Extreme(balance challenged) Newbie impressions

[readysetawesome]

🕺👍 excellent

[skyman88]

@wheelrich

So if you haven't found Chris Richardson's videos on YouTube yet, they might also be a help. Video is upside but the info is solid... he's a huge help with very detailed explanations.

In addition to figure 8's the sidewalk plus sign drill might be great for you.

I also recommend people start on grass to learn... falls are easier and once you get decent, pavement will seem too easy.

Chris' video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw1mrKi35kk

[wheelrich]

@skyman88 Thanks, but I found his videos long ago, and have watched many of them. I agree, his details are invaluable . Plus I have watched countless others, as well. The more I ride, the more I know what to look for in videos, so I experiment with different stances, etc. I also have been using the Onetail+. It has been some help...I wouldn't say it was a major difference. And I really don't make use of the extra length. I am waiting for the new version of the Cobra pad to deliver. I think it will be even better.

As far as learning on grass...I started that way and it was terrible. I abandoned it to learn on smooth paved surfaces. The only advantage to grass, for me, was that it is softer to fall on. But I have only had one real fall...and it was on grass, because of grass. However, now I am to the point where I do want to start learning to ride grass as well as I can ride cement or pavement. My balance is much better, and my feet and ankles are stronger and more flexible. So I can now adjust to the constant surface change better on grass, than I could in the beginning.

Thanks for the feedback.

[wheelrich]

Training Day 4-4 The student becomes the master....NOT!

Route: 4+1 outdoor basketball courts at Cal State
Mission mode:
Distance: 3+ miles of loops, figure 8s, and s-curves
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Temp: low to high 80's
Not New: Again I parked further away and rode the board all the way to and back from the courts, on sidewalks, and parking lot, even past people, all with total control.

Comments: So what is different this time? A new board! Got another XR so I have 1 to ride, 1 as a backup, AND as a buddy board to invite others to ride with me. So I got my friend Cliff to come along and try OWing for the first time out on the basketball court at the University. Although we were there over 1 1/2 hours, I only got in 3 miles because I was coaching him some of that time. I let him learn on my first XR with the Onetail+ pad and I rode the new board with stock pads. It was a bit strange to go back to a standard pad after riding the Onetail, but I managed ok. I have a Cobra pad on order and I think I will be using it exclusively when it gets here. But who knows.

Observations: As I get more comfortable on the board, I am noticing more things. Like, when I do heel side turns I notice that my front toe wants to raise up of the board as I push down on my front heel to make the turn. I have to concentrate to keep it from raising up. I suspect this is why there are so many reports of "unexplained" nosedives from people after they have gained skill on the board. I think some do not notice lifting their front toes on these turns, and deactivate their boards in the process.

Anyway, between the 2 boards I now have 39 miles of experience. As the weather starts to cool down I hope to raise that to more than 100 in the upcoming weeks. BTW it was fun acting as a coach. Cliff is picking it up pretty fast. If he keeps it up he will catch up to me in no time. Then we can do more riding together. Float on friends!

[wheelrich]

Training Day 4-5

Route: 4+1 outdoor basketball courts at Cal State
Board: XR wOnetail+ in Mission
Distance: 5.1 miles of loops, figure 8s, and s-curves, sidewalks/parking lot
Duration: 1 hour 9 minutes
Temp: low to mid 90's/light breeze

Comments: So back to my Onetail+ board, since I was riding solo today. I did notice it to be a little easier to carve with, but at the same time it seems less stable than the reg surestance pad I rode last time. 2 sides of the same coin, but I prefer the extra control it provides, which I have to constantly use. NEWS flash: A couple minutes ago, I got notice that my Cobra pad has finally shipped! I am looking forward to even more of a curved pad, for better lock in feeling, and more control. I don't think I will miss the extra tail length. I actually don't care for it or use it. If I mount the board with my rear foot too far back, the board tetters up off the ground when I put my weight on it to mount, and I have to move my foot forward until I level off. Then I usually don't bother moving it back when I am riding. Maybe riders with longer legs would find it useful.

