Ill jump right into it. When I was in 6th grade I was captain on a traveling unicycle team. The coach had cards and we had to master tricks that were witnessed during practice, I worked my way up to Expert and team captain. Some of the things I could do:
ride one legged
ride with my butt off seat, belly on seat and still pedal with feet
backwards
juggle
Static aka Idling from the looks of it, we called is static
ride over teeter totters with a balance beem in the middle of them without falling
ride the giraffe, two of us would put a pole on our backs then a little third grader would do gymnastics off it with a spotter and a mat under her, the crowd got a kick from it, I remember it being very heavy. \
dribble basketballs and shoot hoops
hop in place
Im sure there are things Im forgetting.
Im now a competitive bodybuilder on the national level and I guess I have a taste for the subculture. I had no idea there were professional unicyclists. The other day Im training in the gym and I see a trainer on one it was a mountain unicycle, I think you all call it trials. Anyways, I had never seen this before, damn thing had a brake, it was a Kris Holm edition. Anyways, I hoped right on and rode around the gym, people didnt expect that of me, lol.
I guess Im trying to see if there are competitions in the United States that people do. Id like to get back into this I think.
There are lots of get-togethers and a few competitions every year in the states. I am not competitive (and in Canada) so I don’t really know all the competitions but try to make at least one unicycle gathering a year.
Unicycling like biking is quite diverse so I would suggest do some reading, watch a few videos figure out what kind of unicycling you are interested in and go out an appropriate unicycle. I think you could skip the whole learner unicycle to start off stage as you can already ride. Don’t hesitate to ask us for advice.
If you let us know where you are I am sure the members on here will let you know about clubs near you.
Welcome to the community and hope you get back on one wheel!
I think I like the tricks so far, I like a challenge, Ive been watching the whole 180 unispin. I think with a week or two back in the saddle I could do that, but I have the wrong unicycle. I have a 1990 schwinn which I think is a straight up rode uni. My parents bought it way back when and it was what we needed, there is very little bounce to the tire and I dont think the “rims” could hold me doing that kind of thing.
Many riders seem so young, which is very cool, but Im 31, lol, anyone in that bracket.
Im in Ohio.
Oh, and where can I look for a good used unicycle that would allow for trials/freestyle, I guess thats what you call trick riding and stuff, off road tricks, etc. Sorry for the bad lingo, lol.
Welcome to the forums! Your school sounds pretty interesting. Which school/town was it? Have they had the unicycle team for a long time?
For used unicycles, start with the Trading Post forum (here), then eBay. Use caution on eBay, make sure you understand what’s being sold. Some are new, some used (there are some great used ones). Some of unknown quality from unknown makers.
Unicycle competition:
The Unicylcing Society of America has a North American Championships every year, next year will be about as far as it gets from Ohio. www.unicyclingusa.org
The Wood One Wheelers, Bowling Green, OH usually have a Spring meet in Maumee, OH. Search on that for details. Search Youtube and Google for videos and other information. Enjoy!
Thanks John, the team disbanded when the coaches son left the school. He was actually my teammate on a select soccer team and his dad used our team (to get athletes acceptance) to build the team, once we did it, so did the other kids. We had probably around 10 or so the first year and about 20 the next year. I was young Im not exactly sure how it was coordinated, he wasnt paid, and we only used the schools gym, thinking back now, Im not sure you could get clearance to do that 21 years later in this day and age of lawsuits etc. The school was here in Ohio and it was called Lakeside and we were the Lakeside Sharks. I was on the team in 5th and 6th grade. I graduated to the middle school and my uni got parked in the attic. And that was that, I really never knew about these newer advanced unis and riding offroad etc. until I saw the uni that trainer at my gym had parked in the closet that he rode to work yesterday.
I found some Kris Holm’s unis on amazon and at a shop out of Oregon online. I just dont know what I need. The first step is getting the ole schwinns tire changed so I can get the rust off on that thing, then graduate up.