My new 2-wheeler/oxymorocycle/biverticycle

Unicycles and Equipment
1

I have a biverticycle.

The extention kit I bought from Semcycle at EJC came with a wheel which
wasn’t very much like my existing bogglefingers one it was going to go
underneath so I got a second bogglefingers wheel and now they match and the
finished product looks very smart. (No digital camera so photo when I next
get a film developed)

I have a 6’ DM so I’m comfortable with the height (5’ish)

Quick rundown of learning to ride it:

Day 1
Held onto a climbing frame at local park.
Wobbled frantically whilst saying things like “No, I don’t suppose you have
seen one like this.” and “yes, it is interesting” and “yes, backwards to go
forwards, that’s the idea” to various passers-by.
20 minutes of this and I went home thinking that riding it would be
impossible.

Day 2
One hour of struggling up and down a passageway holding onto walls either
side.
Very reminiscent of learning to ride a unicycle 3 years ago.
Thought it was doable.

Day 3
Another hour in the passageway. It got easier. I let go of the wall for a
revolution or two.
Thought it was doable by me.

Day 4
Took biverticycle to local juggling club in Tunbridge Wells and spent about
an hour launching into the absyss.
During that session I got across the hall, 15/20 Metres, several times.

A bit of half-hearted practice (10/20 minute sessions) during the week and
the following week another hour or so at the juggling club and I could turn
both ways pretty easily.

I think the difficulty of these devices may be overrated. I found it much
easier than learning to ride a unicycle (maybe people just don’t remember
what a struggle that was) and easier than wheel-walking which after weeks of
daily practice I still couldn’t get more than 3 metres with.

I tried idling the biverticycle today, it’s weird but I see no reason why it
couldn’t work. I managed to let go of the walls either side of me for an
idle or two. I’ve never seen anybody idle one before, I was hoping there was
no reason for that.

Oh yes, riding this thing is really fun! I bought it to challenge myself,
knowing how difficult it would be. It has been very rewarding.

Once I get a bit more comfortable I think I’ll begin to learn to freemount.
That can’t be as tough as freemounting my 6’ giraffe, can it? I expect it’ll
be pretty tricky though.

Andrew
0xADF

Biverticycling,
Sorry for the rambly post,
Back to lurking soon.

2

Re: My new 2-wheeler/oxymorocycle/biverticycle

On Wed, 4 Sep 2002 21:22:06 +0100, “Andrew Feldhaus”
<Reply@Thread.pls> wrote:

>Quick rundown of learning to ride it:
<snip>
Very good progress, I think, to be able to ride 15 - 20 metres after
just 4 hours of solid practice.
My now 13 y.o. daughter last year learned to ride a twowheeler. Took
here more hours than you but there were often weeks between practice
sessions due to the cycle being brought to the weekly club only
occasionally. She never got very good at it but she could ride large
circles in the gym.

>I tried idling the biverticycle today, it’s weird but I see no reason why it
>couldn’t work. I managed to let go of the walls either side of me for an
>idle or two. I’ve never seen anybody idle one before, I was hoping there was
>no reason for that.
>
>Once I get a bit more comfortable I think I’ll begin to learn to freemount.
>That can’t be as tough as freemounting my 6’ giraffe, can it? I expect it’ll
>be pretty tricky though.
I’ve seen Sem Abrahams freemount into an idle, then ride away. So it
is at least possible.

>Sorry for the rambly post,
No no, posts like this are just what the forum is for. Keep us posted!

Oh, BTW, what is oxymoronic (sp?) about the contraption?

Klaas Bil

If you had this signature, I have forged it.

3

Re: My new 2-wheeler/oxymorocycle/biverticycle

“Klaas Bil” wrote…

> Very good progress, I think, to be able to ride 15 - 20 metres after
> just 4 hours of solid practice.

I was rather surprised too. I think having walls either side helped because
getting back onto it when you fall off takes more time than with a unicycle,
grabbing the wall to stop falling off in the first place saves a lot of
time.

> My now 13 y.o. daughter last year learned to ride a twowheeler. Took
> her more hours than you but there were often weeks between practice
> sessions due to the cycle being brought to the weekly club only
> occasionally. She never got very good at it but she could ride large
> circles in the gym.

Neat. That’s the hardest part over with, improving from there is easy.

> I’ve seen Sem Abrahams freemount into an idle, then ride away. So it
> is at least possible.

It is. I gave idling another few 1/2 hours practice over a few days.
Left-foot-down is working reasonably (up to about 30 seconds so far, a bit
wobbly but that’ll iron out) and Right-foot-down is where left-foot-down was
a few practice-sessions ago so that’ll get there too. I even tried
one-foot-idling (Left foot down, right foot on frame) and that seems
possible with a little more practice.

> Oh, BTW, what is oxymoronic (sp?) about the contraption?

And it’s oxymoronic (dictionary.com says that’s a valid word, so too is
“oxymoronically”) because it’s a unicycle (since only one wheel is in
contact with the ground) with two wheels.

I heard the term “oxymorocycle” at the British Juggling Convention this
year. I like it but “biverticycle” saves a syllable.

I’ll stick at it. Once I can idle I’ll either learn to go backwards or
freemount.

Expect a jubilant post if I ever manage the latter :slight_smile:

Andrew
0xADF
Unicycling oxymoronically