TrialsUni said:*Hi,
Well I'm finally back in the saddle, after about 5-1/2 months of going
without a uni--I finally got the funds, and the bug is back.
I've just started to get into rolling hops with my KH20" Pro, with
Profiles, and tilted seat, and I was wondering how I might be able to
get higher rolling hops. I find that I often cop-out at trying bigger
stuff, so I really don't know where I can push the limits. I know
from riding with some trials bicyclist around Western Michigan
University that I can get 20" of air on flat ground.
How can I increase my confidence? I've only been back riding, with a
new unicycle mind you, for a little over a month, with about two dozen
practice sessions within that. I've been trying to get all my skills
back. Should I be more patient, and keep practicing? Will the length
rolling hops, and height rolling hops increase on their own that way?
Are their techniques I can use so that someday I might be able to
confidently roll hop onto a picnic table?
Right now I've been concentrating on everything at once: balance,
still stand, trials consistency (excess hop removal), riding skinnies,
mounting skinnies for future rail riding, rolling hops (long/up),
learning pedal grabs (which I got onto a concrete ledge today that had
a beveled top edge (so only 2/3 of my pedal were on it) and that was
about 36" high).
So am I trying for too much at once? Are there real techniques on
cycle, and off that I can use to get used to the feel of rolling hops,
whether for distance, or height?
Thanks for your time,
Evan,
the wants-to-be-an-expert-trials-rider-all-at-once unicyclist. *
I like how you're approaching your riding. There's no limit to how much
you can practice at once, as long as you don't detract from other
important skills. A 36" pedalgrab is pretty good.
A rolling hop on a uni is no different from a running jump on your feet,
except thqat you have a wheel under you and you can't go as fast, and
it's tons more intimidating. A few hints and things I've noticed:
Aprehension before a big rolling hop is absolutely natural, and is
generally reasonable, to a degree. I can do about 32-33" rolling, but I
still get nervous on stuff as low as 29". Don't ignore this feeling.
There's a reason it's there. But on the other hand, don't let your
riding be dominated by it. Sometimes it's helpful to learn things bit by
bit, by working your way up. i landed my record rolling hop by
increasing the height 1/2-1" at a time. Another thing I use to manage my
fear is to remember how I will fall if I don't make it. I have around a
99% success rate when I go for rolling hops, all the way up to about
31". Past that, the number drops to a decent 80%. This means that I
don't have experince falling. I have to remind myself that if I don't
make the height, the worst thing to happen will be that I hit my wheel
on the object and I fall forward, without much injury. This makes me
commit more to the hop and more successful.
When doing rolling hops, a good way to do it is to measure your pedals
so that you are *absolutely* sure that they will line up. You should
make roling hops have as little distraction as possible. A good rule of
thumb I use for measurement is that I will leave the ground at a
distance equal to the height of the object. Honestly. This means that I
will be jumping from as far out as 32" for hops bove 30". It's wierd,
but it really works.
I hope this helps.
--
gerblefranklin - Trials Unicyclist
Don't you think it's a cruel irony that acting like a G.I. Joe in the
army can get you a Medal, while playing with one can get you thrown
out?
http://gallery.unicyclist.com/Trials-Muni
"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful. They will stop at nothing
to hurt us and our people, and nethier will we"-Dubya
Vote Kerry. Yeah, they both suck, but Kerry sucks less.
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