Hi new to the site and new to the unicycle. Really enjoyed dudewithasock’s journal. Thanks for the tips… haven’t finished reading it yet, but I will be back. I’ve been inspired to go out in the freezing cold to practice. I was just wondering if there are many other’s out there going through there second childhood to, so I don’t feel to much like a nut case… 
Well, welcome to the site…look forward to getting to know you better
And I’m only 15, so I don’t know about the second childhood thing, but if I was however old you are, I’m sure I would be like a kid again too…I look forward to leaving school just so I can go out and unicycle
Thanks for the welcome! What’s the weather like in Texas cos is cold here in the UK. I went out earlier just (turning to dusk) and failied miserably to make any head way. I will try again tomorrow. I can’t freestart…is that what you guys call it? when you don’t need to desperately hang off a tree, fence or small child to get going? Turning is also pretty poor unless the uni…or eyeore as he/she is better know as, wants to make a diversion…
Hi and welcome. I don’t know about second childhood. That would imply having grown up once. I’m 50 and still haven’t figured out what I wanna be when I grow up. A helicopter pilot would be cool. Anyway there are just a ton of us out here who are really passionate about our sport/hobby. There’s a pretty sizeable population of over 40s here and a good bunch of over 50. Even a few over 60. I think the big bulk of riders here are 15 - 30. Anyway, no need to feel like a nutcase. We’re all here to have fun and develop a really unique skill.
Thanks for the welcome! What’s the weather like in Texas cos is cold here in the UK. I went out earlier just (turning to dusk) and failied miserably to make any head way. I will try again tomorrow. I can’t freestart…is that what you guys call it? when you don’t need to desperately hang off a tree, fence or small child to get going? Turning is also pretty poor unless the uni…or eyeore as he/she is better know as, wants to make a diversion… I don’t get to much time to practice and don’t think i’ll get as proficient as dudewithasock, but I am on a quest to complete a 10 mile course for a charity in the summer, so any help or encouragement will be welcome… as I can just about manage to go round a double tennis court… I think I may have bitten off more than I can chew…so thanx again for the welcom and i am hoping to get to know you and other the site members! I do wish these sites had spell checks, sorry if gramma is bad or for spelling mistakes!
Really good to hear I’m in the right place. Hi to you too Underdog, it’s kind of nice to feel your not the only ageing … excentric trying out new things… mind to be excentric you have to be rich… let’s hope my lotto number come up soon!
I got on this site by accident, and was reading some of, dudewithasocks, journal, way cooland inspiring. I was given my unicycle as a crimbo pressie, as I had a go on one at a festival I was at over the summer. I was immediately hooked, as well as hoola hooping… I tried tight rope as well and got on really well, but haven’t worked out how to string a line up in the kitchen yet…
What I’d really like to be able to do is off road on my numbus uni… as I’m by first choose an off roader… up and down large mountains is cool by me …if you get a chance go to the Afan valley in South Wales Uk … it’s mega fun. I know it has been unicycled before, but that’s my ultimate goal! 
hahahaha…crazy brit…lol j/k…
texas…blows
It’s too hot for unicycling…and its february…summer is going to kill me and Matt
It’s called freemounting by the way…and…my advice is get really good at riding before you try to learn how to freemount…because I started to early, so I had to stop elarning how to freemount, and get bnetter ad riding…because you “can” freemount, you just can’t get going after that
Welcome Pinwheel.
I’m not sure if my case is a second childhood, or just a really late first adulthood. Anyway, I learned to ride at 39, and would have to say it’s had youthful effect. At any rate, I’m in a lot better physical condition now then when I first learned to ride, and unicycling is the primary reason for that.
Second childhood
Pinwheel, I’m glad that you also view unicycling as a second childhood. I’m 53 and my wife is 48 and we both have unicycles,in fact my wife has wanted one since she was a child so when I gave her one for her b’day she was tickled pink. So of course once she had one I had to get one also. Now we just have to find the time to practice together and learn to uni. Remember our ages are only numbers it’s what is in our minds that keeps us young. Good luck to you.
Thanks, for the well wishes… hey, I’m now not just old, but a crazy brit too! lol. Jusse, thank you for the encouragement and I trust you and you good lady will enjoy many a fun filled hour practicing together. My partner has tried my unicycle albeit briefly, and has decided two wheels are his forte. But I’m going to work on him, you can see it in his eyes he needs to learn, he just doesn’t realise yet. I’m now off to practice, I think I will give the ‘free…mounting’ a miss for a day or two and see if you are right monkeyman, I nead to practice my turning and thanks for the weather report to… it’s never to hot to cycle here 
but looking on the brightside… at least i can put on so many layers when I fall off I just bounce. P.S is Matt -“dudewithasock”? I had been reading his journal, if so, it’s good read and thanks to him I was practicing well into the night last night… so late I had to break out of the park coz the parkie had locked me in!
Yup, that’s me. Monkeyman (or Alex, since that’s his name and who I refer to several times in my journal) and I ride pretty much every day.
Good to know my journal is keeping you locked in parks late at night! 
