Admittedly, I am at best a C/C+ BMX biker barely capable of doing the simplest jumps and rails. My skills aren’t renowned nor discussed around town. The local kids don’t look up to my talents (or lack thereof) that it took this 22 year old body to develop. Even the neighborhood merchants that usually call the cops frequently refrain, just so I can get more practice on my bike.
Then came the day I bought the unicycle . . . the method of transportation that requires the balance of a cat while peddling at Tony Hawk speeds. Sure the unicycle produces some weird looks, but the tricks and freestyles that can be completed while on it are unprecedented. Normal grinds now require precision and balance that the 2 bicycles lack. Jump and rotations also require more strength and stamina, since your arms can no longer be used as a source of power.
Quite frankly, my 90 year old grandmother could jump off a staircase with a BMX bike. The real athletes are found in the sport of extreme unicyling. For more analysis, consult the two pictures below for reference:
If that analysis didn’t clear things up, here are five more reasons unicyclists far surpass tricksters on two wheels:
1. More Balance Needed:
For instance, in this video, whereas most BMX bikers are more than thrilled to complete a backflip on two wheels, this man does it with one. 2 / .5 = 4, which means he is twice the man of any BMX 540′er.
2. More strength is required:
When you are using at most one arm to complete tricks that are regularly accomplished by a bike, it’s going to require a lot more muscle in the legs. If you have never ridden on a unicycle, then you can’t understand the stress the bike puts on the body’s core and legs.
3. It can compete with motocross:
That’s right; nothing spells badass like a motorized unicycle. Reaching speeds of up to 60 mph, these babies offer little protection and an even insecure amount of stability. One small miscalculation or lapse in judgment could cost you your life, or perhaps your pretty little face. (It is pretty convenient to have handlebars to flip over on the bike).
4. The urban unicycling:
Urban BMX bikers often annoy city dwellers more than they turn their heads. In all honesty, more people watch in hopes that they bust their asses, or perhaps run into another biker or skateboarder. With the uniqueness of the one wheel in the city, it is something that people have never seen before. Sure people can imitate one or two tricks they saw Matt Hoffman do in the X Games, but can they do it on one wheel?
5. Mountain Unicycling:
The title says it all. If you don’t watch this last video and agree that unicycling is more difficult than bicycling, something is severely wrong with your head.
As you can see the balance, strength, and speed needed for unicycling both urban and by mountain far surpasses what’s required for its two wheeled cousin.
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