Ok, we all know there is only one true UNI-GEEZER but there other uni-geezers all over the world. I was wondering about how many are here and what you are doing.
Criteria: Normally I would say 55+years old but I started paying attention to Terry’s videos when he was 50 so that will be the age.
Sooo… How old?:
What type of riding are you doing?:
What is your favorite type riding?:
How much do you ride/distance/often?:
Why?
Goals?:
I’d just like to know how many other seniors are out there still peddling.
Personally: I am 55. I riding only only roads right now on a 29. I only ride 2 miles a day 4 times a week right now because I have been away from it for a couple years. I ride strictly for core exercise right now. As for goals, I really would like to do a week long, long distance ride someday. No particular distance, just far.
If the original “GEEZER” chimes in I will be REALLY eager to hear his uni goals!!!
I am 51 and I started riding less than a year ago. I have a 24" trainer and a 26" Nimbus Oracle. I want to learn to do muni as well as I can. I ride a few times a week now, some on the roads and some on gravel jogging trails. I am just starting to get a pretty solid freemount on pavement. The sky is the limit.
Thanks Rem. Yes, there are quite a large number of over 50 unicyclists out there, it’s a great feeling when I hear from so many that tell me I helped to inspire them. And while “UniGeezer” is my own original trademark, there are still lots of unicyclists out there who may think of themselves as “Geezers”, but it certainly doesn’t have to mean “old” or “over the hill”!
As for uni goals, I really just love getting out and riding every day and making each day and adventure! I do have another century planned very soon, and sometime in the next year I hope to do a 200 mile, 24 hour ride!
You amaze me. I actually considered getting a trials(?) to work on hopping and stairs but decided to get a nightfox after I saw your review. Maybe when I turn 60 I’ll start trials! Ha! I see you inspiring the young ones too Terry, very cool. I enjoy your videos, keep them coming! As for your 200 miler maybe do it all in one direction and let others ride with for a 10 mile stretch or whatever they would like… must be over 50? Ha! Take care, Dean
I’ll check in here. 53 now, took it up last spring at 51 and quickly forgot why. Best I can recall, I was bored one night and went to the Amazon website with the intention of buying something. Four days later, a box arrived and I was a novice unicyclist. I’ve enjoyed learning about the different styles and I do a mix of road/sidewalk rides, muni on fairly technical MTB trails, and the little bit flatland/freestyle riding I’ve learned to do. I don’t know that I have a favorite yet but one seems to feed another. My fleet of unicycles has grown quickly, up to maybe 5-7 unis of various styles and sizes now, depending on how you classify loose parts and spare wheels.
My longest rides have been in the ~2 hour range, max distance so far of 12.4 miles with a 700c wheel on pavement. That’s somewhat limited by fitness but also by my attention span. It might just not be my personal bliss to do recreation-type things for much longer than that. It’s a terrific workout and I like that about it, and I also think the skill acquisition part is great for avoiding monotony and perhaps staying more physically nimble. And I’ve very much enjoyed the supportive community atmosphere here as well as the super experiences I’ve had getting together in person with other unicyclists.
This month has probably seen me spend the least amount of time riding since I started out due to the time change, a sudden shift to colder weather, and also me wanting to give attention to some other hobbies/projects I’d been neglecting. I don’t have goals as far as riding a certain amount or so often. I haven’t any long streaks of riding consecutive days but haven’t gone a week without riding since I started either. I just intend to keep doing it as much as I enjoy for as long as it’s fun.
in fact there are other threads about “Old Geezers”.
I am 66
practice: mostly Muni (though I own a Coker I find distance riding boring)
I don’t care about distance: I care about the quality of the trail -> is it funny , in a place worth seeing, and so on…
I usually ride once a week but as I retire in January I hope to ride more.
Why do I ride? primarily to soothe my mind (I tend to overstress), well trying to think I am younger too (keeps my heart rate venturing in the low 40)
goals: learn to jump over roots, be able to sustain longer ride on more technical terrain … Porcupine rim without the short-cut is one of my goals.
I am 55. I took it up just on a year ago. As a child I had strongly imagined myself riding a unicycle. Last year I saw one at a garage sale for ten bucks and thought I had better give it a go before it got too late.
I ride up to 12 to 16 km once or twice a week, more if I can, riding sometimes challenging pavements on suburb/urban footpaths and streets. I do it for exercise and fun.
My ride is a black 24 inch LX Torker with a Maxxis DTH tyre and black Nimbus 125 mm cranks.
The highlight of my “career” is coming second in the Masters Standard Wheel 10 KM at the Australian Championships in October.
60 last august…ride daily…started/learnt nearly five years ago, I’m not a natural so struggle a bit. Ride 36, 29, 26, 24 and 19. Happy riding and hopping sif now. Working on still stands and doing stuff with the other foot! I would ride longer distance but the island I live on has not much more than 16 miles of road. Love muni but I’m pretty hopeless though I do fall well.
