Unicycling in Iraq



K

Kraze

Guest
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
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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
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On Sun, 16 May 2004 12:55:37 -0500, "kraze" wrote:

>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
 
"kraze" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> 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
 
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
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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'
(http://www.sykoproductions.com/U2trailer.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
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IowaKid wrote:
> *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?
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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).
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gerblefranklin wrote:
> *
>
> 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?
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tennisgh22 wrote:
> *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.
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kraze wrote:
> *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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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.:D

[image: http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&-
postid=92757]

--
bugman - Survivor 2004 Wolfman Duathalon
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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:cool:

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

--
elmer - uniimpaired

"At 40 life begins...to show."
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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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elmer wrote:
> *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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kraze wrote:
> *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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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).
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