Torker 24", the black one, came in today. I assembled it, watched the “how
to mount” section of the unicycle.com video, then took my uni out to the
deck.
I tried and tried and tried and tried and tried.
It was great! All I’m doing so far is getting onto the seat. At best,
sometimes, I make two or three rotations. I tore up my arms grabbing the
deck railing on the way down. I sat on my jewels again and again. Went
until it got dark.
I just got my new 24" black Torker last Thursday and have been having
a blast trying to learn as well. I’m practicing on pavement with a stucco
wall as my support. Yes, I’m wearing plenty of safety gear to protect
me from all that hard stuff. I’ve only had about 2 bad falls, but I was
very grateful for the wrist guards and knee pads when they happened.
Today my usual spot was in use, so I resorted to the method mentioned
somewhere on here of mounting from a curb. Overall I thought that
was harder, partly because I was used to the wall, but also because
I couldn’t get all balanced and in position before taking off,
so often my quick move to get started meant I was already off balance
and I fell off quickly.
I’ve also had a few runins with the gonads, and my inner thighs are a little
sore. But not too bad, and I feel like I’m making progress. I’ve got
about 4 hours of practice time under my belt so far. An hour long practice
session seems about right for me. After that point I seem to start making
more mistakes again.
Do you all think it is helpful to practice going backward on the wall
as well as forward? I noticed that a lot of times today, I could
go a few revolutions on my own, but if I started to fall back my feet didn’t
know how to pedal backward so I had to fall off. My mindset
so far has been “learn to pedal forward, don’t worry about mounting,
standing still, going backwards, going straight, turning, or anything
else.” The hope was to narrow the amount of stuff to learn so I could
achieve something and build on it. But maybe I need to go backwards
some too. I’ve been advised to try just sitting on the unicycle
for a longish time trying to balance (with aid from the wall as needed)
before taking off in a forward direction.
Also, does anyone think it would be helpful to do some normal bicycle
practice in an effort to make my pedaling smoother? I seem to forcefully
push down a lot when the cranks are horizontal, and then I wind up
stalled when the cranks are vertical. Or worse, my bottom foot ends
up almost vertical when the cranks are vertical and slips right off.
You are going to have so much fun… until you get to that first 20 foot ride.
I wouldn’t worry about riding backwards. It’s too early. Like you said, stay focused on a minum of things. That would be siting on the unicycle and riding forward. Riding backwards takes time, but it isn’t that hard to learn, but you need to learn to go forward comfortably.
If you can’t use your stucco wall, find a stop sign post or something to hold onto and push away from. RAiling is optimum, but hard to find, sometimes.
I learned in my bedroom leaning on my bed sleigh bed bed frame while watching tv. I had to fight the spins first, then get to where i could push off and I then got 1 revolution then two and finally to the doorway. Just takes time
On smackin the gnads, that’s what you work on when you are leaning against the wall. Once you are stable and not twisting around, then work on lowering your self to the seat and back up.
A pole works better for this, because you can pull up on it and hold on to it as you lower yourself.
When you lower yourself, you will have to “adjust” yourself and make room for them. This comes with time. You learn to adjust as you get settled into the seat. It may take one adjustment or several. You will adjust yourself soon after you mount. At least, that works for me.
In article <feaf629c.0304231947.54fcc64@posting.google.com>,
Rob <atruefriend123@hotmail.com> wrote:
)sore. But not too bad, and I feel like I’m making progress. I’ve got
)about 4 hours of practice time under my belt so far. An hour long practice
)session seems about right for me. After that point I seem to start making
)more mistakes again.
It’s definitely true that as you tire, your form decays.
)Do you all think it is helpful to practice going backward on the wall
)as well as forward? I noticed that a lot of times today, I could
)go a few revolutions on my own, but if I started to fall back my feet didn’t
)know how to pedal backward so I had to fall off.
I would not worry about trying to go backwards; you’re better off dismounting
than trying to ride backwards, until you have some decent skills in general.
)Also, does anyone think it would be helpful to do some normal bicycle
)practice in an effort to make my pedaling smoother? I seem to forcefully
)push down a lot when the cranks are horizontal, and then I wind up
)stalled when the cranks are vertical. Or worse, my bottom foot ends
)up almost vertical when the cranks are vertical and slips right off.
It’s hard to transfer circular pedaling directly, because the motion is
so much different on a bike. On a bike, you’re sort of suspended over
the pedals, and spinning is a fluid motion. On a unicycle, especially
when you’re just starting, more of your weight is on the pedals, and
when you push down, all these strange things happen to the unicycle.
It can’t hurt to practice spinning on a bike, but overall I don’t think
there’s any substitute for time on the unicycle. Smoothness will come
with time. Concentrate on keeping your weight on the seat–that’s one of
the bike habits you’ll have to unlearn. And just keep trying!
-Tom
>Today my usual spot was in use, so I resorted to the method mentioned
>somewhere on here of mounting from a curb. Overall I thought that
>was harder, partly because I was used to the wall, but also because
>I couldn’t get all balanced and in position before taking off,
>so often my quick move to get started meant I was already off balance
>and I fell off quickly.
>Do you all think it is helpful to practice going backward on the wall
>as well as forward?
No, it will be confusing at this stage. It sounds like you are riding
too slow so that if you decelerate a bit, you come right to a
standstill and feel the ‘need’ to go backwards. Ride somewhat faster
instead so that even if you decelerate you are still moving forwards.
>I’ve been advised to try just sitting on the unicycle
>for a longish time trying to balance (with aid from the wall as needed)
>before taking off in a forward direction.
That’s good advice for the first five or ten minutes but you’re way
past that.
>Also, does anyone think it would be helpful to do some normal bicycle
>practice in an effort to make my pedaling smoother?
No, I don’t think that the non-smooth pedalling is because your feet
don’t know how to pedal smoothly, but because you need to constantly
adjust balance. While this happens you are developing very useful
‘motor memory’. Just continue this kind of practice and it’ll become
smoother without any conscious mental effort.
