I got about four hops in a row today. I don’t think I was getting high enough to clear a peice of paper, but I was bouncing in place. I tried laying down a meter-stick in the corridor to jump over that, but was unsuccesful in tries. The meter stick was on its side, not standing up. Just to be clear.
david
Hopping is cool! I can get up to 5 inches about next to my car but I havent figured out how to hop from riding. I’m up to 10-20% on the mounts. Even though I can get them almost all the time from the curb, struggling getting my weight over the uni on my own. I am only successful when I throw my head way forward like I want to smack it in the ground lol. That seems like more difficult then needs be. I’ll try hopping and roll mounting and see if I can get it more to a lean.
But I can go up to a 1/2 mile about now! I just practice a little everyday. With all the BMX jumping I’ve been attempting, my arms should get strong for hops.
Vinnya, I think I have a 4 pack now from the uni. :D:D
mb, I agree, restraint is hard. I havent been skating lately cause I dont know if I have restraint lol. I feel its better to stick with activities I cant do difficult things in yet cause I love to push myself, even if its slowly.
I rolled my ankle really badly this morning, I’ve been limping around all of town today with a ace bandage wrapped around it in my shoe, it feels like I broke it, but it hasn’t swollen up as large as it did when I broke my ankle before so I dunno… It’s really hard to walk. But it’s actually in a spot where I can ride my uni and it doesn’t hurt, how strange is that? I stopped riding though after I noticed how much it hurt to walk…
You should get it seen to, even if they just give you some pain killers. I sprained mine at the weekend and they thought it was broken. They also said that often a sprain is worse than a break…so seriously i’d see about seeing someone.
Well, you havent had a SERIOUS brake, trust me, being stabbed repeatedly is another ball park compared to constant soreness. I’m not joking here. But a minor brake might not be bad. As far as swelling goes, usually a sprain might swell more. Bruising means more serious as something is broken/torn. If you cannot move it certain ways or cannot bare weight on it, consider it might be broken. If someone says it looks deformed, definitely broken! I doubt a rolled ankle would be broken but something could be torn. I would check it out! If its swelling, borrow crutches, ice, compression, elevation until it goes down. I hope you feel better!
Well, a little better on mounts. Got it 4 times in a row then lost it for 15 times lol. I dont get it. Seems like the trick is to lean back a touch, go forward with upper body first then hop a bit with front leg. Just I’ll get it then want to push with back leg or somehow mess it up lol. Then I have to get my muscles to remember again. So guess its just practice now! The uphills mess me up. Trying to move less when I ride so dont tire myself out too quickly!
So for hops do you slow down pedalling, grab seat with hands then hop at pedals parallel to ground? I need to practice hills so I can practice at my apt.
Sorry to hear about your ankle Dane, stay off it and let it get better.
I did my first successful freemount last night, I did it on the 18th try. I was getting very close and then I jumped up and rode away…it seemed very natural. Then I couldn’t do it again but I was also pretty tired. Being tall and heavy I start with the pedals at 8 and 2 and I can get on top every time but either my legs won’t go or I am not leaning forward and just sit there. Once I sat up there for 3 seconds before stepping down.
I find the smoother my pedaling is the longer I can ride before tiring out. I am really working on a smooth pedal stroke and less on speed…it is very exciting!
Everyone have a Great weekend!!
I managed to free mount consistently this morning, and have started to work on bunny hopping. On a few occasions I managed to free mount, do three bunny hops, and ride away.
I can’t stop and hop from riding yet.
I am also working on the “elegant” backward dismount with uni in front. (I am already pretty good at the inelegant dismount.) Seems to work best when I step off onto my back foot from about a 3 o’clock pedal position, so that I can continue to push down with my front foot to bring the wheel through in front of me. Does that sound about right?
My “elegant” dismount begins with killing my forward momentum by leaning back and applying pressure to the pedals as is appropriate. I like to have my dominant right foot back and below horizontal (7 o’clock?) with the unicycle essentially at a stand still. Then I step off with my front foot (left foot.)