Doggy doos ain’t cool
Hey dudewithasock, I feel privileged to have you reply, thanks for all the helpfull tips… I amazes myself today… ok I did say I’d give it a rest for a few days as Alex suggested… :o but you know sometimes it’s like a scab you just have to keep picking, so I had a couple (of hundred) goes at freemounting and amazingly got started half a dozen times… Whoopeee!!! and then promptly felling into something a little park visitor had left behind Doh! So happy but abit smelly returned home. Oh yeh, can you advise me, I am finding that I seem to have a slight tendancy to pull to the right, my seat is in a good position and I think my cranks are set up ok but I still have a slight pull to the right any ideas? Even if I’m in a good left hand turning position I have to fight to bring her round. Thanks.
Hi Pinwheel,
Welcome to the wonderful world of one wheeled obsession.
I don’t think I’ve ever grown up, therefore can’t claim to be having a second childhoood.
I learnt to ride last year when I was 39.
I learnt in Jan/Feb and was easily doing 6 miles by the summer. You sound like you’re learning faster than I did so I think you’re well on track for 10 miles in the summer. You might want to think about getting a 29" wheel for that though. However, I’m getting a bit ahead of you.
Am I right in thinking you’re also another unicyclist in Wales?
Keep it up.
Cathy
Hi to you too, cathwood.
Yes I’m the other end of barmy Wales to you and thanks for the encouragement. I feel 6 miles is a long way off at the present time.
What was I was thinking, hey, 10 miles - no problem, hey I cycle double that daily… yeh on two wheels!
I’m starting to see the enormity of the task I’ve set myself. But I am encouraged by your post, cheers. I was looking into getting a 24inch muni as I have the 20inch nimbus. Is there alot of difference with a bigger wheel? is it harder to balance? I suppose it’s all to do with crank lengths too… I think I better wait a while, I’ll look into all that at a later stage. Let’s not dream of off roading before I get over the faceplant stage. 
I see you are into spinning, nice pic by the way. Wirewool?
My little sis is in to poi and fire spinning. Are you a member of HOP? My eldest is into hooping, poi and is trying contact…not doing too badly, I’m alwful at anything in the way of spinning, no coordination, I’ve smacked my self in the head too many times:( But I’m great at clapping others!
Speak later bye for now.
Yes I’m into spinning poi and club swining. Both with fire at times (although I’m very cautious). Also juggling and a bit of staff. And yes the pic is wire wool (not spun by me - much too scary, all those sparks flying). My favourate things are glow stuff. It pales in comparison to me unicycle obsession.
Cathy
Well firstly, even though you said that you’re sure that the seat is straight, always make sure it’s straight before every ride, to get the straightest path you can.
Now, when I was having that veering problem, someone suggested to me that I was sitting up too straight on the unicycle - you want a very, very slight forward torso lean in your posture as you ride. Also, be sure you’re keeping the bulk of your weight on the seat - when your weight starts being heaped onto the pedals, rarely is the weight equally split between the left and right pedal, and that causes you to veer in the direction of the pedal you’re putting more pressure on (have I confused you yet? :p). As you get better at manipulating various parts of your leg muscles (which just comes through practice), then you can be a bit more relaxed about keeping your weight on the seat so much.
Hope this helps! Happy riding! 
Probably something to do with favouring your right foot (are you right footed). (As dudewithasock said) I think this happens to most people when they are learning. Don’t worry about it, it’ll sort itself out with continued practice and learning to turn left etc.
Cathy
I’m not blaming the bike you see…
Cheers guys… nope you didn’t confuse me, it’s good advice. But, I know I said I thought the set up was right with my nimbus. I realised the wheel isn’t sittng centrally there is a slight lean to the right only say 2-3mm but a lean all the same and I think that’s not helping with my tendancy to veer to the right either (i’m not blaming my poor riding on this - a bad workman and all that stuff ). I have tried to reset it, but evey time I tighten the legs to the wheel, the wheel will not sit straight, it still has this 2-3mm lean to the right hand. So i’m guessing I bent something somewhere. Any ideas would be welcome! Or are all unicycles like this? 
Cheers be careful out there:)
The off-set wheel isn’t normal, but doesn’t sound particularly serious to me. If you do manage to hook up with other unicyclists, someone might be able to check it out for you.
Failing that, your LBS (Local B*ke Shop - took me months to work that out) might also be able to help you look into it and determine if it’s something that can be bent back.
The source of your veering is in your riding tho.
The good news is that it’s caused by something that will help you with controlled turning.
When you want to turn the unicycle, look in the direction of the planned turn and when that side’s pedal comes over the top, push it down a little harder than usual. This will cause the uni to swivel in the intended direction and hey-presto!, you’ve turned. On command.
The veering is simply a result of your right leg being a bit stronger than your left and constantly exerting more force on the right pedal.
Interesting related reading here, here, here, here and here.
Ok so I bent my new pressie! Thanks for the reading matter, I’m going to get a cup of chocolate and a few bickies and settle in for a read. And thanks for the LBS ref: I’d have been scratting my head for that one too!