Single footed riding and foot adjustment

[Mono]

I believe it had been repeatedly suggested in this forum that learning single footed riding solves the problem of adjusting the foot position. The problem however is: my desired foot position with both feet on the pedals is quite different from what I find a safe position with only one foot. That means I can only adjust to the ideal position while riding already double footed. 

Double footed adjustment is after all not overly difficult. I can simultaneously put weight on the forefoot of one foot and on the heel of the other foot (without changing the driving state at all) and twist the foot which I want to change in position. Twisting moves the foot in direction of where the weight is, I am not sure why that is, but it works reliably. 

I don't ride much single footed, because it's after all not overly comfortable, but to make it feel safe I need to turn the forefoot inwards (anti-Chaplin position). Like this I have more sole on the pedal (I'm living on big feet) and a stronger push, almost like a lock, with the shin towards the EUC side. For me it was a game-changer to find this position. This is not a position I would like to keep riding on both feet however, where I prefer to have my natural forefoot outwards turn.

[Cloud]

The reason single footed riding helps one adjust to the ideal foot position is because when one is proficient riding on one foot, when he needs to adjust he can just lift one foot off the pedal, and while ridin on the other foot, just place the foot in the position he wants. If one cant ride on one foot he has to adjust the foot position by keeping both feet on and trying to slide the foot opover the pedal. 

So if you are ok riding on one foot in for a coupke of seconds in the Chaplin position, then you should be able to lift the other foot and adjust, then adjust the other

[The Fat Unicyclist]

Riding with one foot means that all of the riders weight is loaded on just one pedal... Can this cause damage to the pedal (or pedal shaft)?

[Mono]

24 minutes ago, Cloud said:

So if you are ok riding on one foot in for a coupke of seconds in the Chaplin position

I am not, that's the point of the post. Same for mounting, which entails a short one-footed period. Luckily it's not necessary to be able to ride one-footed in the position one wants to have normally. This can even be a foot position in which it is impossible to ride one-footed, regardless of skills. 

10 minutes ago, The Fat Unicyclist said:

Riding with one foot means that all of the riders weight is loaded on just one pedal... Can this cause damage to the pedal (or pedal shaft)?

That seems quite unlikely, given that jumping should put much more strain on the pedals and the lack of reports of damaged pedals for any of these reasons.

[Cloud]

38 minutes ago, The Fat Unicyclist said:

Riding with one foot means that all of the riders weight is loaded on just one pedal... Can this cause damage to the pedal (or pedal shaft)?

Shouldnt cause damage as the wheel should be designed to support the entire weight on one pedal, as this happens normally during turns

[The Fat Unicyclist]

3 hours ago, Niko said:

I am not, that's the point of the post. Same for mounting, which entails a short one-footed period. 

I can't ride very far on one foot, but found it important to learn, if only for mounting and dismounting. 

To learn mounting It was suggested to me to first work out which foot I prefer and then shift my weight into the EUC until I could pirouette around my other foot. Once that was comfortable, the next step was to go back to a straight line and "step-ride-step-ride."

When doing this (while keeping weight over the wheel) and taking longer and longer steps, I realised that picking up my other foot to put on the pedal suddenly became something that can happen at quite a leisurely pace. Allowing plenty of time to position my foot in the ideal position. 

[Mono]

8 hours ago, The Fat Unicyclist said:

picking up my other foot to put on the pedal suddenly became something that can happen at quite a leisurely pace. Allowing plenty of time to position my foot in the ideal position. 

Right, the problem though is the other foot, the one you started with ;-)

I didn't mean to say that one-footed riding isn't a very useful skill, I certainly think it is. I meant to say that for some, like myself, one-footed riding does not help to get to a comfortable foot positioning with the remaining foot (or the first foot to begin with, depending on how you see it).

In other words: I found it useful to realize that one-footed riding requires a different foot positioning than the standard (most comfortable) position, at least for me.