suddenly, second thoughts about the unicycle

Off-topic
1

I’m a little embarressed.
I don’t think I’m going to get a unicycle after all; I went to my cvousin’s house out on long island and he showed me his old schwinn. I tried it a few times and it was a disaster;i could not believe how utterly frightning it was! I landed on my ass everytime; I also think I hurt my wrist, i hope it’s nothing serious.
I don’t know. I was completely enthused abpout the unicycle until I actually tried it. What was I thinking?
I admire all of you for being able to do this sport, but I also think you all must be crazy!:slight_smile: (I mean that in a nice way)

Karl

2

Re: suddenly, second thoughts about the unicycle

Karl,

I grew up in NYC and among all my friends I was the only one who wanted a drivers license. Of course, they had more sense than I since it was clear that having a license would do nothing for me. But, still I wanted that license. I had this feeling that that license was freedom.

And I had no role models for driving, too. My parents both drove, but they were occasional rental car city drivers and frankly, they were hazards on the road.

But I looked out of our 15th floor window and watched the cars go by at night and thought that if all those retards could drive, then so could I. (I’m much more PC now and don’t use the word retard anymore, but did then. :wink: )

So, the long and short of it is, if all us retards and old men and women can unicycle, then so can you. Your initial enthusiasm was no mere whim, it was inspiration. Go with it.

Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ

3

Whoa, whoa, whoa pal, slow down! We aren’t all some kind of super race here, (well I am). We just had the perseverance to stick with it. We can all tell you stories of our first failed attempts. I was clinging to my kitchen counter when I fell backward spraining my pinky, the uni drove into a 50 year old 8 foot high cupboard splitting the door. But I got back on. It took me like two weeks before I could go around my house. Even if you make it the first 200 feet you will be happy because thats one of the greatest feelings in the world. I say borrow your cousin’s uni for a little while then see if you want to quit. And at the risk of sounding cliche, Rome wasn’t built in a day.

David

4

Also,waer some padding.
helmit,wrist guards.

Ass guards!:smiley:

5

I practiced everyday after school before dinner.
Took me 2 weeks to reach the end of the driveway from a push off the garage door.
Took me another week to turn and go up the huge hill we lived on.
Took me another week to make it back down the hill without spilling my brains.

Lots of stubbed toes, twisted ankles, jammed wrists, and ashalt scuffed palms during and after.
(no knee or elbo pads back then)

Just pace yourself… and try not to be to ‘stiff’ … Hang loose !

If you dont have the ‘heart’ … dont do it.
You can hurt yourself.

But, in the end … you never forget how.
(just takes longer to ‘get your legs back’ )

… and … you will rarely hurt yourself

6

Someone who is willing to fall on their ass a few times will learn to unicycle a lot faster than a person who immediately jumps off as soon as the the unicycle starts to lean to one side. I see great potential in you!

-grant

7

Yes totally stick with it!!! I got very close to quiting within these last few weeks but i rode today doing some mad street and remembered why I stuck with it.

HOWEVER Don’t let us influence you so much that you go out and practice so much that you break your neck. Remember, It’s your decision in the end.

8

Something to consider:
Is your cousin a real unicyclist? Does he know how to ride? Did he help you with it, or were you on your own?

I never rode a schwinn, but, maybe, just maybe, it had a seat that was wacked out from a lifetime of falling. Maybe the tire sucked.

Did you ever contact the NYUC? Now THAT is the place to check it out. Go to their website and get their email address and get on their mailing list so you will know when their next meeting is (for all I know, maybe you were at the last meeting, which I missed because I had to go to a wedding, but I get the feeling that if you went THERE instead of your cousin’s house, your experience would have been vastly different.)

Don’t write off the unicycle. I totally agree with everything else written on this thread. I remember an earlier post you wrote, you sounded really interested in this. Don’t sell yourself short with one bad experience. Just eight feet unassisted, and it is the closest thing a person can come to flying!

Actually, thanks to you, I just bought my second unicycle off eBay! You were asking about the “Gravity” 24" unicycle (there were about 30 there for sale)I went there, I saw it, I liked it! The price was amazing, so I bought one of them! (I needed a smaller unicycle to get over my remedial freemounting flip-flops, I currently have a 26 inch mUni.)
So you see, you have already done something nice for the unicyclist community with out even knowing it!

Give it a rest if you must, catch your breath, put the unicycle on the back burner, but don’t say never again to the one-wheel.

Think about this: the last time I looked, there were only 28 of those inexpensive Gravity Unicycles left! At 40 a pop, they may not last long…

Dogbowl

PS–I didn’t want to comment on your Nader sig, but come on…Kerry DOES NOT = Bush. I understand your viewpoint, but if Nader throws it to Bush because of a few votes…UGGGGGGGGGG!!!

9

Dang, 22 bucks for shipping …?

thats a 62 dollar uni

10

Here is the link to ebay for this one if anyone wants to see.
GRAVITY unicycle on eBay
I think it looks pretty good for the money, that’s about 62 dollars INCLUDING postage.
Maybe the parts are not fancy, but according to the picture, those are Yuni style bearing cap housing holders, and NOT the dreaded butterfly types. Seat looks good.
I was looking for a second, smaller unicycle to practice freemounting with, and to let my kids try.
The price told me, “Why Not?”
Also, it comes with a warranty!
I’m psyched to get mine! (Uni Farmer, are you reading this? This cheap unicycle is a sign that you should not give up!)

