Originally Posted by
europa
It intrigues me that you keep the right foot clipped in. I do that too but we ride on the left hand side of the road (Australia) and the left foot is the one by the kerb - where practical, I stay seated and put my foot on the kerb. However, that'd be back to front for you so... why keep the right foot clipped in?
I don't know. I've always done it that way. Started using toeclips as a pre-teen???? Well, a really long time ago.
It may be that I always used my right foot as the "start foot". But, there may also be a practical application just the opposite of what you have.
Most of my riding is without curbs. So, if I stopped while riding on the edge of the road, to my right would frequently be a ditch which is less convenient for getting onto and off of the bike.
Even without a ditch, a road crown would make the distance to the ground less on the left than on the right.
Another thing is that I walk the bike some. I'm fairly strongly right-handed, and almost walk to the left of the bike. I typically hold the SEAT with my right hand while walking the bike. Anyway, it puts me on the left side for mounting the bike.
One might note, it is also common to mount a horse from the left side.