Oh this is so true! Wish this had happened when I learned to ride. I learned on a 24" rollfast in 1961 by holding an open garage door and riding down a slightly sloped driveway. Then with a large concrete block, standing on top of it, back of tire against it, mounted leaned slightly forward took one half rotation forward only, stopped to balance and then reversed back. Just one step at a time. progress to a full rotation forward and back. I learned how to stay up and mounting and idling just happened. But having another uni rider watching would have helped a lot. as for the leg fatigue, just not balanced well yet and muscling through to compensate. Best of luck, but you seem to have a good start, don’t overthink this.
1 Like
Ya, I’m sarcastic but I’m a damn good rider and I think my suggestions can help you immensely.
I’m also not scared of humour, especially when it applies… of course you’re a computer programmer!
So have a chuckle and just accept who I am and I’ll do the same for you.
Best of luck in your learning endeavours.
2 Likes
I wouldn’t see this as a sarcastic comment. There happens to be a lot of computer programers and engineers in the unicycling community. As if the complexity and the high amount of parameters involved in riding had a special appeal.
Now you can make this work for you. I have a neighbor who asked me to try to unicycle a few months ago and is now a regular riding partner. We now casually do 10k rides in the city. It was interesting to see him learn. At the very beginning, I gave him all the advice I could, and once he was confortable sitting on the uni against a wall, I encouraged him to ride away from the wall instead of following the wall. It worked pretty well but he would always get stuck after a couple of pedal revolutions. As he was getting frustrated by this, he went back to the wall and rode its length (10 meters) twice. I asked him what he was doing, and he said “I’m collecting more data on the pressure I can/should put on the pedals”. After that, he managed to ride further without a foot getting stuck at the bottom. I’ll let you guess what his job is…
Being a computer programmer means that you are nerdy enough to pick up unicycling.
Overanalyzing = thinking rationally, which doesn’t work so much with unicycling. Sure in theory, but you need to feel your way through.
Unicycling for me would be easier if some fails end in runtime error codes. Those I’m good at solving. Trying wheel walks would give me a 404 error (Page does not exist, in my head, yet)
Riding 800+ metres gives Error code 500 (Internal Server Error) for unijohn. You can fix my clearing some null pointer exceptions and letting the blood flow through your body, so you won’t be so cramped.
Ok… back to work 
3 Likes
I’m a database programmer 
I think you have to think logically to do this work and also be persistent and not be someone who easily gives up. You need that trait to get past the early stages of unicycling too.
3 Likes
As a beginner, self-mounting took a lot of exertion, and to continue riding some distance, I was forced to breathe and calm down during the remainder of the ride. In contrast, if you start riding from a relaxed, assisted mount, that may inhibit you learning how to calm yourself during the remainder of the ride, because you aren’t forced to relax early in the ride.
Similarly, as a beginner, I made a lot of progress during my “second wind”, more than 30 minutes into my session. Getting tired forced me to improve my technique. Having less energy may force you to use less energy and ultimately help you escape from beginner’s inefficiency.
1 Like
I have decided to stop unicycling for the time being and I am going to cancel my registration for the Dutch Unicycling Nationals.
Starting this topic was my ultimate attempt to get ideas to practice differently, but instead I’m being labeled a computer geek.
I may one day try to pick up unicycling again, but possibly with someone who can help me and with a different approach. This topic is closed for me.
Hi Unijohn
I’ve not read all the computer comments but I’m sure nobody here means anything nasty by them.
Try not to get discouraged by it all.
Stick with the riding if you can as it does get easier and gives lots of enjoyment.
M00ms
It’s amazing that after all of the great advice that’s being delivered to you (upon request!) that you still want to pout instead of learning how to do something better.
Well, you know what works best for you!
4 Likes
Nothing wrong with being a computer geek! Keep an open mind and keep persisting. Programmers are good at being persistent to achieve a goal.
2 Likes
I’m the same as on years at it and not nailed it yet. I’m on a long break and learning roller skating atm to mix it up a bit. One of the new things I’m trying is having one or two people walking alongside me while I rest my hands on top of theirs so I get the feeling of what it’s like to go further than 50 metres. I’m 64.
2 Likes
Thank you, I just wanted to write the exact same thing. I’m only a programmer for my side projects in my spare time, as a day job I work as Linux Engineer. So well, I’m often labeled as computer geek and I’m fine with it.
