Originally Posted by
HillRider
I stand by my original comment. For riders of anywhere near average height riding bikes with a normal bottom bracket height a proper saddle position will require you to lean the bike awkwardly far over to remain seated with a foot on the ground. If you can reach the ground comfortable while seated, either your saddle is too low or your bike and body proportions are out of the ordinary.
I agree, with typical BB height he top of the pedals is about 4" off the ground. If the bike is fitted via the
heel on pedal with leg straight method, that means that the rider can use his ankles to reach the ground, with his foot at the same angle as a woman wearing 4" heels. That may be OK if you're used to wearing 4" heels, but most people find this a somewhat tenuous foothold.
Add to that that we're talking about a straight down distance and you really want to reach out to the side for good support.
So while it's possible to toe down from the seat, most people with a correctly adjusted saddle will prefer to get off it while waiting for a light to change or whatever. Even after almost 50 years riding I still love to find a bit of curb when stopping for lights.