first i was a bit disapointed you hadnt taken in a real beginner to demonstrate your teaching without any faking! But i take it back cause rogers discrete silent acting makes my friday evening! love to you guys! thanks for making this tutorial on one of the most important and hardest tricks out there
Nick, get a real beginner next time. Leg shaking, stepping on/unicycle shooting under you, unicycle twisting away from you...we need to see that. Beginners need to see this. What's going to happen when a total beginner buys a brand new nimbus and step onto those aluminum studded pedals at 9 o'clock position? Yup, 4 deep bear claw slashes across their shins. Get your RMA form ready, Nick. Also, for wall practice this is what I recommend: a.) Pedal from 3/9 o'clock to 9/3 o'clock. Work half revolutions at a time. I believe that classic Jack Wiley book says to do that. b.) After mastering that, then pedal 1/4 rev's at a time. 3/9 o'clock → 6/12 → 9/12 →3/9 o'clock. Yes, you get into "the dead spot". c.) Now, add a little "rock/lean forward" and "hip thrust" to physically force that wheel to rotate. At same time "grind" those cranks to get out of dead spot. This is the bulk of practicing unicycle strength, timing and pedal back pressure skills needed. Now, time to get off wall or hand rails to work on: a.) lateral balance controlled by pedal "down pressure" and simultaneous "knee up" and shoulder/hip twist to the other side for balance. b.) fwd/aft balance, which is a continuation of (c.) above. Where you lean forward, then you drive a pedal down for the matching "whiplash". Then, repeat, again, again. fall frwd →whiplash→ fall forward,....repeat.
Another good watch is the go to a tennis court, use the corner where the fencing meets. Get of the unicycle and then let go and try to pedal. It took me about 10 tries to be able to go a few revolutions and I just kept it up going further and further each time.
I don't say that it is OK to drop the unicycle any more- that encouraged deliberate wreckage. I go straight to teaching graceful dismounts, rather than falling off. Step off intentionally and catch it! It works out safer for the rider and the unicycle.
Thanks for the input Rowan, this guide is teaching people that cannot ride. Dismounts when you can't ride are never graceful and never controlled. 😂 If you’re learning on a decent Unicycle no damage will come to the Unicycle by dropping it, the plastic handles are designed for that. Graceful dismounts can come later when the rider has a little more skill, and catching the Unicycle for total newbies causes injuries. 😬
I beg to differ. I have been teaching children unicycling since 2007 and they have enough skill to put thier brains towards learning anything. Learning graceful dismounts first means you don't destroy the seat and pedals as much. If you tell kids the unicycle doesn't matter the crashes are far more spectacular. It is bad advice for a unicycle teacher- good advice for someone selling parts.
Maybe you can send me a bunch of free handles and bumpers since you don't understand how concrete can wear down plastic when repeatedly impacting. My ones (that you say are designed to do that) are not fit for purpose and are wearing out. They become very sharp and jagged, and are a hazard to precious newbies, and pedals become unsuitable for indoor use. I have massive bags full of replaced pedals. Are you suggesting I don't know what I'm talking about?
From my experience of trying to "hang on longer to dismount gracefully" = more injury, sprained ankles, torn shins and deep bruises from pedal slap back. Yes, I've done all that. Also, sprained wrists when catching the seat, because you can keep the unicycle up but there's nothing to keep it from twisting your wrist. When you feel something wrong, jump off immediately. This "impulse" was very useful for me when I learned to unicycle backwards and also SIF. Also, yes it's true that all that abuse will get expensive. Those $50 amazon crap won't last and each time they drop the seat needs to re-adjust. That's why you can't go cheap. Get something solid like a Torker at twice cost. It's worth it.
As a total newbie here aged 40, one of the last things I could imagine thinking about when falling off is catching the unicycle. As my confidence builds I am slowly integrating a ‘graceful’ dismount but that doesn’t suit me right now. It’s sad to see such an aggressive comment from someone on a fun hobby video, and also to a company who is clearly trying their best. There maybe right and wrong ways, but each person is different with different abilities and confidence levels. It’s very likely adults have a different learning process to children. There’s also no crime here 😂 it’s just a unicycling video.
Thanks for your response. We structed the video like this to emphasise the key points of how to teach someone to ride a unicycle. It is not an example of someone on the journey of how to learn which could have diluted the message.
This was a very useful video! Now to find a friend to take me from the wall to riding solo.
first i was a bit disapointed you hadnt taken in a real beginner to demonstrate your teaching without any faking! But i take it back cause rogers discrete silent acting makes my friday evening! love to you guys! thanks for making this tutorial on one of the most important and hardest tricks out there
Nick, get a real beginner next time. Leg shaking, stepping on/unicycle shooting under you, unicycle twisting away from you...we need to see that. Beginners need to see this. What's going to happen when a total beginner buys a brand new nimbus and step onto those aluminum studded pedals at 9 o'clock position?
