First Attempt in 20 Years

gripanimal · 2011-03-11, 01:18 AM

Rode a little bit when I was a bit younger, it's been two decades. Is the old adage true, you never forget how to ride a bike? Bought a Club 24. First attempt: Made it out the driveway and down two house lengths before falling off while attempting to turn! Yeah, this rocks!!!!

JJuggle · 2011-03-11, 02:33 AM

Welcome back.

MuniAddict · 2011-03-11, 02:53 AM

Congrats on getting back in the saddle after 20 years!

GILD · 2011-03-11, 09:48 AM

What JJuggle said.

Steeley · 2011-03-11, 10:46 AM

Awsome effort - must have been a real buzz!

gripanimal · 2011-03-12, 12:18 PM

Thanks Everyone! Was a great buzz! However, my visions of making it to the market on the 2nd day were severely dashed by my inability to mount, turn, or make it 3 house lengths without my legs giving out. I guess I'm not Superman. But it will happen, and soon!

Boethius · 2011-03-13, 05:50 AM

Turn and run away! You still have time to get out without much damage.

Those of us who learned a bit in youth and came back to the sport are the ones most prone to this life ruining addiction. Run away!

Not listening? Oh well, welcome to our forum.

gripanimal · 2011-03-18, 09:56 PM

Sorry Boe, too late. Anyways, "soon" is a relative term. Went snowboarding Monday for the first time. Had a great time, did well! However, the broken tailbone is hampering my efforts to get back on the unicycle. Maybe this weekend

JJuggle · 2011-03-19, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gripanimal

Thanks Everyone! Was a great buzz! However, my visions of making it to the market on the 2nd day were severely dashed by my inability to mount, turn, or make it 3 house lengths without my legs giving out.

Turning will come fairly quickly. If you were ever able to freemount, that'll come back too. If not, it will take a little effort, but you'll get there.

If you're in reasonable shape, i.e. not terrible shape, and your legs are giving out so quickly, you may have the seat too low. You want to keep your weight solidly on the seat and not on the pedals. Raise the seat so that your legs are almost fully extended when the pedals are at their lowest. This should reduce the strain on your legs and the amount of work they have to do and allow them to hold out longer.

gripanimal · 2011-03-19, 02:44 AM

I'm thinking you're right, the seat is too low. However, I probably made a mistake in measuring my own inseam when ordering the uni, instead of having my wife measure it. Since my inseam fell comfortably in the direct middle of the chart, I got the 200mm post instead of the 300 mm. Now it's maxed out in height, and still might be a bit short. Ah well, my son has expressed an interest in learning, and he is a fair bit shorter than I. I'll do what I can for now. I'm hoping for tree-trunk thighs, anyways.

Dane M · 2011-03-19, 04:43 AM

Riding with a low seat will really beef up your legs, you're doing a lot more work. But it's harder to learn how to put weight on the seat if you start off with it low.

I measured my inseam by wearing a pair of jeans and my normal shoes, stood with my back and legs flat against a wall, then I put a notebook between my legs, and measured from the top of the notebook to the floor. It came out 32-33in, which is the length of pants I wear, so I think I must have got it pretty close.

AnimalCage · 2011-03-19, 08:41 PM

Sorry for any confusion, but gripanimal has re-registered as AnimalCage. Long, boring story, and it doesn't make my coccyx hurt any less or my riding any better. Ha! Tomorrow I will see if riding is a go, or if I must wait until the pain subsides.

ally1776 · 2011-03-19, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boethius

Turn and run away! You still have time to get out without much damage.

Those of us who learned a bit in youth and came back to the sport are the ones most prone to this life ruining addiction. Run away!

Not listening? Oh well, welcome to our forum.

+1
Gripanimal, welcome back to the world of unicyclist. I also came back after riding when I was a kid and you said it, it rocks

I know I'm hooked

gripanimal · 2011-03-20, 12:00 AM

Thanks ally! I have re-registered as AnimalCage as mentioned above. Again, sorry for any confusion.

SteveShing · 2011-03-21, 10:33 AM

I agree with you completely.It also happened with me and i also took some time to learn to ride again properly.I had forgotten how to maintain balance but now i have learned it back again.

2011-03-11, 01:18 AM	#1
gripanimal Registered User Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Springfield, MA Posts: 5	First Attempt in 20 Years Rode a little bit when I was a bit younger, it's been two decades. Is the old adage true, you never forget how to ride a bike? Bought a Club 24. First attempt: Made it out the driveway and down two house lengths before falling off while attempting to turn! Yeah, this rocks!!!!

