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[gopixx]

How do I balance on a unicycle I find it diffcult 

[SirGeraint]

How do I balance on a unicycle I find it diffcult 

I wish I knew.  I am in the same boat. I am sure you will get all kinds of contradictory advice.  I believe the way I balance on solid ground is the opposite of how I need to balance on an EU and that's my problem.  I haven't done much lately that requires much balance.

My main recommendation is to buy or make some sort of balance board to practice on.  I made a real simple one that matches the Ninebot's pedal width & height off the ground.  Then practice your balance on it while holding on to something.  Try to improve your balance to where you are only using a finger to assist.  Now realize that this would be like balancing an EU that isn't moving and a moving EU is easier to balance (but still not easy enough for me).  But the idea (IMHO) is to simply improve balance and strengthen the muscles used for it.  I would add that I think you should practice with the same shoes as you plan to ride with and I think at first they should be snug & supportive shoes.  When you get better you will probably be able to ride in any shoe (flip-flops, boots, Crocs, high heels).

I've only had my Ninebot since Monday and I built my balance board on either Tuesday or Wednesday.  I should have built one before I ordered my Ninebot but I had no idea my balance would be so bad.  I feel I am getting better at it and today I was talking with someone and I found that I actually balanced better during that time.

Also, I Googled "How to improve Balance".  Some of the advice there isn't applicable to an EU either.  But it might help.

By the way, you could of posted this in "General Discussion" to get more view/replies.

 

[9Bot1]

How do I balance on a unicycle I find it diffcult 

 

I wish I knew.  I am in the same boat. I am sure you will get all kinds of contradictory advice.  I believe the way I balance on solid ground is the opposite of how I need to balance on an EU and that's my problem.  I haven't done much lately that requires much balance.

My main recommendation is to buy or make some sort of balance board to practice on.  I made a real simple one that matches the Ninebot's pedal width & height off the ground.  Then practice your balance on it while holding on to something.  Try to improve your balance to where you are only using a finger to assist.  Now realize that this would be like balancing an EU that isn't moving and a moving EU is easier to balance (but still not easy enough for me).  But the idea (IMHO) is to simply improve balance and strengthen the muscles used for it.  I would add that I think you should practice with the same shoes as you plan to ride with and I think at first they should be snug & supportive shoes.  When you get better you will probably be able to ride in any shoe (flip-flops, boots, Crocs, high heels).

I've only had my Ninebot since Monday and I built my balance board on either Tuesday or Wednesday.  I should have built one before I ordered my Ninebot but I had no idea my balance would be so bad.  I feel I am getting better at it and today I was talking with someone and I found that I actually balanced better during that time.

Also, I Googled "How to improve Balance".  Some of the advice there isn't applicable to an EU either.  But it might help.

By the way, you could of posted this in "General Discussion" to get more view/replies.

 

I thought I was never going to learn the thing. Every day for a week I would go out and try to learn to ride it by myself, with and without, the training wheels and strap. Then I read some advice which I'll list below..... but remember IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT to have a friend with you that doesn't mind exercising for a bit. I couldn't learn the thing for the life of me until they followed me and helped me balance. 

Remember a few fundamental things:

• It's almost impossible to balance when looking down, so always try to look straight ahead of you. It's ok to take quick glances down, but always try to remember to be looking straight ahead.
• The faster your going, the easier it is to balance. Don't go 3 mph and expect to balance. You can balance going 1 MPH when you get a hang of it, but as a beginner my biggest downfall was not going fast enough. I put on wrist, knee and elbow guards to give me more confidence going faster, luckily I never fell to the ground, just stepped off and grabbed the 9bot1 or let it fall.
• Try to relax your body, the more tense you are the harder it is to balance.

Take the speed limiter off and set riding mode to 0. This made learning MUCH easier, because I could go faster and balance better.

Don't use a wall or anything to assist you in getting on. It's much easier to learn to balance when you step on it without any assistance.

If your left foot is on the pedal first and your stepping on with your right, then the 9bot1 should be leaning to your right a little. THAT'S OK. It should be leaning to the right. Don't try to keep it vertical to the ground or lean it to the left to compensate for the weight your about to put on your left foot (remember your taking your right foot off the ground to put it on the pedal, so all the weight is going to shift to your left foot). Don't be afraid to put all your weight down on your left foot when you step on. When you step on quickly putting all your weight on your left foot for that split second won't make you topple to the left, your right foot will step on the right pedal and it will straighten out the 9bot1.

Lastly, and most important have your friend running behind you with both of their arms to your side to straighten you out if your about to fall. They should only touch you when your about to fall to straighten you out and help you keep your balance. The goal is to stay on it as long as possible each time. So just go where it takes you, that's why it's important to have a big open space. If you keep having to jump off because your about to hit something you'll never learn. By the 4th or 5th jump on you'll be able to balance without your friend and 20 minutes later you'll be balancing, turning, and taking speed bumps. 

