Can You Learn To Ride A Unicycle In A Day?

Unicycling, how hard can it be to learn? James is feeling inspired by Manon and Conor's attempts to learn a new bike skill in a day, but wanted to take it up level. Could he learn to unicycle in a few hours without falling off and hurting himself?
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Can you ride a unicycle? How long did it take you to learn?
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Leave us a comment below!

[@gcn]

Would you like to learn how to ride a unicycle?

[@djpalmer31]

@mredpratt would be impressed.

[@thelandylad1022]

Global Cycling Network Defo

[@grandpalouis818]

I would like you to do a video of the best road bikes in the price range of 1000 to 1500 pounds. Plz

[@gooseymoosey1630]

I do, it's fun

[@sitflyer2661]

No way, but kudos to you for giving it a shot!

[@MrJamesMappin]

Can I start a petition to get James' Dad on the next episode of the GCN show? What are we saying? 100 likes?

[@gcn]

James' dad and brother in law Nigel on at once would break the internet

[@r3cy]

@@gcn both on a tandem. make it so.

[@rexezard4018]

@@r3cy Don't get our hopes up

[@gmbn]

@@gcn DO IT!

[@rexezard4018]

@@mikewood9284 Would it matter?

[@EdPratt]

Good work James! Planning to upgrade to a larger wheel any time soon?

[@gcn]

Maybe he should get a few more tips!

[@butters6295]

I knew the unicycle god himself would be here

[@evanr1940]

A much larger wheel and then around the track for an hour?

[@marcbradford9455]

I was gonna say, too bad Ed isn't in the UK to help out, haha

[@waltysalamander]

Ed's riding on a one man wheel cart (something here) analog 36" unicycle across the USA. I don't know what the hell I'm gonna get myself into today.

[@andyjchristie]

I learned to unicycle over 30 years ago, then made a career out of it. Over the years I've taught a lot of people to unicycle and this is how the commentary in my head went, "He's set the seat far too low, and the pedal's in completely the wrong position, that's better he's put the seat up, no it's still too low! Ah, that's a lot better he's put the seat up again. He seems to be getting the hang of it now. What! only 4 hours and the length of the deck, that's good going, pretty sure that's quicker than I managed it" So, I'm seriously impressed, fantastic effort, well done! ps. Even after all these years I can still remember the bruises on my shins. .

[@cartoonasaurus]

I learned to ride a unicycle in a second or two - I was shocked as I thought it would be crazy difficult, and as I got on it I was prepared to utterly fail, but it was just a matter of balance and control - maybe all my years rock climbing without a rope and riding an off-road motorcycle somehow gave me a boost? Unlike my brother, I was never very athletic but I had ridden a bike constantly for years before - all I know is 25 years ago I knew that my brother had mastered (it was his unicycle I tried) and he figured it out around age 12 or so without too much difficulty... So I figured it could not be THAT hard... I guess I am a bit more athletic than I thought... 😅

[@elayned6147]

Impressed 👍

[@tinwhiskerSC]

I gotta say, nobody comes close to James when it comes to potentially sacrificing his body or sanity to do something for the channel.

[@joanneleyva4942]

James takes on the hardest and riskiest challenges. He is carrying the show right now!

[@taufikabidin412]

And money too.

[@UKBROOKLYN]

Gotta say Lasty crying on the way up the Mür Dl Giat is a pretty hard video to beat.. perhaps we can send James up there to compare.. kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y6O9fnx3rbKKqrs

[@innesdunbar]

Well done James! I used to run a Unicycle club at my kid’s school and it was amazing how some kids would manage in no time at all and others would never get it. Job done I would say.

[@gcn]

Thanks Innes!

[@benbrown8258]

I absolutely agree!! Find average it may take someone about 10 to 12 hours to get where he did by himself. I've also seen one gymnast who had never ridden in two tries take off riding. I also know of a man who took a full year to learn how to ride across the gymnasium. I wonder if he learned that a unicycle is related to a bicycle but not the same thing. Definitely he had the look of satisfaction whenever he accomplished a new goal. That is always the case on a unicycle. At least it is for me each time I get on it and I've been riding for a couple years now. Always feel a sense of accomplishment however far I ride.

