Checking in to this thread – age 54, doing mostly 36er road work with occasional 26/29 lite muni. When I turn 55 I would like to “ride my age”, but I’m still a long ways from that goal…
It’s a matter of the units you choose, isn’t it? 55 miles, kilometers, furlongs, chains, rods, … Which one is up to you. 
Haw – I meant 55 miles!
The trick to transitioning from riding to SIF (or SIB) is:
- Ride on your toes so your legs are longer
- When your pedals are horizontal, stop and stand up on your toes
- Spread your knees wide to allow the seat to move
- Pull the seat out and bring it against your body
- Ride away!
This sounds like a lot to do in a short amount of time but you will eventually develop muscle memory and not even think about it. My old Miyata seat had a wide back so was difficult to pull between my legs. If you are getting the seat stuck try a different seat (if you have one).
Thanks for the description. I’ll try to bear that in mind. - Meanwile I will also try to ride a figure-8 backwards (in any possible size). I have tried that for a long time, but still haven’t got it.
Best regards,
Sanne
Thought I’d just pipe in here. I learned about 4 years ago at age 60. Saw someone else and decided to do it. Not riding as much recently as hubby has taken to (and got me to) recumbent bikes, and it’s not as much fun riding alone. Plan to get back to it next spring, when he can ride his fat tire bike and I can ride the uni on the local rail trails.
Al these goals have got me rethinking mine. First up I have been trying to RIDE my 36er instead of “going for a ride”. I started working on figure 8’s, hopping (“hoping” at this time 
), and idling. I figure when those things are comfortable I will get a 20" freestyle uni to work on real tricks. I noticed while I have been trying these things I am nailing freemounting within 1-3 tries each time. Can’t wait to nail it ever time!
Hey, Young at heart…that’s another thing we have in common, I ride recumbents as well. In my favour I do have more unicycles than recumbents 
I’m 56. Been racing motocross my entire life. I won the 50+ national dh mountain bike series a few yrs back. Like others on this forum I learned when I was 7 and have been riding off and on since. This yr I gave up dh bikes and bought an oregon. All I do now is wait for it to snow to jam down the mountain single tracks. Check out my snow pics on the oregon posts. Next purchase to my muni quiver will be the 26" oracle for summer fun!
unigeezer stuff
68 years old…riding for about 4 years…have one of each size…20" thru 36"…farthest ride was 20 miles for a charity bike run…ride about five to eight miles on most days…weather permitting…have withdrawal pains when I can’t ride…doctor said my heart is that of a person in late thirties …my legs are the strongest they have been in my life…great gift to me…the unicycle…I think I have the most fun on my 24 and 26 …after riding my 36’’ they seem so easy and fun…I like the 36 but its a little harder to freemount for me …especially if I am on my way back…and a little tired…I hardly see any other riders here so, its good to know you guys are out there somewhere and enjoy it just as much as I…
Santa came early and brought me a 24" Oracle with brakes. I have had it about a week. My first foray into muni and it is a whole different world off the pavement. What a hoot! It took me about an hour to get up the guts to use the brake and now I love em. Brakes will be really nice in the Missouri hills.
Love MUNI
Age 56! How did that happen? Lifelong cycling & MTB dilettante. The family got a uni for xmas 3 years ago, and I was the one who got addicted. Been riding every day since as much MUNI as I can. Rode 25k Woodford to Glenbrook after 6 months, had to stop frequently to breathe! I’ve had very good use out of RaceFace knee pads and 187 Killer Pads wrist guards with gardening gloves (it’s rocky here in the Blue Mountains and rough bits tend to cut through gloves) but not falling much lately touch wood.
BRAG SECTION: Can free mount, idle, ride backwards, do step size drop offs, ride reasonable hills till I hit a bump, can hop sideways, just cracking idling one foot, seat in front riding for 50m. Still get off the uni on steep sections of single track. Holy grail for me is riding over rocks & roots that require a hop; then I can go further on single track and ride in MTB events on one wheel. Did they ever find the Holy Grail?
Find I am feeling the best after a long MUNI session. The answer to life!
EQUIPMENT: KH 26 MUNI tubeless 2.4 S-works 26x2.3 Purgatory Magura rim brakes KH zero saddle Spirit 137/110 cranks, those plastic pedals that came with the KH.
Hi, I’m 51 and have I’ve been riding regularly for about 5 years now, although I started when I was 18 but didn’t keep it up.
I have been enlarging my collection over time and now have: 20" KH long neck trials, 24" oracle muni, 26 oracle muni, 29" KH muni, oregon with surly lou 26X4.8 and also a surly knard 29+, 36" UDC Titan, and a 5’ bedford giraffe.
My favorite discipline is by far muni, although I can be found riding on roads as well.
Andre
I am really enjoying hearing all of you accomplishments. You guys are really motivating me !!! I just got a nightfox (36") and am back to 4 miles a day. I need to up my game to ride with some of you! Keep it up guys!
Also, lower the seat a bit, especially while learning.
I’m 62 and learned to ride in 1971. I’ve had a wheel off and on over the years (always 24s) and got one about three years ago. I’ve also had a 36, but sold it and got a 29. I only get a chance to ride about once a week, but really enjoy it.
I found it really useful to work out what to do with hands as well. My solution: grab the front of the seat and pull it forward with one hand, then grab the side of the seat back with the other hand. So you swap hands on the seat as you change to SIF and only momentarily have no balancing arm free. Worked for me.
I tried that two days ago, but I think it has to be lowered more than “a bit”
Best regards,
Sanne
Blame it on the equipment
My old Miyata seat consistently got stuck between my legs trying to pull it to SIF. The seat is very comfortable but has a wide back, hence the reason it kept getting stuck. Had to get way up on my toes and knees far apart. Hard to do all the time when in the middle of a group routine.
After replacing the Miyata with a KH Slim saddle the transition to SIF is much easier.
Holy crap! Being an old fart (50 now) unicycle rider is rare enough. But then finding somebody with the EXACT same reason to start unicycling seems madness.
Ok. It wasn’t my second motorcycle. Let’s just call it my latest motorcycle acquisition, a BMW R1200GS. Same thing: top heavy as hell and intimidated the heck out of me. Especially when things got a bit loose (I started motorcycling relatively late in my life too and also had never ridden off road). So more balance needed. Then I remembered my daughter fooling around with a neighbor’s unicycle many years ago and that seemed to click. Bought my first learner uni less than a year ago and I’m now riding every day. Not big distances, but I’m riding. And it’s a great way to switch off whatever else is going on in my life. When I’m riding, there’s just the unicycle, nature and me.
Lately I’ve been getting some funny looks when riding to work with a big ass umbrella due to the heavy rains (ok. maybe not heavy for you Pacific Northwesterners, but a lot of rain for us down here in the Bay Area). I also started some light muni on the Nimbus 29, but the hills are still killing me. I hope by the time summer comes around I’ll be doing much better off road. Other goals I’m still working on: Being able to go down a curb without going down 
And you guys are right: One thing I love about getting older is that I give less about what people think about me: Old guy on unicycle with a backpack and an umbrella in the hand, flailing with the other hand to keep balanced and some blinking lights mounted to the seatpost to be seen in the dark must look funny. But who cares?
Merry Christmas and happy riding!
Doesn’t feel top heavy anymore:
