1 foot unicycling

[Uni Tricks]

Hey unicyclists i need help/a tutorial video or text. I got a crap unicycle and the frame is curved so i just have my leg hangin out. my record is 17 pedals but my average is about 3-5 lol. Can u ppls give me a tutorial or some tips on riding one footed?

[unikid132]

same here,
my crown is rounded and its kinda hard.
i just learned though by practicing alot.
just know where th put ur foot and out ur arms out straught

[rct3]

Hey unicyclists i need help/a tutorial video or text. I got a crap unicycle and the frame is curved so i just have my leg hangin out. my record is 17 pedals but my average is about 3-5 lol. Can u ppls give me a tutorial or some tips on riding one footed?

you can still put your foot on a rounded crown, just put your foot there as if you had a crown... its easy. :)

[jamessd]

Keep your back straight, but if you have to use your body to stay up (you'll probly be jerky at first). With each revolution apply pressure to the pedals evenly and try to keep it smooth. Shorter cranks make 1 foot riding easier because you can pedal smoother.

[caudy]

Putting your foot on the frame makes such a difference although it is scarier to do at first. After much practice I can ride pretty much as far as I want with my foot on the frame but with my leg sticking out I fall off after about 10-20 pedals. I'd say the most important thing is how much pressure you put on at what time.

[thejdw]

If you ride down curbs as badly as I used to you'll get the hang of it pretty quickly just trying to not upd.

[Uni Tricks]

:) :) :) :) :) Thx people but i find it hard to put my foot on the frame because my seat is lowered heeps. My frends dad welded a few months afta i got it when it was learning so it duznt raise any higher. I found out where to put it i just push my leg against the long bit of the frame and is bent, kinda hard to xplain. But yer im getting better

My record was 17 or something now 48
Average was like 3-5 now is like 10

[FatBoy-Dave]

put grip tape on your frame so your foot will not slide off.......
It is easier to keep your balance with your foot on the frame:rolleyes:

[Uni Tricks]

YAY i passed the century i got 108 :) :eek: :D
My average is i dunno 20+ so yer im becoming gewd:D

[torker lx]

i have a crown on my unicycle but i really dont like putting my foot there it makes me feel like i have less controll i tend to just rest my shin on the crown instead of hanging it out to the side
p.s i rode almost half a mile that way ;P

[beeper]

Haha, I can only get 1/4th a rev..

My advice is to practise, and thats really all I got..

But if you practise by doing it one rev at a time, you will eventually want to challenge yourself with more revs at once.

[Uni Tricks]

you can still put your foot on a rounded crown, just put your foot there as if you had a crown... its easy. :)

It duznt fit with my shoe on it cos foots to big and the frame is too small but i can put my foot verticle bare footd and ride

[poofengle]

My advice is to just keep trying, and eventually you'll get better so that you can ride as long as you want one footed. I just spent an hour or two trying, and by the end of it I could ride quite a ways. Now its just as easy as normal riding, and I'm even learning on my other foot.

[skilewis74]

If you aren't to full revolutions yet, briefly take your foot off the pedal as it reaches it's max height. Try to do it a bunch of times in a row. Then for a full rev and back on the pedal, then 2, 3, etc.
put grip tape on your frame so your foot will not slide off.......
It is easier to keep your balance with your foot on the frame:rolleyes:
...or if your crown is too high put some grip tape on the side of the fork leg and put your foot there, like BM did in TWNR on his 36. Just make sure it's high enough for your foot to clear the pedal as it comes around.

[hungry4uni]

For tricks like onefooted riding and backwards riding,

how far do you have to be able to ride it for you to say you can.

[mattsmith]

For tricks like onefooted riding and backwards riding,

how far do you have to be able to ride it for you to say you can.
I'd say you have to do it as far as the IUF skill levels say you have to, but you have to be able to do it every time.

[mill_mobile]

I'd say you have to do it as far as the IUF skill levels say you have to, but you have to be able to do it every time.
I dont...
I say if you can ride say 4-5 pedal revs then plant your feet back on the pedals/pedal forwards again and ride off you can do it.
IMO the levels suck and are only there for the 'i wanna be better than you and hang it on you' people.
dont ride for levels, ride for enjoyment.

[Jerrick]

I dont...
I say if you can ride say 4-5 pedal revs then plant your feet back on the pedals/pedal forwards again and ride off you can do it.
IMO the levels suck and are only there for the 'i wanna be better than you and hang it on you' people.
dont ride for levels, ride for enjoyment.

If I was a freestyle rider I would definetly use the levels as something to aim for.

The majority of people that I see complaining about the levels are people who hardly focus much into freestyle except for some of the basics. I dont know, it just seems funny to me when I see a street or a trials rider say the levels are a waste.

