Sorry, guys I haven’t been riding. . Stopped for 3 weeks. Rheumatoid arthritis flareup on my right ankle. I’m back now.
This is when I see how much my “body” remembers. How much it forgets. If what I “preach” is actually make sense and works.
After reading a few recent feedback from you’all’s. My comments:
1. What is my “goal” of advanced idling?
a.) To be able to idle for 1000’s of repetitions?
b.) To develop a sense of total/absolute control. Such as being able to idle on top of a picnic table with no fear of falling down. (don’t worry, I didn’t actually do that, vandalism-vandalism, STFU!! Relax).
c.) To be able to “leverage” the coordination for more tricks? Like backwards riding and SIF.
What do you guys think?
BTW, as I am getting back to full advanced skill level for idling. I noticed one things that works for me.
During idling try this. Slowly, relax and minimize your leg tension, then this happens:
a.) The rocking slows down to almost a pause.
b.) You feel your whole body weight on the saddle.
c.) You move back/forth almost like fwd/reverse. Less pendulum rock.
d.) You feel your top and bottom feet working as one “rotational machine”.
Ofcourse, this will only work for riders at “high intermediate/advance” skill level.
The “automatic idling instinct” must always “stay on”, when adding these new steps during idlling. If you don’t have this, and you add more complication to your idling. You will fall down or it won’t work. Be careful
But I noticed that the less you think, the better the result is. “Relax your gray cells tension” - I would say…
I’m never thinking of what I’m doing in details when just riding, and everything is running fine here. I think sometitimes while mounting, and in this case all goes wrong. The same I have with idling.
Probably it is because of I am an FA programmer and used to think while working, not only before and after. And I transfer this habit from controlling machine movement to conrtolling my own movements.
Perhaps, music could help not to think too much?
With idling I got some progress, but not as much as desirable.
UPD (in a good way):
I think that Idling will help me with this “c)” point.
First, idling itself with the right foot low, then with the other foot, then in combination, changing the feet, then “super-idling” with several (1, 2, …) full rotations forth/back etc.
Honestly, my main goal with idling is to be able to stop without dismounting in everyday situations.
Becoming a better rider overall is of course always nice, but that‘s more in the back of my head.
Definately c.
Now that I practice indoor I am Independent of weather and daylight.
The idling practice has brought with it other skills like changing idling foot by rolling half a revolution fwd or back or side mount (50% succes on a good night).
Now I am hungry for more although the skills that require moving more that two revolutions like SIF will wait for better weather.
I don’t think idling will help when muni riding as the tire friction is too overpowering. My 32” is also not really for idling.
So just better control and a few tricks.
I feel too fragile to idle on a tabletop…
Hey No problem, we can help you out here.
Just start with by telling us what you’ve been trying to do.
-Do you hold onto a wall/fence/pole?
-Any injuries, so far.
-Any fears?
Also, what size unicycle and crank length?
It could make a difference.
Thanks @slamdance!
I’m riding a Torker 24” cruiser and assume the crank length is 125. I will measure it when I get home and make sure.
I’m 60yo, just starting to ride again after 6+ years off and I’m riding at least 4 days per week. It is coming back nicely😀
I want to learn all the important fundamental skills that I did not learn before; idling, backwards riding, adjusting my feet on the pedals smoothly/easily, hopping, and any others you may suggest.
So…I ordered a Nimbus II 20” with 114mm crank arms from UDC that will arrive this week. I think it will be much easier to learn all these skills on than the 24”.
I don’t have a wall or fence nearby so I will use my pickup truck to lean on. It actually works pretty well because I can work all the way around it.
No injuries. No fears. I will dig out my wrist guards. I took my first pretty hard spill this morning and reminded myself how important those wrist guards are.
I think you’re right on this one. I know that I hated big wheels for the first 35 years of my unicycling. Bought myself a 24" when I was a kid but sold it after a while because the uni was too heavy and its handling too sluggish for my taste… (but I evolved eventually and nowadays use my big unis way more often than the 20". That one is still the first choice to practice (modest) tricks, though)
Hope it’s an old one where an additional bump or two won’t catch one’s eye
Thanks @Wheelou,
Yeah, the truck can handle a bump or two
I bought my daughter a 20” about 15 years ago and helped her learn to ride. I rode it a few times and remember being impressed with the responsiveness and handling. I watch videos of freestyle, street and trials and it is incredible what people are doing out there on 20” unis.
