Matt Lewis Posted July 18, 2018 Share Posted July 18, 2018 Hi folks! I picked up a KingSong 14D recently and I've been learning it up this week. It's been a blast. I'm getting the hang of it slowly, and after about ten hours I can take it around paved park trails pretty well. I have a long way to go, and I want to learn what technique will help me ride stably and safely. First, I want to decrease my dependence on my left leg. To hop on, I brace my inner shin against the uni, hop, and plant my right foot. If I weight both feet evenly as I ride, I get side-to-side wobble at most speeds. So I keep my left shin planted on the wheel during left turns, right turns, and riding straight. But this means I have to weight my left foot more heavily, which makes my left leg tire more quickly. I'm also afraid that I won't be able to turn as well in both directions. I also want to work on accelerating and decelerating faster. I'm pretty sluggish - even if I know I want to slow down, I find myself leaning really gently and taking three or four seconds to come to a stop. Finally, I'm not sure what my stance should be. How bent should my knees be, and how deep should I squat to maximize control? I haven't really seen myself from a camera and I don't know any other riders around here to advise me. Any tips on how I can improve my technique to depend less on my left shin and improve my acc/deceleration? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan Onymous Posted July 18, 2018 Share Posted July 18, 2018 Those ae all really good questions for a beginner. There is a really good book on Amazon about riding an Electric Unicycle. I think its a dollar. Lots of great mounting and dismounting tips. For instance to mount the vehicle form a leaning A-Frame with the lean going towards the free leg. Then when you push off and hop on the EUC will be more upright and easier to mount. The wobbles are just something that will pass with time. Several techniques are - moving the vehicle forward and back to adjust the motion in a perpendicular motion. One person said to straighten up your legs more than bending them. Also remember, this is a gyroscopic device with a lot of centrifical force, so it will upright itself and it really only needs us to give it a direction while we stand there. Forward, left right backwards, faster, slower. The more you get on the device the less you will fight it or rather yourself on it and learn the balance of your force on the pedals while standing upright. Thats really all there is, and of course turn angles from tight to sweeping. It will all come with experience. That should be your permission to go out whenever you want. I really was impressed with the ks14d while on a Griffith Park ride. You will have a blast finding its and your limits, and then finding new ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockyTop Posted July 18, 2018 Share Posted July 18, 2018 It gets easier with time. The more you ride the better it gets. Your feet might be too far back. Most people’s toes hang off the front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockyTop Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 I just noticed that you live in Denver. If you haven’t already you might want to watch Chooch’s videos if for no other reason to see your city on YouTube. ....... And if you develop his skills you might run into him..... LITERALLY!!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpong Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 mr. lewis, i think you got your technique down, it just needs more time riding on your electric wheel. something that you may want to try, to get your legs abit more limber and loose, is to ride on grass. i started my riding on a grass soccer field for the first 2 weeks, and i transitioned to pavement without any problems. i myself do have a dominant leg (it used to be my right but as i got older its my left now) but practicing doing big and small figure 8s reduced my dependance on my left leg. riding on grass is abit more difficult but it will give your legs quite a work out and at the same time, it will fine tune your sense of balance on the pedals too. by the way, if you are an old rider, just how old are you ? im 60yrs old, but this electric wheel stuff is just the thing to put some spark back into your step !!! i also used a few youtube beginner videos just for reference and body stance. they greatly helped in gaining some insight into how it works to accelerate and decelerate the wheel. im currently working on trying to do a hover in place (i do it on a real unicycle but the unicycle gives immediate response whereas the electric wheel has abit of delay between direction changes) plus gliding abit going backwards. using a solowheel glide3 for the time being. but im pretty sure i want to change up to a kingsong 16 inch wheel next summer. please post your riding impressions on grass if you do go for it ! i would like to hear your opinions on that too (as others as well) !!! it will also make the odd redirection to avoid a possible disaster on the park trail alot easier and more comfortable, should it ever happen. bpong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wyatt