freestanding ladders

[jeff d tuttle]

Kris, I have an idea. When doing pedal grabs I don't always land
perfectly, and occasional I land where the bearing holders are. (right now
I have a clunky old schwinn so i don't care, yet) Couldn't I put a bash
guard onto my left crank to protect the bearings? Or isn't it a big deal
to land on the bearings?

Jeff

On Mon, 14 May 2001 15:34:31 -0700 (PDT) Kris Holm
<danger_uni@yahoo.com> writes:
> Max,
>
> You likely could work out an alternate version but the way I do pedal
> grabs, I land with the foot that's forward. Ie. I usually jump with my
> right foot back too, which (unfortunately for you) means that you'd
> pedal grab to the left side.
>
> In short, the best way to start is to climb up onto a square edge of an
> obstacle (high enough that your tire just barely clears the ground),
> climb onto the uni with one pedal and crank hooked on the edge, and the
> tire hanging off the edge, and try to hop from there to riding on the
> obstacle. Once you've mastered this then learn to jump to that position
> from the ground.
>
> -Kris Holm.
>
> --- dingeman <dingeman@citilink.com> wrote:
> > I was wondering about how i would start learning to do pedal
> grabs.
> > Im sure lots of people here can do them and give me a little help
> with
> > learning to. my attemps so far are going no where. I dont really think
> > this matters but I can only jump up tall
> things
> > to the right, and I can only hop/jump with me right foot back
> >
> > Max D.
> >
>
>
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[Jeff Lutkus]

All right, does anyone have any of these measurements (or opinions on some
of the popular frames?

I suppose I'm looking at Hunter, Wilder, Telford, United (with
extention) and DM...

Does anyone have any numbers for these as far as weight, size of bearing
holders, ability to add a break, tire clearance (height and width), and
seatpost diameter.

For anyone who knows these things, even if you don't have exact numbers
on the weights, etc, could someone estimate a ranking order of one frame
to the next?

thanks, jeff lutkus

--- Chris Reeder <reed8990@uidaho.edu>
> wrote: Jeff Lutkus wrote:
>>
>> So, back to the big question on my mind -- the frame. I know a few
>> will fit the 3.0" >tire. So, what makes one better or different than
>> the next?
>
>Jeff,
>
>The things that come to my mind are:
>
>-Weight Anybody know how much a Hunter frame weighs? -Tire Clearance at
>the height of the tire you plan to use. -Frame Flex Especially important
>if running rim brakes or if you have very little tire clearance to start
>with, since you'll either rub the tire on the frame or the rim on the
>brake pad when climbing or descending steep grades. -Overall width. Is it
>narrow enough that you don't smack your legs on the frame tubing? I
>haven't ridden any that smacked me, but maybe someone else has had a
>different experience. -Bearing holder style & size. Main-cap are the
>easiest to work with, but some are still better quality than others.
>Ideally, the bearing holder will fit snug all the way around the bearing
>without slop. 40mm seems the most common size, but also note that the
>bearings used with the Profile hub are narrower than those used with
>standard axles. Another thing is the less loose pieces there are when you
>take the wheel off, the better. For example, are there just four bolts
>and a couple caps that come off? Or are there also nuts and washers to
>lose? Etc. -Cost -Paint Job -Looks -Presence of water bottle mounts
>(Pashley) -Crown style (Is it easy to rest a foot on it?) -Presence of
>brake bosses/disc tabs -Is there any cable routing for brakes?
>Internal/External? -Seatpost diameter (It's pretty hard to fit a
>suspension post in a
>22.2mm seat tube.) -Vertical or slanted (Telford) seat tube -Whether the
> seat post can go all the way through the frame and touch the tire.
> Might be an issue if you're trying to fit a suspension post in, which
> are generally too long and have to be shortened anyway. If your
> seatpost bottoms out somewhere inside the frame, you'll have to
> shorten it even more and probably lose some suspension travel.
>
>Some of these are subjective measures, and others (like frame flex)
>probably haven't been measured so we don't really know which ones flex
>the most.
>
>Chris
>
>
>
>--
>
>http://www.reeder.unicyclist.com (http://www.reeder.unicyclist.com/)

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[Jeff Lutkus]

Perhaps I mis-phrased.... I want to know how the weight of each compares
to the other, then the rigidity of one compared to the next, etc...

