Vam Monaco Posted March 25, 2022 Share Posted March 25, 2022 I asked a fellow rider how hard it was to learn to ride backwards and his response was somewhat nostalgic: “Remember how hard it was when you learned to ride forward?” 1. No, I don’t because I have memory problems. I think I learned it in a parking lot, but I can’t remember. 2. That doesn’t make sense because I don’t have eyes in the back of my head. Any truth to that statement well it takes just as long learn how to ride backward? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..... Posted March 25, 2022 Share Posted March 25, 2022 (edited) 4 minutes ago, Vam Monaco said: I asked a fellow rider how hard it was to learn to ride backwards and his response was somewhat nostalgic: “Remember how hard it was when you learned to ride forward?” 1. No, I don’t because I have memory problems. I think I learned it in a parking lot, but I can’t remember. 2. That doesn’t make sense because I don’t have eyes in the back of my head. Any truth to that statement well it takes just as long learn how to ride backward? Nah. It took me quite a few hours, spread over months, to get the hang of start and stop. Once I had that figured, riding backwards wasnt but an hour or less. The hardest part was transition from front to back (still is). Starting from a stop and going backwards isnt tough, once you have the concept of forwards. Its definitely not relearning. Smaller wheels make it easier. Its nuthin but a thang on a chicken wang.... Edited March 25, 2022 by ShanesPlanet 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post OldFartRides Posted March 25, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted March 25, 2022 I found it more difficult to learn. Maybe because my neural pathways aren’t as elastic as some ? Someone here said “ Your ass is in the lead” while riding backwards. I also have to ride backwards regularly to maintain that skill. You can’t “run it out” going backwards, so take it slow. Ass, elbows and back of head are likely to contact the ground. Once you get it, it’s quite the euc merit badge IMHO. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Miko.cz Posted March 25, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted March 25, 2022 I also found it difficult. Not as much as front, but definitively not easy and Im not yet finished (they are reconstructing my favourite place for learning :). I think its related to "you are thinking about it too much... just do it", which is problem to me. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bracky72 Posted March 25, 2022 Share Posted March 25, 2022 I found the suggestion to start forwards then do a 180 and continue backwards was much easier then just starting backwards. Wear a helmet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadpower Posted March 25, 2022 Share Posted March 25, 2022 I haven't made a point to conquer this aspect of riding yet but I have seen different riders approach it in different ways. Some riders do it in graceful fluid motions and other riders do it by brute force of twisting the wheel around in a rapid movement. Point being that I don't think there is one right way to accomplish this, I think it depends on the rider and the mass of the wheel. The biggest factor I expect is just the determination to make yourself learn how to do it. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mayhem Posted March 25, 2022 Share Posted March 25, 2022 (edited) Edited March 25, 2022 by Mayhem 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawpie Posted March 25, 2022 Share Posted March 25, 2022 Of late, I've only fallen down and gone boom when I'm practicing backwards on the MTen and the last one hurt for about a week. The shine of the skill is wearing thin on me! On the plus side, the need to be able to stop and be nearly perfectly balanced is actually good for stopping in general so I'd at least get that far. I found that I had to 'overstop' to get going backwards, and was surprised at how far I have to lean to get going forwards again. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted March 26, 2022 Share Posted March 26, 2022 Right now, I am stuck at an airport in Mexico city. Please be patient, I will post an extensive tutorial in the next 2 months. In the mean time, please tell me the questions that you need answered in a tutorial... 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantraguy Posted March 26, 2022 Share Posted March 26, 2022 I prefer to just turn the unicycle around and ride it backwards. Seems easier. I started learning last summer but then my Sherman arrived so I've been riding that instead. I plan to continue my progress once it warms up a bit. But, I have started to learn to ride on one foot; that seems fairly easy on the Sherman. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RetroThruster Posted March 26, 2022 Share Posted March 26, 2022 (edited) There is riding backwards 20-30 feet then there is riding backwards for as long as you want, I can barely do 20 feet on my mten:( Edited March 26, 2022 by RetroThruster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..... Posted March 26, 2022 Share Posted March 26, 2022 9 minutes ago, RetroThruster said: There is riding backwards 20-30 feet then there is riding backwards for as long as you want, I can barely do 20 feet on my mten:( Its ALL in your mind The first 3' are the hardest. After 20', you should be able to make it 200'. Unless of course you're still at that stage when Backwards means faster...faster...faster... oh sh*T! Perhaps it has something to do with the balance of weight. You know, belly vs ass and all. I have a tiny egg head, maybe having a big bubble head makes it harder too? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barefooter Posted April 11, 2022 Share Posted April 11, 2022 FWIW::: After you get a bit confident in transitioning from forward to backwards* do NOT think "I wonder what happens if you come into the transition faster". What happens, at least on my V8s, when coming into the transition at about 7mph is you over power the wheel and have your first cut out. The new elbow pads did their job, just wish i had a sacrum pad... A little detail... The chart in EUCWorld showed speed at about 7mph and the amps spike to 30... oops... I didn't have logging on, but i do for all future rides * by no means am i accomplished at the skill... i can usually get moving backwards and pendulum forward and back 2, maybe 3 times before losing it... More practice needed for sure. But, I'm finding that working on this skill has really honed slow speed balance. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gon2fast Posted April 11, 2022 Share Posted April 11, 2022 A good tactic to use when starting the backwards journey is to slowly ride up to a wall and stop just before your wheel makes contact. Place you hands on the wall to stay balanced. When ready, gently push off and start rolling backwards. Remember to look back and that heels make you go and toes make you stop. You are going to fall, drop your wheel and have an infuriating time until it clicks. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottie Posted April 12, 2022 Share Posted April 12, 2022 On 4/11/2022 at 12:54 PM, gon2fast said: A good tactic to use when starting the backwards journey is to slowly ride up to a wall and stop just before your wheel makes contact. Place you hands on the wall to stay balanced. When ready, gently push off and start rolling backwards. Remember to look back and that heels make you go and toes make you stop. You are going to fall, drop your wheel and have an infuriating time until it clicks. You just made me think of the perfect wall in my area, and a hand rail also. I have a terrible mental block about riding backwards. I make it about 3 feet before I freak out and bail. I start to imagine all kinds of things popping up behind me. Maybe using one the wall or rail to help me get some backwards mileage, and that may help me overcome that mental issue and help develop reverse reflexes at the same time. Like many folks, I do not seem to have a practical need for it ... just want to learn it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Begodecrashtestdummy Posted April 12, 2022 Share Posted April 12, 2022 Learning to ride in general I’m going to use one of my moms extra wheeled walkers I think it will do wonders learning balance in a nice smooth parking lot or tennis court Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldFartRides Posted April 12, 2022 Share Posted April 12, 2022 If you are going straight, maybe. Not enough weight you need to leverage turns. A heavy shopping cart is just enough on a level lot. A half dozen gallons of water in said cart would be perfect. I got by with just the empty cart. But that’s just for going forwards. Pushing off a wall is a good starter for going backwards. As has been said before, your ass leads, and everything is bass ackwards. The rear view mirror helps me as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robse Posted April 13, 2022 Share Posted April 13, 2022 (edited) 3 hours ago, Dosingpsychedelics said: Learning to ride in general I’m going to use one of my moms extra wheeled walkers I think it will do wonders learning balance in a nice smooth parking lot or tennis court The only thing you will learn is how to balance on your wheel with this little helper at your service. As soon as this little helper is gone, its the same as: start all over again. Waste of time.... the same problem whenever kids a learning to ride a bicycle. These extra wheels does nothing but making it harder for the kid to learn to balance... Edited April 13, 2022 by Robse 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miko.cz Posted April 13, 2022 Share Posted April 13, 2022 My own experience: I found all these help tools countereffective for learning. I always start to relly on them and then the next step (removing them) is very "painfull". With EUC learning it was my starts of movement with handling public lamps/walls etc., such a hard starts without them later. So OK, helpers are fine, but remove them as fast as possible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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