Hi, I’m Kris. I asked for and received a uni for Christmas. It’s a Torker CX SE 24". It’s the one with the flames and the yellow details. Anyway, this is my first experience with a uni. I’ve managed to successfully fall off quite a few times, but I’m not sure I have the thing set up right. I have the seat as low as it goes, but it feels high to me. My leg is fully extended when the peddle is down. Is that right? Do I need to hacksaw the seat post?
Also, I was hoping to learn this thing in my living room 'cause it’s cold and wet outside, but I’m begining to think that I’ll need more open space.
I’ve been reading a lot of threads, but they all seem to be about how to ride while standing on your head and ballancing pianos on your nose… where’s the level 0 threads?!
Whoa. There’s another one of these from a few minutes ago in Just Conversation. Here is my reply to it, modified for you.
As a beginner, start using the search function on the RSU forum to find threads about learning to ride. Philosophies differ somewhat. Mine is this:
I think your seat is probably adjusted correctly. Adjust your seat just like you would for a bicycle. With the down pedal all the way down your leg should be fully extended with your heel on the pedal. That way, when you put the ball of your foot on the pedal your knee will be slightly bent. To learn maybe lower the seat an additional inch or so, but no more.
Keep your weight on the seat at all times. Think about it constantly. Remind yourself constantly.
Focus into the distance slightly, don’t look at the wheel or the pedals.
Take off from some point and ride until you fall. Don’t ride until you think you’re going to fall because you’ll just get into the habit of stepping off. Ride until you actually fall and you will learn to correct more quickly. Try not to depend on walls, fences, crutches, or other supports besides your mount and launch point.
Pedal with round, smooth strokes.
KEEP YOUR WEIGHT ON THE SEAT!!!
Unicycling is not about balance, it’s about determination.
As for height: you might want a bit less height on your seatpost, and hacksawing it would work out fine. You could probably do at least the first stages of learning inside, because doorframes and walls are wonderful supports, and until you learn to ride farther than a few feet you won’t really need to go outside. I learned in my basement, and there isn’t too much space there.
Just keep trying you’ll get the hang of it. It’s easyer to learn to ride first and then to learn to mount with out holding onto some thing. Sit up straight, look ahead not down at the wheel and keep your weight on the seat. Learning in a hallway helps. I think that it’s easyer to learn with the seat high as long as you can still reach the pedels, then lower it as you get better.
You dont really need any more space really till your comfortable on it. I learnt how to ride in my kitchen hanging on to the counters and just going back and forth then when i got more used to the unicycle i went out into the garage and just held onto the walls for a lil but then i just started goinf off on my own for like a few feet then meters then i left the garage and went on the bike paths. And as for the seat goes you could take a hacksaw to it and trim it down a little bit it doesnt hurt i did that with both of my unis because it was too long… Well good luck
Kris, welcome on the forums. You have a famous namesake (Kris Holm) in unicycling, did you know that? For tips for beginners, go to www.xs4all.nl/~klaasbil/uni_beginners.htm .
Hi Kris, welcome to the forums. You’ve got a famous namesake in unicycling (Kris Holm), did you know that? Anyway, we don’t forget our starter unicyclists. For beginner tips, go to www.xs4all.nl/~klaasbil/uni_beginners.htm , specifically to the pdf linked from there.
i agree with harper, but to clarify and cut out the hassle of finding out your own style of assisted mounting, here’s the generally accepted way (assumes right-footedness):
stand next to your support and position your uni so that the right crank points backwards (towards you) at roughly 45 degrees down from horizontal. put your right foot on the pedal, get the seat under you and push down. the uni will roll under you and you can then locate the left pedal and connect. this is, of course, done while leaning against/holding on to your support.
for taking off from the wall, remember that vertical cranks provide no leverage, so adjust until your cranks are roughly horizontal before pushing off.
I took my uni to the basement where there was a space about 12 x 12’. I mounted with the help of a filing cabinet and after only 20-30 minutes, I was able to ride (multiple times) 10’ before bailing out. If the wall wasn’t there, I’m sure I could go further. I can’t wait for this rain to stop so I can get out into the open.
I also tried riding on a treadmill, but as I’m not skilled enough to ride in a straight line, and am still working on regulating speed, that didn’t last too long.
I’ve got a track and feild track just a block away that’s calling to me, but the horrible weather is keeping me away. For now, I gotta wrap dish towels around my seat to protect my still-in-great-shape sattle bumpers and maybe add a little more cushion.
forget the hacksaw! Use a pipe cutter; much faster, cleaner and accurate.
“Fuego” <Fuego@NoEmail.Message.Poster.at.Unicyclist.com> wrote in message news:cd4475695971fd949c6701d6d16b9a11.20tyw4@NoEmail.Message.Poster.at.Unicyclist.com…
>
> As for height: you might want a bit less height on your seatpost, and
> hacksawing it would work out fine. You could probably do at least the
> first stages of learning inside, because doorframes and walls are
> wonderful supports, and until you learn to ride farther than a few feet
> you won’t really need to go outside. I learned in my basement, and
> there isn’t too much space there.
>
> A really great resource for new unicyclists is ‘the journal of a new
> unicyclist’ (Journal of a New Unicycler)
>
>
> –
> Fuego
>
> “Get off my Property before you sue me!”
> -Morons everywhere.
>
> “Wow, I think it’s clear that gimp does a much better job of saving
> gifs than mspaint.”
> -Phlegm
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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> View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/45693
>