It works for me.
Well I dunno if I’d call myself a beginner, but I recently bought a 36er, so I feel like a noob again! 
I’m starting to get static mounting down on my 36er, but it’s still tough. Turning is pretty hard too, I have to slow down a whole lot and then I risk falling more. My arms still flail about when doing this, haha
video
I can do long distances well, but mounting is under 50% and hops are pathetic. I did get my 9-year-old to record me going down the driveway yesterday. He stopped on the first one before I got all the way up the hill to the wide spot where I didn’t quite make the turn around.
And here’s the one coming back.
<a href="<object width=“576” height=“432” ><param name=“allowfullscreen” value=“true” /><param name=“allowscriptaccess” value=“always” /><param name=“movie” value=“http://www.facebook.com/v/70350843514” /><embed src=“http://www.facebook.com/v/70350843514” type=“application/x-shockwave-flash” allowscriptaccess=“always” allowfullscreen=“true” width=“576” height=“432”></embed></object>"><object width=“576” height=“432” ><param name=“allowfullscreen” value=“true” /><param name=“allowscriptaccess” value=“always” /><param name=“movie” value=“http://www.facebook.com/v/70350843514” /><embed src=“http://www.facebook.com/v/70350843514” type=“application/x-shockwave-flash” allowscriptaccess=“always” allowfullscreen=“true” width=“576” height=“432”></embed></object>
This is the first time I’ve tried loading video. Hope it works.
no that’s not it. I’ll try again
David
video
I can do long distances well, but mounting is under 50% and hops are pathetic. I did get my 9-year-old to record me going down the driveway yesterday. He stopped on the first one before I got all the way up the hill to the wide spot where I didn’t quite make the turn around.
unicycle 1
And here’s the one coming back.
unicycle 2
This is the first time I’ve tried loading video. Hope it works.
no that’s not it. I’ll try again
maybe not. Not quite what I wanted, but it will do.
David
Try this: Ride forwards, stand up and ride slowly a few revolutions while grabbing the seat with one hand, then stiffen your legs and hop. From hopping to riding: Lean a little forwards, do a couple of revolutions while standing before sitting down. - I’m training hopping, but I’m not that good yet. But 2009 is still in it’s beginning - 
Best regards
Sanne
For rolling hops, I think that I actually hop when my forward foot is above parallel, so that by the time you actually lift off the ground the forward foot is then below parallel, if that makes sense. If you do it late then pedals are vertical and it doesn’t work, just keep trying and it will become instinctual
TT- couldnt watch the vids, just a few images showing. 
So for hops first get used to standing out of seat while pedaling? Sorry if this is a dumb question but just now thinking of this. I’m taking the slow/safe learn method lol. I’m just not sure where to start on this. I’m just really digging the idea of hopping as thats one of the main reasons I wanted to uni. 
Even though my mounts are still sketch, least I’m doing them but I guess for me its like others learning on a 26"er. :o
I’ve been taking it easy as my right knee has been very sore. I think the soreness comes mostly from going down steep hills. So, instead of climbing, I’ve been working on hops and going backwards. Today I was able to go backwards about 10 revolutions. 3-4 consistently. That is a big improvement. I was also able to idle seven times forward and backward. I’m starting to get the feel for idling. I don’t understand why I can’t go backwards all the way down the street. 3-10 revolutions and I hop off. I don’t feel scared or freaked out any more. I think it’s the sideways balance that throws me. My hopping sucks. I can hop and turn while hopping, but I can’t hop over stuff or up anything. Even trying to hop over a sidewalk crack is really hard. I can bunny hop okay, but not a controlled, meaningful hop.
I’m hoping to tackle a hill tomorrow. I will probably walk downhill though. Riding down is not hard but it’s misery on my knee. I’ve been working on paved hills 9%-11% grade. It’s a great workout. I will be happy when I make it to the top without any rest stops.
mbalmer,
It sounds like you are making good progress. I have been riding (or trying to) for six months now and only in the last few weeks have the idling and riding backwards really come together. To get the idle down I used the ride, slow to a stop, take half a turn backwards, then start riding forward again routine. As this movement becomes possible, you start adding in idles at each stop. Try it with both feet. (My right foot is better than my left.) The same stop and reverse motion is the key to riding forward, halting and then riding backwards. I can now ride backwards 50+ feet most of the time with control, but it has taken a while. The stop and reverse action is the key to fitting it into a ride.
