Originally Posted by
rm -rf
Here's the video you mentioned, on the
Starting and Stopping page.
A couple of questions:
Are you doing the "stand on one pedal and push off along the ground a few times" method?
Once the bike is moving, are you standing on the downward pedal, then straightening your leg, moving up and back into the saddle?
Normally? No. I get on my bike by swinging a foot over the back directly into the saddle. Then I clip that foot in (if on my road bike; commuter has flat pedals). I have the other toe on the ground. The entire time I have the brakes held so that the bike stays put. Then I push straight up with the toe to send the bike upright, let go of the brakes and start pedaling, and (if needed) clip in a little later as I start moving.
Originally Posted by
rm -rf
Lifting off the saddle
While coasting along, with one foot down, you should be able to stand on that pedal. Can you lift off the saddle and move forward? I assume so, since you can stop okay. This is the reverse motion of starting up and getting into the saddle.
Center of balance
You say:
"I can't figure out any way to get myself up off the ground with my foot that far behind me (on the pedal turned to the forward horizontal position) -- my weight is well forward of that foot, and I'm not strong enough to actually lift myself off the ground via only my hands on the bars"
That's interesting. I had to try it on my bike to see where my center of balance is. For me, it's just about directly above the forward pedal. Then, standing on one leg, with the pedal down, I have some pressure on my hands, which means my center of balance is a little ahead of the pedal. But I don't need to push off hard on the bars to stay upright.
Is your saddle all the way forward on the rails?
While coasting, if you stand up on one pedal, off the saddle, are you having to push back hard on the bars to keep from falling forward?
If I stand while riding and lean forward enough that I'm in front of the saddle, yes, I'm pushing back hard. At that point my elbows are locked, which gives me much more strength putting my weight on the bars. If I tried to dismount from there in slow-motion, as I bend my arms they buckle and I fall the rest of the way. If I do it at speed it's not obvious that I'm freefalling for a split second. Normally while standing the saddle is between my thighs -- if I'm doing a standing climb it thwacks into my legs with every stroke. It's not all the way forward on the rails at all, and I have a setback post -- I think it's a fairly normal road-bike amount of setback. My bars are about level with my saddle.
Originally Posted by
rm -rf
Momentum
I originally wondered if your starting problem is related to not having enough forward speed from the first pedal stroke. I've stalled out when I've been in too easy a gear, or on a steeper grade, and had to start again with the push-off method.
I'm generally holding the brakes until the last second doing this so that the back foot has something to push against as I try to lift myself up; I'm not pushing forward on the ground at all, I'm pushing straight upwards jumping up trying to get enough height to get to a point where I can either lock my elbows and/or clear the saddle. Speed might be an issue if I were wobbling/falling over as I tried to get going, but I'm not getting off the ground to begin with.