What is the correct name for idling with the cranks horizontal instead of the normal style of idling where the cranks go through vertical? I think I have heard it called circus idling, but I’m not sure.
Also, is this style of idling in the standard skills list? I don’t see it, but I might not be looking for the correct term.
Re: Circus Idle
[QUOTE Originally posted by john_childs ]
What is the correct name for idling with the cranks horizontal instead of the normal style of idling where the cranks go through vertical? I think I have heard it called circus idling, but I’m not sure.
Also, is this style of idling in the standard skills list? I don’t see it, but I might not be looking for the correct term.
John… It’s called Hovering. That’s what I’ve learnt with it. Dunno Mate but that’s why it’s called that. Any others besides me.
David. 
Circus idle is the correct terminology, or a still stand idle 
I have also heard it refered to as horizontal idle.
Re. Circus idling
Yep Sal! That’s the word I couldn’t get out in the first place.
Horizontal idle; is the word. Not Hovering as I mention above.
Gee wizz Why that’s gone out of my brain I don’t know.
David.
Re: Circus Idle
i’ve heard it called that before and it was on this forum
http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17099&highlight=circus+idle
I’ve also heard it called a circus idle. George Peck calls it “balancing in place”.
It is not part of the standard skills list.
I’m working on the new off-road skill level set, and have been considering proposing the circus idle as a skill in one of the levels. It would serve as a companion to the still stand as a fundamental off-road skill. Anybody have any comments on that?
Comment: as an off-road skill, will it be done on level ground? I’ve found it useful as a place to start when on very sloped terrain and travelling across the slope. Maybe I do more of a non-rolling mount with pedals straight up and down, with a pause before setting off. Usually it’s because I’ve mounted leaning sideways uphill and moving my body/uni towards straight (level up/down) while expecting the tire to slide down before I start to pedal.
I recently (like last week) started working on the circus idle in an effort to help me improve my pathetic still stand. It remains to be seen if learning the circus idle helps me with my still stand, but I’m sure it won’t hurt.
I am finding the circus idle to be a difficult idle to maintain for more than just a handful of idles. The regular idle is much easier. The side to side balance is more difficult with the circus idle. It’s also easy to get out of sync with the forward and back motion which destroys the idle.
George Peck’s demo is pretty impressive. He uses his arms pretty extensively, and his demo is on smooth flat ground. This skill set, when we all get done with it, will not be easy, and tends to place skills in tough places.
His demo doesn’t really look like a traditional idle with the cranks at 90 degrees from normal, but more like “balancing in place.” Jeff Lutkus’ version looks more like a traditional idle, but more vigorous, less relaxed.
I’m doing the circus idle like the Jeff Lutkus version. Trying to get a distinctive forward and backward movement. It’s definately not a relaxed idle, lots of arm waving and twisting. The balancing in place style will have to come later (at least that’s my hope).
Re: Circus Idle
“Still Stand” is just that - no pedal movement (however your arms can wave
as much as necessary:)
“Horizontal Idle” (I call it “micro-idling”) is idling with the cranks
horizontal - lutkus video is good example
“Circus idle” - just perpetuates the image of clowns (in my opinion) without
explaining actual technique
Only reason I can think of people terming a Horizontal idle a Circus idle is
that I’ve seen people use this method while passing juggling clubs (Sem is
great at this).
Not only is it impressive to watch, but it allows the rider to remain nearly
stationary and keep a consistent distance from their partner when the
objects are flying around (like 7 club passing requires).
David Winston
“john_childs” <john_childs.jwglm@timelimit.unicyclist.com> wrote in message
news:john_childs.jwglm@timelimit.unicyclist.com…
>
> U-Turn wrote:
> > *George Peck’s demo is pretty impressive. He uses his arms pretty
> > extensively, and his demo is on smooth flat ground. This skill set,
> > when we all get done with it, will not be easy, and tends to place
> > skills in tough places.
