I’ve been riding for a while and have just invested in a coker. Apart from
being incredible fun I have no clue on how to free mount the thing. Is it
possible. I can already free mount my 24’’… Any help Will
Joe Marshall posted some videos of mounting and idling a Coker recently. The site is
http://odin.prohosting.com/~jmjmjm/unicycle/
The thread originated 11/2/01 and was last updated 11/4/01.
There are a couple of threads in which various owners describe their experiences and preferences mounting the big boys.
Take particular note of Joe’s right foot, with pedal back and just below horizontal- no weight is placed on this foot at first. His left foot launches himself into the sadle. Unless you are a super-human (like Joe!), try to carry your momentum into the left pedal; the wheel is so heavy, it is hard to start rolling- so do so as soon as you can. Also, try to mount the wheel as upright as possable, and don’t cross mount; controlling the wheel at angle at slow speed is not much fun.
Here is a link to a long thread in this forum…there are others:
http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11371
Good luck,
harper wrote…
>Joe Marshall posted some videos of mounting and idling a Coker recently.
>The site is
>
> http://odin.prohosting.com/~jmjmjm/unicycle/
Here is something I once wrote about how to idle on a Coker. Joe Marshal,
please feel free to use all or parts of it on your sight.
I have been idling on big wheels for years, and I don’t find idling on a
Coker that difficult. Here is the “secret”:
Don’t “idle”, which involves rocking back and fourth, but “ride” backward
and forward half a turn at a time. That is, your upper body moves in
parallel with the wheel, unlike in true idling where it stays more or
less in place while the wheel moves like a pendulum underneath it. Once
you get used to it, you can mix the above with some real idling. Try it
and you will see.
>The thread originated 11/2/01 and was last updated 11/4/01.
>
>There are a couple of threads in which various owners describe their
>experiences and preferences mounting the big boys.
>
>
Regards, Jack Halpern President, The CJK Dictionary Institute, Inc.
http://www.cjk.org Phone: +81-48-473-3508
>I’ve been riding for a while and have just invested in a coker. Apart
>from being incredible fun I have no clue on how to free mount the thing.
>Is it possible. I can already free mount my 24’’… Any help Will
When you freemount, do you push down on one pedal and roll the wheel
backwards (half - quarter rotation) before putting your “last” foot down
on the trailing pedal?
If so, don’t. This is really hard on a coker because of the quick
tangential (rolling) accelerations required.
Instead, use the foot you first place on a pedal just to keep the wheel
from rolling away from you. Then spring upward-forward in a long, smooth
movement, using the leg you stand on to get on top of the wheel. When you
put this foot (quickly!) on the pedal, it should still be somewhere around
the forward “power position”. If you’re still maintaining balance, you
“just” have to step on it and lean slightly forward.
The tricky part is to put the right amount of pressure on the back pedal
when smoothly jumping up.
You could try leaning forward, grabbing the wheel with one hand. This can
make the jumping easier (you are more or less over the wheel already, and
you can hardly jump to much upward or forward) as well as keeping the
wheel where you want it. (you sort of roll with the wheel for a bit, until
you’re on top of it)
If the wheel keeps rolling backward, you probably put too much pressure on
the rear pedal. I think this is most likely to occur in the beginning and
end of the movement. Try jumping a little more forward and gradually
remove the pressure on the back pedal on your way up (try slightly raising
your foot from it’s starting position). This makes the wheel roll slightly
forward already from the start, counteracting the backward motion maybe
caused later in the process.
I prefer to do this in excess, meaning the wheel is rolling all the way
through the mount, or I never “stop at the top”. Your forward momentum,
even if pretty small, helps you to get going.
Hard to mount no matter what you do? Try it in a slight downhill, it’s
much easier. Gradually decrease the slope as you improve, and you will be
able to freemount on the flat in no time.
