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Felt like a toddler taking my first steps


claycase

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I'm a newbie that only started trying to ride a exactly a week ago. Since I'm chronologically gifted (old if you aren't being politically correct) I'm 59 and though I am not broken down I want to make sure I don't hurt myself seriously before I can get in the groove.  Things have been going fairly well.  First day was on the support/training wheels for about 40 minutes the first day. Got over that took them off and went to a garage at work and used the available wall. I practiced like that for about 20 -25 minutes Till last Sunday when I began to realize my tires might need some air in them. They were almost flat.  I wanted to fill them but since I have a TG-T3 I found out that this would not be an easy thing. I'd known about the difficulty even before I got my cycle arrived so I ordered a TG-T3 air pump from Geek Buying the same week I ordered the TG-T3. Geek Buying mailed it to me on Aug 7th but it still hasn't arrived. 

I went one day without practicing. The next day I tried to fill it with a regular pump. It just wasn't going to work. Then it occurred to me that I would have to open the Cycle up to get a decent angle on the air plug. This was a major thing for me. I'm the type of guy that would prefer for things to be perfect straight out the box. If I have to mess with something I would rather return it for a new one or pay someone to fix it. Yet, I could see, from all the things I've seen online and especially on this forum, that having one of these devices will entail working on it. So I got my screwdriver and hex wrenches and opened it up. I used a Lezyne Pressure Drive (a hand pump) I'd bought on Amazon. I learned the Lezyne here on Electric cycle forum and it worked perfectly.

With the tire filled I headed back to the garage. I headed back to the wall and back up on the horse. I inched along. If it can be said that a person could get rusty by missing a few days then that was me. I don't know if I was scared or something but I knew I wasn't going to be there long. I decided to try to see if I could get going away from the wall at all. I cast off went a foot or 2 wobbled and stepped off. I did it again and this time I went faster - which really wasn't fast but all things are relative - this time after I went a few feet I leaned forward to pick up speed. I did then I guess I wanted to slow down and leaned back or something and the wheel went forward I went back and hit the concrete floor. I was glad I was wearing a helmet and my elbow pads. I banged up my right wrist when I hit the ground. The cycle was beeping and the buckle locking thingy had broken on the strap. I could feel a little pain in my wrist but I knew I was okay because I was laughing and now I knew I was going to stay a little longer. 

I got back up and went to the wall again but this time I had no strap to hold on too. I had seen a video by the guy from Speedy Feet where he shows you how to ride the 9bot and on it he was pretty much anti-wall and all about having to find the balance without help but said to use the wall to get up but once moving try using your arms out to help balance you. I did that and I started going 5 feet then 7 feet. Always falling off after a short distance but I never hit the ground. I just would stumble off and let the wheel skid off. I repeated this many time in the next 15 to 20 minutes so much so that the security guy came out to see if I even worked there. I must have looked like some kid that snuck onto the premises. He recognized me and watched me repeat my ritual over and over. Me laughing each time I ended the same way. I was having a ball. 

There were moments when I would start off and I would have a feeling in my brain that said, "This is it," or "This is the feeling" then ultimately I would start to turn - mostly to the right and not be able to bring myself back to straight. Once I managed to do that little shimmy back to the left that I've seen suggested to keep from falling but I couldn't shimmy back to the right or back to straight. It felt like there were some muscles I had to build up or something. Then once I was falling to the right and i just went with it and kept turning but eventually lost balance doing that too. I finally stopped. I was sweating like a pig, my wrist was throbbing and I needed some water but I was smiling from ear to ear. I know that I didn't go very far at all and I really felt like a toddler taking my first few steps but I know in my mind I was soaring at points. I only hope I can get back at it tomorrow. 

 

Hello everybody,

Wanted to update this. It has been almost exactly a month since I wrote that I felt like a Toddler. I believe this was posted on August 21st and It is Sept 20th. 

