coker and steering

Unicycles and Equipment
1

I’ve been trying to learn how to mount my Coker for the past 2 months. I
can only mount it 70% of the time, and I’ve very fustrated. About an hour
ago, I just made an interesting observation that has boosted my mounting
skills to 90%.

When I mount, sometimes I will veer off to the left. The very second I
begin to veer off to the left, it’s all over and I dismount. For the first
time, however, I noticed I was able to steer (left hand on front of Miyata
saddle) by pushing towards the right. That action would counterbalance from
going left and dismounting. Thus, I would not dismount at all, and I could
ride.

What I want to know is if many Coker riders do this, too. And how often do
you find yourself needing to steer with the seat?

2

When you mount do you hold the wheel?

3

I remember my learning to Coker mount experience. My problem was either not jumping up far enough or jumping too far and shooting over the top of the uni. I seem to have found the balance between the two now.

I do a rolling mount and don’t think I veer to one side or the other. Do you mount right foot back or left foot back?

Bruce

4

Re: coker and steering

I don’t know if you’re joking or not! LOL. But I don’t hold the wheel.

5

Re: coker and steering

I mount left foot. I used to roll mount with some degree, but now I roll
mount less, and that seem to help a little.

6

On big wheels, some people do hold onto the tyre at the start fo the mount.

I mount with pedals in the 10 past 8 position, lower pedal nearer to me. Left foot down, and holding the nose of the saddle with my right hand. except when tired, I can achieve more or less 100%.

I do notice that mounting is harder on a very narrow track or path because the first couple of pedal strokes are often a bit tottery until the wheel gets up to speed.

Steering with the seat isn’t what you’re doing, it just feels like that’s what you’re doing. I think. Newton’s laws of physics suggest if you push the seat to the right (for example) you will push yourself to the left, which can’t help.

It helps to steer a Coker by counter steering. To turn right, do a slight twitch to the LEFT without leaning. The forward momentum of the Coker will then make it fall slightly to its RIGHT then you ride round the curve of the wheel. Easier than I make it sound.

Condiments of the seasoning.

7

Re: Re: coker and steering

We put some video clips of the boys doing tricks on their Cokers out at http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/cokertricksters. The first clip is Brad’s mount where he holds the tire to mount. I was trying to analyze a couple of Ben’s mounts. He mounts right foot back as do Brad and I and I noticed that sometimes we have a slight twitch to the right immediately upon our mount. You mount left foot back and veer to the left. There must be a connection there somewhere. I’ll have to think about this one.

Bruce

8

If it feels like I’m climbing up, then I usualy have to cock the cycle to one side to counter the effect you mentioned; however, I amost never mount this way now- a solid jump mount sticks it every time without issue. Learning to put equal pressure on the pedals and make micro adjustments -skills garnered from still stands, hopping, and seat-out-front- contribute heavyly to a solid Coker mount, but aren’t as important as the type of mount you choose.

Off (and on) topic: stearing the big wheel has been much easyer since Lewis pointed out that I was doing pedal-down weight shift turns and recommended that I focus on smooth, continueous pedaling throught the turn. I can now make controlled turns in a much smaller space.

Having some one on hand to make comments and observations is invalueable. If you have an opertunity to attend a meet or convention, I highly recommend it.

-Christopher

9

Chris,

Turning is my problem. My Coker turns are horrible, especially compared to the boys’. When I watch the boys’ video clips, I’m amazed. Of course my higher center of gravity may have something to do with it. What exactly do you mean when you say, “pedal-down weight shift turns?” Diet Coker and I need to come to an agreement on turning.

Bruce

10

Re: coker and steering

On your off and on topic, you are basically saying, don’t put all the weight
on the pedal while making turns? That is interesting, and I wasn’t aware
that I might be doing that. The next time I ride the Coker I will avoid
putting weight on the pedal while making 90 degree turns. Thank you.

11

Re: coker and steering

Wow! That was a good movie clip. To be honest I would be too afraid to
grab the tire. Somehow (with my bad luck) I would get my hands pinched
(somehow-someway). Also, that “seems” to be a different skill involved.

The movie clip was very intersting. Thanks.

12

somthing in common

We have somthing in common. I remember that it took me awhile to mount my Coker 100% I think it was about a month. I remember riding, then falling, then trying to mount when a car was near so they could see, but then falling again. I remember holding the seat, not to maintain balance side to side, I just found it eaiser. My main problem I think was my front to back balance. I really don’t steer with my seat, but I do understand.

                                                                       Thank You,
                                                                                  RayEdward
13

Bruce,

I’m fond on the 24 to make tight turns by timing them to the down stroke of of the same side pedal -the cycle naturaly pivots on that point -which momentaryly becomes the balance point- and describes a tight arc. The problem with this method on the Coker is that it puts your weight out to one side of the wheel and kinda flops the wheel around -and the mass of the wheel wants to keep going side ways, resulting in a strugle to right the wheel and a need to bear down inordinately on the opposing pedal. Tight turns would consist of a series of ‘flops’. Oddly enough, this same stratagey worked well for tight manuvering on the H-1.5, since it had such minor mass- go figure.

Anyway, even pedal pressure at a consistant pace will allow for much more controlled turns (for me anyway- I hope to learn a thing or two from your boys!).

Only the best for you in this new year.

-Christopher (attempting to type quetly so as to not wake Sophie)

14

I have found it helpful to place the back pedal lower than I do with littler Unis.

Normally I put the back pedal at about 3:00 or 3:30 position. On the Beast, I put it way down around 5:00 or 5:30 position. It rises some during the leap to the top, and off we go.

It helps me if the leap rolls the Beast forward some and I don’t ever stop that gentle roll. Just keep it going.

15

Pedal angle doesn’t really matter. Pushing on the seat doesn’t really matter. Both of those should just boil down to what’s comfortable for you. What matters is jumping up relatively straight, so you end up with your center of mass above the wheel, rather than to the left or right.

If you tend to always go to the left, your goal should be to jump up more to the right, and even overdo it a few times to make sure you get past the central point you’re aiming for.

Once you get up there, you have to be fairly well balanced because a big thing like a Coker is sluggish until you get it going. But you can scoop your arms to the left or right to make some immediate adjustment as you start to move, to keep you on top of it.

[QUOTE]
Originally posted by rhysling
stearing the big wheel has been much easyer since Lewis pointed out that I was doing pedal-down weight shift turns and recommended that I focus on smooth, continueous pedaling throught the turn. I can now make controlled turns in a much smaller space.

[QUOTE]
Yes. The kind of turns beginners usually do on regular unicycles are much harder to deal with on big, heavy wheels. You want to keep a smooth rotation in the wheel (unless you’re trying to stop). Any jerky motions will be much harder to control than on a smaller, lighter wheel.

Your weight should be on the seat, and you should practice leaning-type turns. In those turns, you make slight hip-twist motions to countersteer, or initiate the lean, then you pedal through the turn and try to aim the bottom of the wheel up to the center beneath your center of mass where you want to come out of the turn. If you’re leaning over pretty hard, you sometimes have to turn past the point of balance to make a smooth and easy recovery.

Practicing spinning would help with this technique, but I don’t think it’s a good idea on the Coker due to the tire wear you’re going to get along with that. Unless you have a smooth floor, or nice sealed asphalt surface to play on…

Definitely. There is no substitute for the instruction and motivation of seeing skills done in person. Video can help a lot, but you can’t ask questions of a video. Try to get together with other riders if you can.