Vestskoven, which is conveniently located a few minutes ride from home! 
There are some decent trails and hills for downhill practice. We will definitely go to Hareskoven this year - maybe you have some recommendations? 
As far as I know there should be some mountainbike routes in Hareskoven from Hareskoven Station. I live near Lyngby Sø and ride sometimes to Frederiksdal and then along Furesøen, a very hilly (and somewhat muddy …) forest tract - it is very exhausting. Right now I have a 3 weeks non-sport break, but I hope to begin again in next week - hopefully the weather will be warmer. This winter has been too long and icy!!
Best regards,
Sanne
I did about 10 miles today on the new 29" Coker. I think I have found the perfect combination for my type of riding. The 29" wheel with the 125 cranks is right-on for riding in the city.
I only have to think about turning and it turns. Feels very tight and nimble. Not quite as fast as the 36" with 150s, but I don’t want it to be too fast as I have to slow down at intersections and weave in and out of traffic. The shorter cranks are nice in that they slow down your cadence. I was surprised that I still could climb some pretty steep hills. The camber of the road did not seem to affect the WTB Exiwolf at 40 psi. Tire felt firm and responsive, but still gave some cushioning when coming off curbs. Tire really held a line when leaning into a tight turn at speed.
This makes uni number four. My wife has drawn the line at four. I explained to her that unicycles are like golf clubs - you need more than just one in your bag to play the game.
I like it! But since I don’t play golf, I’ll have to come up with a different analogy so my wife will buy in to my insanity.
I made a terrible discovery today: Higher percentage of freemounts = Less recovery time between rides. Half hour practice today, longest yet. A couple of rides over 500 feet, legs didn’t give out until the end. Cardio felt better, too.
I’m riding slower, so better control and legs last longer.
I’m listening to the uni, trying to give it what it wants instead of trying to force it to do what I want it to do.
I’m finding where is best in the pedal rotation to adjust my foot position, something I could never do before, which helps with control.
Oh yeah, and made sure my seat was straight so I didn’t keep leaning to one side.
Less work = More fun!!
Sounds good! It’s surprising how a crooked seat will screw up your day. Keep practicing and soon you’ll be going all day with minimal leg burn. There is another thread where someone had a good point: Right now your legs get tired because you are probably not sitting on the seat enough - you have to keep reminding yourself to sit. And most adjustments you make now to ride, turn and balance are wild and exagerated. With time and practice, your adjustments will become refined and small thus expending less energy. Then, unicycling will become very enjoyable and people will say “You make it look so easy” and you can say “Because it is!”.
I know for a fact my seat post is too short. I have a bit less than the required 2" locked in, so that is definitely part of the issue. On the flip side, experienced riders short their post to hop, jump, muni, et al, so I just figure I’m getting a head start on trick riding!
- This is so key. Like most other sports, form and control first, then speed and power etc.
- I like your approach. I had not thought of it that way.
- This is a huge help. I can adjust my right a lot better than my left still.
- Totally!!
(AC - I may be a bit biased, but I think 46 is a pretty good age to be learning the UNI, don’t you?:D)
TS - I have 3 and that is where I will level off for a while. I actually have 4, but my brother has one of them so I don’t count it (but I’m sure my wife does!) 
A 29er may be in my future, but for now I think the MUni and the 36er are plenty of challenge!
I did about a mile on the 36er around a park this evening then spent some time on the T24. I was able to comfortably hop up a 7 inch curb and stick the landing so that was fun. I cleared it with a lot to spare so I am pretty sure I could go 8, but not much more. Having the saddle low enough is key, but then it is really more mental than physical. I hope to get out for a while tomorrow - the weather is supposed to be very nice!
G’day
I went for another ride with my son (harro) today, and really had a fun day.
We stoped at a cafe for a drink, and then continued on a path we haven’t ridden before.I thought it was great at the cafe as it is a place where all the trendy city crowd hangout, and as such we were wondering where to leave our uni’s where they wouldn’t be in peoples way but where we could still see them so they wouldn’t get stolen.They suggested we take them inside with us and lean them against our table.I bet they don’t let normal cyclists do that. So there are some benefits to riding uni.
Harro the Old
What a great idea!
Hi. I’m an “old lady” (NOT!) at 57, and have gotten this crazy idea that I’m going to conquer this unicycle riding thing. I’ve been at it about 4 months and can travel for maybe 300-400 feet before I am exhausted. I am riding a 24" Torkder LX. I started on a 20" and decided the 24" might get me further down the rode without the exhaustion. I did get further down the road, but not that much before the exhaustion set in. I have already gotten some great advice here on my first post. Thanks to everyone who responded!!!
I just wanted to jump into this thread. I am reading the entire thing from the beginning. What a super idea NSYO! I couldn’t wait to read the whole thing before joining in on the fun. I’m on page 4 at about post 55. NSYO has just conquered riding and his daughter has taken up the sport as well as his brother!
