I just got the Unicycle Skills Level qualifications. I found out that I am a level 4.6
I need to learn another mount, ride with the seat out front for 10 meters and ride with the seat out back for 10 meters.
I can practice the seat in front and back (do you hold the seat with one hand while you ride, with the seat behind you?)
I need some recommendations on the easiest 7 or 8 mounts. I have never practiced any kind of mount except the normal left or right footed, standard mount.
I am 40 years old, and weigh 260 lbs, so keep that in mind when your giving me your recommendations. --chirokid–
chirokid writes:
>
>I just got the Unicycle Skills Level qualifications. I found out that I
>am a level 4.6
Well, there are no mid-levels, so if you can do everything in level 4,
then you’re level 4. If you need to work on something in level 4 but have
mastered everything in the previous levels, you’d be level 3. Officially,
you’d have to qualify under the watchful eye of an offical tester.
>
>I need to learn another mount, ride with the seat out front for 10
>meters and ride with the seat out back for 10 meters.
I think this means you would be trying to pass level 4.
>
>I can practice the seat in front and back (do you hold the seat with one
>hand while you ride, with the seat behind you?)
Yes.
>
>
>I need some recommendations on the easiest 7 or 8 mounts. I have never
>practiced any kind of mount except the normal left or right footed,
>standard mount.
I guess the easiest is mounting with the uni behind you (you’re already
sitting on the seat) as you sort of jump backwards and put your second
foot on the pedal. I forget the name of that one. Side mounts are pretty
easy; the key is to kick the pedal back as soon as that second foot is in
position. Jump mount and rolling mount are pretty simple, too, for most
experienced riders. You can also mount into a one-footed idle. And if you
practice a bit, it’s not too hard to mount into riding one-footed.
>
>I am 40 years old, and weigh 260 lbs, so keep that in mind when your
>giving me your recommendations. --chirokid–
Duly noted. The above mounts are age- and weight- friendly.
The mount David is referring to is called ‘back mount’. Personally I don’t like that one, because it’s kind of scary to mount backwards (and I had my worst falls when learning to ride backwards).
I find the following mounts much easier (and learnt them before the back mount), I list them in my order of learning
side mount (+ leg extended is nice)
side mount reverse (+ leg around once
jump mount (half suicide)
stepover mount
rolling mount
floor mount
kickup (still working on it, get about 1 in 10)
David, then I am a Catagory 3. Sounds pretty pitiful to be a uni-rider for 32 years and just be a catagory 3. I guess it’s time this ol’ dog learned some new tricks. I think I might need to lower my seat just a little too, that might help with these new mounts.
I stood beside my uni last night and contemplated the side mount, 1/2 Suicide and kick up, but that is as far as I got. Maybe tomorrow I will actually try one. They all three seemed like Suicide’s too me. I think my next mount will be the reverse!
Working on Catagory 4, I still have to learn a new mount, plus riding with the seat out front and back. Question: Do I start riding normally and then pull the seat out, or mount with the seat out front/back and then ride? --chirokid–
Practice on some flat grassy area. The wheel doesn’t move as fast, and if you fall, well it’s just grass. What you will probably discover is that it isn’t too difficult to do some of these.
The suicide is just a complication of the jump mount, so just try out the jump mount. You can hold onto a wall at first, or something to help you jump up. It isn’t hard, just scary. Or do it in the dirt or grass area.
Side mount is nice because you start with your foot on the pedal. Try to find the balance point where you can lift your foot off the ground and the uni stays in place. For the side mount, hold on to the back of the seat with the frame leaning back and away from you. Put the foot farthest away from the uni on the correct pedal and swing the leg closest to the uni around the front, place the seat where you can sit down, and then place your foot on the pedal. These last two are nearly simultaneous. Push back on the pedal. This gets you moving, even if backward, it is like an idle stroke, and gives the foot that was down and on the uni first some leaverage to go forward.
For seat out front/back, can you ride with stomach on seat? Start by holding on to something, pulling out the seat and starting. Learn the pull out and put back part after you can go 10-20 yards or so.
