Mountain unicycling
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Mountain unicycling (MUni) is a form of offroad cycling which uses unicycles. Mountain unicycling usually takes place on specially designed unicycles, which are equipped with strong hubs, fat tires and rugged frames for off-road cycling. Regular unicycles are also commonly used in mountain unicycling, but break easily.
Mountain unicycles can be ridden on the same terrain as a mountain bike, or even rougher terrain. Mountain unicycling is a slower-paced sport than mountain bicycling, primarily because the lack of gears makes it impossible to go very fast. Unicycles are lighter than bicycles making them faster to ride uphill. Additionally, unicycles are also more difficult to ride than bicycles and cannot easily coast (although there is a style of riding where the rider rests his/her feet on the frame rather than using the pedals, essentially coasting).
Mountain unicycles
The mountain unicycle (also called a muni) is a unicycle that has either been constructed or modified for mountain unicycling. Mountain unicycles typically use a 24" or 26" mountain bike or downhill tire, have a handle under the front of the seat, and may also have brakes and suspension to improve their off-road capabilities. Unlike their two-wheeled counterparts, mountain unicycles have only a single gear ratio (that is, fixed wheel) so riders vary their speed by changing their pedalling cadence. To go up steep inclines, riders often hop sideways up the hill. On descents, some riders freewheel their unicycle by using their feet as brakes on the tire, a technique known as gliding.
Today there are hundreds of mountain unicyclists riding all kinds of terrain across the world. The world's best known, Kris Holm, is a Canadian.
Events
In the United States, many unicyclists gather for the California Mountain Unicycle Weekend. In the UK people gather for the British Muni Weekend (BMW).
External links
- Mountain Unicycling FAQ (http://www.unicycling.com/brett/e_muni/faq.html)
- Kris Holm Official Site - Mountain Unicyclist (http://www.krisholm.com)
- Unicycle.com (http://www.unicycle.com/) - An excellent source for mountain unicycles
- Syko Productions (http://www.sykoproductions.com) - Produces extreme unicycling videos
- Unicycle.com Muni FAQ (http://www.unicycle.uk.com/FAQ.asp?iCategory=65&FAQParentID=34)
- Category at ODP (http://dmoz.org/Sports/Cycling/Unicycling/Mountain_Unicycling/)
- Cumbria Muni & Trial Club (http://www.cumbriamuni.com/)
- Muniac Manor (lots of info) (http://www.muniac.com/)