Four miles seems to be a pretty common ride length for me. I don’t generally plan a distance, I just go as long as I feel like it. I did a uni commute to work last week, 4 miles each way. I am going to do that again this week.
I rode a little as a kid but back then I considered traversing my driveway to be mastery. I never considered that it might be cool to go further.
Now I’m 53 and have been riding about six months. I started on a Torker 24 followed by a KH 29. Just recently I purchased a KH 36. All of my riding has been geared to riding around White Rock Lake here in Dallas, TX which is a 9.3 mile paved loop with a few smallish hills. My goal is to attain sufficient fitness and skill to go around the lake without a dismount. As of this note, I have gone around the lake 10 times but with plenty of dismounts along the way.
The time change has forced me to finish some rides at night with a head lamp which is OK but is not my favorite way to ride. I need more confidence to be comfortable. I’m also not a fan of gusting winds. In short, I feel like a wuss reading about you guys casually going out to ride up Mt. Kilimanjaro in the snow! Personally I’m hoping for a mild winter so I can keep the progress on track.
I imagine I’ll graduate to muni and hopping up on and over stuff eventually but right now I’m content to get a workout over distance.
This past Saturday I rode the new 36 and filmed a little. Mainly just practicing taking off, riding a bit and then practicing my dismount. My shins are sore today most likely from a lack of grace on the dismount. I have plenty to work on.
And yes, Unigeezer Terry is a source of considerable inspiration. If I ever get good enough I’m going to fly out to California and force him to ride with me.
I am really enjoying hearing there are “normal” riders out there like myself. Just got off the phone with Unicycle.com and ordered the nightfox!!! This will be my 2nd time I owned a 36, really hoping I feel like I have more control with this one. I have the need for speed!!
I’ve been riding about 8 years now, started because my kids learned as part of the Panther Pride Unicycle Club and I tagged along and caught the bug. Now I teach new riders and am on the board of the Snoqualmie Valley Unicycle Club. I’m also the secretary of the Unicycling Society of America and on the rules committee for the International Unicycling Federation.
I ride all styles but would like to learn more street/flat skills. Have had quite a challenge getting crank flips down.
Goals:
Learn crank flips
Learn crank rolls
Pass USA Level 7
Figure out why my knees hurt often and get them fixed
I’ll be 51 on Dec 10th.
I have a nice Nimbus 36’er with handlebars and brakes.
I mostly ride around in Oaks Park here in Portland, Oregon, where there is a huge empty parking lot and also several paved bike trails in the area.
Funn Stuff!
So I’ll be 56 this month. Riding is great for my mind and body. Although I was always involved in non traditional forms of sports and exercise growing up I never thought much about unicycles. When I saw a 36" uni navigating through traffic on E. Houston Street in Manhattan four years ago, I wanted to ride one. I ride a road 29" as far as my free time will allow me to. That is when I’m off during the week and my kids are in school. A good ride for me is 15-20 miles. The longest distance I rode since I put a speedo on the uni is 28 miles. I enjoy going around Prospect Park in Brooklyn because I get a good work out going up some slopes on the bike path and then I ride on some packed dirt trails along the small mountains in the park.
I ride 4-5 times a week. the rides vary from 1 to 3 hours, all muni. Started 2 years ago at 59 and cannot get enough. Always looking for harder trails or things that I cannot do, then working it over and over until I get it; sometimes it takes hours, sometimes weeks. This winter my plan is to work on hopping, stand stills, and riding elevated boards I am setting up in my basement(for those bad weather days), the final goal is to ride a railroad track.
I learned to ride in elementary school and rode quite a bit in high school and college. Then I pretty much stopped for 30 years and picked it back up last year at age 53. I try to get out at least once a week for 5 miles or so, and my longest ride was 12 miles. Motivation is exercise and relaxation.
I was riding pretty much every day for 1-2 hours when it was warmer. With the cold snap here in KC that has dwindled down a little. I too am rearranging the basement to work on mounts, still stands and balance skill in the basement over the winter.
My goal is mainly to have fun. I want to do a little bit of trials/street/flatland/larking around on my 20” equinox street. If all goes well the UDC Santa should deliver my 24” Oracle Muni tomorrow so I will be getting off of the pavement.
I want to take it to what ever skill level I can acquire. I haven’t really set any limits. Right now I have no interest in touring/distance riding but who knows what the future may bring. My main goal is not to get hurt! The ground is a lot harder at 55.
You all are very inspiring! I am going to work on my basic skills this winter. I really need to brush up on idling and riding backward. Thanks for sharing your successes!
I’ve enjoyed learning about the different styles and I do a mix of road/sidewalk rides, muni on fairly technical MTB trails, and the little bit flatland/freestyle riding I’ve learned to do. I don’t know that I have a favorite yet but one seems to feed another. My fleet of unicycles has grown quickly, up to maybe 5-7 unis of various styles and sizes now, depending on how you classify loose parts and spare wheels.
Personally I’m hoping for a mild winter so I can keep the progress on track.
