Seated riding at higher speeds

[skunkmonkey]

I'm trying to perfect seated riding. I feel very comfortable doing it at low speeds, and now I'm trying to figure out how to do it at higher speeds.

I've noticed though that when I'm going 20+mph and I start to bend my legs to sit, the EUC starts wobbling like crazy, and I have to pop up quickly to prevent a crash before I even get seated.

Is there a trick to sitting at higher speeds, or are my legs unconsciously betraying me with cowardice, and thus causing a wobble? I have noticed that if I hold the wheel with my knees while squatting down I can keep it from wobbling, but I haven't gotten brave enough to sit doing that yet just because gripping the wheel with my knees while I crouch seems like the wrong approach. It seems like traditional wisdom is to let the wheel float loosely beneath you, but maybe this is an exception to that rule. I'm not sure.

Edited October 15, 2023 by skunkmonkey

[skunkmonkey]

As a follow up in case anyone in the future has this issue. Sitting faster seems to be the general consensus, so I've been practicing improving my sitting speed at low speeds and then I'll work on high speed sitting. I can stand from sitting at high speeds without problem (probably because I pop right up quick.)

[gon2fast]

I had the wobbles during transitions when I was not fully committing to it. I would start and hesitate/freeze up and then things would go wrong. I actually fell off of the back of a wheel because I froze when getting upright on a decline for the first time. Now I just go through the motion with no pause and never find myself in trouble.

I am now trying to learn seated high speed emergency stops. I have had a couple of incidents recently where it felt like I was not going to stop in time by leaning. Not all of my wheels with seats have front handles so I need to get a technique of some sort in place.

[skunkmonkey]

8 hours ago, gon2fast said:

Not all of my wheels with seats have front handles so I need to get a technique of some sort in place.

Yeah my V11 doesn't have a front handle unfortunately either. For me, throwing my arms backwards and leaning back hard produces the best seated result, but honestly popping up still tends to be better for emergency stops since seated riding dampens your stopping capability so much (especially without a front handle to torque.)

[WheelGoodTime]

On 10/15/2023 at 1:49 PM, skunkmonkey said:

I'm trying to perfect seated riding. I feel very comfortable doing it at low speeds, and now I'm trying to figure out how to do it at higher speeds.

I've noticed though that when I'm going 20+mph and I start to bend my legs to sit, the EUC starts wobbling like crazy, and I have to pop up quickly to prevent a crash before I even get seated.

Is there a trick to sitting at higher speeds, or are my legs unconsciously betraying me with cowardice, and thus causing a wobble? I have noticed that if I hold the wheel with my knees while squatting down I can keep it from wobbling, but I haven't gotten brave enough to sit doing that yet just because gripping the wheel with my knees while I crouch seems like the wrong approach. It seems like traditional wisdom is to let the wheel float loosely beneath you, but maybe this is an exception to that rule. I'm not sure.

V11's are simply tough to learn on. I suggest trying on a taller EUC as that will change your experience significantly. I recommend a master pro, V13, or EX30/Master with a tall seat installed on top.

[UPONIT]

It seems to me like it's just a part of the game with EUCs... every skill is its own new difficult thing.

Riding backwards, seated, one-legged. You have to have the prior skills to learn the new ones. But the new skills are just as difficult and just as dependent on having your brain rewire through focused practice.

Which also means leaving your comfort zone and risking falls. Since I'm trying to stay in one piece from here on out, I'm just sneaking up on the new skills. Example: Ducking under tree branches a thousand times has slowly gotten me able to crouch lower and lower. I figure one day I'll just crouch that last bit and be seated. I've already discovered I can ride seated if I start that way, so it's the transition my brain has to be programmed for.

Long way of saying: it seems like you are already doing exactly what you need to do: practice at a speed you are comfortable with, keep trying until it clicks and you have a new skill...

[skunkmonkey]

6 hours ago, UPONIT said:

every skill is its own new difficult thing

Yeah that's part of the appeal of EUC's for me. I like a challenge.

6 hours ago, UPONIT said:

Ducking under tree branches a thousand times has slowly gotten me able to crouch lower and lower

That's actually what caused my full-send crash, and encouraged me to learn seated riding. For now, if I see a low tree branch, I slow down, sit, and then go however fast I want.

Here and there I'm working on improving the speed at which I sit at slower speeds, and when I feel that I can do it every time quickly then I'll go back to the ball park parking lot and try high speed sitting again. Right now when I try to sit quickly I'm a bit too aggressive and I actually make the wheel bounce lol (Yay for V11's pogo stick suspension). I'll have to find a happy medium of speed and control.

[UPONIT]

6 hours ago, skunkmonkey said:

Yeah that's part of the appeal of EUC's for me. I like a challenge.

Exactly. Harder challenge = sweeter success.

After a career of stair and ladders, I don't know that my "crouch" system still operates well enough to make that last bit of transition to seated while moving. It happens a lot slower than I feel it has to happen. When will they start offering cyborg surgery?

Good luck!

[skunkmonkey]

On 10/21/2023 at 2:54 PM, UPONIT said:

happens a lot slower than I feel it has to happen

I hear you. The good news is that at low speeds, it's fine if you take your time to sit. You can always do like me, and slow down to 10-15mph, then sit, then speed up to whatever speed you want. I'd just recommend making sure you only do seated riding where there are no side streets or car doors that could open in your way since presumably standing rapidly is also a problem with your knees.

Edited October 23, 2023 by skunkmonkey