Bit of an N+1 incident + learn to ride advice

[tonycollinet]

I seem to have aquired a street machine (Thanks Wheezer)

Now I need to learn to ride - which will take place tomorrow, weather permitting.

Tips on how not to fall of in the precise way I did when trying to pedal into the garage tonight

(My short fat legs struggle to reach the ground when seated - also what is the correct mounting technique - not inherently obvious)

Ta muchly
TC

[CrinklyLion]

I have no idea how to not fall off and die, since on my one and only attempt at trying out Kim's we discovered that the standover height is utterly impossible for me and even with expert tuition I couldn't get on it!  But it can't be dreadfully horribly impossible - EldestCub managed it somehow last week.  Good luck and have fun

[frankenthorn]

(My short fat legs struggle to reach the ground when seated - also what is the correct mounting technique - not inherently obvious)

My approach when I had a Streetmachine (which one of the earlier ones with the 700c rear wheel and straight frame, and hence a bit taller) was :-

• Stand just in front of the handlebars on the left hand side.
• Grasp left handlebar with left hand (i.e. reach behind you)
• Step right leg over frame
• Sit down

[tonycollinet]

Excellent - that seems to work better than whatever I was doing last night, thanks. Still raining here. Supposed to be brightening up later, so will give it a go then.

EDIT:

Ok, seat adjusted. Fragile bits removed from bars. I'm going to go do some falling 


EDIT:
A few circuits of the park on grass. Then a few up and down the road next to the park, with a turn at each end. Then 25 miles in two rides. No falls, although a few near misses, especially trying to start up hill, and once trying to get away from the verge - went into trike steering mode (No countersteer - doesn't work) . Pace can best be described as sedate. But much fun. 

EDIT Tuesday - went out for 10 minutes this morning start/stop practice. Dropped it. Fared better on a similar practise run tonight. Seems panic is not a good strategy.