First bike ride

[cosmolinguist]

The weather gradually changed from mostly cloudy to mostly sunny as the day went on, and I wasn't too spoonless after work, and the combination of these two things made D suggest that we go for a bike ride.

It was my first one since before I broke my ankle so we took it very easy. About a mile each way, stopping in the middle for a couple of pints (I had a nice pilsner, perfect in the sunshine).

Pedaling is fine for my ankle but there are other things: for some reason I can only get on the bike by standing on the left side and throwing my right leg over it (so, all my weight is on my weak leg). It does not work the other way around. I have no idea why. Also, a thing I never noticed until today is that when I'm coasting, my legs always stop in the position where my left is the one that's extended: again, holding most of my weight. This I did try to change but it was always a matter of noticing how my legs reflexively ended up and then trying to alter their position once it'd made my leg twinge. Not ideal.

But the short ride was okay. I can tell I've Done Something, but my ankle isn't particularly sore or swollen. So I think I struck the right balance.

Comments

[zhelana]

you saying this made me try this and... I always throw my left leg over, but trying to throw my right leg over doesn't work! Weird!

[cosmolinguist]

I'm glad it's not just me! :)

[ewt]

I also only ever mount and dismount the bicycle from the left of the bike; I always mean to learn to do it the other way but somehow never make time for actually practising the physical process, which I think I would need to do. I also tend to end up in a similar position when coasting -- I think partly because my bicycle has a coaster brake (by choice: I grew up with one, and find them much safer than only having handlebar-operated brakes) and that's the most efficient braking position for me. I do make a point of doing that the other way around at least some of the time, and it always feels weird.

[cosmolinguist]

Oh yeah, dismounting is a little rough too because I'm on the verge of being too short for my bike so it really does depend on what now feels like a fair amount of time with my weight being on that foot before I can bring the other leg over the bike.

I think I would need to practice too, to do it the other way.

[ewt]

I do have a step-through frame, which helps some, but it's still a whole set of movements that I only use when I'm cycling, and in general when I'm cycling I either don't have time to mess about or just want to cycle around and relax, not learn hard things.

[cosmolinguist]

Yeah that makes a lot of sense! It's good to not do hard things when there's no reason to.

I haven't ridden a step-through very much but I'm sure I'd still have to stand on the left side. Though it'd probably be easier on my ankle just now!

[radiantfracture]

That ride sounds lovely. You're so good at punctuating activities with tasty pints.

I need to borrow my friend-colleage-neighbour's bike pump so that I can start riding again. I think I also have only one method of mounting the bicycle, but I'll have to actually do it to confirm. Maybe because I learned so early, like tying my shoes or using scissors. Only one body memory.

[cosmolinguist]

You're so good at punctuating activities with tasty pints.

D much prefers a bike ride with a destination of some kind. Which is not always, but often, a pint. :)

[otter]

I learned in soccer that my dominant foot/leg is opposite my dominant hand. Makes sense that you would saddle up just from one side. I'm glad you got out for a ride :) I am going to try to get out soon, too.

[cosmolinguist]

I don't have a very dominant hand...I write right-handed but I do most other things left handed. So maybe it's just having a dominant foot/leg feels weird to me in comparison. ;)

I hope you get to try a bike ride soon. <3

[mst3kforall]

Hooray for having spoons and nice bike rides in the sunshine (and a lovely stop in the middle)! (And being able to carefully calibrate and not overdo it)

I can only get on from the left side, too. I was told that one had to do it that way for some reason, but I can’t now imagine what that might have been.

[cosmolinguist]

Oh interesting!

I find it so interesting that we all have such consistent experiences here and none of us know why and until now I didn't even know that I had this. :)

[mst3kforall]

I was talking with my partner about this, and he says you can get on either side, but that the argument for getting on from the left hand side may have been that it was easier to hold the handbrake with your right hand when you were getting on?

[cosmolinguist]

The other argument I can see for it, in the UK, is that if you're cycling on a road, getting on (and off) from the left side means you can be on the curb instead of further out where the cars are.

[solarbird]

Yay, bike!