Today, in addition to the usual drill practice, doing turns, etc. I concentrated on using my rear foot more for steering, and bending my rear leg forward a bit. I was conscious of moving my rear leg at the knee to kinda steer and push my lower body forward, while keeping my upper body centered over the wheel. I don't know if I am describing this accurately, but I was trying to follow some tips I saw in a FB video on this subject. It is similar to what SlydogStroh does in his videos, except I did not ride on my rear toe like he does. But, by trying to extend my rear knee bent forward more, then I could move my bent knee joint right or left slightly to help make my turns. Of course I also had to bend both knees more and maintain a more spring-like position. This made riding over any uneven surfaces very easy. I have been doing this, more or less, already, but today I exaggerated it even more, and became much more relaxed on the board, after a sufficient warm up. Now my rear calf is much more sore than usual, so I am sure I was putting in some good effort and developing more muscle memory.

I wanted to up my 5 mile trip record to 6, but my feet/legs were so tired after all this new stuff, that I was getting the wobbles back a little, and almost lost balance a couple times at the end, so decided it was time to call it a day and wheel back to my Jeep and rehydrate. BTW, last time I tried a shot of "Pickle Juice" before the ride, for cramps. Today I waited until after, and like I said, my rear calf was very sore, almost to the point of a "charlie horse" type cramp. Hopefully, the PJ will do the trick again. (They are big advertisers on the Tour de France, with I watch every year).

Onward and outward, Floaters!

[wheelrich]

Training Day 4-6 - Rich's Onewheel School

Route: 4+1 outdoor basketball courts at Cal State
Board: XR in Mission
Distance: 6.1 miles of loops, figure 8s, and s-curves, sidewalks/parking lot
Duration: approx 1 hour 30 minutes
Temp: low to mid 80's/light breeze

Comments: More good practice, and back to my newest board w/stock rear pad. When I got home my new Cobra Pad had arrived! So gotta get back out soon and try it out. Looks very well made. Look forward to getting it dirty.

In addition to my own routines, and adding another mile to the workout (puts me at 50 miles total), I had 2 buddies learning on my original XR, with the Onetail+. Sam and Cliff have both tried the OW with me individually, but now with the extra board I just showed them some basics and let them take turns riding and spotting each other. Meanwhile I continued working on turns, light carving from a straight line, mount and dismounts, and extending my endurance to 6 miles+. From what I saw, they both did very well. Eventually each one rode completely across a basketball court without direct assistance. Only 1 fall between them, and no serious injuries. All in all a good day for all of us. BTW they are younger than me, both still in their 60's. One has surfing experience and one has skateboard background.

Hey, I just realized...I am holding OW classes at a state university. What should I charge for tuition?

[wheelrich]

Short evening carport warmup with the Cobra pad

Had to try my new cobra pad. It will be a few days before I have time to get out on another training day type ride, so I went back to the old carport and did a mile with the new pad. Fun fact: it takes about 150 back and forths along the side of my carport to make a single mile! Wow, I have so outgrown the carport days. I did work on my switch riding skills while I was out back, and they are starting to return to me. But no way I can do 6 miles there.

Re the cobra pad: At first it felt almost wobbly, but I quickly realized that I did not have to move my back foot very much to get a turn or balance correction. Once I got used to the new sensitivity I enjoyed it very much. As they say, you feel very locked in. Tried my usual stance, then a couple of adjustments. But I think I will quickly adjust to using it, and hopefully my back foot won't go to sleep after 5 miles, any more. Glad I bought it!

[wheelrich]

Training Day 4-7 - The Snake! (cobra, sidewinder, and fangs)

Route: 4+1 outdoor basketball courts at Cal State
Board: XR in Mission
Distance: 5.1 miles of loops, figure 8s, and s-curves, sidewalks/parking lot
Duration: approx 1 hour 5 minutes
Temp: low to mid 70's

Comments: I was away for the weekend doing my 5th annual Bike the Bay event in San Diego, where 3K of us rode across the Coronado bridge and did a 25 miles loop out and back to the Embarcadero Park in SD. So last week was all about getting reading to cycle, and I did no OWheeling.

