Friday, August 1, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Learning to unicycle -2-
I taught myself to unicycle and the best advice I can give is the following.
"You're not trying to stay on it. You're trying to keep it under you."
If you fall off forwards, you didn't pedal enough. If you fall off backwards, you pedalled too fast. Don't worry about sideways, start beside a wall on a hard, smooth surface. Grass is tough to cycle on. When you fall off, don't try to stay on too long, 'cos that's the only way you'll get hurt. When you fall off, think!
"Did I fall off because the wheel shot out in front?" Control it's speed.
"Did I fall off because the wheel stopped?" Top-dead-centre is a position in which you have now power to control the wheel.
Start beside a wall with the pedals level, left foot forward. Now let yourself fall forwards, keeping the wheel steady. After falling a little way (which will be further than you think) put the wheel smoothly and fairly quickly through a half turn. Your residual forward fall velocity should now be just enough to bring you back to upright. Now do it again, starting with the other foot.
That's how I learned, and how I teach. Seems to work, so give it a go.
"You're not trying to stay on it. You're trying to keep it under you."
If you fall off forwards, you didn't pedal enough. If you fall off backwards, you pedalled too fast. Don't worry about sideways, start beside a wall on a hard, smooth surface. Grass is tough to cycle on. When you fall off, don't try to stay on too long, 'cos that's the only way you'll get hurt. When you fall off, think!
"Did I fall off because the wheel shot out in front?" Control it's speed.
"Did I fall off because the wheel stopped?" Top-dead-centre is a position in which you have now power to control the wheel.
Start beside a wall with the pedals level, left foot forward. Now let yourself fall forwards, keeping the wheel steady. After falling a little way (which will be further than you think) put the wheel smoothly and fairly quickly through a half turn. Your residual forward fall velocity should now be just enough to bring you back to upright. Now do it again, starting with the other foot.
That's how I learned, and how I teach. Seems to work, so give it a go.
Learning to unicycle.
1. Use a wall to put your hand on, so as to balance you while you put your foot on the higher pedal, much like when mounting a bike, and press down.
2. Keep your other foot on the ground while you get mounted on the saddle. Hold on to the wall while you put you place the other foot on the pedal. Push down and balance yourself. You have to push forward not just down on the high pedal. If you push down and not forward, nothing will happen or you will go backward.
3. Then pick up your inside foot and put it on the inside pedal.
4. Try to mount the unicycle without holding on to anything. Start in your original position and push hard on your right foot. Don't do it too fast or you'll lose your footing.
5. Push up on the right pedal and get your left foot on the left pedal and get your butt on the seat while it's lifting up, all at the same time. Then just start to pedal.
Get a person to help you balance. Have them stand on either side of you. Put a hand on each of their shoulders. Look straight ahead, find something to focus on and keep looking at it. Do not put your weight on the spotters shoulders. Just keep them their for support. Keep your weight on the seat, or your feet will wobble up and down and you will fall off. Most people can learn to ride forward a unicycle using the method described in this writing, with a couple hours of practice a day for one week. So, unicycles up dudes! And remember never never ever ever ever give up!
7. You need a lot more practice before free-mounting, and you should ride beside the wall using it for balance before trying to ride away from the wall.
___________________________________________________________________
Make sure that you are riding on smooth cement or asphalt in a low traffic area. It's a lot easier than riding on grass, dirt, or sand, and cars will make you stop and get off.
You can turn by moving your shoulders in the direction that you want to go, but you should be comfortable with going straight forward more than 10 feet before you try this. You sort of just have to shift your weight. It sort of comes naturally. Sometimes it takes movement from the hips to get a sharp turn.
One of the hardest parts of unicycling after you can go for a while is the lack of gears. your legs may get really tired but your quads will build up.
Unlike a bike, the unicycle rider needs to be balanced in every direction (left, right, front, back). The left, right balance is the same as it is on a bike and it doesn't need much thought when you are riding a unicycle. The front, back balance is more tricky. Balance in these directions is controlled by both leaning and pedaling. Lean gently in the direction you want to go, and pedal just enough to keep from falling over. Once you speed up you will be able to straighten out and sit up. Don't go too fast because you will not be able to keep up, and will fall.
