Learning Journal

[AndrewA]

@NotSoYoungOne

Key Learning: Look up, look ahead, look around but DON’T look down - It’s okay to look down briefly but look up and ahead again quickly

Interesting, is this because looking down is a bad habit or because you find it easier to look up? Personally, I find it much easier to watch the ground when I’m riding, and once I got good enough I learned to look up.

@NotSoYoungOne

Key Learning: UPDs will happen - don’t try to catch or save the uni; it is very tough and can handle the hard falls much better than I can!

Also interesting - I always catch the uni, and it never inhibits my landing at all unless I’m going really fast and leaning way forward. Do you find it otherwise? I assume you’re talking about simple cruising on generally smooth surfaces.
Not to pick your reply apart, I’m just curious about the points you made Anyhow, congratulations on getting back to it!

[Gockie]

@AndrewA

Interesting, is this because looking down is a bad habit or because you find it easier to look up? Personally, I find it much easier to watch the ground when I’m riding, and once I got good enough I learned to look up.

When you Muni, you need to look down (at least I do)… who knows when a rock, tree root or some other nasty will pop up on your track.

[elpuebloUNIdo]

As a beginner, I needed to see the horizon to stay balanced, and riding in the dark was a struggle. While mounting, I looked straight down at my pedals. That got me accustomed to looking down, which helped me later on uneven terrain. I lean forward and hold on with both hands while riding in most conditions, which makes looking down more natural. When riding up a hill, I avoid looking up toward the top of the hill. Rather, I keep my head down and tell myself it will eventually end.

[NotSoYoungOne]

Yeah, this is smooth terrain riding not Muni on rocky, rooty, steep trails.
When I first started learning on the street and sidewalk I looked down a lot, probably most of the time. Now my riding is smoother and more fluid when I keep my head up, back straight, and eyes ahead. I still look down often to see obstacles but I’ve found that I just need to identify the obstacle. If I fixate on it I almost upd. Yesterday I rode through a pretty bumpy spot for about 15 feet with just a quick look to see where the bumps were then focused ahead, grabbed the saddle handle and powered through looking ahead.

[AndrewA]

@Gockie

When you Muni, you need to look down (at least I do)… who knows when a rock, tree root or some other nasty will pop up on your track.

Indeed, even on residential roads sometimes there’s some decent bumps that you need to watch out for, reading back I wasn’t clear but I meant that looking up was a skill that I learnt, to use when juggling while riding or something like that, but the default is to look down.

[aarons]

I think you learn to look ahead while still noticing the bumps on the ground with your peripheral vision. It’s a bit like a musician looking at the music and the conductor at the same time.

[OneTrackMind]

@elpuebloUNIdo

When riding up a hill, I avoid looking up toward the top of the hill. Rather, I keep my head down and tell myself it will eventually end.

Yes. I eventually realised glancing up at the top of the hill was not helpful and just keep focused a few metres in front of the uni. I usually do the same hills and know exactly where I am on them anyway.

[OneTrackMind]

Golden rule in any kind of riding or driving from skiing to motor racing is don’t look at the obstacle. Look at the path you need to take to avoid it.

Looking at an obstacle causes fixation and a tendency to steer towards it. Focus on the space when you have to ride a narrow gap. Tuesday night is bin night on one of my rides and the spaces can be very small on the narrow footpath where people put their bins out for collection.

One of the famous motor racing tracks in Australia used to have a sign on it, “Do not look at this wall”.

[Setonix]

@elpuebloUNIdo

While mounting, I looked straight down at my pedals.

When I do that I immediately lose balance. Sometimes when a little stone is stuck in my tire, I try looking at it while riding, but when I see the wheel spin, I get all confused.

@elpuebloUNIdo

When riding up a hill, I avoid looking up toward the top of the hill. Rather, I keep my head down and tell myself it will eventually end.

This I agree with. I do the same. Focus on the now, not the future.

[Duff]

When I mount, my main focus is trying to plant my feet perfectly, so I stare at the pedals. It’s not so important on pavement, but on a trail I find I often have to immediately transition into riding challenging terrain and if my feet are not positioned properly it’s way harder.

[Setonix]

When my foot doesn’t land perfectly, I can reposition it while riding. The most difficult I find, is mounting on narrow trails, because at the first pedal stroke when gaining my balance I swerve to the left. Often single trails have like a rim on the side going up, so it would just throw me off again. I reckon in such situations it helps to mount and instead of taking off, make a few hops first and then lean towards where I want to roll.