[@gfooo6112]

I got my unicycle on a bike-to-work scheme. 🤣

[@gcn]

It would be great if universities had a similar scheme for unicycles

[@greg_loper]

I think that I now understand the GCN video formula - anything that can hurt James in the nether regions is a great idea for a video.

[@NumbersSans]

This was so fun to watch. It reminds me of when I was first learning. It took a total of 14 hours to learn. I still cycle on it around town instead of driving.

[@MelB868]

Where do you put your groceries etc

[@NumbersSans]

@@MelB868 I wear a backpack to carry the groceries.

[@baymaz9645]

Such a fun thing to do, i'm a slow learner and it took me weeks to ride a 24" unicycle, but even i have more to learn as well, don't give up and see it through, anyone who likes a bicycle can do this with enough practice, i am at a stage of getting more endurance riding it farther and faster, i sometimes challenge myself with cracked sidewalks to really test myself. Get out there and Have fun unicycling

[@missryanswers]

I don't know if cyclists can relate, but this video reminds me of the 3 months I dedicated to teach myself how to ride a horse bareback, with gleeful success. I started riding mid-life. I saw teens younger than mine doing it & asked "how many years of riding did it take you to be able to do that? 5? 3?". Overall answer "everyone's different". The stopping from a trot was the biggest challenge for me. It was a ton of repetition- "muscle memory" was key (just 2 slow speed falls in sand). A few years later I was diagnosed with a rare nerve disorder. Part of the pain trigger was lifting anything over 5# w/my left arm...like a saddle. Luckily, I never needed a saddle at any pace after those 3 months of dedication.

[@KingRA23]

James you rock..you are always so inspiring to watch..

[@robertokeefe101]

Hats off to you James, I tried and got a few meters before I passed out due to the pain in my shins 😂 I felt for you in the video.

[@reyskidude]

after this... everesting on a unicycle

[@gcn]

People have already done it - cyclists are crazy

[@jakagaber]

@@gcn must be extremly lightweight if made out of some carbon fibre... maybe some deep section wheels 🤔😂😂😂

[@nwimpney]

@@jakagaber there's not too much point, when even an aluminum frame is so light. Deep section wheels would be mostly for looks, since you're really not going to be going very fast on a unicycle that's not geared, 36" wheeled, or both. I've got one unicycle that's on standard road bike tires/wheels, and it's fun to ride, but with direct drive, aero doesn't come into it in any significant way, when 140RPM is only ~17km/h

[@jakagaber]

@@nwimpney you are completly right but it would look really blink

[@dvaneg98]

nwimpney there are unicycles with gears

[@brendaharris4472]

That was stinkin' cute! I used to ride almost 40 years ago as a teen. I wonder if I could still do it in my 50's? Your video inspired me!

[@matthewreich4584]

watching this is a bit dangerous for me considering the unused unicycle in my garage that is now giving me dirty looks... I might have to block out a few hours and give it a go

[@fisheroldham7707]

I got a unicycle for my birthday, and it’s been a hard couple of hours this video helped a lot

[@TWROC96]

Hank, Dad's job is moral support, a little bit of filming, and catching some zzz while you put yourself through a GCN challenge.

[@1golfpolo]

Well done bro for not giving up

[@ViveSemelBeneVivere]

Well done James! Where there’s a wheel, there’s a way! 😁

[@jeskli11]

"I'm confident enough to ride from gate to you." Well done James, if you meant the gate on video. From that gate to me it's about 1,500 kms.

[@richcrompton6891]

Pretty nifty 1:1 ratio on that bad boy. Ever thought of doing a trenching on it up Porlock Hill?🤣 Bloody good effort though mate. The first GCN presenter to actually learn the skill in a day and wheelies and bunny hops are like breathing and walking by comparison!

[@garygary4856]

Nice video. Gave me some genuine laughs. Good progress in a short amount of time.