Today it was great to get back to my OW training. Almost 2 weeks without riding and I was a bit apprehensive, but it all came back to me, and my feet/ankles were still strong enough for a decent ride.

NEW EQUIPMENT: I got to try out my new Cobra pad, and my new Sidewinder split fender. My sidewinder review can be found here:
https://archive.owforum.co.uk/topic/7978/new-split-fender

The cobra pad is everything they say it is. There is a little relearn involved, but it is a good thing. As I noted above, when I did a brief test on it at home, it seemed a bit wobbly because now my rear foot movements control the board more than before, even tho I had been using the Onetail+. I quickly adapted to the Cobra pad. I am still trying different stances, but mainly because now I can. With the OT+, and even with the stock pad, it seemed like there was a perfect stance I had to use to feel connected to the board, while riding. With the Cobra I feel like I have more choices, and they all feel pretty secure. I found myself carving more, after I warmed up, without hardly trying. Oh yes...and my rear foot was not as numb as before. Just a little stiff.

New technique: for the last couple miles today, I experimented with a lower, more crouched stance. Wow....what a difference! By lowering my center of gravity by a couple inches, I immediately felt more in control of the board. I do bend my knees already, for all riding, but this was even lower than usual. Since I wan't used to riding this low, I could feel the strain after just a couple miles. But I plan to keep practicing and make a effort to further build the muscles to do this routinely.

WELL... this takes me to the end of my fourth full week of training (spread out over a couple of months). Between my 2 boards I have over 56 miles. With every ride I get more "board feel" and less apprehension. I still have a lot to learn, but now I have a sense that even an old dude like me can do this, and enjoy it (that second part is important). My short term goal is to ride my onewheel on the beach, on my birthday next month. I also want to start learning to ride on grass, and to ride switch. It has been decades since I broke any bones, but I hear that old bones don't heal as fast. Maybe, maybe not, but I am taking care to avoid testing that theory anytime soon. I have fallen once on my rear, with no injury, and I have taken a couple dives cycling in the last few years...with minimal cuts and scrapes. Also, I stay in pretty good condition, so I am not paranoid about it...just reasonably cautious.

If you are new to this, and find it is much harder to start doing than most of the postings, here and on facebook, would lead you to believe, I hope my experience will encourage you to keep trying. I don't know you, but I bet you can do this, if you don't give up, and give yourself time to get used to it.

WHAT NOW? Well from here on out, I will stop by this thread just to share significant progress, new equipment I have tried, new places I have ridden, and things like that. Otherwise, you may assume I am still out there learning and growing and enjoying the float!

float on!
-Rich

[Mmhmmm]

Hi Rich, cool thread. I have been riding switch recently. My method has been to practice switch for a short while at the beginning of each ride, then enjoy a regular session. It seems to give the brain a way to improve automatically without too much stress. Riding in the grass, where there are no holes to stop you, will also improve your regular riding. It is best to start these new ways of riding now so that you get full advantage while you are training and somewhat new and learning to develop your habits.
Best of luck to you, float on!

[wheelrich]

@Mmhmmm Thanks. Good advice. When I first started, I was learning the board back and forth at home, which meant switch at the same time. Then I finally got out in the open and focused only forward, finding I lost what little switch skill I had. I think you are right about getting back to it early and forming good habits.

[wheelrich]

Morning dirt ride

Got in a 2.1 mile ride on dirt in near 100 degree sunshine. Rode around a baseball park on the dirt just off the grass. It was relatively smooth, but did have a lot of uneven surfaces, without any abrupt changes, like ruts, rocks, etc. So it was the perfect place for me to start getting a feel of surfaces other than pavement and cement. My balance was great, absorbing the changes in surface easily with my ankles. My legs did tire quickly. Probably because I just haven't been able to OW as frequently as when I first began. But it was mainly the heat that made the ride shorter than I had hoped. But, all in all, a great start to a new level of riding for me. I hope to do it a few more times, then eventually tackle riding over grass.

