Trials Newbie Questions

I found it easier to learn ww (still learning, but getting there) on my
trials then my old freestyle uni. I think it had to do with the fact
that it was easier to put your foot on the wheel.

David

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darchibald - Unofficial level 4.6

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RangerForrest said:

*What should I learn first?*

Everything. Get busy.

Quoted message said:

*Is it common to develop huge calouses on your handle holding hand?
(I have torn my hand apart.)*

Yes. Obviously your hand needs time to heal. Wear gloves after that. In
the meantime, you can practice riding skinnies. Start with curbs, then
try skinnier or higher stuff.

Quoted message said:

*What is a good method for learning basic hopping such as onto curbs
and eventually up stairs?*

This may sound lame, but watch other people do it. Either in videos or
live, if possible. Remember, a set of stairs is nothing more than a
bunch of curbs stacked side by side. Once you can do one, you'll be able
to build up to many.

Quoted message said:

*How practical is learning to wheel walk on a trials uni?*

It's probably easier, due to the fat tire. Besides, you don't need your
hands, so it's something good to practice while waiting for your hand to
mend.

Quoted message said:

*Why have my parents forbidden me to buy any more unicycles?*

My guesses. Probably because:
1. You live in their house and don't pay rent. So it's their rules.
2. You're under 18, so it's their rules.
3. You may want to go to college at some point, so you need a little
money left over for that? 🙂

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johnfoss - Walkin' on the edge

John Foss, the Uni-Cyclone
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I think it is #3 John. Thanks for all of the analysis it is nice to
hear something useful. All I ever hear around here is "Hey he only has
one wheel!" Nothing useful and no unicyclists.

Thanks.

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RangerForrest - Isolated Unicyclist

Dreaming of a KH Trials
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RangerForrest said:

*I am interested in real tricks. Not drops.*

Then you're already half way there. Not doing stupid big drops will
lengthen the life of your uni by a ton.

Wheelwalking is much easier on a trials uni, except it's harder to turn
the wheel. You can just pump up the tire to fix that.

When it comes to hopping, firstly, what kind of seat do you have? I got
callusses on my hand from hopping seat out on a Kh saddle, but I never
got callusses hopping seat in with a miyata, united, savage, and Kh
saddle. Try to relax your grip, you'll get fewer callusses and improve
your balance at the same time.

Rolling hops: There was a thread recently about them, dig back a week or
so and you should find it. My method is to ignore what people tell me
and just try to hop over sidewalk squares without stopping on the way
home (this was back when I didn't have anyone to tell me better, and I
didn't even know what a rolling hop was). My first non-curb high rolling
hop was about 16", without any practice for height, just because I'd
become so comfortable with rolling gaps. trust me, once your comfortable
doing squares, curbs will be easy and high rolling hops will just seem
natural.

Your parents won't buy you another unicycle because parents hate
unicycles. Mine made me buy ever unicycle I own. And they make me pay
for at least 1/2 of the cost of any uni convention I go to. When you
don't have a steady job, that's awful steep. They're just jealous that
they have to walk, while I'm on a spiffy fireball uni😎 .

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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?

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I actually haven't gotten callouses, just a really sore middle finger
from hopping/gripping the saddle while muni-ing... I've only had it 2
weeks, but I spent about 2 hours one day just practicing hopping, and my
hand hasn't recovered... I have to use my left hand to flip off the
people who laugh at me 😉

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evil-nick - Budding Uni Buddha

Never kick a unicyclist in the groin... it will only make them grow
stronger...

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I pay every cent of what goes into my unicycling. My parents contribute
neither money nor encouragement. I have two jobs. One pays $12.50 and
hour and the other pays $20.00 an hour. I earned over $200.00 last
weekend. I put 3/4 of the money in the bank and the rest has gone
towards my unicycle obsession.

I am 19 and I will buy a MUni for school next year. My parents strongly
discourage the idea but ultimately let me make my own decisions.

What else should a Trials newbie know?

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RangerForrest - Isolated Unicyclist

Dreaming of a KH Trials
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I have found that my sore hands, torn skin, blisters, etc. are from
doing somethng wrong - like the death grip that comes from inexperience.
relax... Try to be aware of how you are wasting so much energy in
various places that are actaully preventing you from making that hop or
the rail that you are trying ride.

