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Unicycling in Iraq

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rec.sport.unicycling archive
Published
5 July 2004
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5 July 2004
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Kraze
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  1. I'm new to the sport and the site, so first I'll say hi. I'm
    a soldier in Iraq, and just a couple of days ago, my Unistar
    DX arrived in the mail. I have never tried unicycling
    before, so this will be my third day learning. I am able to
    ride about three pedals, maybe seven feet, before falling.
    I'm not yet able to freemount, and have a ten-foot wall with
    a rail and a flat gutter that I practice with. Does anyone
    have any tips? How long has it taken some to learn?

    --
    kraze
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    kraze's Profile: unicyclist.com6583
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  2. shouldnt you be shooting terrorist instead of learning to
    become a clown?

    --
    IowaKid

    no dude, you really dont. cerial is born in the box. it grows up in the
    box. it learns how to be delicious and awsome in the box. now its in a
    jar. a jar of woe and sorrow. -- CommandoH
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    IowaKid's Profile: unicyclist.com6309
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  3. kraze said:

    How long has it taken some to learn?

    Varies, depending on age, wheel size and more, see
    <http://www.xs4all.nl/~klaasbil/agelearn_short.htm>. There
    are also some learning tips on my site.

    Klaas Bil - Newsgroup Addict
    --
    be sure to remove the saddle and simply sit on the seat
    post. this is far more comfortable - tennisgh22 on the
    comfort of Savage unis

  4. "kraze" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:


    I'm new to the sport and the site, so first I'll say hi.
    I'm a soldier in Iraq, and just a couple of days ago, my
    Unistar DX arrived in the mail. I have never tried
    unicycling before, so this will be my third day learning.
    I am able to ride about three pedals, maybe seven feet,
    before falling. I'm not yet able to freemount, and have a
    ten-foot wall with a rail and a flat gutter that I
    practice with. Does anyone have any tips? How long has it
    taken some to learn?


    Tip: stay near the wall. Those Iraqi minefields can give you
    a fairly substantial puncture.

    Nao

  5. oh, umm, just keep practicing, its not the mind learning it,
    its the body, so it just takes time

    --
    IowaKid

    no dude, you really dont. cerial is born in the box. it grows up in the
    box. it learns how to be delicious and awsome in the box. now its in a
    jar. a jar of woe and sorrow. -- CommandoH
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    IowaKid's Profile: unicyclist.com6309
    View this thread: unicyclist.com32511

  6. Since you are a soldier and you are serving your country
    I'll tell you the secret. No one can unicycle. It's simply
    impossible for the human body to do. Videos like 'this'
    (sykoproductions.comU2trailer.mov) are all done
    with mirrors and wires and special effects.

    :P The general consensus is it takes about 15 hours to
    learn. Learn to ride first and then learn to freemount.
    Put as much of your weight on the seat as possible, not on
    the pedals.

    I think there aren't many "secrets" to unicycling. No
    special tips to make it much easier to learn. This is good
    and bad. Bad because there is nothing to do but put in the
    hours, good because as long as you put in the hours you
    can do it.

    Once you can ride get someone else to learn. It is a lot
    more fun to ride with someone else. A complaint you will
    hear from many people is there is no one else in their city
    who rides.

    Since you are new to unicycling and to the site I'll give
    you a short tour. This is THE online community for
    unicyclists. It's the big forum. All the greatest riders
    post on here. The community is small enough that everyone in
    the world can fit onto one forum.

    www.unicycle.com is probably the most well known store
    www.bedfordunicycles.com is the second most popular it seems
    www.unicycling.org has some good stuff The galleries on this
    site have a lot of great photos and videos.
    www.unicyclist.com/galleries/

    I can't think of anything else. Have fun learning.

    --
    Rayden
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Rayden's Profile: unicyclist.com264
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  7. Rayden said:

    www.bedfordunicycles.com is the second most popular
    it seems

    It's actually www.bedfordunicycles.ca

    --
    spyder - Bubbles

    There are no stupid questions,
    Just stupid people.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    spyder's Profile: unicyclist.com4190
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  8. IowaKid said:

    *shouldnt you be shooting terrorist instead of learning to
    become a clown? *

    Hold up! Are you just trying to offend as many people as
    possible in one sentence or what?

