Anyone into Muni?

[Jon P]

I've had an old Pashley 20" unicycle for years but it's been in bits for about 10 as I came off it, broke me knee, and the hub seemed to be binding.  I finally got round to ordering a 26" one designed for offroad - a Nimbus Muni, the bearings are fixed to the hub and the fork clamps round them, a lot better than the cottered ones on the Pashley.  You can also fix a Magura HS33 to it, of which I've a spare.

Anyone else into this? - I know nutty rides a unicycle, any others?  I'm taking it easy at first but it should be a good way to combine cycling and walking and cover a bit more ground than the latter will allow.  Some of the stuff on the internet is truly amazing (check the site out above).

[chillyone]

I asked about unicycles on here a few days ago, and have now ordered a 20" one.  Never having ridden a unicycle I have been watching clips on utube while I wait for it to arrive.  I had never heard of Muni until seeing those mad buggers flying down the mountain trails.  Most impressive, and here's me just looking forward to going up and down the street outside my house if I ever get that far!

Good luck with your new one 

[Jon P]

Cheers mate and good luck with learning it.  I know some people can get going a lot quicker but it took me 2 months and was the hardest thing I've ever learned to do (and I've got 2 professional disciplines including classical music, and loads of hobbies).  If you can find something like an entry between Victorian houses, or a narrow basement corridor, you can hold onto both walls.  Remember you're using the relationship between your feet and your backside to leverage the balance rather than just balance poised on the seat, unless you're one of the mad bugg3rs who coast down hills with the feet off the pedals! 

[andygates]

How'd you get on?

My Lidl Death Wheel has just emerged from under a pile of cats.  Really oughta have a go, I didn't master it last year...

[clarion]

Our nephew is coming along alarmingly well with his unicycling.  I have managed not to mention Muni yet, though he has been on a Unicycling Forum, so it's only a matter of time...

[Jon P]

You couldn't blame him if he does as just cycling along roads is pretty boring unless you get a 36" Coker, maybe with a Schlumpf overdrive which should knock the cruising speed up towards 20mph.  Muni makes it a bit more challenging but isn't particularly dangerous if you're careful and wear protection (I use skating kneepads and special stiffened gloves - Unicycle.UK.com - The Source for Unicycles, Unicycle Spares, Juggling and Hockey Equipment!).  And it's loads of fun.

Otherwise he'll want to get into muni, freestyle (doing tricks or playing hockey) or trials (street unicycling like BMXs and skateboards do).  I've just ordered a replacement 20" freestyle one to do juggling and violin-playing on.

You might even like to point him in the direction of the 10 skill levels of unicycling to really broaden his horizons.

[woollypigs]

I can't remember who it was but someone did talk about off road (MTB) uni cycling here before. It just sounds a bit too mad for me.

[domesticated ape]

So how's the muni going JT? I've been doing muni and road unicycling on and off for a few years, I've been doing quite a bit of muni in the last few weeks because I'm training for the Mountain Mayhem 24 hour race in two weeks. It'll be the third time I've done the race and I've trained more this year than the last two, so I'm really looking forward to it:)

[Jon P]

Loving it, thanks ape.  I've also got a 20" freestyle one which I'm using to learn 'tricks' like hopping and hopefully one-footed riding, which I can apply to the Muni.  I'm starting to be able to get up some steepish hills and it's nothing like as strenuous as when I started.

You're doing a 24-hour unicycle race?  Jeez, that sounds like hard work!  Best of luck with it and make sure you post a ride report. 

[domesticated ape]

The race was last weekend and went well, had some trouble with punctures but still managed 4 laps, my team did 16 in total, we were the fastest of the three unicycle teams and came 110th out of 152 teams in our category. I was going to write a ride report anyway but haven't got round to it yet.

I haven't been back on the unicycle since the race, looking forward to doing some fun rides now without having to worry about training.

Glad you're enjoying the muni JT, you don't live anywhere near Surrey/Hampshire do you, we could sort a ride out sometime if you do.

[Jon P]

Hi ape, sounds like a first for mUni!  I live in W Mids but have a bro in E Molesey area I plan to visit sometime, could get off at High Wycombe for example or open to suggestions?  I never walk anywhere now, it's the Norman Wisdom approach to going to the Co-op!    I can cover terrain on it I never dared tackle on 2 wheels, anyway.

[domesticated ape]

Nope, not a first for muni (if you mean participating at Mountain Mayhem that is), there has been at least one unicycle team there every year since about 1999!

Your approach to riding practice is a lot better than mine, I'm really self-conscious of the attention that riding a unicycle brings, so apart from the training I did for MM I don't usually ride that much at all. Might go for a ride this evening though.

East Molesey isn't that far from Swinley Forest (aka Bracknell Forest, aka muni heaven!), so if you're around anytime soon let me know. I was thinking about posting on the unicyclists' forum (yes there is one) about organising a ride at Swinley sometime this summer, as there are quite a few other muni riders in the South East, if I do I'll let you know.

[Jon P]

Seems like you need to pay £20 to ride there - or do they do day passes?  A bit like Cannock Chase like we have up here.  Anyway at least Bracknell has something good about it - ended up there on rides a couple of times and thought it the worst tip I've ever come across!

I'll try to plan something over the next month and will drop you a PM.

[domesticated ape]

Yes they do day passes, I think it's about £2.50 a day, but the parking is free so it still works out cheap.
Also the shop that sells the passes doesn't open until about 9 or 9:30, a couple of times I've been for rides early and couldn't buy a pass because the shop wasn't open, so didn't bother. I've never actually seen anyone checked for a pass on the trails so it would be very easy to just never buy one, but someone must be putting in the work to maintain the trails and the car park so I don't have a problem with paying.

The small bit of Bracknell near where the trails are is actually pretty cool, especially if you have/work with kids, as there are the trails, a discovery centre, a Go Ape, and a leisure pool with uber-fast flumes:) Never been to the rest of it though so couldn't comment on that!