My hopping is still pathetic. I should practice.
MB you are moving fast learning! I think I have great balance but slower on coordination lol.
But making slow progress. I find I must hop to be successful on mounting. I find I also must commit to this more which on rainy days I seem more hesitant. But now I see in time I’ll have it.
Progress! I finally was able to ride out of seat. My next step is hops. I didnt try since it was wet/slippery today. But I think I need to lower the seat down. I only have an inch stretched out on the pedals. WHere should the seat be when riding out of seat with one pedal down? When I’m parallel to ground OK. I also not confident yet in pulling the seat in front. Maybe next time. Its just wide. :o
Lx
I got my LX yesterday and practiced for a couple hours because we had school off due to spring break. I was using a wall for support and now can get between 1 and 3 revolutions consistently without the wall. How long do you think I should use a wall? Sometimes I can freemount but I can only ride about 1/2 revolution after that so I don’t know if that counts as a freemount. I haven’t tried idling yet but plan to after I can ride better. Advice is appreciated.
ride next to the wall until you feel you have it. Then do a couple pedals by yourself and then tap the wall as needed. There is actually no award if it takes you a day, a week or a month. Do it at your comfort level. The trick is learning to move your hips. When I got it it was like my legs were doing half circles around the uni like I was wrapping my legs around it. You’ll get it!
But I’m still wondering on seat height starting tricks. I can pedal out of seat but I’m only an inch above the seat. I need to lower it? I’m not sure otherwise I can pull it up in front.
And almost went off the curb today by the handicapped area. So only 2" tall. Is there anything I need to know about landing this? I want to do something NEW tomorrow! I’m really stoked on starting my first tricks. 
There is also a general torso twisting that happens. It will come to you naturally, I don’t even know how I could explain it. But forget everything about bicycles, because riding a unicycle is nothing like riding a bike, if you accept that fact, that this is a COMPLETELY new thing, then you will progress quicker. There were moments where I figured out how to do something finally, and the only reason I hadn’t been able to do it before is that I was thinking about it with my knowledge and feeling that I get from riding a bike.
@ CBS - I still have my seat at the optimal comfort zone for just riding. It’s at the full heigh for ease of pedalling and least amount of effort. So it is quite high, but I still am able to pull my seat out completely, and it’s only difficult to put it back in if I’m riding in jeans or baggy shorts. Bike shorts and such, it’s simple to put it back in. I also jump objects, jump up onto curbs, etc. So you should be fine for a while.
As for going off a curb, just go for it. I’d say if the drop is over a foot or so, that’s when you need to start rotating your pedals in midair so they are parallel, but for riding off curbs and stuff, I have no problems, I jsut ride off them, it seems like it would be more complicated, but it’s really not.
Today I… Got back on the uni finally (I had injured my ankle and it was very sensitive) It’s not back to perfect yet, but I wrapped it, and I was sick of waiting (2 days lol) So I was doing rolling 180’s, and riding backwards and stuff, and after one of my 180s to riding backwards, I fell off the back of the uni really awkwardly, and landed on my right leg fully extended, and it bend back just a little bit at the knee. I heard a small pop, but I don’t think it was a tear or anything, as I limped away and only rested for about 5 minutes before it felt ok again, at which point I kept riding. I’m also getting much better at my 180 unispins, I can do about 1/5, I land them quite frequently, but I still have a little difficulty adjusting my feet when I don’t land in the best position, so I often land it, and hop once or twice and fall over.
What kind of made my day was when I did a kick up mount (Seat in front) and then rode forward, did a 180 unispin, rode away, and then did another, rotating my seat back to normal, popped the seat back in and rode away =)