The ten by ten cm obstacle and stomach riding are the only things I have to learn before I am unofficially level 3. I would like some hints on these problems, please.
Obstacle
Every time I go over a 10 by 10 cm obstacle I crash (not just UPD but faceplant). What can I do to prevent this? I think my legs are strong enough (I can climb 300 ft in a distance of about 800-900 ft), and my balance is good (I can do drop offs and go on hilly grass areas).
Stomach riding
I can ride for the required distance, but have not been successful in the transition to and from normal riding. Any tips?
I’ve always wondered about that 10x10cm obstacle…what does it actually require you to do? Do you have to ride directly over it or can you hop? Riding over it is pretty difficult, I’m surprised that’s level 3! If you do have to ride over it, make sure your pedals are lined up correctly when you hit it so that you’ve got them at about 3 and 9 o’clock or a little further back than that. Before you hit the obstacle, push down on the ground and lift your weight up so it’s easier to roll over it. Maybe to stop from face planting you could try it at a little less speed. You may not make it over at a lower speed but you should be able to see what you’re doign wrong a little more clearly then fix that. I’ve never done levels so I have no idea what they’re asking for. Good luck, that’s really not the best advice…I’m sure somebody else can help you. I know Klaas Bil (who posts here via the newsgroup) has made himself a 10x10 obstacle to practise on, hopefully he can help you.
I have a hard time rolling over a 10cm x 10cm board with a 20" freestyle unicycle and I’m beyond a level 3. I can roll over such an obstacle with my muni, but that’s cheating (I don’t use a muni for skills level stuff).
The easiest strategy for the 10x10 obstacle is to hop over it. Do a side hop to get up on the obstacle and then a second hop to get down. That’s the easiest way. Rolling over it would be more elegant, but quite a bit more difficult.
From what I have gathered, (which could be wrong) the 10 x 10 obstacle skill was designed to imitate going up curbs (or kerbs, or . . . oh, whatever). Someone apparently thought it important when the list was being made up. The idea was to actually RIDE up and over, but the wording allows for other methods which could be considered cheating, like hopping.
When RTUC has the obstacle out for skills practice, I can ride over it on two out of three attempts, but I can’t tell you what I am doing right or wrong, it just happens for me, or it doesn’t.
I’m glad it’s not just me. I ride miles and miles on a MUni, 28 or Coker, on and off road, but I’m really bad at riding up and over anything that resembles a kerb. I never hop or jump. I practised the obstacle thing for a while on my 20, using a housebrick as a kerb. I could do it about 1 time in 3 or 4, maybe worse than that. One of my problems is that I respect my wheel rim and don’t want to dink it.
With any obstacle, get the timing right (pedal in the “attack position”) as you hit it, and lifting your weight out of the seat at the exact right moment is essential.
I think it is much easier to hop over, but I met that skill before I could hop, so I tried riding over it. I made it a few times.
Stomach on seat is much easier than seat out. First learn the riding part. maybe hold on to a pole or something on a playground, get your stomach positioned on the seat and try to ride off. Use one hand to hold the seat and the other arm for balance. Once you can do this, try riding and pulling the seat out and getting your stomach into position. You can also practice riding around, sitting on the seat, but bending down as far as possible. Try touching your toes
I had a lot of trouble getting over the 10 x 10, until I discovered hopping to the LEFT (with my RIGHT foot forward). I had been assuming that I should be hopping to the right, which didn’t work (for me, anyway).
Stomach on seat is a pain in the neck. I have done it in the past, but probably couldn’t do it now. Stick at it.