I did get a video, but it needs editing. The sun was so bright that much of it was inadvertently shot with a thumb partially over the lens. But I think I can salvage some of it.

[tm1nor]

Hey there, I've been debating for a year or so to get this (because of people falling off) but I finally ordered it and can't wait. I am a female - 5'3", 105lbs - I do have exp with snowboarding so that is what got me very interested in this because i miss snowboarding out west , so this thread helps guys! can't wait to ride soon.

I am hoping with my snowboarding exp will help me with ease on learning this baby.

Ride on

[wheelrich]

@tm1nor said in Extreme(balance challenged) Newbie impressions:

Hey there, I've been debating for a year or so to get this (because of people falling off) but I finally ordered it and can't wait. I am a female - 5'3", 105lbs - I do have exp with snowboarding so that is what got me very interested in this because i miss snowboarding out west , so this thread helps guys! can't wait to ride soon.

I am hoping with my snowboarding exp will help me with ease on learning this baby.

Ride on

Welcome! You are going to enjoy it. And although I was a skier, not a snowboarder, I do think your snowboarding experience will help a lot. There are lots of videos on YouTube that can help, as well. Enjoy the float!

[wheelrich]

@ooww said in Extreme(balance challenged) Newbie impressions:

@wheelrich can you upload a movie of where you´re at progression wise ? There is another 72-year old on the FB groups

Happy Birthday to me

OK, so Saturday I turned 73. I spent some of it Onewheeling while my daughter and grandson watched. Here is one of the videos she took. I was a bit rusty, but by the end of the session I was loosening up and riding more freely. This is at a park somewhere between Crestline and Lake Arrowhead. After this we ate at a mex food place in Lake Arrowhead. Best birthday!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNyZFOlPGNY&feature=youtu.be

Currently I am working on some very light off road riding.

[ooww]

@wheelrich Way to go @ 73. Happy birthday !

[wheelrich]

@ooww Thanks. I finally posted that video you asked for. Old man on a wheel. lol

[AceCannon]

@wheelrich

Strong work, brother.

[wheelrich]

@AceCannon Thanks. I have noticed several people buy these, try them a bit, then give up. I am glad I hung in there, proving almost anyone can do it, if they stick to it. There is a whole range of riding styles and abilities. Something for everyone. I intend to keep improving.

[wheelrich]

Nice 5 mile ride with my nephew around University of Redlands campus. Mostly sidewalks. He is a natural. First ride and he is already ahead of me. Youth and skateboard experience paid off! It was a beautiful day. It challenged my turning abilities. My control continues to improve. So I have a current total of 70 miles on the board. I also rode a bit in a rough dirt parking lot there. That is still a challenge for me, but getting better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJarvuKSke8

[wheelrich]

New Personal Best-

Did my basketball court practice at Cal State again today. Did just over 5 miles with a friend. Beautiful day, 70's, light breeze. Just did figure 8's, ovals, etc. Getting more and more feel for the board until it is beginning to seem natural and intuitive. Although speed is unimportant to me (I am more concerned with control), I checked my app and found that I had improved my heretofore top speed of 9.9 mph, and replaced it with 11.8 mph. I did notice that my floats were getting smoother and more effortless. I guess the increase in speed was just a natural product of better technique. I have always felt that I would be fine topping out at around 12 mph. Just about there now.

I still have to practice switch riding and more dirt, then grass riding. But I am feeling good about the amount of control I have. I can pass pedestrians on the campus sidewalks with little effort to avoid hitting them. I can come to almost a standstill, while staying on the board, as needed. And although my feet still get a bit sleepy after a few miles. overall I am enjoying the float immensely now. Total mileage:78

Float on friends!

