Street unicycling
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Street unicycling (also known amongst unicyclists simply as street) is one of the latest developments in unicycling. The aim of the sport is to use natural/urban/specially made obstacles such as curbs, ledges, handrails and stairs in a given area to perform tricks that look good. The emphasis falls into two categories: technical proficiency and style. Technical proficiency is all about getting more rotation, jumping up higher ledges, grinding longer rails, gapping more stairs, etc. Doing difficult things is impressive. Style is all about the flow of the rider and how well they can work through a combo of tricks in a fluid and natural manner.
For street unicycling, most riders prefer to ride 20" trials unicycles because of their superb hopping abilities and their smooth maneuverability. However, some riders have been known to prefer using the less conventional 24" wheelsize for street riding.
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[edit] Competition Street Unicycling
Amongst some criticism regarding whether or not street unicycling as a genre was ready for its own competition, the 13th Unicycle World Championships (Jul/Aug 2006) played host to the first ever official Street Freestyle Competition. Xaviar Collos (France) clinched the world title but unfortunately before UNICON ended, he broke his ankle while practicing a treyflip down a 5-set of stairs. Unicycling competitions incorporating street aspects are now more commonplace possibly due to the influence of other extreme street sports such as skateboarding and aggressive inline.
[edit] Popular street unicycling tricks
[edit] Unispins
- 180 Unispin
- The rider jumps off the pedals of the unicycle, spins the unicycle 180 degrees and then lands back on the pedals video
- 270 Unispin
- The rider jumps off the pedals of the unicycle, spins the unicycle 270 degrees and lands on the wheel in the tire hop position. The transitions out of this trick are the sideways wheelwalk or a 270 unispin back to pedals. video (also 180 unispins from tyre to tyre are also possible)
- 360 Unispin
- The rider jumps off the pedals of the unicycle, spins the unicycle 360 degrees and then lands back on the pedals video
- 450 Unispin
- The ride jumps off the pedals of the unicyle, spins the unicycle 450 degrees and then lands in the tyre hop position. This trick can either be done from pedals to tyre, or from tyre to pedals. video
- 540 Unispin
- The rider jumps off the pedals of the unicycle, spins the unicycle 540 degrees and then lands back on the pedals video
- 630 Unispin
- The rider jumps off the pedals of the unicycle, spins the unicycle 630 degrees and then lands in the tyre hop position.
- 720 Unispin
- The rider jumps off the pedals of the unicycle, spins the unicycle 720 degrees and then lands back on the pedals
- Smallspin
- A smallspin is performed by starting the trick with the seat-out (holding the seat out in front) and then simultaneously do a 180unispin and a 180 degree jump twist. This trick is also sometimes referred to as a 180/180. (unispin and body spin in the same direction) video *note in relation to the ground, small spins travel 360 degrees.
- Bigspin
- A bigspin is performed by starting the trick with the seat-out (holding the seat out in front) and then simultaneously do a 360unispin and a 180 degree jump twist. This trick is also sometimes referred to as a 180/360. (unispin and body spin in the same direction) video *note in relation to the ground, big spins travel 540 degrees.
- Inward Unispin
- A 180 Unispin with a 180 jump twist but both in opposite directions. (some people start with the seat out, others start with the seat in. its a preference thing) video *note in relation to the ground, the unicycle travels 180 degrees
- X-up
- An x-up is where the rider manages to do a 180unispin and then 180unispin back the same way it just came from, all in one jump.
[edit] Hoptwists
- 180 Hoptwist
- A 180 Hoptwist or more commonly known as a 180, is an aerial maneuver where the rider jumps into the air and twists both of their unicycle and their body 180 degrees in relation to the position they were in before leaving the ground. The rider would land facing backwards in the case of regular riding.
- 360 Hoptwist
- A 360 Hoptwist or more commonly known as a 360, is an aerial maneuver where the rider jumps into the air and twists both of their unicycle and their body 360 degrees in relation to the position they were in before leaving the ground. The rider would land facing the same direction they were in upon leaving the ground.
- 540 Hoptwist
- A 540 Hoptwist or more commonly known as a 540, is an aerial maneuver where the rider jumps into the air and twists both of their unicycle and their body 540 degrees in relation to the position they were in before leaving the ground. The rider would land facing backwards in the case of regular riding.
- Shifty
- A Shifty is an aerial maneuver where the rider jumps, twists their unicycle 90 degrees while keeping their body in a riding position on the unicycle (keeping both feet on the pedals and the seat tucked underneith them) the rider then twists their unicycle back to its original position before landing on the ground. This trick is rather open in that you can twist in any direction and the amount you twist is more of a suggestion. The main principle of the trick is a twist but not a spin meaning that you always land back in the same direction.
- Lookback
- A Lookback is a huge shifty where the amount of twist is 180 degrees, first seen in Shaun Johanneson's "Callout Video!" (August, 2006).
[edit] Varials
- varial
- A varial is a small spin but started from seat in. (and 1 handed) video
- bodyvarial
- The unicycle stays stationary while the rider jumps up and twists their body 180 degrees before landing back on the pedals. only used to name the body's motion. video
- fullvarial
- With a fullvarial the rider must start the trick with the seat-in (sitting on the seat) and then simultaneously do a 360unispin and a 180 degree jump twist. (same trick as a bigspin but starts from seat in) video
- 360varial
- This is where the rider must start the trick with the seat-in (sitting on the seat) and then simultaneously do a 180unispin and a 360 degree jump twist.
