Learning Journal - Page 82

UniTographer · 2012-07-18, 02:44 AM

And a quick video of the two of us novices riding our respective vehicles. It felt pretty good...

Young at heart · 2012-07-18, 12:50 PM

Can someone explain why I should learn a rear dismount? I can stop and gently get off the front, holding the seat with no issues.

UniTographer · 2012-07-18, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Young at heart

Can someone explain why I should learn a rear dismount? I can stop and gently get off the front, holding the seat with no issues.

Probably just the same reason you'd want to learn multiple different mounts. I don't think there's anything particularly special about it. It looks good and pairs well with rolling mounts.

Alucard · 2012-07-18, 08:28 PM

UniTographer Well, I don't think you're a novice any more, the way you freemounted your 29'' was so good.

I've been trying to do that since April and getting no where fast, AND a rear dismount

.
Way to Go !!!!

THP I like your vid on rear dismounting, thanks for doing it in slow mo. But, I couldn't find the video of you on your muni ride. You guys look good in your video, look like you've been riding uni's for years!

Hi Unibiddy one of the reasons I want to learn to dismount off the back is. When I am going along the prom and I dismount from the front, being on a 29'' I go forwards quite a bit and I worry about going over the side of the prom and down the steps, and also hurting my ankles.
Here's a piccy to show what I mean. There is quite a camber on the prom and it draws me to the edge all the time. The bit right on the edge is the flattest so I tend to ride there.

Name: muni.JPG
Views: 143
Size: 12.4 KB

Keep up the good work everyone.

UniTographer · 2012-07-18, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alucard

UniTographer Well, I don't think you're a novice any more, the way you freemounted your 29'' was so good.

I've been trying to do that since April and getting no where fast, AND a rear dismount

.
Way to Go !!!!

Thanks! But you didn't see the way the 29" just threw me on the way home! I'm not used to the leverage difference on the cranks between my 24 and 29er and I came down on my foot hard while moving pretty quickly. My left ankle tells me tomorrow might be a no-uni-day...

Static mounting took me about 15 minutes a day, nearly every day for a month. That was before I learned to ride, so it really was almost all about the mount: try to mount, maybe wobble a little bit, fall. Repeat.

That rolling mount is just the same thing, timing when to step up on the first pedal while walking the uni. I found it easier on the 29er than it is on the smaller wheel.

But don't ask me to do it with my other foot!

-- UniT

jyngles · 2012-07-21, 02:08 PM

Learning to ride backwards has got to be the hardest thing I have had to learn so far. I have been practicing since the end of May and it is still alot of work. The other day I beat my distance and made it 160 feet. It isn't really that straight, but I do it. Working on looking up and keeping my weight in the saddle, that is a huge difference if I can do those two things. Any pointers would be great.

I have also been doing well with the rear mount, I don't seem to have a great deal of difficulty with it anymore. Keep practicing...

It is nice to see everyone's progress, keep up the good work.

TopHatPlus · 2012-07-23, 10:30 AM

Got a great ride in Sunday morning, heres the video i managed to capture =D

Sunday Morning Muni - YouTube

UniTographer · 2012-07-23, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TopHatPlus

Got a great ride in Sunday morning, heres the video i managed to capture =D

Nice vid, THP! Is that bar a standard accessory from Hero? I've seen a few of them now.

-- UniT

UniTographer · 2012-07-23, 05:20 PM

I don't know what it was that did it, but I've just passed a major hurdle in my mind.

On Saturday I put 110 cranks on my new 29" and gave it a try, and it was O-M-G-hard. I could just barely static mount it, and I could ride it unsteadily. A major drawback compared to its original 150s, which I could mount easily and ride well for a few minutes, and shakily for a good while.

So yesterday I pulled them off and put on 137s in place of the original 150s. I just took half my lunch hour to practice a bit, and found that...

I can rolling mount pretty reliably. The key for me was realizing that I need to hold the seat loosely in my hand and let it ride up the arc of the tire with me - as opposed to a static mount, where I start with it between my legs, and I'm using it to convey force down to the tire, countering the rotation of the pedal. This will probably lead to improvements in my static mount, now that I've figured out how to put weight on a pedal without deliberately counter-balancing it against the seatpost.

I can do a kinda shaky rear dismount about half the time. I don't quite have the balance right on the second foot as I'm dismounting, so it's more like jumping off to the rear, but I can see how it gets smoother and feel how the balance needs to shift to do that.

I'm not concerned about riding over obstacles any longer. One of my neighbors pulled in to her driveway, and I just rode over one of the uneven drainage gulleys on the edges of our street to chat. When we were done talking, I rolling mounted and continued out her driveway. I didn't even think twice about it. And then I accidentally rolled up a curb as I was dismounting (no harm done to me or uni).

Riding for me is no longer about how long I can stay on. It's now about how long I can ride/dismount/rolling mount and keep going.

Together, that all seems to be a shift in the way I visualize the uni. I wonder how much of it was facilitated by riding the 29er with 110s over the weekend!

