Skills on one wheel with Mimo Seedler | FISE Up August
FISE UP August
SKILLS ON ONE WHEEL WITH MIMO SEEDLER
Interview : Ben
Pics : Hagen Wolf & Chris Gieseke
Forget all your clichés of the circus unicyclist, the wheel also rolls in the street and on the same spots as the biggest streeters in bmx, skateboard or other. What could be a curiosity is in fact a reality, discreet and completely crazy. Here we are talking about pushing the limits of balance, right? Let’s discover it with Mimo Seedler through this part we strongly recommend you to watch here.
Can you introduce yourself with the usual infos ?
I’m Mimo Seedler, 22 years old from Leipzig in Germany. I’m doing street unicycling for 10 years now and started to also ride BMX 3 years ago.
What made you want to start unicycling ?
Back when I was 8 years old, my dad teached me how to ride a unicycle. It was just riding in the first years until I found some street, flat and trial unicycling videos in 2011. After getting the basics I've started to ride mainly street, inspired by a few street unicyclists at the time and more and more by other street disciplines.
What attracted you specifically on that one wheel journey?
I think it’s exploring the unknown and making unicycling look more stylish.
“Exploring the unknown and making unicycling look more stylish”
C.G
Is that exciting to think you can actually invent many tricks yourself ?
It feels nice to have so much more to invent than with a BMX, but it can also get hard to motivate yourself practicing mostly on your own. But the sport isn’t that small, we actual have a much bigger history than you would expect from this sport and some other crazy riders with lots of NBD’s (tricks never been done).
How big is the scene really ?
The street unicycling scene is basically nonexistent in Germany and international super small compared to common urban sports.
So who do you ride with on a daily basis, more bmx or unicyclist ?
I'm mainly riding with Bmx riders, but lately two young riders joint me on the unicycle. They got into street unicycling with some inspiration by me and I can't wait how they will do in the future.
What are the main differences between bmx and unicycling on street ?
The main thing is that you have to pedal all the time. That makes some Bmx a like tricks impossible and some tricks possible that wouldn’t work on a bike. The spirit I love so much about Bmx is basically nonexistent in unicycling right now. There was some more back in the days when i've started and I'm trying to get it back and further with my videos.
“The main thing is that you have to pedal all the time”
H.W
How do the riders from other discipline welcome you on streets or parks ? They must be stunned by what you can do on one wheel !
There is mostly some confusion when I enter the park until I do my first tricks. But the people are mostly open and interested in my sport, so I’ve never had any bad experiences in parks. Being in the streets is also way more chill with an unknown sport like unicycling ; security guards don’t kick you at all or take longer to realize what I’m doing on that thing.
What’s your favorite spots to ride and your favorite tricks to do ?
I'm enjoying the new skatepark we got and mostly rails or pads in the streets. I'd say that I don't have favorite tricks, but if I’d have to choose, I’d take grinds.
C.G
Do you do shows to maybe live out of your skills ?
I'm doing sometimes a few shows to get some money and selling some clothing and parts on the Railigion Online Shop, but I'm not living from it yet. Right now I’m working in a bicycle shop as a product designer.
Could you be pro one day ?
I might be as pro as you can get in unicycling right now, but there is still a lot of space to grow for me and for unicycling. I just won the street world championship. These events are still pretty small and there isn’t a pro status like in skateboarding or Bmx yet. But I was able to pick up some sponsors like Sport Import, who is supplying me with parts for my unicycle and bmx.
Tell us a bit more on the making of your part made for Railigion that we host here
I’ve filmed on this part for a few months beside working in my hometown Leipzig and took a few trips to places like Hastings in England. Definitely one of my most favorite parts yet with lots of NBD’s and big rails I’m stocked on. A new part * is getting in shape right now and I can’t wait to show you the outcome.
* Now out here
Any thanks or last word ?
I’d like to thank my dad for getting me into unicycling first. All the street unicyclist who got me into street riding, like Elias Pöham or Chris Huriwai and everyone who is keeping this sport alive.
