Giraffes
MUni14052
I've been riding for oh, 7 months, and I have done some pretty cool
stuff, but I really want to ride a giraffe unicycle. This isn't good
however because I have basically no clue how hard.. or easy is is to
ride. Will it be like learing how to ride a standard unicycle all over
again?? The only piece of information I know is that Semcycle.com says I
should be able to ride backwards, and idle one-footed before even
attemting it -- Which doesnt sound too promising.. but I can do those
things. Any advice??
-Thanks... Joe
--
MUni14052
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JJuggle
MUni14052 wrote:
> *I've been riding for oh, 7 months, and I have done some pretty cool
> stuff, but I really want to ride a giraffe unicycle. This isn't good
> however because I have basically no clue how hard.. or easy is is to
> ride. Will it be like learing how to ride a standard unicycle all over
> again?? The only piece of information I know is that Semcycle.com says
> I should be able to ride backwards, and idle one-footed before even
> attemting it -- Which doesnt sound too promising.. but I can do those
> things. Any advice??
>
With all due respect to Semcycle it simply isn't so.
Riding a giraffe is incredibly fun and not any more difficult than
riding a regular unicycle. There is a psychological component that makes
it feel harder at first, but that goes away.
Freemounting a giraffe is significantly more difficult than a standard
uni, but that should be pretty obvious. At an 18.5 mile unicycling event
in New Jersey this past summer though, one fellow did the entire ride on
a giraffe and he still can't freemount. So although freemounting is
something you'll want to work towards it is not something you have to be
able to do immediately.
When I started riding a giraffe about a year or so ago, I could barely
ride backwards and to this day I still can not idle one-footed. Yet I
freemount (well, some of the time anyway) and ride a giraffe
confidently. It is a massive unicycling high.
Naturally you're going to be 5 to 6 or more feet higher than normal so
common sense dictates that you take precautions, such as wearing safety
gear at least during the learning process.
If you want to ride a giraffe go for it. (If you're a kid, your profile
only gives a month and a day - by the way happy belated birthday - make
sure your parents know what you're up to.)
Giraffes Rock!
Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ
--
JJuggle - I'm sorry...really, I am!
Why is life worth living? It's a very good question. Um...Well, There
are certain things I guess that make it worthwhile. uh...Like what...
okay...um...For me, uh... ooh... I would say ... what, Groucho Marx, to
name one thing... uh...um... and Willie Mays... and um ... the 2nd
movement of the Jupiter Symphony ... and um... Louis Armstrong,
recording of Potato Head Blues ... um ... Swedish movies, naturally ...
Sentimental Education by Flaubert ... uh... Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra
.. um ... those incredible Apples and Pears by Cezanne... uh...the
crabs at Sam Wo's... uh... Tracy's face ...
-from Manhattan-
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harper
Raphael speaks the truth. Actually, idling a giraffe is much easier for
some than idling a standard 20" or 24" uni. They are also really easy to
ride backwards. There is a balance advantage being on top of a long
stick like that. The psychological barrier is real but so is the small
"this feels really different" barrier. The psychological one is much
stronger.
I disagree with Raphael on one point. On a five or six foot giraffe you
are not five or six feet further up. You are only further up by the
difference in the seat heights between your standard unicycle and
whatever giraffe you ride. This might be a two or three foot difference
at the most for a five or six foot giraffe. It's not that high. Raphael
may believe that he is at some extreme altitude on a giraffe but that's
only because he is an extremist.
More importantly IT DOES LOOK high. Most people will generously add two
or three feet of height to your giraffe when perceivng it or describing
it.
--
harper - Blue Shift Pilot
-Greg Harper
"Just for fun the other day I weighed some pedals I had around." -Nathan
Hoover on entertainment
"These boots are made for walkin'..." -Nancy Sinatra
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ratherbekayaking
I've been riding a unicycle since 2 November 2002 (6 weeks) so I am in
no way an expert on anything, however: You can ride a giraffe. I bought
a giraffe after 3 weeks on a normal unicycle. I have to use a couple
tuff sheds two feet apart to get on the thing, but I figured out how to
ride it in about 30 minutes. I was able to go around the block a couple
times without falling. I can't ride a uni backwards or idle or any of
that yet.
My normal uni is a 24 inch wheel and the giraffe is a 20 inch and a
not-so-perfectly-straight-frame so it was harder than it should have
been, but still very do-able.
Good luck, and don't buy a Savage giraffe off of eBay. :) While they
may be okay if youi find a good one in the store, a cheap one on eBay is
cheap for a reason.
Oh well, they say you destroy a learning uni anyway, so after I learn,
then get a "real" giraffe, I can donate thisone to the next learner
maybe. :)
Anyway, go for it and let us know how you turn out.
ps... anyone selling a 36 inch tire uni?
--
ratherbekayaking
"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us
with sense, reason and intellect has intended us to forgo their use."
