Thanks Terry.
I can see that it would help to keep the tire from wobbling with every pedal stroke. My tire tends to really go from side to side. I will try to hold the seat going uphill when the snow goes…or maybe before. I do hold it downhill but that is mostly to use the brake.
Just watching that video made me feel tired!
my practice is quite the reverse: I usually hold the handle (especially with the Coker) but on steep technical downhill I don’t.
why? because I bend my torso quite forward and use my hands in a very low position for balance (like a monkey). Curiously I find I can thus quite control my Muni in very bumpy terrain (well … perhaps with the muscles that hold the seat :D)
edit: for sure for long downhills I go for the brake but gives up when it turns too technical…
Same here but I still use my left hand for balance and the right hand for holding the seat. Usually my left hand is bent about 90° horizontally in front of my body. The bending of the torso brings your centre of mass down which makes it easier to control the uni.
I agree on (1) but not on (2).
In my opinion it is a given that your balance is better with both hands free so on skinnies and stillstands that’s the way to go. Even if balance is better with hands free you still have an advantage on technical terrain if you hold the seat.
Especially when the uni slips away from under you it is very helpful to hold the saddle. In addition to that snow has the attribute of being unpredictable because you don’t see bumps and consistence and deepness may change.
I agree on this one.
I hold the seat to take some of the weight off my arse on long rides. From habit of doing tricks, I always have my hands on the handle. Always. …Almost ;p
When two people say “snow” they are not necessarily talking about the same snow. Snow can have so many different properties and some may be more suited to not holding the handle. The snow I rode recently needed both hands free to avoid twisting and holding the handle caused early dismounts. Downhill snow would be different from cross country snow, and ice behaves very different too.
Long MU rides Christian? I’ll have to come on one with you one day. Have you got a 24" or do you go European style with 20"?
I tend to hold the saddle all the time, except on extremely slippery surfaces like ice or slimy mud, where the extra arm helps catch balance if the wheel slides. But otherwise it just feels “wrong” to me not to have a hand on the handle. On the road it helps reduce wiggle as well (but this is a muni thread).
Rob
Well it can be a bit of everything thread!
Ok, I went out quickly before it got dark today and I held the handle most of the time. I often ride with my hands in my hoodie pockets when riding on road or just on my lap. I did find that I took my hand off a few times when there were bumpy bits.
I agree with the people who say the extra arm gives you better (easier) turning and I think that is why I keep my hands off most of the time. My unicycle hande isn’t really as long as I would like it to be though so that might be a part of the issue.
I also agree that holding the seat keeps you going straight. I had pushed down on the seat before when riding on road to push the seat fowards so I could sit more upright but it also does seem to make a big difference about the wobble
I have been riding under half a year but I would say I am pretty good. I can ride almost anywhere I want round where I live, drop down about 1.5’ and ride up about half a foot. I can’t hop very well yet and I still can’t idle! but I can freemount anywhere and every time now
Still a load of great replies from you guys.
Mowcius
I agree with the first one, but riding in snow needs a hand on the saddle, as it gives me feedback, and it just generally help balancing.
Define “bumpy”. When I think of bumpy I have to stand up to let my legs work as a suspension otherwise I would be kind of catapulted off the uni. And if I stand up I have to hold the seat to not fall and/or use an extraordinary amount of strength
I think that in snow I would not have managed the times I went out on my 24" in about half a foot. The extra arm definitely helped with turning and keeping balance.
Mowcius
Umm, uneven roots about 2" and other branches on the ground, also where it was really gravelly.
Mowcius
Intresting, my experiences are the complete opposite. I really don’t feel comfortable when I don’t hold the seat (I have the problem of holding the seat even on skinny non technical trails which makes balancing more difficult)
Well I will strive to hold my seat more if (from what I have heard), it will help my riding…
Mowcius
Why must it be one way or the other?
On a long muni ride, you’re going to find sections where you need to hold on tight, and sections where you can just spin without interruption. Some of those sections require a tight grip on the handle, others not so much.
One thing many riders forget is to relax into the saddle, to relax as many muscles as possible while riding. If the going is easy, remaining tensed up will only increase fatigue and muscle soreness. What good does the handle do here? If anything, it keeps the rider tense.
On the technical sections, a tight grip is personal preference. It can help keep one’s feet on the pedals, but so do long pins. It can help generate extra power, but that’s not needed if a rider chooses his lines carefully. It can help with braking, but who wants to ride slowly?
I had to retrain myself to ride muni while holding my handle… it seemed natural to ride hands-free as you had both arms for balance. I managed many technical trails hands-free for quite some time before the “hold the handle” mantra was burned into my brain… and I still let go at times.
Don’t worry about the style of other riders. Just try riding every which way and do what seems most natural to you.