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My new Coker

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rec.sport.unicycling
Published
1 May 2004
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5 May 2004
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cyberbellum
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  1. 'gallery photos' (http://tinyurl.com/2tvov)

    This is my new Coker. Dave Stockton (U-Turn) built it for me over the
    winter. I picked it up in NYC at the regular meeting at Grant's tomb.

    Rick Hunter made a custom 36" frame in a very cool lime green. The seat
    tube is extra short because I've got very short legs. I had him add
    stiffening bridges between the front and back struts at the brake
    mounting points. The brake feel is very positive, and my unicycle is
    now unique. I felt this was important because in DC there are quite a
    few fixed-gear riders who would love to own a new Coker. Since the
    frame is distinctive I've got a good chance of getting it back even if
    it is repainted. Theft was also a prime reason for requesting a Hunter,
    as it can be positively locked.

    The air seat is a Dave Stockton special. I haven't managed any rides
    longer than a mile so far so I can't give a credible sense of how it
    would feel for a long ride. It's less comfortable than my broken-in
    Brooks Swift saddle on my road bike, but more comfortable than my other
    unicycle saddles. I'll post an update when I break the 10 mile
    barrier.

    I can't free-mount well yet. Anything bigger than a 20" I have to
    side-mount it while holding onto something solid. So in order to get on
    I removed the brake and extension. Now that I've put them on again for
    the photos I think I'll try free-mounting using the brake tommorow.

    It's very strange going from a spin on the Coker to practicing my mounts
    on the 20". In some ways the Coker is the easiest of my unicycles to
    ride (I have a 20" and a 24"😉 because it is so smooth and full of
    momentum. On the other hand it's a little strange tooling along at 10+
    mph knowing that I could face-plant in a hearbeat. I've got no fear on
    a bike at 60+mph despite a few bad crashes, but somehow even with armor
    the Coker has my full attention. One thing is for sure - I'll never be
    intimidated riding a small unicycle again.

    Tim

    --
    cyberbellum - Level 1.0 rider!

    Optimists think the glass is half full. Pesimists think the glass is
    half empty. Engineers think the glass is too big.
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  2. A photo:

    +----------------------------------------------------------------+
    | Attachment filename: comparison with 700c fixed gear.jpg |
    |Download attachment: http://www.unicyclist.com/attachment/207134|
    +----------------------------------------------------------------+

    --
    cyberbellum - Level 1.0 rider!

    Optimists think the glass is half full. Pesimists think the glass is
    half empty. Engineers think the glass is too big.
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  3. She's a real looker, alright. And if I ever get a coker, it'll be from
    U-turn. They're awesome! I can't imagine how you could stand to leave
    it unattended away from home though, locked up or not!

    Congratulations!

    --
    elmer - uniimpaired

    "At 40 life begins...to show."
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  4. Very very nice!
    I know someone else who just got a new coker today. I've been sworn to
    secrecy, so I can't say any more. 🙂

    It is very odd seeing a Coker with such a short seatpost. It just
    doesn't look right to me. And more importantly, it's way to short for
    me to ride.

    --
    john_childs - Guinness Mojo

    john_childs (at) hotmail (dot) com
    Gallery: '' (http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/john_childs)
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  5. john_childs said:

    *I've been sworn to secrecy, so I can't say any more. 🙂

    *


    i havent,but i will keep to the code.....

    --
    forget_your_life - #3649 plus_your_life

    [image:
    http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/albums/albup23/bunnyjumping.gif]
    dream one dream many....
    *'R.I.P' (http://tinyurl.com/vr86)*
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  6. john_childs said:

    * It is very odd seeing a Coker with such a short seatpost. It just
    doesn't look right to me. And more importantly, it's way to short for
    me to ride. *

    It was odd watching tall people ride it at the Grant's tomb
    get-together. One of the guys had size 12 shoes so his heels nearly hit
    his butt!