Thanks for the tips iunicycle. Yes, I can ride with my stomach on the seat. In fact, I’m so big my stomach hangs down and touches the seat all the time. Just a joke, but I am a fairly big fellow. I will use your tips for mounts and front/back riding without the seat. --chirokid–
chirokid.py1h0@timelimit.unicyclist.com writes:
>
>Thanks David and Franz.
>
>David, then I am a Catagory 3. Sounds pretty pitiful to be a uni-rider
>for 32 years and just be a catagory 3. I guess it’s time this ol’ dog
>learned some new tricks. I think I might need to lower my seat just a
>little too, that might help with these new mounts.
>
Don’t worry about riding at level 3 for 32 years. I was level 4 for 21
years until I discovered the Internet-unicycle community. I was inspired,
finally mastered wheelwalking (7 months), and soon got to level 6. Level 7
was fast, tho I have been stuck there for a year.
>David, then I am a Catagory 3.
Mostly it is called Level 3 as opposed to Category 3. (Or Catagory for
that matter )
>Question: Do I start riding normally
>and then pull the seat out, or mount with the seat out front/back and
>then ride?
The former. With a few exceptions, every skill has to transition out
of normal riding, and back into normal riding (for at least 3
revolutions, I think, to show control).
Klaas Bil - Newsgroup Addict
You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say may end up in someone’s sig line and be used against you.
I’ve got you beat! It took me about 2 years to learn the wheel walk. Probably because I got depressed at how slow it was going and gave up for a month or two at a time. In the last few days I’ve gotten to where I feel relatively proficient, and have started working on the 1 foot wheel walk. I actually got about 20 feet with one foot on my first day trying!
As for mounts, I found the rolling mount to be easier for me to learn than the jump mount. Probably because of the intimidation factor. And the rolling mount is a very useful one to learn if you ever need to mount in a crowd of people (like on a college campus).
Those are my two bits.
paco.pywq0@timelimit.unicyclist.com writes:
>I’ve got you beat! It took me about 2 years to learn the wheel walk.
>Probably because I got depressed at how slow it was going and gave up
>for a month or two at a time. In the last few days I’ve gotten to where
>I feel relatively proficient, and have started working on the 1 foot
>wheel walk. I actually got about 20 feet with one foot on my first day
>trying!
Yeah, I found that, once I’d nearly mastered ww, 1’ww was MUCH EASIER.
That still seems a bit weird to me.
David
I have a 24" Schwinn, with the original style seat still on it. The back has a HUGE knob and the front a smaller knob. It is really hard for me to pull it out.
Is there a better seat for this, or am I just a whuss? --chirokid–
I assume you’re trying to pull the seat out to do seat in front. You can do that with a Schwinn seat. It’s a little bit easier to grab a seat that has a handle or a lip on the front, but you can do it with the Schwinn seat.
Ride with the balls of your feet on the pedals, rather than the arch of your foot over the pedals. Pause while the cranks are horizontal and stand on your tip-toes. Now pull the seat out front.
I learned how to pull the seat out in front with a 24" Schwinn with the original seat as well. It feels funny, but if you follow John Child’s advice, you should be able to get it.
Good luck!
Thanks for all the feedback fellows! I just got home and went out and practiced mounts.
On my 4th try, I mounted using the SIDE MOUNT. Then, I decide to try it backward, and on the 1st attempt, I landed the SIDE MOUNT REVERSE. Woooooohooooooo, I am so excited. Maybe 32 years of riding are gonna pay off, it sure is fun learning new tricks.
Then, I practiced riding forward and pulling out the seat. That was a little tougher. Took me 8 attempts until I could get the seat pulled out, but then I rode 22 feet. Is it legal to slick down the inside of your thighs with butter?
Anyway, thanks for the help, I might reach Level 4 quicker than I thought. I just have figure how to pull that seat out to the back. Got any Olive Oil? --chirokid–
Has anyone here done a push-up mount? (I think that’s the official name) I’ve been meaning to try it…I just always forget. It looks like I’ll need to work out a bit before I can do it. It’s like 10 times as hard as doing push-ups with claps. Is there some secret that I’m missing?
I think my next mount will be the reverse!
Just a joke, but I am a fairly big fellow. I will use your tips for mounts and front/back riding without the seat. --chirokid–
)