New(ish) to Unicycling, Advice Wanted please!

joeblow · 2011-11-02, 07:41 PM

Hey, I am new(ish) to unicycling (I could ride one for a few years, but never really got into it). So I currently ride a small red unicycle... the kind you'd see clowns in a circus using lol. I want to get into mtn unicycling, and have been practicing bunny hopping on my circus cycle.

So my question is what are several reputible off-road unicycle brands that would be cheap, yet still have some room for me to improve and become a better rider. Also any tips on beginner mtn unicycling would be appreciated. thanks alot!

unihopper · 2011-11-02, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeblow

Hey, I am new(ish) to unicycling (I could ride one for a few years, but never really got into it). So I currently ride a small red unicycle... the kind you'd see clowns in a circus using lol. I want to get into mtn unicycling, and have been practicing bunny hopping on my circus cycle.

So my question is what are several reputible off-road unicycle brands that would be cheap, yet still have some room for me to improve and become a better rider. Also any tips on beginner mtn unicycling would be appreciated. thanks alot!

Check out Nimbus unicycles if you want something affordable and strong. As far as tips on Mountain Unicycling, it's a good idea to practice riding on bumpy surfaces and hopping up and down curbs, then gradually work your way up to riding on more difficult trails.

skilewis74 · 2011-11-02, 10:52 PM

Also rolling up/down curbs. Going up is pretty tricky, it's best to get your leading pedal slightly above horizontal at impact, pull up hard on the seat and crank over. Start w/ the sloped curbs that are in some neighborhoods.

With practice you can notice if you will have the ideal pedal position ~10-15 ft before then zig zag a bit or hop to change position so the pedals line up. Eventually you will be able to clear the curb at any pedal position.

Also practice rolling hops w/ left foot leading and right leading.

uKnee · 2011-11-02, 11:49 PM

I'm a big fan of Nimbus unicycles, they just seem like you get your moneys worth when you buy one. Not as sexy as the Kh line, but a crapload less expensive. Just decide which size you want (24, 26, or 29) and buy one

I had the 26 Muni and loved it.

As far as skills goes, just find some off road trails and start on some easy ones then move on to harder ones. Once you get out there it's really addicting and you won't be able to stop, you'll get better really fast.

joeblow · 2011-11-03, 12:36 AM

Thanks. I'll definitely check out Nimbus. What about the sizes? Is that tire size or like frame size? Because I have a 29er mountain bike and the 29 wheels roll incredibly fast and smooth, so if its wheel size bigger would be better right?

saskatchewanian · 2011-11-03, 01:03 AM

tire size (and crank length to a lesser extent) is like our gearing. A 29 will need less rotations to get somewhere than a 24 will so you can think of it like a unicycle with a higher gear.

You can counteract that somewhat by using longer cranks on the larger wheel but there are practical limits.

Bigger wheels can be fast and fun but more difficult to control in tight conditions.I would start with either a 24 or 26.

24 might be a easier transition from your 20 and a 24x3" wheel is nearly the same size as a regular 26" MTB wheel but with more tire to cushion your landings.

26 might be better in the long run if your trails aren't super technical because of the great tire selection and slightly larger size. A 26x2.5 will be faster and lighter than a 24x3, but not by a whole lot.

EDIT: Another option on par with the Nimbus Municycles would be the Torker DX and Qu-Ax mountain unicycles.

2011-11-02, 07:41 PM	#1
joeblow Registered User Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 3	New(ish) to Unicycling, Advice Wanted please! Hey, I am new(ish) to unicycling (I could ride one for a few years, but never really got into it). So I currently ride a small red unicycle... the kind you'd see clowns in a circus using lol. I want to get into mtn unicycling, and have been practicing bunny hopping on my circus cycle. So my question is what are several reputible off-road unicycle brands that would be cheap, yet still have some room for me to improve and become a better rider. Also any tips on beginner mtn unicycling would be appreciated. thanks alot!

2011-11-02, 10:52 PM	#3
skilewis74 Stupidity gets you 2 of these: Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Santa Rosa, Ca. Age: 38 Posts: 3,827	Also rolling up/down curbs. Going up is pretty tricky, it's best to get your leading pedal slightly above horizontal at impact, pull up hard on the seat and crank over. Start w/ the sloped curbs that are in some neighborhoods. With practice you can notice if you will have the ideal pedal position ~10-15 ft before then zig zag a bit or hop to change position so the pedals line up. Eventually you will be able to clear the curb at any pedal position. Also practice rolling hops w/ left foot leading and right leading. __________________ Ride everywhere and never just ride anywhere. If you can ride where you are going within a hour, do it, and if you can do a trick 50-75% of the time do it along the way.- Bob Burnquist What's next? Learn2Ride&doTricks TrialsClasses&Building Last edited by skilewis74; 2011-11-02 at 10:53 PM.

2011-11-03, 01:03 AM	#6
saskatchewanian ERIC P Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Denare Beach, Saskatchewan, Canada Age: 27 Posts: 5,244	tire size (and crank length to a lesser extent) is like our gearing. A 29 will need less rotations to get somewhere than a 24 will so you can think of it like a unicycle with a higher gear. You can counteract that somewhat by using longer cranks on the larger wheel but there are practical limits. Bigger wheels can be fast and fun but more difficult to control in tight conditions.I would start with either a 24 or 26. 24 might be a easier transition from your 20 and a 24x3" wheel is nearly the same size as a regular 26" MTB wheel but with more tire to cushion your landings. 26 might be better in the long run if your trails aren't super technical because of the great tire selection and slightly larger size. A 26x2.5 will be faster and lighter than a 24x3, but not by a whole lot. EDIT: Another option on par with the Nimbus Municycles would be the Torker DX and Qu-Ax mountain unicycles. __________________ My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world. - Jack Layton Last edited by saskatchewanian; 2011-11-03 at 01:05 AM.

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2011-11-02, 11:49 PM	#4
uKnee Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 14	I'm a big fan of Nimbus unicycles, they just seem like you get your moneys worth when you buy one. Not as sexy as the Kh line, but a crapload less expensive. Just decide which size you want (24, 26, or 29) and buy one I had the 26 Muni and loved it. As far as skills goes, just find some off road trails and start on some easy ones then move on to harder ones. Once you get out there it's really addicting and you won't be able to stop, you'll get better really fast.

2011-11-03, 12:36 AM	#5
joeblow Registered User Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 3	Thanks. I'll definitely check out Nimbus. What about the sizes? Is that tire size or like frame size? Because I have a 29er mountain bike and the 29 wheels roll incredibly fast and smooth, so if its wheel size bigger would be better right?

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