Harrison Posted July 27, 2018 Share Posted July 27, 2018 I'm at the same level you are, started about a week ago. I fell once for the first time yesterday, right foot stayed on and flipped me onto my back slamming the back of my head into the pavement. I wear full face BMX helmet and pads so I just got up and kept going no problem. Today my neck and abdominal muscles are a little sore from the fall, and right glute. I can only practice about 45 minutes before my feet and lower back are too tired, which is what led to my fall. In 45 minutes I only jumped off three times, the third time was the fall because my foot didn't come off the pedal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockyTop Posted July 27, 2018 Share Posted July 27, 2018 I guess a good tip is don't ride when you are tiered. It is better to ride for shorter amounts of time more often. 30 minutes ago, Wyatt Harrison said: Today my neck and abdominal muscles are a little sore from the fall, and right glute. As a new rider those muscles are going to be sore even without a fall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rywokast Posted July 27, 2018 Share Posted July 27, 2018 the only real thing you can do is practice, practice, practice.. dont get bummed out and dont over think it.. just keep practicing and whatever is comfortable and good for you will come naturally everyones stance and riding style will be slightly different there is not right or wrong way only what works for you.. btw, 99% of everyone if not 100% have a dominant leg if even just slightly more so as truly ambidextrous people are very rare.. that means especially in the beginning you will certainly prefer turning a certain direction usually the opposite to your dominant.. so mine is my right and if i had to choose i prefer left turns, even though right turns are just as easy in my mind i would prefer to do a left turn than a right. same for turning around, if given the choice even though i have no problem doing it in either direction i will choose to go to the left. the foot pain, and wobble are purely beginner pangs, and you are likely clenching if even unconsciously, they will go away in time. as for a stance, like i said every body is different and everyone has a different preference, but in general i would suggest you keep your feet slightly towards the back on the pedals (heels off the edge more so than toes, slightly) as when going forwards, you will have less controlled turning... keep in mind however in general that isnt viewed as a good thing, but as a learner your reactions will always be slightly exaggerated as you learn the bounds and comforts of the wheel, because you are a beginner more control means that any slight misstep from you, will translate into more of a reaction from the wheel which could result in a wobble which will usually result in you stopping to take a breather, or freaking out trying to compensate and doing a face plant.. and with the stance of feet being more forwards (easier turning) braking will become slightly harder in the way that you will have to lean back slightly more which can be a very uncomfortable feeling for a beginner. for feet what i suggest is when youre learning, stand very slightly more towards the back of the wheel, feet pointing straight ahead and flush up against the side of the wheel.. if it is not allowed to wobble between your legs because they are pinching it, it will the wheel more stable (dont purposely clench as that will exhaust your legs a lot quicker) just keep your feet against the sides and relax, the pads will do the rest, if your legs are somehow more gangly than mine, then just add a but more to the padding at least in the beginning). for your knees again it depends greatly on the person, but also a lot on the terrain.. i would hope right now you are sticking to smooth paved lots or grass, but anyways usually they should only be slightly bent as in just dont lock your knees thats it.. but if you are on soft ground, gravel, roads where potholes are a possibility or an unfamiliar route etc, keep them slightly more bent like maybe 5-10 degrees as they are your only source of shocks, until you absolutely master the unicycle i would suggest that you never lock your knees any slight unexpected bump can toss you otherwise... please do try my suggestion of only bending your knees ever so slightly as in just not locking your knees and you will find that they will take a lot longer to get tired as it is a natural stance whereas keeping them excessively bent is absolutely not. it would be nice to see any sort of a video of your riding style and technique though. one last suggestion i have, as i believe a lot of the fact of riding an electric unicycle is in your head is to if you want to put some cheap padding of any kind on the wheel, some elbow and knee pads on, and go to an open field, go crazy, test the limits of the wheel, see how far it can go, try sharp turns to both sides and turning around, coming to a stop quickly, accelerating quickly, mounting and dismounting, just try to get over the fear of falling and of dropping it, you will never be truly comfortable and what i would call master riding an electric