Re: Tight Turning help

skate4flip said:

* My last problem is that sometimes my pedal hits the ground when i
turn which throws me off the unicycle. *

What size wheel and what length cranks?

--
john_childs - Guinness Mojo

john_childs (att) hotmail (dott) com
Gallery: '' (http://gallery.unicyclist.com/john_childs)
' Unicycling Bookmark List' (http://backcountry.unicyclist.com/) ::
'World Clock' (http://tinyurl.com/a99y3) >>>'Click Me'
(http://tinyurl.com/7lvbu)<<<
------------------------------------------------------------------------
john_childs's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/449
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/41260

It is a 20" wheel and 150mm cranks (pretty sure its 150).

--
skate4flip - Almost level 4
------------------------------------------------------------------------
skate4flip's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/10198
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/41260

Practice riding in small circles. Learn to do it with continuous
pedaling, not with a stop-start motion. This may be a little tough with
your long cranks, but with practice you'll learn how much you can lean
without touching your pedals to the ground.

--
johnfoss - More Moab Fun

John Foss, the Uni-Cyclone
"jfoss" at "unicycling.com" -- www.unicycling.com

"Read the rules!" -- 'IUF Rulebook'
(http://www.unicycling.org/iuf/rulebook/) -- 'USA Rulebook'
(http://www.unicycling.org/usa/competition/)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
johnfoss's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/832
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/41260

Skate 4 flip,

I'm working on the very same thing and have been practicing the advice
John Foss gave me in the figure 8 thread.

It works. I actually made myself dizzy today! That was unnerving, but it
made me feel that I was on the right track!

I get my 20" on Tuesday, so that will make it a bit easier. Now on a
24"
Blake

--
podzol - AKA Dr. BoBo
------------------------------------------------------------------------
podzol's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/10131
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/41260

Yup, I learned pretty quick to turn in a smooth circle once I had to
pass level 4 and turn in a small (1m) circle 360 degrees.

The best part is that I accidentally hit a spin one day while doing
this, and have been doing it since. Pirouettes are great, and the tire
tracks I leave on pavement surely must confuse the heck out of people
who come upon them later.

--
flyer - Level 4 Unicyclist
------------------------------------------------------------------------
flyer's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/9894
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/41260

Hey thanks for the posts everyone. I tried searching the forum for the
figure 8 thread and didnt see it. Could you send me a link Podzol?
Thanks.

--
skate4flip - Almost level 4
------------------------------------------------------------------------
skate4flip's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/10198
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/41260

Hi Skate,

You can find the thread if you search for " 8's ".

However, this is the sage advice of John Foss:

-Practice spins; riding in small circles. At first, you will notice your
tire makes an inconsistent scuffing noise, as your circle has "corners"
on it. The more you can smooth out your riding, the more constant the
tire noise will be.

Practice riding into and out of sharp turns (not necessarily fast). You
only need to be leaning when you're making the turn. Try to keep your
body more or less in line with the frame, from side to side, rather than
tilting toward the inside. Instead, turn your upper body in the
direction you want to go. In other words, if you're circling to the
right, put your left shoulder forward so your upper body faces into the
circle.

Repeat until you get dizzy. -

Funny thing is I actually -did- get dizzy!
Blake

__________________
John Foss, the Uni-Cyclone
"jfoss" at "unicycling.com" -- www.unicycling.com

"Read the rules!" -- IUF Rulebook -- USA Rulebook

--
podzol - AKA Dr. BoBo
------------------------------------------------------------------------
podzol's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/10131
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/41260

Thanks for the thread. Where do you practice your riding? (I practice in
the street). The advice from the thread helped quite a bit but i still
can not get my turn in a 1 meter circle. Will it come after practicing
more? How long did it take you to learn it?

--
skate4flip - Almost level 4
------------------------------------------------------------------------
skate4flip's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/10198
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/41260

I can't do it smoothly in a meter circle at all, but I can do it. Mine
is still a choppy series of reaction turns.

Today the times the turning technique right, it felt completely
different. I felt like the unicycle was layed out pretty flat. Do you
snow board? It really had the smooth digging-in feeling that a hard
carve has. It was completely different than the spastic twisting I
usually end up doing!

I rode for sevral years as a kid. I was the only unicyclist I had ever
met, so I didn't learn many tricks. I took a 20 odd year break and have
been just getting into it the past couple months. Not wrapping up level
3 and well on my way to level 4, just the pesky turns.

I actually learned my level 4 mount today, too. I did the jump mount.
For level 3 I did the side mount. (unofficial levels).

Blake

--
podzol - AKA Dr. BoBo
------------------------------------------------------------------------
podzol's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/10131
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/41260

I have only snowboarded a few times but i going this winter. I
skateboard alot more, so i pretty much know what you mean. Now that i
have better techinuque, I think the only thing to do is practice and
practice. Good luck with your turning.

--
skate4flip - Almost level 4
------------------------------------------------------------------------
skate4flip's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/10198
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/41260

skate4flip said:

It is a 20" wheel and 150mm cranks (pretty sure its 150).

That combination is indeed prone to pedal strikes. Try retrofitting
shorter cranks, e.g. 125 mm, or 140 mm max.

Klaas Bil - Newsgroup Addict
--
"As with all great social movements, the origins of mountain unicycling are unclear. - Hannah Nordhaus (Los Angeles Times)"