    Anyways, if you have time, you can do a search on the forums
    for stuff like "new to unicycling", and you'll come up with
    more info than you can handle. If you don't have time, it
    can pretty much be summed up to keep your weight on the seat
    (no matter how much you concentrate on it, you won't be able
    to do it fully yet, but don't worry. There's a period of
    about 5 hours when you can ride, but you haven't yet put all
    your weight on the seat. Your thighs get really sore after
    about 200', and you just can't go farther. Don't worry,
    this'll change with time in the saddle). Try to slow down
    your pedalling. Less distance in control is better than long
    distance out of control. Also, try to take "steps" along a
    fence. Each "step) starts in the pedal lateral position
    (pedals at 3o'clock, and 6o'clock), and does a half turn of
    the wheel before going to the opposite pedal lateral
    position. Go in 1 step sets, and once you're comfortable, go
    to two, then three. If you get tired of it, just go for a
    normal riding attempt. You'll get it soon enough.

    I'm curious, are you riding in steel-toed boots? That must
    make things a bit harder because I imagine they're rather
    heavy and slip off the pedals pretty quickly.

    --
    gerblefranklin - Trials Unicyclist

    Don't you think it's a cruel irony that acting like a G.I. Joe in the
    army can get you a Medal, while playing with one can get you thrown out?
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    gerblefranklin's Profile: unicyclist.com4295
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  9. Thanks for the info. I've been doing a lot of rocking back
    and forth on the saddle, with the pedals sitting
    horizontally. Also, I'll go from one end of the wall to
    the other, holding onto the hand rail. I've been reading a
    lot on this and the other websites that were mentioned,
    and feel like I am doing a little better every day. While
    my boots are not steel toed, they are stiff at the toe,
    but do provide good ankle cushioning. I am, however,
    wanting to order a helmet off the internet, as I do not
    enjoy wearing the helmet the Army has issued me. Good for
    what it's meant for, but not very comfortable for
    unicycling. Can anyone suggest a website with good helmets
    that has online ordering?

    --
    kraze

    Post proelia praemia (after the battle comes the rewards).
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    kraze's Profile: unicyclist.com6583
    View this thread: unicyclist.com32511

  10. gerblefranklin said:

    *

    Each "step) starts in the pedal lateral position (pedals
    at 3o'clock, and 6o'clock *

    3 and 6 o'clock...now thats a funny way to set up your
    cranks :p

    kraze, i believe he meant 3 and 9 🙂

    -grant

    --
    tennisgh22

    The problem with America is stupidity. I'm not saying there should be a
    capital punishment for stupidity, but why don't we just take the safety
    labels off of everything and let the problem solve itself?
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    tennisgh22's Profile: unicyclist.com5771
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  11. tennisgh22 said:

    *kraze, i believe he meant 3 and 9 🙂 *

    It's 3 and 9 ONLY if your pedals are in the same time zone.
    If one was made on the east coast and the other on the west
    then use either 3 and 6 o'clock or 6 and 3 o'clock,
    depending on which one is where. Left coast pedals tend to
    be on the right side, as the right coast pedals are usually
    screwed up backwards. 🙂

    Kraze, unicycling, like walking, is a concept that cannot
    be taught. As you've no doubt noticed by now the human
    mind is far too slow and feeble to make the proper
    corrections in time. Worse, even expert unicyclists can't
    figure out what their bodies are doing when they make the
    corrections. So take all advice with a grain of salt.
    There are a few training excercises but it sounds like
    you've gleaned those already.

    Learning to unicycle is like learning how to walk all over
    again - hours of frustrating time at the rail wobbling about
    punctuated by moments of private elation as it all begins to
    click. Think of the uni as a prosthetic device you're going
    to use to push the earth away and you've got the mindset
    about right.

    Good luck and keep us posted. This is a very friendly place
    for newbies (myself included).

    --
    cyberbellum - Level 1.0 rider!

