I bought a unicycle three weeks ago, and just found this site. I´ve never seen a unicycle before where I live, but reckoned after 47 years on the planet it would be a shame to go on any longer not having learned to ride one. I can go a about 50 feet on it now and don´t fall off anymore, plus all the bruises on my shins have healed. Other wheeled transport I have include a road bike, mountain bike, hybrid bike, 3-wheel pedicab (for taking the kids to school). So now I have bikes with one, two and three wheels.
I still can´t go backwards, balance on the spot, change direction, or mount the unicycle without holding onto a wall. If I live to the average life-span, I´ve only got 30 years left to learn, so any advice for continuing my crucial unicycle education would be gratefully accepted, as I don´t know anyone in the actual real world who has a clue about unicycles.
welcome to the forums!
Glad to see you’ve joined the unicycle cult, you’ll soon be obsessed and devoured 
As for advice, there are a number of great threads started which you can read the progression of others. You’ll probably answer questions and pre-empt stuff we can’t even think of by skimming a couple. Just hit the search bar with a couple varied search titles; learning to ride, noob, tutorial, you’ll have more than you wanted!
Good luck, and now that you started this thread you’ll have to keep us updated with pics, video and fun stories of you crashing 
Thanks Tumbles! Yeah, it´s a bit obsessive, I´ve been sneaking out to practise on the street in the evenings, soon the neighbours will report me to the anti-unicycling police…
I´ll get a photo soon of my kids and all their friends laughing at me!
I know the feeling. It’s really cool to discover the unicycling community after you have started to unicycle.
So…Welcome! 
Pretty much all I have to say to you it PRACTICE. Freemounting and turning come easier once you have ridden a lot.
So have fun out there!
(and get your kids riding :))
Haven’t said this in a while, but I documented the first 35 days of my unicycling journey in a journal format with daily tips, and the link is in my signature. You’re already well past the first 10 or so days of my journal, but maybe some of the other entries will help you out/inspire you.
(it’s admittedly a few years older than a lot of the journals people have been doing recently in RSU but the information is always relevant :))
Believe it or not, this site is all make-believe. It’s a wild art project, the invention of a wild man. There really are NO OTHER UNICYCLISTS, and you are all alone.
You’re making great riding progress. Just keep on practicing, keep your weight on the seat, look ahead not down, and try to pedal with round smooth strokes. Try to ride until you fall and don’t chicken out and step off. Try to learn to correct those errors. Now let’s work on your forum etiquette.
You will NEVER, by definition, have a bike with ANYTHING but two wheels. You could get spanked on this forum for writing that.
Great to have you here! Practice is the best advice, and cannot be repeated too often 
LOL! Okay Harper, I promise never to make that mistake again!
Dudewithasock…your journal is gold dust!! Many thanks!!
Billythemountain…No, it can´t be…I refuse to believe that this entire forum is the deranged ramblings of a deluded Cyber Iron-John…I´m going to practice my Unicycling now to prove we Do Exist!!!
I don’t see many unicycles down here in Tanzania (that’s in Africa for those who didn’t know) myself. I haven’t seen any myself but my dad said he saw one.
my missionary thread:http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72535
Welcome Sancho
Now that you can ride 50ft, I can say
…that’s one more of us and one less of them…
And it’s b*ke, Harper was just being nice by not pointing that out.
Hi sancho,
Welcome to the wonderful world of unicycles. Lots of good advice posted by folks already. Finding this forum was one of the best things for me and I already knew a unicyclist.
My advice:
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check out the “quote of the day from non-riders” thread. At least then you’ll have be prepared with some snappy comebacks for all the inane comments you’ll get;)
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don’t get disheartened reading from the younger members how they could ride backwards and do crankflips within 30 seconds of starting. Once you can get on and ride 50ft you’ll keep improving quickly. You’ve done the frustrating bit, the rest will come with practice. Enjoy every rotation forward you make!
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shinguards are a good idea.
Gary
Thanks Gary! Yeah, the shinguards I started using a few weeks ago but I´ve dispensed with them ´cos I don´t seem anymore to do that awkward fall where your lower leg gets all tangled up with the bi… er… Unicycle!
I don´t get disheartened by younger folks learning faster either…it´s all about Disposable Time…I haven´t actually spent even two hours in total, over the past four weeks, on my Unicycle yet, what with other daft responsibilities like work and raising family. If, like a teenager, I had a whole day to spend with it, I´d be rock-hopping already…I think…
Geezers
Jeez i’ve noticed quite a few “older” guys and gals riding these days, at least on this site. I myself am 46 and waiting for my new uni to be delivered. Your never to old. Not sure why i posted.
Best of Luck with it, Monkeyboy! You´ll be up and about in no time. It´s superb fun, I don´t know why people spend thousands on skiing holidays when they could be unicycling instead…;). Last night, for the first time, I had a Dream about Unicycling, in which I suddenly became remarkably proficient and was able to go forward, reverse, stop on the spot and turn… I hope it´s prophetic.
It’s amazing how small the real world gets when you have access to so many other dudes with unicycles through these forums. Welcome Sancho and get prepared to be sucked in 
Did I miss this or did you say what unicycle you have? In line with other people who have offered you support I thought you might like to view my learning videos from wwwway back - OK just a few months ago, last November. For what they are worth you may find them useful
Many thanks, monocyclism, the videos are great. (Wish I´d seen them four weeks ago!;)…but they´re still full of useful tips I can use.) The unicycle I bought looks exactly like the smaller-wheeled of the two you use in the videos, except the saddle is all black. A chromed road-uni distributed by Raleigh…I just ordered it in a local bicycle shop. In my ignorance at the time I just asked for a “unicycle”, not knowing they came in different types! (Make note to self…always check on the net before embarking on a new project…)
When I first started learning (just over a year ago) I didn’t wear any safety kit. With hindsight dumb, but there you go. I did swap the metal pinned pedals for plastics though. After I’d got to the riding 50ft stage I was really pleased and started trying to ride on grass as well as smooth surfaces. I found that was when pedal bites can really get you again. When you can’t quite see what is under the grass it’s easy to be surprised and UPDing when you least expect it. I ended up with a couple of nasty cuts. So I’d recommend leg protection when you get to that stage - if you’re not there already. Especially if you have pinned pedals.
Yes, totally understand the disposable time thing. I found breaks from practicing actually helped learning too. But maybe whole days at it would have helped more!
Okay guys and gals, thanks to your support, encouragement and advice, I can now go forwards pretty much indefinitely, only occasionally coming off unbalanced. Next step is freemounting, then turning. To be honest, I´d be well happy with just that. But maybe when I get there, I´ll want more…Many thanks all, I´ll post a video of me doing my amazing thing shortly, just as encouragement to other old f…rts who might think they can´t do it…