Ick, who wants to do that…
Managed to get out on the lake path for half an hour’s practice today.
Along with some pretty wobbly sections of my 100 ft + rides, I had several short bursts of lucidity when I rode well. These coincided with my putting a bit more weight on the seat, sitting up straight (I sometimes have bad posture), and looking straight ahead.
Hopefully more practice will increase the length of these good riding spells.
It will. And props to you for doing this at 65. Use it or lose it!
- 1 for what Tribe says.
I mentally picture my bum being a really heavy weight and weighing down on the seat. I also sink my shoulders down as well. Nasher suggests holding your head up straight and wiggling your fingers as well, this way you’re thinking about other little things and forget about what your feet are doing. I’m not the best unicyclist by far, but I find myself telling myself ‘‘bum on seat, come on Elaine, bum on seat’’
It works some of the time
Thanks (I think it’s a compliment).
Subject to any physical restrictions, age really is a frame of mind.
I feel no different in attitude now, than in my thirties.
I have always attacked my sports aggressively, not feeling content to just tootle along. Road running, swimming and the last few years a recumbent trike. And now unicycling, because it’s one hell of a challenge, plus most people think it’s crazy!
If it doesn’t give you a good cardio workout, you aren’t trying.
Hey joggerdude!
Way to go on taking up the challenge!
I’ve been inspired by this thread.
Keep on keeping on!
Hey 57Unirider,
It’s great to have seen your progress over the months.
I’ve had a stop start learning experience since the end of last year, since purchasing my 20" Nimbus II freestyle. After starting, I had a confidence setback after a backwards fall although I wasn’t hurt, and didn’t pick up the uni until months later.
When I did restart, I eventually mastered the basic ability to ride some 200 foot runs on our local tennis court (no turns yet, or consistent freemounts) .
I have a lot more riding to do before I can ride consistently and feel relaxed on the uni.
Even so I am debating the next uni, but I am torn between a 24" and 26", a common dilemma according to the forum.
Keep up the good work.
We middle aged looneys need to stick together. 
26 if you’re taller 24 if you are shorter and lighter. I assume that at 65 your focus is more about riding around, traveling a little distance and having fun than hard-core off road and bombing down cliffs.
Your bum will learn to stay down in its own time no matter what you tell it. You just have to put in the time and all parts of your body will learn their individual duties. It just takes time. Pedal as much as you can and have fun. Don’t get discouraged with yourself because your body parts learn to ride a unicycle at their own pace. A couple more weeks of pedaling and ‘they’ should know what to do. 
Glenn
No kidding there!
You are doing GREAT!
You are so right!
I need the company!
I surely know what you mean about a “confidence setback” too!!
I had several of those.
About what to get next…
I’m certainly no expert, but I can tell you how things worked out so far, for myself. I bought the 24" too soon and went back to the 20" for almost a year before dragging out the 24" again. Actually, it was Alucard that inspired me to try a 26" (!!!), then a 29" (HA! That is not a typo!)
The 20", 24" and 26" are all Torker LX, and the 29" is a Unicycle.com with a fairly smooth tire. So they are all fairly inexpensive.
When I get really good (HA! One of these days!), I shall by a fancy one in the size I decide is just right.
I have 140 cranks on all three (24", 26" and 29").
I have no idea how you are riding with 114 cranks !!! 
I think the 26" is going to be my favorite for a while, but I see the 29" working out eventually. I’ve ridden it in the street, and have freemounted it, but the freemounting part is difficult, and I haven’t spent much time working with it. The first few tries on the 29" with the 140 cranks instead of the 165s it came with were a lot of fun!! Now I’ve gone back to the 26" and 24" for a while.
After working with the 26" and the 29" for a bit, I went back to the 24". It was amazingly easy… and the 20" with 125 cranks seems really itsy-bitsy now.
So, just for my own 2 cents worth, you might skip the 24" and go straight to the 26".
The hardest jump for me, though, was going from the 20" to the 24".
After finally getting along with the 24"… jumping to the 26", then the 29"… was fine.
I’m pretty sure I will not be ordering a 36"!!! But I surely would like to try one just for the fun of it.
For my own good, I’m sure riding a 29" on a regular basis will be plenty big enough!!
Get a mileage counter so you can start trying to out do your previous record.
I have a Cateye on the 24" and one on the 26". When I start riding the 29" seriously (HA!), I will get a mileage counter on that one.
As I was reading your conversations about “weight on the seat” and comments from others…
I began to wonder if I really “have that DOWN” yet. Something to think about. I shall do that.
Thanks for the inspiration joggerdude !
Keep at it !!!
It’s a compliment.
Putting lots of weight on the saddle may at first seem like a needless distraction from the beginner’s struggle of one leg against the other, but it’s really helpful for riding longer distances, and also helps for learning some tricks. As suggested above, pedaling with one foot becomes a possibility. I’m also noticing, now that I sit down more, that I can go very slowly or even stop without falling off. Soon, hopefully, these new abilities will lead to riding backwards, idling and other stuff.
Sitting down properly also becomes easier if you acquire the knowledge shared here:
I am hoping to do some light muni, some decent cross country rides, some moderate hills plus general urban cruising.
I am 6 feet and 160 lbs so I am thinking I should go for a 26" muni with a medium fat tyre, say 2.5"?
Go for the 26" - no question. :). (You are a tall guy.)
if you only want to do light muni and mainly XC and urban riding, the bigger wheel is probably the way to go
+1 on the 26. Unless u want lower effective gearing. A 24 w/ 150’s & 26 w/165’s have similar effective gearing.
I have 170’s on my 24 and it pedals like a box (a 26/170’s is a bit less box like) but it climbs a bit easier than 165’s (wich is nice and smooth for me) and tech much easier. Also I pedal strike easily if I don’t pick my line carefully. I’ll stick w/ my 170’s until my skill improves a fair amount (hopeful but not counting on it - some paralysis in my legs, see avatar).
26 seems like the better option, mostly because there are so many more tires available.
Have you tried 150 cranks on your 26"?
And I though 150’s pedaled like a box O.o.
I have 150s on my 26 and I live in an extremely hilly area. I think it’s a great all around size for 26. I’d consider going shorter if my terrain was flat.
Glenn
JD- It came w/ 150’s. While I was still getting a hang of it the slightest bump would throw me off, hills were impossible, and a bit too fast for my brain to process the terrain. I think the longer length helps but for me the added Q-facter of my 10 spline Qu-Ax cranks vs the streight stock Torker DX cranks I think helped more.
I still can’t keep up w/ the local riders but always because I UPD so often. When I can ride my main trail trail, that’s mostly downhill, (~2 mi) w/ only a couple UPDs I’ll consider putting the 150’s back on or a getting a new Muni w/ dual holes. (Now I average 20-30 UPDS and some tech spots I walk)