[edit] Flip tricks
- crankflip
- The trick starts with a jump (from flat or off a ledge) and then in mid-air the rider pushes the front pedal, the wheel will then do a complete rotation, before finally landing with feet in the same position as they started. This trick was first performed by Mike Clark from Washington in the first half of 2004. Since then, many variations of the crankflip have been conceived and performed by riders from all over the world. video
- 180flip
- A crankflip with a 180 degree jump twist. video
- doubleflip
- The same as a crankflip but with two full rotations. This was first performed by Shaun Johanneson from North Dakota during filming for the popular extreme unicycling DVD, Defect (2005). video
- tripleflip
- The same as a crankflip but with three full rotations. As of August 2006, this trick has still only ever been landed by Shaun Johanneson of North Dakota.
- backflip
- Same as a crankflip but the cranks spin backwards for a full rotation. video
- doubleback
- This is a backflip with two full rotations, the first time this was landed was by Alex Toms "Tomsey" of Sydney, Australia on 2nd March, 2006. video
- sexchange
- This is a crankflip with a bodyvarial. The first time this trick was accomplished was by Shaun Johanneson on 8th August, 2005. video
- lateflip
- The same as a crankflip except the rider doesn't begin to flip the cranks until they reach the peak of the jump (or later). video
- hickflip
- A crankflip with a 180unispin, seat out to seat out. This trick was named after Kelly "The Hick" Hickman of Oklahoma. video
- donkeykick
- The rider jumps up so that they've got one foot resting on the wheel and the other on the crown of the frame, then jumps and kicks the foot that's on the wheel back hard (donkey kick). The cranks flip backwards a full rotation before the rider lands on the pedals. video
- inward small flip
- A hickflip with a body varial in the opposite direction to the unispin. often started seat out and landed seat in. another variant of this trick is the more simple inward flip, that starts with the seat in and ends with the seat in. video
- outflip
- A crankflip with a 180unispin, seat in to seat out. video
- outbackflip
- a backflip with a 180unispin, seat in to out. video
- varialflip
- This one's a varial with a crankflip, the world's first was by Sabin Arditty of Washington on 21st July, 2005.
- fullvarialflip
- This one's a fullvarial with a crankflip
- treyflip
- A crankflip with a 360unipsin.
- double variants
- A doubleflip incorporated into another flip trick. For example, a double flip sexchange (double sexchange), double hickflip or double varialflip.
[edit] Plants
Plants can be done in combination with some form of unispin.
- Footplant
The rider's foot leaves the pedal in mid-air, is planted on the obstacle, pushes off of the obstacle, then returns to the pedal. The rider lands and rides away normally.
- Wallplant
The rider rides quickly towards a wall and, using their momentem and the friction against the wall to stay airborn, plants a hand and a foot on the wall before returning to the unicycle, now riding away from the wall in the opposite direction.
- Wallstall
This is similar to wallplant except the rider places both feet on the wall.
- Spiderman plant
- The Rider rides backwards up to a wall jumps off the unicycle completely planting both hands and feet on the wall then lands back on the unicycle.
[edit] Grinding
- ledge grind
- Grinding is achieved by getting a pedal or crankarm of the unicycle up onto a ledge and sliding along on it.
- rail grind
- Grinding on round rails is more difficult than along ledges.
- bluntslide
- Jump over a rail and slide down the other side of it
- reverse grind
- 180 into a ledge or rail, grinding the length backwards
- combination grinds
- These tricks involve either a trick into and/or out of a grind, as well as tricks done whilst grinding. (ie one footers and seat drops)
[edit] Static
- seatwrap
- A stationary trick, the rider wraps the seat all the way around them. To perform this trick the rider begins by standing on the cranks and then steps a leg around the seat, passes the seat to the other hand behind their back, and then steps around again but with the other foot until they're back in the starting postion. This trick was invented by Dan Heaton (who is also the director of the unicycling video production company at www.sykoproductions.com). video
- bounce seat on floor
- To do this trick, hop in place standing on the pedals (either seat in or seat in front) and throw the seat forward at the ground. If done successfully the seat will bounce off the ground and come back up to you. (this works better on certain seats than others)
- 180 step around
- The rider steps one foot onto the wheel and spins their body 180 degrees before landing back on the pedals.
- seatdrop
- To do a seatdrop you should push your front foot/toe inwards and then drop the seat so the frame rests on your foot. Next, flick it back up and ride away.
- back seatdrop
- This is the same as a regular seatdrop except you start it by hopping seat in back and then drop the seat and catch it with the heel of your back foot. Then flick it back up as you would a regular seatdrop. These are slightly more difficult because it is hard to see the seat.
[edit] Influential Street Riders
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- Shaun Johanneson (US)
- Kevin McMullin (CND)
- Dan Heaton (US)
- Peter Van Boekhout (NZ)
- Xavier Collos (FRA)
- Alex Toms (AUS)
