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If you've never ridden a unicycle before your first step is to obtain the necessary equipment. A unicycle doesn't have to be expensive, but it should be in decent shape, safe and have comfortable seat. Once you discover that you enjoy the sport there will come time where an upgrade will be necessary. Expect to pay between $130 and $200 for a new 20" model that has a quality hub and crank set-up that will last and not fail under stress conditions. Spend a little bit extra on the seat.  An air saddle is so much more comfortable, and allows for additional hours of practice in the saddle.  Be careful with Internet purchases. There are a lot of low end components out on the market that will not perform well and you’ll be doubly disappointed when it breaks and your “ride” is out of commission. With a brief discussion, I can help you to eliminate the majority of Internet purchase "mishaps", and steer you in the right direction.   So before you buy online, give me a call at 978-777-3406 or e-mail to Mountainuni@comcast.net and I'm happy to help!  :-)

In general the 20" wheel size will be the easiest for a new uni rider to complete that first ride. Also a 20" wheel covers less distance per revolution of the wheel so less space is needed to learn the basics. Adults should make sure to get a longer seat post so saddle height can be adjusted correctly. Don't forget to wear safety gear like shin pads, bike helmet and wrist guards while practicing. The falls come quickly and often during the learning phase and the proper safety gear is vital to continuing practice without injuries. For those of you who have tried snowboarding, plan on a similar learning curve. An average of 10-15 hrs. of practice is good general timetable to complete your first 50 ft. ride unassisted. To simplify, 10 complete pedal rotations with you in the saddle and feet on the pedals is a successful Level I ride!  For you snowboarders & skateboarders, you can learn to unicycle in about the same time, about three half days. A small price to pay for the hours of enjoyment you’ll get in return.

In the beginning all three of the above skills will require some form of support. Support may come from a fence, wall(s), training pole(s) or helper. Your first and primary goal should be to develop your balance to the point where no external support is required during a straight ride of about 50'. You'll find dismounting the easiest followed by straight riding followed by unassisted mounting. Unassisted or free mounts will take some time to learn, so be patient and learn that skill last. Mastering these basic skills can take anywhere from several hours to months. Practice on a smooth level surface to start. Hallways, basements, garages, gyms, sidewalks with fence, tennis courts and empty parking areas can all be used as a practice area. In short, any safe place that provides a smooth level surface, appropriate riding space and the required support could be used. You'll need to experiment to find the best approach for your personal situation. Whatever approach you use, the most important thing is to train your muscle/brain computer to ride 50 feet unassisted. This is an important step since it will prove that you can indeed ride.

If you're one of the few patient souls that does achieve unassisted riding, congratulations on a job well done! Continue practicing the three skills above until you can free mount, ride and dismount reliably on pavement. Work also on turns so you can follow a simple course. Turn by swivelling or leaning in the direction you want to go in. Leaning is the preferred turning method but may be too difficult for some newbies. Once you can competently mount, ride, turn and dismount on pavement you're ready to venture off road and get the feel of irregular terrain. It's like learning to ride all over again so be patient. Also remember that your 20" starter unicycle may get you started in off road riding on easy terrain but will not be the best choice for Off Road MUni rides. If you enjoy the sport and plan on regular rides in tougher terrain, we’ll need to talk about building you a custom MountainUni.

Prices & packages

The cost of the learn to ride clinic will be $ 125.00 per person/ $200 per couple. This will include 6 hrs. of instruction and availability of the unicycle to practice on in between sessions. You’ll have access to my e-mail address for Q & A anytime, and I guarantee success.

Now here’s the Pitch:

I’ll supply the unicycle that you’ll learn to ride. It will be a top quality entry level unicycle that will be set up to your bodytype, inseam measurements and the style of riding you plan on doing. The end goal is to have a you riding your own custom built unicycle built by MountainUni and built to last. The cost of a bullet proof, top of the line MUni is about 20% of what a comparable Mountainbike would run. So you Bikers out there, think about it you before you make your next large two wheeled purchase!