hints on idling?

[The 70's]

Could anyone give me any hints that would help me to idle easier?
I've got a 24" (which I absolutely love, and use all the time), and a 20"
for the kids to learn.
I've tried idling (staying in one spot) with both, but can't decide which
would be easier to learn with. I'm more comfortable with the 24" (I can get
the seat post higher), but I've been told a smaller wheel is easier to learn
on, even though I learned on the bigger uni, then got the smaller one.
Thanks to all.



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[duaner]

Yep. Lots of practice.

I'd recommend the 20 if it fits you; otherwise the 24. My opinion: you
definitely do _not_ want the seat low. It's much easier (to balance and
less work and to learn) to idle with your low-foot leg almost
straight.

For just 'starting' a door frame provides nice side-to-side support
while you start to get the front to back balance.

Do _not_ look down; stare at a spot out in front of you.

Try to get the weight off your feet and onto the seat - once stable,
there should be little or no weight on your high foot. (For example: My
right foot down idling has been pretty solid for a while, and a week ago
I discovered I could idle one footed - all I had to do was find out
where to place my left foot on the frame; took me all of 3 minutes to
'learn' this one foot idling)

As I started to get the hang of it, I had major trouble keeping the
idling in place side-to-side. Correct this by: leaning hips to correct,
and/or squeezing thighs closer together, or leaning seat more against
the inside of the opposite thigh, or changing the amount of weight on
the high foot, or pushing sideways inward or outward with the high foot.
Once 'centered' again, remember to get your wieght back on the seat.
(Some of these techniques I learned when learning rite foot idling,
others when I while (re)learning left footed).

Practice lots! When you're standing or pacing around chatting,
thinking, smoking, etc., do _not_ stand or pace - Idle!


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[Mikefule]

Yes, it takes practice, but... you need to know what to practise!

If you use the search function in this forum you will find several
threads giving advice.

It is approximately as easy to idle on a 20 with 125s as on a 24 with
150s. However, learning idling is a bit easier on the smaller wheel.

Pump the tyre up good and hard.

The movement is with the bottom foot. The bottom pedal moves from about
4 on the clock face to about 8. (Ideally from about 5 to about 7.)

The idle movement is arhythmic changing between two positions:
1) Wheel slightly in front, unicycle aboutto fall backwards, and
2) Wheel slightly behind, unicycle about to fall forwards.

Keep your head still and let the unicycle swing underneath you like a
pendulum.

Keep your weight on the saddle.

Use mainly the bottom foot.

Keep your body (torso, trunk) upright.

Focus your eyes on something at least 20 yard/metres away. Don't look
down.

Start by riding forwards, stopping, then riding forwards.

Then ride forwards, stop and use the back stroke of the pedal to pass
the unicycle under you so that you dismount off the front.

Then ride forwards, stop, let the wheel pass back underneath you then
ride off again, all without dismounting.

Then it's a matter of building this sequence of movements. Count the
pedal strokes.

In an hour or so of honest practice, you should find you're making
progress. You probably won't be idling, but you will be able to see how
it can be done.

And finally, swapping between wheel sizes isn't as big a thing as some
have suggested. I find that if I ride the Coker for a long time then
get ontot he 20, the 20 is skittish and feels wrong for a minute or two,
but I soon adjust.

The difference between a 20 and 24, or 24 and 26 is less significant,
although it can take a little while to adjust your freemount.

Crank size can make more difference than wheel size when trying to swap
skills from one uni to another.


--
Mikefule - Roland Hope School of Unicycling

"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we
fall."
Confucius
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[The 70's]

Thanks again to all, it was what I thought, practice, practice, practice.
But some of you did give me other hints to try (low foot as straight down as
possible), something else to try.

--
Remove the OBVIOUS to autoreply.
"Mikefule" > wrote in message
...
>
> Yes, it takes practice, but... you need to know what to practise!
>
> If you use the search function in this forum you will find several
> threads giving advice.
>
> It is approximately as easy to idle on a 20 with 125s as on a 24 with
> 150s. However, learning idling is a bit easier on the smaller wheel.
>
> Pump the tyre up good and hard.
>
> The movement is with the bottom foot. The bottom pedal moves from about
> 4 on the clock face to about 8. (Ideally from about 5 to about 7.)
>
> The idle movement is arhythmic changing between two positions:
> 1) Wheel slightly in front, unicycle aboutto fall backwards, and
> 2) Wheel slightly behind, unicycle about to fall forwards.
>
> Keep your head still and let the unicycle swing underneath you like a
> pendulum.
>
> Keep your weight on the saddle.
>
> Use mainly the bottom foot.
>
> Keep your body (torso, trunk) upright.
>
> Focus your eyes on something at least 20 yard/metres away. Don't look
> down.
>
> Start by riding forwards, stopping, then riding forwards.
>
> Then ride forwards, stop and use the back stroke of the pedal to pass
> the unicycle under you so that you dismount off the front.
>
> Then ride forwards, stop, let the wheel pass back underneath you then
> ride off again, all without dismounting.
>
> Then it's a matter of building this sequence of movements. Count the
> pedal strokes.
>
> In an hour or so of honest practice, you should find you're making
> progress. You probably won't be idling, but you will be able to see how
> it can be done.
>
> And finally, swapping between wheel sizes isn't as big a thing as some
> have suggested. I find that if I ride the Coker for a long time then
> get ontot he 20, the 20 is skittish and feels wrong for a minute or two,
> but I soon adjust.
>
> The difference between a 20 and 24, or 24 and 26 is less significant,
> although it can take a little while to adjust your freemount.
>
> Crank size can make more difference than wheel size when trying to swap
> skills from one uni to another.
>
>
> --
> Mikefule - Roland Hope School of Unicycling
>
> "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we
> fall."
> Confucius
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Mikefule's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/879
> View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/27317
>

[Memphis Mud]

Loosen your waist. Think "I'm a sexy hula dancer".

I learned quicker when a friend suggested driving the motion with the
top foot. This move really helped me. It has been easy to unlearn.
Unlearn it as soon as you can so it doesn't become permanent bad form.
(because you'll soon want to try one foot idling where there ain't no
top foot).

Practice the other foot down from the beginning. May as well. That way,
when you start to get tired you can switch.

Keep the arms out. (at least initially)


--
Memphis Mud - Student of GrandMaster 2T

Mantra: Avoid Hitting Tailbone...Avoid Hitting Tailbone...
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[djm]

Practise - Practise - Practise. It took me for a week and I agree with
all the others. Let us know how you got on.

David


--
djm - David John Mason

http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/davidsalbum
davidjmason[at]unicyclist[dot]com
-David J. Mason-


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