Unicycle progression

Reasonably well, thanks for asking.
Freemounting with either foot now, though left foot mounts are still a little sketchy. Beginning to learn bunny hops and gradually figuring out idling. Sharp turns (90 -180 degrees on the spot) in either direction are usually balanced if not exactly graceful. Falling down short flights of stairs is becoming my new hobby (feels like > ).
Still getting weird looks around the village.

J

Iv been going about a week now I only have a small room to practice in (about 1 and a half full revolutions till I run out of space) I live on a steep hill so outside is no good and I'm not confident enough to take it far from home to practice in the open .

I'm able to free mount about 4 in 10 but I have to role back as I balance best with my right foot forward .

cos I did a lot of mountain biking when I was younger I actually find it easer to hop around holding the seat I can idle for about 30 seconds without needing to hop sideways

my forward back balance is fine just struggling with the left right balance yet . I can just about cross the room without having to use the fire-place for balance still weaving from side to side with each pedal stroke yet

So just have to find a quiet flat space to try this straight line stuff .

Cheers for the inspiration of this thread

try tennis courts or astro turf pitches- very good for practicing, and have surrounding fencing to hold on to Usually they are pretty isolated too. I'm just a bout getting it now, can't belive how long its taken, rode for a good 4 or 5 metres without holding on the other day, was very happy!

One week?? Blimey, you're a fast learner!
I found constantly reminding myself to put as much weight as possible on the saddle helped with the wobble when peddling.

Tennis courts/astroturf sounds like a great place to practice. When I finally got up the courage to ride around in public I was using a car park. The obvious disadvantage of this being the cars moving around. Still, taught me to turn pretty fast!

Feeling lazy now. Right, I'm going to go and nail idling tomorrow! Either that or practice for half an hour, realise I'm not getting very far and go watch the circus (moscow state is in town ).

Good luck with it all, it's such a good feeling when you can confidently ride without much danger of falling off!


J

In the process of joining the club, ordering my uni next weekend. I can hardly wait! Bring on the bruises.

did my first bit outside yesterday am now very brused in unspeakabul places bet my best was about 100m or so. but mostly only about 20 to 50 m

OK, getting very fustrated now, why can't I do this?

I've been practicing for about 2 months about 3 times a week and don't feel like I'm getting anywhere. (apart from the floor). So far I can fide about 4/5metres at the very most unaided (only happened once or twice). and ride for a air distance with someone walking next to me, holding my hand. Thats it. I can pedal quite smoothly but just seem to fall off whenever I don't hold on to something. I seem to be falling fowards and a bit to my right most of the time. I need advice (and a bit of encouragement please!)

It does take time. Looking back in this thread, it was a good two months before I managed anything more than a few metres. Keep at it!! And have a !

Some things I have found helpful (some of which are already in this thread, I'm sure):
Sit up as straight as possible, buttocks clenched, stomach in, chest out.
Look up! Try to focus somewhere on the horizon
Put as much weight as you can on your saddle rather than the peddles. This stops the side to side wobbles.
Avoid cycling with anyone helping you. The more used to having someone there you are, the harder it is when they're not there.
Listen to some music whilst practicing. Makes it harder to get frustrated, you'll keep at it for longer.

It does seem to have a very steep initial learning curve, but if you're managing a few metres unaided now, things should progress reasonbly quickly.

J

Woo! My unicycle arrived yesterday, and it is an incredably large quantity of fun. I named her -... which is interesting to pronounce. I managed to get about three and a half meters at one point this morning. I'm going to have sooo much fun this summer.

My friend Thom got me all paranoid because he told me that the drummer from Green Day lost one of his family jewels in a tragic unicycling accident. Didn't help that I was listending to Dookie in my CD player at the time.

i baught a trials unicycle and its beautiful, the only bad thing is i cant ride it, cuz i'm shite

as said in this thread before i am going to stick at it and try not to go running back to my sticks and socks, hopefully in about month i should be able to ride the damn thing

*runs off to order some aerotechs*

woot woot went all the way round the park this evening with both left and right turns am feeling quite controlled and relaxed at times now although for some bizarre reason iv lost my ability to idle seem to have traded going forward for staying still. free mounting is essential foe any serous progression as soon as I had got that down you can just set of from your last UPD without having to look for something solid to hold onto.

so now my plan is to start riding to work (only on the early shifts less people)

lucky b*stard

i'm getting worse, i tried again today and was mostly doing very sh** going like half a full pedal rotation most of the time

HEEEELLLLLLPP

humm I spent my first week in my room getting one only once or twice a day and standing their holding on to the fire place just getting the feeling of rocking back and forward on the bike with my feet in all sorts of different positions. this will give you a feel of balance my first time out side was so crap did lots of falling of but once you can do 10 m or so the rest comes on pretty quickly

read all of this thread mrConfused and pk gave some great tips that helped me lots

Hi all

Was wanting to get a unicycle (but not to spend too much) and was looking at them on eBay today.......however I found this thread and having seen the comments about crap uni's on here I thought I would ask for some advice before buying.

