Is it feasible to learn to ride seat on side using a 24", especially when you’re not too tall nor have long legs? It seems a 20" would be much easier for this. I can ride seat in back fairly well already.
Also, which other skills are much easier on one wheel size as opposed to the other? For riding in circles and figure 8s, I think the 20" would allow you to turn in smaller circles. What about other skills such as wheel-walking, hopping on seat, or one footed riding – does a smaller or bigger wheel matter?
A 20" unicycle is definitely a lot easier to manoeuvre in small spaces. It’s also easier to do stuff like one footing (and I assume wheel walking, etc.) because you don’t have to pull your legs up as much as on a 24".
Most people use 20" unicycles for freestyle, like you’re talking about.
i find one-footing easier on the 24", actually. once you get used to the span of the pedalling, it takes less force to drive it forward a full revolution.
i haven’t come across anything that’s distinctly easier on a 20", but then i’m not at any high skill level. apart from things like seat on side where the wheel is an obstruction, i think it’s all a matter of what you’re used to.
The problem with seat on side with a 24" wheel is getting your leg over the tire and keeping the tire from rubbing your leg. On a 24" it requires more contortions of your leg to achieve that feat. Definitely easier on a 20" freestyle unicycle no matter what your height. Shorter cranks also make it easier. If you have longish cranks (longer than 125mm) on the 24" you’ll find it more difficult.
So yes, it is easier on a 20" freestyle unicycle with a freestyle tire and shorter cranks. I don’t know at what inseam length it becomes feasible to do on a 24".