It’s also fun to be out here on the community. People are so encouraging and helpful.
Hey @Hukuma,
Nice video
After I work on some idling in the doorframe or leaning on something I will give that a try.
It’s great to see some gray hair out here
NSYO,
Glad you can join us. I really want to get more beginners to consider learning this fundamental unicycle trick.
Pssst…I was planning to originally “title” this topic “beginning idling”, but who’s going to pay attention to that. ADVANCED idling sounds more impressive right. Nobody wants to admit they are not. Plus, everyone wants to believe they are better than they might be. That’s okay, we are all aiming high.
Also, it’s great to see more oldsters join this hobby. You are actually from my age group. Too young for vietnam war and too young for discotheques. Right. We’re classic 80’s materialistic yuppies…or punks.
I’m open to helping instruct both beginners and intermediates get better.
Also, you’re not really a beginner you have ridden before and the muscle memory is burned in your brain.
Anyways, as you’ve read in my past comments I like to break things into steps and explain the mechanics if possible:
Beginning idling technique: Lesson 1: Back and Forth
Find something to grab onto. Use only one hand.
Mount unicycle with “strong leg” down.
Use “same side” foot and hands. So, right foot & right hand, or left foot and left hand.
This is very important for freedom of motion and progression into “letting go”
So, the job of this “strong leg” is to keep weight down like a ballast. You will not be doing much sitting, or “feel” like you are sitting down and resting.
Top foot will “shuffle forwards/back” from 3 o’clock to 9 o’clock.
Notice, your bottom foot will also do the same. This is where we “re-learn” the pedaling action. We are not pushing “down” the top foot to idle. The bottom foot has the “power” so the top foot is the “guide”. Because it happens so quickly and motion is short, it will feel like “shuffling your feet” forwards and backwards.
Keep top foot “flat”. This is very important because if you start to use toe and heel leverage it will cause your body to rock and tilt. Not specifically a problem, but this adds complication at this point. As my teacher used to say, keep it simple stupid. Let’s just keep the top foot flat and no heel to action.
Focus:
a.) Just focus on mentally and physically programming yourself to reverse back/forth. This is not automatic for most people, so it may take hundreds of repetitions.
b.) As you do this your posture , hands, shoulders,…will figure out what to do.
c.) Just maintain that “heavy” down foot and “shuffle” that top pedal foot.
Okay, so try this and let me know your results. I know this is probably boring, and you may end up adding your own flare. That’s okay
your comment about using one hand, same side as the leg. This is interesting, and I haven’t been doing that. Im practicing in the kitchen between the counter and an island, trying to as lightly as possible touch on both sides, trying to center myself and let go asap once rocking. Not sure if that is hindering anything or not…
I have been trying to evenly practice on both legs, partially to be able to do either side, partially because the bottom leg tires quickly so using the other gives it a break. Strangely I seem to be progressing faster with my non-dominant leg! I have a theory it’s because my dominant leg on top is better at “guiding” the path of the wheel to correct a side lean.
I noticed I’m not doing a “banana” path. Instead its more straight with random veering in either direction needed to correct. I’m sort of using stillstand like balancing movements with my arms/hips, but in motion, and with some twisting thrown in. Not that i’m making a point to, it just sorta happens this way.
mostly (>50%) I do 1 idle, and have to touch again, but sometimes i get 2,3,4 in, rarely more than that, although 8 idles is my current record. It does feel like its progressing though at least.
try not to get hurt! I got a nasty bruise/knot on my calf from a UPD (not from idling!) That made walking difficult and had to take about a 3 week break from the uni. Thankfully i don’t feel like i lost any of my gains, other than stamina, but bummed I “wasted” 3 weeks I could have been practicing.
so glad i got a 20-er finally (Nimbus II)..It seems much easier than the 24 for learning skills like this.
Hey BB,
Are you sure you didn’t already know how to idle.
You are doing all the right thing.
Especially:
If you can “release hands” and do at least 1 or two
You can do 5 idles. Congrats you are not a beginner. Intermediate.
So, you mentioned the “banana path” where did you read about this. From Hobo Dan?
He’s on youtube and he mentions that a lot. He is correct in explaining that the curve path creates stability.
However, during idling you don’t have the convenience of going straight and then correcting. You are either doing it from the start or you are not.
