Potential Newb Needs Advice!

[Ladon]

Alright, so I'm an unawarely fit guy. Let me explain.
I have a fear of cars, so I don't have a driver's license. I'm 20, scrawny, and I ride a bike to work every day across the city on bike paths and whatnot. I end up riding 15km a day to work, and 15 back. Because I work shifts, I sometimes end up riding to work at 4am in the freezing cold (this morning I was -5).
So essentially, I've been doing this 5 days a week for the past... three months? So I'm fit, especially in the legs. I mean, they're just absolutely meaty. I'm pretty sure a cannibal would be like, drooling at the sight. of these chunky bastards.

So anyway, I'll continue on to the point. I'm getting bored with my bike. I'm riding maybe 45 minutes to work, and it's absolutely ridiculously boring. I'm speeding along, pumping my way up hills. At first it was fun and exciting, but now there's no effort required, I'm spacing out and getting bored by it! I'm looking for a different mode of transport that I could use intermittently to spice things up a bit. That's where Powerisers come in!

So I'm afraid of heights, but only past about 10 or 20 feet, which probably won't be a problem. I don't intend to jump around on them, but use them as transport. I'm thinking maybe two times a week, that same 30km round trip. Anyone think that's crazy? Will these poor things snap from the stress of me jogging to work on them? Will I snap myself? I'm a safety freak as well, so I'll be wearing a helmet, wrist guards, knee pads, elbow pads, and whatnot. Spine guard under my clothing if I feel completely afraid!

So yes, does this sound like a good idea? I take it there are people here who could tell me if this is a ridiculous idea. If I end up buying them, I'll be snatching them up from this site because I'm in Australia: http://www.powerjumperz-au.com/p/470925/adults-powerjumperz-.html

Thanks

-Ladon

[BarnabyBoi]

I think you'd be just fine. I can run long distances, but it can get tiring and its not so much your legs that take all the damage. Its your back, but it goes away after a while. I think 1 day a week would be good instead of 2 unless you REALLY feal the need for two Its not a ridiculous idea. You DO NOT need a spine guard. I wear all the pads too.

I would be afraid of the bike trails. Are they all uphill and rugged? I use my for transportation. But only like 3 miles. Thats like 6 or 7 Kilometers? So I think youd be REALLY exhuasted at the end of the trek. But if you feal you are up to it?? Also, there are some people here on this site from Austrailia, try seeing if some live near you and you can try em' for yourself.

[Ladon]

The bike trails in my city are pretty much all paved, which is good. Some of them are a bit beat up, but they're patched up and whatnot with tar so it shouldn't be much of a problem. It's all flat except for a couple short hills, which usually provide a bit of a slight challenge on my bike. I usually stop at the top of those for a quick drink, so the same will probably happen with these

I work a very quick job, so being tired when I get there usually doesn't make much of a difference to me. I think the difference between a bike and stilts will definitely be the coasting ability on a bike. I'm sure that half the distance I ride on my bike is made up of soft pedalling down slight slopes, so jogging will definitely be a bit slower at first.

I'd love to see if there is anybody in Canberra that could give me a quick demo on some! I mean, it's one thing to look at photos and videos and read everything available, but the experience is definitely what I'm interested in!

[BarnabyBoi]

An upside to having the stilts for running is that they don't hurt your feet for long distance running.

By this I mean this lol: When you walk without stilts, ALL your weight is placed on your poor feet, and to much walking hurts.

With stilts, the springs take all the pressure and absorb it and you don't really feel ANY pain in your feet (unless you tighted the foot latches too tight lol).

Also, you are worried about the springs breaking? They take lots of wear and tear. They;'ll last a long time if you just run. I think you will enjoy jumoing too though.

Heres how to make the springs more durable:

After you get them, (or before you get them) buy some hockey tape from a sporting goods store, and a few rolls of electrical tape (color is your choice) or a big roll of it. Tape the entire spring (except the part that goes down to the hoof) with the hockey tape as it is very durable. To make the spring look good and add more strength add 2-4 layers of electrical tape. If you'd like I can send a picture of what I mean for the spring where it meets the hoof.

-That night I was with my girlfriend of rabies-

[Ladon]

Yep, so the sensation is more like running on a trampoline than on solid ground, correct? Which explains exactly how the back takes the most stress instead of the knees and the ankles. I like it

Took a look at a side view of the stilts I'm looking at, I think I know what you mean. There's the part where the metal frame on the hoof wraps around the spring, so I assume that's where the tape shouldn't go

I take it most of the muscles used will be along the sides and up the lower back, which sounds like a good compliment to the leg muscles used when riding my bike. It would definitely give them a break for a day!

How difficult is it to keep the hooves from slipping? I mean, I'll be sticking to pavement, but will I have to look out for small pebbles or anything?

Thanks for the help

[BarnabyBoi]

Look out for beds of loose gravel and don't go uphill on grass. Pavement is fine. Sand is bad. Only look out for wet pavement, loose gravel, and uphill grass. I think you would like these for transport. Just be careful! When you walk kinda slow or when you slow down from running and use your feet with a series of steps, don't bend your knee back too far, it hurts like a b*tch because the spring tries to bend your leg backwards which doesnt feel too great!

