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MrConfusedBRONZE Member
addict
529 posts
Location: I wish I knew, United Kingdom


Posted:
I recently got my grubby little hands on a unicycle. Woo, except I'm rather rubbish. So far I have:



fallen off lots

fallen off lots more and worked out that if I grab the seat, the uni doesn't clatter to the ground

managed ride forward somewhat unsteadily, furthest being about 15 metres

managed twice to stop and ride backwards for a couple of revolutions before falling off

idle (more by luck than anything else) for a couple of seconds

bruised my shins lots trying to mount the damn thing

fallen off some more

learnt that a 2 x 1.5 metre patio isn't the ideal place to try to learn



Given the lack of space (meaning I can't really practice going forwards smoothly, as I run out of space before I get going), what is best to attempt to learn next? Idling or mounting?



J

EDITED_BY: MrConfused (1110309471)

If you're not confused, you're not thinking about things hard enough.


onewheeldaveGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,252 posts
Location: sheffield, United Kingdom


Posted:
Pricklyleaf- stop using the wall, and stop using a friend to hold your hand.

These are good initial practices, but, as you yourself say, you've mastered that stage now.

All you're doing by using support, is to improve your 'riding with assistance' skills, and they're good enough already; you need to focus now on your 'riding without assistance' skills.

You need to move on, and focus on launching yourself 'into the void'.

You will fall, and i'll be honest here- your assumption that you won't hurt yourself is not true- it's entirely possible to hurt yourself, which is why, when I was teaching youngsters to unicycle, I insisted they wear a minimum of helmet and wrist guards (I also myself, despite being a very good rider, continue to wear wrist guards on all rides, and, if I'm anywhere near the edge of my abilities, will wear a helmet as well).

However, bad falls are rare, and the chances are that, like most people, your falls will not be bad ones (I mention it only because I think that wrist guards are good things to have when learning).

I can relate to your experience- many, many years ago, well before getting into off-road-unicycling, my learning took place with once-a-week sessons at the local juggling hall.

After the initial supported/wall riding, I started pointing the unicycleoutwards from the wall, and launching off.

Like you, a couple of pedal revs later I was off the unicycle- then it was back to the wall to try again.

It took weeks, but eventually I was getting a bit further.

Then, one day, i launched off, and, the best way to describe what happened, is to say that I forgot to fall- I got right the way across the hall before remembering that I couldn't ride smile

And that was it for me, I spent the entire session on a kind of high- it's an amazing feeling when you start to be able to stay on.

Don't compare yourself to others Pricklyleaf- there's no point, everyone learns at different rates.

I've read your post, and I'm not going to bullshit you- when it comes to unicycling, you're obviously a slow learner. But that's not a bad thing- when it comes to skills like this, it's often those who find it hard to learn, those who take a long time to master the basics, who end up excelling.

Often they end up overtaking those to whom the basics came easily; possibly because, having had to put in real effort, they value the skill more.

(Many martial arts teachers say the same thing- people to whom it comes easy tend to drop out- it's the ones who have to work at it, who are not blessed with innate flexibility or skill, who ultimately stick with it and get to black belt and beyond).

My advice is to stick with it- if falling bothers you, get some wrist guards or whatever protective equipment you feel the need for. Try to practise every day or couple of days, preferably for short periods.

most of all, stop wasting your time riding with support, and get to work pushing off from the wall and learning to ride without support.

I'd be genuinely surprised if, by doing that, in a months time, your riding ability hasn't gone through the roof.

"You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it."

--MAJOR KORGO KORGAR,
"Last of The Lancers"
AFC 32


Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!


[Nx?]BRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,749 posts
Location: Europe,Scotland,Both


Posted:
yo,

and for me, I find it really hard to start from a wall behind me, you start leaning back already, instead of forward, I fid it much easier if im in between two supports to start, that way I can find my tipping point and get the pedals into the power position before pushing off.

good post dave, but now I feel bad cos Im never gonna excell at anything... frown

tongue wink

T wave

This is a post by tom, all spelling is deleberate
-><- Kallisti


Walrusmember
32 posts

Posted:
Hi I have been Unicycling for a few years now, there is no magical way to get on a unicycle and start riding, it takes practice, keep at it and you'll get there in the end.