    Free-mounting it is going to be very difficult. The frame is almost
    horizontal when I stand behind it with the seat in my crotch. That
    means the extension is leaning backwards at a 30 degree angle which
    prevents me from leaning forward. It was pretty comical trying to get
    on that way at the meet because I couldn't hold the seat between my
    legs.

    One or two women riders have suggested that I "ride the seat up", which
    would be great if my balls could start out in front of the seat.
    Somewhere between "balls behind the seat" and "balls in front of the
    seat" there is phase where the balls screw up the mount with "cease and
    desist" alerts. Willpower is never going to overcome the male body's
    natural reluctance to "do a grind" on its testicles. Somehow I've got
    to find a way to make first contact with the seat when it is near
    vertical.

    My best hope is to either perfect the side mount or do a rolling mount
    with brake assist, or some "saddle-em up cowboy" combination of the two.

    --
    cyberbellum - Level 1.0 rider!

    Optimists think the glass is half full. Pesimists think the glass is
    half empty. Engineers think the glass is too big.
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  7. cyberbellum said:

    *

    Free-mounting it is going to be very difficult. *

    Jayne Z A, do you have any pointers for this cat?

    --
    Sofa - you - pee - dee

    'Mommy!!! :eek: He's on a..........thing!!!!!........Wheel!!!!!!!!!!'
    - Some kid

    'Unicycle Product Reviews' (http://tinyurl.com/368h6) *107* reviews on
    *72* products

    'London Unicycling Club Website ' (http://www.brianmackenzie.com/LUC/)
    version 3.02

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  8. That is a beautiful machine😄
    I have only been riding my Coker a short time and am also cursed with a
    short inseam. As for as freemounting is concerned, try my method. I put
    one foot on the rear pedal, reach over the saddle and grab the wheel
    with one hand and pull myself up onto the Coker. I'll probably start
    trying to do a rolling mount on it tomorrow

    --
    Krashin'Kenny - Crash Tested

    If you ain't crashing, you ain't going fast enough!!!!!!!!!!!

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  9. Krashin'Kenny said:

    *That is a beautiful machine😄
    I have only been riding my Coker a short time and am also cursed with
    a short inseam. As for as freemounting is concerned, try my method. I
    put one foot on the rear pedal, reach over the saddle and grab the
    wheel with one hand and pull myself up onto the Coker. I'll probably
    start trying to do a rolling mount on it tomorrow *

    Yeah, I tried that at Grant's tomb. It wasn't enough at the time but it
    has potential for the future.

    The brake approach I intend to try this afternoon is essentially the
    same thing. My plan is to hold the seat vertical and get a bit of
    forward roll, then when the left crank is back and down at about 45
    degrees push the seat forward, step on the left pedal, lock the brake,
    haul myself up, plant the right foot, release the brake and settle into
    the saddle. Then fall over sideways. My goal is to get at least 15
    attepts every day until I make one.

    --
    cyberbellum - Level 1.0 rider!

    Optimists think the glass is half full. Pesimists think the glass is
    half empty. Engineers think the glass is too big.
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  10. cyberbellum said:

    *
    Yeah, I tried that at Grant's tomb. It wasn't enough at the time but
    it has potential for the future.

    The brake approach I intend to try this afternoon is essentially the
    same thing. My plan is to hold the seat vertical and get a bit of
    forward roll, then when the left crank is back and down at about 45
    degrees push the seat forward, step on the left pedal, lock the brake,
    haul myself up, plant the right foot, release the brake and settle
    into the saddle. Then fall over sideways. My goal is to get at least
    15 attepts every day until I make one. *


    My legs are short, too, though cyber's are 4.5 cm shorter. The Coker is
    a lot harder to mount for us leg-length challenged people. One exercise
    I've done is ride the path around the local track (so a lap is a little
    more than 1/4 mile). Every lap or so I dismount, then mount again.
    With all the remounts and failed attempts, it's a real workout. Doing
    10 miles this way, even though the ground is flat and smooth, is pretty
    tough until mounting becomes easy. This exercise is good also because
    it helps avoid the "Now I've ridden 8 miles of cool road riding, but I'm
    afraid to get off because there's no lamp post around" syndrome. I have
    to admit, though, that I still find mounting the Coker a challenge too
    much of the time, despite a lot of practice.

