# Difficulty going between unicycles? **URL:** \ **Category:** Riding Advice\ **Created:** [October 30, 2026, 10:48pm UTC](https://unicyclist.com/t/difficulty-going-between-unicycles/295425 "2026-10-30T22:48:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![esm](https://unicyclist.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/f08c70/32.png) [@esm](https://unicyclist.com/u/esm)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2026, 10:48pm UTC](https://unicyclist.com/t/difficulty-going-between-unicycles/295425/1 "2026-10-30T22:48:49Z")
A few months ago, I made a post about how it feels like my 29" unicycle pulls to the left: > [@29" unicycle pulling to one side?](https://unicyclist.com/t/29-unicycle-pulling-to-one-side/294505): > > I’ve been learning unicycle for nearly 8 months now and I feel that I can ride my 20/24" fairly well (I’m still trying to master free mounting). I also have a 29" unicycle but I’m having some difficulty. When I first mount the unicycle, it seems OK. But then it starts to feel like it wants to pull to the left and that I’m constantly having to lean right to correct it. Strangely though, it feels like right turns are easy but left turns are hard. The unicycle was bought new just a few months ago… A problem that I’ve now faced is difficulty adjusting when going between my 29" and 24". Let me explain further: When I first started riding the 29" one, it felt like it was pulling to the left and I had to fight it to keep it straight. Eventually I seemed to adjust and the problem seemed to go away. But now when I ride my 24" (or 20"), it feels like it’s pulling to the right! Even though it felt straight before. I have to fight to keep the 24" and 20" left. Of course, I then adjust to this and the 29" again feels weird like it’s pulling left 😅 It’s like my own internal sense of centre balance becomes biased after riding either the 24" or 29". It don’t know if it’s me or if the unicycles do indeed have a slight left/right side bias. Does this makes sense and has anyone else ever experienced anything similar? ---
**Author:** ![IvenBach](https://unicyclist.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/5f8ce5/32.png) [@IvenBach](https://unicyclist.com/u/IvenBach)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 12:42am UTC](https://unicyclist.com/t/difficulty-going-between-unicycles/295425/2 "2026-10-31T00:42:27Z")
Does the same occur for you if you ride other 24in or 29in unicycles? My riding bias is going between my freewheel and fixed unis. After riding exclusively freewheel for many months fixed axles were awkward. I could ride but would periodically, without thinking, and unintentionally go into coast mode and either UPD or nearly so. “Oh. Right. Fixed axle, stupid. No coasting.” That usually took me 30mins to an hour of riding to ‘fix’ and stop automatically trying. Afterwards it was just fine. Then going back to freewheeling was awkward until I was again acclimated to it. It also takes me a little time to swap between various fixed axle sizes but less than a freewheel. Keep riding. IMO the more you develop riding skills the less of an issue you’ll experience. That has been my overall experience. ---
**Author:** ![esm](https://unicyclist.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/f08c70/32.png) [@esm](https://unicyclist.com/u/esm)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 1:36am UTC](https://unicyclist.com/t/difficulty-going-between-unicycles/295425/3 "2026-10-31T01:36:34Z")
> [@IvenBach](#): > > After riding exclusively freewheel for many months fixed axles were awkward. I could ride but would periodically, without thinking, and unintentionally go into coast mode and either UPD or nearly so. Ouch, that sounds painful. I hear that some fixed gear (and penny farthing) riders have made that same mistake too! Well done on riding a freewheel uni though. I’ve heard that they’re really difficult to ride. ---
**Author:** ![Siddhartha\_Valmont](https://unicyclist.com/user_avatar/unicyclist.com/siddhartha_valmont/32/3567_2.png) [@Siddhartha\_Valmont](https://unicyclist.com/u/Siddhartha_Valmont)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 6:09am UTC](https://unicyclist.com/t/difficulty-going-between-unicycles/295425/4 "2026-10-31T06:09:51Z")
> [@esm](#): > > It’s like my own internal sense of centre balance becomes biased after riding either the 24" or 29 Don’t sell yourself short (yet). Suggestion: try to ride your 29er until you are comfortable. Then swap the 29er wheel for your 24, adjust the saddle height and try to ride for a few minutes. If the problem is you sense of balance, it will feel off as usual. However, if it has to do with some differences with the saddle/cranks/frame/whatever, it should feel natural (apart from the wheelsize/torque difference). Anecdote: I had a coworker that was riding an old cheap 20in uni with a bent axle. He was riding around without problem. However, when I had him try my 20in uni with a straight-and-true hub, he was struggling like the parking lot was a boat at sea. Until your balance develop enough to compensate, it is normal to be thrown off by things (and saddles developing a twist in the foam can be a challenge for new riders). ---
**Author:** ![Felgenbremse](https://unicyclist.com/user_avatar/unicyclist.com/felgenbremse/32/3922_2.png) [@Felgenbremse](https://unicyclist.com/u/Felgenbremse)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 6:39am UTC](https://unicyclist.com/t/difficulty-going-between-unicycles/295425/5 "2026-10-31T06:39:41Z")
I always keep the same distance between the pedal and the saddle. Whether I’m riding the 24-inch unicycle or the 29-inch unicycle, it works quite well for me. ---
**Author:** ![Blueblade](https://unicyclist.com/user_avatar/unicyclist.com/blueblade/32/87533_2.png) [@Blueblade](https://unicyclist.com/u/Blueblade)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 6:51am UTC](https://unicyclist.com/t/difficulty-going-between-unicycles/295425/6 "2026-10-31T06:51:58Z")
One thing I noticed is the bigger wheels always seem to feel better. Smoother, less twitchy, go farther with less effort, etc. That feeling of appreciating the bigger wheel is strongest after riding a smaller one then going bigger again. The height is the one thing that doesn’t though, at first when going back after focusing more on smaller ones, that feels a little intimidating. I have been almost exclusively using my 20 for a while because I have been focused on learning to idle ( I can idle now! Finally!), then trying to get better at it after figuring it out. Geez the 27.5 seems so tall now even though it is/was my favorite! I Can’t idle it yet. I can my 24, but not nearly as well as the 20. The more I rotate sizes, the less an issue it is moving between them though. It used to be a lot easier when I did that more, but now feels like i “regressed” from too much 20 time lately and the big one feels almost as awkward as when I first got it. I know my 27.5 will feel best again soon after riding it more. I keep wondering if I will like a 29er even more…