Do any other riders get teased and or mocked from BMX riders, today I was at the local scate park and i dropped in on the quarter pipe and some retard threw an empty glass bottle at the quarter pipe and told me to get a real bike.
EDITED_BY: Walrus (1131107241)

Mr MajestikSILVER Member
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia


Posted:
suggest he try to ride it, then laugh when he makes himself look like a retard infront of everyone (actually anyone that breaks glass in a skatepark is obviously an idiot anyway)

alternatively, take the front wheel/handlebars of an actual bike, then ride around holding it infront of you like a real bike!

"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"

jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley


one wheeled blunderSILVER Member
newbie
2 posts
Location: Prestatyn, United Kingdom


Posted:
Written by: pricklyleaf


Yes, definately got the seat the right height, things out of the way etc, I know a lot of very experienced unicyclists. I'm fine if I have someone walking alongside me (just one person), holding their hand, but as soon as I try to launch myself off the wall, I can sometimes get a couple of pedals in before falling off. I even went through a period of practicing every day for an hour, and still made no progress. I think part of the problem is I'm too scared. I know I'm going to land on my feet and not hurt myself, but I still have that barrier. If I'm riding alongside a wall, I can do it perfectly smoothly (according to said experienced unicyclists), and sometimes can even let go for significant distances before reaching the end of the room, but I've been at this stage for a loooooong time. Like say I think its more of a physcological barrier, but i can't see myself overcoming it anytime soon, despite the fact I've really tried. Plus its very fustrating for newbies to come to the juggling club, get on the unicycle for the first time and by the end of the night, be able to ride it. It's got to the point of being embarrasing.




I was scared too so I share your pain. Also I was slow to learn.
One thing to try is to get protection - make sure you have wrist guards, shin pads etc. But most importantly - you have to believe you can do it.

I also found it easier to line up two chairs (with me between them) and try to ride a short distance - say one wheel rotation but have something to cling onto at the end. I could no more launch myself into 'space' than I could fly. I had to believe I could ride to the end and go for it. Sometimes I did it and sometimes I hurt my hands but it was the only way I could overcome the fear. Once I could ride that distance with confidence I moved the chairs back. Once I could do 2 rotations I turned around and headed out into space. But knowing initially that I would ride and then eventually fall to the ground made me too afraid to do it.

By the way now, 8 months later I regularly ride 6 miles on my 29er, i can idle consistently, I can jump and I am learning to ride backwards.

It's worth persisting. It's a fantastic hobb
smile

Don't mistake my anal retentiveness for affection.


Mint SauceBRONZE Member
veteran
1,453 posts
Location: Lancs England


Posted:
Went out on mine the other day rode it to work (well not all the way 36 miles is a bit far redface lol)

God I had forgotten how hard riding any kind of distance was my groin is killing me this morning
eek

before i met those lot i thought they'd be a bunch of dreadlocked hippies that smoked, set things on fire ,and drank a lot of tea but then when i met them....oh wait (PyroWill)


SkulduggeryGOLD Member
Pirate Pixie Crew Captain
8,428 posts
Location: Wales


Posted:
Minty, my sister is almost up and running now. She is however still having to hold onto wall/fences/doorframes to mount the uni and she can't work out how to do turns. Any hints on turning would be gratefully received smile

It seems you inspired her. She comes home from her main job, dashes over to the park behind her house, uni's for 1/2 hour then she comes back to dash off to her evening job ubblol Ahhhh bless! She is going to be able to enter the uni gladiators at Play if she carries on like this. I'm so proud of her :wipestearawayfromeye:

Feed me Chocolate!!! Feed me NOW!


[Nx?]BRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,749 posts
Location: Europe,Scotland,Both


Posted:
turning is hard, at first i could only go left,

you point your sholders in the direction you want to go in then twist your body round underneith to match.

Mint... gotta keep up the practice!

