I’ve been trying to walk the wheel for almost a year now. Stuck on 10-13 kicks then I start veering off to the left. Yes I know lean back…toe, heel, toe etc.
Someone told me that I’d be better off on a freestyle uni. I am learning wheel walking on a kh20 long neck. Do you think my slow going is due to the trials wheel, or do I just suck? I do have an old 24 inch sem. Would that be easier?
Nope, a 20" gives you more room for your legs to move around, and the wider tire gives you a little more rubber to work with.
My suggestion is that you come up to PA for Nationals in July, and get super-inspired by watching real people, of all ages, do it. 
Or post a video and we can offer suggestions.
+1 for the video…
Have fun,
UVcycle
Just out of interest, how often do you practice wheel walking? Some of us have difficulties due to riding getting in the way of practicing… 
Been trying to ride backwards for three years now… once a week!
I will try to make the unicycle meet in PA. That would be fun.
I practice maybe 3 times a week for a half hour.
I will try to make a video soon and post it. I think that would help. So you don’t think I would do better on a freestyle?
I learned wheel walking on a trials unicycle. As long as you can raise the seat high enough you should be fine. In some ways it’s easier and in some ways maybe not and it probably evens out. Kenny’s advice in the other thread is great and you probably just need to keep practicing. A video would definitely help as a substitute for feedback in person.
Ha. That’s my major obstacle to learning anything new. Practices invariable end up being rather short and spaced waaaaaaaaaaaaaay apart.
+1, though only for about a year so far, and I probably don’t even manage once a week on average.
OK, here’s the video. There’s a part where you can see I am veering off to the left, which seems to happen a lot. Looking at the video I see that maybe my feet aren’t straight on the wheel. Maybe they are on the sides and pushing me left, but I don’t know…
Hi kahunacohen,
First of all I think you’re very close to land it. I would say that you have to lean back more, in all your tries (5/5) you fall forward - that’s means that you have to go back. Not leaning back, force you going faster and faster, finally falling to one side.
I would suggest you to do "“Restart” with the trick: don’t think about the number of moves or revs, and focus only on leaning back and finding the sweet balance spot, even if it seem like a kind of regression. Mastering the leaning back position will enable you now to do the proper corrections as needed with your hands and feet.
Another thing, don’t try to go in straight line at that stage, just go whenever you can (and for that, I think you have to find an nice and open space like tennis course). With no time you will be able to go whenever you like.
Keep practicing and posting vids. Don’t give up - you’ll do it!
Have fun,
UVcycle
This is great advice. Leaning back is usually an issue at first but sometimes you need to ease into it. I agree about not worrying about going in a straight line. If this is your usual practice space, you might find one that’s a bit more open. An outside basketball course is great because you can use the pole if you need assistance to start and you’re not apt to crash into things. You should also work on getting your whole foot on the wheel, toe to heel and then the other one behind it and not beside it. Work on putting more pressure on the wheel, too, being able to hold it with either foot without it going anywhere. You’re doing really well and mainly just need more practice! Wheel walking is really fun and to me is the gateway to feeling comfortable with tricks where your feet aren’t on the pedals.
This sounds like a plan. I always come away from NAUCC a better rider.
I’ve struggled with wheel walking for quite a while. I’ve tried both a trials and a flatland wheel. It doesn’t seem to make a whole lot of difference. Leaning back is the hardest thing to get used to.
I’m now working on getting back to the pedals consistently.
Seriously- heed John’s advice. You don’t have to be able to wheel walk to have a blast at a convention.
The video is great for us to diagnose! But you still have to go to Nationals. There’s a good chance you will come away with long wheel-walks.
The first thing I noticed was your feet crowding each other. Try not to let your feet be next to each other while in contact with the tire. Don’t underestimate the power of your heel’s traction on the tire. Your heel gives you good control all the way down until your leg is straightened out. So your feet never need to be next to each other, even on a little 20" wheel. If they are, they will tend to collide and knock each other off.
Dismounts are all to the front, with a slight veer to the left. With consistencies like those, seek the “middle” by deliberately falling off to the rear, and trying to veer right. First you may notice the left veer may be because you are always doing it with the rail to your right. You can only go left so it’s kind of natural. Try going the other way and veering right. When wheel-walk dismounting to the rear, it’s a little scary if you aren’t used to it. Your feet have to kind of go outward and around your frame and pedals, to meet the ground behind the wheel as it goes out from under you. Practice this, and you will feel more comfortable doing rearward dismounts (which you will do as your skills improve).
Lastly, you might need to start giving yourself more room. It looks like you might be running out of space, which can inhibit you psychologically. Anyway, I and/or others hope to meet you at Nationals and give you some more pointers in person!
Ok it’s my 40th bay and I’m going to come to pa. I live in dc so it’s not too far. I have 2 kids age 5 and 7. The older one has a 16 inch and has started learning but not consistently. Besides getting my 7 yr old riding what else can the family do there? Anybody know the area?
Made great progress today. Raised the seat so I can barely pedal. Was on vacation so took it to a basketball court and practiced for a while. Concentrated on keeping only one foot on at a time. Got 20+ kicks in.
Yep.
For starters: http://uninationals2013.com/about-butler/
At the bottom of the page there’s a link to http://www.visitbutlercounty.com
Keep in mind the site is about 1/2 hour from Pittsburgh too. The Carnegie Science Center exhibits will be about bicycles. There’s the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium too. The Aviary is highly recommended too.
If you like outlet malls, there’s one in Grove City which is 20min- 1/2 hour North.
Moraine State Park has beaches too.
This region is big on tourism. It should be a fun trip!
Making great progress. Getting consistent runs of 20+ kicks. I moved to the street, using my car as a start off point. Raised the seat super high. Also concentrating on one foot on the tire at a time, lighter touch on the tire, and leaning back more. I’ll post a new video when I get a chance.
Yaay! I finally really am getting the hang of it. Got 25 feet today several times.
What a great feeling nailing unicycle skills gives you. I’ve never found anything like the satisfaction of working so hard on something, not giving up and finally getting it. Again, will post a video when I get a chance.
I am finding a lighter touch on the tire than what I was doing previously really is helping.
Oh, and raising the seat really high also seems to help a lot.
A little follow-up. I am now consistently getting pretty long runs. I am also now able to go into a wheel-walk from an idle, which is cool, because I finally don’t need support to start off.
Next is wheel-walking from riding forward and going into riding from wheel-walking.
I am also just starting to work on unispins. I landed two 180 jump mounts today. It requires the exact opposite setup on my uni. Less air and really short seat post.
Hmm, sounds like you’re about the same skill level as me then. It’s funny trying to figure out how good at uni’s different forum members are.