[bmthbloke]

For the distance you are thiking of, id suggest these things are not the things. This ok for short sprints slightly longer jogs.  But not long distances --they way about 8.5 Kg --my model 9.5Kg. Ive done a 10Km walk and mean walk  and I could have gone a bit furthur ---but not much.

Thgese are fun things --and great fun things. But not, id contest, practical mode of transport. If bored Id say change selection on ya iPod.

[Dark Knight]

Jogging for any distance on stilt would take time to build up !
Just because you have big legs doesn't mean you can jump on a pair and run for Km !? Your leg muscle may be good for biking but they'll need training for bocking long distance.
Bocking in bad weather is not a good idea, so if it's raining heavy on your way home you'd be stuck !
I'm not trying to put you off using them to bock the distances your think just thought I'd warn you it's not just a case of jumping on a pair !?

My legs are probably one of biggest there is and it took me some time before I was bocking more than 15Km in one go !? Size matters a bit but you still have to build them up !?

You could always use your bike part of the way then put your stilts on and bock the rest of the way. This way you could increase your bocking distance up slowly. 

[BarnabyBoi]

Maybe. But hes got good legs? He might be able to do it. Thats why I suggested to him to find someone near him and try them be fore he buy them.  They are fun, just today I had a massive group of people stop and watch me do stuff and I cant even do that much! I just finished taping my springs and they look NIIIiiiiice! As I was taping, some people stopped by and were like will you give us a demo after you finish taping? Its cool. Oops, off topic. Yes running could be difficult, but Bloke, the weight doesnt actually really effect me. They feel lighter than they are. Its like wearing hiking boots to me.

My 100th post!!

-That day I was with my girlfriend of rabies-

Dark knight, some good suggestions there, but what would he carry them with? I also suggested that he go for one day a week until he feels like he can do more. I honestly think that if he worked at it, eventually he could do 15km.

[Priest]

Hi, I'm using my M60 for every transport I need. I do about 100 km / week, and I'm just fine. I'm in a very good physical shape, and it took me about 1 month to be ready for this. So I think it's a possibility. You may notice I'm never doing over 10 km at a time, and it's quite very great distance, so 15 is a very good distance, at the limit of the possibility I think, but possible. The only question I got for you is: do you have to carry something with you at work? If yes, you have to know that it's very hard to carry objects while bouncing for long distances. By very hard I mean: 1kg is rought, 2 kg is very tought and over 3 kg is almost impossible to carry for a while. If you want to, you'll have to strap it on yourself so it can't move at all when jumping.

[Ladon]

I'll definitely have to train, I'm not by any means expecting to be able to hop onto stilts and just take off to work. I live next to a small mountain, so I can use that to train up.
Going to work, I carry maybe a book, an empty plastic mug (free coffee!!) and lunch. I have a bag that has a belt loop on the back, specifically for this kind of motion. Means I can slip my belt through it and it won't bounce around Pretty useful!

I'm guessing it'll take about a month or two to be able to do 15k in a reasonable amount of time. And weather is something I've run into before with my bike, if its raining I'll just ring a cab and throw them in the back Easier than a bike, definitely.

Just an off-topic question, but I'm curious: Has anyone ever put larger hoof on a pair to specifically deal with more difficult terrain? The most dodgy thing I could thing of would be a pair of old sneakers with good grip?

[Dark Knight]

Dark knight, some good suggestions there, but what would he carry them with?

I work that out myself the other week.
I have knee bars and straps ( if you've got cuff you'd need a length of strap !? )

Tied the strap of one to the clip on the other ( near the end of gthe strap ).
Turn the stilts so the foot plates face you and hook the strap round back of neck.
The knee bar rest on your shoulders ( you can walk this way   )
When you get on your bike rest the hoofs over the handle bars ( if you place them right it will take some of the weight )
Starting tricky but once moving your fine ( I biked 8 miles this way ).

An what I didn't say was !?
Buy them anyway you'll love them 

[Bill C.]

Sorry to be negative but I think you are going to trash your stilts doing that much distance on a regular basis.  You're also going to have to shower when you reach your destination if you want others to work with you.      It may be fun to try, but I don't think that type of distance running on these is going to be fun for very long -- especially when dealing with hills and no coasting on the downs.  Your stilts do not have a low gear.  If you are going to try it, I'd suggest first doing the same route on a day you do not have work.

But I hope you can prove me wrong.  Good luck.

[flybaby]

all i can say is if your going to do it tire socks tire socks tire socks. That will rate you so so so much cash lol

[Ladon]

Tire socks?

Yeah, doing the route when I don't have to work is definitely something I'll do, to see how sweaty I get. I don't sweat much, and I usually take a change of clothes with me to work if it's too hot out.

On some shifts I can actually just take a bus halfway and walk it, and then run home at night when I can take a shower afterwards. It's all just in logistics, I'll figure it out when I get to it.

So there's a chance I'll trash them by doing too much jogging/running on them... I'll keep that in mind

If I find they're difficult to get to work on, I'll use them to get around the city on instead. As fun as it is to weave in and out of crowds on a bike, it gets a bit hecktic sometimes. With these I could jump over children! (no, I have no intention of jumping over children... or midgets...)

Thanks guys for all your help I'm going to give it another day to make sure I don't buy them on impulse, and then I'll grab some!