T wave

This is a post by tom, all spelling is deleberate
-><- Kallisti


SkulduggeryGOLD Member
Pirate Pixie Crew Captain
8,428 posts
Location: Wales


Posted:
Cath is getting better all the time. She can all but mount without the aid of a wall/fence/doorframe now and can cycle 100mts-ish without falling off. Turning is still a bit of a problem and is usually the moment that she falls off but she is getting better.

Thank you so much Minty for letting her play on your uni for so long at Play. I think it really gave her the bug.

Feed me Chocolate!!! Feed me NOW!


NateBRONZE Member
Groovy ga watashi no namae desu!
1,530 posts
Location: Oxford, Oxfordshire, England


Posted:
ooooh my.........ooooooh my, unicycling is soooo damn fun when you can actually do it

gave up in the summer after a few days of annoyance, but i've been back on it recently and in about two days i could just about ride it, i'm now going around the exeter city centre with mostly no trouble apart from the odd prick saying where's the other half etc lol

ooh and nearly getting free mounts solid aswell with about 1 or 2 out of 5ish with me actually going somewhere after getting on it

oooooh whats next.....rocking backwards and forwards....i think so lol


how's everybody else getting on?

I like Languages.

Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug.gif" alt="" />


Mint SauceBRONZE Member
veteran
1,453 posts
Location: Lancs England


Posted:


