The paradox at the heart of unicycling.

After riding a while on the Colorado Trail on my KH 24 the other day I
jumped on my 29" Pashley with the 2.1 tire and 150 cranks. I surprised
myself by riding up some steep climbs when I thought I'd walk just about
every hill.

Yes, I felt more like bragging about the climbing I did with my 29.

The pashley has seen better days, however, and I know that regular trail
riding would involve increased maintenance and upgrades. Apparently I
need a Kris Holm 29 now also in order to engage in cross country trail
riding without the added headaches.

This is a natural progression.


--
onewheeljoe - house of one-five

****************************
Chop wood and carry water.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
onewheeljoe's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/7357
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/42318

Mikefule wrote:
*In theory, if it is the difficulty that attracts us, then why don't
we all ride small wheels with narrow solid tyres?*
I'll take a stab at this.

Because it isn't, by far, the difficulty only that attracts us.

If difficulty were the determining factor wouldn't all scientists want
to be theoretical physicists and all students of literature Joyce
experts?


--
JJuggle - Meet the new boss...

Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ

I wish that I was born a thousand years ago
I wish that I'd sail the darkened seas on a great big clipper ship
Going from this land here to that in a sailor's suit and cap
------------------------------------------------------------------------
JJuggle's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/24
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/42318

Quote

"In theory, if it is the difficulty that attracts us, then why don't we
all ride small wheels with narrow solid tyres?

We all "know" the answer, but can anyone explain it without apparent
contradicition? "
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As with most paradoxes, there is a way out. You threw in the
conditional word "if". Without the "if" we have the white bread with
all the good bits taken out. Edible, but missing so much else.

The difficulty is certainly a contributing factor, but there are other
tasty bits like enjoyment, a wish to be "different", a wish to be
noticed and actually getting somewhere in both senses of the words, all
these and others play their parts. The difficulty has to be watered
down to an achieveable, practical level. There is no point is trying
incessantly to do something that is impossible, which would be the sole
target we would yearn for, should if difficulty be all that mattered.

If you can't do it, why try? If you can, why bother? Unicycling
falls nicely between these two extremes. At the easy end of this scale
there is simply no point, unless it puts food in your mouth. At the
other end there is no challenge. We ride down the same path, all
avoiding the edges, some of us veering to the left, others drifting
right.

Nao


--
Naomi
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naomi's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/3322
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/42318

I think partly it's the thrill of discovering new territory. The basic
notion is making an assumption, then exploring the resulting world, such
as this:

"Given that I can only use one wheel, what can I ride?"

or

"Given that I'm going to ride these trails on one wheel, what's the
ideal unicycle for that?"

or

"Given that I'm going to do this 24 hour off-road race on a unicycle,
what are ways to get faster?"


--
U-Turn - Cool water for the flame

Weep in the dojo... laugh on the battlefield.
'LiveWire Unicycles' (http://www.livewireunicycles.com)
'Strongest Coker Wheel in the World'
(http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/albup39)
'29er Tire Study' (http://u-turn.unicyclist.com/29erTireStudy/)
'New York Unicycle Club' (http://www.newyorkunicycle.com)
-- Dave Stockton
------------------------------------------------------------------------
U-Turn's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/691
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/42318

I have to agree with U-turn on this one - The draw for me is to be able
to do as much as I can, given that my mode of transportation only has
one wheel. The challenge is to push anything with one wheel as far as
possible, to do things that normally require several wheels.


--
flyer - Level 5 Unicyclist
------------------------------------------------------------------------
flyer's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/9894
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/42318

I don't think that there is a paradox at all, but i understand how there
could be some confusion.

I think that it's natural for people to want to challenge themselves,
because, as human animals, we like adrenalin (endorphins?) and the sense
of accomplishment. The conquering of a challenge naturally releases
adrenalin and gives us a sense of accomplishment, so that explains their
relationship.

