What’s maroon, has one wheel and travels as fast as you can fall down?- Mississippi State University student on a unicycle.
Unicycling offered by MSU faculty provides a unique and challenging opportunity for students.
Engineering professors Royce Bowden, Jim Schrock and John Usher are all part of the Golden Triangle Riders, a group of unicycle riders.
“We have about nine people who consistently practice with us ranging in age from seven to 46 but we don’t have any MSU students,” said Bowden, founder of the club. “We’d love to have some students join us.”
The professors said learning to ride is not difficult.
“Anyone who can ride a bicycle can ride a unicycle, as long as you have a willingness to fall and get bruised but still get back up,” Schrock said.
Schrock keeps a unicycle trainer in his office in Patterson Lab. A trainer has a small front wheel that allows a person to get accustomed to the cycle but still have the comfort of two wheels. Children think it’s a little bicycle but it’s built for adults.
“You need to have a 27-inch inseam to ride this trainer,” Schrock said. “I’ll let anyone who is interested try it out.”
Riding a unicycle is not just about riding around in circles, Usher said. There are different aspects to riding. Bowden is concentrating on increasing his skill level and teaching others new skills. Schrock likes it because he “likes to do things that not everyone does.” Usher’s focuses on different types of tricks.
“I’m working on mounting, mainly,” he said.
Most of the adults in the club learned to ride as children and wanted to pick the sport up again. Bowden realized how much fun it was to ride with other people once his children learned to unicycle. Schrock’s father bought the family a unicycle in 1971 and taught his sons to ride. Now his children and most of his brothers’ children have learned the sport. When his family gathers, there are seven unicycles present.
“I ride on campus because I’m lazy and like to sit down while I walk,” he said.
Unicycling can also be good exercise. While Usher said it is not terribly exhausting, “you can work up a sweat.” The sport is also good for learning better balance.
Students interested in the Golden Triangle Riders or in the sport of unicycling are welcome to come to a practice session, Bowden said. The group practices every Friday afternoon in McKee Park.
“We’d love to hear from students,” he said.
Bowden has also made arrangements with a company in Atlanta to receive discounts on unicycles.
“A student can purchase a unicycle for anywhere from $70 to $170. We would love to get out and help people learn to ride,” he said.
Anyone interested can check out the group’s Web site www.gtriders.com for more information on the sport.