I think you need a certain geekiness to even try something like unicycle, so this forum is full of geeks, some of them might not be computer geeks, but something-else geeks or unicycling geeks.
2 Likes
After reading this thread, I think Unicyclist.com should be changed to UnicycleGeeks.com.
or 1-0-Geeks.com. Reading binary code is basically looking at “1 wheel” all the time.
2 Likes
I (also?) work as a software developer and I think many would consider me a “geek”. Nothing wrong about that… it just means you are “serious” about a subject 
Btw. I don’t think it makes me better or worse at Unicycling…
@unijohn I’m sorry to hear that you seem to have been discouraged by the slightly sarcastic comments in here. I’m pretty sure their intention was just friendly nudges to make you think about if you might be analyzing a bit to much. Also be aware that many (if not most) people in here does not have English as their first language so misunderstandings may occur.
There are so many experienced and skilled riders in here to learn from. Personally as I’m also a newcomer to Unicycling I really enjoy how much time some of the experienced riders spent on helping out. I’m sure they have answered some of the same questions over and over.
So we can start a thread on programming issues as well then, since all software developers also ride unicycle. Unicyclist.com as the new StackOverflow.com.
2 Likes
I don’t know if you are still reading here @unijohn , but here are my thoughts:
I don’t know about you, but personally, I discovered that I quite often found myself dismounting the unicycle willingly just because I thought I was going to have an “unplanned dismount” (UPD) in a fraction of a second or two (still happens ,especially when I am exhausted). While this might be a good idea while out unicycling to avoid an accident or hard fall, it might not be as good an idea during the learning process. Therefore, when I feel that I am going to fall (yes, it often starts with a feeling), I pull myself together and force me to continue until I am grounded, denying to give up while betting on a good deal of luck and hard muscle work to counter the laws of nature that Newton taught us (and if there are no strangers, ladies or children around also some swearing spoken out high, what I name words from “Nordnorsk glosebok”). Sometimes it kept me on my unicycle for one more revolution, or half a revolution, or maybe only a quarter of revolution extra, sometimes I could continue cycling, and sometimes I fell off immediately. But it made for progress. The body and brain need to learn what works and what doesn’t work in order to program correct reflexes and dis-learn unproductive reflexes, and this is a method that gives it good data to grind on. However, it depends on good protection. In addition to what you have mentioned you should wear a helmet. A helmet is needed if you should fall backwards on paved road or other hard surfaces (happens very seldom, but I have had it happen). And you will fall from time to time, and I don’t mean fall on your foots, but on your knees and elbows, or even to the side and backwards. Just accept it, but prepare for it. I have also only three years on my unicycle (KH-29). Last year I managed to break the 1 km barrier. This summer I have had trips on more than 20 km where each trip include various road conditions and long uphills and downhills, some quite steep (some I have to walk, but only after trying to cycle them first).
Maybe these thoughts can be of any help for you, or maybe not. Good luck! Keep on unicycling. It is fun!
5 Likes
Someone should convince the Stack Exchange Network to add a unicycle page where people can ask unicycle related questions and accept the “correct” answer. 
3 Likes
My name is Johnny Depp and I am working as an actor. Still, I learned to unicycle somehow.
Just joking, my name is Charley and I am a laser engineer.
1 Like
I am thinking @Canoeheadted and @johnfoss are probably computer programmers too! 
Who else would know the struggle of a computer programming unicyclist, like a computer programming unicyclist!
It does seem interesting that the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) career types do seem to be drawn to unicycling, or this forum at least more than others for some reason though!
Anyway @unijohn don’t let it get you down. Geek is chic!
2 Likes
Hey Bb, you’re kinda right, but that was 40 years ago! (Does making Donkey Kong on my Vic20 count?)
But ya, I do know how to speak binary as I love its simplicity.
It’s’ either yes or no… simple.
Since then, I do all I can to resist the mind controlling algorithms.
I have a phone that’s a camera and a walkman and it can turn into a phone on the rare occurrence that I absolutely need it.
I’ve never sent a text in my life and don’t plan to.
I’ve spent the roughly the last 25 years working in a lumber/hardware store in our small-medium size town of Burns Lake. A lot of my energy was spent problem solving with regards to new and older construction. I was also the shop locksmith and wood/pellet stove tech.
I started re-finishing canoes when we first moved here and now, 200+ canoes later, I have the street name of Canoeheadted.
So that’s me in a nutshell.
Back on topic… I like this train of thought.