First muni ride on the KH29

This took place last weekend.
I've been a little busy so this is the first chance I've had to write
something.
On the Saturday of last week we'd had two straight days of no rain, so
I thought the trails would be pretty dry, and I decided to take the
wheel to Brechfa Forest, Wales' best kept MTB secret.
http://www.mbwales.com/other_trails/brechfa.html
I made the half hour drive to the forest full of nerves because I was
afraid i wouldn't be able to handle the extremities of the trail.
On a 24" I find control a lot easier.
On a 29" the uni tends to run away from underneath me, especially on
steep slopes and before you know it, you're going too fast and are out
of control.

Anyway...
I pulled up to the car park and was surprised to see so many cars.
Normally there are only two or three tops.
Today there was around twenty.
Three of the cars were obviously together, and the passengers were
unloading their very expensive mountain bikes and putting them
together.
I pulled up next to them and started putting my leg armour, rucksack,
gloves and helmet on.
The last thing I did was take my uni out of the back of the car and
lean it against the boot.
I could hear the conversation going quiet as I locked the car and
wheeled the uni past them.
I just live for moments like this.
I could see them all thinking "WTF?"
I'm pretty used to it by now, but I still always smile inwardly when
this happens.
Although one guy was different today.
He gave me a look I wasn't used to.
I gave him an imperceptible nod and carried on walking up the trail
head.
I passed a few dog walkers and exchanged pleasantries until I reached
the brow of the trail and mounted up.
I'm still not very good at freemounting so I used a handy tree branch
the first time.
As soon as I was away I felt the difference between the old thing I
used to ride and this new wheel.
God, it's fast!
Within five minutes I passed a group of hardcore downhillers in full
body armour pushing their steeds up the hill I was riding down.
"F*** me!"
"Respect!"
"Did you f****** see that?"
The last guy just gives me a big grin and a thumbs up.
It's so cool when that happens.
I carry on riding.
A lot of the singletrack is separated by fire roads which, because of
the rain, are very muddy.
I struggle through these sections, the wheel slipping and sliding
underneath me occasionally.
Sometimes I have to stop and walk a little.
It's been a while and sections that I normally find ridable, I now have
to walk.
I don't see another soul until I get around halfway around.
There's a little wooden shelter where I normally stop and have lunch.
I get there, and stop and decamp.
While I'm eating lunch, quite a few riders go past.
Some stop and chat, curious about the one wheeled thing they see
propped against the shelter.
Eventually the group I saw in the car park ride past, and the guy who
gave me the knowing look stops and chats.
"What size wheel is that?" he asks.
"It's a 29, but normally I ride a 24." I say.
"Oh, I ride a 24 too!" he says.
Groovy.
We spend the next ten minutes gassing about unicycles while his friends
wait impatiently for him.
Eventually he takes the hints of their tuts and sighs, and we say
goodbye and they ride off.
I finish lunch, play Pooh sticks for a few minutes at the bridge over
the stream, and then carry on.
After about two miles I pass the party with the uni rider.
They've all settled down at a picnic table for a bite to eat and a
rest.
Their dog (did I mention the dog?) is very curious and sniffy.
I stop again and we talk more about unis.
It was so refreshing to shoot the **** with someone who knows what they
are on about.
Turns out the guy used to play uni-hockey (Yeah that's right Dave,
uni-hockey!) at Cardiff.
I wish I'd got his name now but like a klutz, I didn't.
Again, I make my excuses and leave them to their break.
Around two miles later, when I'm puffing and panting up a steep, rocky
path, they overtake me.
Or rather, their dog does and causes me to fall off.
I don't mind.
I'm knackered and was about to dismount anyway.
But I don't tell them that.
I wave as they pass.
All smiles and laughter.
They're a good bunch of people.
After they pass, I figure I'm on the last leg of the track, which is
all downhill.
I'm amazed at the time I've made.
I had no idea there would be such a difference because of the wheel
size.
The last part of the trail is like a rollercoaster.
It makes it's way down the side of the valley, with the most incredible
whoops.
Every ten yards the paths rolls up, then down, then up, then down
again.
It's the most awesome ride.
And I surprise myself by making it all in one piece.
I only really had one bad fall where I came off while riding slightly
faster than I could run, and ended up sprawled out on my front.
Apart from that, it was all good.
As I was packing my stuff away in the car, an elderly couple walked
past and the woman said "We saw you riding earlier, and I think you are
the best thing I have seen since I don't know when!"
"Heh, thanks," I replied, "would you like to have a go?"
I offered them the uni.
"Um, no thanks!" she laughed.
I pack the wheel away and drive home.
All in all, a damn good day.

