I got a unicycle for Christmas. I’m good enough now that I can go pretty much
any distance I want, until faced by some obstacle that I can’t overcome. I’ve
ridden a few times to the grocery store, and a few times to work. The trip to
work is two or three miles. And I’ve gotten some wonderful responses while
riding, especially from kids! Everyone seems to like unicycles.
But it’s still hard! I still need to give full attention to my balance and the
road. I can’t just let my mind wander while I pedal, like I do on my bicycle.
Does it ever get easy?
> But it’s still hard! I still need to give full attention to my balance and the > road. I can’t just let my mind wander while I pedal, like I do on my bicycle. > Does it ever get easy?
It gets easier. But it never gets to the same lack-of-concentration as a
bicycle. Because the bike has two wheels, you can roll right over a rock or
big bump without any major discomfort. But if you hit the same obstacle on
the unicycle, you’d better be at least a little bit ready. So yes, you can
relax more in time, but your senses will have to be a little more “tuned”
when on a unicycle.
That’s what attracts some of us I think, the fact that it’s a little more of a
brain workout. If you experience brain overheating, walk for a few minutes. Your
mileage may vary.
yes, it gets easy! It’s easier than walking. I’d much rather unicycle a block
than walk it. Once you get riding down, you won’t have to think about it
anymore. So of course, then you can move onto harder things! My legs are still
as bruised now as they were when I first started to learn to ride, but not
because I’m not getting better. I’m just learning harder and harder things.
Try riding/freemounting with juggling bags in your hand, just to take your
mind off pedaling, and it helps! Suddenly you realize you’re riding without
thinking about it.
There are instances though when I get so relaxed on my uni that I’m only
touching the pedals very lightly so a small bump will throw me off if I’m not
ready for it. But overall, yes, it gets easy, very easy.
In article <8c00ko$thh$4@flotsam.uits.indiana.edu>,
glhansen@steel.ucs.indiana.edu (Gregory L. Hansen) wrote: > >I got a unicycle for Christmas. I’m good enough now that I can
go pretty >much any distance I want, until faced by some obstacle that I
can’t >overcome. I’ve ridden a few times to the grocery store, and a
few times >to work. The trip to work is two or three miles. And I’ve
gotten some >wonderful responses while riding, especially from kids!
Everyone seems to >like unicycles.
It’s great that you could join the group. Welcome!
> >But it’s still hard! I still need to give full attention to my
balance >and the road. I can’t just let my mind wander while I pedal,
like I do on >my bicycle. Does it ever get easy?
If you’re one of those people who likes to push themselves to the limits of
their abilities, you’ll notice that it never gets easy since you won’t
think about what you’ve mastered, but will instead keep your sights on what
you haven’t.
So, when you can do something without actively thinking about it, you may not
even think about how much work it was to get there. I’m not sure if that answers
your question, though.
> >– >“We aim to please. So you aim, too, please.” > > >
Ken
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Ditto Tammi, Im surprised more people didnt answer with a simple ‘yes’.
I ride coker now , which in itself makes riding easier. (I think it would be
easier to learn on a coker than anything else, however, more potential for easy
high speed and crashes) . Using the techniques you know well, you can ride as
well as you can walk. Its easy, its comfortable, you are confident. As you
become better, you learn to fall (step off) at every angle, and every speed.
When riding (especially backwards), you cannot see every bump or incline change.
You will learn to feel it as it happens and adjust without thinking. If you cant
adjust in time , you jump off.
Chris Carey anaheim, calif
“Tammy Marsh” <dagobahyoda@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:20000330211733.14871.qmail@hotmail.com… > > > > Does it ever get easy? > > yes, it gets easy! It’s easier than walking. I’d much rather unicycle a block > than walk it. Once you get riding down, you won’t have to think
about > it anymore. So of course, then you can move onto harder things! My legs
are > still as bruised now as they were when I first started to learn to ride,
but > not because I’m not getting better. I’m just learning harder and > harder things. > > Try riding/freemounting with juggling bags in your hand, just to take your > mind off pedaling, and it helps! Suddenly you realize you’re riding
without > thinking about it. > > There are instances though when I get so relaxed on my uni that I’m only > touching the pedals very lightly so a small bump will throw me off if I’m not > ready for it. But overall, yes, it gets easy, very easy. > > Tammy http://MarshT.tripod.com/ > ______________________________________________________ > Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com >
I just finished a 4-mile loop on my Coker, and a big wheel is probably as close
to “automatic pilot” as you can get on a unicycle. The heavy weight of the Coker
gives you a lot of momentum, and the huge amount of air in the tire cushions you
from a lot of unexpected shocks.
That said, there was hardly a moment when I wasn’t acutely conscious of each
little change in the surface, the slope, and the camber of the road. I compare
it to riding the moguls on downhill skiis. You have to attend to and respond to
every tiny piece of terrain.
I think that any balance sport–especially one that is conducted on rough
terrain–creates this kind of hyperawareness. It is a lot of what makes
unicycling fun.