[wheelrich]

New Cross Campus ride

Did about 6 miles today on the outdoor bball courts at Cal State S.Bernardino with my friend Sam. Then close to noon we decided to venture out and ride across the campus, one end to the other, on sidewalks and access roads. We successfully dodged students and faculty and actually rode outside the campus for a bit, before turning around and going back a different campus route. We got a few stares, and a couple "cool, what's that's?", but most students just walked with their faces buried in their phones, so we had to pick our way carefully thru some of the small pedestrian crowds. And in some of the parking lots we could hear engines running in parked cars, so we had to watch out for them as well.

All in all a perfect day for riding, and a great training event to perfect board control skills.
My current total mileage is 84 miles. Top speed today was 10.2 mph. Again, I am not riding for speed, just control and float enjoyment.

[wheelrich]

More personal records. More campus fun:

Spent most of the afternoon cruising around the campus at Cal State with my nephew Blake (his second time onewheeling). Campus was mostly abandoned so we had wide open walkways and parking lots to play in. Rode across the street for a lunch stop, came back and rode even more.
I hit a new total for the day of 12 miles. New high speed of 12.1 mph. And new total length of riding (with lots of rest stops) of approximately 3 1/2 to 4 hours. In fact, we only left when we did because Blake had run his board down to 22 % and had a nose dive (which he successfully ran out)!

Blake's new records included 14 miles of travel, and a top speed of 22.3 mph! Plus, the successful nose dive.

We were still discovering new places on campus to explore, but finally left before he had another nose dive. Best day yet!

[wheelrich]

Phase 2 - DIRT - plus 100 miles!

Went back yesterday afternoon, to the baseball field and rode 4 miles around on dirt surrounding the grass. This surface was not perfectly smooth, but was firm in most places. However, I did go down on my butt in some loose dirt, when the board slid out from under me once. Got up to about 7 mph. I was surprised how tired my feet got for such a short run. I guess it was because I was constantly readjusting to the changing angles of the surface. Even tho I tried to just let it happen naturally, it was more tiring than riding cement/pavement for 12 miles, like I did last week.

I was encouraged by how much easier I did the run, however, than before. Anyone viewing my first effort in the video above, will see how cautiously I took it the first time I did it. And that was on an almost perfectly smooth path, unlike the condition of the one I did yesterday.

AND...4 miles was just what I needed to put my total board travel at 100 MILES!

UPDATE: Just ordered the new Burris 11X6 treaded tire made specifically for Onewheels. It is backordered 2 or 3 weeks, but when it comes I hope to have a bit more grip riding on dirt, and later when I try to learn to ride trails.

[wheelrich]

New top speed, more college learning, and a little dirt

Did 10.2 miles at a Cal State campus, and achieved a new top speed of a whopping 13 miles per hour. Now, at 73, I don't know if that is any kind of record (and don't care really), but I doubt many 73 year olds have even ridden a OW. Although there is no reason a lot of them couldn't, if they wanted to.

Besides warming up on the basketball courts, and cruising all over the campus via sidewalk and pavement, I did 2 laps on a hard packed dirt track, also.

One observation: for me at least, is that after I have done about 8 miles, my legs, knees, and feet feel really warmed up and loose, to the point of having very good control. When I start out, I can ride ok, but turning and handling feels a bit awkward at times. After 8 miles I don't even have to think about it. Considering that, it's a good thing I can tolerate the longer rides...10, 12 miles, so I can make more progress and enjoy it more. I do stop and flex my numb feet even now and then, which helps a lot. Wasn't that long ago when doing 5 miles was a major accomplishment for me.

[skyman88]

@wheelrich Don't go too crazy now! A 10 mile ride and 13 mph speed is a lot for many people.

Congrats on keeping at it and making it to this point.

[wheelrich]

@skyman88 lol, thanks. It does seem fast to me, but then I don't have the rubber bones of my youth and tend to consider how it might feel nosediving at those speeds. BTW that mph is only a momentary high, usually on the basketball courts, not a prolonged ride. My float over the campus usually runs up to 5, maybe 6 mph, most of the time...maybe 8 on the long more boring stretches.

