Difficulty getting legover . . . . ( snigger )

[malvandy]

Thanks for all the replies, very helpful. Certainly have moved on from mixtie frames. Will try different approaches including more stretching exercises. As for the Moulton bikes , very nice but in the real world for me anyway just out of my price range

[reohn2]

Thanks for all the replies, very helpful. Certainly have moved on from mixtie frames. Will try different approaches including more stretching exercises. As for the Moulton bikes , very nice but in the real world for me anyway just out of my price range

If you're very tight and unflexible,take it gently initially and make sure you're warm,warm room,warm clothes,sweating is good

[bigjim]

Definately try Yoga or Pilates before giving in to old age. Pilates worked for me when I had back problems. You have reminded me I need to get back there, as I feel my self stiffening up as I age. The Pilates teacher is well into her 70s and can stand straight with one leg up around her head somewhere. I think cycling and running can stiffen up unused muscles. Swimming is good for flexibility and they do a Hot Yoga thing now. My son attends for his back problems. I reckon we need to be more like the cat. Every time ours wakes up, he goes through this full stretching programme before he decides to move his lazy ass to the food bowl.

[MikeF]

Sorted!

That looks very nice. I never tried a recumbent or tricycle. I think I would feel vulnerable that low on a road in traffic.

[malvandy]

Sorry Mikef but my former statement stands, I would feel to vulnerable riding a recumbent, nowhere to store it & the eye watering prices is the final clincher. I still admire recumbent riders & wish them all well.

[ambodach]

I feel your pain. After falling over fairly often unless I have something to lean on or a kerb or similar to put one foot on I gave up and moved to a Brompton and a Bike Friday. A much lower crossbar or a mixte frame could have done but I decided to go the full hog. Next move will probably be to a recumbent or possibly recumbent tri. much to the annoyance of my family who regard them as dangerous. Being well over the biblical span I no longer care and will do what I can afford with their inheritance. If their worst fears are realised they will get their inheritance that much sooner.

[Mistik-ka]

The cool thing to do seems to be leg across the bars, not something I could ever do gracefully, or with any certainty of total success. I suppose hidden cables must help.

Yes, but I can assure you from painful experience that a bar-mounted mirror and front panniers do not.

[LollyKat]

I occasionally see a cyclist in my area who is slightly crippled - knock knees that overlap and though he walks without a stick he can't straighten his legs fully. He rides a normal drop crossbar frame. To mount he lays the bike flat on the ground and then (as far as I can remember) puts one foot each side of the crossbar, bends down and lifts the bike a little, then swings the foot that is inside the diamond out and over the chainset before bringing the bike upright. Getting off he seems to do it all in reverse. He is very slick about it, and once he's on the bike he can ride with the best.

[moultoneer]

Thanks for all the replies, very helpful. Certainly have moved on from mixtie frames. Will try different approaches including more stretching exercises. As for the Moulton bikes , very nice but in the real world for me anyway just out of my price range

You can pick up a decent used spaceframe Moulton for under £1000, and there are plenty of the older 60s/70s F-frame models for much less.

[AM7]

All Moulton models are available as a frameset

Not any more apparently - only the built up bikes are available new.

You can pick up a decent used spaceframe Moulton for under £1000, and there are plenty of the older 60s/70s F-frame models for much less.

If you keep your eyes open, you can get a Moulton APB spaceframe for around £500 or less. I bought my APB Landrover for £350 a couple of years ago.

[Cunobelin]

Sorted!

That looks very nice. I never tried a recumbent or tricycle. I think I would feel vulnerable that low on a road in traffic.

No-one worries about small family cars...

Yet there is no difference in visibility between a recumbent trike and a small family car in traffic!

[PRL]

Fashions have changed over the years. It was once quite normal to put the left foot on the pedal, move off and then swing the right leg round onto the right pedal and sit down all in one movement.

I could do that with "sit up and beg" bars. Put the bars down level with the saddle and it all felt unstable.

[iandriver]

Just a thought, would a kick stand help support the bike. Can't figure out if it would be a help or a hindrance.

[malvandy]

Just a thought, would a kick stand help support the bike. Can't figure out if it would be a help or a hindrance.

I have a centre stand, the type that folds to one side , it can't be operated standing astride the cross tube, have to get of & pull the bike back onto it. I know where you are coming from with a kickstand & worth giving it a try. Any recommendations for a good quality kick stand.

[pjclinch]

Various points...

Rolling (dis)mounts, where you scoot on the pedal and swing your leg over with the extra height it gives. Indeed, you don't see these so often these days, at least on the road. Sport coaching, however, it's entirely standard for those occasions you need to get on and off in a hurry (for a mount, as a half-way stage to a 'cross jump mount). It works fine in normal day to day use too, even on a loaded bike.

Well, mostly...


A full set of panniers makes a rolling (dis)mount harder than on an unladen bike, but with a little practice it's not only quicker but easier than a stop-and-swing approach. More style points too!

Moulton spaceframes. A good answer, as they have a low step-through height and are still incredibly stiff, and they can be configured for loaded touring. They also make really good general purpose bikes, though as noted already they're not the cheapest. I got mine (a second hand TSR8) second hand for £700, and I've never regretted it.

'Bents. I tour on a 'bent bike rather than a trike.



It's not hugely more taking of space than an upwrong, it takes luggage better (the lowriders are under the rider between the wheels so the main effect on handling is gluing you to the road better) and while it's quite a bit higher than a typical 'bent trike the stepover height is still lower than a conventional diamond frame, and all those people paranoid about being too low can stop worrying so much because I'm about the same height as in my car seat when I'm riding.

The too low thing is a frequent concern, but it's perception rather than a real issue. I once had a conversation with a driver through his open window next to me, where he told me (not asked!) I must feel very vulnerable down there. I pointed out our eyes were level. He ignored that, and decided it was too low to be safe. Do I feel terrified beyond belief when I'm riding around vans and trucks with drivers above me and with their vehicles obscuring me on my upwrongs? Nope.

Pete.