I flub mounts daily… I flubbed about 3 today while filming(although these were due to my camera being in my way when mounting but still) I filmed a little bit today and put together a short video, I tried to put audio commentary to it but my mic wasn’t working so I put in readable commentary I’ll link to it when it’s done exporting/uploading, I like to think of mounting my 36’er like leaping over the top of it.
Except that it’s a lot harder to hop SIF or keep control of a hop on a 36’er ESPECIALLY for a new rider lol
Hi Monocyclism, many posts from the experts here have recommended a rolling start. I am new to the Coker and unicycling but here is a video of me doing a rolling mount that might help. I’m sure it is not very technically correct but it’s working for me right now. And BTW, anyone notice this guy’s age? You rock man! I’m sure you’ll be at it into your nineties. Hoping the same myself. Cheers.
I learnt to 36 freemount static by pulling up on the wheel (spokes when muddy) and was amazed when I got it first time 
It’s also what I use when I’m tired or out of practise as I’m less likely to flub.
(Jason, how can you use use the word flub to put a serious point across? that’s risible!)
I find the easiest way to mount my 36er is a normal static mount, the same as I use for other wheels. It just takes a bit more spring off the back foot. The only time this doesn’t work is if I have to mount on a significant climb. If I fall off on a climb I’ll either run to the top or mount sideways across the road and turn upwards. A rolling mount would be better in that situation, but I find them really hard.
It probably helps that I’m quite tall and favour longish (145mm) cranks. With shorter cranks it’s much harder to get away from a standing start.
I think a rolling mount looks really cool, and I keep meaning to get better at it just for that reason (and it apparently uses less energy than a static mount when you’re proficient at it), but I find a static mount so easy that I haven’t had much incentive to practise alternatives :o
Rob
+1
As I do mainly off-road riding on my 36er I forced myself to get the static mounts down as that is often the only practical way to mount out on the trails. I really just treat mounting the 36er just like any other static mount on a smaller unicycle. The only modification I make is that I typically have the crank/pedal closest to me a bit lower than it would say for my 24" muni. By that for mounting my 24" my cranks are usually at say 10 o’clock and 4 o’clock, for the 36er I seem to be most successful with the cranks more like 11 o’clock and 5 o’clock (maybe not quite that much but close). I’m not tall so I think this “static” mount I do does have a slight roll since when I do this and am on top the cranks are level and some times I’ll do a slight correction hop to get squared up and then ride off. All this is with 150mm cranks… For road riding, when I’ve got 115mm or 125mm cranks on there I’ve been more successful with more of a rolling mount to help get that forward momentum going.
I started with a rolling mount, something like shown in Ducttape’s video. Now, after a bit over a year of riding I take one step and then go up.
There’s video of me about half way through my first 100 mile ride where I didn’t want to put any mental energy into it at all and basically just ran with it until the pedels were in the right place and I was ready to go. About 1:30 in the following video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkLC5W--eOE
You can just see my riding partner using the curb to assist in a static mount there too.
Ducttape, that video cracked me up. You missed the taint-angle perspective. And that guy at the end, nobody but 10 year olds seriously ask me if they can ride my 36r! Hilarious!
Me too, except not over it, but just a little bit ahead of on top of it. Over it is the place to shoot for when learning though. Great video, Ducttape! I love the frame-cam angles, especially the upside down one. But the very first example probably shows the most important information; speed, body position, wheel movement.
Definitely, that guy at the end was funny. He asked to ride your sh*t! 
I have let a couple of people try my Cokers from time to time, but only if they said they were already unicyclists. And some succedded, though usually not on a road setup with big handle and short cranks. I’m less inclined to let people try on that one also due to possible handle damage.
Munimutant, your mount looked perfect. Can’t complain about that one! Though other people may use different approaches, that looked like a textbook example of my preferred method. Notice there is not much speed involved, and that the wheel generally comes to a stop while your body rotates up to that slightly-forward-of-top position. If you do all that without having to make a big zig-zag, you’ve got it right. Ultimately, if the wheel maintains a small amount of forward momentum it should take less energy to do, but I find that with my handle setup it’s better to mount slowly, as long as you can keep it in a straight line.
Boisei’s example was also good. That one shows the correction you make if you’re a little off to the side during the process (the zig-zag). When you’re in the middle of a century ride, any mount that doesn’t waste energy is a good mount! 
So for those learning a rolling mount, remember it’s not about speed, just giving your body a little push to make it easier to get up there. Your wheel doesn’t really roll much at all during the crucial part.