John's advice is solid. Don't spend too much time on trying to do
massive leaps all the time. Break-up the riding practice routine and
give your body a break and try another facit of trials.

Regarding massive drops, "massive' is a realtive term but as you learn
to relax you will be able to more easily land larger and larger drops.
Graduate to higher, skinnier, longer, etc. this will help you to build
confidence and help you to relax. Again, keeping in mind that it is all
relative. A "massive" drop to me is 3' - 4', not much by many's
standards here but that is what I've been able to comfortably work up
to.

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Tmornstar - Grandmaster 2T

Tommy Thompson
[email hidden] (No PMs. please)
Memphis Unicycle Club
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I think the best way to get yourself to do big drops is ride skinnies
high off the ground. Then, when you inevitably fall, you're forced to do
a "massive" drop.

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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?

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RangerForrest said:

*
Last of all I would just like to point out that I have just learned
why so many people do large drops on their uni. It is easy. A five
foot drop may sound intense but it is hardly a skill. I picked it up
without the slightest effort but can still not hop up a curb. I am
interested in real tricks. Not drops.*

You can do a 5 foot drop but you can't hop up a curb... forgive me but
that's really hard to believe. Do you just roll off them or do you hop
off them, because if you hop off them then you should definately be able
to hop up a curb.

A video would be nice.

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I have heard many people say that it is worthwhile to set up a flat,
slanted surface and hop on it while turning in circles. This will get
you used to having to put pressure on the pedals in different ways so
that you can hop onto slanted objects well. This is especially helpful
in natural trials.

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Yo-

I was at the same place several months ago, but I didn't know any
freestyle moves. If I could go back and redo my training routine, I
would have worked on forward and rolling hops/drops from the very start
(core muni skills), as well as seat-out stuff. Instead, I slaved over
working up a giant side hop and at one time could seat-in side hop onto
5 palates but couldn't front hop onto a 4" curb or even ride down a set
of stairs.

Like Tommy suggested, keep mixing in all the basic techniques to keep
the sessions interesting and varied as opposed to binging on one
technique--like I did. In a year you'll know all the moves anyhow, so
you might as well have fun learning them.

JL

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vivalargo
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i have a question:
When crank arm, or pedal stalling how do you protect your cranks from
getting damaged? Is there some sort of sleeve you can put over your
crank so it doesn't get chunks taken out of it? i've tried rapping the
crank in duct tape but the tape just wears off.

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"Last of all I would just like to point out that I have just learned why
so many people do large drops on their uni. It is easy. A five foot drop
may sound intense but it is hardly a skill. I picked it up without the
slightest effort but can still not hop up a curb. I am interested in
real tricks. Not drops. "

this makes me very sad I just was out and did a four foot drop and bent
the axel on my stupid torker and it was n't even a full four feet. oh
well life goes on I hope
🙁

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canadianrugby said:

*i have a question:
When crank arm, or pedal stalling how do you protect your cranks from
getting damaged? Is there some sort of sleeve you can put over your
crank so it doesn't get chunks taken out of it? i've tried rapping the
crank in duct tape but the tape just wears off. *

Don't bother with a sleeve. It's a waste of weight. Not to mention,
you'd need to do around 3,000 pedalgrabs onto concrete or about 300
bad-technique grinds on concrete before and real damage was done to your
crank. I've done somewhere near 2,000 pedalgrabs onto various materials,
with a bunch of them onto concrete, and my crank's fine. I've never
heard of a brank breaking due to grinds or pedalgrabs. If you're
thrashing your equipment that much, a few pedalgrabs won't make a
difference.

Here's a pic of my left crank on my Onza:

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| Attachment filename: grind damage to left crank.jpg |
|Download attachment: http://www.unicyclist.com/attachment/218298|
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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?

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And here's the other side:

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| Attachment filename: other side of left crank.jpg |
|Download attachment: http://www.unicyclist.com/attachment/218299|
+----------------------------------------------------------------+

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gerblefranklin - Trials Unicyclist

Don't you think it's a cruel irony that acting like a G.I. Joe in the
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out?

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gerblefranklin, that's beautiful art man!!!! 😉 😄

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