Check out How to Ride your Unicycle by Charlie Dancey. I don't have it, but I plan to get it later this month. I do have his Compendium of Club Juggling and Encyclopedia of Ball Juggling and find his writing style enjoyable.

If you are into videos, I just ran across One Wheel - No Limit. To paraphrase the description I read, it is a non-narrative video showing clips of everything from learning to ride to idling to going up and down stairs, wheel walking, etc. I saw it at http://www.dube.com but I'm guessing that you can get it at other places as well.

I ride a unicycle and I free mount in several ways. The only advice I can give is don't give up. I remember when I first started trying to just ride the darn thing. Imagine if you were the first person to ever make a unicycle and you go to ride it the first time. Keep in mind, you know of no one that has ever rode one so you are attempting to be the first. I think after several days and no progress, I would have abandonned the idea...it just can't be done!! But that thought kept me going. I wasn't the first, and I know for a fact they can be ridden. It took about an hour a day over 10 days to finally ride it for any length of time or distance. On my 11th day, I was able to ride and control any forward movements and turn by using my hips. 5 days later I was riding it down stairs, hopping on 1 tire and riding it backwards. 1 month later I could ride anywhere...uneven ground, grass, curbs. The only reason I was able to was because I made up my mind that I would learn to ride it..no matter what. It's important to remember that anything worthwhile takes time. It's by far, the most difficult thing I have ever learned. Just make up your mind. Balance on it and lean forward to start your momentum and pedal pedal pedal. You will learn that "Balance" point and ride it like a pro. For me. 10 hours in 10 days...just 1 hour a day. Keep trying!

Im about to start trials unicycling
look up the U2 trailer on unicycle. com the most amazing stuff ive seen in a long time.

http://www.unicycle.com/moviesandphotos.asp

I bought a 24" unicycle a month ago and it took me about a week of practice to be able to cycle 10 meters. Last weekend, I managed to cycle a distance of 200 meters. Still haven't got use to the weight on the seat though.

I bought a unicycle with a small wheel a few years back. If you look at the Jugglebug brands, I bought the red (smallest) one. I've been trying and trying and trying but nothing . I would assume that's normal, but has anyone ever thought of riding in between two poles with one in your hands held horizontally so that you can slide across the two poles you are in between and gradually begin to let go (that sounded as if it didn't make sense..LoL)?

What do we learn first? To free mount or to idle?

I learned to free mount first. Then I practiced stopping for a secondbefore continuing to peddle. I'm working on idling now. It's hard.
Ralph

I have tried and failed miserably, and racked myself too many times to count. My little brother on the other hand (who is 14), will ride a mile, up or downhill without stopping. He does a few types of freemounts, and is practicing some tricks. He also juggles, which makes me even more jellous. But, I do magic, and we can both do balloon animals. He got his from http://www.infiniteillusions.com . He did horrible on a 20 in., but took off when he got a 24 in. He wants to know where you can get gigantic wheel unicicles, any body know?

Brian

To learn to ride a unicycle, it's easiest tgo learn to ride it first before learning to mount. I don't believe poles will help. Start by balancing on it while holding onto a fence or railing or anything that can't get damaged. Don't use a car! Begin by sitting on it and balancing as best as you can. When you feel you are in control, lean forward and begin pedeling. There is a balance point there that you will eventually feel. Keep about 90% of your weight on the seat and about 10% on the pedals. Turn by swiveling your hips. If you keep practicing, you will learn to ride it. Then you can learn to freemount. That's the easy part once you have mastered riding it for any distance with control. Good Luck!

I have charlie dancy's book its ok. My unicycle is rubbish, Im going to get a bigger wheel must be eaiser to ride.
Matt
three years and still not mastered the *!$?!&*"

I started off near the end of last summer (2003) and had a contest with my daughter to see who could learn to ride 10' first. I won, but she was right behind me. Shortly after that I was able to start riding 40-50' without much effort. It seems like I just hopped on it once and it felt really good, so I took it to the street and away I went (before this, I was on the front walkway where fewer neighbors could see).