unicycle until you break past the mental roadblock that comes with learning anything and especially something as out there as an electric unicycle haha, everyones timeline is different but you will find that suddenly you no longer have any fear when mounting, when riding around people or traffic, having to jump over something, swerve suddenly, slam on the brakes etc etc it will just all of the sudden "click" one day. i shouldnt say this but often i like to take night rides, at least 5 nights a week, and when its a really long ride like 50 km+ and 3 or 4 in the morning i will be very sleepy but feel completely and utterly at ease on the wheel, everything will become effortless and reactionary and unless you actually look down you will forget that you are even on a wheel and just enjoy riding (btw i am not recommending that anyone rides when tired at all as no doubt no matter how comfortable you feel your reaction time will always be less). anyways thats just my thoughts on the subject your mileage may vary! 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RayRay Posted July 27, 2018 Share Posted July 27, 2018 5 minutes ago, Rywokast said: the only real thing you can do is practice, practice, practice.. dont get bummed out and dont over think it.. just keep practicing and whatever is comfortable and good for you will come naturally everyones stance and riding style will be slightly different there is not right or wrong way only what works for you.. btw, 99% of everyone is not 100% have a dominant leg if even just slightly more so as truly ambidextrous people are very rare.. that means especially in the beginning you will certainly prefer turning a certain direction usually the opposite to your dominant so mine is my right and if i had to choose i prefer left turns, even though right turns are just as easy in my mind i would prefer to do a left turn than a right, same for turning around, if given the choice even though i have no problem doing it in either direction i will choose to go to the left. the foot pain, and wobble are purely beginner pangs, and you are likely clenching if even unconsciously, they will go away in time. as for a stance, like i said every body is different and everyone has a different preference, but in general i would suggest you keep your feet slightly towards the back on the pedals (heels off the edge more so than toes, slightly) as when going forwards, you will have less controlled turning... keep in mind however in general that isnt viewed as a good thing, but as a learner your reactions will always be slightly exaggerated as you learn the bounds and comforts of the wheel, because you are a beginner more control means that any slight misstep from you, will translate into more of a reaction from the wheel which could result in a wobble which will usually result in you stopping to take a breather, or freaking out trying to compensate and doing a face plant.. and with the stance of feet being more forwards (easier turning) braking will become slightly harder in the way that you will have to lean back slightly more which can be a very uncomfortable feeling for a beginner.. so what i suggest is when youre learning, stand very slightly more towards the back of the wheel, feet pointing straight ahead and flush up against the side of the wheel.. if it is not allowed to wobble between your legs because they are pinching it, it will the wheel more stable (dont purposely clench as that will exhaust your legs a lot quicker) just keep your feet against the sides and relax, the pads will do the rest, if your legs are somehow more gangly than mine, then just add a but more to the padding at least in the beginning). for your knees again it depends greatly on the person, but also a lot on the terrain.. i would hope right now you are sticking to smooth paved lots or grass, but anyways usually they should only be slightly bent as in just dont lock your knees thats it.. but if you are on soft ground, gravel, roads where potholes are a possibility or an unfamiliar route etc, keep them slightly more bent like maybe 5-10 degrees as they are your only source of shocks, until you absolutely master the unicycle i would suggest that you never lock your knees any slight unexpected bump can toss you otherwise... but do try my suggestion of only bending your knees ever so slightly as in just not locking your knees and you will find that they will take a lot longer to get tired as it is a natural stance whereas keeping them excessively bent is absolutely not. it would be nice to see any sort of a video of your riding style and technique though.. one last suggestion i have, as i believe a lot of the fact of riding an electric unicycle is in your head is to if you want to put some cheap padding of any kind on the wheel, some elbow and knee pads on, and go to an open field, go crazy, test the limits of the wheel, see how far it can go, try sharp turns to both sides and turning around, coming to a stop quickly, accelerating quickly, mounting and dismounting, just try to get over the fear of falling and of dropping it, you will never be truly comfortable and what i would call master riding an electric unicycle until you break past