Which foot do you start cycling with?

punch children with my right hand.

Kicking them is easier.

^^^No, because surely you lean toward the side your foot is down?

^D-lock to the back of the head

Do you also chew with your mouth open?

Chew food?!

Who has time for that?

Doesn't your right foot go down so that if you fall, you fall away from traffic?

If your riding technique is based on expecting to fall perhaps so.( same logic for wearing a helmet)
Some roads have a camber which makes left foot starting easier.

Left foot down causes you to fall away from traffic, right foot down would cause you to fall into traffic. I am experienced in this.

I'm a left footer and right hander and tend to start rotation with my left. I suppose I'm kinda like a human hybrid!

Hmmm... Yeah I prefer to Track Stand Fakie(Left foot forward) and thus start with left but push off with Right foot forward with left foot down.

Left foot down causes you to fall away from traffic, right foot down would cause you to fall into traffic. I am experienced in this.

The rules change on the Guinness rides ramaye

So far exactly 66% polled here are right footed while 82% are right handed
More left handed people use their right foot to start than left...

And yes I am bumping this as want more data
(Perhaps putting in the cycle training forum was a mistake though)

Also the poll didn't include any questions regarding serial killing...

I don't really understand which foot is the "starting" foot.

I move off with my left foot on the pedal and right foot on the ground. I pick up phones with my left hand. I use a fork with my right hand. I'm goofy-footed on a snowboard. I write and play guitar with my right hand. I use a mouse ambidextrously.

But what does it all MEAN?!

Sure signs of an ambidextrous serial killer.

Using a watt bike for training ive noticed my right starting leg is also at least 4% stronger than my left none starting leg.

I think this the mostly likely factor behind me choosing to start with it rather than a creation of strength from repeated starts but would be interested to know if anyone else has noticed the same.

I've been trying to switch and its painful.. doubly so at the end of a ride than near the start again reconfirming this theory.

I'm completely ambidextrous but I start with my right/wheelie with my left and also shoot with my right but write with my left I think it's probably preference

Using a watt bike for training ive noticed my right starting leg is also at least 4% stronger than my left none starting leg.

I think this the mostly likely factor behind me choosing to start with it rather than a creation of strength from repeated starts but would be interested to know if anyone else has noticed the same.

.

Good experiment and question though 4% isn't much difference is it?
Though how can you tell that this isn't from build up due to repeated right-foot starts?

4% is a massive difference, this is the sort of gains you get from doping. Now I'm not suggesting Tommy dopes in one leg, I'm simply suggesting you look at the evidence and come to your own conclusions about this.

I don't really understand which foot is the "starting" foot.

I move off with my left foot on the pedal and right foot on the ground.
...
But what does it all MEAN?!

So you start with your left foot. That is the pedal stroke that gives you the initial momentum to get your bike moving

I don't know what it means.

It is interesting especially for cycle trainers some of whom encourage people to start with their right foot while others let people see what their instinct tells them. This poll/ thread is to give some indication of preference and the link to handedness . As far as I know there are no studies on this phenomenon .

4% is a massive difference, this is the sort of gains you get from doping. Now I'm not suggesting Tommy dopes in one leg, I'm simply suggesting you look at the evidence and come to your own conclusions about this.

I've enhanced my leg in other none biological ways..

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One of your screws has fallen out. This is what happens when you don't use rawl plugs.

Those screws aren't even countersunk :/

I'd go back and get the work redone if I were you*

• I probably would as well :(
  

I will be cleaning this thread up later sticking to the topic. It is in the cycle training forum and trainers may find it helpful if its easy to read and not full of rubbish

(29 posts now deleted)

well I know which foot is my "main" becuase of snowboarding, however umm I push off with whichever foot is currently on the floor depending on where the pedals came to rest / curb is / time of the day / how the sun light is ... ;)

I start with my right. Fortunately this is my preferred foot but if it wasn't, I would have changed it by now to ease starting at the roadside and make it a little safer. When riding on the continent I consciously switch to left foot starting which feels a little awkward for a while but on a loaded touring bike I'm a lot more likely to have a bit of a starting wobble at the kerb so it makes perfect sense to switch.
Plus, it's what I tell my trainees to do so even if I feel competent to start with the left, I would be showing a poor example. I'm sure many of us are able to start perfectly safely from either foot in any situation but it doesn't necessarily follow that that's what we should be teaching beginners.

I start with my right. Fortunately this is my preferred foot but if it wasn't, I would have changed it by now to ease starting at the roadside and make it a little safer. .

What does this mean?
I have a problem with the use of the word 'safe' since it tends not to say anything helpful.

(EG I can tell a person to go when it's 'safe' or say 'Go when there is space and time for you to move off'.)

I think leaning slightly to the right into the traffic by starting with left foot gives a rider more visibility and makes them more visible so could be considered marginally better. I don't think the bdifference is enough to dictate to a trainee which foot to start with

What does this mean?
I have a problem with the use of the word 'safe' since it tends not to say anything helpful.

(EG I can tell a person to go when it's 'safe' or say 'Go when there is space and time for you to move off'.)

I think leaning slightly to the right into the traffic by starting with left foot gives a rider more visibility and makes them more visible so could be considered marginally better. I don't think the bdifference is enough to dictate to a trainee which foot to start with

Fortunately I didn't use the offending word.

What it means is that I believe a rider is more stable with their foot planted on the kerb prior to starting and less likely to fall into the road while looking behind them before setting off. I also believe the outcome of a starting wobble is less likely to result in a pedal hitting the kerb if the right foot is used for the intial pedal stroke.
I think these difference are enough to dictate to a trainee which foot to start with.
As I said, I believe this strongly enough to modify my own behaviour when cycling on the right.

Considering some of the other responses to your question this seems like an odd choice to start taking issue with.

I supposed it's rare to start in London with a foot on the kerb due to most roads being parked up. Roads have a camber so near the kerb roads slope which makes it easier sometimes to plant a right foot on the ground.

(If trainees wobble when they start perhaps they need more practice at level 1)
My main issue is that I think people have a natural preference which should be respected rather than changed.