Bigger wheel 'therapy' to improve freemounting

After three weeks of practice, my freemount had improved a lot but it was still not fully reliable: Sometimes I could make several in a row - other times I struggled just to make one. All practice was done on a 20" because I wanted to freemount reliably on this before moving on to my 24".

Some days ago I practised on the 24" anyway, and after a short period I achieved a reasonable success rate. And the interesting part: Immediately after practising on the 24", I tried the 20" again. It felt ridiculously small and I could freemount almost every time! :smiley:

Now I just need a 29" to improve my freemount on the 24"… :stuck_out_tongue:

Oh crap! :angry:
THAT means I need a 10 FEET giraffe to freemount on my 5ft giraffe! :smiley:

It’s the opposite for me.
I ride a 29 almost all the time, and when I have occasion to ride a 24, I usually have difficulty mounting - the smaller wheel feels so jittery and unstable.

Riding my 36 has tremendously improved my skills on my 29, particularly free mounting (near 100% on the 29 now, but still ~60% on the 36).

+1. I can free mount (static mount) reliably on the 29er. I can’t do it on the 24" or 20" because the wheel moves back on me too fast. I have to “dead mount” on the smaller wheels (start with sub-dominant foot at 6 o’clock). I usually have to get up and then hop or twist or something to get moving because this poor technique offers no leverage. It is bad habit that I should one day take the time to overcome but truth be told I ride my smaller unis very little.

I’m in the static mounting the 20" is piece of cake after getting solid on the 29" group.

I feel like its step forward and go. Sometimes the pedal goes down a little bit but I catch the front pedal before it gets very high. I never miss . . .

Actually the last time I did miss I wasn’t wearing my shinguards. I couldn’t find them and I thought to myself 'you never miss mounts on the 20". You guessed it, missed a mount and I’m looking at the scabs on my shin to prove it.

I learned the static mount of the 29". It was after leaning it on the 29" I started using it on the other sizes. Up till then I did roll back mounts.

I’ve started from 24" and learned whatever-it-turns-out-mount based on static mount :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:
Then I got 29" and my mounts are quite consistent now.

But lately I was on a uni meeting and I’ve tried smaller wheels. 24er was ok, but with low seat and long cranks it got me a few fails for the start. Then it was ok.

But the 20" beasts are just running somewhere under my feet. Ok I got it but everytime I’m mounting the 20" I have to think a lot not to put big pressure on it. So I’m not sure if it is really the best way to learn.
But for sure, learning something new or in new conditions improves your general abilities so probably it helps this way.

I have always had trouble transitioning from one unicycle size to another. It takes a little while to get used to the new size. This is the biggest problem I am having with the Schlumpf (26"). I can’t just change gears and continue on. I have to get used to the different gearing. It takes away the efficiency of the hub. No matter how much I ride, it does not improve. Climbing in low is fine, cruising in high is fine. Going between the two is awful. I’ve never heard anyone else complain of this so it must just be my own personal weakness. It’s nice to know that others have issues with going from one size uni wheel to another.

I’ve noticed this too. A couple of months on a bigger, heavier wheel strengthened all the stabilizing muscles around my middle. Now when I get on my 20 everything seems easier. I don’t have to fight for balance to make a smooth turn anymore. The ride is much more relaxing.

It’s like a jogger wearing ankle weights.

To some extent I felt the same way with the 20" - but the positive effect outweighed the negative.

It was also more about psychology than technique: I just needed something extra to convince myself that freemounting a 20" isn’t anything special (and it really isn’t - I am 185 cm so it is a very small jump).

I always ride a 24" and my free-mounting still isn’t 100% on it. The first time I rode a 20", it felt weird, like I was on a toy. It didn’t even feel like there was a jump, it was basically sit on the seat, put feet on pedals, and go.

When I tried to ride the 29", I still have no chance at even attempting to free-mount it. It feels like I need a darn step ladder.

It’s always easier to freemount what you’re used to, regardless of the size.