How to Dismount a Cyclocross Bike
A smooth cyclocross bike dismount allows you to keep as much speed as possible while approaching a barrier or hill while maintaining control of the bike. Dismounts should be practiced slowly at first until the mechanics are smooth and effortless, and it takes little extra thought to dismount the bike. Speed can be added gradually as long as smoothness is maintained. Eventually try dismounting at race speeds, first alone, then in practice races or "hot laps" with a group of friends. You'll want to be sure that you can dismount cleanly every time - a faceplant at 20mph is not a fun way to start or finish a cyclocross race!
The Basic Dismounting Sequence
The basic dismounting sequence is as follows:
- Approach the barrier while scrubbing off speed by feathering the rear brake (right hand for traditional setup, left hand for reverse brake setup)
- With left foot at the bottom of the pedal stroke, unclip the right foot.
- Swing the right leg up and over the rear wheel of the bike and bring it slightly forward so the right hip is against the left side of the saddle. Lean the bike away from you to the left in order to keep rider & bike upright and on course.
In this position, you can practice riding and keeping your balance until this position feels stable and comfortable and you maintain full control of the bike.
Next, the right hand leaves the hoods or flats of the handlbar and comes to the top tube. The location of your right hand on the top tube is extremely important. It should grasp the top tube at the balance point of the bike...if you were to lift the bike from the top tube at this point, it would be perfectly balanced front and back.
Now the rider will have the left hand on the flats and the right hand on the top tube at the balance point. The next step in the progression involves one of two maneuvers for the right leg: Stepping through or stepping behind. Both methods have their advocates and each are described here.
Stepping through with the right leg
The majority of advice an how-to articles on cyclocross dismouting advocate "stepping through" with the right foot between the left leg and the bike frame. In order to do this the hips must rotate so taht the right hip comes forward and the hips swivel as the right leg comes between the left leg and the frame. The left foot is quickly unclipped as the right foot lands first on the ground, followed by the left.
This method of dismounting allows the rider to maintain speed and fluidity as the running motion is initiated by landing on the right foot first with a long stride and a strong pushoff. This minimizes the number of steps needed to leap over a barrier.
The stepping through method can occasionally result in a catastrophic face-plants, however, as it requires the left foot twists to the outside (to the left) as the hips are rotating to the right. This manuever is not difficult in practice, but when cross-eyed during a race, it's easy to mis-step. Failing to unclip the left foot can result in a 15 mph faceplant into a barrier or hillside, which if not painful, is at least embarassing.
Right foot steps behind
Another method, advocated strongly by cyclo-smart's Adam Myerson, involves stepping behind the left leg with the right foot in a quick hop, follwed by the left foot. This method allows the hips to open up towards the rear of the bike in the same direction the left foot needs to rotate in order to unclip. Thus, it's less likely the rider will fail to unclip from the bicycle. The dismount is not quite as smooth or pretty as stepping through, but this method can be more reliable especially when fatigued.
Left foot unclips first
With either technique employed by the right leg & foot, the entire dismouting maneuver can be made even more foolproof by unlcippign the left foot first and placing it on the pedal behind the cleat. Risks with this include accientally reclipping, or having the left foot slip off the pedal prematurely. Some 'crossers will glue a small strip of innertube behind the cleat to give a little more sticking power to the pedal.
Practice, practice, practice
Regardless of which dismount technique you use, you will need to practice your dismount hundreds of times before it is smooth and effortless. Practice your dismount at walking speed over and over. It may not "feel" like training but this is a vital and invaluable part of cyclocross racing. The better you can dismount, the less speed you'll give up at barriers an hills and the better you'll perform.
Clark Natwick demonstrates Cyclocross Dismounts
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