Hey everyone, I just learned a new skill...

[uni57]

I successfully free-mounted!!!! Yay! :D

I just had to tell the world.

If you've learned something new and you need to tell someone, use this thread. Don't keep the good news bottled up.

uni57 (Dave)

[unisteve]

Booya. I have learned that using two hands when hopping is much easier than just using one. I thought it would be easier with just one hand so you can use the other one to balance, but I was dead wrong. If you feel like you are going to fall, just hop in that direction. I can also hop higher now that I have learned this addition to a skill which I recently learned. Learn, learn, learn. My fingers are also not ready to fall off after a good session of hopping practice. Yay! So there. I told the world. Mwahahahahhahha!

[peterbb]

I got a stealth torker can do hops and do a figure 8. I am almost done with level 2. I've had a unicycle for less than 1 1/2 months!

[m_extreme_uni]

ooh, ooh, can i join in the fun??:)

I learned how to ride backwards one-footed, and i almost have gliding! :D Gliding is awesome!!

anyways, that's all i have to say,

-Ryan

[Scott Stephens]

WELL WOOPDEE FREAKIN DOO!!!!!
-Chris Farley
hehe j/k
You really think hopping with two hands is easier? Did you just start hopping? J/W

I learned to weave through thousands of people on 42nd street, and go down subway stairs without hitting the walls!

[phil]

I still can't do more than about three stairs... ho-hum...

Phil, just me

[register]

I finally learned to glide! It is great!!!!!!!!!

Thank you,
Ray

[rhysling]

Originally posted by phil
I still can't do more than about three stairs... ho-hum...

Phil, just me

You rock us with roll'n hops... and can't do stairs? Much easyer than pedal grabs, I would think! Just get the fattest tyre you can find and ride it low... piece-O-cake. :)

-Christopher

[phil]

Originally posted by rhysling
You rock us with roll'n hops... and can't do stairs?

Alas, 'tis true. When doing stairs I generally end up leaning too far forward and bouncing off the front, or leaning too far back and the thing rolls away from under me. Never the happy medium in betwixt the two.

Admittedly I've not tried much. I've not come across many flights of steps that aren't dead small (I can do them), dead high and scary, or with "the wrong kind of step"...

Phil, just me

[justin_kozy]

I finally learned how to pedal grab and jump up the obstacle!

[evilewan]

almost got that grinding thing. and i can stand up bunny hop a bit now.
however, they are gateway skills, they'll only lead to worse.

[James_please02]

Five minutes ago i got my first ever grind.!
I slid about 1/2 a metre on a wet picnic bench.
I also learnt crank to rubber today,
i'm so chuffed:D :D

[unisteve]

>>You really think hopping with two hands is easier?

Of course. It might also help to get a real handle for my uni. But yes.

[uni57]

Originally posted by James_please02
i'm so chuffed:D :D
Wow, I'm chuffed (http://tinyurl.com/34sx) too! :) And stoked.

After six weeks of practice (24 hours and 20 minutes of total practice time -- I took notes!), I have officially decided that as of today, I KNOW HOW TO RIDE A UNICYCLE. I don't ride particularly well yet, but I can ride.

Learning how to mount a few days ago certainly helped. Now I can actually go places. When I UPD, I just get back on! I've been liberated from my railing! (and trees and sign posts...) I rode around the perimeter of my yard, which includes gentle hills and mildly "rough" terrain (very mild) -- grass, dirt, a dip, crusty frozen dirt, some snow, bumpy tree roots.

I am so VERY chuffed!!! :D This is a BIG day for me!

uni57 (Dave)
(I learned a new word today too!)

[THEFISHFARMER]

thats good.
i've been uni'ing for a couple of weeks now and i can free mount and ride for as long as i want so turning is my latest trick.:D

[Checkernuts]

My latest trick is the seat in hopping up onto relitivly big things with the seat in front ( usually Benches) I can deffenatlly see how you can hop higher this way now, but it still feels way wobbly. Time to go pratice some more... I mean nap.


Chex

[ratherbekayaking]

I read that it can help to use two hands while hopping... thanks. I'll try that. That happens to be one of the things I'm working on. Heck, I envision it alot like a pogo-stick, just a wheel instead of a stick but that shouldn't matter if my feet don't rotate and the hadle bars down on the seat. I see myself doing it now. Thanks.

---About me: I just started my first unicycle on the 2nd of November. Been journaling my progress. 25 minutes to get my first 50 foot long ride and 20 more minutes to go 100 yards. The next day I got around the block, the 3rd day I learned to free-mount. I can ride forward only and go down curbs. My farthest ride is about 3 miles to and from work, (off duty). I'm a corrections officer at a prison and it must have been amusing to see "Buddy Holly" (the nickname that the inmates gave me), riding into work on a unicycle.

I've already bought a 6 foot giraffe and can get around the block a couple times (best ride so far). My first trick on it will be to free-mount. Right now I'm climbing up couple "tuff-sheds" in the parking lot about 24 inches apart to mount the giraffe.

The giraffe has the chain on the right side and it wants to turn in a constant left circle, something I have to work against the whole time. I'm guessing the torque from the right-side chain drive causes this. Is this normal? What are some secrets to lessening this effect?

