So, I’ve had my unicycle for about 3 months, been riding for about two. I’ve got a Unistar CX 24 inch. I’m trying to figure out how to idle right now and once I can do some decent stuff (maybe some jumping, spinning, etc.) I’d like to get into trials (which I assume includes street riding). I don’t really know what freestyle is.
So I guess I’m wondering if you guys have any advice for learning tricks other than just “get on, try, fall off, repeat” (that’s how I learned to ride, that’s why it took a month).
Also what I should do to learn and practice trials things. I’ve seen people build their own stuff for skateboarding, but I’m of limited funds.
It’s more like street includes trials. Trials is much slower and static than street, while street is very smooth and flowing. That’s not to say you can’t do both. Many trials riders are pretty decent, if not amazing street riders and vica versa. I find my street repertior is weak, but that’s cuz I’m not practicing it.
As for trials objects, you can use pretty much anything. Look for Andrew Carter’s threads for inspiration. Also, you don’t have to build anything. I just go to spots in the city with obstacles that suit myriding.
Freestyle is generally on flat surfaces, and is basically riding in a graceful, fancy, and darn difficult way. Wheelwalking, backwards, one-foot riding, and other things as such are examples of freestyle.
As for tricks, there are oddles of threads on idling and backwards. Just troll the forums. Once you get more advanced things get more complicated and are more in need of explaining.
I think by static gerblefranklin means that there isn’t really a lot of regular “riding” involved. Trials is mostly about jumping over and off things, not actually going places.
It really depends on your weight and prefrence. I am 112 lbs and I run around 20 psi. You want your pressure low enough that you get some spring but hard enough so you do not bottom out on drops.
By static I mean the moves don’t “flow”. It’s lots of prehops and stillstands once you get good. Street eliminates most of the prehops and such. Rarely ever a street move includes a sidehop, while most trials rarely ever uses rolling hops.
I have a mod wheel, and I weigh about 118-120. I run somewhere between 19-22 p.s.i. If you’re on a torker, you probably shouldn’t drop the pressure past 20p.s.i. until you get a fatter tire. Personal preferce matters most. I rode Dan Heaton’s muni at moab, and he rides it with the lowest pressure possible. I bottomed out the rim on 12" drops all the time, and Dan’s heavier than me. On the other end of the spectrum, I rode Kris’s wheel for a minute and it felt rock hard. Some like the tire squishy, while others will run as high a tire pressure as possible in order to still get bounce. It all depends on preference.