(Galileo Galilei)
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Mikefule
I'll second all of that. Riding a giraffe forwards in an open space is
as easy as riding a normal unicycle.
Setting off from the wall takes nerve and commitment, but the riding is
way easier than you'd think.
Turning and stopping take a bit more planning and a bit more nerve.
If something goes wrong, the consequences can be worse than on a normal
uni. Further to fall, and the blast crater has a wider radius.
I used to be able to freemount a 4 foot (approx.) uni but that was years
ago.
Riding a giraffe is fun. Insofar as any unicycle is 'practical', of
course, the giraffe is at the 'impractical' end of the scale.
--
Mikefule - Roland Hope School of Unicycling
I know it only rocks and rolls but I like it!
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Mark Newbold
It is true that riding a normal unicycle translates directly to riding a
giraffe. If you can do one, you can do the other. But the fact that you
"can" doesn't mean you should.
I understand that some clubs require level-3 skills before allowing a rider
on a giraffe. I think this is wise because it requires a general level of
comfort and competence on the unicycle -- the ability to cope when something
doesn't go quite right. Without this level of competence, your danger level
is much higher.
For one thing, in the process of learning to ride backwards you get used to
dealing with UPD's of every possible kind. On the giraffe you had better be
in control during a UPD. If you don't land on your feet (preferably squarely
on both feet) it is going to hurt.
If you are nervous about riding backwards, you should definitely be nervous
about being on a giraffe.
--Mark
--
Mark Newbold
Montpelier, Vermont USA
http://dogfeathers.com
Alternate email: ma...@sover.net
Mikefule
All this 'levels' business leaves me out in the cold. Each to his or
her own, of course, and those who want to do levels are free to do so.
However, as I personally could see no practical benefit or enjoyment
from, say, riding stomach on seat, I would not put the effort in to
learn the skill, so I could never pass the exam, so your club (or one
like it) might never let me ride the club giraffe.
Basic skills necessary to be safe on a uni are: freemount, ride
forwards, steer confidently,stop under control, dismount. Before riding
a giraffe, it would be nice to be able to idle a normal uni. Reversing
would be a bonus.
One of the appeals of unicycling is that it is a sport for eccentrics
rather than conformists. I therefore find it strange that so many
unicyclists like to see their eccentricity validated with a series of
certificates. But that's jus' me.
--
Mikefule - Roland Hope School of Unicycling
I know it only rocks and rolls but I like it!
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Sofa
Mikefule wrote:
> *But that's jus' me. *
Nope. It's me, too
--
Sofa - Clatu...Verata...*coff*
Newest club in town! *'London Unicycling Club'
(http://london.unicyclist.com)
*
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Lowell Terry
you said it better than I could.
Lowell
> ___________________________________________________________________________
> rec.sport.unicycling mailing list - www.unicycling.org/mailman/listinfo/rsu
>
unisteve
>>"...I personally could see no practical benefit or enjoyment >>from,
say, riding stomach on seat..."
Yes, it is one of the most impractical skills ever conceived by a
unicyclist, but it is a blast. It also looks freaky. Take a pic of
someone riding stomach-on-seat on they'll try to steal it and burn it.
If only to entertain others, this skill is fun.
But don't worry aobut what I say. Nope. Oh well.
(I realize that was a tad off topic. I give you another hearty "Oh
well.")
--
unisteve - i love hopping
"UNICYCLING: Bikers call it ego. You call it envy."
"I live on the edge. Sometimes I fall off."
"Insanity is just a state of mind."
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JJuggle
Mikefule wrote:
> *All this 'levels' business leaves me out in the cold. Each to his or
> her own, of course, and those who want to do levels are free to do so.
> However, as I personally could see no practical benefit or enjoyment
> from, say, riding stomach on seat, I would not put the effort in to
> learn the skill, so I could never pass the exam, so your club (or one
>
> ...One of the appeals of unicycling is that it is a sport for
> eccentrics rather than conformists. I therefore find it strange that
> so many unicyclists like to see their eccentricity validated with a
I completely agree with the above insofar as I am responsible for myself
and my child.
However Marks' comment about clubs requiring members, particularly
children, to pass a certain level before allowing them to ride a
giraffe...when riding within the time and space governed by the
club...makes sense since clubs have legal responsibilities towards their
membership, particularly with regard to insurance. (I would argue, as
has been stated by others before that perhaps this is another reason for
the stomach on seat skill to be moved to above Level 3 so that it is not
necessary for clubs with such restrictions to allow members to ride
giraffes. Unless, of course, they waive this skill.)
As for the skills themselves, pretty much no matter how obscure an
activity, if enough people do it, they're going to want to compare and
rank and so some set of standards to do this is going to be developed.
Cheers,
Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ
--
JJuggle - I'm sorry...really, I am!