 

 

[Gimlet]

The best results instructing newcomers to the world of eucs, and we've had a few now, has been letting them use a solid wall or similar support to mount the wheel and rock back and forth for a few minutes to get the feel of it. Then to take the hands of preferably two helpers who run alongside to aid with balance, one helper will do but it's easier with two. The important thing is to get moving at a reasonable speed as slow riding is more difficult even for experienced riders.

We've found that just going along a wall or fence doesn't work so well as you continually put yourself off balance by reaching out for it and gaining any speed whilst changing your support hand position is difficult.

With the two supporters method we have had ne riders up and riding shakily within 200metres.

[mengke]

Let me know if you wanna buy the official training wheels. I don't recommend using them to learn. But at least you can feel more when you step on the Ninebot One with them

Cheers,

Mengke

[bleu9mm]

The training wheels can be pretty dangerous on an uneven surface.

[mengke]

Training wheels are for training purpose not for extreme riding. Ideally, you need to learn with them on flat surface with someone by your side. If you get on uneven surface, you literally put yourself in danger.

Mengke

[Shader]

 

If your left foot is on the pedal first and your stepping on with your right, then the 9bot1 should be leaning to your left a little. THAT'S OK. It should be leaning to the left.

 

 

Sorry for my seemingly arrogant question, but didn't you mix your left and rights?

With my left foot starting on the pedal I lean my 9B1 in,  i.e. to the right. 

With my right foot starting on the pedal I still lean it in, but now to the left

I for one, If i lean it out, I get a very uncontrolled wobbly start.

[Gimlet]

My wife who has been very reluctant to try riding a wheel, not least because she has a ceramic hip, eventually tried along the promenade at Seaton. The two friends did a couple of lengths supporting her before she said they were running too slowly so I had to ride alongside on my M10 and take one of her hands to do a further two lengths supporting her very slightly with just the one hand.

Unfortunately despite her relative success I haven't managed to get her back on one since. I'm hoping to on some of the woodland cycle tracks in Germany next week.

[dpong]

Sorry for my seemingly arrogant question, but didn't you mix your left and rights?

With my left foot starting on the pedal I lean my 9B1 in,  i.e. to the right. 

With my right foot starting on the pedal I still lean it in, but now to the left

I for one, If i lean it out, I get a very uncontrolled wobbly start.

I do it like this, too.  If I don't do it this way the leverage and pressure applied to the leg that is on the wheel is unbearable.  

[SirGeraint]

I like some of the advice here... but, unfortunately, I haven't found anyone that wants to go out and help me. 

[bleu9mm]

I like some of the advice here... but, unfortunately, I haven't found anyone that wants to go out and help me. 

Exept if you live in a very high population density area, your chances to find someone nearby who can help you are very close to zero. Sad to say but EU is still a very marginal phenomenon in North America...

Bleu9mm

[cg]

I like some of the advice here... but, unfortunately, I haven't found anyone that wants to go out and help me. 

that is obviously a problem, anyway. I learned it with almost no help, only to step up and drive my first 15 min, with training wheel, but I think, using training wheels, you can learn some using the wall trick that @Gimlet mentions.

Also, Don't be afraid to look like a fool, I do, and I almost don't care

[9Bot1]

Sorry for my seemingly arrogant question, but didn't you mix your left and rights?

With my left foot starting on the pedal I lean my 9B1 in,  i.e. to the right. 

With my right foot starting on the pedal I still lean it in, but now to the left

I for one, If i lean it out, I get a very uncontrolled wobbly start.

whoops! You are correct. I will edit that right now.

[dpong]

Also, Don't be afraid to look like a fool, I do, and I almost don't care

That's right.  I love to ride at the park.  Today some horribly devilish little girls set an ambush for me using invisible rope.  I almost succumbed.  Fortunately, invisible rope is not very strong and I was able to push my way through.  

 

[bleu9mm]

 Too cute !!!!

[cg]

That's right.  I love to ride at the park.  Today some horribly devilish little girls set an ambush for me using invisible rope.  I almost succumbed.  Fortunately, invisible rope is not very strong and I was able to push my way throug

Ohh, the evil

[SirGeraint]

Also, Don't be afraid to look like a fool,

Now that I have trouble with.    That's why I am trying to minimize the number of spectators. 

[contentryder]

After unpackaging, I rode my Nb1e+ inside my house. In an hour time, I failed a lot then slowly went to the other side out the house without dropping.

Took a break and went eat Thai food. Came back and stopped by Walgreens to buy a dog leash. Went home and tied it onto the handle. Took it outside for the first time and rode 7 miles around my neighborhood without falling.

Dog leash is what made a big improvement from what I can tell. Helps from not getting scratched by holding upright when jumping off too. (Went super fast and went over a road marker that acted as a mini ramp. I flew a few inches off the ground but managed to hold the leash and kept it from falling.)