I suspect solo riding is more likely when she’s 3. Currently 2 years 2 months old.
Mainly depends on leg length and getting the physical wherewithal to understand and handle small tumbles.
This is to give her a ‘taste’ and for it to be more engaging that her trying to sit and “ride” one of my bigger wheels.
The key here is however I feel that: to her unicycling is normal and something she sees me do often.
So the logic follows that she’ll emulate this activity. It’s nothing weird and there’s no barrier to entry.
She’s not a physically shy child and is eager to move and try things so I feel pretty sure she’ll “get it” and one day shortly post 3 years, she’ll just: FLY.
But before then I’ll be holding her and saddle - with Jaz doing the peddling… then maybe in 6 months with some ‘just one arm / hand’ supporting.
It’s super cool to see her drawn to riding them without any parent persuasion or instigating - bless her!
Same, my wife and I are talking kids and I’m going to be getting a uni for the small one and probably a cargo bike to bring the kid on Unipacking/bike packing trips. I figure if I start them early they will be willing to go on trips.
It’ll mean I get to still do this new hobby I love and give my wife some quiet time.
Also the extra weight of the child will mean amazing gains
Heres a picture of most of mine with the exception of my first cheap unbranded 20" and a 6ft girraffe which ive not ridden yet.
20" club
20" nimbus equinox
26" nimbus which was my first ‘big wheel’ and 'decent ’ unicycle
27.5" qu-ax odd ball bulid with a 20" freewheel
26" nimbus hatchet
Thank you for that photo! I noticed those stabilizers in an earlier photo, but the photo was too grainy to really see how you had built them. This photo might enable others to recreate what you created, and also own enhanced/upgraded BC wheels!
There are different ways of learning UW. Mostly people learn by standing on it and pushing off away from the wall or post you’re holding. That didn’t work for me. I found a fence of about 50 metres long and would go back and forth along it. The only way to make proper rotations is to let go of the fence, so the balance is in the middle, but the fence helped me getting used to the sway of the wheel. I haven’t ridden it in nearly a year, because I ended up twisting my knees, but the feeling is now in muscle memory, so it won’t require many retries to do 20+ metres. I learned on a 28" which I had bought from Municycle.com.
It would be sad to be able to build one yourself but not ride it. Just like normal unicycling it just requires persistence. Eventually you will be able to ride it.
I guess it’s my turn with Chinese carbon next. I got a nextie rim from a buddy and order one from light bicycle. Going to be doing 2 29" carbon builds for the next uni project with my Schlumpf sold. Hoping to have pictures of the first one next week.
A few do use brakes to help free mounting but not many. I find that a brake does help for a jump mount and that is the only way I can jump mount my 36er. With the brake set I can pull and push on the uni to get me high enough to get in the saddle.
For those that saw my other posts, my first carbon 29" is complete! Brakeless 29" under 10lbs with an air saddle. Second wheel will be a 700 a 45c build and this one is on a 2.6" tire.
Currently got 90mm cranks on it, but have a set of 100/125/150 VCX for unipacking.
Second wheel for this uni will be paired with a custom 90/114/140 VCX crankset.
Possibly going to be painting the frame hot pink and sparkly.
The first parking lot ride went well, and this was the first wheel build (5th total) that I’ve completed from key spoke to riding in about 5 hours where as it usually take me 15 or so.
The other upgrade was getting some 75mm cranks for my 24" as well to free up these 90mm cranks for this uni.
It will be a summer or short cranks and high speeds!
Looking forward to my first ride with it tomorrow and first commute on Thursday.
and first commute on Thursday.