Happy unicycling! Staffan Palm, Sweden. Hmmm, I need a studded tyre for my
coker now…
Jack Halpern wrote:
>
> harper wrote…
> >Joe Marshall posted some videos of mounting and idling a Coker
> >recently. The site is
> >
> > http://odin.prohosting.com/~jmjmjm/unicycle/
>
> Here is something I once wrote about how to idle on a Coker. Joe
> Marshal, please feel free to use all or parts of it on your sight.
>
> I have been idling on big wheels for years, and I don’t find idling on a
> Coker that difficult. Here is the “secret”:
>
> Don’t “idle”, which involves rocking back and fourth, but “ride”
> backward and forward half a turn at a time. That is, your upper body
> moves in parallel with the wheel, unlike in true idling where it stays
> more or less in place while the wheel moves like a pendulum underneath
> it. Once you get used to it, you can mix the above with some real
> idling. Try it and you will see.
Ah, yes. I guess if you ‘idle’ on a Coker the wheel, travelling the normal
half circle, then moves so much farther than a 20 or 24 incher that if
your body were to stay in the same place you risk planting your face in
the concrete.
Pleasant.
You’d have to either idle faster which with the heavier wheel would be
harder or you’d have to idle with less than the usual half-cycle.
So your ‘riding’ rather than idling per se makes sense.
Christopher
“Be Bold and mighty forces will come to your aid.” -Basil King (Anyone who
can give me more info on THIS Basil King please email
me.)
My short story at: http://www.rosedog.com/manuscript.asp?m=9389256&manusc-
ript=6862016&t=The+Determination+of+Jeffery&fn=Christopher&ln=Grove&srdt=-
9%2F27%2F01+5%3A32%3A05+AM&fs=2&ff=Arial%2C+Helvetica%2C+Verdana&ps=4000&-
s=735143750&folder=Search+Results
Jack Halpern wrote:
>
> harper wrote…
> >Joe Marshall posted some videos of mounting and idling a Coker
> >recently. The site is
> >
> > http://odin.prohosting.com/~jmjmjm/unicycle/
>
> Here is something I once wrote about how to idle on a Coker. Joe
> Marshal, please feel free to use all or parts of it on your sight.
>
> I have been idling on big wheels for years, and I don’t find idling on a
> Coker that difficult. Here is the “secret”:
>
> Don’t “idle”, which involves rocking back and fourth, but “ride”
> backward and forward half a turn at a time. That is, your upper body
> moves in parallel with the wheel, unlike in true idling where it stays
> more or less in place while the wheel moves like a pendulum underneath
> it. Once you get used to it, you can mix the above with some real
> idling. Try it and you will see.
Ah, yes. I guess if you ‘idle’ on a Coker the wheel, travelling the normal
half circle, then moves so much farther than a 20 or 24 incher that if
your body were to stay in the same place you risk planting your face in
the concrete.
Pleasant.
You’d have to either idle faster which with the heavier wheel would be
harder or you’d have to idle with less than the usual half-cycle.
So your ‘riding’ rather than idling per se makes sense.
Christopher
“Be Bold and mighty forces will come to your aid.” -Basil King (Anyone who
can give me more info on THIS Basil King please email
me.)
My short story at: http://www.rosedog.com/manuscript.asp?m=9389256&manusc-
ript=6862016&t=The+Determination+of+Jeffery&fn=Christopher&ln=Grove&srdt=-
9%2F27%2F01+5%3A32%3A05+AM&fs=2&ff=Arial%2C+Helvetica%2C+Verdana&ps=4000&-
s=735143750&folder=Search+Results
>Jack Halpern wrote:
>> Here is something I once wrote about how to idle on a Coker. Joe
>> Marshal, please feel free to use all or parts of it on your sight.
>>
>> I have been idling on big wheels for years, and I don’t find idling on
>> a Coker that difficult. Here is the “secret”:
>>
>> Don’t “idle”, which involves rocking back and fourth, but “ride”
>> backward and forward half a turn at a time. That is, your upper body
>> moves in parallel with the wheel, unlike in true idling where it stays
>> more or less in place while the wheel moves like a pendulum underneath
>> it. Once you get used to it, you can mix the above with some real
>> idling. Try it and you will see.