Why is life worth living? It's a very good question. Um...Well, There
are certain things I guess that make it worthwhile. uh...Like what...
okay...um...For me, uh... ooh... I would say ... what, Groucho Marx, to
name one thing... uh...um... and Willie Mays... and um ... the 2nd
movement of the Jupiter Symphony ... and um... Louis Armstrong,
recording of Potato Head Blues ... um ... Swedish movies, naturally ...
Sentimental Education by Flaubert ... uh... Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra
.. um ... those incredible Apples and Pears by Cezanne... uh...the
crabs at Sam Wo's... uh... Tracy's face ...
-from Manhattan-
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yoopers
Our club requires proficiency of Level 2 skills before soloing on a
giraffe. It doesn't take but a few trips across the gym for most new
giraffe riders (kids in this case) to learn the feel of giraffe riding.
Of course freemounting is another issue. Usually, I hold the giraffe
for the kids during the climb up to the saddle.
Bruce
--
yoopers - Bruce & Mary Edwards
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harper
yoopers wrote:
> * Usually, I hold the giraffe for the kids during the climb up to the
> saddle.
>
> *
Who holds it for you, big daddy?
--
harper - Blue Shift Pilot
-Greg Harper
"Just for fun the other day I weighed some pedals I had around." -Nathan
Hoover on entertainment
"These boots are made for walkin'..." -Nancy Sinatra
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MUni14052
Hey guys...
I really appretiate all of your advice.. It was REALLY helpful. When I
get the money in January, I'm going to go buy a brand new UNI... not
from Ebay... and I'll tell you guys how it is!
--
MUni14052 - Unipsycho Guy
If I had a nickel for every time I fell on a unicycle, I'd have 0 cents
:)
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ratherbekayaking
MUni14052 wrote:
> *Hey guys...
>
> I really appretiate all of your advice.. It was REALLY helpful. When I
> get the money in January, I'm going to go buy a brand new UNI... not
Good to hear that someone could learn from my mistake about eBay. Got
to love the power of the internet.
Oh, and wear a helmet. Happy to say that is one area in which I've
never learned the hard way.
Memphis Mud
What about the $150.00 Savage five-footer @ Unicycle.com?
There are a couple of nice-enough comments about them.
--
Memphis Mud - Not Satisfied @ Level 2.9
I [heart] MUni
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carjug
And does the semcycle giraffe come with an extra 24 inch wheel?
car...@yahoo.com
--
carjug
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JJuggle
Memphis Mud wrote:
> *What about the $150.00 Savage five-footer @ Unicycle.com?
>
> There are a couple of nice-enough comments about them. *
I have a Savage 5' Giraffe. It was what I could afford and I got it for
$169 with the Viscount saddle and seat-post upgrade.
I have been perfectly happy with it. I've had no mechanical problems and
it has performed well. And, of course, I love riding it.
That being said, naturally being as acquisitive as the next guy I covet
the Semcycle or Miyata SkyCycle. Afterall, there's got to be some reason
why they're over $200 more. I'm not sure what constitutes hard riding of
a giraffe (Scot Cooper's Giraffe MUni'ing notwithstanding), but I
suspect one of those would hold up better under whatever such treatment
is.
So, that being said, I'd recommend that if you have the extra dough and
it's not a big deal, get one of the higher end machines. If money is an
issue, but you really want the giraffe experience, you wont regret
buying the Savage; no matter what anyone says I'd estimate that you're
at least 8 to 9 feet higher up on one. :D
Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ
--
JJuggle - A unicycle, you say? Count on it!
Why is life worth living? It's a very good question. Um...Well, There
are certain things I guess that make it worthwhile. uh...Like what...
okay...um...For me, uh... ooh... I would say ... what, Groucho Marx, to
name one thing... uh...um... and Willie Mays... and um ... the 2nd
movement of the Jupiter Symphony ... and um... Louis Armstrong,
recording of Potato Head Blues ... um ... Swedish movies, naturally ...
Sentimental Education by Flaubert ... uh... Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra
.. um ... those incredible Apples and Pears by Cezanne... uh...the
crabs at Sam Wo's... uh... Tracy's face ...
-from Manhattan-
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Ron
While I'm a long way from being an expert, one advantage I saw last
night at my daughters unicycling club practice of being able to stomach
ride is it was easier for some of the kids to learn to freemount it.
There has been some postings in the past where people could freemount
their giraffe, only when the seat was lowered too much. Some of the
kids had the same problem until they started stomach riding. They would
mount like normal but were not quite able to get on the seat at its
proper height. Then they would stomach ride for a few pedals and then
were able to get on the seat.
Ron
--
Ron - Undisputed World UPD Champion
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Mikefule
Ron wrote:
> *They would mount like normal but were not quite able to get on the
> seat at its proper height. Then they would stomach ride for a few
> pedals and then were able to get on the seat.
OK, it's a fair cop, you got me bang to rights Guv'nor. I withdraw my
allegation about the stomach on seat riding thing being irrelevant.
--
Mikefule - Roland Hope School of Unicycling
I know it only rocks and rolls but I like it!
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