Hey! I am newer here and I was wondering what or how y’all got into unicycling? My story is kinda boring, my sisters friend knew how to ride a uni and her whole fam did to. Then my sis learned how to and as the youngest sibbling I must copy everything my older sibblings do! So that’s kinda how I got into it. I learned how to ride when I was around 11-12 and then I didn’t start cross country riding til 3 years later, I have been doing CC riding for 4 years now!
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I saw a unicycle at a garage sale for $10 when I was 54 and remembered a childhood day dream of riding a unicycle.
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It was kind of a natural progression for me. I have always loved unorthodox hobbies; especially ones that involve physical activity. Bicycle touring is my all time favorite, which led to my trying any kind of cycling discipline I came across, including recumbent riding. Unicycling seemed to hold a mythical quality in my mind, and it stayed a compelling thought in the back of my mind for years. The push I needed to dive in was a trials unicycle at a flea market. It was the first time I had ever seen a unicycle for sale in person, and I knew it was my opportunity. From the first time I hopped on the unicycle I was hooked, and I knew it was my new obsession. Right now I am trying to develop my skills, but eventually I aspire to combine unicycling with my existing passion and buy a touring unicycle. Then I will be fulfilled. 
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U-tube algorithm showing me Ed Pratt videos of his epic trip around the earth.
I had kayaked the length of the Missouri River so we were kind of kindred spirits.
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@MontanaRyder I came across Ed Pratt while looking up unicycle riding tutorials. I absolutely love that guy’s channel. His attitude and spirit are admirable, and his videos are very entertaining. He was the one that opened my eyes to unicycle touring, and gave me a goal to strive for (domestic touring).
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I learnt about four and a half years ago because it was lockdown and I had lots of unis in the shed from my dad who is also a unicyclist.
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I rode 2-wheeled contraptions a lot in my 20s (like, 300-500 miles a week “a lot”) and wound up damaging the sheath between the muscles in my calf. The doc recommended that I try something else. Bought a Torker LX 24” when I turned 34, tried it a few times and put it in the shed until I turned 40. Decided I was gonna ride it or get rid of it, and here we are 13 years later 
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By accident.
I was given a unicycle from someone when I was seven. It was a 20er that they thought they outgrew (I still have it, still haven’t outgrown it…). I didn’t ask for it, I wasn’t really eager to learn it and I thought it was somehow a weird thing. Yet, I gave it an unsuccessful try before I put it aside. Two years later, for some reason I can’t remember, I took it out again and gave it a second try. This time things worked out better and unicycling became a new hobby.
I guess I was fortunate 
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I mean you kinda don’t out grow unicycle sizes (maybe a 12er or a 16er) but compared to bikes you don’t see a 30 year old adult on a 20 inch bike (and it would prolly be a lil princess bike 
)
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I for one think it is super cool that you tour @Mylonelyonewheelworld ! I love touring on two wheels, and I can only imagine how fun it would be on one. Hopefully you can find a riding buddy soon!
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@MeeplePerson thanks! It is ALOT of fun!!! People who always see me out riding are quite suprised that someone would go 30 miles on a unicycle. I’ve had some funny stories while out riding.
Literally kids will do wheelies past me on their bikes to show off or they’ll ride with out their handle bars. This one kid w his friends all popped a wheelie and the one kid fell and knocked all the other kids down I laughed so hard- harder than I prolly should’ve but that was their decision and they were trying to race me while doing a wheelie
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@Mylonelyonewheelworld LOL. Yeah, I get a lot of the same on a bike, although not as much as I am sure you get on the uni. One of my favorite day rides is a 40 mile trip to Ozark, MO, which is a nice town with the best antique stores I have ever found. All the time I get peoples’ jaws to drop when telling them I rode a bike there just to poke around in antique stores. I think my favorite response was when a little lady in her 50s said: "Oh no, HECK no, nope, DEFINITELY not. I would cough up a lung. No thank you. The response itself wasn’t that special; it was the vehemence in her voice that made it priceless.
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@Mylonelyonewheelworld You are CST, right? If it isn’t too far, you should totally make the trip out to the BRAT in Tennessee. It is an annual week-long event for all kinds of cyclists, and the whole event is just amazing. They hold it at different state parks every year, and I think they get about 500-600 people each year. I went in 2022, and there were tons of recumbents and trikes, so it isn’t just regular old bikes. I know everyone there would love to see and talk to a unicycle tourer! The event is sponsored by the Tennessee park ranger association, and there are rest stops with porta-johns and snacks, camping, nightly events, and all kinds of fun stuff. They offer daily 30-40 mile rides and daily 50-60 mile rides. I bet you would love it.
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I would love to but I live all the wayy in Wi! But it sounds like sooo much fun!!!
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Oh it is definitely a ton of fun. BTW: What is it like up in WI? I have seriously considered moving there after I finish the two years I owe my company in exchange for paying for my undergrad.
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@MeeplePerson Haha that is so funny! So were u riding a uni or just bike? And also I love ur bio - riding habits: try not to get hurt - I laughed out loud at that! I mean I try not to get hurt but I also go out of my way to do dumb things on a uni soo….
also have a very unusual high pain tolerance. I once fell while turning and landed right on my knee and ended up displacing my knee cap, stressing a ligament, and bruising the bone and it was heavily bl***ing, (idk if you have to censor things here) and I ended up riding about 1 mile back home with my knee sticking out to the side. Someone did see me and asked if I was ok and then she saw my knee and wanted to call a ambo I said no I’m good I’ll ride home, she said u sure? I said yea. I was about 1 mile away from home.
got home and my mom dragged me to urgent care and I was supposed to rest for 1.5 months and west this dumb knee brace but I literally got back riding the day after and shoved the knee brace in my closet. Def gonna regret that 20 years from now
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@MeeplePerson Dood seriously move to Appleton, there are really nice country roads that I love to ride on- the ones I ride on arent wayyyy out in the country where I would be stranded- but the area I live in is very safe! (Most of the time lol can’t guarantee but generally safer than other areas) although if you do cross country uni the winters Absloutly suckkkk cause I can’t always ride - only thing I hate bout this state
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@Mylonelyonewheelworld OMG I know exactly what you mean! I lost my first job and a good bit of my time to a nasty MTB wreck when I was 18. I wiped out going 30+ mph down a hill on a gravel road 10 miles outside my dinky town of 3,000 people. I had to coast my half-functioning bike the rest of the way down the hill, and then limp my way to the nearest house, all without glasses, to get help. I was supposed to be on crutches for months, but I tried every day to get a little better. It was still a long depressing winter though, and that is what pushed me into the arms of road touring. The biggest fear on the road is just getting hit by a car, LOL. That, or the time my clipless pedal got stuck and a couldn’t unclip! To answer your question; my distance rides are all on two wheels, for now…
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@Mylonelyonewheelworld Yeah, Wisconsin sounds so nice. I have missed the north ever since I left upstate NY as a kid.
Absolutely. You just mount a longer seatpost, hop on that thing again and ride on. They either didn‘t know that or wanted a bigger wheel for more speed. I‘m happy with their decision and still have that old basic unicycle, though I added a sturdier 20“ to my stable.
As far as small wheeled unis and b!cycles go: I recently rode a 12“ for the first time in my life (with a regular seatpost). Was not too easy and quite a workout, but a lot of fun (except for the kid who thought I was gonna destroy her beloved uni 
). And I own a Brompton - that‘s 2x 16“ of folding b!ke glory. Looks indeed a bit silly when ridden by an adult but is a very capable commuting machine. Some guys even use it for touring. Just like a uni 
.
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