I have made significant progress. But not without some pain. I must really love this sport/hobby thing because I know I would have given up long ago. I want to thank everyone that gave advice here and really everywhere I looked on this forum. I literally followed every bit of advice I consumed here. I got so much help here that it made learning much easier. I mean that sincerely. Knowing that most people just didn't hop on their device and zoom away made me feel I was not alone. In December I will be 59 and a half made to me felt like I was becoming elderly and might be going through a second childhood or something then to find out that a great number of my contemporaries were doing the same thing made me realize I was born at the correct time. I can tell you for a fact that neither my mother or father would have even thought about climbing on a bike at my age much less these unicycles. 

Now I get around very well on it. I work at night and it is also when I do my riding. I find wide open spaces. My favorite when I'm at work is the open parking lot and covered garage. I use the Garage to weave in and out of the parking columns once I learned how to ride steadily at a slow speed. When I'm home I head out to a local Target Shopping center parking lot at like 2 in the morning and zip around it till I get my fill. I always think the cops will show up and chase me away or arrest me for trespassing or something but it hasn't happened. (I'm a black man and in America that can be considered hazardous... but if I got to go what better way). Anyway, there are people that work there at that hour, cleaning or restocking I guess, and recently they come out an watch me. It made me nervous at first but not anymore. I think they are amazed and like it.

The things you learn about your balance makes you know more about your body.  I studied Tai chi for a long time and in many respects it is just like that. I don't go backwards yet - don't know that I need that but would like to be able to stop and back up a few feet as a maneuver. It might come in handy. Still can never be sure that when I get the second foot up on the pedal (which would be my right foot) that it is in the right place. I can not lift it and move it so I do all kinds of shimmying to slide it into a comfortable place. Hope that consistently perfect mount will come soon.  

Any too much said. Just wanted to say thanks to all you. I love what you all do here. 

To anyone new here that might be reading this I want you to know that I can barely ride a bike, I don't skate and would never get on a motorcycle. Something about this and the futuristic feel of it got to me. If you feel that way too then know that I am 100% sure you can do it. It ain't easy... but if I can do it you certainly can. 

I am in the ninebot nation now which I think sped up my results. 

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Great Story!

You should get some wrist guards and knee protectors - the first (and until now only ) time i kissed the ground i had also only elbow protectors. They did not touch the ground, but my wrists and the knees ;). Fortunately it was at low speed...

With the TG-T3 you could read http://forum.electricunicycle.org/topic/459-electric-unicycles-bms-problem-and-solution/?do=findComment&comment=4655 - so to be at least aware of what the euc will do (shut-off).

The TG-T3 has a bycicle valve? The ninebot has a car tire valve and i fill the tire up at the gas station.

Good luck and keep on practicing!

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Using the twisting motion as detailed in the video works well on the one condition that you don't slow down as you twist.

This is unfortunately easier said than done. You feel unstable and feel yourself going off balance to the right so you twis to the right to catch it. Unfortunately deep down your brain is telling you that you are falling so instinct and self preservation make you slow down almost automatically which means that steering  into the fall doesn't have enough  effect to keep you up.

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Using the twisting motion as detailed in the video works well on the one condition that you don't slow down as you twist.

right, (moderate) speed is a precondition to be able to balance a wheel. The more skilled one becomes, the lower is the speed one needs to do the job. It never goes to zero though, unless one starts hopping (which again is not zero speed).

To me, the main message is that there is just no other way to balance a wheel than twisting it while moving forward, or backward :) The other way around, if you try something different to get the job done, e.g. tilting, you are waisting your time because you are bound to fail (unless you do the twist anyways unconsciously). Your point remains, of course: one has to keep up some (moderate) speed. 

 

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You're almost there!  Once you hop on the pedals with both feet keep your head up and focus on some object (like a sign or a light switch) in the distance straight ahead of you and then lean in that direction as if you were falling toward that object.  Lean aggressively enough that the wheel accelerates quickly so that you can get up to a speed where it's easier to balance (about the pace of a brisk walk or light jog).  Your body should be able to figure out how to stay balanced as long as you keep your head up and focused on that object.  Don't think!  Just let it happen.

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Thanks to everyone here for the help.

