Among those who can juggle clubs while idling, do you have a preferred seat height? With legs fully extended with the pedals down or some bend in the knees, and if so, about how much?
I am working on with a 20" unicycle. I have managed close to 50 catches on a couple of occasions but mostly flail to about 20 or 25. I am able to idle for several minutes at a time with either foot down and I don’t feel like I could idle much more competently. So I’m hoping - perhaps against hope - that some mechanical adjustment will help.
A hardware adjustment probably isn’t what you need; just give it more time. There’s a difference between idling with empty hands and idling while juggling. It’s more difficult. It’s a lot easier to juggle while riding, and you can work on that to get more control of your ride-juggling. Practice making turns, 8s and various shapes. All this will aid in the idle-juggling.
Best height is plenty of leg extension, but not to max out your knee joint. Basically what you said. Going higher or lower won’t give you more power or control.
Thanks, John. I can at this point juggle while riding pretty much at will for as long as I like. I’ve been practicing 8s in a tight space as well as other moves.
I’ve watched some videos of performers and their idles don’t appear much more controlled than my own. And I do say “appear” for a reason. But still it is frustrating. I will stick at it until I get it or my body gives out.
I used to practice two things for that: idling with my hands in my pockets and with my arms crossed. basically the idea is to idle without the help from your arms to balance. it helps a lot when you add the clubs!
Nothing special, but I do prefer to idle 1ft’ed, and slow, and it’s certainly not in a constant rhythm that has any parallel to the juggling.
Also I like it better on a 7’ than a direct driven 20".
But in neither case my seat is different than normal.
After a nearly decade long quest, I can safely say I’ve made great strides. I’ve done 100 catches, but this video shot on an iPhone in my unfinished basement with no editing, shows 65 catches. Mostly under control.
FYI, if you’ve never experienced an egg cream at Gem Spa, time is a wasting.
