5' Giraffe mounting success

General
1

I mounted that thing at least a dozen times today. The first success was after about 10-15 tries. I switched to my right foot on the pedal which helped a lot. Funny though, I mount the regular uni better with left foot back…

Of course with the 5 footer, I can start with a foot already on a pedal. It works best when POOF you’re on top. If there’s thinking and adjusting during the hoist, give it up.

Speaking in percentages, I’d say 12 wins in 48 tries. 25%. Considering how tired I am, that seems a little generous. Maybe 20%.

I was falling over left so I learned to start with the shaft perfectly straight up (left/right). But also kept falling back so had to lean it forward 5 or 10 degrees. Any more and torque pressure popped it right out of my hands and crash.

Also important to raise my body up as close to the GUni as possible. If my body got too far away from the seat…torgue disaster.

Very happy.:smiley:

Beat.:stuck_out_tongue:

2

Good Job!!

I’m recieving a Giraffe on tuesday.

I’m just worrying about if it will be hard to RIDE,

let alone free mount.

How long did it take you to learn to ride, like about 1/2 a mile at a time??

3

If you can ride a “normal” Uni, then you can ride a Giraffe. I climbed up, held onto the roof while I fake idled a time or two to get the feel and then took off. My 2nd ride was at least 1/4 mile. I only fell because I was showing off to a friend.

My Daughter rode her first attempt too. (see recent post about my new Digital Camera). Riding is easy.

Dismounting needs to be thought through carefully. Whether you go off the front or the back, be prepared. It takes time to reach the ground. And its a jolt. Someone on this forum or maybe those Marsh sisters, advised running shoes with thick shock absorber soles. Good idea.

Its neat up there. You’ll like it.

4

Re: 5’ Giraffe mounting success

Memphis.Mud.ggeeb@timelimit.unicyclist.com writes:
>
>Dismounting needs to be thought through carefully. Whether you go off
>the front or the back, be prepared. It takes time to reach the ground.
>And its a jolt. Someone on this forum or maybe those Marsh sisters,
>advised running shoes with thick shock absorber soles. Good idea.

I’d advise knee-bending. You can dismount an even taller giraffe if you
bend your knees. From a 5’ giraffe, your lower foot is only going down
about 2.5’ anyway.

By the way, don’t forget about the running jump-mount option – cooler and
faster, and for some, easier. But if you can climb-mount a 5’ giraffe,
then you can probably do the same on a 6’er, which I can’t do (I always
jump).

David

5

Anything that’s “easier” has my undivided attention. Could you please go into more detail about the running jump mount.

6

MM,

Have you seen Ben’s video clip? He does a good job and I think it’s quite informative.

http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/bengiraffe , page two.

Hope it helps,
Bruce

7

Bruce, I’ve tried and tried to see Ben’s video clip. I cannot make it work at home or at work.

I must not have the right equipment. (But I’ve seen other video clips)

:thinking: :thinking: :thinking:

8

MM,

I finally got the mov and avi files to work after downloading Quicktime. See this thread http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=21782

9

UniBrier, you da man. Quicktime works great

Ben, Oh my gawd. That is sooooooo cool. Is it possible to launch 200 pounds this way?

10

My version of Quicktime allows me to run the video back and forth almost frame by frame (by holding onto the running cursor at the bottom). I’ve tried to analyze his mount to come up with a means of teaching it to others in the club. The key parts I think are the take-off speed, a confident jump with a good vertical component, and weight on the seat in order to lightly hold on to and control the rearmost pedal.

Now that you have video capability, check out …/gallery/cokertricksters. I agree with Harper and Jackson 9th Ring South, these kids need to have an “accident” so they’ll quit showing up us old fogies.

Bruce