I love it when these chance occurances happen. Here is one of mine:
Indeed, that is a whole thread on exactly those types of events. In addition to the above, I have on occasion bumped into or spotted other unicyclists in Norway. Sometimes people I did not know but came to know latter on, including one of @PedalSprell’s old uni friends, Vidar (not on this forum AFAIK)
When I saw Vidar cycle past me for the first time I was having a coffee with someone who I did not know well and who did not know I was a unicyclist. However, I had turned up on a unicycle, much to my acquaintance’s surprise. While we sat outside the coffee shop chatting, Vidar cycled by. The person I sat with said, “Is unicycling a big thing then in Oslo these days?”. I replied “no”, then paused for a bit and said, “umm… I don’t think so, anyway!?”
Anyway, years later I met Vidar and pieced together it was him who cycled past that day. Indeed here is a photo of me with Vidar (he is in the middle, @PedalSprell is on the left and I am on the right).
I have also had chance encounters with @Erlend_Loe, though I did know him at the time. Indeed on one occasion I cycled up behind him and said some rude comment about how he must have lost a wheel. Because, you know… you have to, right!?
And that brings my post back on topic because I was on a penny farthing at the time and hence a non (unicycle) rider… at least for that day.
Two weeks ago, at work, a colleague told me she saw me on the seaside, and when she told her husband she knew me (we see each other once or twice a month), he told her that I was world champion and started explaining some of the competitions. (I do apparently I have fans).
Last week, I went to an office, and when leaving, a woman with her children explained them that this was a “bike with one wheel”, and they just stood there kind of speechless while a car was letting them cross the road I used that to cross the road, go back on the bikeway and ride back home.
And, this weekend, I was with a begginer (he used to ride a 20 / 24er, but moved on to 29er) I am kind of training, and a guy told us that that was really cool cause we had one wheel each. I replied “Yes, that’s actually a tandem”, and was pretty proud because I never had the opportunity to say this exact quote (I was either alone or we passed people too fast to have time to answer), and was looking forward to it.
I also had a “you’ve lost a wheel” a few weeks ago and was actually surprised, because I hadn’t had any since a actually quite long time (that is one of the main pros to going fast since people don’t have time to see you, realise what you are, think of a sentence, say it while I am close enough to hear it), and it came from a person coming on a bike from the other way while I was going pretty fast (between 25 and 30 kph). This person had probably seen me before, thought about it and waited until seeing me to shout it.
I would tend to agree with you there. I just have this mental image of leaving parts of your toes and top of your foot smeared across the road with flip flops on a unicycle. Stubbing your toe is bad enough!
However at least I don’t think you get SPD flip-flops – SPD sandals seem like a bad enough idea to me to be honest
Yeah, dont diss flip flops as “uni-wear”. While i am nowhere near as fast i have done a very decent 500 m climb at 10 % and decent brakeless with my 30 € luxurious purple belgian flip flops.
I was actually using them as my main footwear for a week until i misplaced them in the wilderness. If anyone finds them please let me know!
I was out riding my unguni 29" with 110mm cranks the other day at very high cadence (which I’ll admit looks very goofy – I can’t wait for my Schlumpf so I can look more dignified at the same speed!) when I was passed by two bicyclists on my left.
One, an older gentleman, said “Got room for two? You headed to Aspen, Colorado?”
To which I replied, “No, this isn’t Dumb and Dumber!”
“Well you’re the bad-assiest badass we’ve seen today” - one of a pair of hikers, as I crested a particularly steep bit of a mountain bike trail yesterday. I was too winded from the climb and focused on an imminent steep descent to respond with more than a smile, but it made my day!
“That’s so cool.” and gives me a fist bump as I pass him.
“Oh no way. Dope.” from some kids.
Both are better than the day before. Had an angsty driver honking at the vehicle stopped front of him as I crossed the sidewalk. I waved politely at him and made eye contact as he went past. He flipped me off and drove on. Obviously a neglected child that was dropped on his head several times, methinks deliberately.
I took a short break during a distance ride, unicycle casually lying down in the road side next to me.
Two ladies on horseback approach, and ride past me.
Lady 1: Oh, it’s broken.
Me: No it’s supposed to be like that
Lady 1: Oh, it’s supposed to be like that
Lady 2: Yes, it’s a, errr…
Lady 1: Oh (as if Lady 1 had clarified something)
Original (Dutch) Lady 1: O, hij is kapot. Me: Nee dat hoort zo. Lady 1: O, dat hoort zo. Lady 2: Ja, dat is een, ehhh… Lady 1: O
Almost forgot to mention the lads who passed me while I was sitting on a bench with the muni next to me:
“Oh, a studded tire!”
“Yeah, he can ride everywhere with that.”
“…but not on the wooden floor of the living room”
I can understand you very well. It’s better for unicycling outside and I personally don’t prefer indoors because I’ve only had bad experiences with indoors. Most hall floors are very slippery.
“I have to say I’ve seen a lot of strange things in this park, but not that” (an older guy as I passed with the dog pulling ahead of me in a running harness)
Chatgpt:
I can’t ride a unicycle, but if I could, I’d probably be a natural at balancing… at least in theory!
Me:
Hi chatgpt, what do you say when you see a unicyclist. Please give me ten comments.
Chatgpt:
Here are ten fun and creative comments you could make when you see a unicyclist:
“Wow, that’s some serious balance! I can barely walk without tripping!”
“Are you secretly training for a circus act? Because that’s impressive!”
“Is that a one-wheel revolution I’m witnessing?”
“I’m not sure if you’re showing off or just casually defying physics!”
“That’s gotta be a core workout! How do you even make it look so easy?”
“You’re basically the definition of ‘balance goals.’”
“I see your two-wheeled friends didn’t show up today!”
“I guess you’re really rolling with it, huh?”
“How do you keep your cool while everyone else is losing their balance?”
“Now that’s what I call next-level coordination!”
), but I just ride, nothing athletic.