Another stationary skill that could be used is idling with the crank arms
in a mid position of horizontal rather than vertical as in a normal
idle. The idle cycle back and forth is also quite small, perhaps 5-25
degrees total versus normal idle cycle of about 30-180 degrees
(most commonly about 60-150 degrees). This “horizontal idle” is
similar to twisting in regards to the crank arm position which is
nearly always horizontal or nearly so. The “horizontal idle” and
twisting could be considered too extremes of a “horizontal idle” /
twisting combination where both the independent idle and twisting
components range 0-100%. Note that 0% idle and 0% twisting is the
special case of a still stand which is maintained by body flexing
without wheel movement.
Thus, Coker stationary skills include still stand, vertical (normal)
idling, pure horizontal idling, horizontal idling/twisting and pure
twisting, in increasing order of tire wear. Note that twisting wears out
tires extremely fast. Note that a poor “still stand” (some motion) can
wear down a tire quite fast whereas a perfect still stand will cause no
wear at all; so be careful if you still stand and your goal is minimal
tire wear.
Bouncing would be the almost perfect skill to do at red lights. If done
lightly it doesn’t stress the wheel and crank arms too much and best of
all, tire wear is almost zero when surface twisting is avoided. When
bouncing a Coker, please that bent cranks and even a damaged wheel could
result. Also be sure the tire is properly inflated to avoid rim cuts and
other rim contacting (riding) surface damage to the tire.
Spinning is another option, but if the goal is remaining mounted at a stop
light, it could be very confusing to other users of the road. They are
never quite sure whether you are coming or going, so I’ve restricted these
stationary skills to those with a more or less constant heading, forward
in the direction of intended travel. By the way, spinning can wear a tire
out about as quickly as twisting.
Sincerely,
Ken Fuchs <kfuchs@winternet.com
Ken,
Excellent analysis!
Ken Fuchs wrote…
>>Jack Halpern wrote:
>
>>> Here is something I once wrote about how to idle on a Coker. Joe
>>> Marshal, please feel free to use all or parts of it on your sight.
>>>
>>> I have been idling on big wheels for years, and I don’t find idling
>>> on a Coker that difficult. Here is the “secret”:
>>>
>>> Don’t “idle”, which involves rocking back and fourth, but “ride”
>>> backward and forward half a turn at a time. That is, your upper body
>>> moves in parallel with the wheel, unlike in true idling where it
>>> stays more or less in place while the wheel moves like a pendulum
>>> underneath it. Once you get used to it, you can mix the above with
>>> some real idling. Try it and you will see.
>
>Another stationary skill that could be used is idling with the crank
>arms in a mid position of horizontal rather than vertical as in a normal
>idle. The idle cycle back and forth is also quite small, perhaps 5-25
> degrees total versus normal idle cycle of about 30-180 degrees
> (most commonly about 60-150 degrees). This “horizontal idle” is
> similar to twisting in regards to the crank arm position which is
> nearly always horizontal or nearly so. The “horizontal idle” and
> twisting could be considered too extremes of a “horizontal idle”
> / twisting combination where both the independent idle and
> twisting components range 0-100%. Note that 0% idle and 0%
> twisting is the special case of a still stand which is maintained
> by body flexing without wheel movement.
>
>Thus, Coker stationary skills include still stand, vertical (normal)
>idling, pure horizontal idling, horizontal idling/twisting and pure
>twisting, in increasing order of tire wear. Note that twisting wears out
>tires extremely fast. Note that a poor “still stand” (some motion) can
>wear down a tire quite fast whereas a perfect still stand will cause no
>wear at all; so be careful if you still stand and your goal is minimal
>tire wear.