[ccola]

@Duff

When I mount, my main focus is trying to plant my feet perfectly, so I stare at the pedals. It’s not so important on pavement, but on a trail I find I often have to immediately transition into riding challenging terrain and if my feet are not positioned properly it’s way harder.

Duff, I had the same problem before, but staring wasn’t enough. There’s always so much going on in my head. This trick helped me, & I hope it might help others here too.
I ended up painting the middle of all my pedals (the spindle bit) gold using a sharpie. Then, when I’m about to mount, all I think is “gold”, and that has worked 90% of the time.
That said, I’m still static mounting in a way (I’m told) that’s more like a jump mount. I have one foot on the ground and one foot ready to hop up, but there’s very little counter-pressure on the saddle, and I have to bring my non-dominant foot up really fast. I’ve seen people do a static mount in a much calmer and slower fashion, which seems to let you take time to position the foot, but it relies on putting pressure on the saddle, which I don’t do. So I’m wondering if it’s the mount and saddle pressure that needs fixing rather than the foot placement.

[Duff]

I might just try that. I’ve got some red electrical tape and it shouldn’t be too hard to wrap the center of the spindle with that.

[muck22]

It’s a crazy thing about unicycling… even after many years, it’s still fun to get the old bike out of the basement again, pump it up and get back in the saddle. Every time it’s a surprise how many metres I can still manage. It’s more of a workout for the leg muscles, but with regular cycling and jogging it works out pretty well!

[Unity]

Really useful thread, has been great reading about peoples development and learning, as well as all the useful tips. With being a complex skill to learn that takes along time the hope that comes from the community is really appreciated!

The pitch, roll, and yaw was interesting to read about at the start of the thread with the analogy to flying, sums it up well. At least the unicycle falling isn’t quite as catastrophic as a plane crashing!

Day 3 here for me and about 4hours into practicing, things are coming along with supported mounting, idling, a little bit of unsupported riding - like 2-3 pedals. Have been mixing up the methods with using a wall and also starting using the curb behind the wheel method. Just got to focus on the little wins I guess, seems like the brain is slowly re-calibrating to all the balancing aspects.

Will continue to study up and see what other tips have been shared, if anyone has any pointers which may be useful please feel free to share.

(Hope this is in the right place and i’m not gate crashing this thread btw…!)

[JimT]

@Unity

At least the unicycle falling isn’t quite as catastrophic as a plane crashing!

You must not be pushing your limits.

[Dino]

That’s hilarious

[Unity]

@JimT

You must not be pushing your limits.

Epic photo, that puts things into perspective - note to self, ‘must increase the size of risks…’

[slamdance]

After reading and riding for several years, I’ve come up with my worthless “rule of thumb” for beginners:

1.) Buy a cheap 20" unicycle.
2.) Without thinking about it just get on and try it. Not unlike a young child. No more talking. “Just give it to me and let me try it.” Just get on(somehow) and try it. Trust your natural body reactions/reflexes.
3.) Then fall and repeat. Sure you want to keep doing it? Okay, now apply your natural stubbornness.

You’ll either get it within a few days or you won’t.

a.) For those of you who get it. Hooray. Keep riding and get on unicycle dot com and order your dream 36" nimbus. Or your dream 19" aluminum frame $500 trials. Just don’t ever attempt to become a unicycle instructor. Your natural unicycle abilities are absolutely inarticulate-able to normal people. Maybe if you have a kid, he can learn because he/she will have no choice.

b.) For the rest of us(99%) stubborn mortals with bloody shins, twisted ankles, broken fingers. While you are still at it for weeks and months. At the same time, get on a real computer(no cellphones) and search for anything unicycle, unicycle, unicycle. The answer is out there.

Either, a video, unicycle forum or whatever. You will eventually “discover” a certain unicycle comment, image or reply that turns a light bulb in your head. Hey!!! I haven’t tried that, yet!!

Also, take a break and watch Kris Holm, Chris Huriwai or Unigeezer. It will either inspire you or piss you off. Now, get out there. Put on your gloves, shin pads and helmet back on. Keep on.

One more thing. Ignore that stupid comment about insanity.
“insanity is doing something over and over, and expecting a different outcome”.
We are not quitters, and “we” believe in “insanity”.
Unicycling is absolutely Insane.
Goonies for life!

[Blueblade]

Just curious, did that photo ever make it into one of @Klaas_Bil 's calendars?
Man great shot!