Im just at the beginning of level 4



I can

ride backward for 10 meters

idle with right foot down 25 times











Written by: pk_







Level 1

mount unicycle unassisted

ride 50 meters

dismount gracefully with unicycle in front



Level 2

mount with left foot

mount with right foot

ride 10 meters between two parallel lines 30 cm apart

ride a figure eight with circle diameters smaller than 3 meters

ride down a 15 cm vertical drop

make a 90 degree turn to the left inside a 1 meter circle

make a 90 degree turn to the right inside a 1 meter circle



Level 3

demonstrate 3 types of mounts

ride a figure eight with circle diameters smaller than 1.5 meters

come to a stop, pedal half a revolution backward and continue forward

ride with the stomach on the seat for 10 meters

make a 180 degree turn to the left within a 1 meter circle

make a 180 degree turn to the right within a 1 meter circle

hop 5 times

ride or hop over a 10 x 10 cm. obstacle



Level 4

demonstrate 4 types of mounts

ride backward for 10 meters

ride one footed for 10 meters

idle with left foot down 25 times

idle with right foot down 25 times

ride with seat out in front for 10 meters

ride with the seat out in back for 10 meters

make a 360 degree turn to the left inside a 1 meter circle

make a 360 degree turn to the right inside a 1 meter circle



Level 5

demonstrate 5 types of mounts

ride backward in a circle

ride one footed in a figure eight

idle one footed with the left foot 25 times

idle one footed with the right foot 25 times

ride with seat out in front in a circle

ride with the seat out in back in a circle

ride with the seat on the side in a circle

hop-twist 90 degrees to the left

hop-twist 90 degrees to the right

walk the wheel for 10 meters



Level 6

demonstrate 6 types of mounts

ride backward in a figure eight

ride with the seat out in front in a figure eight

ride with the seat out in back in a figure eight

ride backward with the seat out in front for 10 meters

hop standing on wheel 5 times

ride with the seat on the side in a circle to the left

ride with the seat on the side in a circle to the right

ride one footed with the left foot for 10 meters

ride one footed with the right foot for 10 meters

backspin

frontspin

spin



Level 7

demonstrate 7 types of mounts

ride backward with the seat out in front in a circle

ride one footed with the left foot in a circle

ride one footed with the right foot in a circle

walk the wheel in a circle

walk the wheel one footed for 10 meters

hop-twist 180 degrees to the left

hop-twist 180 degrees to the right

ride backward with the seat out in back for 10 meters

spin to the left

spin to the right



Level 8

demonstrate 8 types of mounts

ride one footed with the left foot in a figure eight

ride one footed with the right foot in a figure eight

walk the wheel in a figure eight

walk the wheel one footed in a circle

ride backward one footed for 10 meters

glide for 10 meters

hand wheel walk for 10 meters

pirouette

backward spin



Level 9

demonstrate 9 types of mounts

walk the wheel one footed in a figure eight

ride backward one footed in a circle

ride backward with the seat out in front in a figure eight

ride backward with the seat out in back in a circle

walk the wheel one footed with the left foot for 10 meters

walk the wheel one footed with the right foot for 10 meters

walk the wheel backward for 10 meters

drag seat in front for 10 meters

drag seat in back for 10 meters

ride backward one footed with the left foot for 10 meters

ride backward one footed with the right foot for 10 meters

one footed with the seat out in front for 10 meters

backward pirouette



Level 10

demonstrate 10 types of mounts

ride backward with the seat out in back in a figure eight

ride backward one footed in a figure eight

walk the wheel one footed with the left foot in a circle

walk the wheel one footed with the right foot in a circle

walk the wheel backward in a circle

180 uni spin

sideways wheel walk for 10 meters

coast for 10 meters

side ride for 10 meters

walk the wheel one footed backward for 10 meters




before i met those lot i thought they'd be a bunch of dreadlocked hippies that smoked, set things on fire ,and drank a lot of tea but then when i met them....oh wait (PyroWill)


NateBRONZE Member
Groovy ga watashi no namae desu!
1,530 posts
Location: Oxford, Oxfordshire, England


Posted:
thats awsome, you've got that far......and you can do all the leve 3 stufff?? bloody hell, you know how to make someone feel rubbish lol

just come back from a ride with a friend of mine and i reckon i can just pass level one, with free mounts being quite sketchy still though

there's no way that i could do any of that figure of eight stuff yet though

I like Languages.

Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug.gif" alt="" />


NoddyToe Poking Bad Boy
2,865 posts
Location: Lake District UK


Posted:
wooo level 2, i can juggle on it tho do i get a pass? biggrin

Remember.........YOU LOSE!!!


joepublicnewbie
16 posts
Location: Huddersfield Uni, W.Yorkshire


Posted:
I just managed to finally control the unicycle yesterday, i was falling off all the time, but after months of trying, i got it sorted at last night's juggling society meeting.
It took the right height seat (the guy helping me said it's best to have the seat at a height so that when the pedal is down, your leg is straight).
Lots and lots of practice, lots of falling too.
When i enjoy something have strange perseverence, so i persevered and eventually i got my balance, then a few tries later i was mastering the free-mount (I had been mostly starting from leaning off a wall).
Perseverence is all you really need.

[Nx?]BRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,749 posts
Location: Europe,Scotland,Both


Posted:
i learnt to idle a bit!

thoes german 16yo's are a bit much!

T wave

This is a post by tom, all spelling is deleberate
-><- Kallisti


_FSA_now comes with skydiving license
1,627 posts
Location: In your head. (Tasmania, Australia)


Posted:
I'm getting there with my unicycling....gradually. Haven't really hurt myself in a while, last time I fell off I managed to dislocate my thumb, didn't hurt anything else....just dislocated my thumb. How I managed to do this I'm not quite sure. But that was a long time ago and there have been no more injuries since then biggrin

Been doing laps of the local tennis court....apart from getting strange looks and sometimes slightly offensive comments (you have to remember I live in a town which is un-touched by the hippy/hippie society, nor the alternative society) it's been all good biggrin smile

Proudly owned by the very cute Pineapple Pete. Owner of Noddy. Joint owner of Mr Majestik.


NateBRONZE Member
Groovy ga watashi no namae desu!
1,530 posts
Location: Oxford, Oxfordshire, England


Posted:
i've been riding mine to college every day for about 5 days now and thats about 1-2 miles, yesturday me and a friend whent for a few rides around torquay racked up around 10-12ish miles, now i'm ffooken knackered lol

I like Languages.

Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug.gif" alt="" />


DaizBRONZE Member
Radioactive Member
106 posts
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada


Posted:
OMG!!! Unicycles are fun! I've done it a few times, but not mastered. Can't offer any help. Lol. TEACH ME!

I'm gonna cut you up so bad, you gonna wish I ain't cut you up so bad.


