Beginner cycle chick

[emmz]

Hi!
Im Emma, 16 from Australia and learning to UNIcycle (influence of a friend of mine, tried it, and well I want to be able to do it)

So with starting a very interesting extension of my talents, been out 2 times to (try) to unicycle.
Its fun!
The first I had a friend who helped me (the one who got me onto a cycle) and then he lent me one and now after second time I can ride for awhile over 30 meters -next to a fence for security.. which i do use a bit but Im improving

Im fine with most 'technical' tips, but well anything else on the introduction of unicycling?

[andrew_carter]

Hi Emma, nice to meet you. Where in Australia do you live? And who's this friend of yours that got you into unicycling? (in case I know them).

Sound like you're making really good progress. It just gets more and more fun from here on in.

Here are a few websites worth visiting:
http://www.unicycling.org/roster/ind...ntry=australia
- (and unicycling.org in general) This is a list of a bunch of other riders throughout Australia.

http://www.unicycles.com.au
- Australian unicycle store. The site will be completely re-done some time in the next week or so. There's a lot more available than the site shows, and for much cheaper prices. Gary's hopefully going to get some freestyle unicycles in among other things.

http://www.unicycling.org.au
- The official website of the Australia Unicycle Society.

Have fun,
Andrew

[emmz]

Hi
I hope it does get more fun, its great learning even when im just by-myself. I was outside my house and my neighbours thought it was very interesting, hehe. I live in Darwin NT, as does my friend BJ. You probably do know him! he went to UniNats 2003 and did quite well (I think!)
Never thought I'd actually want to get into it, I was always willing to try it for fun though.

I have a question.. with the Skill Levels, are they the same one's as in America, and most other countries? I cant seem to find an Australian site with them on..

~ Em

[andrew_carter]

Yes, I'm good friends with BJ. I was also at UniNats 2003. Australia does follow the American skill levels. But of course they are an optional thing. Some countries, like Japan for example, have plenty of level 10 riders who haven't been tested because they don't follow the American skill levels. The levels are only a freestyle thing anyway.

Andrew

[emmz]

Ah okay, thanks. Yeah, Im good friends with BJ too, though i didnt really know him last year when he went. lol he said if i practice i could go in the ones for 2005 up here in darwin. How far could i get in a year though!?
Im about to go out for my third unicycle now, lol, and cant find my digital camrea! but i'll take some photos sometime..

so what sort of unicycling do u do mostly?

~ EM

[JJuggle]

Emma,

I don't have any particular advice for you. I'll only welcome you and tell you my own 10 year old daughter, who is currently resisting my attempts to get her (re)interested in learning to unicycle is also named Emma. It's a fine name.

You should also know that there is a woman named Deb who is from Darwin. She is a circus instructor. She's currently traveling around the world meeting other circus arts folks and unicyclists, but will return home eventually. She posts here occasionally so may see this.

Cheers,
Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ

[andrew_carter]

How far could i get in a year though!?

Definately far enough to go to UniNats in 2005. I'd only been riding for a year when i went to the 2003 UniNats and I did okay. More importantly though, I had lots of fun there.

I mostly do trials and muni with the occasional freestyle thrown in there. I'm about to go out for a freestyle ride now. My favourite style is muni and it will always be my favourite despite the fact that I probably do more trials riding than muni. I really like rail riding in trials, and technical gapping.

Andrew

[emmz]

Hi, well im online to at the moment..
went out for my 45min ride, 3rd ride and I can go one revolution now non-assisted! yay! lol few more bruises but I dont care, its fun!

Yes, I know of Debbie. My friend, BJ, he rides with her. I dont think there are any classes on for awhile as she's away for the competitions, but when she gets back I'll hopefully improved alot and go along or something..

Im learning on grass, if that helps, BJ said its better to learn on sort of harder, but there's more space with grass around! lol am I too interested to just have rode a few times!? lol! :P

Because I'm an avid dancer I would like to, when I get good (if I do! :P) incorporate dance with unicycling.. I dont know if I'll be doing too many of the jumps etc. type tricks.

[sockmonster]

Emma-

Are you still mounting with the help of a fence or something? If you are consistantly riding 30 meters, I'd say you're ready to learn freemounting.

I recommend loosely following the skill levels while you're just learning. It's a nice way to measure your progress, and get a good technical foundation for other branches of unicycling (Odds are, since you seem pretty enthusiastic about the uni, you will try both Muni and Trials at some point in the next year or two)

take care

[emmz]

Yeah I still am using the fence! I'll go out later this arvo and try freemounting

um.. are static mounts the same thing as free mounts?

EM

[andrew_carter]

Check out:
http://www.unicycle.2ya.com
http://unicyclist.org

They might help you out as you progress with your riding. As for incorporating dancing into your riding, that's what can make a really entertaining freestyle routine. There are some videos of some Japanese freestyle routines somewhere (can somebody help me out with a link?) that involve dancing in a way. You should enjoy watching them.

Andrew

[emmz]

Thanks for sites, well I can free mount every couple of tries, lol, and can cycle 2-3 metres by myself!
I've seen a video of some Japanese girls doign it, it was really good. Make it look so easy
So are there many female cyclists?

[Robbie]

Hey I thought you could be an emma I knew from adelaide who I could have sorta got interested in unicycling as I sent here a video? And she's about your age. So everything seemed to fit until I saw you lived in Darwin I plan on going to UniNats next year and I would have only been riding for a year and a half, so there's no reason you shouldn't go if your in the same city as it's in.

[emmz]

My second reply, as my computer has a disagreement with me on the first


Yeah, well I definately may as well enter, it'd be fun, especially having them up in Darwin. So Robbie you've been riding for about half a year then?


My 4th day of UNIcycling:
Wow was a great day today, I went out to BJ's and we rode for about 3 hours! 1 hour of uni videoclips first though good motivation hehe
I can ride forever holding onto the fence or someone lightly, but more importantly 5-8 meters by myself! yay! FOuL uni-overload due to BJ (personal trainer) influence..


Andrew.. BJ said u know of sites I can see if I want to buy a uni (which I will once I get hang of it, and save) I'd like to get a red wheel, but! not sure if i can



FOuL ~ falling off uni laughing (although thats usually what i do at the moment!)
lol, well about time a uni acronym was made...

.....
Oh, maybe I'll take a photo tomorrow of me attempting to ride! hehe wtach out may be dangerous--

[skateparkboys]

get your feet off of the pedals fast when starting to fall otherwise you wll get hurt.

start without fence or whatever as soon as u can