Newbie questions

Quoted message said:

My questions are:

Quoted message said:

1. Will it get less tiring as I progress? the effort that I make to
balance leaves me breathing deeply and sweating profusely, especially
after riding on rougher surfaces.

Yes, yes, yes.
I guess I'm a couple or three months ahead of you and it does get less
tiring as you learn to balance.

I don't know about the saddle but it does sound a little low. Be
prepared to learn to freemount again though.

Quoted message said:

3. Once I have "mastered" the cheepo uni that I have I intend to get a
decent Muni, maybe a KH, and go exploring. It seems that there is a
gulf between the skills required for freestlye and those for Muni -
does anyone do both, or is the mastery of both beyond the skills of an
ordinary mortal?

None of the skill are beyond the skills of ordinary mortals - exept that
you unicycle, so you're not ordinary. And if you carry on you'll become
obsessed, or even suffer from full blown unipsychosis, which I believe
involves owning at least 4 unicycles (including a coker).
I would not claim to be an expert but would think that some of the
skills involved in Muni & freestyle are the same & some are different
and they are all difficult & wonderful.
I'm going for both - and eventually distance. But I'm only beginning.
I'd say - Go For it. And enjoy.
Oh and by the way, you will probably get a different unicyle for each
skill eventually.
Have fun.
Cathy

By the way, if you don't believe me about the different unicycles, just
check out the thread entitled uni count, that at the moment is
underneath this one.

--
cathwood - Lunicyclist

A thought is just a thought.

http://www.chuckingandtwirling.co.uk
------------------------------------------------------------------------
cathwood's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/9425
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/41124

Thanks Cathy,

what do you mean -become- obsessed?

I already am!

--
totally_hooked - U

Unicycling is better than Prozac 🙂
------------------------------------------------------------------------
totally_hooked's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/10069
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/41124

You think?
I tell you it gets worse.
I have been unicycling since January. I practice everyday. I have 3
unicycles and plotting for a fourth, although I would get rid of one of
my others first.
It must be that you have to put so much effort into it that you either
give up or become obsessed.
Welcome to the wonderful twilight world of unicycling - the hobby where
people shout at you in the street and ask you where your other wheel is
or whether you are going to join the circus.
Cathy

--
cathwood - Lunicyclist

A thought is just a thought.

http://www.chuckingandtwirling.co.uk
------------------------------------------------------------------------
cathwood's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/9425
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/41124

totally_hooked said:

*3. Once I have "mastered" the cheepo uni that I have I intend to get
a decent Muni, maybe a KH, and go exploring. It seems that there is a
gulf between the skills required for freestlye and those for Muni -
does anyone do both, or is the mastery of both beyond the skills of an
ordinary mortal?
*

I do both, in fact I do everything just about. THe only thing s that its
hard to do freestyle on a Muni, but seeing as you have a freestyle uni
that will work out fine.

--
forrestunifreak - Why change this thing, anyway?

"You do not make the unicycle-the unicycle makes you."

~Y.C. tv

'torkerusa.com' (http://torkerusa.com)

------------------------------------------------------------------------
forrestunifreak's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/6828
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/41124

totally_hooked said:

*
1. Will it get less tiring as I progress? the effort that I make to
balance leaves me breathing deeply and sweating profusely, especially
after riding on rougher surfaces.
*

Yes, as you progress riding becomes a lot easier. When I first learnt
10 minutes of riding would leave me exhausted. Now I happily ride for
an hour or more without much effect.

As you get better your riding will become smoother and you will learn to
put more weight on the seat and less on your legs. In the first few
months it is a good idea to constantly remind yourself "weight on the
seat". Most beginners use their legs far more than they need to,
resulting in much more energy expendature than required.

Almost all your weight should be on your legs unless you are climbing a
steep hill.

Quoted message said:

*
2. Should I raise my saddle?

*

Yes, this will help make riding less tiring and prevent knee pain. (if
your seat is too low your knees may hurt on long rides, too high and
your calves may hurt).

Having the seat the correct height makes mounting a little scarier but
riding should become easier. When sitting on the unciycle with the
pedal in the lowest position your leg should only be very slightly bent.
(almost straight).

Quoted message said:

*
3. does anyone do both, or is the mastery of both beyond the skills
of an ordinary mortal?
*

Lots of people do both. Until fairly recently the majority of keen
unicyclists out there did freestyle or played hockey.

Many people have now progressed from freestyle into offroad. It is now
quite common for people to focus only on offroad unicycling.

Eventually good offroad unicyclists start dabbling in freestyle tricks
as they help develop ballance and assist in offroad riding. (eg If you
can ride one footed and a foot flies off the pedal on a trial you can
carry on riding until your foot makes it back to the pedal).

--
peter.bier - Unicycle trasher

-Peter Bier

------------------------------------------------------------------------
peter.bier's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/1506
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/41124

Not to beat a dead horse, but "yes" to all three.

You have to try the various different forms of unicycling to know which
one(s) you are going to like. I got real good at Freestyle long before
there was such a thing as MUni.

Nowadays, 99% of my riding is Coker commuting and MUni, two forms of
unicycling that didn't exist when I entered this sport.

--
johnfoss - More Moab Fun

John Foss, the Uni-Cyclone
"jfoss" at "unicycling.com" -- www.unicycling.com

"Read the rules!" -- 'IUF Rulebook'
(http://www.unicycling.org/iuf/rulebook/) -- 'USA Rulebook'
(http://www.unicycling.org/usa/competition/)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
johnfoss's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/832
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/41124

In response to 1,2 and 3.

1. Yes you will get used to it. I have only been riding for 2 months but
i get used to it. At first i got winded really easily, but now the most
is just a little sweat. You'll get used to it.

2. It depends on what you want to do. I lowered my seat because i like
freestyle unicycling. After 2 months i can work my way onto a bench by
jumping onto it and using the pedals, etc. Lowering your seat will leave
more room to jump, but it makes it harder to go faster or farther. It
may help you get used to tiring out.

3. I think you should just upgrade your "Cheepo" one, like i am doing.
The only thing i need to replace is the bearings and the seat. Your seat
(If it is a Viscount) will get TOTALLY shredded. My seat almost cuts my
hand from the plastic bumper that is no longer there. But i recently
ordered a KH Seat and a 36" Coker. I prefer commuting and Freestyle, and
i reccomend it. MUni is ok though, just go with whatever you want to.

But the most important thing to remember is to *have fun!*

--
Klown - It's not an excuse, it's a reason

"He Arschloch! Erreichen Sie ein reales Fahrrad!" - ::Honk horn::
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Klown's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/9117
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/41124