Old Fogey joins the gang

tedward

Had to get a uni to see what it was all about.
Took a while to learn on a 24.
I paid my dues. Right
Weathered the scorn and the pedal bites.....
and finally I could ride

What a buzz!

Now graduated to a 28.

No skills to speak of yet but I'm patient and they'll come.

Should have started 20 years ago when I was a mere 47.

Clocked up about 400 miles so far.

Unicycling is the most rewarding thing that I've ever learnt.
A unicycle is a mobile gymnasium.

Cheers Grandad (getting younger evr'y day)

EoinC

Having ridden 24 & 28, what would you recommend for another old fart thinking about the benefits of riding with with one less wheel? I'm planning on picking up a unicycle later this year.

tedward

tedward replies:
I bought a cheap learner's 24" unicycle and found it quite adequate for that purpose.
Generally the smaller the wheel diameter the easier it is to learn basic skills, so a 20" size may reduce your learning time to a minimum.
Subsequently you will have a better appreciation of what type of unicycling you wish to pursue - but that comes later.
You may then decide to purchase a more specialised and stronger unicycle.
So I would recommend buying a simple cheap basic model to cut your teeth (and your shins) on.

Good luck if you do go ahead and get involved, but remember to be patient and persistent.
The basic ability to ride takes the body a while to figure out, and you may be tempted to think it's impossible.
However if you managed to learn to walk then you can learn to unicycle because you already have all the balance equipment that you need to succeed. It just needs reprogramming. Soon you will be wondering why you ever found it difficult.

Try to find a convenient venue where you can practise daily out of the public gaze.
A covered verandah at home is ideal.

Hope this helps.

__________________
Old Fogey

EoinC

Cheers, OF. When I was a little younger, I used to be able to wheelstand my bike as far as I liked, so I don't think balance should be too much of a problem - more a question of getting used to it and trusting the reflex's again.
It seems to me that with most activities requiring balance, you have to fall off to find where the balance range is. Once you find yourself anticipating going out of the range, and correcting without over-correcting, progress moves along at a noticeable pace.
Once you see progress, the frustration factor disappears and the enjoyment factor increases.
I'm looking forward to giving it a shot. Thanks for the advice on the sizes.

Regards,
Eoin

EoinC

OF - I've decided to go for a 24" to get started. Further down the track, I may want something bigger, but I'll have to justify that to the Chief Finance Officer at the time (down on my knees, wailing incessantly....you get the picture?). I won't get back home for another couple of months, but I hope to have it waiting for me when I get there.
Have a look at this... www.laosunitour.org

Regards,
Eoin