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Old October 5th 03, 06:14 PM
Carl Barrentine
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Default New Torker: My first attempts trying to ride...

MUNIYETI wrote:

I know if you've read through the posts here the number 1 thing that
is suggested is to "put your weight on the saddle"...this advice did
not work for me initially, the high center of gravity (coupled with
ingrained "bike balance"
mentality of having most of the weight supported by your legs) made me
nervous and wildly unstable. I found I made better progress in
learning by gradually increasing the "saddle pressure thing" as I felt
more comfortable.

Muniyeti-- Oh, I certainly agree with you! As a cyclist I rarely put
the whole of my weight on the saddle--one's weight is transferred to
the bicycle through the feet (to the pedals) and hands (to the
handlebar) rather than to the saddle, and this is especially true when
starting. (And starting is the first hurdle of mastering the
unicycle, I think.) The weight of the bicyclist, the distribution of
his or her weight (or the center of gravity?), relative to the angle
of the seat tube and crankset, is waaaaay different than that of the
uni rider! Old habits die hard!

Day 3: I spent another hour at the tennis court this morning. After
about 45-minutes of rather sluggish progress, I was finally able
to--in an accidental flash of luck, I think!--pedal 5 or 6
revolutions! Gads! I was balancing, not touching the fence with my
gloved left hand, and was really moving. Then I got scared, perhaps
because of the speed on the 24" wheel, and I launched myself forward
and off the uni like a gazelle. It's not much. But for me the 5-6
pedal strokes was a wildly important Day 3 milestone. I sure do a
heck of a lot of perspiring whilst fiddlin' with this Torker. What a
workout! I don't think there's a relazed muscle in my body...not even
my eyelids! This is perhaps why it's taking me so long to get the
hang of it. I have a hard time relaxing. Riding a bike is very
relaxing. Not so, yet anyway, on the uni! Toodles! --carl
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