[@MichaelSnasdell]

Fantastic effort Hank. Kudos for perseverance. Why do you always get the ones with the painful endings?

[@nwbudro9210]

Good job and nice place. It seems all the GCN presenters live in sweet locations.

[@joetaylor486]

As someone who learnt to ride a unicycle 5 years ago, aged 45, the wall advice is sound but the grass and helmet advice is less so. Smooth tarmac and wear what is comfy because your are going to get hot. You don't so much fall off a standard unicycle so much as have "unscheduled dismounts" since you drop onto your feet. Each time you mount, do something a little different in order to fail in new and interesting ways. Eventually, you will run out of ways to fail.

[@joetaylor486]

Love it. Great vid, but man you are giving yourself a difficult launch holing onto something below your waist and behind you! Kudos!

[@ravigunslinger]

aww, i love the little cameos from james' dad!

[@bravoalley228]

Kudos for trying. I need to get back onto the Ripsurf.

[@s14tat]

Dan, Hank and oppie probably has the best inherited bike handling ability out of the gcn crew. They pick up weird stuff like this or picking up Mountain biking techniques that takes a normal person weeks to achieve in a matter of hours.

[@jbratt]

The larger wheeled unicycles are easier to ride. Also don’t get too much air in the tire👍

[@ianphil397]

I'm looking forward to the unicycle hour record. Unicycle Everesting might be a bit much; how about a Unicycle Scafell Piking?

[@tonyvyse2665]

well done James,I bet you're glad that the challenge wasn't to go up Porlock hill on it.

[@richaw6689]

Mate! Well done.. GET IN INDEED.. and the laughing dad!! really entertaining.. not sure I'll be trying it though.. 🚴👍🏻✊🏻👊🏻

[@ForeverLumoz]

Did he actually pick up the uni cycle and say “Let’s pump these bad boys up”.... 😂😂😂😂

[@nickolasdiamond5619]

It seems he did.

[@donaldrieger381]

Challenge Time! The Pikes Peak Hill Climb has a unicycle class.

[@aaronpropes9134]

I look forward to the forthcoming comments about how you should have worn clipless pedals.

[@bev-ttfu661]

Next challenge: Everesting on a Unicycle

[@crilups]

Like your dad James!!!

[@nancyprier416]

This was hilarious !! I loved every minute!

[@iandunkle8755]

"Dad's" laugh! Could have been the soundtrack to the whole vid.

[@kevin._.farren]

Pretty brave parking that beautiful Audi so closely.

[@secretdaisy6484]

I bought a unicycle which arrived in the middle of the zombie viral apocalypse. I don’t have a proper place to learn so I haven’t. But I do have knee & elbow pads plus a helmet for sure. Be safe. 👍☮️🌞🦠😷

[@5688gamble]

I can ride a unicycle but I CANNOT do a wheelie, suppose if me and my friend had fun messing around on a cheap unicycle in Glasgow and 2 of us managed to pick it up, I'd just need to put in a similar effort.

[@_PATRlCK]

What a great house 😍

[@rickmagee1918]

Patrick Guth and that Defender in the background.

[@islandmarketer]

Learnt in 4 hrs a couple years ago. Uses massively different muscles on our bodies to a bike... Near killed me as a middled aged bugger... Though i always been a bike user. Wheelies are easy. ;)

[@islandmarketer]

Also.... The first lesson should learn to fall off it... ie step.

[@phillentz6742]

We need a dad and Nigel GCN show Episode!!!

[@rzeckner]

Hank would only be possible in a country with universal health care!

[@chasc2389]

Great Dad-laugh 👍🏽

[@blakemorton9870]

Anyone else thinking Brother in law Nigel and James's dad should get their own show? Naturals on cam.....plus....great farms.

[@ricksoldinie8699]

Awesome

[@kedarkulkarni3030]

This is the only video where hank is more hilarious than Ollie...I think every presenter should try it😂😂

[@tibiolah]

That looks really light. Take it to your favorite climb next?

