I’m 60, and have ridden a unicycle off and on since grade school. Never particularly proficient, but always enjoyed hopping on it and going for a spin every now and then. I have an ancient Cyclepro with a 20" wheel.
I was hospitalized earlier this year with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which is an auto-immune disorder wherein the immune system attacks the central nervous system, resulting in nerve damage and paralysis. So I was completely paralyzed for a time. But I’m getting better.
I recently realized that unicycle riding would be a great physical therapy to aid in my recovery. Balance and leg strength are two big things that I need to work on, and those are obviously two of the big requirements for unicycling. So I got out the old cycle and started riding a week or so ago. It was a little rough to start with, but I can get down to the end of the block and back now, so I feel like I’m making progress. (My legs feel like spaghetti afterwards, though.)
I’m thinking it would be nice to have a larger wheel cycle, which would make it easier to go long distances. I’ve been out of it so long, any suggestions for a decent brand to look for? What are the popular options these days? Anything in particular to look for, or to watch out for?
It’s great to have this on-line community, I’ve never really known any other unicycle riders, and never gotten any advice from anyone. Thanks in advance for your input!
You might throw some more data out on the table. How big a fella are you? Where are you going to ride? Flat streets? Rolling hills? Do you plan on pub hopping? Picking up chicks?
Thanks for your reply!
I’m 5’11" and 175lbs. I plan on riding on streets, and where I live (San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles area), it’s pretty flat.
I don’t plan on doing anything out-of-the-ordinary.
It would be nice to find other unicyclists in the area. Maybe I’ll see if I can locate others through this forum. (I did a google search for unicycle clubs in this area, and didn’t come up with anything. I was mildly surprised, given the population density. Maybe it’s a vacuum waiting to be filled.)
