one-foot skill file

d.kathrens@genie.geis.com
Sun, 1 Jan 95 18:09:00 UTC


John Foss writes:

>Just screw up your courage, take that one foot off, and see what happens.
>Yes, it will take a lot of tries. While you're at it, keep track of how you
>are landing when you fall.

This is basically how I learned to ride one-footed. I started by riding
forward at a moderate speed, spreading my arms out horizontally to the side,
and lifting my non-dominant foot (right foot) from the right pedal as it came
near top of stroke. After "many tries" I noticed that I always fell sideways
to the side I was pedaling on (my left side). So I "adjusted my trim" by
holding my left arm downward at a 45 degree angle from horizontal, while
keeping the right arm stretched out horizontally.

Paul Makepeace writes:

>> Later you may wish to learn to ride with your foot off of the fork.
>> While you are first learning this skill, though, the fork will give
>> you extra leverage to control the unicycle.


John Foss (unifoss@ix.netcom.com) responds:

>I disagree. All beginning one footers start with the non pedaling foot
>suspended in midair, and later they learn how to get it onto the fork. It's
>easier with the foot on the fork, because that foot helps you to grip and
>control the unicycle. That's why it should be encouraged from the time a
>person is learning the skill. Don't look down when doing this, do it by
>feel.

I must be an exception because from the very start I worked at lifting my right foot from the pedal and getting it hung on the fork ASAP. It _is_
easier to control the unicycle this way.

I agree that you have to be able to get that foot on the fork without looking,
you are simply too busy with other things to look down.

I feel the building blocks to successful one-footed riding are:

1) being able to get one's foot off the pedal and hung on the fork crown,
quickly without looking.

2) pre-adjusting side-to-side weight distribution to offset the tendency
to fall to the pedaling side.

3) learning the proper application of power with one pedal (fast on the
downstroke, slow-but-not-too-slow on the upstroke).

4) learning to use the non-pedaling foot to leverage the frame of the
unicycle.


While I can now ride one footed circles (figure eights on a good day) with either foot, I still haven't succeeded in doing this with one leg extended.

Could some knowledgeable person explain the difference in techique between
one footed riding with the off foot on the fork and the leg-extended
variation?

Dennis Kathrens