newbie uni here....advice needed getting started

1. Put all your weight on the seat.
4. Un-planned dismount. (the most common move among beginners and
experts alike)
For more advice, check out 'The Unicyclopedia'
(http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Unicycling). Welcome to unicycling, and
the forum!

--
jsm - Dark and stormy stand-up wheel walk

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unibug said:

*Hey All!
Here's to teaching an old dog a new trick...I bought a 24" Torker DX
for my 39th b-day and am trying to ride it. I'm using the std. 4
o-clock step-up mount, and using a gym wall and or bleachers for
balance. I've managed about 40 feet so far without stopping (but not
without balance support) 2 days in so far, about 1.5 hrs
total....much more to go I know... but I have a few questions I
haven't found answers to yet:
1. When seated on the uni...should I be placing my full weight in the
seat? I have tendency to partially 'stand' on the pedals for some
reason. I'm an avid cyclist, DF, bent, and trikes, and there's no
question that all my weight goes on the seat on them.
2. Should I try to 'spin' or pedal constant circles like any other
cycle?
3. Should I wear a cup to protect the family jewels? I've taken a few
hits that I had to 'walk off' due to the U-shaped seat! Am I on it
right? I'm pretty sure I have the height set right.
4. What's a UPD? (saw it on another thread)
Thanks for your input...I hope to be riding by the spring thaw here
in OH!!
dan *

1. Almost all weight goes on seat. Just use your legs to pedal in
circles, they should support at most 15% of your weight.
2. Pedal as smoothly as you can. You will have to jerk the wheel to keep
your forward back balance correct, but otherwise spin smoothly at an
easy rate.
3. No. This will make things less comfortable. Also, there is a greater
likelyhood of a pinching injury...don't want that.
4. Unplanned dismount.

You seem to know your problems, just keep at it and practice.

--
TheObieOne3226

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'SWAT webpage' (singlewheeledattackteam.1hwy.com)
'Arrow Racing' (http://www.arrowracing.com/)
'Sixsixone' (http://www.sixsixone.com)

"Obie is definately a trend setter, I got in to unicycling because of
him, and came here because of him" - KJ-52

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Hello and welcome to the world of unicycling and the forums😄
May I congratulate you on your choice of "new trick". Me and Andrew
Carter have a unicycling Tips & Tutorials website: www.unicycle.2ya.com
- it has a huge range of all sorts of written tips and video tutorials
on all kinds of unicycle riding, from just learning to muni, trials,
street, freestyle and more. Anyway it has a lot of tips so you may want
to check it out to get some ideas.
Peter
www.unicycle.2ya.com

--
munimanpete - the unicycling kiwi

WWW.MUNIMAN.2YA.COM

*www.unicycle.2ya.com*
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unibug said:

2 days in so far, about 1.5 hrs total....much more to go I
know...

Learning time estimation at
<http://www.xs4all.nl/~klaasbil/agelearn_short.htm>. Download the
spreadsheet linked near the bottom of the page.

Quoted message said:

1. When seated on the uni...should I be placing my full weight in the
seat? I have tendency to partially 'stand' on the pedals for some
reason.

Beginners have a natural tendency to partially stand on the pedals. It
is more tiring than sitting and hence less desirable. Personally I'm
not sure if one should actively unlearn this at an early stage, but
most unicyclists recommend so.

Quoted message said:

2. Should I try to 'spin' or pedal constant circles like any other
cycle?

Eventually yes, you'll want to ride at a constant pace and pedal as
much of a circle as you can. That way you will ride smoother, can ride
faster, and deliver more power on inclines. Note though that in some
learning methods you start out with half-cycles, then full-cycles at
one time. One of those methods is downloadable from
<http://www.xs4all.nl/~klaasbil/uni_beginners.htm> (near the bottom).

Quoted message said:

3. Should I wear a cup to protect the family jewels?

Not normally done, but the family jewels are a recurring issue on this
group. There are many ways to deal with it. To find past discussions,
use the 'search' button and your vocabulary of alternative words. :-)

Quoted message said:

I had to 'walk off' due to the U-shaped seat!

I'm not sure what you mean by walk off. Is that because of pain, or to
prevent pain? The latter sounds like the usual thing we do when we
fall.

Quoted message said:

Am I on it right?

How can we know?

Quoted message said:

4. What's a UPD? (saw it on another thread)

Like others said "UnPlanned Dismount". One of the most popular TLA's
among unicyclists, at least in writing.

Oh, and welcome to unicycling!

Klaas Bil - Newsgroup Addict
--
people who unicycle are shyly exhibitionistic - GILD

thanks all for the help so far!
I'll try to get my weight in the seat, I thought that would be best.
I think the tendency to stand comes from wanting to balance the same
way I do when walking, I know in my head what should be happening. I
just need to get my body to comply!
On the 'walking-if-off' bit with the jewels, I should have been more
descriptive...it's more of a bow-legged walk to let gravity assist in
puttin things back where they belong :-). This is apparently something
that will work itself out as I get better.
Thanks again for the advice!
Dan

--
unibug
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thanks all for the help so far!
I'll try to get my weight in the seat, I thought that would be best.
I think the tendency to stand comes from wanting to balance the same
way I do when walking, I know in my head what should be happening. I
just need to get my body to comply!
On the 'walking-if-off' bit with the jewels, I should have been more
descriptive...it's more of a bow-legged walk to let gravity assist in
puttin things back where they belong :-). This is apparently something
that will work itself out as I get better.
Thanks again for the advice!
Dan

--
unibug
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Welcome to Unicycles! You've hit some exciting times here with distance
and speed records recently being broken. As well as production geared
unicycles available for the first time.

Sounds like your doing great. I suggest you get yourself some good bike
riding shorts, those tight fitting stretchy shorts. When packed
correctly will hold the jewels up from between the seat. Also stops
seat chaffing on the legs. Riding without those shorts is risky.

--
Chrashing - Just Lucky

Regards,
Chrashing
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I know this is ganna sound pretty stupid, but I learned in three days,
about an hour a day, and I could ride until I was exhausted, (didn't
take long back then) but one thing I did do is I imagened ridding it
alot when I was just out and about on my day, i'd really picture my feet
pushing on the down strokes, and not putting to much force on the
peddals when they were verticle, and my feet, just move in smooth fair
paced circles, i'd also imagin my self getting that point of balance and
just moving forward fluidly, I really think this helped me alot, i've
done martial arts and other sports that require balance and agility, and
i've been taught to learn in this fasion, and it really helps, the mind
is a very powerfull tool.

Also when I couldn't get static mounts, I just gave up and layed down in
my room listening to music, imagining myself sticking the mount, for
about twenty minutes, my foot putting just the right amount of preasure
on the peddal as my body jumped up so the wheel wouldn't roll in any
direction, I went back outside, and got it second try.

--
cyberpunk

Quick Press ctrl+W
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Opps, instead of 'first production greared uni's', I should have said
something like 'first production multi-speed geared uni's'. Since single
speed giraffes have been using gears for a long time.

--
Chrashing - Just Lucky

Regards,
Chrashing
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The riding shorts will help with the family jewels problem. Anything
but boxer shorts. My preference is a lightweight athletic supporter
which will keep things together above the seat and and allows easy
adjustment whe you mount. As for wearing a cup, I made the mistake of
wearing one when I rode my bicylcle to baseball practice in sixth grade.
It sort of got hung up when I tried to dismount off the back of the
seat. Worst pain i ever experienced. You don't want that.