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I mountain unicycle[0]. My favorite replies to "you're missing a wheel" variants are: * It was a half off sale (to hikers) * I took off the training wheel (t

I mountain unicycle[0]. My favorite replies to "you're missing a wheel" variants are: * It was a half off sale (to hikers) * I took off the training wheel (to bikers, if they seem smarmy) These days most of my responses are very positive, almost universally. 15 years ago this wasn't the case, especially on the street--lots of people yelling "FALL!" out their window to scare you, etc. I think a big part of the long term change has been "extreme sports" becoming a very broad umbrella. [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koWzoCUUIbE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koWzoCUUIbE

drc500free 3y ago
> I took off the training wheel (to bikers, if they seem smarmy) This is a fantastic retort.
edanm 3y ago
That's awesome! My friend and long-ago business partner was a unicyclist, and did mountain unicycling for a while as well. He recently switched to going around with free skates - I'm trying to learn them as well (I never did get around to picking up unicycling unfortunately).
- jbaber 3y ago
  What's a free skate?
  - aidenn0 3y ago
    Think a rollerblade turned sideways, so that when you are standing neutrally you are moving in-line with your shoulders (like a skateboard), and the wheels from each skate form a single straight line.
    - jfim 3y ago
      That's really cool, I didn't know that was a thing!
    - bigwheeler 3y ago
      When I read this description, I assumed the skate was attached to the feet like a rollerblade, but after looking at YouTube, it’s more like each foot gets a little foot-sized skateboard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuR-uxPTGzI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuR-uxPTGzI
taternuts 3y ago
Curious as to why people gravitate towards unis, are they more fun to ride? Is it just more of a challenge and therefore more rewarding? Better workout I'm assuming?
- matthew-wegner 3y ago
  There does seem to be an unusual number of nerdy/engineer types that also unicycle! I've done two organized long distance unicycling trips before: Vietnam, with ~20 riders, and Kenya to Tanzania with ~10 unicyclists (and a few bikers filling in the slots). There were a lot of programmers, and also a few people that collected other "body as puzzle" skills--juggling, circus arts, etc. I think the commonality is more that the kind of brain that can push past the challenge of learning to unicycle is the kind of brain that can learn a lot of technical computer skills by applying the same tenacity. My own history with unicycling is pretty happenstance. When I was 14 I said I wanted one for a birthday present, because I liked the challenge of riding a bike around with no hands. And I got one! So I learned to ride it on the street, but skill-wise I basically got a free mount and stopped. Much later, in my 20s, a friend pasted a unicycling video and said he wanted to try it (think "skate video", but unicycling). I said I actually had one in a closet, so we pulled it out and just kept at it after that. After a few weeks we were out trying a flat trail. I'm 43 now, and my riding comes and goes as I remind myself it's an enjoyable way to get some exercise. I'm also a B- tier rider, if that. This is my favorite general unicycling video with one of the pioneers, Kris Holm. This really gets into the "but why?" part of it too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nPc2phfMLU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nPc2phfMLU
- FpUser 3y ago
  I know nothing about riding unicycles but I do ride EUC (Electric Unicycle). This thing is the most incredible sport related fun I've ever encountered. As for workout - when off road then yes, it is good core training and raises my HR sometimes to the max. Riding regular roads (except initial learning stage) is - meh. HR fluctuates between 60-70 (50 is my RHR).
- roskoez 3y ago
  Unis are small, slow and safe. As a teenager I would go out for a ride, put it on my shoulder for hikes and then ride it back by bus. So when you take the novelty off (and as a rider, it vanishes quickly) it's just a very fun and convenient bike

drc500free 3y ago

> I took off the training wheel (to bikers, if they seem smarmy) This is a fantastic retort.

edanm 3y ago

That's awesome! My friend and long-ago business partner was a unicyclist, and did mountain unicycling for a while as well. He recently switched to going around with free skates - I'm trying to learn them as well (I never did get around to picking up unicycling unfortunately).

jbaber 3y ago
What's a free skate?
- aidenn0 3y ago
  Think a rollerblade turned sideways, so that when you are standing neutrally you are moving in-line with your shoulders (like a skateboard), and the wheels from each skate form a single straight line.
  - jfim 3y ago
    That's really cool, I didn't know that was a thing!
  - bigwheeler 3y ago
    When I read this description, I assumed the skate was attached to the feet like a rollerblade, but after looking at YouTube, it’s more like each foot gets a little foot-sized skateboard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuR-uxPTGzI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuR-uxPTGzI

taternuts 3y ago

Curious as to why people gravitate towards unis, are they more fun to ride? Is it just more of a challenge and therefore more rewarding? Better workout I'm assuming?

matthew-wegner 3y ago
There does seem to be an unusual number of nerdy/engineer types that also unicycle! I've done two organized long distance unicycling trips before: Vietnam, with ~20 riders, and Kenya to Tanzania with ~10 unicyclists (and a few bikers filling in the slots). There were a lot of programmers, and also a few people that collected other "body as puzzle" skills--juggling, circus arts, etc. I think the commonality is more that the kind of brain that can push past the challenge of learning to unicycle is the kind of brain that can learn a lot of technical computer skills by applying the same tenacity. My own history with unicycling is pretty happenstance. When I was 14 I said I wanted one for a birthday present, because I liked the challenge of riding a bike around with no hands. And I got one! So I learned to ride it on the street, but skill-wise I basically got a free mount and stopped. Much later, in my 20s, a friend pasted a unicycling video and said he wanted to try it (think "skate video", but unicycling). I said I actually had one in a closet, so we pulled it out and just kept at it after that. After a few weeks we were out trying a flat trail. I'm 43 now, and my riding comes and goes as I remind myself it's an enjoyable way to get some exercise. I'm also a B- tier rider, if that. This is my favorite general unicycling video with one of the pioneers, Kris Holm. This really gets into the "but why?" part of it too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nPc2phfMLU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nPc2phfMLU
FpUser 3y ago
I know nothing about riding unicycles but I do ride EUC (Electric Unicycle). This thing is the most incredible sport related fun I've ever encountered. As for workout - when off road then yes, it is good core training and raises my HR sometimes to the max. Riding regular roads (except initial learning stage) is - meh. HR fluctuates between 60-70 (50 is my RHR).
roskoez 3y ago
Unis are small, slow and safe. As a teenager I would go out for a ride, put it on my shoulder for hikes and then ride it back by bus. So when you take the novelty off (and as a rider, it vanishes quickly) it's just a very fun and convenient bike