One for the road

[JC w KC redux]

I was in Aptos, waiting to turn onto Trout Gulch and a young girl (9?), riding by on her unicycle with mom and little sister on normal bikes not far behind. I saw them at New Leaf Market a few minutes later and complimented the uni rider on the accomplishment of biking while missing two thirds of the bike. She had done a little over 2 miles that session.

Assuming it was a smaller wheel. 2 miles is a long way on a little wheel.
I have been doing a bit over 4 each day and it takes me about 50 minutes.

[JC w KC redux]

[clink]

 Athlete at the Wheel!

[JC w KC redux]

Athlete at the Wheel!

Hardly.
But thanks.
Riding has been frustrating as hell lately.
I think I should have exited gracefully a while back - like Sting did from the Police.

[JC w KC redux]

I bobbled on a mount the other day and fell forward just enough to rake the pedal up the back of my leg.





I've been having trouble with the 36 inch wheel for months. After replacing the tire (to no avail) I began hypothesizing that something must be bent. Thus far I have replaced every part except the frame (tire, pedals, cranks, rebuilt wheel, seat post, seat). In the process, I learned how to lace and true my wheel (new hub, bearings and new spokes). I'd order a frame but it turns out I won't be able to get one until next year. In the interim, in an attempt to eliminate myself as the cause of the riding difficulty, I ordered a 26 inch wheel (what I learned on) and started riding that. Now, trying to ride the 36er feels even more foreign - something I have not experienced in the last decade of riding it. WTF?
I am determined to figure it out and have even started thinking about ordering a 29 inch wheel to see how that feels.
Maybe I should just get a 20 inch wheel, learn to juggle and join the circus.

Like the White Whale - it beckons...





 

[Brad Young]

Hold it, I thought you were a member of the circus already? And you left us all here while you travel.

[NOAL]

Do you have one of those stands to true your wheel?  I guess you could flip the unicycle upside and throw it in a vice or something. 

Recently bought this book about wheels an wheel building by Jobst Brandt.  https://www.isolapress.com/shop/jobst-brandt  Might have posted here before but his other book is really cool too. A lot of photos of riding on the Peninsula and Santa Cruz mountains pre- MTB.  Also some good photos of riding Sonora Pass in the 70s.  I highly recommend both his books. Looks like the publisher has some other cool titles that I have not bought yet. 

How's riding the unicycle in Kentucky?  People doing a lot of double takes?

[JC w KC redux]

There are no truing stands for 36 inch wheels but the frame works. I just took the seat off and screwed the seat post bracket to a couple pieces of scrap plywood and then used zip ties for side to side and painters tape for up/down. Lacing the wheel was a trip and I did buy a spoke tension meter from Park Tools. I tried a cheapie first and it was junk.
Those books sound cool. The guy I used to climb with in Red River Gorge used to ride the trails in the gorge back then. He has some wild stories to tell.
Folks in the neighborhood are used to me after so many trips back here but they still get a kick out of it. I always get a smile a laugh or a wave (or all of the above).

[JC w KC redux]

Took a nice ride today on my 29 inch wheel. After being in KY all those months and riding a 26 inch wheel while I rebuilt my 36 inch wheel, I grew accustomed to the smaller wheel again and found it a terrific workout with much less challenge to mount (an easy rockover instead of all that jumping and failed mounts). I noticed the 29 inch wheel was just a few more bucks than the 26, so I decided to order one and work my way back up to the 36 slowly. Well that didn't happen and I wound up never even trying the 29 until we got back to California. I rode the 26 a couple times when we got back and then switched to the 29. Been riding that every day since. Kat took this short video of me a while back.

Kat and I just sat out in the sun on the deck enjoying this perfect day before we all get plunged into the darkness that is Daylight Saving Time. Cheers to your next spin...