Getting annoyed

I learnt to idle fairly early on, but I can't remember the last time I
tried it. I've probably forgotten how! I just haven't had the need; a
standstill with little corrective hops is less effort, takes less room,
is far more controlled, quicker to get out of, the list goes on. Right
now I can't actually think of one advantage of idling over
stillstanding.

If you really want to learn for the sake of it then keep trying, but I
would just leave it for now. If you have the urge in the future you can
always come back to it, but don't let it spoil your enjoyment of riding
and learning other skills.

Phil

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phil said:

I learnt to idle fairly early on, but I can't remember the last time I
tried it. I've probably forgotten how! I just haven't had the need; a
standstill with little corrective hops is less effort, takes less room,
is far more controlled, quicker to get out of, the list goes on. Right
now I can't actually think of one advantage of idling over
stillstanding.

Both hands are free... thats it as far as I know. Good for hockey since
you can have both hand on the stick. Plus on things like giraffes
stillstand/corrective hopping isn't really an option.

Idling is overrated as a skill, most competent uni riders are only just
about ok at it, I'm not all that good. As Phil rightly says, there's
easier, more compact, and more efficient ways of achieving the same
result.

Loose.

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2 months? You're looking fine on one wheel for 2 months. I wouldn't
sweat missing a few elements in your routine right now!

Thanks for sharing.

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The reason i am pondering learning the idle is because i think it might
give me an edge on balance.

I am also wondering what other tricks i should practice any tips?

Mike

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I reckon you only posted to brag about how good you are after only two
months 😉

I can just about idle now after almost two years - took me ages to get
it half decent on my 20". I still can't really idle the 26" for more
than a few repetitions. I seem to be pretty slow at picking up new
skills (I still can't ride backwards more than a couple of revs - too
chicken :o - and I'm getting quite annoyed about not being able to hop
up things, seems to be something I just can't get right at the moment
🙁). But I really enjoy riding the unicycle and I'm actually quite
respectable cross-country.

So don't worry - you're really doing much better than a lot of us!

Rob

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I agree with rob.northcott about the bragging about how much you've
learned in 2 months. 😄

After nearly a year, I can actually idle. But only because it's the
thing that I've practiced since I learned to ride. I wanted to be able
to idle and juggle. Also I wanted to be able to dance at BUC. I can
even idle with my 'other' foot. And I'm getting there with the
backwards riding.

But I can only hop up 7cm and drop down the curb. I can't do any other
'tricks', but I can ride my 29er off into the sunset.

Cathy

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phil said:

I learnt to idle fairly early on, but I can't remember the last time I
tried it. I've probably forgotten how! I just haven't had the need; a
standstill with little corrective hops is less effort, takes less room,
is far more controlled, quicker to get out of, the list goes on. Right
now I can't actually think of one advantage of idling over
stillstanding.

Phil

For me it is like this:

a standstill with little corrective hops takes more effort, takes more
room, is less controlled than idling

idling is also a good way to learn backwards riding

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just give it some time men... all the good riders have been riding for
more then 2 months 🙂 and I dont think iddling is that important.. I
barelly ever do it evne tho I can do it.. learn funner stuff .. unispin
crankflips...

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ok i am really sorry about coming off like that. i promise you i did
not mean it that way. I have had my uni for a while but never really
bothered learning, only off and on would i go out on it. it was only
when i looked up on the internet 2 months ago that i realised it was
amazing and it was the first time i ever realised you could do tricks
and not only ride. (i saw the trailer for universe 2 and a short vid
by kevin mc mullin http://www.kiteflix.com/unicycle.html)
I did have a lot of time on my hands though and it probaly helped i had
skated and tried unicycling before. So dont think i didnt practice.
It was before i got my school report and i didnt care that much for
coursework so i just rode all the time as much as i could. I now have
prelims and gcse's coming up and need to work more.

sorry again
mike

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You don't have to appologise. We're just jealous.

Cathy

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goldenchicken said:

a standstill with little corrective hops takes more effort, takes more
room, is less controlled than idling

Most curious. Doing little hops means most of the time you aren't
moving, and the only real effort is to bend your legs slightly as you
shift the wheel over a bit to keep it under you. Doing this doesn't
move around much - you don't see muni or trials riders idling before a
jump or whatnot - and while you're standing still you are free to
launch into whatever move you choose, rather than being constrained by
where you are in the cycle of idling...

Agreed about the backwards riding, though, I'd forgotten about that.
Also I learnt to wheelwalk from idling too. Not that I use either of
those skills much, mind...

Phil

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I'm sorry, I missed the part about why you were annoyed. It sounds like
you've learned quite a lot in your two months! The vast majority of the
world's unicyclists probably only ride forward and cannot idle or ride
backwards. Or in many cases even freemount.

swarbrim said:

does idling improve stillstands and overall balance alot??

I would say yes. It's a fairly basic, or root skill for the unicycle.
Many other things branch out from idling, including riding backwards.
It teaches you to work around the balance point to the front and rear.

There are tons of threads on idling, so give the search a try. I know
it's not the greatest search out there, but after some more reading you
may be able to ask in a little more detail about your problems. So far
your problem sounds like not enough time spent on idling, nothing else!
🙂

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What is idling???

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I'd just like to chime in and say that idling, next to the rolling
mount, is probably the skill I use the most. I idle seat out, seat in,
when I'm waiting at the crosswalk, on slanted surfaces, in the rain,
seat on side, in my sleep. When I'm up on the unicycle and thinking
over how to tackle a new trick, I'm idling. I think it's a hugely
useful skill. I don't even think about idling anymore.

That said, I ride a freestyle uni, and so it's quite easy to idle, and
hard to hop-stillstand on compared to something with a bouncy tire. I
think that all you people saying idling is overrated are very wrong.
It's a base skill that helps you learn many other skills, and you
should at the very least look into it. It will help you understand how
to control the uni, and I find it requires less effort than
hop-stillstanding.

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What exactly is idling?

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Tim Morin said:

What exactly is idling?

It's staying in place like you do ½ front rev then ½ back rev

here is a short video:
http://www.unicyclist.org/cont/play.cfm?pi=w320240idleR

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I've never tried that. Is it overly useful?

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Tim Morin said:

I've never tried that. Is it overly useful?

Idling is seen by many as an important skill both it itself (not sure
if hopping is less effort to stay in one place), AND as a stepping
stone to other skills.

Klaas Bil - Newsgroup Addict
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flyer said:

That said, I ride a freestyle uni, and so it's quite easy to idle, and
hard to hop-stillstand on compared to something with a bouncy tire. I
think that all you people saying idling is overrated are very wrong.
It's a base skill that helps you learn many other skills, and you
should at the very least look into it. It will help you understand how
to control the uni, and I find it requires less effort than
hop-stillstanding.

I think the only unicycle I regularly idle on is the 24" hockey
unicycle, I mostly ride that hands free (it doesn't have a handle
anyway). I can idle the coker, but it's way more effort than hopping +
stillstanding. I idle the muni every so often if I'm waiting for people
to catch up, but while I'm actually riding I'll pretty much never use
an idle, a quick hop is more useful as you stay in the power position.

Idling is useful for circus tricks like juggling on a uni and for
playing hockey, but not so important if you ride to get somewhere
rather than to do freestyle tricks.

I think hop stilstands are less effort than idling if you've got them
right, cos most of the time you're doing nothing, and you only do a
tiny hop every few seconds. I'd guess the people saying idling is
easier aren't muni or trials riders, so aren't used to doing
stillstands and weeny corrective hops and hop like people used to do
which takes more effort, with lots of hops and big hops.

Joe

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