I read somewhere online that riding down a long hallway (with hard floors) is good. I tried this and it really helped. It helped me learn to put my weight on the seat more than the pedals. Of course, I now need to paint the hallway...

It seems like I'm stuck at about 100-150' right now... for a while, I couldn't do anything other than go straight, then for a while I couldn't do anything but go in a left-hand circle. Now, I'm able to make some (VERY) slow (VERY) gradual turns.

I'm still not able to freemount, but I'm working on it. Just remember, it's all mental. Assuming you're a physically healthy person, there's no reason you can't do this... keep at it.

Oh, another thing I read that really helps is to find someone to run along next to you while lightly holding them. Have them hold up there hand out flat, so you can grab or let go of it as you deem necessary. This helps too. If you're REALLY new to it, maybe you need two people to hold you up and walk with you. One on each side with your arms around each of them and one of their arms (each) around you. Kinda like when they walk an injured football player off the field.

Another thing that seems to get people (myself included) is thinking of each turn of the peddles as a part of the puzzle. Don't think of the turns individually. As a matter of fact, forget about the peddle turns. Otherwise, you're going to turn, pause, turn, pause... this will kill you every time.

Hope this helps... When you're happy on the Unicyle, you may want to consider an "Ultimate Wheel" .... hehehe, this is some sadists cruel joke, I think:
http://www.moabmunifest.homestead.com/files/i7mmf02_2.jpg

You can't really see it, but it's a unicycle WITHOUT a seat. Don't even ask me how... hehehehe...

Oh and of course, there's the other crazy set out there, the ones that do dirt track racing on unicycles.

Magically,
Paul Adams
Liberty Lake, WA

I just started riding two and a half months ago. I am more into MUNI, And freestyle type of unicycling. I can freemoutn with two different mounts, jump off of 1 foot ledges(not big, but a decent height for a beginner), and hop around. I didn't think I would ever be able to do it, but just keep trying. I weigh 220 lbs, and I have NO cordnation, and NO balance. So If I could learn, anyone can.

The 16" unicycle is for kids. The 20" unicycle is primarily for the stage. The 24" unicycle is for the street. Sears has, or had a 20" unicycle which was absolutely impossible to ride because of the cheap bearings. You can get a good 16", 20", and 24" unicycles from Bryan Dube at http://www.dube.com for around $100. A decent unicycle should have no trouble holding two hundred pounds. Street performers often ride with their assistants sitting on their shoulder juggling. There is a unicycle associations which holds an anual conventions. If you want more information Google it.
Tanks
Al Angello

If you are looking for a good cheap unicycle, ebay is the place to look. I myself, woulnd't mind having a Kris Holm 2005 Trials unicycle, Darren Bedford also has a very nice, and strong selection of unicycles. I weigh 220 myself, and I had a 24" Torker LX and it just wasn't up for the jumping, they aren't really ment for it anyways. After bending two pairs of cranks, I just up and bought another one. Got a Torker DX. Very impressive unicycle, got it for 150 on ebay. As for the 20" I would like to have one, but I like to be able to move quickly. 20 inches, you can't get much speed on them. I woulnd't mind have a Coker either, that would be awesome!

The 24" unicycle is for rideing on the street, or a bike trail. The 20" unicycle is for performing. It is true you can't go fast on a 20", but you also can't do a piroutte, or jump rope on a 24" unicycle. As for jumping I think you will find that no unicycle will be able to take that kind of extended use, they're not skateboards.
Al Angello

Yeah, your right. I bet you could jump rope on a 24 inch, it would just be harder. As for a piroutee, I doubt it. But I'm probably sticking with a 24 inch for now.

Dear darkp0is3n
Why don't you try http://www.unicycling.org/usa/clubs/ to find some like minded dare devils riders, and the most durable unicycles.
See Ya
Al Angello

I have been there before, there aren't any unicycling clubs close to my little po-dunk town. Wich really sucks!

I was thinking maybe you could find that unicycle with the trail bike suspension so you can jump that school bus.
Al

Hehehe, if anyone could jump a school bus...I would praise them...