Re: Is idling more that a neat trick?



elmer wrote:
> *Tomblackwood, the same offer I made to the others applies to you! 25
> idles(back and forth is one) earns you $25!*

Deal! Thanks Elmer... :D

And Justice, Take my previous comment in the spirit it was given. Not
idling may not hold you back now, but it is a core skill that supports
many other aspects of riding. To make an analogy, Wynton Marsalis and Yo
Yo Ma both run standard scales on their instruments every day. Idling
is like running scales on a unicycle.


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tomblackwood wrote:
> *To make an analogy, Wynton Marsalis and Yo Yo Ma both run standard
> scales on their instruments every day. Idling is like running scales
> on a unicycle. *

Sure. I support that analogy, and add that the highest *paid* musicians
DON'T run scales everyday - and/or are not the best technical players.
The orignator of this thread has less "technical" motivation and is more
concerned with the enjoyment of riding and getting from point a to b.
Taking his goal into consideration, he can skip some of the skills we
lust after, and simply ride natural trials. Practicing is not "one size
fits all."


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ChangingLINKS.com - member

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Drew Brown
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ChangingLINKS.com wrote:
> *Sure. I support that analogy, and add that the highest *paid*
> musicians DON'T run scales everyday - and/or are not the best
> technical players.*

The highest paid musicians (today) are not really musicians. The only
instrument Britney can play is the Media. At one time, Benny Goodman
was the highest paid musician on the planet. He ran scales every day. I
get the intent of the original question, but was making a point around
having the most basic level of control over one's instrument. On a uni,
basic control is being able to stop without dismounting. I'm not saying
kick yourself if you can't idle....but learn it.


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tomblackwood - Registered Nurtz

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I see your point Tom. "You" include it as a basic skill.
I sure don't - and the original poster proves it isn't.
Going back to the start of the thread.

Justice wrote:
> *Is idling more that a neat trick? *

We can all agree that YES it is more than just a "neat trick."

Justice wrote:
> * I am the only non-idler in our family, and it doesn't seem to hold
> me back at all. *

Here's where some of us may disagree.
I don't think the "lack" of the idling skill should hold you back. Watch
the Universe2 video closely and you will see a LOT of idling - it is
incorporated in hopping. Thus, I feel that if you continue to ride the
way you are (off-road, trials) you will develop into a good rider and
eventually, you may be able to idle (without having had to practice it
like the rest of us).
Currently, the Unicycling community (like skateboarding and trials
community) seem to put value on knowing more and more skills - BUT pause
for a moment and look at Mountain Biking as a whole - most riders just
get out and ride (weekend warriors) and don't practice stillstands,
hopping, drops etc. That doesn't mean they don't enjoy it, and it sure
doesn't mean they don't get "good" at it - it just means they don't take
the time to "study." For them, practice is in the DOING.

While some of us are practicing hours to learn idling and wheelwalking -
you could be out ripping up trail (and you will improve at it just like
we improve on the skills we take time to practice). I'd even bet that in
a race against someone who spent all their time on fundamentals, you'd
win.

I could be wrong, but I think that answers the question you were
asking.
Practice and do the skills/tasks you want to excel at. Not all of us
will look down on you if you can't (idle, ride backwards, skid, wheel
walk, etc) . . . but, unfortunately, some of us will.


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ChangingLINKS.com - member

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Drew Brown
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johnfoss wrote:
> Though you seem to describe yourself as a solid rider, generally
> people who don't know how to idle also don't know how to ride
> backwards. Without being able to idle, you can't stop without having
> to get off. Unless you want to hop in place I guess.

Or grab something. Or - and this is a *stupid* suggestion - still stand.

Why is it stupid? Because
A) Still stand is WAY harder than idling and
B) It *might* be impossible to learn still stand without learning to idle
first.


> I consider forward, backward, idling and turning to be the base skills
> of unicycling. Right now a bike can pretty much do everything you can.
> You haven't fully experienced unicycling until you've learned those
> base skills.

Interesting list, I'd've included free mount and UUPD. ;-)
>
> Also, odds are you're dangerous to be around. If you're going to ride
> on a crowded sidewalk, for example, you'll be less of a hazard to the
> pedestrians if you can stop when needed. Again you can get by with
> hopping, but I think you're missing out.
 
Its funny how seriously some of us take this. I don't think UNICYCLING
is a necessary skill to learn. I think it's a BLAST though!!!

There's nothing wrong with learning how to play basic I IV V chord
progressions then blasting over them with a penentonic blues scale. You
don't have to become a virtuouso to enjoy playing a musical
instrument.

as for running through the scales? Sure, that's important if you're
planning on being a professional.

Are you planning on becoming a professional unicylist? Better learn to
idle.

You don't have to idle to enjoy unicycling. I'm guessing you will
someday though, probably about the time you decide it would be a good
skill to have.


--
mscalisi - Not such a newbie anymore
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======================
I am the only non-idler in our family, and it doesn't seem to hold me
back at all.
======================

One could say the same thing about freemounting. Trust us, once you
learn to idle, you will realize how useful a skill it is. Not having to
dismount and remount every time you have to stop for a second is
immensely helpful for just basically getting around on a unicycle. When
I'm out riding, I find that I idle many more times per ride than I
dismount. It's not really a "trick" as much as it is one of the basic
skills, like freemounting.


--
weeble - There can be only one... wheel


==============
Another Joe in MN
Level 2 and holding
==============


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