"Learning this skill can be rather problematic, since you can't mount
into it, getting into it from idling is somewhat tricky at first, and
you can't use a wall, since you have no way to hold onto it. The best
methods are to have a spotter steer you along until you can practice it
from idling, or to do it from a pole or the end of a wall. I used a
book cabinet in my basement. You also have to have the right kind of
saddle. Something like the Torker CX or the Savage saddle is too small
and will be very painful. I really like the standard Kris Holm saddle
for this trick, as it is fairly big and offers lots of support. When
you try it the first time, get into a steady position and hold onto
something with your one hand. Then transfer your feet and other hand to
wheel one at time, and lean down and forward. The farther forward you
lean, the easier it will be to balance. Put as much weight on the fork
through your legs as possible to decrease the discomfort. Now push the
wheel a couple times with the hand on the wheel until you are clear of
your support, then bring the other hand down and get started. You
should make the pushes a ways down the wheel, not right near the fork.
You make the balance corrections by changing the speed and direction of
your pushes, and by leaning your upper body from one side to another.
Side to side balance is the tricky part. If you are falling off to one
side slowly, and turning slighlty, try to swing your whole upper body
to the other side. If you realize that you are falling off soon enough,
you can right yourself this way.
As soon as you can get ten or fifteen steps fairly often, you should
try learning to go into hand wheel walk from idling or riding. Mount
sitting a lot farther back than normal and idle smoothly, then come to
a stop at the end of a large forward stroke and begin transferring your
limbs. First move the high idling foot, then put one hand on the wheel.
Then transfer the other foot, give the wheel a push with your first
hand and get the other hand in place behind it. Getting out of this
skill can be a little tricky. I have done it two ways. One way is to
quickly raise your body and put your feet on the wheel, do a short
wheel walk, then drop to the pedals. The other is to wait until a pedal
is coming down, then quickly move your foot from the fork to the pedal.
Raise your body quickly and go into one-footed idling, then get your
other foot down."
-from the hand wheel walk section I wrote for the Unicyclopedia.
I do want to learn the backward spin eventually, but it's just not
nearly as much fun to practice as the other stuff I'm working on. I've
practiced the regular pirouette a lot, but I don't have access to a
gym, and I can't find any other place where I could hope to pirouette
threee full revolutions.
--
jsm
Help edit the Unicyclopedia!
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/The_Unicyclopedia
------------------------------------------------------------------------
jsm's Profile:
http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/6911
View this thread:
http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/45509