This is my second freewheel video and practice session no. 7 I think.
It puzzles me that you haven’t both your feet at the same height when you freewheel. Do you know why you have a lower and an upper foot?
That seems so fun to ride. I need one more than ever after having watched your videos.
According to waaalrus it is easier with cranks vertical, but I’m not really aware of how I hold my feet. It is fun, and after having tried it, I would say it is the next natural step when you have been through all the wheel sizes plus Schlumpf and muni. (Tricks are not for me. Easy trial maybe).
Is there a video where you ride a geared unicycle?
Nice improvement on the freewheel. you seem to have a great place to train and ride it just around your home.
I would probably pull the trigger if I had such a nice place to practice freewheel unicycle just around my home.
At least your videos make me feel trying it.
Hi UniMyra
Is it as knackering as it looks? Just watching your video makes my lower back hurt… I am guessing that because of the freewheel it must be very tiring on your lower back/core muscles?
There are a few muni videos from 2012 with the Sclumpf hub, but nothing in high gear. I have one on my harddrive, but it’s not very good. I’m planning on putting the Sclumpf hub i a 29" wheel soon, so maybe later.
I have all grades of car-free downhill slopes outside my door, but freewheeling doesen’t really require much space or anything to get started. You’re going to want som downhill after a while though.
I had to google “knackering”, and I’d say it was very knackering at first, but allready in the second session it was noticable less knackering. For some reason I’m sweating like crazy, even in cool weather, but it is not especially physically demanding. I’m probably not staying on long enough for that. It is however very tecnical. It is difficult to apply the proper amount of braking at the right moment. I usually brake to much, so I lose speed and fall off the back. The uni is also very twitchy, so it is difficult to keep a straight line.
Thanks for the reply UniMyra, my first language is not English but around where I live (Ireland/ Britain) people seem to use ‘Knackered’ a lot so I wouldn’t know if it as an expression widely used in other parts of the world. I do like the sound of it when is spoken (it has quite a ‘bite’ if that makes any sense!).
I bet it is very tricky using the brake whilst coasting. I am in my forties and I find it exhausting doing Trials stuff (I’m trying to get better at rolling hops, high jumps etc… and no surprise it is taking me forever). I can now do it for an hour or so but I remember to get out of breath just after few minutes of trying to jump as high as possible. I will certainly try freewheeling in the future.
Great video! As far as riding with pedals level (horizontal) you’re doing it quite a bit in this video and are much further ahead than I was at this stage. It took conscious effort on my part to “grow out of it” and I didn’t even consider trying it until after more than six months of riding. With pedals vertical you can brace your leg against the frame to get a stable stance but in the long run pedals horizontal is a better stance in most situations.
You should. Hub is on sale at UDC US now. I recommend a disc brake and that you use it on the very first attempt
Thanks
I will practice this.
I’m suspecting the freewheel season is almost over here. Yesterday the bikepaths were all icy, so I didn’t want to go riding.
I can see a 29" freewheeler in the remote future.
freemount
I have a “stupid” question, how do you freemount a freewheeling unicycle?
Not a stupid question. I’ve asked it myself, and there are more than one way to do it. I pretty much do it the way waaalrus explained. I put the seat between my legs, the left foot on the back pedal in a 4 O’clock position and pull the uni towards me with the foot. Then I push/jump with the other foot. As soon as I get that forward movement I pull the brake, so I can get my body over the center of balance, and put the “kick off” foot on the front pedal. I also bend my knee a little bit before the jump to gain more upwards speed.
It has to be flat or downhill for me to do it.
so you think it was worth getting the freewheel unicycle? What size are you riding. Seems bigger than 20". Municycle.com in Germany only sells the 20" and Unicycle.com UK doesn’t even have one.
Maybe I should keep working with what I have, but freewheel unicycles seem like a shortcut to gliding. I wouldn’t have to bother learning to take my feet off the pedals and wheelwalk. Lately I’ve been focusing more on using the brakes when going downhill, coz my knees started hurting. That way I also learn how to gradually brake while keeping a certain speed.
Every time I buy a new uni, I think to myself, this is the last one, you don’t need anymore, but then I saw your freewheel video and I just have to try one 
Yes! Great fun. I think it’s a skill worth learning. I want to go on longer rides on a 29" freewheel eventually. Just have to learn it first.
24
I bought the hub on sale from UDC US : https://www.unicycle.com/nimbus-drift-trike-disc-cotterless-hub-36-hole/
Shipping was more expensive than the hub.
There is always something else. Fat wheel, ultimate wheel, large ultimate wheel, geared uni, penny farthing…
I have 2 new projects planned. First up is a 26" freewheel with a 26 x 2.35 Schwalbe Ice Spiker tyre for freewheeling on snow and ice. I allready have most of the parts. Second is sort of a studded tyre solution for my 36" (Studded tyre for 36'er - possible solution?).
Ok I bought the last Freewheeler that Unicycle DE had in stock. I figured that now is my chance, so had to take it. It is a 20". I reckon it is the best size to learn on, so I don’t have to jump too high when mounting.
Do you put the brake on when mounting?
Cool! Good luck!
Yes. I describe how I mount 4 posts higher up.
Hey, have you found a confidence inspiring way to mount your uni uphill yet?
I have had that exact problem with my freewheel free mounts. I’m doing basically the same thing that was explained here (video in “Adventures in Freewheeling” topic). But even very slight uphills are very hard for some reason.
How about hopping, can you do that with your brake locked? That would allow mounting sideways and turning uphill after… I must try that next time I’m training. 
I can’t mount uphill either, but I’ve thought about the same as you: hopping with vertical cranks and the brake locked. Right now I’m not freewheeling because of snow and ice, but when I get my studded 26’er freewheel I will.
Ok, sounds great! It is weird how much less aware you are about the available grip level with a freewheel. When riding a fixed wheel it is an instant instinct to jump of when you start slipping. With a freewheel at least I have more than once noticed that the tire has slipped when starting to accelerate, but that realization has struck only after the situation. 
Probably the lack of feedback through pedals causes that. Kinda scary.