Just wanted to say “Hi” and be part of the fun here. I’ve got a ways to go before I can ride around the neighborhood (my goal), but I am now working on making sure I am sitting firmily in the seat and relaxing. Thank you already for some great advice. Not only am I addicted to riding the unicycle, I am already loving this Unicyclist Community… and this particular thread!!! THANKS! By the time I read the whole thing, I intend to conquer riding the neighborhood. Thanks a whole bunch!!!
Hello Harro!
How “old” ARE you? (Pardon my bold question.) I see you just joined, as have I. I just figured out how to post my age on the side bar as most other people are doing. If you like, go to the User CP and fill in your info. It asks for your birthday, but you can tell it to show only your age so you don’t have to show the actual birthday. I think it’s great there seem to be quite a few of us older unicycle enthusiasts. Pleased to meet you.
NSYO, technically I’m January '65, but I won’t tell anyone.
57UR, welcome to the fray! Us old codgers need somewhere to congregate, and this is a fantastic place! You’re certainly smarter than I am, not trying to read this whole thread in one sitting. Like I said in your first thread, I’m just a bit ahead of you, doing 800 feet at a time. I’m not trying to go any further (my street intersects busy streets on both ends), right now it’s all about control, pace, and learning to be comfortable. The burning thighs have lessened, but still an issue. Breathing is becoming easier. I have started mouth-breathing on the first run, usually the longest on fresh legs, and that seems to jump-start my cardio. To see where the others here have gone in 5 months is amazing, and quite encouraging to think I could be speaking their language by the end of summer. Stick with it, you crazy foolish woman, and you’ll be the one at the end of the summer who’s smiling wide!
Thanks!
Hi Animal Cage,
Thanks so much for your comments… here and, especially, earlier in my first post. I’ve learned a whole lot already by reading the posts here in the Learning Journal. I think it was NSYO (correct me if I am wrong) that measured his progress by multiplying the length of one wheel spin by the number of peddle revolutions. Yay! for THAT suggestion! I used it this morning and figured my length on this morning’s two longest rides were 767 feet (the one I actually measured) a maybe 20 feet longer than that (before I thought to measure it). Thanks so much. I just love communicating here already! Looking forward to being a part of the community. Thanks!!!
G’day
57UniRider
I am the baby of this group, 42 years old and my son is 11 years old.I love this uni riding because it is something that we can do together that is cool fun and at times exciting ( like when I’m headed straight for a group of people on the walkway totally out of control with my arms waving in strange patterns.) 
Harro the Old
HEY 57UR! Welcome to the Team Learning Journal–glad you jumped in
That is my favorite thing about this thread too. A bunch of us folks that have never met before coming together to learn and share. Knowing that you need to come and ‘report’ your progress is really motivating; and knowing that you have a group of new friends to help out is just awesome! The rest of the commUNIty is great and I have learned a lot out there on the other threads. But I keep coming back here to our little community-within-the-community as my favorite place. I never would have imagined that this thread would have turned into what it has, but I am very pleased that it has. So again, welcome to the TLJ :)
Feel like I’m talking to a celebrity!
Hey NSYO!
For some reason, receiving a reply from you is exciting… as though I am talking to a celebrity. I suppose that is because you started the thread, and it looks like it is here to stay. I’m on page 10 and will enjoy reading the remaining 15 pages. By the time I catch up it may be another couple of pages. What a brilliant idea you had. I hope that, by the time I have been riding this thing as long as you (over a year at least), I will be relaxed and “flying”! Thanks so much for the inspiration!
I absolutely LOVE my 29er. I have been riding 10 - 15 miles daily for the past 5 days. It seems so easy to ride. The 125 cranks are just perfect for around town riding. I tried some Muni the past two days with no problem - not quite as nimble as the N26, but managable. I think it was well worth the build.
My Story
I’m reading this entire Learning Journal start to finish. I ran into ratcals on page 16, whose story only slightly resembled my own.
I had a unicycle when I was about 11 or 12. I could ride it maybe 30 feet or less, but no more. It was cheap, and the seat swiveled. I knew it seemed wrong that the seat swiveled, but I had nobody to ask for pointers and no internet with all of the helpful advice that is now available here. The unicycle finally got the best of me, and was eventually sold in a garage sale, years later. Even then I hated to part with it.
Riding the unicycle was the only challenge of my youth that beat me, and my family reminded me of that for the next 45 years. It never occurred to me to take it up again until I hit a snag in my teaching career. I am a high school art teacher of 18 years and would very much like to be a retired art teacher at this point. As I was searching the internet for an interesting blog pertaining to what I might do “when I grow up,” I found UniGeezer, for one, and a few other older folks, taking up unicycle riding for the first time, or going back to it. I figured “Why NOT!” My family was totally against it, saying I would surely end up in the hospital with broken bones. I ordered a 20” Torker LX. It came in the mail the week after Thanksgiving (2010), and I was one excited camper. I thought it was Christmas!
I took it to my classroom at school where there are two counters very close together that I could balance between and eventually ride to the other side of the room. I practiced before school, during lunch, and after school. Every day I gained a little more distance and confidence. At 3 weeks, I thought I was doing great. Then, for some reason, I lowered the seat, and the next day I couldn’t ride the thing at all (not realizing it was probably the lower seat). Frustrated, I gave it one more determined attempt right before quitting. Not a good idea. I reached for the counter to keep from falling, but I slipped and jammed my arm pretty seriously. That didn’t do my self confidence any good at all. However, I took the unicycle to our fishing camp where there is a long walkway (maybe 35’) that has a wall on one side and a railing on the other. Even with my jammed arm, I could practice there over the Christmas holidays. I gained my confidence enough to try the driveway. At this point, I thought I would not need a helmet or any of that safety gear being preached on the internet. I was going to be too good for THAT! Well, unexpectedly, the driveway came up to meet my behind and subsequently the back of my head. THAT didn’t do my self confidence any good at all either! 
I was buying the helmet and safety gear as soon as I could get to the store that afternoon.
With less self confidence, it took me a good bit longer to conquer the driveway and the street. I am finally tackling the street (at the fishing camp) and measuring distance records by getting to the next mailbox, and the next. I was pleased to read about NSYO’s method of measuring distance by multiplying the radius of the tire times the number of pedal revolutions. Since I wrote about that in a previous post, that brings me up to date here. I’m almost up to 800 feet and working on relaxing and sitting firmly in the seat. I TALK to myself a whole lot. I read about several of you doing that.
On page 17, where I am now, I ran into ratcals again, who wrote “One problem I have is pride. In that I don’t like to practice and look like a fool where people can see me. Anybody else have that problem when they first started?” Yes, I am having that same problem, but after reading the helpful replies, I think I will just ignore my neighbors at home (they already know I’m crazy at the fishing camp) for a while and start working on making it all the way around the block, which is really not that far, but probably much farther than I can go at the moment, especially since it would also involve four turns at which I am not 100% accomplished. … So now I plan to talk myself into practicing more regularly on the street in front of my house. That should help a lot!
I now also work on a 24” Torker LX, which gets me just a little further down the street before I am completely wiped out from exhaustion. I’m working on sitting… and relaxing, and looking for the horizon. I found it difficult to look up at first, but that’s getting easier. I’m working on freemounting the 20". Freemounting the 24" seems a whole lot more difficult. How you guys get on a 36" is beyond me, but I surely would like to try one of those one of these days.
Okay, I’m sure this is long-winded. Thanks for letting me join in. Looking forward to the helpful comments and great camaraderie! I’m still trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up, but I intend to be unicycling along with whatever else I can come up with.
57UR; I’m blushing :o. You are probably the first person to ever think such a thing! I am just an ordinary guy and my biggest weakness is that I like to communicate way too much!! Thanks for the kind words, you are very nice.
I really enjoyed reading your story so far, so keep it coming. And a big +1 on the safety gear.
TS; I have been doing shorter rides on the 36er focusing on control, form, and not fighting the uni. But I have been wondering if the big wheel is best for me of if a 29er wouldn’t suit me better. I can’t buy one (unless I sold the 36er first!) so I am probably just going to have to work through it for a while longer. Good to hear your experience and how well it is working. I don’t have the moxie to build a wheel yet either!
This evening I took the 36er out for 2 miles and had a good ride, but the torso twist is still my foe. After doing the loop (there is a paved trail near our home around another housing development that is right at 2 miles) I did an up-and-over on the pedestrian bridge. It is pretty cool to maneuver that beast through the tight switchbacks and ride the up and down slopes. A couple months back I wondered if I could ever ride the 24 round trip without a fall or touching the railing. Now doing it on the big wheel is kind of a rush.
Iris and I set up the soccer cones and did some slalom work together on the N20’s (I borrowed Emii’s as she had left it at our house and the seat is just high enough if I max it out!). Iris is very smooth. The old man still flails a lot. Then I worked on idling and had a successful 6-idle that I rode out of! Woohoo I also had one full backward rotation then rode forward out of it. So I made a little progress. 
G’night TLJ pals.
NSYO I used to fight the unicycle what really helped me is i loosend up and relaxed and made some cones to ride between. and lots of practice!
I was thinking my next uni would be a 36er, but after a lot of reading I may go with a 29. I keep asking myself what are my long-term uni plans. Riding on bike paths with my wife on her bike (not a fast rider) is probably tops, but easy trail riding sounds great, too. I’m glad your build is working out for you.
57UR, our stories sound similar. I had a uni when I was 20, learned to ride about 30 feet, and stopped. I just never saw what it could become. Of course, I quit riding bikes, too. Motorcycles can do that to a person. Two years ago, I saw a 36er flying down the road, and I knew that was my future.
Well, today was a banner day! Made it to the end of the street, couldn’t negotiate the turn, but got back on and made it to the other end, couldn’t negotiate the turn again, but got back on and made it almost to the end again. About 2400 feet before my legs gave out!! I’ve been waiting for the day when I could measure distance in miles (even if its fractional) instead of feet. Almost half a mile. BOO-YAH! I’m also hitting my freemounts first shot, almost half the time. I can’t say I ride my uni yet, but I am definitely taxiing to the runway!
Edit: Bought gloves before ride today. UPD’d forward, no skin lost, no blood. Need I say more??