    --
    U-Turn - Member of Generation XO

    Weep in the dojo... laugh on the battlefield.

    '29er Tire Study' (http://u-turn.unicyclist.com/29erTireStudy/)

    'Strongest Coker Wheel in the World'
    (http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/albup39)

    'New York Unicycle Club' (http://www.newyorkunicycle.com)

    -- Dave Stockton
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  11. Try the rolling mount technique, it is the easiest way I have found,
    because the momentum of the wheel already moving takes away from the
    initial pedal moving problem, and the little jump you need to do would
    solve your small inseam problems.

    Walk behind the Coker, then time your hop to land you good foot on the
    pedal as it comes up to parellel.

    This mount was by far my favourite, easiest, Coker mount, and I was
    mounting with 99% success (because come on, we all miss a mount once or
    twice a year!) within a month or two.

    --
    Sofa - you - pee - dee

    'Mommy!!! :eek: He's on a..........thing!!!!!........Wheel!!!!!!!!!!'
    - Some kid

    'Unicycle Product Reviews' (http://tinyurl.com/368h6) *107* reviews on
    *72* products

    'London Unicycling Club Website ' (http://www.brianmackenzie.com/LUC/)
    version 3.02

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  12. Sofa said:

    *Try the rolling mount technique,... *

    Thanks Sofa. It might take me a bit longer since I'm not as gifted
    athletically, but I'll get there.

    That video of you suicide mounting a Coker with 2" of snow on the ground
    is inspirational. All I need is snow... 🙂 🙂

    --
    cyberbellum - Level 1.0 rider!

    Optimists think the glass is half full. Pesimists think the glass is
    half empty. Engineers think the glass is too big.
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  13. How much does one of those awesome 36" Hunter frames cost?

    --
    one wheeled stallion - Guerilla Unicyclist

    OWS

    "It's all in the mind, not the behind" -Mikefule
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  14. one wheeled stallion said:

    *How much does one of those awesome 36" Hunter frames cost? *

    You'll have to ask Rick; mine had a few custom modifications.

    'Hunter Price List' (http://www.huntercycles.com/pricelist.html)

    --
    cyberbellum - Level 1.0 rider!

    Optimists think the glass is half full. Pesimists think the glass is
    half empty. Engineers think the glass is too big.
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  15. Sofa said:

    *Jayne Z A, do you have any pointers for this cat? *

    Is this in connection with freemounting a coker (which I still can't do)
    or are you implying that, as a woman, I am short, and can thus give
    helpful advice to a short coker rider?

    I am about 175cm tall, my coker is standard in every way (other than the
    airseat and the rider), and my current experience of freemounting is
    pretty nonexistant.

    The best advice for mounting the coker is along the line of Kenny's
    method. My only variation is that I have a "support point" on the same
    side as the rear pedal as I tend to veer in that direction when I put my
    weight on the pedal. I do find that, with practice, I am putting less
    weight on the support point and can sometimes almost do without it.

    Being accustomed to this method has caused some hilarity at the juggling
    club as I (as you may guess) am not accustomed to riding small
    unicycles. I seldom venture out on smaller wheels as I can't always
    bend down far enough to grab onto the wheel to mount. You get FUNNY
    looks when you try to mount a 20 inch unicycle this way.

    Jayne

    --
    Jayne ZA - Learning to ride on a Coker

    Being a statistician means never having to say you're certain

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  16. I was just pointing our your recent success

    --
    Sofa - you - pee - dee

    'Mommy!!! :eek: He's on a..........thing!!!!!........Wheel!!!!!!!!!!'
    - Some kid

    'Unicycle Product Reviews' (http://tinyurl.com/368h6) *107* reviews on
    *72* products

    'London Unicycling Club Website ' (http://www.brianmackenzie.com/LUC/)
    version 3.02

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  17. Jayne ZA said:

    * I am about 175cm tall, my coker is standard in every way *

    For the record my unicycle is short because most of me is torso. I'm
    170 cm tall (5'7"😉, which is only about 5 cm shorter than average, but
    my leg length is average for people 152 cm tall (5'0"😉. Next Haloween I
    think I'll go as a Flintsone.