Yup, 4 deep bear claw slashes across their shins. Get your RMA form ready, Nick.
Also, for wall practice this is what I recommend:
a.) Pedal from 3/9 o'clock to 9/3 o'clock. Work half revolutions at a time. I believe that classic Jack Wiley book says to do that.
b.) After mastering that, then pedal 1/4 rev's at a time. 3/9 o'clock → 6/12 → 9/12 →3/9 o'clock. Yes, you get into "the dead spot".
c.) Now, add a little "rock/lean forward" and "hip thrust" to physically force that wheel to rotate. At same time "grind" those cranks to get out of dead spot.
This is the bulk of practicing unicycle strength, timing and pedal back pressure skills needed.
Now, time to get off wall or hand rails to work on:
a.) lateral balance controlled by pedal "down pressure" and simultaneous "knee up" and shoulder/hip twist to the other side for balance.
b.) fwd/aft balance, which is a continuation of (c.) above. Where you lean forward, then you drive a pedal down for the matching "whiplash". Then, repeat, again, again. fall frwd →whiplash→ fall forward,....repeat.
Another good watch is the go to a tennis court, use the corner where the fencing meets. Get of the unicycle and then let go and try to pedal. It took me about 10 tries to be able to go a few revolutions and I just kept it up going further and further each time.
Sending full support watching here from Philippines
Good content keep it up nice video teaching unicycle I like that talent I'm very excited to learn unicycle
Step 0: find a friend who's willing to learn 😂
Haha! Yeah, that's a tricky one... 😂
what size wheel would your suggest is the easiest to learn on?
It depends on your size and what type of person you are. It is covered in our FAQ here: www.unicycle.co.uk/faq/article/what-size-unicycle-to-buy
I tried...couldn't do it
...will try again soon....
Do try again, it takes many trys to get to the point where your body understands the balance and you have the coordination to move forward.
I don't say that it is OK to drop the unicycle any more- that encouraged deliberate wreckage. I go straight to teaching graceful dismounts, rather than falling off. Step off intentionally and catch it! It works out safer for the rider and the unicycle.
Thanks for the input Rowan, this guide is teaching people that cannot ride. Dismounts when you can't ride are never graceful and never controlled. 😂 If you’re learning on a decent Unicycle no damage will come to the Unicycle by dropping it, the plastic handles are designed for that.
Graceful dismounts can come later when the rider has a little more skill, and catching the Unicycle for total newbies causes injuries. 😬
I beg to differ. I have been teaching children unicycling since 2007 and they have enough skill to put thier brains towards learning anything. Learning graceful dismounts first means you don't destroy the seat and pedals as much. If you tell kids the unicycle doesn't matter the crashes are far more spectacular. It is bad advice for a unicycle teacher- good advice for someone selling parts.
Maybe you can send me a bunch of free handles and bumpers since you don't understand how concrete can wear down plastic when repeatedly impacting. My ones (that you say are designed to do that) are not fit for purpose and are wearing out. They become very sharp and jagged, and are a hazard to precious newbies, and pedals become unsuitable for indoor use. I have massive bags full of replaced pedals. Are you suggesting I don't know what I'm talking about?
From my experience of trying to "hang on longer to dismount gracefully" = more injury, sprained ankles, torn shins and deep bruises from pedal slap back. Yes, I've done all that. Also, sprained wrists when catching the seat, because you can keep the unicycle up but there's nothing to keep it from twisting your wrist.
When you feel something wrong, jump off immediately. This "impulse" was very useful for me when I learned to unicycle backwards and also SIF.
Also, yes it's true that all that abuse will get expensive. Those $50 amazon crap won't last and each time they drop the seat needs to re-adjust. That's why you can't go cheap. Get something solid like a Torker at twice cost. It's worth it.
As a total newbie here aged 40, one of the last things I could imagine thinking about when falling off is catching the unicycle.
As my confidence builds I am slowly integrating a ‘graceful’ dismount but that doesn’t suit me right now.
It’s sad to see such an aggressive comment from someone on a fun hobby video, and also to a company who is clearly trying their best.
There maybe right and wrong ways, but each person is different with different abilities and confidence levels.
It’s very likely adults have a different learning process to children.
There’s also no crime here 😂 it’s just a unicycling video.
Need to use a REAL beginner. Please, are not there any out there.
Thanks for your response. We structed the video like this to emphasise the key points of how to teach someone to ride a unicycle. It is not an example of someone on the journey of how to learn which could have diluted the message.