    Optimists think the glass is half full. Pesimists think the glass is
    half empty. Engineers think the glass is too big.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    cyberbellum's Profile: unicyclist.com4550
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  12. kraze said:

    *I am, however, wanting to order a helmet off the
    internet, as I do not enjoy wearing the helmet the Army
    has issued me. Good for what it's meant for, but not very
    comfortable for unicycling. Can anyone suggest a website
    with good helmets that has online ordering? *

    Any cheap bike or skateboard helmet will do. Skate helmets
    are good for being able to take multiple impacts (so they
    can take a bit of knocking around when off the head as
    well). I usually use the bike helmet because they're a lot
    better in the heat and for ventilation etc.

    (Get some wrist guards as well).

    Learning to ride is mainly practice, some people learn quick
    and some slow.

    Just keep at it for a bit each day and you'll soon be riding
    and loving
    it 🙂

    If you've got time it's worth downloading some of the uni
    videos on the net, for inspiration.

    Good luck.

    --
    onewheeldave - Semi Skilled Unicyclist

    "He's also been known to indulge in a spot of flame juggling - but it's
    the Muni that really fires him up."

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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  13. That will make for a great story someday. Were di you learn
    how to unicycle? When I was in Iraq! Good luck and stay low.
    Though the hundred pound Kevlar helmet you are practicing in
    might not be the best to learn how to Unicycle in, taking
    into consideration were you are learning you might want to
    keep it on.😉

    So once you learn how to ride, you should join the
    MUNI MILITIA

    ONE WHEEL DEATH SQUAD.😄

    [image: unicyclist.comattachment.php
    postid=92757]

    --
    bugman - Survivor 2004 Wolfman Duathalon
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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  14. Hola, Kraze.

    Sounds like you're making the wisest possible use of your
    time over there.

    Having spent four years in the Army myself, I think I can
    say you'll be learning more valuable lessons on the unicycle
    than on the job😉

    You picked a great unicycle to learn on. I have one
    also(among many others).

    Sounds like you're doing fine on your progress. Don't worry
    too much about what seems like slow improvement. It makes
    success so much sweeter when it comes, which it surely will
    if you keep at it😎

    Thanks for your service! And may God keep you safe and
    happy😄

    --
    elmer - uniimpaired

    "At 40 life begins...to show."
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    elmer's Profile: unicyclist.com5193
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  15. Hi Kraze

    If it is possible, could you post a picture of yourself and
    the unicycle? When I try to tell people that all sorts of
    people unicycle they tend to demand proof.

    Good luck out there.

    --
    Borges

    "However, I confess that the ultimate wheel lacks the day to day
    practicality of the conventional unicycle" -Mikefule
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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  16. elmer said:

    *Having spent four years in the Army myself*

    4 years in the army, working as a nurse in a jail. You sure
    have a list of weird things that you do/have done.

    Kraze, post a picture of you on the uni in full army gear!

    --
    Robbie - Spoons Taste Good

    Jacinto is the king.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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  17. Well Robbie, who ever said unicyclists weren't weird! We're
    just weird in a good sort of way!

    --
    elmer - uniimpaired

    "At 40 life begins...to show."
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    elmer's Profile: unicyclist.com5193
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  18. Once I learn to ride, I plan on having a picture taken of me
    in my Kevlar (helmet) and Interceptor (bullet-proof vest),
    while aiming my M16 (rifle).

    --
    kraze

    Post proelia praemia (after the battle comes the rewards).
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    kraze's Profile: unicyclist.com6583
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  19. kraze said:

    *Once I learn to ride, I plan on having a picture taken of
    me in my Kevlar (helmet) and Interceptor (bullet-proof
    vest), while aiming my M16 (rifle). *

    That sounds like a good way to ruin a perfectly good rifle.
    🙂

    --
    cyberbellum - Level 1.0 rider!

    Optimists think the glass is half full. Pesimists think the glass is
    half empty. Engineers think the glass is too big.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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  20. The picture will certainly look funny. As far as wrist
    guards go, I have weight-lifting gloves. Where do people
    go for the safety equipment I see in the videos? I'm going
    to start looking at skateboard sites for a helmet, thanks
    for the tip.

    --
    kraze

    Post proelia praemia (after the battle comes the rewards).
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    kraze's Profile: unicyclist.com6583
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