yesterday we finally got some snow. we only got an inch of it though. and as i was riding to school when i turned my uni i fish tailed. has this ever happened to anyone else? or am i going crazy?
I thought “fish tailing” was when something moved from side to side like a fish’s tail… now how could such a motion be induced in a turn? What exactly happened? I’ve “spun out” while pedaling and “drifted” through turns in snow, but never fish tailed…
You mean like just sliding sideways? I do that all the time.
Yeah, I thought fish-tailing was when the back wheels of a car move from side-to-side relative to the front wheels. How is that even possible on a unicycle?
I donno if fishtailing is possible on a uni…I’m thinkin its not. fishtailing is when a car or other vehicle has its back end wobbling back and forth while driving, like a fish wobbling its tail back and forth.
I think I know the feeling.
The best way to discribe it seems to be that the back half of the tire contacting the ground slides sideways more then the front half, making it feel like you are fishtailing.
Does that make sense?
Otherwise just call it sliding sideways when you turn. 
~Cameron
www.camerondonalson.com
- make that www.camerondonaldson.com
thats exactly it
Sounds like a function of the lateral force on the axle because the pedals are’nt directly under the center of mass, forces the uni to got lefty righty lefty righty with each pedal stroke if there isn’t enough friction and inertia to make it go straight.
Is that the Q-factor? Ive heard that mentioned before.
I can see that happening.
It when you turn and lose grip, causing you to slide sideways a little. I don’t it’s the riding wobble that causes it.
~Cameron
yeah that happens too me especially why i do a rolling hop to snow and try to turn sharp and it slides out and i fall but with that wobblig thing i do that in the snow because i stand up because the sno is hard to get through with my short cranks anfd wen i do it ikick up snow and it looks cool . But you can fish tail a uni if you do a seat drag.
that is what it feels like.
The next step is tire grinding.
So far my best is about 30 inches.
To tire grind, ride at speed, do a sligh hop and land with your legs locked and lean back (then ride out of it before you loose your ballance). I’ve tried it on hardpack snow, black ice might be too slippery.
It takes some getting used to, but it is possible.
dude… thats how i get down some of my muni trails! just lean back, lock the legs and hold on! brakes make it easier though… its really easy when its muddy
I was doing your “tire grinds” today, on every patch of ice i saw i would ride right into it at a reasonable speed and right as i hit it just lock my legs and ill slide for a few feet, then hit the other end and ride out.
Also what is fun is when your sliding on the ice, then start to pedal cause youll just have your wheel spinning and you wont go no where, i was able to sit in one spot for a while until i actually went anywhere, i love the snow\ice!!!