I’ve just got back from a bit of a tour that started off fantastic, but I’d
have liked to get rid of the last bit…
While cycling around I got asked by a random group of three adults and a
small shedload of kids to scoot about a bit on my uni… they’d never seen
anyone ride one, so I got the chance to show off a bit, ride around, go
backwards a bit, bounce up some small steps and the like… that was great
fun; more so because even though people were watching I didn’t fall off!
Then I found a path skirting the Malvern Hills about half way up; that was
my first proper off-roading; admittedly my 20" street uni isn’t probably the
best thing for it, but the paths were mostly smooth (lots of rocky bits but
no drops or anything) so it wasn’t too bad. That was great fun, although
kind of difficult as it wore on… this is what the question is about.
I found that with the ground getting wet after a few dismounts my feet
started really sliding around on the pedals, meaning I couldn’t really do as
well as I could normally due to having to be more careful. How do proper
mumi people deal with this? My pedals are quite cheap objects with little
‘tread’; can you get pedals with better grip on them? Or am I just wearing
the wrong shoes? They’re hi-tec things, a cross between a trainer and a
walking boot.
And then it happened… after I’d done a long (by my standards) length of
off-road uni-ing I went and fell off on a path I’d been down many times,
over a root I’ve avoided many times… I know have a very impressive hole in
my knee, a few centimetres long and about half a cm deep at its worst.
Somebody missed a chance at a cheap way to make a pyscho movie, given the
colour the bath went while washing it…
Ah, well. It was good fun (until the painful bit)…
Phil, just me, limping around a bit
“Cattle Prods solve most of life’s little problems”
Yeah, there are a shit load of pedals that are better than the ones you use. Currently I am using S&M Pro Platform pedals. You can them at http://danscomp.com/ they are a great company, and very reliable. There are also loads of other pedals there. For any type of muni or offroad riding, I suggest metal pedals, with metal pins. WARNING these can really hurt you if they smack you! they have really good shin guards too. Personally, I use the HAMMER 3z SHIN GUARDS. They have some really cool stuff. Mostly bmx tupe stuff, but lots of it can be used for uni.
-David Kaplan
Re: Two achievements, one bout of excruciating pain and a question
That injury sounds nasty.
Roger sells some very nice pedals which should do the trick.
What David says about pads is totally correct. You don’t
want is to shred your shins on a spiky pedal.
I live in Brum and would be up for a ride in the Malverns
if you feel like it. After your leg has been sewn back on, I
mean…
> That injury sounds nasty.
>
> Roger sells some very nice pedals which should do the trick.
> What David says about pads is totally correct. You don’t
> want is to shred your shins on a spiky pedal.
>
> I live in Brum and would be up for a ride in the Malverns
> if you feel like it. After your leg has been sewn back on, I
> mean…
I’m off scooting round bike shops tomorrow to have a look at pedals first;
I’ve not given them any thought, but some on the page David gave look more
like torture implements rather than bike accessories…
The hole in my knee could probably have been avoided by wearing knee pads or
something. I’ve never whacked my shins while unicycling though; undoubtedly
this is because the pedals I’ve got wouldn’t do much… the minute I get
some nasty looking metal things WHACK! Crunch goes my leg…
That was the first time I’ve been anywhere up the Malverns. I think I need a
bit more practice first; I had to choose paths carefully to make sure I
didn’t go on anything too steep…
Phil, just me
“Cattle Prods solve most of life’s little problems.”
Re: Two achievements, one bout of excruciating pain and a question
> I’m off scooting round bike shops tomorrow to have a look at pedals first;
> I’ve not given them any thought, but some on the page David gave look more
> like torture implements rather than bike accessories…
> The hole in my knee could probably have been avoided by wearing knee pads
or
> something. I’ve never whacked my shins while unicycling though;
undoubtedly
> this is because the pedals I’ve got wouldn’t do much… the minute I get
> some nasty looking metal things WHACK! Crunch goes my leg…
They’re sensible looking… some of the others have jagged metal cages round
the sides and more spikes, they look like they grip your foot by going
through it…
> So you know you need pads.
Aaargh, I am feeling that money-spending urge again! I thought I’d conquered
it, but every time it returns…
:o)
Phil, just me
“Cattle Prods solve most of life’s little problems.”
