Idea for a unicycle trainer

Yeah, these have been “Hanging Around” in the garage for about 60+ years, but I have a large garage and they are unicycle related so how could I get rid of them? (I never used them )

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Most people on this site view support sticks very unfavorably. Myself, I learned using them, my daughter learned using them and her friend learned using them. So out of the 3 unicyclists I have actually ridden with, 100% of us learned using support sticks and have no bad things to say about them. They were a good crutch when I found them necessary.

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Sticks if you “learn to rely” on them to stay on the unicycle creates “bad habit and body reflex”.
Unicycle balancing comes from 2 source:
a.) Perfect vertical upperbody(above the seat) balance and manipulation.
b.) Pedal down force and hip twist manipulations.

Unicycling with sticks only teaches you how to unicycle with sticks.

At the very least, pushing a shopping cart is more beneficial, because your hips and pedaling is “free to rotate” and find it’s groove. True,the upper body is artificially constrained. However, everything below feet, legs, hips are free to find the groove for proper unicycle riding. Not on the wrong path = stick riding.

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I strongly disagree. They are an aid that you will progress past. As a kid I was on my own learning and the sticks were all I had. I would get my self up and moving and I would drop them . At first it was rotations , then a few yards then a 1/2 a Block then all over town. You may have learned differently.

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Then how is it that I am able to unicycle? I learned using sticks and as I progressed I needed them less and less until I no longer needed them at all.

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I noticed the justonewheel sight is closed. Does that mean he closed his business too? I wonder if he would be willing to sell those training aids now? :confused:

Unicycling with sticks only teaches you how to unicycle with sticks.

I had “Sticks” available but never used them. So no comment on those, but I hung from a garage door and took off down a driveway and learned quickly with no dependance on an aid. I have to say your statement may have merit.

Totally agree. When I first learned to unicycle in my 20s, I started using ski poles (growing up in the Alps in a sporty family, we had many in the garage, including the longer ones for x-country skiing). I became pretty good at riding with sticks.
So next step was to ride, balance and drop them, right? It never happened. Just the thought of letting them go would trigger an instant dismount. After a while, I accepted that I had to learn all over again because it had not given me the tools to ride.

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It wasn’t the sticks hindering you it was fear and lack of confidence. You have to clear those hurdles sticks or no sticks. Sticks work for alot of riders as do fences and railings, they are confidence builders.

Agree and disagree. They played a part in confidence for sure. Though not as much as I would think as I was still a fearless 20 something with ski/snowboard/bmx background.
For sure I had developed a riding style where I would throw myself towards the next turn and then plant the pole in the ground to bounce in the new direction, or use it to regain balance. A little bit similar to some people having problem with a fence and always riding towards it.
Anyway, walls, poles and other contraptions are not really helping in the long run. To learn uni, I think side helpers is a great option, but not always available. Plan B is throw yourself in the wild open, away from the wall and try to pedal.

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a.) Leaning slightly forwards with the unicycle leaning slightly back is far more achievable. Being too upright is one of the main reasons learners struggle so much. Fully upright is a freestyle posture.

b.) Hip twisting is a beginner’s steering technique. Experienced riders only use it at very low speeds to make tight turns. Controlling a unicycle is done by tilting the hips to lean the unicycle to the side making it take a curved path.

I’ll disagree on your point b. Assume you mean to pivot on the spot say 90 degrees. Hip twisting is not something I’d describe as a beginners technique. I only got that after riding about 8 months!! Its a combination of pushing hard and fast on the inside pedal and hip twist to turn sharply.
Don’t need to use it too often though, a looser curved turn generally works for most situations.

When I was learning I did a bit of a “swimming turn” and used my hands more than anything to yaw the unicycle around. I would just sort of grab air and, well, twist I guess, so maybe it should be called a “swimming hip twist”. The point really is to just turn somehow and flail your arms to stabilize throughout the turn.

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The uni can be reoriented with a hip twist when stationary so pushing hard on the inside pedal isn’t an essential component.

My impression is that twisting is the way all beginners turn. It is certainly what I did and and what I told those I taught is the first thing they need to learn because being able to steer under the fall is a fundamental skill.

I still use it to get the uni moving in the right direction after a wayward mount.

Maybe. I was doing windmill type moves with my arms to try to turn. Totally inelegant and I don’t think so effective.
Only after riding 8 months could I force a pivot on the spot with a sharp hip twist.

Pedal balancers(myself) learn to stomp down one pedal and twist upper body simultaneously to create a net balance. Left pedal down & twist to the right. Then right pedal down & twist to the left,…repeat.

It’s “exactly” what you do when you walk and run. Watch your elbows and shoulders. As, you get more advanced and “lighten” your pedal it becomes less noticeable. You become efficient. I would put my hands down on my thigh, then hold the seat front, then the back. Zero arms needed, but my shoulders are always active.

The opposite of this action is no coordinated arms or shoulders motion. Keep them immobilized and square. It is not efficient, but that’s exactly what you would do if you are walking a tight rope. Keeping body perfectly straight, head up, shoulders square, arms straight out, looking at stationary object in front of you. Sounds familiar?

Beginners who rely on this ability are easy to spot. Their shoulders are squared and arms straight out, but during riding their hands do strange random “snake wiggling” movements. However, they are sitting straight up and totally focused on perfect vertical balance. Like keeping a bubble level gauge perfectly centered, continuously, or a book on your head. Of course, with more experience you get smoother and the “snakes hands” go away.

For you guys… don’t be afraid to become more of a “stomper”. It creates more control with aggressive upper body movement. Don’t be afraid to “looking down at the ground” and rock back and forth with control. You are not “going backwards” in skill this just adds to your skills.

food for thought…slam…