Hello/Questions

[Raymond Flaming]

Hello! I'm a newcomer to this list, so excuse me if I commit any group
faux-pas. I'm a beginning unicycist living in Fairbanks, Alaska (USA). I have a
couple questions. I am a fairly competent rider on the street (although I can't
idle). However, here in Alaska street riding is virtually impossible. It is
Spring Break here at the university, and 25 degrees below zero (Fahrenheit).
First: does anyone have any experience riding on snow/ice? My problems include
a general lack of traction, excessive fatigue on the legs and difficulty
keeping my feet on the pedals while wearing heavy boots. Second, where can I
obtain a copy of the off-road unicycling video? A phone number that I could
order it from would be great. Last, has anyone found any tires that don't leave
marks on the floor? This might help me talk my way into an inside riding
area... Thanks Jay :)

[Unicycle@aol.com]

Get your video from the Unicycle Factory. Call Tom Miller at (317) 452-2692. He
is in Kokomo, Indiana, Central time zone. You can call up to 11:00pm his time.

The video is by George Peck of Seward, AK. Without a map in front of me I don't
know how far apart you are, other than that it's far.

Tom can also advise you of your choices in non-marking tires.

Good luck!

John Foss, President International Unicycling Federation unicycle@aol.com

[Ken Fuchs]

Welcome to the list, Jay!

Jay <fsrjf@camelot.acf-lab.alaska.edu> wrote:

>Hello! I'm a newcomer to this list, so excuse me if I commit any group
>faux-pas. I'm a beginning unicyclist living in Fairbanks, Alaska (USA). I have
>a couple questions. I am a fairly competent rider on the street (although I
>can't idle). However, here in Alaska street riding is virtually impossible. It
>is Spring Break here at the university, and 25 degrees below zero (Fahrenheit).
>First: does anyone have any experience riding on snow/ice? My problems include
>a general lack of traction, excessive fatigue on the legs and difficulty
>keeping my feet on the pedals while wearing heavy boots.

Maybe wide knobby tires might help. I think someone even put chains on their uni
tire. Others have modified the tire by inserting tacks in the inside of the
tire; another tire with the bead cut off from each edge can be used to protect
the tube from the tack (flat) heads.

>Last, has anyone found any tires that don't leave marks on the floor? This
>might help me talk my way into an inside riding area...

An ordinary white tire would work fine.

Stay on Top, of slick ice, with tack,

Ken Fuchs <kfuchs@winternet.com

[rhogarth@passport.ca]

Hi Jay

>does anyone have any experience riding on snow/ice?

Yes, I road outside all winter on snow and even on ice as smooth as glass. The
answer is to put chains on your tire.

You get a pack of nylon straps and some light chain. Make one twist around the
spoke with the nylon strap, (so the chain won't move around) then thread it
through each end of the pre-cut piece of chain and pull tight. Do the same at
every other spoke.

If all else fails, move to Hawaii.

Robert Hogarth rhogarth@passport.ca Toronto, Canada