Usually, one of two things happen:
You go straight and you quickly “correct” yourself. When you do it quickly, it’s more of a quick twist recovery. Not a gradual curve. This is typically a sign of a more advanced idler. After the correction you go back to straight path going back/forth.
However, for most beginners if you start to fall to one side. Say falling to the right, you can delay the fall by “curving right”. Now the big question. Too much or too little.
a.) If you “undercorrect”, you will continue to fall off the unicycle.
b.) If you “overcorrect” you may stop your fall, but then fall back to the other side.
c.) The key is to “continue twisting”. That is twist and then counter-twist.
This is the 2nd skill of idling: The rapid “twist” to “delay” falling to that one side. This also include the “counter-twist”. To get you back to straight.
Now, the “slow banana curve” that you mentioned that is a variation of the twist: however, the twist is slow and stretched out over a longer path. This is an intermediate skill. As you idle you “know” you will falling to that one side, so you compensate as you are doing it by using the “banana”. Both fore and aft.
Also, I like that you are switching feet. Yes, the “top foot” actually favors the dominant foot, because of exactly what you said. Top foot is the controller. The bottom foot is just “cumb counterweight” however, it is working hard. Thus, get’s tired. Yes, time to switch when it get’s tired. Excellent.
It’s good to be able to idle with either foot down, because when you are riding and you need to stop. You may not always stop with the exact foot orientation. If you can only stop at one position, you may find yourself taking some UPD’s.
Anyways, I was going to spend “part 2” talking about “letting go” but it seems you already know that part. So, next lesson “part 3: Rock and Roll”
Thanks it doesn’t feel like I am idling yet LOL the longer ones feel like luck still, but I think I was practicing a couple minutes a day for about 3 weeks or so to get where I am. I feel like I’m getting close, mostly it’s I think getting the corrections on the reverse rock down.
Yes it was hobo Dan where I heard that, but I also saw someone up above mention “bananarama” which made a lot more sense after watching Dan’s video
I also noticed I can’t ride an electric unicycle backwards either because my side to side Corrections aren’t quite right on that either, I either over or under correct. I have noticed that I can now almost ride the electric unicycle backwards since doing idling practice on the pedal uni only, when I wasn’t even close to doing so before , so clearly I think they are related.
Perhaps this may not be a well received thought here lol, but I’m half tempted to spend a good chunk of time trying to learn to ride the electric unicycle backwards to sort of build the backwards turning instincts, because the self-balancing aspect almost but not completely eliminates the possibility of falling forwards or backwards- freeing you to focus on the steering aspect only, mostly free of the scariest parts of learning to ride a unicycle backwards.
This thread is full of more information than my little brain and lack of idling experience can handle, but… I read through a lot of it and am excited to get started.
I recently started riding again after many years idle - bad pun! - not even seeing my unicycle much less riding it. It is a Torker 24. But I knew a 20 would be a big help to learn so many fundamentals. My Nimbus II 20 arrived a few days ago and tomorrow morning I will get going with idling training.
This thread is just what I needed even if it was not intended for beginners. Thanks @slamdance and everyone else here.
I will report on my progress.
BTW, I am 6’3” 190cm with a 35” 90cm inseam. I ordered the longest seatpost and it is barely long enough!
BB,
Okay, maybe I will start a new topic on backwards riding, soon. If anyone out there interested comment back. I know it’s been created before , but if the topic is fresh and pops up at the top of the list. Then we got more eyeballs, right.
Just 2 tips on backwards riding for now. Applies both to manual or Elec:
1.) Two methods for backwards riding: Lean back suicide pedaling. Just like forwards unicycle riding, there is a slight “lean forward” orientation needed. Especially, for EUC’s, because the gyro’s need a “backwards” input. (Be warned not all EUC’s respond the same way due to cheap electronics, programing and sensors). Regarding, regular riding I’m sure you’ve seen youtube videos of people riding backwards. They all advocate that you “must” lean backwards.
2.) 2nd method is what I am trying to advocate through the advanced idling. That is a one step at a time, or more accurately: Step, pause, step, pause,…etc. approach. When done correctly, it seems almost continuous, except you can “stop at a dime” going backwards. You have total, absolute, unquestioned control.
I apologize for not clearly detailing or confusing people. BAckwards riding is somewhat complicated to explain, but in actuality is very close to the “advanced idling” skill that I am trying to present. Nuff said.