I really appreciate the advice. I'll try to apply as much of it as I can remember when I practice again. Didn't go out today cause I was a little banged up. Wrist was swollen so I put some ice on it and it is much better. I will get back to my routine tomorrow. 

I have to ask. Could it ever be that the wheel itself (since it is pretty cheap considering all the alternatives) be messed up or could the gyro be screwed up. I know this is only wishful thinking but just putting it out there. Wondering is there a test for that. 

When I see people on the 9bots or the Solowheels the things almost seem to be standing up on their own. I have ordered a 9bot but it takes so long to get here that I hope to be able to go a reasonable - even if relatively short - distance by the time it arrives. 

Thanks again. 

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If when you turn it on it it stays upright in the front/back orientation then the gyro is working. Just hold the handle and jerk it fairly quickly forward and back to check the wheel compensates and keeps it upright.

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Thanks to everyone here for the help.

I really appreciate the advice. I'll try to apply as much of it as I can remember when I practice again. Didn't go out today cause I was a little banged up. Wrist was swollen so I put some ice on it and it is much better. I will get back to my routine tomorrow. 

I have to ask. Could it ever be that the wheel itself (since it is pretty cheap considering all the alternatives) be messed up or could the gyro be screwed up. I know this is only wishful thinking but just putting it out there. Wondering is there a test for that. 

When I see people on the 9bots or the Solowheels the things almost seem to be standing up on their own. I have ordered a 9bot but it takes so long to get here that I hope to be able to go a reasonable - even if relatively short - distance by the time it arrives. 

Thanks again. 

Could be theoretically. But its much more likely that you have to keep practicing. I always made short "lessons" of 15 mins twice a day and the muscles and the brains learn quite fast - you notice things from lesson to lesson improving! 

So take your time and you will get the stability for the wheel!

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If when you turn it on it it stays upright in the front/back orientation then the gyro is working. Just hold the handle and jerk it fairly quickly forward and back to check the wheel compensates and keeps it upright.

Good tip. I will do that. Thanks.

Could be theoretically. But its much more likely that you have to keep practicing. I always made short "lessons" of 15 mins twice a day and the muscles and the brains learn quite fast - you notice things from lesson to lesson improving! 

So take your time and you will get the stability for the wheel!

Like this too. I think that will definitely be the way for me to go. Thanks.

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Ninebot has a different form factor from Solowheel.  I find that with the Ninebot that I actually *do* lean the wheel for turning and balancing also.  

In the beginning I was riding an AirWheel X8 which is close in form factor to a SoloWheel.  When beginning I needed to focus mostly on my center of balance or center of gravity if you will.  I would move my center of gravity forward (think of my gut) to move forwards. I would move my center of gravity a little to the left if I wanted to do a wide left turn.  It is a subtle movement.   

Later I found I could indeed tilt the Ninebot to make turns and readjustments, but by then my focus on my center of gravity was more automatic, so I did it but I didn't have to think about it so much.  Each person, I guess, must learn how to do it for themselves.  Descriptions only can help so much.  With practice, each person will 'get it' for themselves.  JMHO. 

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It's important to make the distinction between balancing and turning. The above video talks about balancing which works by twisting. This can hardly depend on the "form factor" of the wheel, as it is determined by the physics and just the same for a bicycle. You might lean the wheel to balance, but the reason why you stay balanced is still that your lean comes with a twist. This is directly related to the observation that balancing becomes (much) easier with increasing speed. 

On the other hand, for driving turns, tilting the wheel or moving the own center of gravity or looking in the respective direction seem perfectly viable techniques to me. 

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Could be theoretically. But its much more likely that you have to keep practicing. I always made short "lessons" of 15 mins twice a day and the muscles and the brains learn quite fast - you notice things from lesson to lesson improving! 

So take your time and you will get the stability for the wheel!