Oh, and lastly, I found that I can hop my 24" a few times... as long as it's in a doorway where I will be sure to smack my head against the top of the door frame just as I'm really starting to feel the hop. #ouch

-- UniT

TopHatPlus · 2012-07-23, 10:01 PM

Hey uniT you've got me a little nervous now... my brother is going to be ordering some 85mm cranks for his 20 and i am going to be trying out his 135mm cranks in replacement of my 165mm cranks... uh oh... haha i have 114mm on my 20" uni and i can ride with unbelievable control but now I'm all worried about it >_<

The pole cam mount is home made.

Theres a few different ways to do it, either a lightweight aluminum pipe, or in my case a well worn (free from friend) ski pole

I made a small block out of an extra piece of hard wood and cut it in half and a groove e for the pole to fit in, drills a 1/4" hole and cut down a 1/4 leg bolt and permanently mounted a go pro tri pod mount to it using red lock tight. Works amazing! great length, has a grip, wrist strap and a nicely pointed end for poking people either unicycle, or snowboarding =D i can take some photos if you would like (had some but i can't find them). The other option is mount the handle bar mount to a pole. I likes mine better hehe =D

chest footage didn't turn out all that well or there would have been some of it in there, i will be using more off body shots next time, the hills i was riding were of a decent grade but it doesn't look like it =D

jyngles · 2012-07-25, 12:13 AM

Hit 180 feet backwards tonight, a new distance, yeah...

jojoxie · 2012-07-25, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyngles

Hit 180 feet backwards tonight, a new distance, yeah...

Now that's just showing off......

UniTographer · 2012-07-25, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyngles

Hit 180 feet backwards tonight, a new distance, yeah...

Congrats! I'm jealous

My commute with the 135s on my 29er was nasty today. With a backpack, even strapped to me as well as possible, it was an unsteady ride. I couldn't find my place in the saddle, was constantly fighting weight on my legs, and during some of the downhills I was really wondering if I was going to be able to control it. Time to consider a brake, I suppose!

I think I'm going to put back the 150s and enjoy some "relaxed" riding for the next couple of weeks; come August 11th, I'll be uni-less until the 27th, since I'm shipping both of mine to Burning Man ahead of me. I've been pushing hard to learn and do more on the Uni as fast as possible, and I think it's time to back off until after it returns in mid-September.

We'll see if I still hold the same opinion tomorrow morning

-- UniT

jyngles · 2012-07-26, 10:58 AM

Thanks UniTographer:

I still struggle with things when it comes to distant riding, same issues, weight in the saddle, control and stability. I think that is because I don't really ride my uni for distance that often, so I think I get tired and that is where I start to lose that control and stability. I really don't have to much of an issue except that it becomes work. That is one thing that I still need to work on along with everything else. It has only been 5 months with about 95 hours of time in the saddle, I have a long way to go...

jyngles · 2012-07-27, 12:46 AM

I am not saying this to brag or to "showoff", just posting my progress. I hit 205 feet backwards tonight. Just 9 more feet and I hit my first goal that I set.

My goal was to ride the length of my parking lot at home, which is 24 parking spaces at 9 feet per space. I made 23 tonight.

2012-07-18, 02:44 AM	#1216
UniTographer Insane Photographic Artist Join Date: May 2012 Location: outside Philadelphia, PA Age: 41 Posts: 131	Two novices riding And a quick video of the two of us novices riding our respective vehicles. It felt pretty good...

2012-07-18, 12:50 PM	#1217
Young at heart Unibiddy Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: CT Age: 62 Posts: 188	Why rear dismount? Can someone explain why I should learn a rear dismount? I can stop and gently get off the front, holding the seat with no issues.

2012-07-18, 08:28 PM	#1219
Alucard Registered User Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Flintshire UK Age: 46 Posts: 529	UniTographer Well, I don't think you're a novice any more, the way you freemounted your 29'' was so good. I've been trying to do that since April and getting no where fast, AND a rear dismount . Way to Go !!!! THP I like your vid on rear dismounting, thanks for doing it in slow mo. But, I couldn't find the video of you on your muni ride. You guys look good in your video, look like you've been riding uni's for years! Hi Unibiddy one of the reasons I want to learn to dismount off the back is. When I am going along the prom and I dismount from the front, being on a 29'' I go forwards quite a bit and I worry about going over the side of the prom and down the steps, and also hurting my ankles. Here's a piccy to show what I mean. There is quite a camber on the prom and it draws me to the edge all the time. The bit right on the edge is the flattest so I tend to ride there. Keep up the good work everyone.

2012-07-21, 02:08 PM	#1221
jyngles jyngles Join Date: May 2012 Location: Portsmouth, NH Age: 48 Posts: 50	Backwards Learning to ride backwards has got to be the hardest thing I have had to learn so far. I have been practicing since the end of May and it is still alot of work. The other day I beat my distance and made it 160 feet. It isn't really that straight, but I do it. Working on looking up and keeping my weight in the saddle, that is a huge difference if I can do those two things. Any pointers would be great. I have also been doing well with the rear mount, I don't seem to have a great deal of difficulty with it anymore. Keep practicing... It is nice to see everyone's progress, keep up the good work.

