101 reasons why muni is harder than MTB

[knoxuni]

ride SIF

[jbtilley]

This may have been mentioned:

Steeper trail climbs are often designed with some good downhill immediately before the sharp incline to allow bikes to build up momentum to carry them up. On a uni you’re not going to get that speed based momentum, in fact if the downhill portion was steep enough you’re going to be coming into the climb slower.

[MP_Uni]

@jbtilley

This may have been mentioned:

Steeper trail climbs are often designed with some good downhill immediately before the sharp incline to allow bikes to build up momentum to carry them up. On a uni you’re not going to get that speed based momentum, in fact if the downhill portion was steep enough you’re going to be coming into the climb slower.

Simplified: You can’t carry your speed through big dips.
I thought of this last night but couldn’t post.

[knoxuni]

1. unicycles keep going for a lot longer when tumbling down a steep sideslope after you bail

2. you can’t one wheel drift a unicycle (well I can’t anyway)

3. berms sure look like a lot of fun until you 1:1 pedal on them

4. cant “pump” the terrain

5. gravity

6. no freewheel (which makes for a nice quiet ride)

7. you can’t use clips

8. no suspension (in most cases)

9. we have to work to go downhil

10. A hard brake will faceplant you.

11. Having to endure: “HEY, You’re missing A WHEEL” at least once per ride.

12. Having to respond: “It takes twice-the-man to ride half-the-bike.”

13. Blow downs, fallen logs on the trail. Much more effort to roll hop or static side hop over
    compared to a bike.

14. We’re always in the wrong “gear” for the terrain. Too spinny on the easy flats and downs, too low on the climbs. Can’t just change gears (even with a 1:1.55 Schlumpf Hub ) to match the
    terrain perfectly.

15. Hidden, leaf covered holes on the trail. While a bike can just jar and bounce through holes, these hidden tiger traps are the bane of offroad unicyclists!

16. Much harder to avoid pedal strikes.

17. flats are harder to change

18. Can’t put your feet down to push through terrain while riding.

19. There’s only one wheel. One. Wheel.

20. Dogs, dogs, dogs! They shoot you down from a municycle more easily then from a bike.

21. Wind, wind, wind! It shoots you down from a municycle more easily then from a bike.

22. Mud and ice! It shoots you down from a municycle more easily then from a bike.

23. not alot of places to stow your lunch / gear, so you’re forced to wear a backpack, and that
    makes you (me) sweat, sweat, sweat!

24. harder to ride anonymously, or blend in with the crowd. (not that that’s a bad thing)

25. more difficult to find other MUni’ers to ride with.

26. Pins in the shins (does that happen on MTBs?)

27. unis have no low gear(s) to help you climb.

28. You must make constant balance corrections and be totally focused on the terrain.

29. Your balance point is razor-thin since you have no second wheel and bike frame to keep you
    from falling backward or forward.

30. The only “suspension” is in your tires, legs, and the observer’s disbelief at your
    awesomeness!

31. Sometimes after you bail you need to search for your uni.

32. There’s no good place to mount a light for night-MUni.

33. It takes constant concentration and focus. For the whole ride.

34. Untied shoelaces can be fatal.

35. Your LBS can’t give you any good advice.

36. Coolness. You need to be able to deal with all the praise!

37. Some mountains don’t allow unicycles, hence you are more restricted

38. The trees are trimmed so bicyclists don’t hit their head on the low branches, leaving the branches at face level for a unicyclist on a 29er.

39. you break more pedals from falling alot more.

40. Ball squeeze - ouch! (at least for the guys)

41. Can’t stand on the pedals / off the seat to rest

42. changing a flat takes twice as long.

43. you have to wait for your two wheeled riding mates on the other side of a river or other unbridgeable objects.

44. you can spin through the snow and sand

[unibabyguy]

46. Chafing from shin guards

47. Harder to use momentum to huck off a ledge

[muni123]

48. Chafing from seat

49. Anything can make you fall

50. If anything on the muni is loose, you’re done

51. You get so obsessed you get distracted thinking about it when you should be doing other things

[knoxuni]

(52 doesn’t get half price on lift tickets

[skilewis74]

I combined 17 & 43 since they are essentially the same

---

1. unicycles keep going for a lot longer when tumbling down a steep sideslope after you bail

2. you can’t one wheel drift a unicycle (well I can’t anyway)

3. berms sure look like a lot of fun until you 1:1 pedal on them

4. cant “pump” the terrain

5. gravity

6. no freewheel (which makes for a nice quiet ride)

7. you can’t use clips

8. no suspension (in most cases)

9. we have to work to go downhil

10. A hard brake will faceplant you.

11. Having to endure: “HEY, You’re missing A WHEEL” at least once per ride.

12. Having to respond: “It takes twice-the-man to ride half-the-bike.”

13. Blow downs, fallen logs on the trail. Much more effort to roll hop or static side hop over
    compared to a bike.

14. We’re always in the wrong “gear” for the terrain. Too spinny on the easy flats and downs, too low on the climbs. Can’t just change gears (even with a 1:1.55 Schlumpf Hub ) to match the
    terrain perfectly.

15. Hidden, leaf covered holes on the trail. While a bike can just jar and bounce through holes, these hidden tiger traps are the bane of offroad unicyclists!

16. Much harder to avoid pedal strikes.

17. flats are harder to change and take twice as long.

18. Can’t put your feet down to push through terrain while riding.

19. There’s only one wheel. One. Wheel.

20. Dogs, dogs, dogs! They shoot you down from a municycle more easily then from a bike.

21. Wind, wind, wind! It shoots you down from a municycle more easily then from a bike.

22. Mud and ice! It shoots you down from a municycle more easily then from a bike.

23. not alot of places to stow your lunch / gear, so you’re forced to wear a backpack, and that
    makes you (me) sweat, sweat, sweat!