Well, that's about all from me and my first post here. I look forward to reading this forum in the future.

ps...... If anyone is in Colorado (I live in Buena Vista), maybe we could ride some time.

[jagur]

ratherbekayaking

Welcome to the boards..

i once lived in Marble,Colorado. its close to Carbondale.its good to here from someone up there.Colorado brings good thoughts to my now old and sour personallity. ;)

[harper]

Originally posted by ratherbekayaking
The giraffe has the chain on the right side and it wants to turn in a constant left circle, something I have to work against the whole time. I'm guessing the torque from the right-side chain drive causes this. Is this normal? What are some secrets to lessening this effect?

ps...... If anyone is in Colorado (I live in Buena Vista), maybe we could ride some time.

Are the locals still pronouncing it "Byuna Vista"? I was unable to correct them when I was there. They think just because it has been pronounced that way for generations that it's OK. Go figure.

It is highly unlikely that a preferential torque is being applied by the chain being on the side. I would look into bent or unequal cranks or a bent seatpost or frame that causes you to lean one way.

[john_childs]

When I lived in Salem Oregon I would regularly ride my bike to Buena Vista and take the ferry across the river.

[jagur]

Originally posted by john_childs
When I lived in Salem Oregon I would regularly ride my bike to Buena Vista and take the ferry across the river. bull crap,that ferry is never on tyme.how can you say that?

[ratherbekayaking]

Well I'll be damned! The frame it is... The main post leading up from the pedals toward the seat isn't exactly centered, off to the right side about 1/2 inch! I'm pretty sure I can correct it tomorrow but geez! Is this a wide spread problem with the brand new Savage? I could see if it was used or dropped a ton of times, but this was spanking new.

I feel better knowing that once I correct this problem, riding it will be loads easier. I know I'm new, but I didn't think I sucked THAT bad.

As far as Buena Vista:

The locals pronounce it: "bew-na vis-ta", saying bew like you would say "pew" as in church pew.

The out of towners pronounce it: "bwhen-a vis-ta"

But I understand that it really should be "bwhay-na vee-sta" if you take it back to spanich origins.

When the town changed the name from Cottonwood to Buena Vista about a hundred years ago, there was an orderance or ruling or something or other that stated that it would NOT be pronounced the Spanish way, EVER. Gotta love red-neck ranchers. The place is still full of 'em.

Also like Rodeo Drive in LA becoming "Row-Day-oh" Drive, or Target becomes "tar-zhay" because it sounds like a fancy high class place to shop that way. I always thought that was goofy.

but I digress.

I'll let you know if un-bending the frame helps, and I bet it does.

Thanks.

Ed

[ratherbekayaking]

Originally posted by ratherbekayaking
Well I'll be damned! The frame it is... The main post leading up from the pedals toward the seat isn't exactly centered, off to the right side about 1/2 inch! I'm pretty sure I can correct it tomorrow but geez! Is this a wide spread problem with the brand new Savage? I could see if it was used or dropped a ton of times, but this was spanking new.



Well, I messed with it and now it is still messed. No worse off than it was before, but I think I went a tad too far, then back again. The finish is marred and a little dented from my vise, even with padding. At least it is still just as ridable as it was in the first place.

3 lessens learned here:

1. Don't buy a giraffe on eBay.
2. And maybe, don't buy a Savage?
3. Don't try fixing yourself?

[john_childs]

Originally posted by jagur
bull crap,that ferry is never on tyme.how can you say that?
On time? How could it be late? The ferry has no scheduled arrival or departure times. It just waits for someone to show up on the bank and then picks them up.

There are times when the ferry wasn't running because of mechanical problems or high water. If I was concerned that the ferry might not be operating there was a number to call with a recorded message to find out if it was a go or no go.

All in all it was fun place to head to on a bike ride. Not many places still have those small river ferries. It was also good roads to ride out there.

Here's a picture of the ferry
<http://fp2.centuryinter.net/billfire/buenavista_ferry.htm>

I might have to plan a Coker ride to the ferry for old times sake.

[jagur]

yeah,that post was a little harsh.it comes from this one time a friend and I went out that way in route to Eugene.well the dang ferry was out of service.:mad:

it was pouring down rain.we had to seek selter in those trees you see in that pic. fortunatly 2hours later a local in a small boat ferryed us accross in exchange for some hard labor,chucking soaking wet firewood into his truck on the otherside.

maybe i'll call that number next time.

[yoopers]

Originally posted by ratherbekayaking


Well, I messed with it and now it is still messed. No worse off than it was before, but I think I went a tad too far, then back again. The finish is marred and a little dented from my vise, even with padding. At least it is still just as ridable as it was in the first place.

3 lessens learned here:

1. Don't buy a giraffe on eBay.
2. And maybe, don't buy a Savage?
3. Don't try fixing yourself?

I don't understand...the guy who advertises the Savage giraffes on Ebay says they're the topmostest of quality and very rare, hardly any in exsistence but his prices are low so he's really doing us a favor. Now a report is public on one of his rare Savages has a bent frame.

I've written to the guy once and told him that his advertisment is completely offbase (in so many words). He responded with a simple "Thanks, Bruce." and continued to falsely advertise his RARE product. I wish there was something that could be done to put a stop to this guy. I'm not sure why, I try to let it go but his false advertising really bothers me.