To me they are a sweet guideline and an easy way to set a goal and push for it, and its set up pretty well too.

I ride a lot of trials, so they really dont bother me, and thats why I havent gotten tested for them, but I still look to them for when I practice freestyle.

[Fraggle]

When I ride one footed, I ride with the seat a little behind the wheel, and I push down with the foot on the crown. I also find it easier to move my foot from pedal to crown at the top of the rotation, and foot back to pedal can happen whenever I want. As for turning, just leaning the way i'm gonna turn does it for me.

[mattsmith]

I dont...
I say if you can ride say 4-5 pedal revs then plant your feet back on the pedals/pedal forwards again and ride off you can do it.
IMO the levels suck and are only there for the 'i wanna be better than you and hang it on you' people.
dont ride for levels, ride for enjoyment.
How about if you ride 1 rev and then go back to two pedalled? Does that qualify one to say "i can ride one pedalled"?
Maybe you can; but if you make that claim and someone calls you on it, and you do your one rev you're in for some ridicule.

If there's to be any kind of standard that one can attain to determine whether someone is capable of performing a manouevre, the IUF is best placed to make that call. They have an well defined standards and an examining body to ensure that acheivements are awarded only to those who deserve them according the rules. You don't have to take the exam to know what you can and can't do.
The rules are pretty strict, and I certainly can't ride one footed according to them (10m consistently is still a little beyond me), so if questioned, the answer has to be "No I can't ride one pedalled". It's not about having one up on anyone, it's about feeling the confidence of knowing you're profficient to a recognised level.

Riding for fun can be about personal targets. Once I've got this down pat, the wheel walk is next for me, and I won't be satisfied until I can roll it 10m.

[surndr]

just keep trying i learned on a junker if it could be bent it was (cranks,shaft,wheel everything)...now i could probably ride anything lol

[patsandy100]

SOrry for res'in this thread but i am trying to learn One footed uni'n and i can get 8 revs my best and average about 4. Most of the time i fall off after that somtimes i can get my foot back on the pedal. Somtimes :P Anyway, I ride a Kh20 whats a crown on a frame? and my seat is quiet low cut off about 3 inches of the seatpost and its sits at the bottom of the frame so pretty low and its hard to pull up. Any advice? Sorry for the thread respawn :p

Pat

[mill_mobile]

SOrry for res'in this thread but i am trying to learn One footed uni'n and i can get 8 revs my best and average about 4. Most of the time i fall off after that somtimes i can get my foot back on the pedal. Somtimes :P Anyway, I ride a Kh20 whats a crown on a frame? and my seat is quiet low cut off about 3 inches of the seatpost and its sits at the bottom of the frame so pretty low and its hard to pull up. Any advice? Sorry for the thread respawn :p

Pat
Do you put your free foot on the crown or dangle it out the side?

[patsandy100]

I tuck my leg so its above the pedal. So yes i dangle it :P What is the crown? I am guessing its where you can put your feet on the frame.

[mill_mobile]

I tuck my leg so its above the pedal. So yes i dangle it :P What is the crown? I am guessing its where you can put your feet on the frame.
Ok, the crown is the 'cross section' of the frame where there is the flat bit under the seat post bit (above the tyre).
This may seem wierd at first - it took me a while to feel comfortable and get any benefit from it, but once i felt comfortable and got used to it i could ride forever 1fted... put your foot on the crown - you may need to raise your seat a bit by the sound of it, but that depends on the length of your legs.
Once your comfortable with this you will find it gives you greater control of the uni (it'll feel the opposite until your used to it) and in turn let you go further, its also easier to get back on the pedal from this position in my opinion.
One other mistake i made while trying to learn this was i was just trying to fly along then take my foot off and keep going - you MUST go at a comfortable pace and use your foot still on the pedal to still pedal with like 'normal'
Hope this helps - if anything is unclear just ask again... i think some of that sounds a bit 'round-a-bout'!
Good luck!

[patsandy100]

Thanks mill that helps heaps! I will go try putting my foot on the frame in a minute anyway What i have been doing is getting up some speed then just 1ft'in it till i run out of speed hehe. Ok i know what the crown is now :D If i have any more problems ill re post. Thanks mill.

[mill_mobile]

No worries mate,
Let us know how you went.
I bet it felt wierd and kinda put you off balance at first...
It wont take long till you get used to it though;)

[patsandy100]

Wow it seems almost impossible to get your foot onto the crown but i got it and it definately helped me balance better. not that i can get remarkably any more revs but I can transistion to 2 feet now :D few more days and ill have it no worries! Some one should make a video tutorial. definately need the foot on the frame. Thanks Mill!!!