2012-07-23, 05:20 PM	#1224
UniTographer Insane Photographic Artist Join Date: May 2012 Location: outside Philadelphia, PA Age: 41 Posts: 131	Passed a major mental hurdle I don't know what it was that did it, but I've just passed a major hurdle in my mind. On Saturday I put 110 cranks on my new 29" and gave it a try, and it was O-M-G-hard. I could just barely static mount it, and I could ride it unsteadily. A major drawback compared to its original 150s, which I could mount easily and ride well for a few minutes, and shakily for a good while. So yesterday I pulled them off and put on 137s in place of the original 150s. I just took half my lunch hour to practice a bit, and found that... I can rolling mount pretty reliably. The key for me was realizing that I need to hold the seat loosely in my hand and let it ride up the arc of the tire with me - as opposed to a static mount, where I start with it between my legs, and I'm using it to convey force down to the tire, countering the rotation of the pedal. This will probably lead to improvements in my static mount, now that I've figured out how to put weight on a pedal without deliberately counter-balancing it against the seatpost. I can do a kinda shaky rear dismount about half the time. I don't quite have the balance right on the second foot as I'm dismounting, so it's more like jumping off to the rear, but I can see how it gets smoother and feel how the balance needs to shift to do that. I'm not concerned about riding over obstacles any longer. One of my neighbors pulled in to her driveway, and I just rode over one of the uneven drainage gulleys on the edges of our street to chat. When we were done talking, I rolling mounted and continued out her driveway. I didn't even think twice about it. And then I accidentally rolled up a curb as I was dismounting (no harm done to me or uni). Riding for me is no longer about how long I can stay on. It's now about how long I can ride/dismount/rolling mount and keep going. Together, that all seems to be a shift in the way I visualize the uni. I wonder how much of it was facilitated by riding the 29er with 110s over the weekend! Oh, and lastly, I found that I can hop my 24" a few times... as long as it's in a doorway where I will be sure to smack my head against the top of the door frame just as I'm really starting to feel the hop. #ouch -- UniT

2012-07-23, 10:01 PM	#1225
TopHatPlus Registered User Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Waterdown Ontario Canada Age: 23 Posts: 311	Hey uniT you've got me a little nervous now... my brother is going to be ordering some 85mm cranks for his 20 and i am going to be trying out his 135mm cranks in replacement of my 165mm cranks... uh oh... haha i have 114mm on my 20" uni and i can ride with unbelievable control but now I'm all worried about it >_< The pole cam mount is home made. Theres a few different ways to do it, either a lightweight aluminum pipe, or in my case a well worn (free from friend) ski pole I made a small block out of an extra piece of hard wood and cut it in half and a groove e for the pole to fit in, drills a 1/4" hole and cut down a 1/4 leg bolt and permanently mounted a go pro tri pod mount to it using red lock tight. Works amazing! great length, has a grip, wrist strap and a nicely pointed end for poking people either unicycle, or snowboarding =D i can take some photos if you would like (had some but i can't find them). The other option is mount the handle bar mount to a pole. I likes mine better hehe =D chest footage didn't turn out all that well or there would have been some of it in there, i will be using more off body shots next time, the hills i was riding were of a decent grade but it doesn't look like it =D __________________ My Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkbs...?feature=guide Last edited by TopHatPlus; 2012-07-23 at 10:01 PM.

2012-07-25, 12:13 AM	#1226
jyngles jyngles Join Date: May 2012 Location: Portsmouth, NH Age: 48 Posts: 50	Backwards Hit 180 feet backwards tonight, a new distance, yeah...

2012-07-26, 10:58 AM	#1229
jyngles jyngles Join Date: May 2012 Location: Portsmouth, NH Age: 48 Posts: 50	Thanks UniTographer: I still struggle with things when it comes to distant riding, same issues, weight in the saddle, control and stability. I think that is because I don't really ride my uni for distance that often, so I think I get tired and that is where I start to lose that control and stability. I really don't have to much of an issue except that it becomes work. That is one thing that I still need to work on along with everything else. It has only been 5 months with about 95 hours of time in the saddle, I have a long way to go... Last edited by jyngles; 2012-07-26 at 10:59 AM.

2012-07-27, 12:46 AM	#1230
jyngles jyngles Join Date: May 2012 Location: Portsmouth, NH Age: 48 Posts: 50	Backwards I am not saying this to brag or to "showoff", just posting my progress. I hit 205 feet backwards tonight. Just 9 more feet and I hit my first goal that I set. My goal was to ride the length of my parking lot at home, which is 24 parking spaces at 9 feet per space. I made 23 tonight.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes	Rate This Thread
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode	Rate This Thread:

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Training journal while learning to unicycle	lillestrøm_uni	General Unicycling Discussions	209	2010-06-06 01:28 PM
learning to free-mount while learning to ride	brujja	Just Conversation & Introduce Yourself	21	2009-07-29 09:33 AM
journal of a bc wheeler	faketaoist	Just Conversation & Introduce Yourself	8	2005-12-16 05:41 PM
MUni in Men's Journal	Kris Holm	General Unicycling Discussions	1	2001-07-25 08:54 PM