Sports & Fitness Learn to unicycle Parramatta

Did you see that the pedals have blocks on them to make them wider; there's a girl riding a giraffe and there's a girl doing a bit of 1 footed riding too. It appears to be in Germany (based on the writing).

 

36" Nimbus available in Logan for only $150!
Unicycle 36er nimbus unicycles | Men's Bicycles | Gumtree Australia Logan Area - Logan Central | 1196213076

 

I did the Sprint Cycle Challenge across the Harbour Bridge on Sunday. Only 10km, an easy ride, and just a little bit wet. The start and first km or so was the hardest, surrounded by thousands of bicycles, hard to ride slow and stop/start but once on the Bridge no problems.

What a unique experience to ride the Bridge and Cahill on a unicycle.



Rode back across along the "bicycle only" side too, no one seemed to notice the lack of a wheel.

And when I got home, I unpack my new unicycle. It's not a 36" like yours Gockie, but still a beast, KH-29 with 80 mm wide tyre.

 

Ohhh awesome! I also contemplated doing the 10k spring cycle but with my travels over the past 3 weeks it wasn't a super high priority of mine to enter.
Glad you did it though! Maybe I'll enter next year.

Ps. I gave a unicycle to a family down the road... The dad can now unicycle! He showed off his skills at his 50th birthday party on Saturday in front of around 60 of his friends! He was shaky on the uni, but full credit to him, he managed to ride down his driveway (which isn't all that smooth!)

Meanwhile his son is a champ...

Ps. I still haven't gotten onto the 36" KH.... I need to get spokes to match and build the wheel....

 

You are a very nice person Gockie, old men like your neighbour and I need those unicycles to keep sane.

 

Just spreading the love. They are a gorgeous family.

 

This is a 36" unicycle that I built.

But I am too short for the original setup. But
@TwoDogs helped me swap the cranks to slightly shorter ones
And my neighbour helped me out last night with a seat post issue. But I put it together! Spoked the wheel



On a separate note, I'm doing my first unicycle race tomorrow night. Its at White Bay. My aim is to not have an injury

 

Update: well, there were only 4 unicycle entries in the race. 2 guys, 2 gals. The guys came first and second, and I was the fastest gal, I nearly lapped the other gal! I saw one of the 2 guys (riding a unicycle with a geared hub) stacked it just in front of me. I rode well, no accidents. It was a good course. The only thing was towards the end my nether regions were feeling a bit numb....
(I'm the one with the silly outfit!)
Video here

 

Update!

1. My first big ride on the big 36" wheel was maybe a month ago, Parramatta to Meadowbank and back again. Actually unexpectedly for me, I realised how much different hills (inclines and declines) are on a big wheel. I discovered the wheel gets momentum on a downhill, which is freaky. It also gets momentum up hill too - to a point. So I really have to control my downhill decent, even on what seems to be smallish declines for any other vehicle. Anyway, it's a very nice ride along the river, a dedicated path for walkers, runners and riders.

2. I rode to go see the NYE fireworks at Clarkes Point Woolwich. Took the now trusty 26" unicycle. (It used to have a regular loose crank issue but I fixed it with an aluminium can and Loctite). Mixed weather, and it was good we didn't go any earlier as it was bucketing down!

3. Yesterday evening, NYD with @TwoDogs and other members of the Parramatta Unicycling club at Lane Cove National Park. Another big wheel ride. The young boys also seemed to really enjoy riding the big wheel when they gave it a go. They are seriously competent riders. (The oldest boy also manage to catch a Water dragon)....

A couple of positives from the unicycling - (apart from being part of a unicyling community)
1. I believe it has made my legs so much more powerful. On our last bike ride with my partner he had to tell me I was going too fast for him. I ride my mountain bike (a really beautiful bike to ride) and he was on his hybrid. I also did a Parramatta to city ride in November and I'm powering up the hill....

2. I went canyoning for a weekend just before Christmas in the beautiful Blue Mountains. Normally I would get muscle soreness in my legs from all the effort in the next 2 days. This time, no muscle soreness at all, just some leg tiredness the next morning. I put this down to the unicycling... Well, ok, over the past few months I have also been going to my local running club on most Thursday nights, maybe that helps too. I could have done a third canyoning day no worries. Got a couple of minor cuts and bruises to the body but nothing show stopping. Bit too much sun exposure though... Next time I'll ensure I wear sunscreen.

3. Unicycling is quite attention grabbing. I don't tend to get it on my normal ride to the train station any more (I've been riding that regularly over the past year) but when I'm doing big rides there can be many people on my travels saying "ohhh, a unicycle!". Anyway, it's something different . Also with the White Bay race, people were quite impressed when I rocked up riding a unicycle.

I haven't quite worked out what my answer is for when people ask "where's your other wheel" though.

Anyway, as part of the Sydney Festival 2019 the plan is to be in the parade to kick off the circus program. It's on Friday night, 11th Jan in Parramatta. Any riders of cycles are welcome to participate! 1 wheel or more

 

The latest.... A mini penny farthing! Made from bits and pieces.
And it totally works!

I now clearly see why the chain driven bike is so superior to a penny farthing...

Yes, you can be cheeky and say a bike is superior/more efficient as a transport means than a unicycle. But that's not the point of it!



SALT SkillWomen Shed - Quakers Hill NSW

 

How the heck did we get to 110 posts on this topic? Anyway, tomorrow I’m flying to France, competing in Unicon (Unicycle Convention). It’s been delayed 2 years and it’s going to be super hot in France. The hotel apparently doesn’t have aircon either.

I don’t expect to come 1st, 2nd or 3rd in anything, but that’s totally ok