty serious.

I think that oftentimes the beat thing that I can do is to just get me and my bike out of the way.

bikecrate

Ha...I was picturing diving off my bike as it continues to roll into the obstacle and explodes in a huge Hollywood style fireball.

ThermionicScott 

Haven't we been over this already? You need to get over this notion of stopping and putting a foot down while still in the saddle. If there's any chance of stopping before crashing into the obstacle, you should be out of the saddle, standing on one pedal, and ready to put the other foot down by the time you've slowed. Top tube clearance is generous in this scenario, since jumping off the saddle and landing on both feet IS COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY.

Sounds like you need to keep practicing your starting and stopping skills. Maybe find an empty parking lot, and pretend that a car has suddenly stopped in front of you. Or whatever.

https://vimeo.com/112725801

caloso

The scenario the OP paints seems like it must take place at pretty low speeds if he is asking about just hopping off the bike.

pdlamb

Aye. I ride faster than some, slower than many, but if there's something I need to stop for, I focus on stopping. Even though I can't do a track stand, there's a second or two after I stop that I can leisurely put a foot down so I don't fall over.

jfowler85

If I see it coming, I unclip my right and flip the pedal over to be prepared for a dismount. Otherwise, just scrub your speed and take an exit.

If you can't reach the ground from the saddle, you need to either lower your seatpost or look into a smaller frame.

C9H13N 

My last close call ended with me halfway embedded in a giant shrub, left foot down, right still clipped in. Same way I dismount every time.

Needles

Depends on the emergency. If I see someone grab their chest and fall, I'd stop & dismount, call 911, and see what I could do to help. If it was a wildfire, I'd get the hell out of there, then call 911. Responses for things inbetween these extremes would depend on the situation.

caloso

I'm sorry, I have to disagree with both of these statements. First, if I have enough time to think about unclipping and flipping my pedal, I'd rather spend that time taking evasive action. And sometimes that evasive action requires an increase in speed.

Second, on most frames except for recumbents or low-riding cruisers, if you can touch the ground comfortably while in the saddle, your saddle is too low. Set your saddle height for riding, not straddling.

ColaJacket

Must have been slow at the ER this afternoon.

GH

Machka 

No.