The figure I am more pleased with is distance. Couple weeks ago I did 12 miles, with lunch and other breaks, over about 3 1/2 hours. This last one was 10 miles over 2 hours, no lunch, but short breaks.

Also, now that I am starting to do a little dirt riding, I am beginning to really enjoy the freedom of the ride. Trying to get ready for that Burris tire I have on order.

[Striider]

This thread is inspirational. I just took the plunge and felt like the oldest rider in history around here in Denver. Nope! Thanks for sharing your experiences, wheelrich.

My brief story: I started on my friend's board Version 1 then the +XR. Biffed it on my face on the V1 on pavement when I first started, but that was alcohol-associated I was hooked anyway. Night and day difference between these boards, but I knew what to expect thanks to my buddy sharing his. I am working up to some distance, now that I have the battery range, but like you pointed out - you have to build up the muscle sets in your feet and legs first. Float on!

[wheelrich]

@Striider Thanks for saying that. I am still enjoying the float. Rode Sat and Sun back at the college. Doing more rides on the dirt track, which is in terrible shape for running, but gives me a good place to get used to off road.

One thing I am noticing more and more lately (and I have mentioned it before), is how really loose and relaxed I become by the end of my ride. At the beginning I am confident, but still a bit stiff and cautious. After 7, 10, 12 miles, I am so relaxed I cruise around without even thinking about stance, etc...just floating on the board. I even start ignoring my numb rear foot. Of course, I catch myself and remind myself that this is probably the point where so many have had issues, i.e. over confidence. But still...there is no substitute for riding, and riding some more. I am up to 136 miles. Would be more if I had more time to ride.

I agree...float on!

[wheelrich]

MERRY CHRISTMAS FLOATERS!

After an absence of a few weeks, I went back today to see how much I had forgotten about Onewheeling. Rode the Cal State campus again, with a friend. Was a bit chilly, but overall a beautiful So Cal day. Class is still in session, but the campus was noticeably emptier than usual.

I no longer post every ride, but today I actually had 3 new "first's".

1. First time riding in long pants, instead of shorts. Knee pads fit perfectly under my jeans, and kept my knees warm.
2. First extended ride on grass. The winter grass was clipped nice and short, so it was easier to gauge the surface as I rode, and the ground was pretty level. So I rode over grass in a couple different locations, without incident.
3. [drum roll...............] FIRST CURB DROP! As I was headed back to my Jeep from the day's ride I entered the main parking lot over what I thought was a yellow painted decline. I felt and heard a noticeable thump, then looked back to see that I had actually just flown over a full sized curb. Perfect landing with no sway or slow down after. I probably wouldn't have done as well, if I were expecting it.

But a perfect ending to a perfect day. And yes, my feet and calves complained just a little, but by and large, I didn't seem to have forgotten a thing. Not bad for an old codger.

Here's hoping Santa brings you all something OWlike in your stocking. Happy and Floating Greetings to all!

[UKenthusiast]

Wheelrich ... you’ve bored me to tears with all the detailed posts mate .....

[wheelrich]

@UKenthusiast Where it says "Watching" at the bottom of the page, click it and choose "do not notify me of unread posts". This is not for you, mate, but float well.

[speedracer]

I'm 74 and put over 500 miles on my Onewheel last summer and fall. In September at the Reno Air Races (flew myself and my Onewheel down from Hood River, Oregon in my Long EZ) and stayed at the Sands casino. I got busted by security three days in a row for riding around inside the casino. "Listen, I'm a guest here. Also I'm handicapped and this is how I get around." They didn't buy it. Since then I put a 6" X 6" handicap sticker on it. Might work.

[wheelrich]

@speedracer lol. Good luck with that. Did you have any problems riding OUTSIDE the casinos?

[speedracer]

Well...… I don't wear a helmet and fell on my head a couple dozen times. Other than that..... no.