I have been using this advice for the last 2 days. Last night I decided just to go in my laundry room and ride the 4 to 5 feet from the doorway to the washer machine. I did this over and over. Going forward and going backing up. Funny thin was I could actually go backwards better and straighter than forward. I don't know what that says about me. Ha! Anyway... aside from the occasional step-offs I could finally get the feeling of how the thing was working. I had never really felt how the wheel accelerates before. I was going fairly slowly. My best moments happened when I could stop the acceleration and make it go backwards to the starting point all in one motion. Like I said, I was only going a few feet and I was only able to repeat the back and forth thing twice out of the twenty something times I did the routine. One time I went forward and back and halfway forward before I lost balance.  My Laundry room is packed and there is a limited amount of space in it so I didn't have any room to fall. Mostly old clothes in there. 

Tonight I was at work and during my meal period I went out to practice and felt more confident but something about all that open space is more intimidating. I made short clumsy rides of about 15 to 20 feet from a wall to a fence one time I turned and was going down a little ramp at the garage door. That actually turned out fine. I returned to the run to the fence but then tried going down the ramp. Sometimes I lost balance and had to step off but then one time I made it down the ramp over the little lip of the curb and into the parking lot pavement. I enjoyed that and decide to stop while I was ahead. 

I think the 15 minute thing is best for me. 

Thanks again. 

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Now you're going from point to point your next task is to try and turn and go back to where you started rather than grabbing onto the target wall. :)

Big wide turns to start and then try to get them tighter and tighter. :)

Well done! You're getting there! :)

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I have been using this advice for the last 2 days. Last night I decided just to go in my laundry room and ride the 4 to 5 feet from the doorway to the washer machine. I did this over and over. Going forward and going backing up. Funny thin was I could actually go backwards better and straighter than forward. I don't know what that says about me. Ha! Anyway... aside from the occasional step-offs I could finally get the feeling of how the thing was working. I had never really felt how the wheel accelerates before. I was going fairly slowly. My best moments happened when I could stop the acceleration and make it go backwards to the starting point all in one motion. Like I said, I was only going a few feet and I was only able to repeat the back and forth thing twice out of the twenty something times I did the routine. One time I went forward and back and halfway forward before I lost balance.  My Laundry room is packed and there is a limited amount of space in it so I didn't have any room to fall. Mostly old clothes in there. 

I did the same thing in my kitchen.  I had about 8 feet of travel and about 4 feet of that I had counter tops to support myself.   I went back and forth until I didn't need to touch the counter tops.  I would get to where I felt like I could just keep going... if only there wasn't another counter right in front of me.  I learned a very valuable lesson about balancing in the kitchen.

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I did the same thing in my kitchen.  I had about 8 feet of travel and about 4 feet of that I had counter tops to support myself.   I went back and forth until I didn't need to touch the counter tops.  I would get to where I felt like I could just keep going... if only there wasn't another counter right in front of me.  I learned a very valuable lesson about balancing in the kitchen.

Very cool.  Thanks... that let's me know I am on track. 

I went about 40 to 50 feet during my lunch today.  I learned that it is really important to squeeze you shins against the Wheels cushions to have more of a oneness with the device.  I think I have been trying to sort of balance on the pedals. The video that Niko posted above emphasized that for me. It a long and painful road. Well a little less painful lately. 

Oh By the way I saw that Speedyfeet.uk  has the 9Bot one P for sale now. It has a black shell. 

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I went about 40 to 50 feet during my lunch today.  I learned that it is really important to squeeze you shins against the Wheels cushions to have more of a oneness with the device.  I think I have been trying to sort of balance on the pedals.

It's good to see you're making progress; keep it up!  I find that squeezing is counterproductive.  Remember the unicycle is inherently unstable and trying to achieve oneness with the unicycle makes you unstable as well!  For me what worked was to be able to control the side to side movement of the unicycle between my legs; sometimes it would rest on one shin, sometimes the other, but very rarely both at the same time as in a squeeze.  Squeezing seems to need maintenance of tension; I prefer to stay relaxed.  Anyway, hopefully this post falls under the "help" category instead of the "confusing" category.  You're just about there.  Fifty feet will turn into 50 yards which will turn into 500 yards and beyond!

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Very cool.  Thanks... that let's me know I am on track. 

