This is the rainy season in Northern California and the trails are somewhat
muddy. I was wondering if I there are any suggested techniques for riding
through mud.
Thanks,
John Hooten
RE: Mud
> This is the rainy season in Northern California and the trails are somewhat
> muddy. I was wondering if I there are any suggested techniques for riding
> through mud.
I think it has some things in common with riding through sand. You want to keep
as straight a line as possible, and not spin the wheel.
If mud is smooth (non-bumpy), I try to just pedal through slowly and steadily.
My main concern is not getting too much on me (unless I’m already muddy, in
which case it’s more fun, but I try to avoid being a mud blob). If the mud has
rocks, bumps, or unknowns in it, you have to be prepared to go through it like a
puddle with a bottom you can’t see; prepare for the worst and hope you don’t hit
something when you’re in your dead spot (pedals vertical).
When mud is a traction problem, whether uphill, downhill or just a lot of it,
it’s important to try not to spin your tire. Once the tire slips, your traction
is reduced to almost nothing. If you know you’re going to be riding in lots of
mud, try a tire with bigger knobs. For unicycles you want to shop for rear
tires, not fronts. Rear tires are designed for traction, while fronts are
designed for cornering ability, usually at fairly high speed, which doesn’t much
apply to MUnis.
I’ve found that I can ride through some nasty stuff by unweighting the wheel
during the power part of the pedal stroke. Pause when the pedals are level, and
then make a half turn with a little jump in it. You don’t jump off the uni, but
your weight is suspended briefly above the unicycle while it rolls. Pause again
when the pedals are level, for your next little leap.
Remember, some trails are closed during the winter, to protect them from damage
by feet & tires while they’re soft. Also, IMBA rules say ‘don’t widen the trail
by riding around mud puddles.’ It can be more fun to ride through them anyway.
See an example on my winter web site:
http://www.unicycling.com/wintergold/97mudtires.htm
Happy mudding (John, are you available Sat. for our big group ride?),
John Foss, the Uni-Cyclone http://www.unicycling.com
RE: Mud
> One other thing: tire design makes a big difference. I usually ride (O.K.,
> always ride- I’m kind of alone on one wheel) with mountain bikers and they
> seem to always be beefing/raving about various tire designs.
Yes. The best tire for you depends on two very wide variables:
- Your local terrain
- Your personal preference
Local terrain may be a question of the type of surfaces you prefer to ride on,
not what most of your local trails are like. I try to avoid riding in lots of
mud for instance, so I don’t want too radical a tread pattern. Tires with big
knobs work well in real soft stuff, but may not be comfortable on hard ground or
pavement. For me, tires with a round cross section work best, and square tires
with big knobs on the corners are worst. But this brings us to the personal
preference area.
For personal preference, you may have to experiment with different tires to find
what’s best for you. When in doubt, try to experiment with less expensive tires.
I’m wary of lightweight tires that have thin sidewalls, because sometimes I bang
down on sharp rock edges and things. A heavier, yet sturdier tire is better for
me. Plus they usually cost half as much…
Note also that a tire that works great on a mountain bike (even your own bike)
may not be as good on a unicycle. The needs of the vehicle are different.
Stay on top,
John Foss, the Uni-Cyclone http://www.unicycling.com
Re: Mud
>This is the rainy season in Northern California and the trails are somewhat
>muddy. I was wondering if I there are any suggested techniques for riding
>through mud.
>
>Thanks,
>
>John Hooten
>
I hear you! I live in Vancouver B.C. and it has been monsooning virtually every
day since the end of October.
I find that momentum is key for riding through mud. Often the muddiness level
seems to vary on a small (10’s of centimetres)) scale. In these situations you
can time your pedalling to get short speed buildups in these sections that carry
you through the muddy parts. This helps eliminate the tire skid-out that happens
when too much power is applied in slippery mud. I’ve also found that this
technique works quite well in snow and on technical uphill sections with
variable traction and/or roots.
-Kris Holm.
Kris Holm, B.Sc. Geologist, Forestry Group, EBA Engineering Consultants Ltd.
Suite 550, Sun Life Plaza, 1100 Melville Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6E 4A6
Tel:(604) 685-0275 Fax:(604) 684-6241 Email: kholm@eba.ca
Re: Mud
John,
One other thing: tire design makes a big difference. I usually ride (O.K.,
always ride- I’m kind of alone on one wheel) with mountain bikers and they seem
to always be beefing/raving about various tire designs. They all look quite
similar to me but I changed to a “Kujo” 2.35"x26" tire on my Muni and noticed a
great improvement in the mud.
At 01:02 PM 2/22/99 -0800, you wrote:
>This is the rainy season in Northern California and the trails are somewhat
>muddy. I was wondering if I there are any suggested techniques for riding
>through mud.
>
>Thanks,
>
>John Hooten
>
Kris Holm, B.Sc. Geologist, Forestry Group, EBA Engineering Consultants Ltd.
Suite 550, Sun Life Plaza, 1100 Melville Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6E 4A6
Tel:(604) 685-0275 Fax:(604) 684-6241 Email: kholm@eba.ca
Re: Mud
Another Another thing I just thought of:
I think its really important in muddy and rough terrain to main power through
the vertical pedal position, and not just coast through this point. Meaning that
you need to have grippy shoes and good pedals so that you can maintain
forward/backward pressure with your feet.
Although personally I’m not very good at it and don’t use it much, I would think
that George Peck’s technique of gripping the sides of the seat with his thighs,
so that he can bunnyhop/unweight the unicycle without having to grab the seat,
might also be good.
-Kris. At 01:02 PM 2/22/99 -0800, you wrote:
>This is the rainy season in Northern California and the trails are somewhat
>muddy. I was wondering if I there are any suggested techniques for riding
>through mud.
>
>Thanks,
>
>John Hooten
>
Kris Holm, B.Sc. Geologist, Forestry Group, EBA Engineering Consultants Ltd.
Suite 550, Sun Life Plaza, 1100 Melville Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6E 4A6
Tel:(604) 685-0275 Fax:(604) 684-6241 Email: kholm@eba.ca