[@alwaysandforever5935]

Hi guys, it might be irrelevant to this video, but can I get some advice from you all, I tried using degreaser on my chains to remove stains and try scrubbing it off but there are still some stuck on it. I tried using soap to finish up my cleaning process and its still there, Any advice please? Thanks in advance:)

[@lyncyr9441]

Is the tire replaceable?

[@jeffwilliams5355]

So is that a road unicycle or a gravel unicycle?

[@willian.direction6740]

With Dad killing himself laughing I didn't feel so bad doing the same.

[@donwright3427]

No but I learnt to ride a unicorn in a week.Damm things only got one handlebar and farts glitter

[@leqin]

I feel like I need to go on the grass still a bit more until I can build my way up to the hard stuff.... yeah well somebody at GCN was doing drugs dreaming up asking James to unicycle.

[@micesanzio]

Is James the founding member of GUCN, global unicycling network?

[@hptator]

It took me a week to get there and before tat I had just done my wheelie record, 2km (all uphill). Well done!

[@rbnhd]

Thumbs up for dad

[@sab611]

I learned to MUni during lockdown.

[@chrisjames9710]

James' next challenge, unicycling on rollers.

[@zzhughesd]

Is it this hard. Lol. I’d have thought it be piss. I’m a bloke. So it be hard as nails lol !! Funny video GCN

[@augie2401]

yay dad!

[@jascollinscork]

Soooo who has been the best GCN co host all lockdown.........🤔😂

[@MelB868]

Me? No probably couldn’t even balance on it and my hips are too big for the seat.

[@paulyflyer8154]

Coolest dad in the world 😀

[@segmentkings]

So it's this easy? A day or two traning and I can start riding around the world? I'll try! :)

[@hazelps5990]

I read the title as “Can you learn to UNcycle in one day”

[@castlem0re]

you need clip on pedals.

[@HiopX]

Ed Pratt: That's so cute

[@Bookiebear763]

do unicycle on cleats

[@nugginusslover476]

time for a new channel I guess: GUCN

[@junenriquez6601]

👍🏾

[@ltrtg13]

How about getting Hank to do a video for GMBN on an off road unicycle? 😂🤣😂

[@satrioesar7151]

What's next? Clipless on a unicycle?

[@matthiasmaes4857]

Brother in law Nigel, Hank's dad, Dan's wife. Who are the other presenters' sidekicks?

[@davidf2281]

Great vid but a missed opportunity for a Zoom call with Ed Pratt, the British guy who unicycled around the world very recently

[@TheJademan85]

The old man needs MORE screen time!!!!1! 😁

[@QDWhite]

Next, upgrade to clipless pedals

[@BurnYourBrain]

Ha d a huge crash earlier on my bike, bent the wheel and ripped the saddle :(

[@r3cy]

So preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should. -Jurassic Park.

[@gcn]

Thankfully nobody died in the filming of this video 😂

[@cheweek-k4w]

@@gcn *this* video

[@lyncyr9441]

Is the tire replaceable?

[@jaspertkoop]

Thumbs up for dad

[@HipposHateWater]

Tips and tricks for picking up the unicycle: 1. When mounting, keep your step-on pedal in a 6-o'clock position. Otherwise when you put your weight on the pedal, it will cause the uni to move. 2. Proper saddle height is the same as a road bike: seat should be high enough so that your leg reaches to about full extension when the pedal is in a 6-o'clock position. (Your legs shouldn't be able to reach and touch the ground when you're riding. (Although it may be okay to try a lower seat height when initially getting your sense of balance, I'd wean away from that as soon as you can ride more than 30-50 feet. At that point you can pretty much go indefinitely, so it's just a matter of getting comfortable, and learning to mount without the aid of a wall or lamp post. Or learning to ride in reverse, if you wanna go back for seconds. :p ) 3. Lower tire pressure is better when first starting out. Lower tire pressures lower the efficiency and make the handling more sluggish. Normally it's the last thing you want, but since your movements will be clumsy and overly-exaggerated when first learning overly sensitive and twitchy handling is the last thing you probably need. You can increase the tire pressure for better efficiency once you got the hang of it. 4. A lot of beginners either hunch forward or unconsciously try and keep the wheel tilted towards the front of them. To successfully maintain balance, you need to keep your spine erect, and the seat post perfectly in-line with it. (It may feel like you are, but chances are you're still not keeping things upright enough.) The best way to describe the sensation is this: If it feels like you're constantly dancing that line of having the unicycle want to shoot out behind you just as much as it wants to go forward, you're doing it right and keeping yourself at the ideal spot on top of that apex/arc. 5. If you need to bail, just run it off (ideally forward) and let the uni fall however it will. They're built to take that sort of beating, and it makes you less likely to eat shit if you try to "save" the unicycle while also trying to keep yourself from falling down.) 6. If you're a dude, perch your balls up and over the front of the saddle so they don't get crushed between the seat and your pelvis. (Not a fun one to learn the hard way.)