I was going to bid on the following :-

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=2904&item=7165120276&rd=1

Any advice on this would be appreciated

Laters,

Budgie

eeeeek no not that one I'm currently the high bidder I am jules931blue (or at least my mum is she has the e bay account )
but it is the same as the one I already have got it from the same company it has done me proud as a beginners one all I did was changed the pedals

I'm sure some of the more experienced riders will tell you its crap but I love mine has held together and is very comfy.

that shop puts a few up a week just hang round for a cheep one I paid 20 for the last one.

I put a bid on any under £10 in the hope it may slip under the net and I get it cheap they usually go for about 20 +10 postage so 30 in all some may say that is over the odds but I thought it was a good price

lol oops sorry Mint! Had my eye on that one as it finishes in the middle of the day = not many bidder!! Was thinking of maybe bidding on the 2 ending tonight but if ya think they are going a bit expensive I may have to get into a bidding war with ya!

So anyways what ya after another one for if ya already have one? Think ya should let me get it nice and cheep so I can get hooked

awww but I want 2

ok ok tell you what don’t bid on it unless I get out bid if I do go for it if I get it I will happily give them your address to post it to if you send me a check

I don’t like withdrawing bids make you look bad on e bay

you have my word if I win it for under 11.50 my max bid its yours

Awww cheers m8

Its deal then, I'll keep my eye on it tom as I'm off work and if anyone gets in a higher bid than you I'll stick my own on. If you win the bidding u get the nice star and I'll send ya the cash (paypal, cheque etc) and you can get em to deliver it here. I'll PM you my addy if you win the item.

Laters dude

Ya know, there's a separate thread for ebay unicycles.

http://www.homeofpoi.com/ubbthreads/show...5/o/all/fpart/1

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this one's just for advise on tricks and whatnot.

Sorry, but ya know if ya read my first post I was asking for advice....and earlier than that PK said if anyone wants advice on an eBay Uni then post up the link....which is what I did.

iv been out bid dont go higher than 20

Hello!!!!

reviving this old thread because....

I need Heeeeelllp!

been riding a week, going forward, no probs, freemounting, not bad, works sometimes.

Idling is really getting me down!!!

any tips for side to side ballance, and to stop migrating across the floor?

been at idling for 3 days constantly and not got more than 4 rocks...

okokok, Ill go practice some more....

unicycling is freaking cool tho, big up the one wheeled posse!

T

Keep practicing; have patience.

Most find idling a difficult skill to acquire- it sounds like you're making good progress.

After months of haphazard intermittent practice at idling, based on using supports (walls etc), I progressed quickly when I forced myself to get away from supports, and freemounting, then just going for it.

For side to side balance- it's a matter of manouvering the wheel underneath you on the side you've over balanced on.

yo,

thanks dave, I been getting a little further with it, bit of trouble deciding when to move the wheel under you when idling, but ive decided to try and correct on the 'backward' stroke, seems to be aworking a bit

cycled 8 miles over the last 2 days, and today I cycled about 2 miles without dismounting!

woot woot!!

T

Thats so unfair, tried to learn to unicycle for over 6 months, and still can't do it without support. I've given up for now.

pricklyleaf- post some details, you may get some useful tips

1. what do you use for support?

2. what's going wrong when you try to ride without support?

yo,

yeah, see if you can fnd a coridor to practice in, and just try getting a little distance without touching the walls...

im lucky cos i got a row of sheep pens that have railings at hand height, perfect for learning.

on the subject of Idling, I think im getting somewhere, I think (and I could be wrong) but it gets better if you make longer movements of the wheel.

I had a LOT of perseverance in order to learn even going forward prickle, so dont get too down.

T

Always worth mentioning what the correct height is with a tip like that

Correct height is similar to that on bikes, ie when the seat is in position, and the pedal as far from the seat as it can be, putting your foot on that pedal should leave your knee slightly bent.

It's very common for beginners to set the seat way too low (I know I did when learning).

After spending some weeks working with supports, try to get completely away from them- it's the only way.

I know that I spent ages learning th idle using walls for support and getting nowhere.

When I forced myself to abandon all support, it quickly progressed.