2011-03-11, 02:33 AM	#2
JJuggle Last of the Dogmato-Revisionists Join Date: May 2001 Location: Matawan, NJ, USA Age: 52 Posts: 8,094	Welcome back. __________________ Raphael Lasar To plotz is human, to schvitz divine.

2011-03-11, 02:53 AM	#3
MuniAddict Not "2" Tired Join Date: Aug 2006 Age: 57 Posts: 13,541	Congrats on getting back in the saddle after 20 years! __________________ My latest TV segment UniGeezer.com My videos

2011-03-11, 09:48 AM	#4
GILD Waffle-Tosser, Time-bider and JCTK Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: the bustling metropolis of Nelspruitia, south africa Age: 45 Posts: 15,569	What JJuggle said. __________________ Three short Gs and a long E-flat™ - UniHoki If I'm Murdered, Don't Execute My Killer. harper MikeFule Seager BluntRM NAMASTE! Dave

2011-03-11, 10:46 AM	#5
Steeley Just having fun! Join Date: Jun 2010 Age: 46 Posts: 43	Awsome effort - must have been a real buzz! __________________ I could get old gracefully.......but unicycling is way to much fun!

2011-03-12, 12:18 PM	#6
gripanimal Registered User Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Springfield, MA Posts: 5	Thanks Everyone! Was a great buzz! However, my visions of making it to the market on the 2nd day were severely dashed by my inability to mount, turn, or make it 3 house lengths without my legs giving out. I guess I'm not Superman. But it will happen, and soon! Last edited by gripanimal; 2011-03-12 at 12:18 PM.

2011-03-13, 05:50 AM	#7
Boethius 6th century one wheeler Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 98	Turn and run away! You still have time to get out without much damage. Those of us who learned a bit in youth and came back to the sport are the ones most prone to this life ruining addiction. Run away! Not listening? Oh well, welcome to our forum.

2011-03-18, 09:56 PM	#8
gripanimal Registered User Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Springfield, MA Posts: 5	Sorry Boe, too late. Anyways, "soon" is a relative term. Went snowboarding Monday for the first time. Had a great time, did well! However, the broken tailbone is hampering my efforts to get back on the unicycle. Maybe this weekend

2011-03-19, 02:44 AM	#10
gripanimal Registered User Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Springfield, MA Posts: 5	I'm thinking you're right, the seat is too low. However, I probably made a mistake in measuring my own inseam when ordering the uni, instead of having my wife measure it. Since my inseam fell comfortably in the direct middle of the chart, I got the 200mm post instead of the 300 mm. Now it's maxed out in height, and still might be a bit short. Ah well, my son has expressed an interest in learning, and he is a fair bit shorter than I. I'll do what I can for now. I'm hoping for tree-trunk thighs, anyways.

2011-03-19, 04:43 AM	#11
Dane M Muni Crash Test Dummy Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: US - Santa Barbara, CA Age: 23 Posts: 2,552	Riding with a low seat will really beef up your legs, you're doing a lot more work. But it's harder to learn how to put weight on the seat if you start off with it low. I measured my inseam by wearing a pair of jeans and my normal shoes, stood with my back and legs flat against a wall, then I put a notebook between my legs, and measured from the top of the notebook to the floor. It came out 32-33in, which is the length of pants I wear, so I think I must have got it pretty close. __________________ It's not as steep as it looks, just go! www.DaneMehlPhotography.com www.YouTube.com/DaneUni

2011-03-19, 08:41 PM	#12
AnimalCage One-Wheeled Vehicle - Do Not Follow Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Springfield, MA Age: 48 Posts: 261	Sorry for any confusion, but gripanimal has re-registered as AnimalCage. Long, boring story, and it doesn't make my coccyx hurt any less or my riding any better. Ha! Tomorrow I will see if riding is a go, or if I must wait until the pain subsides.

2011-03-20, 12:00 AM	#14
gripanimal Registered User Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Springfield, MA Posts: 5	Thanks ally! I have re-registered as AnimalCage as mentioned above. Again, sorry for any confusion.

2011-03-21, 10:33 AM	#15
SteveShing Registered User Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 3	I agree with you completely.It also happened with me and i also took some time to learn to ride again properly.I had forgotten how to maintain balance but now i have learned it back again. __________________ Accredited online business courses

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