"real unicyclists" sightings

I realize there is a thread about unicycle sightings as sculptures, paints and so on but the sightings of real unicyclists are scattered … (such as “unicyclist sightings in X”).
Or do I miss a thread?
I have spotted unicyclists in Barcelona, Granada (spain) and at various places in the US but often was not able to take pictures.
On a sighting my friend Father LaFontaine was able to shoot a picture …
that was in a Seattle suburb (Woodinville?)
so who are you?

woodinville2.jpg

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I have gone way out of my way to find people! Never sighted a random person

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A friend of mine on facebook posted a picture of this guy in Seattle saying he was surprised to see someone commuting on a unicycle. Of course, I noticed that it’s a small wheel for commuting. I am wondering who this is, and if he’s on this forum.

Hey! That’s me. I remember the guy running down the street asking me if I was commuting on my uni. I use my 24 inch DM uni for the quick 2 miles from the train station to my work in Seattle. I do use my 36er sometimes, but not on rainy days, it can get a little slippery on the white paint and other metal surfaces. My 24 is perfect though for urban riding, off curbs and such. I have been thinking about a nice 29er Muni with a disc brake for in city riding. I haven’t ridden a 29er, but I think it would be a little more managable than my 36er in traffic. I’ve just been trying to be a little more careful since I UPD’ed last November on the big wheel and had to have my knee repaired by a very nice doctor.

That’s really cool!

Cool! I let him know that I found out who it was. The Internet is amazing isn’t it?

I have a 19, 24, 29 and 36.

I use my 29 muni for urban riding when it’s less than a few miles. I also use it when I ride around the neighborhood with my kids. My younger son is on a 12" bike, so the 36 goes too fast for him. Otherwise I use my 36. If you’re happy with your 24 keep using it. I didn’t mean to question it, I was just wondering.

Wow, small world!

What a small world! I’m kahunacohen’s friend, the guy in Seattle who snapped the picture of you on 7th. He pointed me to this thread. I shared the picture with my friends with the caption “I love this city.” – it was so cool to see you commuting that way!

My daily commute is 17 miles, but using twice as many wheels, which seems like cheating now that I’ve perused this forum.

Stay safe and happy cycling!
–J

No worries, I thought you were just wondering. I was just continuing the argument I’m having with myself about buying another unicycle. I just involved you all with my internal struggle about spending $800-$1000 on a fancy new ride. The internet is an amazing place. Stay safe on your travels.

If you’re not struggling with money go ahead and buy another quality unicycle. It’s an investment in your happiness and health. I don’t regret any of them. I went back and forth when getting the 1000K 36 but just went for it. I’m glad I did. I can feel the difference between this one and one of a lesser quality. Much more agile–I guess because of the weight.

The only uni I don’t use that much is the 29er, but I’m glad I have it when I do use it.

Get the damn thing! :slight_smile:

Were you wearing knee guards at the time?
If not, do you now? :slight_smile:

I was not wearing shinguards. I don’t wear shinguards for commuting. The UPD that I hurt my knee on was a very unusual dismount. I shifted my wieght back and hit the brake to avoid a car that was pulling away from the curb. Not sure if the car bumped me or if my braking was the issue, but I somehow bounced straight up, and as I tried to get clear of my uni which is now stuck in a crack in the road, I caught my foot on the pedal. The pedal has little posts for grip, unicycle stuck in crack, wheel doesn’t move, knee collapses backward, I scream and hit the cement. Nice people help me off the street, car pulls away, and I get up and walk the six blocks to my commuter train. Crushed and torn meniscus, and torn posterior cruciate ligament. Never come off like that before. It hurt. Also curtailed my plans to ride my 36er from Seattle to Portland last July. Started training for next year recently, so the dream is alive. When I asked the surgeon when I might be healed enough to begin riding my unicycle again, he said, “I have no idea what it takes to ride a unicycle so you will have to judge for yourself.” Took me 5 months.

I thought there were other threads like this, but couldnt find the most recent one.
Today for the first time in my 7 years of riding, I saw another unicyclist just out of the blue. I just came back from shopping and this guy rode into the town where I live and all this time I was certain I was the only on in a 30km radius.
This was today in the afternoon around 15.30 in Duiven, Gelderland, The Netherlands.
If every he happens to know this forum and reads this text, I hope to get in touch with him. I believe he rode a 36” uni and he came on the road from Giesbeek.

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I saw this guy locally a few years ago. Never saw him again and none of the local unicyclists seem to know who he is

A few years ago, I saw this unicycling in front of a cinema, and then in front of the library on the same day. My city is fairly small, I’m the only regular unicyclist (to my knowledge), and I never found out who was the owner.

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At least yous could take pictures. I was waiting at the traffic light that just turned green. Next thing I can do is ride around that area at about the same time, in the hopes that he rides there too, but the chance is extremely small. He might just as well have been on holiday in one of the other towns and just riding around.

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Never seen a wild unicyclist, only ever met unicyclists that I’ve sought out online. I’ve heard stories from friends that have spotted them.

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It’s a rare specie indeed!

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I’ve spotted many unicyclists in the wild. I guess there are more in Germany overall and even more in Berlin.
If I have the opportunity, I’ll strike up a conversation and tell them about our trainings here, but I won’t turn around to chase them when I’m riding my bike anymore, a lot of them seem to be more interested in just riding for themselves.

I have never seen/encountered a random unicyclist in the wild. Kinda like rattlesnakes. We hear about them, but never seem to encounter one.

But, if you go looking for one you can find them. Like a rattlesnake. :smiley:

The only unicyclists I have ever encountered have been due to planned rides or meetings (or in my case, driving down my street to find my son practicing flatland tricks in the driveway.)

That being the case, my wife went to a party a couple weeks ago that was specifically for females in the neighborhood. During the party, each person had the chance to introduce themself, and provide background information (ie. Married, single, kids, how many kids, pets, etc.). At some point, my wife said, “ And I think you all probably know who my husband is.”

That seemed to get everyone’s attention. Then, she said, “He’s the guy you see in the neighborhood, riding a unicycle, often with our dog.” The response was “That’s YOUR husband??? I see him all the time!”

Only one lady had never seen me, but it seems that is because she lives a mile and a half away, in a direction I never ride.

So, 13 sightings and 1 non-sighting at the same party.

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I also mentioned at a street party some months ago that I like riding unicycle and then also some peeps that I hadn’t met before were as surprised “Oh are you that unicycle guy!!” Here they always say it with an undertone of “are you a clown”. That is basically what it comes down to. They are very much like “what is not every day is negative”.