    --
    cyberbellum - Level 1.0 rider!

    Optimists think the glass is half full. Pesimists think the glass is
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  18. cyberbellum said:

    *
    For the record my unicycle is short because most of me is torso. I'm
    170 cm tall (5'7"😉, which is only about 5 cm shorter than average, but
    my leg length is average for people 152 cm tall (5'0"😉. Next Haloween
    I think I'll go as a Flintsone. *

    That's a very nice looking Coker!

    My Coker is set as low as it can go- which looks similar to yours- I use
    a KH seat which probably is shorter than your airseat. I'm 1.65m tall
    and my legs are probably the shortest part of me!

    I agree with what's been said- a rolling mount is the most essential
    mount for any sort of riding- especially for Coker riding. It's the
    only mount you will ever need for general riding. You might find you
    overshoot initially, but the worst that can happen is the wheel rolls
    out from behind you . It's a great mount for off-road/mounting on
    uneven surfaces.

    --
    GizmoDuck - Adventure unicyclist

    o-kO

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  19. GizmoDuck said:

    *Have a look in my Cambodia/Vietnam ride gallery... *

    Whoa - that must have been a great trip! Great photos!

    Today's trip report: I only managed to UPD 7 times on the Coker today.
    I gave up on the rolling mount after three tries and decided to just
    spend time in the saddle. The seventh UPD was more of a crash, since I
    didn't land on my feet. I was going about 10mph. The roll-out went
    well, no serious damage. (My left shin/knee pad now has a nice scar but
    I don't. 🙂 🙂 ) I decided to add elbow and hip protection to my
    suite of protective gear.

    My 661 wrist protectors were virtually worthless. This was the first
    time I needed them and they shredded. I have the same complaint against
    most modern cycling gloves, too. It's as if the manufacturers don't
    understand the function of protective gear. The old cowhide-palm
    cycling gloves could take a couple of crashes before losing their
    protective value. The new ones with the wonder fabrics come apart the
    first time they kiss the road leaving your palms exposed (personal
    experience).

    Since it was raining a bit I took the 24" out (it has spiky pedals) and
    worked on my mounts until it got dark. It's strange but I really can't
    tell the difference between my 20" and my 24" unicycles anymore. I have
    to check the color of the rim and the pedals to tell which one is which.
    They both feel like toys.

    Tim

    --
    cyberbellum - Level 1.0 rider!

    Optimists think the glass is half full. Pesimists think the glass is
    half empty. Engineers think the glass is too big.
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  20. cyberbellum said:
    john_childs said:

    * It is very odd seeing a Coker with such a short seatpost. It just
    doesn't look right to me. And more importantly, it's way to short
    for me to ride. *

    It was odd watching tall people ride it at the Grant's tomb
    get-together. One of the guys had size 12 shoes so his heels nearly
    hit his butt!

    Free-mounting it is going to be very difficult. The frame is almost
    horizontal when I stand behind it with the seat in my crotch. That
    means the extension is leaning backwards at a 30 degree angle which
    prevents me from leaning forward. It was pretty comical trying to get
    on that way at the meet because I couldn't hold the seat between my
    legs.

    One or two women riders have suggested that I "ride the seat up",
    which would be great if my balls could start out in front of the seat.
    Somewhere between "balls behind the seat" and "balls in front of the
    seat" there is phase where the balls screw up the mount with "cease
    and desist" alerts. Willpower is never going to overcome the male
    body's natural reluctance to "do a grind" on its testicles. Somehow
    I've got to find a way to make first contact with the seat when it is
    near vertical.

    Seat-out mount? Hold the seat in front of you, hop onto the pedals....

    Quoted message said:


    My best hope is to either perfect the side mount or do a rolling mount
    with brake assist, or some "saddle-em up cowboy" combination of the
    two.

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