So I really would like to get a few simple (I’m an old man, lol) flatland tricks nailed, one of them being a 180 unispin. And, who knows, maybe a 360 if all goes well
I’ve looked at a few vids explaining how the 180 unispin is broken down and I reckon I’m up for that. My only problem was that I found myself unable to just leap up onto the pedals - I’d stand behind the uni with the pedals at 3&9, breathing and getting psyched, but I just couldn’t bring myself to take that ‘leap of faith’ 0.o
So I had a brainwave and put the uni against a wooden support that happens to be in my living-room! Awesome No more fear of the uni shooting out in front of me and I had something to hang on to for the first few tries.
The first time I jumped I had the confidence to ‘go for it’ and I landed sweet V pleased. I done that a few times, and, while I was at it, I also jumped off two-footed which, I think, will help when I eventually get round to trying the unispin proper
I then moved the uni away from the wooden post, just an inch or so, and done it again. This time though, holding the seat rather than the support post, and trying to land on the pedals equally so the uni (and the seat) didn’t smack into the post. Jump on, jump off. Repeat.
Moved the uni back another inch and done the same again. Next thing I know, I’m in the middle of my lounge and proper jump mounting
Easy peasy.
Suicide jump isn’t gonna happen just yet, but another hurdle overcome
Jump mounting was a huge leap forward, so to speak, in my own skills progression. On a 20" wheel there is nothing particularly difficult about the jump mount, except for the psychological part. I practiced the jump mount on soft grass with shin guards, to avoid the pain of getting whacked in the shin when missing the front pedal. When I started learning the jump mount, I was riding seat-in. Attempting the jump mount into a SI position seems, in retrospect, harder than landing the jump mount SIF, as I typically do now. The other day I rode up a steep horse trail, UPDing several times along the way. I was able to use the jump-mount on the incline; if I didn’t have this skill, I would have probably walked up the rest of the hill.
Back to the psychology of the jump-mount: If you can do it, you will be more brave about trying other things. By putting the most intense experience at the beginning of your ride, everything else seems not so scary. And your unicycling will be more interesting to you and bystanders if you learn a variety of mounts.
Thanks for those insights elpueblo. It was a defining moment, that’s for sure! I feel that a bridge has been crossed, psychologically. I’ve just stopped playing/practising and I even got a couple of (very small) aerials done too! All in all a great session
Unispins are not on happening any time soon for me. They seem to be a measure of success for a lot of young unicyclists. I am looking for an incremental approach to achieving unispins. First, I am going to try to get good jumping from the pedals, 90°, to standing on the tire. I can barely do that right now. Unispins and jump-mount are related, I suppose, because on some level they both involve jumping onto the pedals.
For me the trick to learning uni spins was first learning to jump up, get my legs out as far as possible, then get them back in - landing on the pedals. The spin part comes later. Practice this with one hand on your seat handle and the other on a chain link fence or other stable platform.
Once you can do this while holding on to the fence try it without the fence. Build up to getting your feet out as far as possible, expect to miss the pedals a few times at first.
Then, when you try including the spin, focus on getting your feet out as far as possible (do you see a pattern here). If your feet get out far enough you won’t have trouble hitting them on the wheel when it comes around. I also find it easier to to 180’s with the seat pointing backwards, so you land with the seat pointing forwards. Could just be me.
I’m in the process of learning no-footers too deGallus. I saw someone say to just start by getting your feet off the pedals to begin with. It’s good advice. Either go into a standing stillstand position and jump, two footed, off the uni (backwards) onto the ground. Or make a tiny little jump off, and back onto, the pedals. Have a hand holding the seat but DO NOT put any weight on the seat! or the uni is likely to fly out from under you.
Good luck
Kudos indeed blueharmony! Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks eh?
elpueblo - I’m kind of taking the incremental approach too. I’m basically just messing about with the uni. Not exactly learning tricks, but getting a feel for this ‘balance’ thing. I can barely no-foot just yet, but it sure is fun. And a good physical workout also!
As a little addendum to this thread - I’ve just been doing suicide jumps!
Every time I’ve come off the uni, over the past few days, I’ve been doing jump mounts to get back on. Today I done a few jumps grabbing the seat while airborne, instead of holding it from the start. Then I went for it! Landed it every time and managed to ride away on most attempts.
For me this is a major psychological breakthrough and I’m already getting psyched to learn aerials, footplants, crankspins and 180s!
It’s like the door has opened!
I just passed Level 4 after being stuck for a year on learning one-foot. That skill relied on taking a foot off the right pedal. I broke it down into little increments, first just getting the foot off for an instant, then extending this time. My biggest break through toward success was getting muscle memory to get foot from pedal to frame. Once I could do this without thinking, I could ride one-foot for a few strokes, then more.
I am going to try Qiix’s jump mount now. Looks promising.
Yes, Qiix, you have given me what I need to jump mount. I tried the wall, overcame fear, and mounted easily. After three of those, I went to the middle of the gym and tried again. I have only achieved seat in front but will work on landing on seat tomorrow.
Thank you for making something quite difficult a lot easier.
This thread is not only enlightening but motivating! I just bought a 36er 2 weeks ago to get back at distance riding. My main trouble was a lack of confidence in trying to control that size wheel again (reason I sold one before). While you tubing various rides I started seeing “freestyle”. I realized I really want to get into that. Doing tricks (relatively close to the ground ). I have encountered the “fears” you’ve mentioned and was excited to read how you all overcame them. I cannot wait to get a 20" wheel now and learn some tricks. What tricks do you all find the simplest to learn? The only thing I do is free mount, ride, idle, ride backwards a little.
Hopping up and down one stair or a curb should be fine on a freestyle uni. Just check it every now and then to make sure cranks are tight, spokes are evenly tensioned, and pedals tight. When you ride with any of those loose you can do damage. Actually those all should be checked from time to time regardless of riding terrain.
It also depends on the quality of the uni. If weighs 200 pounds and dropping off curbs on a Torker CX they are just asking for trouble. The hub, cranks, rim, etc were not designed for that.
