Off season conditioning

what do you do to keep up when weather does not permit riding outdoors for as long as a season?

I’m wondering whether any kind of indoor exercise would work. Do stationary unicycles exist? If they’re too fixed I guess it won’t help exercise balance.

1 Like

Apparently @UniGeezer has proven you can ride a uni on bicycle rollers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QK7ymd79fZQ

If you have a little indoor space I suppose you could always work on idling and other stationary-ish skills

OOC what’s the issue with riding outside? I know there are people here who put on warm clothes and a “snow tire” and go out and ride in snow and ice. Admittedly it’s probably not for everyone though, and I haven’t had occasion to try it myself living in Texas.

There’s an off season?

7 Likes

well it’s more about not wanting to ride on ice or snow…but it’s extremely interesting that bike rollers work! perhaps I’ll give it a try on snow or rainy days.

A simple exercise bike will work, especially if you don’t use the seat (stand up) you can get a real work out in a short amount of time. As far as “exercise balance” is concerned, you will not lose it. I went 50 years without riding and my ability to ride and balance did not change in that time. When I started riding again I could ride as well as when I stopped.

2 Likes

So when I can’t ride outside because of weather, I normally would ride my 36er on my treadmill, but my parents won’t let me. BUT if you don’t want to risk that, what I do is I either do the elliptical or run. I don’t like to ride a bike to replace because idk if it’s just a me thing but the elliptical or running feels closer to unicycling than biking. Here me out, I may be wrong, but this is just my personal preference/opinion.
I live in Wisconsin, and if you know anything about the weather over here, we literally have bipolar weather. One day it’s snowing, and then the other day it’s sunny and warm. So when I can ride in the winter, I do but otherwise I just workout at the YMCA, BUT I ALSO GOT A HATCHET UNI! So it’ll be alot easier to ride in the winter (obviously ice and wind will still be a problem but it’s mostly the snow that prevents me from riding most of the winter)

2 Likes

I’m not sure what my plan for winter is yet. I’ll see how it goes, I may manage to keep riding or I may just do gym work instead.

The thing where I live is, it’s dark by 4pm and not light till after 8am. It’s not generally cold by comparison to many places - probably 3-5 Celsius on average, but it’s very wet (average around 3000mm per year) and the humidity makes it feel colder. We don’t get much snow, just lots of rain.

I can do cold. I can do wet. I can do dark. I’m not keen on all 3 together. To paraphrase Gary Fisher, pick any two!

That said I find I stay warmer on the uni than I do on a bike. I think the fact you move slower (less wind chill), work the whole time (no freewheeling), the whole body workout (my arms are always moving and core engaged, as opposed to staying in one position on a bike) and finally the lack of pressure on the ulnar nerve on handlebars.

So hopefully I’ll be able to get out a couple of times a week at least. Maybe less than what I do just now in summer, and probably more on road than dirt but better than stopping riding til next April.

2 Likes

Here in Quebec we have a very long winter snowy and icy. My first studded tire was a hand made one, just screws added on a basic tire (tire photo) then I bought fat bike studded tire and it rides perfectly. The only thing is at -30C (-22F) the air is thinner and it’s more difficult to breath.


5 Likes

@pjpsoft What is it like riding with a studded tire? Does it feel weird at first? I imagine it would take a little getting used to.

The only problem is to jump on or off as your shoes slip on the ice, but you don’t feel the studs at all. The new one are really not that high but hold very firmly. I put some photos of the hand made one which is something :wink: Benoit from Montreal built it


and a photo of the fat tire so you can see as small they are

3 Likes

That‘s what scares me about riding on snow and ice. The (studded) tire may grip well, but what when you have to dismount, or worse, UPD? Time for studded shoes?
Studded pedals, tire and shoes… how about a studded sadd…:zipper_mouth_face:
Ok, going by the level of stupidity of my ideas, it‘s probably time for me to go to bed.

You’re right, that’s the scary part and if necessary, I add basic ice cleats that don’t interfere with the pedal cleats. I ride mainly on park trails. They’re well-maintained, and the worst part is the walkers who make deep footprints when the sun comes out. Not being a yogi, I haven’t yet tried the studded saddle but Harley-type saddle.

5 Likes

My fear of riding on snow is hidden terrain features like roots or potholes covered by snow.

If I cannot see it, I cannot prepare for it. It’s just me and I don’t think anything short of a 36" would help me there equipment-wise…

There is no off season. I have been unicycling in the winter for years now and love it.

  • The extra focus and attention needed, brings me back to when I first learnt to ride.
  • There are always a few less people out and everything gets more silent (especially if it is actually snowing).
  • It is incredibly satisfying to make new tracks in clean snow.
  • Unicycling for any distance (or at speed) can make you very warm. Cold weather is therefore a great counterbalance.
  • Finally, while I would love to be able to deny it, I know that on some level I am an attention seeker (no shit… right?). Cycling in the snow doubles the amount of looks and comments you get! :stuck_out_tongue:

A selection of pictures from over the years, from my commutes to the office





Actually it is not just snow. I also like unicycling in the rain. In fact I have never let weather stop me from unicycling. I say again, “There is no off season!”

P.S. As for studded tyres keep in mind that if you cycle somewhere with “just snow”, i.e. no ice has collected or because of recent, heavy snow none has formed, you do not need a studded tyre. The studs only work on ice, they do nothing for snow at all.

Proper winter tyre vary from a regular tyre for three reasons

  • A tread pattern that grips (but also drops) snow. The patterns of offroad tyres are often designed with mud in mind and this sticks differently
  • A different kind of rubber. It is normally softer so that when the temps are low it is still supple.
  • Studs for the ice you might encounter

But some non-winter tyres can work OK in the winter and most tyres can be self-studded by one of two methods. And again, if you know there is no snow, you do not need “studs”. Also at a push (though not recommended) you can cycle some icy parts without studs.

https://ruario.flounder.online/gemlog/2021-11-24_Winter_cycling_tips_and_tricks.gmi

3 Likes

It cushions and smooths most of these out. And if you fall… you fall in snow. :person_shrugging:t3:

No… not really. Though if you cycle on bare tarmac at just the right speed it sounds like you are frying onions or bacon. Yes, I do think about food while cycling. :laughing:

EDIT: I found a video where I am following Erlend (Loe) and while it is not bare tarmac, you can still just about hear it. Not a perfect example though. At just the right cadence, it sometimes really sounds like it but this is close enough to give you the basic idea.

Yes… though sometimes I forget the studded shoes and then as I cycle over ice I think to myself, “Well… just don’t fall off?” :laughing:

2 Likes

I also ride in the Winter. It is very funny but not with a 36" Unicycle. Most of the time I use the Munis to ride in this bad Contitions. I don’t had a big Crash at the snow or on ice but it is dangerous to fall of the Uni.

2 Likes

Can you add studs to a 26er fat tire? I love that you added that to ur tire! I may just have to get one some how - cause wi we have some brutal winters- and I live in north eastern Wisconsin

Yea last year I rode a 36er during winter, even the police thought I was crazy lol :joy: but I finally got a MUNI so I’m excited this year!!

1 Like

You can buy several different 26 inch fat tyres with studs already. You can see one in my video a little further up.

I also do not use my 36ers in the winter with snow/ice. Nice to be a bit closer to the ground when it is slippery and in addition the lack of the range of tyres leaves you without great options.

1 Like