11

Unicycling is not easy. At least it’s not easy to learn. I hope you didn’t expect to sit on the thing and be able to just go.
It’s not impossible to learn either. It’s all a matter of perserverence. Don’t quit and before you know it you’ll be able to ride the thing.

Thanks for bursting my bubble.:frowning:

12

look man, as darchibald said. once you get on and just lose you balance while riding, but then regain it, and keep riding. it is definatley the best feeling in the world. you are welcome to pm me and if you decide you want to keep with it if you are located in aus ill try to get one cheaper.

  Rhys
13

Re: suddenly, second thoughts about the unicycle

I tried a unicycle for about half an hour when I was 30 years old, and I thought it was terribly difficult and not at all the thing for me.

17 years later, as a totally unrelated thing and still unable to ride myself, I taught my daughter how to ride a unicycle, based on info from the internet (mainly this community).

And then I slowly developed the urge to give the unicycle a second chance. I’m so glad I did! I now enjoy it a lot, even though I still consider myself a slow learner. I am now 51.

A lot of people try and then give up. That’s OK. But it is very rewarding to persevere!

Klaas Bil

14

Maybe just me and you. :wink:

15

So am I.

But being blessed with super-natural Cat powers didn’t help me to unicycle(although it helped me land on my feet). I just kept at it. Sure at first I sucked but I did get better. The only way you will stop sucking is if you just go for it. So suck it up(Pun heeheehee) and perservere and I know(using my supercat psyche abilities) that you can do it and you will kick tail at it(Heeheehee more punnyness). Ok I will quit PUNishing you with my non punny puns. If you are still reading this then stop, and go out and ride like the wind boy!!!

16

Stay with it

It took me about a month of after-school practice (way back in 1976) to be able to ride a few yards along the sidewalk. That was a long month of humiliating (and sometimes painful) tumbles and a frustrating lack of progress.

Eventually, I learned and, like others have mentioned, once you find your balance point, you never lose it.

Some tips to help you out:

  1. Don’t try to take off and ride right away. The main thing you have to “learn” about riding a unicycle is where your weight is balanced over the top of the wheel. THEN you have to learn how to move that balance point as the pedals turn and the wheel moves. If you start out trying to “ride” before you find your balance point, you’ll fall every time.

Most people can ride a bicycle, but they don’t remember how hard it was for them to learn where their balance point was. Granted, on a bike, you only have to worry about falling over sideways, but you still have to find the balance point to be able to ride it.

  1. Chock the wheel. When you’re learning, always start with a
    block behind the wheel and with the pedals arranged so that your first foot holds the uni against the block. That way, you can only go forward when you’re ready to go.

  2. Have something to hang onto. If you’re practicing alone, make sure you have something beside you that will let you get yourself arranged properly, with both feet on the pedals, before you start to go.

The best method I’ve used in teaching others is to walk alongside them and allow them to hang onto my arm. It’s even better with a person on either side of the uni, one for each arm. That allows the rider to get a feel for the balance point, especially while the uni is moving.

Schwinn used to sell ski-pole-type props that you used to learn with. I never used them, but they were in the book that came with mine.

  1. Practice and perserverance. Not everyone can ride a unicycle, but it’s only because they haven’t really tried.

  2. Be careful. Injuries can come pretty quick on a unicycle, though one of the first things you learn is how to bail out and land on your feet.

My most persistent injury was my ankles. Not spraining them…bashing them against the pedal crank. There were entire summers that my anklebone was either bruised or missing skin from the repeated beatings they took. I bloodied a bunch of socks and shoes that way. Eventually, I learned to keep my feet on the outer parts of the pedals.

Hope this helps. Hang with it and you’ll figure it out.

Good luck!

-ud

17

Do you think he quit and didn’t come back for real?

David

18

When I learned I used a fence, I didn’t hurt myself near as much, and even though it probably took longer it was a good way. Hold on with both hands, put your foot on the pedal thats either closest to the ground, or towards you, or else the uni will go away from you, and step onto it, it will be wobbly at first. Keep your weight on the seat, back straight, and look forward, spend some time getting used to it before even pedaling. Always stop or start with the pedal at the 3 and 9 oclock position. Take half revolutions and hold on with one hand when you can. Also, the more time you spend on it, the better.

It’s the best feeling when you do something you couldn’t, especially when you really work for it, have fun.

Andrew

19

He hasn´t replyed yet…

One less of us.

20

I am back and I DID NOT QUIT after all!
I am doubly embarrassed; first for getting so enthused about the unicycle, writing to this forum about it, thinking I was a unicyclist before I even tried.
Then I tried, and it was a disaster!
But I read all these wonderful posts telling me to keep trying again, and I can not thank you all enough!
I borrowed my cousin’s schwinn; he is a terrible unicycler, so he did not care if I borriwed his wheel; and I am giving it a real go!
My parents are worried that I might hurt myself again, but they are cool now. They are letting me practice at their house (my mom insists that I practice at home for a while and not at school because she want to be there to call the hospital if I injure myself. She is a silly lady, my mom.)
It is so excellent! I went 20 feet yesterday with no fence!
Even my girlfriend is not worried any more.
All I can say is that I have all of you to thank for the advice, and the encouragement!
Because of that, I could not walk away from the unicycle!
I don’t know if I’ll ever be good, but it beats skateboard, rollerblade, bicycle, everything!
Thank you ALL,:slight_smile: :slight_smile: :slight_smile:
–Karl