Getting On and Off Your Bike With Confidence

Introduction

Nobody actually teaches you this. Here’s one way to think about mounting and dismounting your bike — including what to do when your saddle is set at the right height and you physically can’t touch the ground flat-footed.

Before You Start: Where to Practise

Find a quiet car park, a flat piece of pavement, or an empty side street. Avoid grass — it’s slippery and uneven when you’re still getting the feel of things. Do this somewhere with zero traffic pressure so you can focus entirely on the technique rather than your surroundings.

You only need about 20 minutes to go from uncertain to confident.

Watch first — then follow the steps below

Why You Can’t Touch the Ground — And Why That’s Correct

When your saddle is set at the right height for efficient, knee-friendly pedalling, you will not be able to put both feet flat on the ground while seated. You’ll only be able to reach the ground with the toes or ball of one foot by leaning the bike slightly.

This is not a problem. This is correct. If you can flat-foot while seated, your saddle is too low — which leads to compressed knee angles, early quad fatigue, and the kind of ache below the kneecap that a lot of beginners wrongly accept as “just part of cycling.”

How to Get On Your Bike

There’s a technique to this that makes it smooth and confident rather than a wobbly scramble. Once you’ve done it a hundred times it’s completely automatic — but here’s the breakdown while you’re learning.

Step 1 — Stand to one side, brakes on. Most cyclists stand on the left side of the bike, holding the handlebars with both hands. Squeeze both brakes to keep the bike stationary while you get on.

Step 2 — Position the pedal. Place the pedal on your standing side at roughly the 7–8 o’clock position — slightly below horizontal, tilted toward you. This gives you a stable platform to push off from.

Step 3 — Push and swing in one motion. Push down on the pedal while swinging your opposite leg up and over the saddle. Swing over the back of the saddle, not the frame. Keep it one smooth movement — hesitation mid-swing is where wobbles happen.

Step 4 — Land and settle. Land in the saddle as your foot comes down. Take a breath, get both feet positioned on the pedals, and when you’re ready — push off and go.

How to Get Off Your Bike

The instinct is to stop, straddle the frame, then get off — which leaves you balanced awkwardly with the saddle between your legs. Here’s a sequence that tends to work much better.

Step 1 — Brake early, approach slowly. Give yourself enough space to brake gradually. You want to be moving slowly before any foot comes off a pedal.

Step 2 — Lift your foot. As the bike slows to nearly stopped, lift your foot off the pedal. This should happen as you’re almost at a standstill, not while moving.

Step 3 — Foot meets the ground. Bring your foot to the ground as the bike stops. Lean the bike gently to that side to help you reach.

Step 4 — Swing your other leg over and stand. Once you’re stable with one foot down, swing your other leg back over the saddle and stand alongside the bike.

Dealing With Traffic Stops

At a red light or junction you don’t need to fully dismount every time:

Brake smoothly to a full stop
Lift one foot and put it on the ground
Stay seated — other foot stays on the pedal or hangs
When the light changes, get your foot back on the pedal, push off, and go

Why Most Cyclists Use the Left Side

Using the left side to mount and dismount is the most common convention — and it makes practical sense. The chain, cassette, and derailleur sit on the right side of the bike, so stepping on and off from the left keeps your leg and clothing away from the greasy drivetrain.

That said, it’s a convention rather than a rule. If your situation calls for the right side, go for it. The technique is the same either way.

Building the Muscle Memory

Spend 20 minutes doing nothing but this loop: mount → ride 50 metres → stop → dismount → repeat. It sounds tedious but the muscle memory kicks in quickly, and after a handful of sessions you won’t think about it at all.

Frequently asked questions

Why can't I touch the ground flat-footed when sitting on my bike?

This is completely normal and correct. When your saddle is set at the right height, you should only be able to reach the ground with your tiptoes on one side while seated. Being able to flat-foot means your saddle is too low, which causes knee pain and inefficient pedalling. You balance the bike by leaning it slightly to one side when you stop.

Which side should I get on and off a bike?

Most cyclists mount and dismount from the left side — it keeps your leg away from the chain and drivetrain on the right. That said, it's not a hard rule. If your situation calls for the right side, go for it. The technique is the same either way. The left-side habit is worth building simply because it becomes automatic and transfers between bikes.

How do I stop without falling over?

Brake first to slow right down, then lift your foot as the bike comes to a stop, and put it on the ground. The key mistake is trying to lift your foot while still moving — always get slow first, then put your foot down. Lean the bike slightly to that side to compensate for the saddle height.

Do I need to get off my bike at every red light?

No. At a brief stop you just brake, put one foot on the ground while staying seated, wait, then push off when the light changes. You only fully dismount when stopping for longer — locking the bike, going into a café, taking a break on a longer ride.