[@samtravis4822]

Next video: Hank going for the unicycle 1 hour record and re-destroying his undercarriage

[@gcn]

Now there is an idea.... we'll see what the unicycle hour record is...

[@TWROC96]

Hank always seems to be putting his package on the line for GCN.

[@PnlBtr]

Have to admire the commitment.

[@panzerveps]

@@gcn Why stop at 1 hour? 24 hour challenge!

[@seanhannagans]

"Stay on the grass until you can move onto the hard stuff." Kids, that's how you become a grown man talking to yourself on a unicycle for a day. Just say "No"

[@gcn]

Comment of the week

[@_Rafiki.]

🤣

[@hugoyoung4890]

GCN teaches more than just cycling skills it seems.

[@mcorbett01]

I think we need a competition between brother-in-law Nigel and James’ dad 😁 Great effort and very entertaining 👍🏻

[@TWROC96]

Obstacle course on cruiser/beach bikes stopping to do some British things- having a cup of tea, opening and closing an umbrella, having a scone with cream.....

[@billinhouston3291]

@Randy Mayfield I believe Lorraine would destroy both lads.

[@joshpeck7381]

Hanks dad is the new brother in law Nigel 😂

[@laf9686]

There is only one brother-in-law Nigel.

[@hadiwinata5779]

Hank's dad laugh is addictive..

[@satrioesar7151]

A worthy opponent for matt's laugh

[@johnandrews3568]

@@satrioesar7151 came to post this... leaving satisfied.

[@aronweiss]

Wouldn’t be a proper week in the world of GCN if Hank’s life wasn’t out at risk!!! Tall bike... 24 ride... race to the coast at night... trenching...

[@dunigan3320]

You forgot the fixed gear races

[@gooseymoosey1630]

I unicycle! It took me months to learn but I'm 12 so I don't know how that affects it. I did a lot of reaserch and reading beforehand, and then practiced every day. It improved my balance so much. I highly recommend it!

[@minifishy7162]

Im 15 but i learned when i was twelve and it was a great summer activity!

[@billinhouston3291]

Can you wheelie on a bike? Are they similar?

[@minifishy7162]

No i definetly cant wheelie... And i cant imagine there similar either

[@gooseymoosey1630]

@@billinhouston3291 I also can't wheelie. I don't think they are that simalar, as balancing on a bike is different to balancing on a unicycle :)

[@AndyVandy516]

Dude! They hate you! That re-creation of a tour stage, the trenching, now this! This is the longest hazing I’ve ever seen...and you keep going! Good on ya mate.🍻

[@idaf5244]

Funniest (and most impressive) thing I've seen all week 😂😂 There better be a revisit for the yearly blooper reel!

[@blaireasdon]

Red Hook crit, penny farthing hour record, unicycling... pain is becoming quite the theme of your videos, James! What is GCN doing to you?!

[@Leon-vq7hv]

James, youre just great. And btw your father as well

[@gcn]

Thanks Leon!

[@msterdam]

6:53 the dab!😎

[@markj.a351]

I like to imagine Hank has no part in the discussion process about what he will do next and just recives his marching orders, no questions.