> 2) Is zig-zagging bad?
>
> At one stage I found I was continually accelerating until I fell
> off. I attempted to straighten up to slow down without luck. Soon I
> started to zig-zag fairly violently (around about 30 degrees from the
> direction I was heading); I find this checks my speed.
>
> Another learner here tends to keep the wheel fairly straight. Another
> is somewhere in between.
>
> Does anyone have any comments about the zig-zagging? Is it a bad thing
> that I should actively try to overcome? Is it something which will
> naturally wear off? Perhaps it is a positive thing, as I imagine
> someone zig-zagging would find it far easier to turn around? Do
> experienced unicyclists zig-zag?
Riding with your weight on the seat, rather than the pedals, elimanates a lot
of the zig-zagging. This takes some getting used to, since you have to fight
instinct, but it will make you a more stable rider.
>
> 3) How long is it all going to take?
>
> I think I have had an advantage over most learners; having read much
> of the archives, I have had a fair idea that unicycling was not going
> to be an easy task. Unlike juggling, which is often a lot easier than
> it looks (few people believe they themselves could be juggling 3 balls
> in well under an hour,) unicycling is much harder than it looks -
> several comments from first-timers have convinced me of that.
>
> Nevertheless, there were some disappointing periods where I (and
> others) seemed to make little progress. I think the FAQ should do its
> best to warn people "Unicycling is tricky. Learning to unicycle takes
> roughly <x> hours to learn to do the basic manouevres. Don't give up!"
As FAQ editor, I'll comment here. I have looked for the same kind of numbers
in other writings, and have not seen anything definitive. I have seen learning
times vary in my personal experience. It took me two weeks, but I have taught
others in 5 hours or less. I probably should add the question "How long will
it take me to learn", and explain this somewhat. Unfortunately I won't be able
to give a single time amount.
Regarding the disappointing periods, I find that learning goes something like
this:
1. Extreme awkwardness
2. Enough stability to move
3. Ability to let go and go a few pedals.
4. A long period with no apparent process.
5. Breakthrough rides of 30 revolutions or more.
6. Consistent longer riding.
Level 4 is the most frustrating. I have a hunch you really are learning during
this time, but its completion can be hastened by determining the cause of the
falls and applying a solution. The trick is knowing what to look for, and
sometimes I have been successful and sometimes not.
Beirne
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