> >
> > His demo doesn’t really look like a traditional idle with the cranks
> > at 90 degrees from normal, but more like “balancing in place.” ‘Jeff
> > Lutkus’ version ’ (http://lutkus.com/video/jeff/circus_idle.avi) looks
> > more like a traditional idle, but more vigorous, less relaxed. *
>
> I’m doing the circus idle like the Jeff Lutkus version. Trying to get a
> distinctive forward and backward movement. It’s definately not a
> relaxed idle, lots of arm waving and twisting. The balancing in place
> style will have to come later (at least that’s my hope).
>
>
> –
> john_childs
>
> john_childs (at) hotmail (dot) com
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It’s definately not a relaxed idle, lots of arm waving and twisting.
Only reason I can think of people terming a Horizontal idle a Circus idle is
that I’ve seen people use this method while passing juggling clubs (Sem is
great at this).
Not only is it impressive to watch, but it allows the rider to remain nearly
stationary and keep a consistent distance from their partner when the
objects are flying around (like 7 club passing requires).
how to reconcile these two quotes?
surely a lot of arm waving isn’t exactly what u’d want while passing seven clubs?
a ‘normal’ idle also keeps a fixed distance (with-in the idle parameter) from your partner?
what am i missing here?
The first quote is about me. And I’m not an expert unicyclist. I just recently started trying the circus idle. I’m not very good at it yet which is why I need to wave my arms so much.
The second quote is about Sem and he is an expert unicyclist. I can actually picture Sem juggling like that doing a still stand. I bet he could do it.
Once you get really good at the circus idle I can see how it could be done without a lot of arm waving. But it would still be more difficult to do the circus idle rather than the standard idle.
My guess is this: Jeff Lutkus probably regarded a circus idle as a neat skill to learn and had no incentive to wave or not wave. George Peck thought of it as a time-gaining tool for riding off-road and had the perspective that arm-waving was normal and necessary. The jugglers thought of it as an essential skill and had the need to control arm motion, and practiced it so.
So it’s all a matter of need, and time spent, and criteria.
Just for kicks, try idling one-footed with your hands behind your back. It’s informative!
that makes sense
i was wondering if the arm waving would reduce with practise
will try the hands behind soon as i get home
u got me curious now
Maybe they should call it ‘hovering’. Does that term apply to anything? I’m assuming that when done by an expert it looks as close to a stillstand as possible, without being a stillstand. You can do almost the same amount of movement with an idle with very tiny movements, but the look is really different as one leg is bent to the max all the time.
The ‘circus idle’ seems to offer maximum responsiveness to backward/forward movement. The stance also is much closer to standing. I’m sure this is why it is useful for jugglers. Does anyone do this idle while standing?
Re: Circus Idle
Greetings
In message “Re: Circus Idle”,
iunicycle wrote…
>
>Maybe they should call it ‘hovering’. Does that term apply to anything?
“Hovering” is occasionally ised for “idling”, I think mostly in the UK.
>I’m assuming that when done by an expert it looks as close to a
>stillstand as possible, without being a stillstand. You can do almost
>the same amount of movement with an idle with very tiny movements, but
>the look is really different as one leg is bent to the max all the time.
>
>
>The ‘circus idle’ seems to offer maximum responsiveness to
>backward/forward movement. The stance also is much closer to standing.
>I’m sure this is why it is useful for jugglers. Does anyone do this idle
>while standing?
>
>
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i tried circus idling yesterday and it works!
i’ve been practicing still stands for a while so i think that helps.
now i just need to stop waving my arms around so i can circus idle whilst club passing.
ive been club pasing doing regular idling, but because i move about so much its quite dificult to keep the pattern together.
circus idle is a good name, and its got nothing todo with clowns, its for highly skilled circus performers.
Re: Circus Idle
On Fri, 7 Mar 2003 19:56:44 -0600, iunicycle
<iunicycle.k00m0@timelimit.unicyclist.com> wrote:
>You can do almost
>the same amount of movement with an idle with very tiny movements, but
>the look is really different as one leg is bent to the max all the time.
Not only is the look different but I think it is harder too. The
horizontal idle is near power position all the time. If you would try
the normal idle with very tiny movements, I guess you would find it a
lot harder as you are moving near the dead spot.
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