When many people think of unicyclers they think of clowns and circus performers, but things a lot cooler than juggling can be done on a unicycle. Try taking the unicycle off-road or to an urban area where you can perform tricks.
Look straight ahead and look down as little as possible. When you look down it sticks your butt out. This tilts your weight too far back and makes you fall backwards.
Once you can regularly go forward for more than a few pedal revolutions, you should begin to try to free mount (mounting without holding anything). Learning this skill early will increase your possibilities for riding.
Night riding is harder than day riding, but will often give you more privacy than day riding. Try to locate a well lit tennis or basketball court for practice.
Join your local juggling and unicycle club for further instruction. They can teach you a lot of new techniques and tricks. And you will be able to ride in parades and other cool places.
If learning against a wall, make sure you practice on both your left and right sides. This will help your body learn to balance better and not get used to learning one way or another.
___________________________________________________________________
Most people would think that a unicycle would be more dangerous than a bike, but it is not the case. The reason is that for someone to ride a unicycle, they have to always be in control. It is possible at any time to jump off the unicycle in any direction. There are two things you should watch out for to not get hurt:
Tie your shoes well. If your shoelaces get caught in the hub, you can get hurt. If your laces are long tuck them in to your shoe after tying them
The axle end of a Unicycle passes very close to the ankle bone on every revolution, and it's very common for beginners to lose skin at that spot. Find some way to armor the ankle bone while learning and you will be much happier.
Don't try drops until you can ride standing up. The impact of doing a drop can hurt.
Also, if you go faster than you can handle, most all of the time, you will fall forwards. If you go too slow to keep balanced, you will most likely fall backwards. Just so you're prepared.
Be sure to wear protective items like a helmet or knee pads.
Definitely, definitely, definitely wear shin guards if you are a beginner. You might lose your footing a lot, and it really, really hurts to get slapped in the shin with a unicycle pedal.
Don't be afraid to fall, if you do lose your balance, you'll realize that 90% of the time the unicycle will just kick out from underneath you and you'll land on your feet.
If you do find yourself falling forward, stop peddling and let the unicycle fall. If you try and pedal forward faster to catch up, that's when you'll do a face plant!
___________________________________________________________________
things you might need:
Unicycle
Helmet
Shin guards if you need them
Gripper shoes
Gloves ( If you are doing tricks )
___________________________________________________________________
If you try all this you may be able to just nail that inner unicycler in you.
-RedUniRider
...
O
2. Keep your other foot on the ground while you get mounted on the saddle. Hold on to the wall while you put you place the other foot on the pedal. Push down and balance yourself. You have to push forward not just down on the high pedal. If you push down and not forward, nothing will happen or you will go backward.
3. Then pick up your inside foot and put it on the inside pedal.
4. Try to mount the unicycle without holding on to anything. Start in your original position and push hard on your right foot. Don't do it too fast or you'll lose your footing.
5. Push up on the right pedal and get your left foot on the left pedal and get your butt on the seat while it's lifting up, all at the same time. Then just start to pedal.
Get a person to help you balance. Have them stand on either side of you. Put a hand on each of their shoulders. Look straight ahead, find something to focus on and keep looking at it. Do not put your weight on the spotters shoulders. Just keep them their for support. Keep your weight on the seat, or your feet will wobble up and down and you will fall off. Most people can learn to ride forward a unicycle using the method described in this writing, with a couple hours of practice a day for one week. So, unicycles up dudes! And remember never never ever ever ever give up!
7. You need a lot more practice before free-mounting, and you should ride beside the wall using it for balance before trying to ride away from the wall.
___________________________________________________________________
Make sure that you are riding on smooth cement or asphalt in a low traffic area. It's a lot easier than riding on grass, dirt, or sand, and cars will make you stop and get off.
You can turn by moving your shoulders in the direction that you want to go, but you should be comfortable with going straight forward more than 10 feet before you try this. You sort of just have to shift your weight. It sort of comes naturally. Sometimes it takes movement from the hips to get a sharp turn.
One of the hardest parts of unicycling after you can go for a while is the lack of gears. your legs may get really tired but your quads will build up.