‘Still flubbing mounts’ This is reassuring news to me. I just assumed everyone else instinctively hardly never makes a mistake!
‘…foot hits the pedal say, at the heel’ Wow! I’m not the only one doing this? I’ve been cursing myself for ending up with my heel on the pedal. Reassuring to learn it can be done at anytime!
Thanks for pedal comments - subtleties like this help me work on my mind-game during practice.
I think you got that one right Ducttape! The ‘new-rider’ in me is gonna have trouble hopping on the big wheel 
However for me your mounting-video is great - especially 'cos it shows mounting with the T7 attached! I was kinda discouraged from holding the seat handle as the T7 somehow ‘cramped the space’ surrounding the seat handle. So for mounting I assumed the position and took to holding the side of the seat with one hand whilst holding the T7 handle with the other hand.
I believe I may be a relatively fast learner but I think confusion over the seat handle and the T7 handles have initially upset my approach to mounting. Other dudes have mentioned it but your instructional video is the first I have actually seen on a machine that is set up similarly to mine. Thanks for that
Thanks for your input Munimutant. That’s a clear side-view of your rolling mount and easy to study. I had considered temporarily removing my T7 handle by fitting a standard seat post and make it easier to focus on the seat area alone. With the T7 I have found it can obscure the line-of-sight to the pedals - but that might be me as a starter :o
BTW are you sure you’re not confusing my age with the number of posts I have made?..I jest Thanks for your compliments!
Thanks for the feedback John! This is great to hear, but also a compliment to all the excellent instructional posts in the forums from all you pros. Thanks!
Thanks for your perspective MuniSano! Actually I have bookmarked your blog - some good quality images you have there and interesting reading. Will be back for a regular look
Yeah I haven’t installed the “Pi” bar that came with the Coker yet. It just seemed like too much to think about for now. And I didn’t even consider how it might obscure the pedals. That would definitely be a hindrance for me.
I have footage of the taint angle but the camera would get in the way and I almost broke it(the camera not my taint OWCH!) on an unsuccessful mount. The guy had ridden a regular unicycle before and wanted to try mine. I had an orthodontist appointment or I would have let him try and filmed him haha
I let anyone who wants to try it ride any of my unis, I just caution them first if they’ve never ridden before. The Angles were fun to play with I have a really cool bendy tripod that I just wrapped around the frame tubes and back of the T7.
I will flub a mount at least 3 times per ride.
If you focus you gaze off to the side of the pedal you are trying to land on while rolling the T7 wont get in the way as much and there should be just enough space to fit your hand on the seat’s normal handle long enough to get up, that way you don’t need to get another seatpost. I used a full rev to get going to demonstrate body movement and positioning but as you get better the 36’er has enough wheel weight that you really only need a quarter of a rev to get up and going.
Your comments are well timed Ducttape. I am just about to go out for a 36er practice this very minute. Have studied your vid - now I’m going to try it :). Blue sky outside, no wind, no work, fed and watered, free for the afternoon…what more could a guy ask for ???
Have a good ride! You’ll get it in no time.
Yippie-Ki-yay!
Excellent! As advised I got into a short rolling mount that gave me some momentum. Prepared for this by assuming the ‘launch point’ on the pedal with my foot then took couple of paced-out backward steps with the unicycle. Then when I stepped forward again rolling the unicycle the pedal came around in a good position to meet my dominant foot.
The seat introduced itself to me and I shook its hand-el Tried making friends with the T7 by following another suggestion to push it forward when I was on top of the wheel - that seemed to help forward motion.
Most of all I felt the rolling mount was the way to go for me. I hate to pull age-ism here but the static mount really takes it out of my knees when I am repeatedly thrusting from a standing start. Wouldn’t have bothered me 20 years ago. Perhaps it would be better if I could consistently mount. At any rate I felt the T7 was less intrusive
Set the video up and ran out of battery! So will video my next session and get something online in couple of days.
Finally, what is the secret to holding the front handle or T7 with both hands? I am used to having one arm free for balance whilst holding the seat. When I try holding the handle with both hands I appear to loose sensitivity for sideways balance and the uni just slowly keels over to one side. What do I focus on to maintain balance when holding the front handle or T7 with both hands. Is it because I’m not sinking enough weight into the seat?
Congratulations! I’m glad you found a good way of mounting consistently.
The thing about starting with both hands on the handle is, that you have to be perfectly centered sideways in order not to fall over. Speed may be helpful for that aspect too. But I think there’s nothing wrong about correcting your balance with one arm. I do that a lot too.