the mental roadblock that comes with learning anything and especially something as out there as an electric unicycle haha, everyones timeline is different but you will find that suddenly you no longer have any fear when mounting, when riding around people or traffic, having to jump over something, swerve suddenly, slam on the brakes etc etc it will just all of the sudden "click" one day. i shouldnt say this but often i like to take night rides, at least 5 nights a week, and when its a really long ride like 50 km+ and 3 or 4 in the morning i will be very sleepy but feel completely and utterly at ease on the wheel, everything will become effortless and reactionary and unless you actually look down you will forget that you are even on a wheel and just enjoy riding (btw i am not recommending that anyone rides when tired at all as no doubt no matter how comfortable you feel your reaction time will always be less). anyways thats just my thoughts on the subject your mileage may vary! Paragraphs, please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rywokast Posted July 27, 2018 Share Posted July 27, 2018 Just now, RayRay said: Paragraphs, please. haha sorry when i type on the internet its usually just one long run on with incalculable grammatical errors xD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan Onymous Posted July 27, 2018 Share Posted July 27, 2018 3 hours ago, Wyatt Harrison said: I'm at the same level you are, started about a week ago. I fell once for the first time yesterday, right foot stayed on and flipped me onto my back slamming the back of my head into the pavement. I wear full face BMX helmet and pads so I just got up and kept going no problem. Today my neck and abdominal muscles are a little sore from the fall, and right glute. I can only practice about 45 minutes before my feet and lower back are too tired, which is what led to my fall. In 45 minutes I only jumped off three times, the third time was the fall because my foot didn't come off the pedal. Let me give you a metaphorical tip. The plan is to stand up on a moving platform, like a train, or like riding a bike without touching the handlebars. You are standing up straight, chest out to lean. Tuck yer butt in, don't lean back with your butt when you are trying to go forward. Bend your knees after you have the ability to stand up straight. Otherwise you will constantly fight your natural balance. Forward motion uses the centrifugal force to keep the machine upright. If you roll it down the grass without anyone on it, you can see how far it will go without you. It barely even needs us except for direction. Great work, twist your hips to turn along with leaning. It gets much easier every time you get back on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayRay Posted July 28, 2018 Share Posted July 28, 2018 Imagine your legs are going to absorb all the shock ('cuz I think they are) and just try to keep them a bit loose (but stand up straight). Not sure if this works, but I imagine I'm 'steering with my stomach'. Basically, my wheel will go wherever my stomach goes... (YMMV) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockyTop Posted July 28, 2018 Share Posted July 28, 2018 1 hour ago, Rywokast said: haha sorry when i type on the internet its usually just one long run on with incalculable grammatical errors xD Yes, I get to hand over with great relief, as I do not think I justly deserved this award, to you the new owner, a trophy that I received last month for the longest run on sentence as there is no question that you are the rightful recipient of this prestigious award and I think that it will remain forever in your very skilled and talented hands until the end of time or maybe the end of this forum's data space which might be soon if we keep this up but thank you for your thoughts as they ................... I give up! You win! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpong Posted July 28, 2018 Share Posted July 28, 2018 wyatt harrison; good that you are prudent with wearing safety gear. im a newb too....you are persistant, ALWAYS A GOOD THING. carry on and keep riding !!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted July 28, 2018 Share Posted July 28, 2018 9 hours ago, RayRay said: Not sure if this works, but I imagine I'm 'steering with my stomach'. Basically, my wheel will go wherever my stomach goes... (YMMV) I think @The Fat Unicyclist has to be the best authority on how well that technique works ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fat Unicyclist Posted July 28, 2018 Share Posted July 28, 2018 9 hours ago, Keith said: 18 hours ago, RayRay said: Not sure if this works, but I imagine I'm 'steering with my stomach'. Basically, my wheel will go wherever my stomach goes... (YMMV) I think @The Fat Unicyclist has to be the best authority on how well that technique works ?? I always told myself that I was "steering with my hips" (and almost believed it even). But thinking about it, to steer with my hips actually means I shift my stomach (and therefore my centre of gravity) in the desired direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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