Unicycling: First Steps - First Tricks

I bought a unicycle and this book on a impulse. I'm 20 years old, and thought it would give me something to do over the long summer vacation away from college. This book has helped me out from getting on the cycle, how to ride, and a few simple tricks beginners might want to learn. It's a great beginners tool, especially with all the pictures for visual learners (like myself) and I recommend it to anyone wanting to ride to their hearts content...without actually knowing how.

I did not find this book until I had already mastered the basics of unicycling but its depth and detail are great at all levels. I would recommend it as the best "all-in-one" guide to unicycling. At the beginner level, it explains many different ways of supporting yourself while learning the basics of balance and movement, addressing both solo and group approaches. The concept of supported mounting doesn't seem exactly clear though and indeed seems to be complicated beyond what's necessary. Where this books shines, I think, is in everything you need to know once you've learned how to ride 10 meters in a straight line. It comments on speed control, turning and basic free mounting in very helpful ways. And once you have those skills down, it gives detailed practical advice on tackling more advanced skills. That's where it really shines. I've been riding daily for nearly a year now (weather permitting) and this is the one book I come back to regularly because of the guidance it offers on all the skills involved in doing anything more than a ride around the block.

This book contains a lot of pictures so you can see what the text is talking about. This is good, because not all the explanations in the book are clear. The difficulty of each step or trick is shown by a unique and useful rating system. The overall tone of the book is one of encouragement and makes me feel that I can do what it says. Overall, I have found the book full of the information I was looking for, and will use it for time to come.