I don’t know if I’m understanding this right, but doesn’t it make sense for geared unis not allowed in a time based competition? They are a lot faster.
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I think that’s why events have two categories Unlimited and Standard - where geared riders go under the Unlimited one.
Sure the hubs allow for one to go technically faster - speaking as a very beginner Schlumpf rider, I still do not see them as making one automatically faster -
I get that for some this needs to be a serious business of actually proving an Expert level attainment - but I kind think when competition alone motivates it sucks the fun out of whatever one is doing.
So to your point - I’d not personally think excluding one category of hardware from an event as making much positive sense.
It would become quite clear in effect that if we say see the top three spots going to geared riders in the Marathon event and the forth to someone ungeared. It’s a great achievement for all 4 right? And if I was the forth person I’d be happy with my result regardless of being pipped to the post by geared riders.
To go that fast and be top the pack in a geared wheel takes a certain kind of skill and prowess and so does coming forth for instance ungeared.
And then of course you can compete in a space where there are no geared wheels running around either.
For me: if I placed 56th riding my geared wheel versus if I placed 56th without being geared. I’d be more personally rewarded or impressed with the geared riding result as for me that is a lot lot harder and more of an achievement - even those both results make tally time wise. (And yeah I want to compete solely as it seems more engaged than just attending the event as a non-competitor, but I have zero competitive energy in my soul so results are moot to me)
Sure on b*ikes gears just make things easier and faster - again as a beginner I don’t see this the same way for geared unicycles. It’s a different skill set to riding a fixed monowheel.
As I can’t try my level of skill geared in the beginner XC - I’ve decided to join the Expert event. It will probably be beyond me skill wise as a unicyclist - but I can have a crack at it - and oddly enough of course I don’t even intend to use my second gear (because it will be the harder expert event!) 
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2019 IUF Rulebook, Road Races Section.
3D.6 Ungeared Awards
At Unicon, if there are five or more geared male riders in an Unlimited event, the fastest three ungeared male riders will be awarded with an ungeared title for that event. Similarly, if there are five or more geared female riders in an Unlimited event at Unicon, the fastest three ungeared female riders will be awarded with an ungeared title for that event. This is only for the overall classification, not for Age Groups. Other events can choose to award the fastest three, one, or none of the ungeared riders as they wish.
In some events you can see the same 3 athletes earning both sets of medals for just one finish. Note that the rule is for road events only — MUni is not (supposed to be) affected.
I aim to participate at Unicon 22 in a few unlimited events on my 36er, but I won’t be able to bring my 24er from Australia to compete in any other events. Does anyone know if there are typically spare community unicycles available for this reason?
Just trying to figure out what events I want to compete in
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Officially no. Although it is often possible to borrow for a particular race (in Grenoble I borrowed a 24 - from someone for 100m and from someone else for 1ft and wheel walk).
Usually if you just need it for the race itself, then it’s pretty easy to borrow from someone in a very different wave, e.g. for 100m it takes well over an hour for all the waves, so after someone has already raced you can often borrow. What is quite unlikely if the owner is also racing is borrowing and then practicing for a half hour before the 1ft or wheel walk, as the owner will want to practice. (Or during the 100m arrange to borrow from someone who is not doing wheel walk at all)
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Coming back to the XC beginners topic! I have just received a reply to my message from the organizing team:
Your point is correct, a good cross country is designed in a way that geared unicycles do not automatically have an advantage. A beginners’ course, though will definitely be easy enough that gears are faster than ungeared unicycles.
Note, our muni directors are pleading for a geared category in the cyclocross epert race.
We do think that whoever can ride a geared unicycle is good enough to not be a beginner.
Who would care about their position in a beginners race? Surprisingly many, if you ask me. Also if nobody cares, why not ride ungeared? Personal opinion: I would argue that a geared unicycle with dismounted shift-buttons counts as ungeared, so even if your only unicycle is geared, you can still ride the beginners cross country. (I would have to confirm with directors and organising team)
I hope I could explain our point of view and I am open to the discussion. Although, I don’t think, the decision will change for this Unicon…
The most interesting point is the discussion on the dismounted shift-buttons. If they can act that it would work, that would solve part of our issue 
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Can anyone offer advice on the sports fitness certificate especially for people from the UK. This isn’t something thats covered by usual GP practices and private offerings range from online submission to expensive private appointments.
Also, for people who’ve done it already, where did you go?
Hi,
I just cancelled two bookings on Booking.com from July 25th to August 8th, in Steyr and Seitenstetten. If anyone is interested, you can check the website.
I saw someone used AI to create one. 
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Are you part of the WhatsApp group for UK folk? It was discussed there and @rogeratunicycledotcom provided a contact for us that was useful.
PM me and I should be able to add you to the group.
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PM sent - thanks!
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I’m hyped! 
It’s only 33 days away!
I went to the Downhill tracks at Wurbauerkogel yesterday - except for the start (very very steep ramp at the beginners course - ramps with drops at the others) it looks great. And even tough I had a personal throwback yesterday, I’m looking forward to ride it.
Now I’m just shopping the last things I’ll need: some trikots, some gloves, new brake lever for one of my unicyles.
A question for the international attendees: via which airport are you travelling? Vienna VIE, Linz LNZ, Salzburg SZG or Munich MUC?
We’re thinking about doing some meeting in Vienna the day before Unicon (24. July), but we’re not sure if people will travel via Vienna.
From Spain some people go by car and other by plane through Vienna.
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I am coming via Vienna!
How do people get from Vienna to Steyr in a day? Are people driving mostly?
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People from my group will mostly take the train since we do not own cars. But some people will borrow one and drive which takes about 2h as well.
But for everybody: getting to Steyr by train is really easy and comfortable!
It takes about 2:15h with switching trains once in Linz or St. Valentin (depends on the connection).
The first train departs directly from the airport (it’s either the IC Inter City or the RJX Rail Jet Express) - it takes about 1:40h. And then you switch at Linz or St. Valentin to the S1 Schnellbahn for another 25 minutes.
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Great This is going to be a super-walked event! 
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If it rains, I will not even walk down the ramp - I’ll slide on my butt! 
No, for real: I won’t ride the ramp at the start, but everything else at the beginners course is kind of doable. I’m not a good unicyclist, I’m participating at Unicon because it’s in my homecountry and I like to race even though I expect to make last place (my personal goal is to be at least next- to-last in every race - no joke!). And except for the ramp, it’s a nice flowy trail. I’ll walk some other things down as well (one stone step, one steep part…), but it will work out somehow for me.
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Do it for the enjoyment of participating. Last union, 21, I was dead last in all but 1 event I participated in, my best was last.
Wishing everyone the best time for their participation. Looking forward to photos, videos, and stories from their time at unicon22.
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I missed this from my first kneejerk response.
I am coming from the Bristol,UK and flying to Prague as the train from there seems pretty straightforward and €30ish (at least it was…)
Going to Steyr is fine but in August it seems there’s some significant train disruption around the region going back.
But still doable - just via Vienna.
(I should say I did this route and the flights were nice and reasonable and I speak Czech / Prague was my former home so it all seemed to align)
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This is very helpful! I was thinking of unipacking from Vienna to Steyr, but the train does sound nice!
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