Jack Halpern <jhalpern@super.win.or.jp> wrote:
>I personally would very much like to see a good description of how to learn
>to glide.
Before attempting to learn to glide, one should first learn to wheel walk
forward and wheel walk forward one footed.
When wheel walking one footed, intentionally let the foot slide on the tire on
the return stroke, to prepare for the next step. Repeat this step, then try the
next step until there is good success with next step.
When wheel walking one footed lighten the pressure of the foot on the tire and
stop in the middle of a stroke allowing the tire to slide (glide) an inch or
two. Immediately go back to one footed wheel walking. Repeat this several times.
When this becomes easy increase the length of the glide. Soon you will be
gliding a quarter turn of the wheel and more. After a few weeks practice, you
may eventually glide 10 meters and more.
Hints:
In gliding, one controls forward / backward balance by varying the pressure of
the foot on the tire. The key to gliding long distances is applying almost no
pressure on the tire, varying pressure very slightly and quickly in response to
any forward /backward imbalance.
If one minimizes the gliding pressure to zero, one would actually be coasting
(although the foot would be too close to the wheel for anyone but the unicyclist
to tell). When coasting, forward / backward balance is maintained by bending the
torso and arms down forward and down backward, back and forth as needed. These
coasting balance moves can be applied when gliding (even if one can not yet
coast), to reduce the amount of pressure on the tire needed to maintain balance
and further increase gliding distance achieved.
On One Wheel,
Ken Fuchs <kfuchs@winternet.com