Unlike a bike, the unicycle rider needs to be balanced in every direction (left, right, front, back). The left, right balance is the same as it is on a bike and it doesn't need much thought when you are riding a unicycle. The front, back balance is more tricky. Balance in these directions is controlled by both leaning and pedaling. Lean gently in the direction you want to go, and pedal just enough to keep from falling over. Once you speed up you will be able to straighten out and sit up. Don't go too fast because you will not be able to keep up, and will fall.
When many people think of unicyclers they think of clowns and circus performers, but things a lot cooler than juggling can be done on a unicycle. Try taking the unicycle off-road or to an urban area where you can perform tricks.
Look straight ahead and look down as little as possible. When you look down it sticks your butt out. This tilts your weight too far back and makes you fall backwards.
Once you can regularly go forward for more than a few pedal revolutions, you should begin to try to free mount (mounting without holding anything). Learning this skill early will increase your possibilities for riding.
Night riding is harder than day riding, but will often give you more privacy than day riding. Try to locate a well lit tennis or basketball court for practice.
Join your local juggling and unicycle club for further instruction. They can teach you a lot of new techniques and tricks. And you will be able to ride in parades and other cool places.
If learning against a wall, make sure you practice on both your left and right sides. This will help your body learn to balance better and not get used to learning one way or another.
___________________________________________________________________
Most people would think that a unicycle would be more dangerous than a bike, but it is not the case. The reason is that for someone to ride a unicycle, they have to always be in control. It is possible at any time to jump off the unicycle in any direction. There are two things you should watch out for to not get hurt:
Tie your shoes well. If your shoelaces get caught in the hub, you can get hurt. If your laces are long tuck them in to your shoe after tying them
The axle end of a Unicycle passes very close to the ankle bone on every revolution, and it's very common for beginners to lose skin at that spot. Find some way to armor the ankle bone while learning and you will be much happier.
Don't try drops until you can ride standing up. The impact of doing a drop can hurt.
Also, if you go faster than you can handle, most all of the time, you will fall forwards. If you go too slow to keep balanced, you will most likely fall backwards. Just so you're prepared.
Be sure to wear protective items like a helmet or knee pads.
Definitely, definitely, definitely wear shin guards if you are a beginner. You might lose your footing a lot, and it really, really hurts to get slapped in the shin with a unicycle pedal.
Don't be afraid to fall, if you do lose your balance, you'll realize that 90% of the time the unicycle will just kick out from underneath you and you'll land on your feet.
If you do find yourself falling forward, stop peddling and let the unicycle fall. If you try and pedal forward faster to catch up, that's when you'll do a face plant!
___________________________________________________________________
things you might need:
Unicycle
Helmet
Shin guards if you need them
Gripper shoes
Gloves ( If you are doing tricks )
___________________________________________________________________
If you try all this you may be able to just nail that inner unicycler in you.
-RedUniRider
...
O
About myself...
WARNING!!!---> Advanced unicyclers beware this site is for beginners only!!
Hello you may be here either for beginners advice, or just a fellow unicycler curious about this website. I myself am a impressive unicycler, In about five days or so I was already riding up hills, on the road, and even inside my house. I don't even need anything to support me to start,
I can just get right up on my unicycle and start riding. My unicycle is red and quite different
to the casual unicycle. I am also answering FAQs and comments from beginners.
I have been riding my unicycle for about one year, although you may think that I may be a beginner myself, but you will be surprised. I have taught myself how to unicycle, it is really fun in public, people are watching and are moving while I ride past them like cones.
Hello you may be here either for beginners advice, or just a fellow unicycler curious about this website. I myself am a impressive unicycler, In about five days or so I was already riding up hills, on the road, and even inside my house. I don't even need anything to support me to start,
I can just get right up on my unicycle and start riding. My unicycle is red and quite different
to the casual unicycle. I am also answering FAQs and comments from beginners.
I have been riding my unicycle for about one year, although you may think that I may be a beginner myself, but you will be surprised. I have taught myself how to unicycle, it is really fun in public, people are watching and are moving while I ride past them like cones.
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