NateBRONZE Member
Groovy ga watashi no namae desu!
1,530 posts
Location: Oxford, Oxfordshire, England


Posted:
anyone got anything cool, new and exciting to tell?

this thread has died lol

I like Languages.

Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug.gif" alt="" />


CharlesBRONZE Member
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand


Posted:

Yes well, since my son was born, I'm hardly even riding to work any more like I used to.

Latest skill I've learned, is to hang off pax (ie on their shoulder) when performing oustide on the unicyle and talk and joke with people for most of the time.

It turns a 2 hour unicycle gig into great fun for all involved, and ends up with me not being so hot and exhausted that I have to change my clothes all the time...

HoP Posting Guidelines
* Is it the Truth?
* Is it Fair to all concerned?
* Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships?
* Will it be Beneficial to all concerned?


Mint SauceBRONZE Member
veteran
1,453 posts
Location: Lancs England


Posted:
iv lent mine to peat

i mis her frown

before i met those lot i thought they'd be a bunch of dreadlocked hippies that smoked, set things on fire ,and drank a lot of tea but then when i met them....oh wait (PyroWill)


NateBRONZE Member
Groovy ga watashi no namae desu!
1,530 posts
Location: Oxford, Oxfordshire, England


Posted:
how could you do such a thing??.....tut tut tut, i mean really, lending your uni

you're far too nice to this peat fellow lol

i reckon i'm level three now, can do all of level two but my mounting with right foot still rubbish, i can demonstrate three types of mounts easily, i can hop, do all the turning things..i think

its quite hard to know what some of this means

i just cant wait till falmouth 6 now, or any other spinny type event

I like Languages.

Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug.gif" alt="" />


jemima (jem)SILVER Member
Pooh-Bah
1,750 posts
Location: london, United Kingdom


Posted:
Well I love my new uni, I can't do much yet without walls, I wish it would stop raining out side................................ eek I have a rain coat, what am I talking about ! ubblol

Never assume
Always Acknowledge


Mint SauceBRONZE Member
veteran
1,453 posts
Location: Lancs England


Posted:
still havent got mine back yet frown

before i met those lot i thought they'd be a bunch of dreadlocked hippies that smoked, set things on fire ,and drank a lot of tea but then when i met them....oh wait (PyroWill)


Just_Another_Clownold hand
965 posts
Location: London


Posted:
I juts brought myself a unicycle, and I love it!!. Just learning to balance on it at the moment but im getting the hang of it biggrin Its so much fun

Q:"How many Jugglers Does it take to change a light bulb?"
A:"One, but another 99 others saying,'I could do that if I only practised more'" biggrin biggrin

Gate Keeper to Shocked_Prawn. None may pass.


nonenonenoneSILVER Member
member
129 posts
Location: none, United Kingdom


Posted:
Just got myself a unicycle!! woo! so much fun (and its yellow!!) but its so hard!! can ride it so long as i don't let go of the fence!! biggrin

All this stuff in this thread sounds very impressive and, for me, totally imposible!!

Mr MajestikSILVER Member
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia


Posted:
its just practice, something which i really should do more of!

"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"

jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley


MissEgyptologyBRONZE Member
officially expelled from BYU
195 posts
Location: Southern California, USA


Posted:
I started giving unicycle lessons, adn I've loaned out my uni to my student for the week...i'm kind of anxietous about it.

I miss my unicycle ;_;

"So Miss, I think you win the prize... A mormon egyptologist in a firespinning chat room... that's gotta be a record of some kind"
-NYC

Thanks, NYC,but I quit mormonism now XD


EveishGOLD Member
*Tickles pretty strangers*
610 posts
Location: Australia


Posted:
just got my unicycle fixed!! I can start practicing again! Weee!

hehe Its fushia pink biggrin

What if I should fall right through the centre of the Earth and come out the other side where people walk upside-down?!


nonenonenoneSILVER Member
member
129 posts
Location: none, United Kingdom


Posted:
i got me a yellow unicycle!! that i can't ride at the min, (not that i can anyway, but im learning!) cos i had a slight accident on it and crippled my knee! frown

oh well, just a matter of time!

took it into college the other day, its hillarious watching your friends try to ride it! biggrin

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