New to this Community

[Unitoddo]

Hey all,
I'm new here. I joined for information and encouragement. I'm 59 and I learned to ride when in high school on a 20" Schwinn. I rode on and off on that until I learned about muni in 2000. I bought a 26" Pashley muni and dabbled on it but it was harder than I thought and got discouraged. I sold it in 2005 when moved out of the country to do mission work. I haven't ridden since then. A few weeks ago the muni bug bit again and a few days ago I received my new Nimbus 26" muni. I went to a parking lot and after several attempts I was able to free mount and ride a few rotations. After 15 minutes I rode a very wobbly 50 yards or so. But I was also gassed and headed home a little discouraged. I guess I have more work to do than I planned but I want to get there. They make it look so easy on YouTube.

[LargeEddie]

Hi Unitoddo and welcome to the community. It's great that you're getting back into muni. I've know the feeling of "what have I gotten myself into?" from my first tries on most of my unicycles. Give it time and you'll be fine.

There really is big difference in aerobic demand between riding on smooth surfaces and muni, and also lots of ways to ride reduce the demand by riding more efficiently. (Relax, go slower, weight on seat, use your momentum.) It'll come with practice. And as someone just a few years younger than you, obviously we aren't as young as we used to be, and that figures in. I'm not in particularly great condition for muni at the moment either and I should get back out there myself now that the weather's more suitable.

Good luck with it! I'm looking forward to updates on your progress.

[Unitoddo]

Thanks for your encouraging words. That's what I was hoping for and intend to give updates.

[unibabyguy]

I have learned a lot from watching other riders, both in person and on video. See if you can connect up with some local riders who can help give you some tips. If you can't find anyone, try attending one of the Muni weekends.

Also it helps tremendously if you have good cardio endurance, because as you have found out, it is easy to run out of steam. Try to get more cardio exercise and you will see your Muni skills and endurance improve as well.

[johnfoss]

Welcome back! Seems you learned to ride a few years before I did. Your new Muni may not ride well on pavement (it depends on the tire tread and how much pressure). They often ride better on dirt, where there's some "lubrication" by the dirt and smaller rocks. So if you have some level dirt, your uni might like it better than riding it on pavement. So ride around until you feel tired, and enjoy! Your body remembers the basics, but it's been a long time so you'll have to build the fitness and those specific muscles back.

[Unitoddo]

I thought about the aggressive mb tire making it harder to re-learn and build endurance. So I'm considering buying an inexpensive 2 x 2.25 road tire during the process. I also thing I might replace the pedals with some commuter platform pedals I have to make it easier to re-position my feet if I need to. Thoughts?

[Mikefule]

Originally Posted by Unitoddo

I thought about the aggressive mb tire making it harder to re-learn and build endurance. So I'm considering buying an inexpensive 2 x 2.25 road tire during the process. I also thing I might replace the pedals with some commuter platform pedals I have to make it easier to re-position my feet if I need to. Thoughts?

Yes and yes.

If you are riding very difficult, muddy or rocky terrain most of the time, you will need a suitably grippy and voluminous tyre. If, like most of us, you ride a mixture of roads, footpaths, grass and so on, a tyre with a nice curved cross section and medium grip is probably best. The tyre is easily replaceable later.

The interface between shoes and pedals is really important. You need enough grip that there is no danger of slipping, but not so much grip that you find your self unable to adjust your foot position after a clumsy freemount. Everyone has a favourite, and there is an element of fashion too. Look for pedals with a decent surface area and not too heavy. I love these:

https://www.unicycle.uk.com/unicycle...als-clear.html

Get the right shoes, too. BMX shoes with flat slightly grippy soles are good. I love these:

https://www.amazon.com/Shimano-Shoes.../dp/B009GIDCH0

They have the added feature that your laces are concealed so can't catch on the cranks.

[Up Rite]

Think of the time you would be having getting started without your previous unicycling experience.

I am starting out with the combination of lack of stamina and zero unicycling experience and skill.

Think about how much better we will be in the future, both in fitness and skill!

I think that unicycling regularly will keep fitness and balance way above those that are not into it as the years advance.

[Unitoddo]

You are correct. I am bound and determined to make this happen. You can and will get there too.

[Unitoddo]

I put on a new 2.125 tire today and got on it in the basement. The weather wasn't good enough to go outside. It is definitely going to be easier to learn on this setup. I lowered the seat a little bit as well. I was able to get in a few rotations before running out room. I also started to practice some hops while hanging onto a pole. I have a long way to go but I feel encouraged today.

Question. Is unicycling hard on your knees? I have one that doesn't have a lot of cartilage left that I'm a little concerned about.

[johnfoss]

Originally Posted by Unitoddo

Question. Is unicycling hard on your knees? I have one that doesn't have a lot of cartilage left that I'm a little concerned about.

I'm not a PT so would appreciate more feedback from others with experience. I think what you want to do is not have excessive range of motion in your knee. This means generally to run your seat at a fairly high setting, and/or use shorter cranks. That works for flat ground riding, but if you're riding on technical bumps or lots of hills, the short cranks aren't going to work. In that case, take it easy and "listen to your knees". Unicycling is better for your knees than running, but like bicycling, is wear and tear so be nice to them.

[Unitoddo]

Thanks John. I think I will keep my seat relatively high while re-learning and strengthening my knees.

[Setonix]

Originally Posted by Unitoddo

Thanks John. I think I will keep my seat relatively high while re-learning and strengthening my knees.

mhm I noticed actually that by putting the seat a bit lower than I normally do, I use my thighs more and thereby taking away the pressure on my knees. I also feel I have a better balance with a lower seat.
Naturally putting the seat too low will hurt your knees, like riding on a b*ke with the seat too low.

[LanceB]

Everyone is different, but being one of the older riders, I feel my knees act up from time to time. Personally, I feel the pressure on my knees to be somewhat less when using shorter cranks and higher saddle. The knees simply don't have to bend as much. It also helps if I wear compression sleeves over the knees. Seems to help me, but may not help others. (I only really notice knee issues on longer road rides, like more than 20 miles.) Experiment, and you will find what works best for you.
Good luck!

[Unitoddo]

Update: Ok, so the weather finally broke here and I was able to get out last Monday. After some reflection over the winter I decided to lower my expectations but not my determination to meet my goals of riding off road again. I went to some tennis courts and used the fence to help. I was encouraged but still have a long way to go. I rode back and forth across the courts for about 15-20 minutes. I decided to stop when at one point I stepped off the Uni (UPD. There were several.) and my legs wobbled. The next day my legs were so sore I felt like I had done 150 squats. Today is Friday and they are still sore so I haven't ridden since Monday. Lesson learned. If I want to keep from walking like 91 year old father, I'm keeping my uni in the back of my car and plan to ride little everyday I can since the courts are right behind my place of work. I'm also thinking that maybe doing some squats might help to strengthen my legs for what is to come.