>
>Bouncing would be the almost perfect skill to do at red lights. If done
>lightly it doesn’t stress the wheel and crank arms too much and best of
>all, tire wear is almost zero when surface twisting is avoided. When
>bouncing a Coker, please that bent cranks and even a damaged wheel could
>result. Also be sure the tire is properly inflated to avoid rim cuts and
>other rim contacting (riding) surface damage to the tire.
>
>Spinning is another option, but if the goal is remaining mounted at a
>stop light, it could be very confusing to other users of the road. They
>are never quite sure whether you are coming or going, so I’ve restricted
>these stationary skills to those with a more or less constant heading,
>forward in the direction of intended travel. By the way, spinning can
>wear a tire out about as quickly as twisting.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Ken Fuchs <kfuchs@winternet.com>
>__________________________________________________________________-
>_________
>rec.sport.unicycling mailing list -
>www.unicycling.org/mailman/listinfo/rsu
>
Regards, Jack Halpern President, The CJK Dictionary Institute, Inc.
http://www.cjk.org Phone: +81-48-473-3508
rhysling <forum.member@unicyclist.com> wrote in message
news:<9s6s0m$s5q$1@laurel.tc.umn.edu>…
> Take particular note of Joe’s right foot, with pedal back and just below
> horizontal- no weight is placed on this, foot at first. His left foot
> launches himself into the sadle. Unless you are a super-human (like
> Joe!), try to carry your momentum into the left pedal; the wheel is so
> heavy, it is hard to start rolling- so do so as soon as you can. Also,
> try not to mount the wheel as upright as possable, and don’t cross
> mount; controlling the wheel at angle at slow speed is not much fun.
This rolling mount is next on my coker learning list (and I’ll video once
I get it). The main reason I start in a standstill is because I like to
have that short moment to check for any suddenly appearing traffic, small
children etc. before I roll off. Rollback gives you a bit longer to think,
but you can’t do it if there’s anything behind you. Rollback mount also
requires less of the athletic jumping up onto the pedals stuff and is very
easy to convert into an idle if you need to.
Joe
Ken Fuchs <kfuchs@winternet.com> wrote in message
news:<mailman.1005103810.12893.rsu@unicycling.org>…
> Another stationary skill that could be used is idling with the crank
> arms in a mid position of horizontal rather than vertical as in a normal
> idle. The idle cycle back and forth is also quite small, perhaps 5-25
> degrees total versus normal idle cycle of about 30-180 degrees
> (most commonly about 60-150 degrees). This “horizontal idle” is
> similar to twisting in regards to the crank arm position which is
> nearly always horizontal or nearly so. The “horizontal idle” and
> twisting could be considered too extremes of a “horizontal idle”
> / twisting combination where both the independent idle and
> twisting components range 0-100%. Note that 0% idle and 0%
> twisting is the special case of a still stand which is maintained
> by body flexing without wheel movement.
>
> Thus, Coker stationary skills include still stand, vertical (normal)
> idling, pure horizontal idling, horizontal idling/twisting and pure
> twisting, in increasing order of tire wear. Note that twisting wears out
> tires extremely fast. Note that a poor “still stand” (some motion) can
> wear down a tire quite fast whereas a perfect still stand will cause no
> wear at all; so be careful if you still stand and your goal is minimal
> tire wear.
Wow, respect is due to anyone who can horizontal idle a Coker. I’ve
gotta try that.
Twisting is definately useful, especially when going round obstacles or
through crowds. Now I’m doing a lot of Cokering, I often find myself
doing a stillstand, twist, ride a rotation or two, stillstand type thing
to get round people where I’d previously have had to idle until they got
out of the way.
Once your legs have got used to the power needed to start the Coker, I
think stillstands are pretty much the most useful skill as you can do them
much quicker than idling and you tend not to need more than a second or so
pause to get round things. Being able to ride very slowly is very useful
too, if you can see things coming up, you can just ride slow instead of
idling. Being able to ride quite slow is pretty vital for riding steep
hills, especially offroad ones.
Joe