I went about 40 to 50 feet during my lunch today.  I learned that it is really important to squeeze you shins against the Wheels cushions to have more of a oneness with the device.  I think I have been trying to sort of balance on the pedals. The video that Niko posted above emphasized that for me. It a long and painful road. Well a little less painful lately. 

I agree, I find it quite helpful to always keep in contact with the wheel not only with the soles, but also with the lower legs. Having said that I yet avoid to squeeze actively, unless for jumps or stairs etc. Loose contact is sufficient to apply control if necessary, while being relaxed makes riding much easier and gives a more relaxed experience :) 

I have observed though that there are different styles and some riders just avoid to have leg contact. 

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It's good to see you're making progress; keep it up!  I find that squeezing is counterproductive.  Remember the unicycle is inherently unstable and trying to achieve oneness with the unicycle makes you unstable as well!  For me what worked was to be able to control the side to side movement of the unicycle between my legs; sometimes it would rest on one shin, sometimes the other, but very rarely both at the same time as in a squeeze.  Squeezing seems to need maintenance of tension; I prefer to stay relaxed.  Anyway, hopefully this post falls under the "help" category instead of the "confusing" category.  You're just about there.  Fifty feet will turn into 50 yards which will turn into 500 yards and beyond!

I agree that you, Niko and Jag_Rip are correct. I was probably over compensating because my foot would tend to slide off anytime I started to lose balance. Squeezing sort of helped me hold center a little longer. I had to loosen up and that helped. I now go about 3 times further because I had to turn. Those turns are mostly wide and occurred because I was heading for something I didn't want to run into. I couldn't remain the squeeze and stay up in a turn.  When I released, or opened up the leg on the side I wanted to turn towards I could remain upright and keep moving.

. I've taken one or two spills but I'm padded all over from head to toe so I laugh and get up. I've been sticking to the 15 minute rule (give or take five minutes) and I'm making pretty good progress. I still use a wall to get up on the pedals then lean forward to get going and starting that way makes me feel like a dork. After a decent ride I step off the thing like I've been riding for years but I feel like I'm using a ladder to get up on a horse. Like I can't just put my foot in the stirrup and jump in the saddle. It makes me wonder if I'll ever get that rolling start thing.Once I get that I can practice anywhere. 

Thanks for your help.

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@claycase try to hold on to the wall less and less while you mount, dont get used to it too much. If you got the turns figured out a bit, start riding figure-8s on a wide open location, narrow the 8 down as you get better. Then add a stop to each round. Mount, figure8, stop, dismount.

I kinda think of my wheel as the floor of a moving bus. Its generally stable for me to stand on quite relaxed but can move at any (foreseeable) moment.

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That is great advice Jag. My turns are no where near that point now but I hope to be able to do exercises like that eventually. Thanks.

 I hadn't been on the cycle for a couple of days. Having car trouble of all things. Today I went back to it and at first it was almost like starting all over. Then I got back to where I was the previous time.  I decided to try the rolling start. I got going after the second time but only went about 10 feet. I think I was surprised I was up on it. Of course after that I couldn't do it. So I went back to the wall. I rode a few more medium length rides (my medium not anyone else's) then tried a few more rolling mounts and after the fourth or fifth one I got on and rode for almost a minute or so. I quit while I was ahead so I'd have the memory of that success. 

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Not sure whether the manufacturers have changed something, but I got a TG T3 last week and pumped it up with the compressor at a supermarket filling station forecourt - had no problems aside from needing to re-angle it a little.

On the later point, I also had a horrible moment where it was like I had forgotten everything, but on checking I found that I had not switched the thing on (they're *really* hard to ride if you don't switch them on - especially uphill!).

I think everyone is different with the balance thing - my friend had a go on it and could balance fine but only when completely stationary.  That balance video looks like terrible advice to me, I'd fall right off if I tried to control it with that twisty stuff, but people differ, obv.

Have you been thrown off by the speed limiter yet?  I ease off at the first sign of a beep because the kickback is quite strong - I expected just an increase in resistance rather than to be launched at the ground...

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