How do you push your bike?

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Alex321

Guru
Location
South Wales
I suppose the definitive answer to the question of how you push your bike is "with your feet on the pedals". If I was a Real Cyclist I wouldn't admit to pushing up hills, and in town the adoring crowds would part like the Red Sea before Moses as I arrive on my morally superior, ecologically sound means of transport so I could ride anywhere without dismounting.
The only time I ever push my bike is when I've had a mechanical that I can't fix at the roadside.
 
I think it is worth pointing out that a cyclist pushing a bike takes up more room that a cyclist riding

so if the rider is considerate and keeps their speed down then it is more considerate to stay on you bike

of course, many don;t and the rules state that some pedestrianised area you need to get off and push - but if it is crowded - or the path is narrow - then the other people are better off if you stay on

Had this a few times when the old Runcorn-Widnes bridge was "being repaired" for about 79 years - the small pedestrian path on the outside was open and you could push you bike across it - but it was better to stay on and just stop and lean against the railing when a walker came the other way
I suppose this is especially tue for me as my bike has quite wide handlebars
 

presta

Guru
I think it is worth pointing out that a cyclist pushing a bike takes up more room that a cyclist riding
It's also worth noting that if the bike's heavily laden you can stop it quicker with both hands on the brakes than with an outstretched arm holding the stem/saddle.
 

freiston

Veteran
Location
Coventry
I use different methods but find it difficult to do anything on the NDS, including mounting/dismounting - I put this down to being strongly left-handed and a few decades of not doing it from the DS.

Most of my bike pushing is on the railway platform/through the station or in pedestrian areas and I prefer to have both hands on the handlebars, so that I can negotiate the crowds with little risk of someone knocking my bars/wheel in a different direction/flopping the wheel. When I get to the ticket barrier, it's usually with my left hand on the stem with my eticket on my phone in my right hand. In cold weather, it can get uncomfortable holding the cold metal stem.

Where I have a narrow gap, then usually I hold the saddle from behind the bike - though in our hallway (bikes have to be taken through the house to the storage area) I do have trouble with the wide bars and rear view mirror of the commuting bike - often having to lift the front wheel and putting the bars/wheel onto the diagonal.

If I'm knackered, then two hands on the bars means that I can lean on the bars and let the bike take some of my weight. Once, going up a long hill with far too much luggage, too many miles and too little food and fitness, I couldn't manage this and had to straddle the top tube and shuffle up the hill.
 
I find that if I have both hands on the handlebars then people have more awareness of me and the bike as a single object in the crowd
If the right of the bars is empty then people tend to not realise sometimes and almost bump into it

I think this is because people look at other people and don't always realise there is over a foot of sticky out metal thing outside of the bit encompassed by the person
 

grldtnr

Über Member
I find that if I have both hands on the handlebars then people have more awareness of me and the bike as a single object in the crowd
If the right of the bars is empty then people tend to not realise sometimes and almost bump into it

I think this is because people look at other people and don't always realise there is over a foot of sticky out metal thing outside of the bit encompassed by the person

Depends on the sit6, mostly by Saddle, but if I am carrying anything in either hand ,the free hand grips the stem where the bars are mon- drive side
The recumbent ,I lift the rear wheel and tow it backwards it self steers then.

More Germaine is, how do you mount / dismount, for years it was a leg over the handle bars, which requires a little dexterity, but having a saddle bag or riding fixie, precluded that, sometimes a scooting on the right pedal and swing over the back wheel, more so these days.
The Recumbent isn't so easy I have , a cruciform chassis, bit my Niece demonstrated an elegant way, to mount and dismount from the side, much like an elegant lady getting out of a car,
Not so much me, I am an Ogre, ( green of course)
 

biketrailerguy

Active Member
Varies, depending on circumstances*
Always stand on the non drive side unless absolutely forced to do otherwise by things beyond my control.
Can't remember a time using saddle by itself, but occasionally handlebar +saddle.
Generally/ typically using just handlebars / stem in some way.
Don't do the 'bike vertical, only back wheel on the ground' method as I've got a tow hitch and custom pannier rack sticking out too much.

* depends whether just bike or bike with trailer attached - if latter, depends on load - especially if load isn't as well arranged / balanced as I'd like it to be.

Right handed, btw.
 
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