Things I learned from this ride:
1) Don't touch the brake.
2) Momentum is everything. Keep your speed up on the whoops because if
you stall near the top you're screwed.
3) Trails that took half an hour on the 24 now take half the time on
the 29.
4) Don't touch the brake.


--
Into the blue

ok you primitive screwheads, listen up! you see this? this... is my
boomstick!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0nwe...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w0fi...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieuqqs0bszy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0jynznbl0q
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I don't have a brake on my kh29 anyway, but I'm curious about why you
say not to touch the brake?


--
jamessd

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCsb3y-YOSk
Add me, but tel me who you are :


Kieron wrote:
I tell u wat they would have to be a very commited pedo to learn to ride
a unicycle in order to mingle with us, steel one of us and rape us in a
bush.
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jamessd wrote:
I don't have a brake on my kh29 anyway, but I'm curious about why you
say not to touch the brake?



My guess is that the wheel stops suddenly and, thanks to momentum, you
are sent flying forward.


--
señor coolguy

dan de man wrote:
dude just drink your ginger ale get on your couch and play some video
games
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señor coolguy wrote:
My guess is that the wheel stops suddenly and, thanks to momentum, you
are sent flying forward.


Or slip over backwards I spose.


--
jamessd

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCsb3y-YOSk
Add me, but tel me who you are :


Kieron wrote:
I tell u wat they would have to be a very commited pedo to learn to ride
a unicycle in order to mingle with us, steel one of us and rape us in a
bush.
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Sounds like you had a great fun. Thanks for the great write up, I realy
enjoyed reading it (which is a big thing for me as I genraly hate
reading because I am realy bad at it) How steep were most of the
slopes? Did you not use the brake atall? You made them out to be realy
steep but did you still not use the brake? I find my brake realy
useful on my KH29 It takes alot of getting used to when riding
changeable gradients but if the slope is constant and steep I find
having a break is like a god sent.


--
sp4rky-m4rky

you may be lucky but you make your own luck
*)--540 Unispin-'O,*
my 'Year in vid'
(http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=NR_FRoOqHBI#GU5U2spHI_4)
learning 180 or 360 unispins? watch my 'unispin tutorial'
(http://youtube.com/watch?v=gFCHDO1umlM)
Want to glide? watch my 'ww tutorial'
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrX0sY7QVo)
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The slopes run up and down the sides of a valley, and meander quite a
bit.
The guys who have built it have done an excellent job.
The first time I tried the brake I faceplanted, so that's why I've
avoided it so far.
What I need is a long, even descent to practise on.
Maybe Snowdon this year, eh Norry?

Here's a shot of a typical trail through the forest...


+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Filename: Brechfa 3.jpg |
|Download: http://www.unicyclist.com/attachment/24912 |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

--
Into the blue

ok you primitive screwheads, listen up! you see this? this... is my
boomstick!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0nwe...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w0fi...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieuqqs0bszy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0jynznbl0q
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Fantastic write-up, and a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Congrats on getting the 29er. Welcome to the big boys world of
unicycling

STM


--
semach.the.monkey
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Very nice write up. We need more good XC-stories.


--
goldenchickenIV
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Thanks for the write-up. I still haven't got the confidence to ride
anything more than well graded path on my 29. The wheel inertia still
kind of freaks me out. I'll probably keep to my 24 for the harder
stuff. You just gotta love it when you get positive comments on the
trail.


--
underdog

'I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody
tell you different' - Kurt Vonnegut
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Great write up. Thanks.


--
cathwood

Cathy
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