Yeah, when I was teach my girlfriend, I would just hold her to make sure she was on, then I would just hold her hand when she got going, then after a few revolutions, i would just let my hand slide away.
You gotta make sure she isnt relying on you all the time to ride, you just kinda gotta act like a fence or a wall, just make sure she is up and good, just hold her hand or even just use a finger when she is going, then once she lets go and go on her own for about 50 feet, you can just stand there and watch with the biggest smile.
Just keep her practicing, maybe shell want to get into trials like mine, which reminds me, I gotta go over and cut her seatpost down a few more inches for her. It may take a while to get her used to it, or get pedalling down. You could try having her go up to a wall, or use your whole arm or shoulder, and have her be on the uni, and just do little half revs, then full revs, to get used to pedalling, then have her really start learning
My g/f has asked me to teach her to ride this summer. Next year at university we will both be in a circus club, so she wants to be able to ride alongside me when we have our meets in the park.
She had a go last week for the first time. she had her arms clamped round my neck, but still not staying upright. This thread is proving to have some helpful hints as to what I should do when I start helping her properly.
I think it’s great that she wants to be able to ride It makes me very happy!
No kidding! I thought I was lucky enough when Sera said she wanted to learn how to ride, then she got her own uni, and now I am even more happy when she said she wanted to get into trials! =p
Lol yeah I know, Most the time Im trying to get her to do it on her own. I know that you learn better that way. I learned geting on a fence and going not holdign to anything, I tried telling her to do it that way, but she wanted to stick to the walls or holding on to something…But she coudlnt really even get on which is why she having trouble…
I can’t imagine my g/f getting into trials. If anything, she’s probably a freestyle girl. Or just plain riding around for the hell of it Either way, it’s great. I can see her getting the Koxx ‘pink lady’ one day. It’ll match her current hair colour
I found a 90 ft long fence just below chest hieght, which was perfect, at a local school. For the first two hours (over two consecutive days, one hour each) I had to hold ont the fence with both hands for dear life and stayed along that fence for two months, one hour daily.
for things to try to push past plateaus and keeping from getting discouraged go here.
Cody,
I’m not sure where she is at in learning, and I’ve read a lot of good advice on this thread. In my humble opinion, let me offer the following:
If she wants to learn, take it very slowly. I learned very quickly by using the advice of Bill Jenack 30 years ago. He suggested starting with the wheel against a stop, such as a curb, with the crank arms level (horizontal), and for the first 30 minutes, place one foot on the back pedal and slowly push forward to get the feel for where the balance point of the wheel is. No effort is made to land your foot on the second pedal on the first day. As you do this, you progressively put more of your weight on the saddle, and after 30 minutes, end the lesson for the day. Overnight, your brain makes connections related to the day’s practice, and when you resume the same exercise on the following day, that balance point has become a little ingrained in your memory. The next step is to move your second foot to the other pedal, and stop your forward motion at the balance point. This progresses into half rotations, full rotations, etc., as all of have us learned. All of these steps are done with one assistant (you) holding the student’s (her) hand. I don’t consider myself an exception, and using this method, I was riding 50 feet solo in a total of 5 hours time. I was 22 at the time, and weighed 150 lbs. I am absolutely convinced that younger and lighter students should find it easier.
I believe the key is to spend time “learning” that balance point before trying to ride. Struggling to sit on the saddle and turn the pedals without any sense of progress will make all but the most persistant (most of us) frustrated and ready to accept defeat.
All this assumes that she wants to learn…
Can she ride a b*ke? I would suggest get real comfortable riding bike without any hands (not literally…) and also be able to make quick turns. Now she should be able to control the side-to-side real well. Then next step the unicycle.
Actually I have had a conversation with someone who knows a guy that has no function in his legs and wants to learn… we began discussing the options to custom build a unicycle of sorts.
Not everybody can ride after a couple of days of trying. It took me ages (couple of hours a weekend spread over several months) before I got it, but now it feels natural to me (although I’m still useless at hopping). If I put my learning details into Klaas Bil’s “unicycling talent” spreadsheet it pretty much suggests I should give up :o. If she’s keen to learn it’ll work out in the end. I reckon anybody can ride a unicycle if they want to (although obviously there are some physical disabilities that would be a big problem), but everybody learns at different speeds.
If she’s having problems with the side to side balance, I would suggest trying between two chairs or something like that. they have to be high enough so that she can balance herself without leaning. But just to stay between the two chairs for the first few practice sessions just pushing the pedals a little and getting the hang of sitting on it. then for the next few times learn to step off. Don’t even try riding for a while.
LMAO!! I think im gonna use that one from now on lol. Well thanks guys I like alot of these tips, it took me 2 weeks to learn to ride, I used a fence to get on and just push off, it was just that I never had the struggle of getting on like she does. Il try the technique Mhall said, about pushing the tire against a all or curb. Shel be over here in like 10 min and il see if any of these Ideas work. Ohh and Stagger what are you like 13 you dont know how to hold a girl up jk man that was pretty smooth.
anyways seeing as i was interrupted and had to leave to juggling club (cant juggle for jack btw) i thought i should complete this post…
we had actually briefly brainstormed a hand cranked recumbent uni for the purpose of such… i feel it would really work tho you would expect the same sort of “crashes” as you would learning a normal uni (other than you will end up on your hands as apposed to your feet, would require much determination on the disabled rider.
Either way, it’s great. I can see her getting the Koxx ‘pink lady’ one day. It’ll match her current hair colour 
jk man that was pretty smooth.