[mill_mobile]

Wow it seems almost impossible to get your foot onto the crown but i got it and it definately helped me balance better. not that i can get remarkably any more revs but I can transistion to 2 feet now :D few more days and ill have it no worries! Some one should make a video tutorial. definately need the foot on the frame. Thanks Mill!!!
Not a problem, glad i could help:)
I might make a vid tutorial on the weekend.
Did you need to raise your seat a bit? It helps allow more room for your foot to get to the crown.
Now for me i dont have the seat higher as such - i ride with a seat higher than i used to anyway and find it easier for SIF and just riding in general...
Its all experimentation, and what feels strange/hard at first will become normal as you get used to it.

[patsandy100]

Yea very true, I didn't raise the seat because I think I can jump higher with a lower seat even though my hop isn't great.

[patsandy100]

soz for the double post -- Anyway i raised the seat post about 2 cms maybe a inch and i dont think I can jump as high (SI) but I think I can 1ft better. I want to get into trials I think maybe street I don't really know cause I dont think Im a very good jumper maybe I should focus on something else but anyway. So do you think I should have it so I can 1ft better or jump higher? there both comfortable and easyish to ride so any comments?

[mill_mobile]

soz for the double post -- Anyway i raised the seat post about 2 cms maybe a inch and i dont think I can jump as high (SI) but I think I can 1ft better. I want to get into trials I think maybe street I don't really know cause I dont think Im a very good jumper maybe I should focus on something else but anyway. So do you think I should have it so I can 1ft better or jump higher? there both comfortable and easyish to ride so any comments?
Ok, i say keep the seat up...
When i first put mine up i didnt think i could jump as high, but after starting SIF a bit my SI is now better than before - i think its also technique too...
leave your seat up and just practice - you'll get better, i can guarantee it!
Its amazing how much an cm or 2 can make a difference to the feel i reckon!
Keep at it man, you'll hit it soon!
EDIT: just as an indication i now ride with my seat a little over 2 inches higher than i did when i first got my Nimbus!

[patsandy100]

wow, nice. I will keep at it. When I have both feet doing 1fters ill send you a pm :D hopefully ill get a camera soon and release my first video XD a mobile phone doens't take good enough movies for me :P

[khwannabe]

well I don't recommend it but when I taught myself one footed I bent my knee and tucked my leg in close to the frame... it worked, but its easier to rest your foot on the frame. try grip tape, that might help some

[patsandy100]

That was how I was doing it before Mill told me how to do it better :P The kh has a rough bit there should I still get some of this grip tape you speak of?

[mill_mobile]

That was how I was doing it before Mill told me how to do it better :P The kh has a rough bit there should I still get some of this grip tape you speak of?
Nar dude, dont worry about the grip tape - my Nimbus doesnt even have a rough bit there and its fine;)

[patsandy100]

Nar dude, dont worry about the grip tape - my Nimbus doesnt even have a rough bit there and its fine Ok I wont bother, Is it just me or is the opposite foot alot harder ? :P I can only get 2 revs if im lucky. It takes all my concentration getting my right foot on the crown where as with the left i can do it automatically. I guess its just practice. When does wheel walking come into the equation? I cant seem to be able to wheel walk yet :(

[mill_mobile]

To be honest i have never tried with the opposite foot! Might give it a go this arvo!
I never tried ww either so cant comment!

[patsandy100]

Alright. Thanks for all your help Mill!! Ill keep practising my 1ft'ing its really alot of fun :D thanks.

PAt

[adjuggler]

my opposite.. though I don't use it as often because I can do the other better was easy after my good foot. Just a little lopsided because it is less coordinated.

[Unisykolist]

I've definitely mastered one foot now (I'm Uni Tricks!)

[patsandy100]

I got it to :) go for ages :D good fun.

[prisoner_of_war]

haha, hey clown your only a yr older than me! Anyway, when I started learning to ride one fted, I actually let my let stay just off the petal, (also because I had a training uni at the time, with a rounded crown) but as I got better, I gradually put my foot back on the crown. And I agree with a lot of the other people, that if you just keep on doing it, you'll be able to do it in no time.

[1wheelwonder]

Ok, I'm going to start this thread again, as I thought it was very good. I have been practicing 1 foot uniing for quite a while, but I am making no progress. I dangle my leg at around the crown. I think the problem is that I have a habbit of stepping forwards before I have fallen off, any suggestions?

[scott ttocs]

I have been trying to learn one-foot riding and there is a lot of good advice here. My best is 16 revolutions, :rolleyes: but my median ride is more like 3. I still need practice.

I was nervous about putting my foot on the crown, so I held onto something and got used to putting my foot up and learned to do a little one-foot idling. That gave me the confidence to go for it with riding.

