I’ve got a handful of questions that all kind of hinge around freemounting.
I’ve noticed freemounting with a backpack on (oh, probably weighs 4 or 5 lbs, got a textbook or two in it) significantly increases the difficulty of freemounting. The backpack wants to pull me back, and so I’m trying to compensate by leaning forward even more as I’m getting on. So far I’ve only succeeded a couple times. I can freemount without a backpack about 1 in 4 times, but with the pack on I’m down to say 1 in 20. Am I psyching myself out, or is there a trick to this or what?
Another thing I’ve noticed is freemounting into riding backwards just seems really natural. Kind of do the half cycle backwards mount but just keep going back. I was working on that today and I managed to ride backwards about 10 feet or so on my best attempt. I think I can do it, it’s just my brain really not liking the idea.
So I’m wondering if riding backwards before learning to idle can be beneficial. I’m thinking if I can learn to ride backwards, then I can “idle” in really large spans, then gradually trim it down.
Re: idling, freemounting, and riding backwards questions
In article <tortoise.4ttna@timelimit.unicyclist.com>,
tortoise <tortoise.4ttna@timelimit.unicyclist.com> wrote:
)I’ve noticed freemounting with a backpack on (oh, probably weighs 4 or 5
)lbs, got a textbook or two in it) significantly increases the difficulty
)of freemounting. The backpack wants to pull me back, and so I’m trying
)to compensate by leaning forward even more as I’m getting on. So far
)I’ve only succeeded a couple times. I can freemount without a backpack
)about 1 in 4 times, but with the pack on I’m down to say 1 in 20. Am I
)psyching myself out, or is there a trick to this or what?
No real trick, it really is harder. I’m basically 100% solid at
normal freemounts, if I’m not tired or mounting on dirt or something, but I
still miss mounts when I have baggage. I would recommend just working on
your unweighted freemount; the more solid that is, the easier it will be
to do variations.
It might help to strap the backpack on tightly.
)Another thing I’ve noticed is freemounting into riding backwards just
)seems really natural. Kind of do the half cycle backwards mount but just
)keep going back. I was working on that today and I managed to ride
)backwards about 10 feet or so on my best attempt. I think I can do it,
)it’s just my brain really not liking the idea.
)
)So I’m wondering if riding backwards before learning to idle can be
)beneficial. I’m thinking if I can learn to ride backwards, then I can
)“idle” in really large spans, then gradually trim it down.
I personally found idling easier than riding backwards, but it really has
to do with your ability to be confident going backwards (lack of fear).
If you can go backwards without fear, it’s probably a good way to work
into idling.
-Tom
I think that riding forwards, backwards, and idling are all inter-related. I think people learn to ride forward first because they are looking that way. I have heard of people (I have not known any) who learned to ride backwards first. I found riding backwards much easier to learn than idling. The reverse is true for some, maybe even most people. I learned to idle by first rotating the wheel one revolution forward then one backward. That was easy to master. Then it was easier to reduce it to half revolutions each direction. I can now idle while balancing a Volkswagen on my head.
If you are freemounting successfully only one in four attempts, I am not so sure you can really tell if the extra weight (which seems small) is affecting your ability. I learned to freemount so long ago that I can’t identify with this problem. If I think about side mount, reverse mount, jump mount, step-over-side mount, all of which I learned recently, I think I could have learned just as quickly with a 10 pound pack on.
Re: idling, freemounting, and riding backwards questions
GREG! GREG! GREG! WAKE UP! YOU’RE DREAMING AGAIN!
“harper” <harper.4txcm@timelimit.unicyclist.com> wrote in message
news:harper.4txcm@timelimit.unicyclist.com…
>
> I can now idle while balancing a
> Volkswagen on my head.
>
Re: Re: idling, freemounting, and riding backwards questions
SMACK!!
Whew … thanks, Doug.
Yup – everybody’s different - I just about learned idling first. I’m using idling to develop backwards control.
As far as mounting with a backpack, I have found troubles with that too. But I don’t think that it is harder, I just think the change in center of mass screws up our normal motions. I think that if you mounted all the time with a backpack, or even 50/50, you’d soon find them equally easy.
I find that riding with a significant backpack changes my riding position as well. Last Unatics meeting I was riding back to the car with Camelback centered on my back, and two others slung over one shoulder. It took me forever to get on. Some of the pedestrians will never know the mortal danger they were in… 
Make sure the back pack is good and tight, and not just hanging loosely from your shoulders. Carrying the weight high might help. If you’re freemounting and riding backwards, perhaps you’re not freemounting aggressively enough.
Get used to riding with the back pack, and freemounting with it will become easier.
Good luck.