24. harder to ride anonymously, or blend in with the crowd. (not that that’s a bad thing)

25. more difficult to find other MUni’ers to ride with.

26. Pins in the shins (does that happen on MTBs?)

27. unis have no low gear(s) to help you climb.

28. You must make constant balance corrections and be totally focused on the terrain.

29. Your balance point is razor-thin since you have no second wheel and bike frame to keep you
    from falling backward or forward.

30. The only “suspension” is in your tires, legs, and the observer’s disbelief at your
    awesomeness!

31. Sometimes after you bail you need to search for your uni.

32. There’s no good place to mount a light for night-MUni.

33. It takes constant concentration and focus. For the whole ride.

34. Untied shoelaces can be fatal.

35. Your LBS can’t give you any good advice.

36. Coolness. You need to be able to deal with all the praise!

37. Some mountains don’t allow unicycles, hence you are more restricted

38. The trees are trimmed so bicyclists don’t hit their head on the low branches, leaving the branches at face level for a unicyclist on a 29er.

39. you break more pedals from falling alot more.

40. Ball squeeze - ouch! (at least for the guys)

41. Can’t stand on the pedals / off the seat to rest

42. you have to wait for your two wheeled riding mates on the other side of a river or other unbridgeable objects.

43. you can spin through the snow and sand

44. Chafing from shin guards

45. Harder to use momentum to huck off a ledge

46. Chafing from seat

47. Anything can make you fall

48. If anything on the muni is loose, you’re done

49. You get so obsessed you get distracted thinking about it when you should be doing other things

50. doesn’t get half price on lift tickets

[jamdallen]

1. unicycles keep going for a lot longer when tumbling down a steep sideslope after you bail

2. you can’t one wheel drift a unicycle (well I can’t anyway)

3. berms sure look like a lot of fun until you 1:1 pedal on them

4. cant “pump” the terrain

5. gravity

6. no freewheel (which makes for a nice quiet ride)

7. you can’t use clips

8. no suspension (in most cases)

9. we have to work to go downhil

10. A hard brake will faceplant you.

11. Having to endure: “HEY, You’re missing A WHEEL” at least once per ride.

12. Having to respond: “It takes twice-the-man to ride half-the-bike.”

13. Blow downs, fallen logs on the trail. Much more effort to roll hop or static side hop over
    compared to a bike.

14. We’re always in the wrong “gear” for the terrain. Too spinny on the easy flats and downs, too low on the climbs. Can’t just change gears (even with a 1:1.55 Schlumpf Hub ) to match the
    terrain perfectly.

15. Hidden, leaf covered holes on the trail. While a bike can just jar and bounce through holes, these hidden tiger traps are the bane of offroad unicyclists!

16. Much harder to avoid pedal strikes.

17. flats are harder to change and take twice as long.

18. Can’t put your feet down to push through terrain while riding.

19. There’s only one wheel. One. Wheel.

20. Dogs, dogs, dogs! They shoot you down from a municycle more easily then from a bike.

21. Wind, wind, wind! It shoots you down from a municycle more easily then from a bike.

22. Mud and ice! It shoots you down from a municycle more easily then from a bike.

23. not alot of places to stow your lunch / gear, so you’re forced to wear a backpack, and that
    makes you (me) sweat, sweat, sweat!

24. harder to ride anonymously, or blend in with the crowd. (not that that’s a bad thing)

25. more difficult to find other MUni’ers to ride with.

26. Pins in the shins (does that happen on MTBs?)

27. unis have no low gear(s) to help you climb.

28. You must make constant balance corrections and be totally focused on the terrain.

29. Your balance point is razor-thin since you have no second wheel and bike frame to keep you
    from falling backward or forward.

30. The only “suspension” is in your tires, legs, and the observer’s disbelief at your
    awesomeness!

31. Sometimes after you bail you need to search for your uni.

32. There’s no good place to mount a light for night-MUni.

33. It takes constant concentration and focus. For the whole ride.

34. Untied shoelaces can be fatal.

35. Your LBS can’t give you any good advice.

36. Coolness. You need to be able to deal with all the praise!

37. Some mountains don’t allow unicycles, hence you are more restricted

38. The trees are trimmed so bicyclists don’t hit their head on the low branches, leaving the branches at face level for a unicyclist on a 29er.

39. you break more pedals from falling alot more.

40. Ball squeeze - ouch! (at least for the guys)

41. Can’t stand on the pedals / off the seat to rest

42. you have to wait for your two wheeled riding mates on the other side of a river or other unbridgeable objects.

43. you can spin through the snow and sand

44. Chafing from shin guards

45. Harder to use momentum to huck off a ledge

46. Chafing from seat

47. Anything can make you fall

48. If anything on the muni is loose, you’re done

49. You get so obsessed you get distracted thinking about it when you should be doing other things

50. doesn’t get half price on lift tickets

51. You can still ride your mtb after a couple of beers

[knoxuni]

53. you cant run most bike tires

[unibabyguy]

54. You’re riding slower, so there’s less breeze to cool you
55. Harder to escape from biting insects such as horse flies and mosquitos

[knoxuni]

#7 is wrong, and
56) My small muni is a 29 (our wheels are alot bigger)

[muni123]

7. It sucks to fall with clips
8. you can’t coast

[knoxuni]

58. unicycles hate ruts

[unibabyguy]

59. Have to ride with the seat low to avoid getting bumped by the seat and knocked off-balance
60. Can’t just pop a wheelie to get over obstacles

[knoxuni]

61. long cranks

[muni123]

62. sore thighs

[knoxuni]

63. so many municycles

[muni123]

64. getting a boost doesn’t help

[knoxuni]

65. less fun on stair step climbs