Getting my leg over

[Biggsy]

It's getting increasingly hard.  Would stretching exercises help?

[Psychler]

I'm interested in seeing replies.  Since I had my hip resurfaced 10 years ago I've had to lean my bike towards me to get my leg over.

[JohnR]

I also have to lean bike over a lot to get my leg over. My osteoarthritic hip is to blame, many years previously sitting behind a desk no exercise and joints start to lose their movement.

To get more movement in hip joint I have to lay on my back, knees up feet on floor open your knees and just let gravity allow your hip joint to open up. Don't force it, stop if pain's too much. I do this in the bath when warm. You should gradually get more movement in hip joint although don't expect to be doing the splits in a while.

I still have to lean bike over but not quite so much these days (been doing this for 3 years now).

John

[Wowbagger]

I can still get my leg over the tandem's crossbar. I go to a pilates class, which I suspect helps a bit, but I ought to do some stretching exercises at other times as well, I think.

[Jakob]

It's getting increasingly hard.  Would stretching exercises help?

Yes. Even something as basic as leg swings (side-to-side, back & forth) could help.
30 each day, each direction, steadily increasing how high you swing the leg up.
It'll help mobilize your hips. Deep squats and Samson-lunges are simple tools as well.

[Biggsy]

Thanks for the replies.  The hip is at the root cause for me, too.  It never quite completely recovered after breaking it about ten years ago.  Part of the problem is me being too lazy to have ever done all the repetitive exercises to improve the muscles.  The one that JohnR suggests should be nice and easy, though.  So I'll lie back and think of England for a while, and then get my leg over.

[orienteer]

Get a Moulton!

[Biggsy]

Or a Brompton!  ...One of which I have already, but not as a main bike.

[orienteer]

The Brompton is designed for folding, the Moulton for riding 

[Bledlow]

Or a Brompton!  ...One of which I have already, but not as a main bike.

Out of habit, I mount my Brompton the same way as my other bikes.

[Kim]

Out of habit, I mount my Brompton the same way as my other bikes.

I remember that I can step through it about 50% of the time.  I'm not very skilled at it though, and often end up kicking the frame.

I'm slightly better at remembering the delicate pedal-and-saddle-nose balance required to stand astride it without holding on.

[rafletcher]

Thanks for the replies.  The hip is at the root cause for me, too.  It never quite completely recovered after breaking it about ten years ago.  Part of the problem is me being too lazy to do have ever done all the repetitive exercises to improve the muscles.  The one that JohnR suggests should be nice and easy, though.  So I'll lie back and think of England for a while, and then get my leg over.

Exercises are the key. My wife's had both replaced. No limps, no limitations. But a LOT of exercises. She went to a physio (who happens to work at an LTA tennis centre). He made a huge difference. Pilates (which she also does) helped with core strength, but not the hip. She doesn't stretch.

[Biggsy]

It's particularly difficult with bulging panniers, but I wouldn't need to give up full-size diamond frames even if my hip got really bad.  I'd just carry a box-on-a-string to get a step up.  It doesn't help that roadside kerbs nowdays tend to be shallow.  Have you noticed that?

Out of habit, I mount my Brompton the same way as my other bikes.

I do that as well sometimes, then call myself a right wally.

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

Or a Brompton!  ...One of which I have already, but not as a main bike.

Out of habit, I mount my Brompton the same way as my other bikes.

If I have used the Brompton for a while I have to remember not to dismount my other bikes the same way. 

One way of making a slightly easier mount/dismount is with one foot remaining on the pedal whilst swinging the other leg over.  Not so far to lift it over the saddle.  Easier with the dreaded toe-clips but even with clipless (spd) it works after careful practice.

[cycleman]

Get a trice trike  ,easy to get on and no problem balancing 

[Bolt]

One way of making a slightly easier mount/dismount is with one foot remaining on the pedal whilst swinging the other leg over.

I once demonstrated this technique on a British Cycling coaching course (I was being coached on how to coach)as a preferable alternative (IMHO) to the tri-athletes running mount.  But they just didn't get it...