Now for a question: how does the wheel size and crank size affect one-foot riding? I have learned on a 24" with 125 cranks. Would it be easier on a 20" or a 29"? I am assuming that if I get good at it on a 24", the skill will transfer easily to other unicycle sizes. Does it work that way?

[Peripatet]

I learned on a 24", but I had no trouble transitioning to a 36 with 150's.
Seems to me, if you have the skill down it's no trouble to transition.

(Although I did have a pretty good UPD once. . .:rolleyes:)

[Unibugg]

(Although I did have a pretty good UPD once. . .:rolleyes:)

If you are referring to the UPD you did coming back from Island Joes at Anastasia, I'd hardly call that a "good UPD". In my book a "good UPD" is one where there's contact with the sidewalk with more than the soles of your feet. Preferably a little blood and lots of on lookers gasping or wringing their hands because they don't know what to do. Minimum you should feel momentarily scared for your life even if you do land like a cat on the soles of your paws.

You didn't have one of these recently while riding one footed on the beast. Did you?


*Idling one footed..... hmmmm.... I'm working on that next.

[Biggestbtc]

Is it harder to ride one footed with shorter cranks? I have 89mm on my 20" Nimbus II, and I think that makes it harder to learn.

[scott ttocs]

If you are referring to the UPD you did coming back from Island Joes at Anastasia, I'd hardly call that a "good UPD". In my book a "good UPD" is one where there's contact with the sidewalk with more than the soles of your feet. Preferably a little blood and lots of on lookers gasping or wringing their hands because they don't know what to do. Minimum you should feel momentarily scared for your life even if you do land like a cat on the soles of your paws.

OK, so what would you consider a "bad UPD"? Perhaps one in which there is contact with the ground at high speed, and when they come to scrape you off the pavement, not all of your pieces are still attached? :eek:

I guess I have lower standards. (e.g. Oooh! I bruised my toe. That was a bad UPD.) :o

[Peripatet]

She's just bitter that I'm younger and nimbler and don't fall so much.:p

But, yes, that was my worst UPD off the KH36. I had a fairly explosive one in the woods yesterday, where I caught a root and got launched, but I still caught the seat.

[Unibugg]

I guess I have lower standards. (e.g. Oooh! I bruised my toe. That was a bad UPD.) :o

Hey, you DO understand!~ :D

She's just bitter that I'm younger and nimbler and don't fall so much.:p No, she's just terribly envious because you ride better, one footed or otherwise. ;) But she has "better" UPD's and now that one footed riding is on the menu it can only get better.

[scott ttocs]

It is now a week later and I am starting to get the hang of one-foot riding. I can usually get a few pedal strokes in before I loose it, and I often get a long series of 20 or more strokes. I am not consistent, but I often feel in control, which was NOT the case when starting.

Today I finally figured out how to get my left foot back on the pedal without a UPD. I held onto something while idling and managed to move my foot from the crown to the pedal OK. Then I tried idling without support and also got my foot back on the pedal. The next step was to try transitioning from one-foot to two-foot riding, and after a few attempts I got it to work. :p

One thing that helps is to almost stall just before moving my foot. If I have two much speed I often UPD forward. I think this limitation may go away with practice--I am already getting better after 30 min.

[scott ttocs]

I can now ride one-footed, but only with my right foot, and I am still not consistent. It has been fun learning the basics. :) Here is an example:

YouTube

Comments?

[UniGuyMIke]

Okay so im practicing one footed riding and i cant even get one pedal. i ride left footed and when im riding i can easily get my right foot onto the frame but when my left pedal is coming around over the top, it feels as if its about to shoot out and i hop off. any advice? will the unicycle shoot out?

[96erik]

First try 1 pedals!

Then try 2!

Then try 3!

Then try 4!

Then try 5

Then try 6

Then try 7

Then try 8

Then try 9

Then try 10

Then try 11

Then try 12

Then try 13

Then try 14

Then try 15

Then try 16

Then try 17

Then try 18

Then try 19

Then try 20 :D

[justtysen]

Okay so im practicing one footed riding and i cant even get one pedal. i ride left footed and when im riding i can easily get my right foot onto the frame but when my left pedal is coming around over the top, it feels as if its about to shoot out and i hop off. any advice? will the unicycle shoot out?

When the left pedal comes over the top use the distance between the seat and your right foot on the frame to try to keep the frame upright and balanced. So if the wheel feels like it is going to shoot forward pull back with your right foot and push forward on the seat with your butt. The opposite if you feel like it will shoot backwards.

I'm currently learning (can do about 6 revs) and I find it easier to hold my foot against the fork leg itself instead of on the crown. If my foot is too low the pedal might brush it but having it lower seems to give me more leverage on the frame.