So, when we first were introduced to unicycling, we thought it would be
a challenge. We tried, and most of us have succeeded at being able to
ride them. Once that challenge was passed, we started to consider
*what* we could do on a unicycle, since unicycling itself was no longer
a big challenge. So, the challenge changed from the unicycle to the
obstacle, distance, or skill. It's understood that with better
equipment, you can defeat bigger and better obstacles, distances, and
skills, so we purchased better equipment.

Sure, it makes the challenges easier, but we just turn our focus on
harder and harder things to compensate, and the better equipment has
just given us the opportunity to defeat bigger challenges, and it's the
obstacle, distance, or skill that has our focus.

But, each person has their own level of interest in challenges. Sure,
coasting is quite the challenge, but i'd rather land a 360 down a 5
sets, so that's what i go for. Some may be interested in riding crappy
unicycles in impractical situation, because that's what "challenges"
them, but it's not a paradox, just a different focus than most of us.

Am i wrong?


--
hecklar - Street Rider (Level 4)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
hecklar's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/6917
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/42318

Mikefule wrote:
*In theory, if it is the difficulty that attracts us, then why don't
we all ride small wheels with narrow solid tyres? *

I'll give 'er a go.

I don't think its necessarily the difficulty that attracts us. I think
its the accomplishment. Going real far can better be accomplished with a
big wheel. Climbing a steep trail can better be accomplished with a fat
tire 24" MUni.

Compare the sport to Golf. To hit far off the tee, use a driver not a 9
iron. To hit the perfect escape from a sandtrap, use a sand wedge not a
putter.

The best round of golf is performed by using the correct club for a
particular set of circumstances.

Lucky are the golfers because their equipment is long and skinny and
lightweight. You can fit 14 in a bag an wander about secure in the
knowledge that you have the equipment which will allow you to optimally
perform in practically any instance.

Imagine zipping off on your Coker for several miles when you come upon a
nice hilly single track. Switching to the 29er with 150s, you race
through this area only to come face to face with a 40 foot steep uphill.
Out comes the 24" MUni with 170s. You grind up the hill to the
astonishment of MBer onlookers. But 1/2 way up, there is a picnic table.
With your 20" Trials, you pedal grab, then up-to-rubber to the tabletop.
Then you balance the 10 foot long 4 x 4 ramp over to a large rock. Back
on the 24 MUni for the drop and continue climbing. Over the top and a
facing steep downhill, you stay with the same club and in the words of
John Daly, you "grip it and rip it". At the bottom is more crosscountry,
so back on the 29er until you finish at the water fountain in the
parking lot with an elegant pirouette on your freestyle.

The crowd goes wild. (As does that little "atta-boy" voice in your
head)

Unicycling is amazingly like golf for me. Not only because I'm not all
that good at either. But at the very heart of either, its a solitary,
internal, mental sport. You go out with your buddies and have a great
social time. But its you who has to make it up that hill or hop over
that log or chip to the green. The zens of unicycling and golf are cuts
of the same cloth.

Don't you wish you could carry 14 unicycles with you on a uni-adventure?


--
Memphis Mud - Student of GrandMaster 2T

"winter in peanut butter comes turquoise" -Greg Harper
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Memphis Mud's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/1987
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/42318

Got's ta 'ave something to spend those duckets on . . .


--
vivalargo - Santa Barbara Unicycle Club
------------------------------------------------------------------------
vivalargo's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/5625
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/42318

Mikefule wrote:
*
Maybe I'm weird (pauses and waits in vain for cries of denial from the
gallery) but I find that less is more when it comes to action sports.
*


You're weird. Sorry, no denial here.


--
harper - TANKED at GASWORKS

-Greg Harper

B L U E S H I F T

"Never ride backwards up a rocky mountain road because the things that
will trip you if you see them will also trip you if you don't. " -
munipsycho
------------------------------------------------------------------------
harper's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/426
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/42318

And lets not forget the pleasure of owning quality equiptment.

Cathy


--
cathwood - Lunicyclist

A thought is just a thought.

http://www.chuckingandtwirling.co.uk
------------------------------------------------------------------------
cathwood's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/9425
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/42318