Unicycling is a great activity to take up for many reasons. Whether you want to take up unicycling for fun, exercise, or even just as a conversation starter, you will need to invest a large amount of time to learn. This guide will teach you the basics of how to unicycle from choosing a unicycle to your first few yards ridden.
The first aspect of learning to unicycle is to choose a unicycle. It is best if you can find someone who owns one that you can borrow so that if you decide that unicycling is not for you, you haven’t wasted your money. Unfortunately, not many of us know a unicyclist and thus most people will have to buy their first unicycle. Unicycles can be found for very decent prices but there are a mind boggling array of choices. When looking for a unicycle, you should first decide what you want the unicycle for. If you plan to commute on your unicycle, you will want one with a bigger wheel and lighter frame. A 36″ wheel is ideal if you are tall enough to ride it but if you want more versatility, or have legs shorter than 29.5″ , any wheel from 26″ up is suitable. A good unicycle size chart can be found here. If you plan to use your unicycle for tricks, however, smaller is better. If you are not too big for it, you should get a unicycle with a 20″ inch wheel. This allows you to maneuver much better than with a bigger wheel and also allows you to stop quicker. The construction of the frame for a trick unicycle is up to personal preference. A heavier frame is less likely to get damaged but a lighter one will allow you to do higher bunny hops. The last kind of unicycle is the mountain unicycle or MUni. For this you want a 26″ wheel to maximize speed and maneuverability. A 26″ wheel will also allow you to roll over obstacles that smaller unicycles would get stuck on. The frame needs to be tough. If you mountain unicycle, you and the unicycle will fall so you want a frame that can withstand the stresses of rocks. If you don’t know what you want to do with your unicycle, I would suggest any unicycle with a 24″ tire. These allow you flexibility between all three types of riding and are generally considered starter unicycles.
The next step is putting the unicycle together. If you are lucky and find a place that will sell you the unicycle pre-assembled, you can skip this part. Usually a unicycle will come disassembled and with very limited instructions.
The first step in assembling the unicycle is to attach the pedals to the cranks. The cranks should come pre-attached to the wheel but, for size purposes, the pedals are left off. If you try to just screw the pedals in, they will not go. You first have to determine the left and right sides because they screw in opposite directions. The pedals and cranks should be labeled but if they are not, just try screwing one in on both sides and turning both ways. The second trick is to screw it in by the small post between the threads and the pedal. you will notice that the pedal rotates around the post, so this is the only way to actually screw the pedals on. The next step in the process is to attach the wheel to the frame. There should be two “u” shaped brackets. Simply place the frame upside down between your knees, lower the wheel onto “u” shaped components of the frame, and use a hex wrench to attach the brackets. Note that the maximum torque you should put on the brackets is about 45 inch pounds. If you don’t have a torque meter handy, just tighten each side uniformly by counting the number of turns with the wrench and tighten until the wheel spins with ease but is not wobbly. It is better to over tighten than under tighten. Finally, you must put the seat post in. I suggest inflating the tire before doing this to make sizing easier. The seat should come up to about hip height or slightly higher. Once you have adjusted the seat, simply tighten the collar and you are ready to begin riding. Note that you may have to use a hacksaw and cut the post down to size.
Finally, you are ready to actually ride your new unicycle. A word of warning before you begin. It takes the average person 10-20 hours to learn to ride a unicycle. This 10-20 hours is usually very discouraging but once you learn to ride, it is more than worth the effort. You should begin practicing on a smooth surface such as a parking lot or a sidewalk. The practice space should also have a wall or some sort of support to hold on to. If you have a friend who is willing to spot you the whole process will be much easier. To get up on a unicycle, you tilt the seat back, put the wheel in front of you and put your foot on one of the pedals, grab onto the wall, and push down on the pedal while stepping or jumping up onto the seat. The pedal should be slightly back from its most downward position. Do not be discouraged if this take a long time to get the hang of. Mounting a unicycle is probably one of the most difficult parts. If the seat is falling backwards, you may need to change the pedal position so that you are not pushing down on it so much. Once you have successfully mounted the unicycle, it is time to start pedaling. One of your legs will probably be straight and the other will be bent. This is the hardest and least balanced position on a unicycle. Push yourself slightly along the wall until one leg is beginning a slight forward movement. If you have a spotter, take his or her hand and push down on the pedal with the more bent leg. If you don’t have a spotter, just use the wall. Try to use your support as little as possible because you can form bad habits by leaning to one side too much. A straight back is the best posture for starting out because it centers all of your balance. To turn, look the way you want to turn and twist your whole body. I also find that using your arm to “point” across your body into your turn helps Your movement will be slow and jerky at first but keep practicing and when you get to the point where you can pedal fluently with support, you can let go of the wall or hand. You are not likely to fall to the side when learning to unicycle due to the torque on the wheel but you will fall forward and back. If you find yourself falling forward, it means you need to pedal faster to get the wheel under the unicycle. The opposite is true for falling backwards. Slow down to let the seat catch up with the wheel. If you find yourself drifting to one side or the other, check your seat to make sure it is straight and then do the same with your posture.
The biggest part of learning to unicycle is constant practice. You should practice at least an hour a day until you get it down. Once you have the basics down, you will be ready to try more complicated terrain. Again, the biggest part of learning to unicycle is the practice so just keep working at it and have fun.