I thank everyone for giving me lists of what things are important to look
for. What I cannot seem to find is in what quantities these qualities are
possessed by each frame so I can make an informed decision.

jeff lutkus

--- "Roger Davies" <Roger.Davies@Octacon.Co.Uk>
> wrote: jeff lutkus wrote:
>
>> For anyone who knows these things, even if you don't have exact
>> numbers on
>the weights, etc, could someone estimate a ranking order of one frame to
>the next?
>
>This one is not good idea because if you just say one is better than the
>other... it probably wont be under different conditions and terrains.
>This happens here in the UK with bikes, people look at full suspension
>bikes sold in the US and think that because they are recommended for down
>hill they would be great in the UK. No. We have mud here! and the terrain
>and style of riding is very different.
>
>Definitely assess which frame has which feature: which is the most rigid,
>which is the heaviest etc. but I would be very wary of positioning them
>on an overall category.
>
>Another example that is worth noting, Lolly pop bearing housing have a
>reputation for being less good than split bearing (maincap). This is not
>always the case Pashley's bearing housing while being a pain to get in
>and out produce a very strong and rigid frame with the added advantage
>that the bearing tend to last many times longer than bearings held in
>split bearing housings.
>
>Just my penny worth.
>
>Roger
>

> The UK's Unicycle Source
> http://www.unicycle.uk.com/

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[John Childs]

>From: dingeman <dingeman@citilink.com>
>
> As I under it, 26" wheels with a nice fat DH tire are best for
> Downhill and flatland riding, right? Is it also true that for
> uphill riding a 24" with a fat tire is better than a 26" with a
> fat tire because it is smaller and is easier to push up a hill.
> Still correct? So if I am planning to use one MUni for both
> downhill, flatland, and uphill riding it seems that a 24" with a
> 3" Gazzaloddi or intense would be best? If im wrong please
> correct me.
>
> Thanks, Max A. Dingemans

Generally that's right, but I'd also give the nod to the 24x3 for downhill
due to the 24x3 having better maneuverability.

A 26x3 is good if you prefer to roll over obstacles and cruise less
technical trails. The 24x3 is good if you like to ride more technical
stuff and like to jump on or over things. But if you're going to be in a
muni race you will probably want a 26" wheel.

The 26x3 is less maneuverable than a 24x3. It can be a little more
difficult to get a 26x3 to take the line that you want through a sharp
switchback turn.

On a 24x3 wheel you are in your power position and control position more
often which helps in maneuverability. It also means that your pedals are
horizontal more often so you are ready to hop or jump more often. This
also helps in long climbs where you pedal half a revolution, pause
slightly while the pedals are horizontal, crank another half revolution,
pause slightly, and crank another half revolution. On a 24x3 you get to
rest more often and don't have to work so hard for each half revolution.

The extra weight in the wheel of a 26x3 can be an issue when doing long
rides where you aren't rolling at a constant speed. The extra weight can
also be an issue when jumping. A 26x3 will have about an extra pound of
rubber and rim than a 24x3. And that extra weight is out at the perimeter
of the wheel where you will notice it more.

An additional advantage of a 24" wheel is that the smaller wheel is
stronger. If you're the type of rider who might taco a wheel then the 24"
wheel is better.

I am riding a 26x3 and I love it. It does great. I can climb fairly well
with it. I can ride technical rooty, rocky trails with it. But I'm also
considering getting a 24x3 so I can do more jumping and just enjoy the
benefits of a smaller slightly lighter wheel.

A lot of the decision depends on your riding style and terrain. Either
wheel size will get you there and either wheel size will let you have fun.

john_childs
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[John Childs]

>From: "Danny Colyer" <danny@speedy5.freeserve.co.uk>
[lots of cutting]
>I think I'll be able to make a habit of Coker commuting.

Welcome to the club. It makes going to work kind of fun.

Seattle had its annual Bike to Work day today. I, of course, rode my
Coker.

[lots of cutting]
>I found mounting a lot harder than I remember it being previously when
>I've ridden Roger's and Sarah's Cokers. I think I shall have to learn the
>rolling mount. I also found the seatpost quite loose. I mounted a few
>times only to find that the saddle had twisted and I had to start again.
>Is this a common problem?
>

The seatpost clamps on Taiwanese unicycles like the Coker are almost
useless. No matter how hard you tighten the bolt they won't keep the post
from twisting. The solution is to get a double bolt BMX seatpost clamp for
a 7/8" post. 7/8" will actually be just a tad big for the post on the
Coker so you may have to shim it with a soda can. Take the Coker to a bike
shop and try a couple of clamps and get the one that fits the best. Or you
can just ask Roger what clamp works well.

With a good double bolt BMX clamp that post will never twist on you.

If your commute forces you to deal with traffic, pedestrians,
intersections, curbs, sidewalk cutouts, hills, and other obstacles you
might find that longer cranks help. When commuting to work I have started
using 170mm cranks. Yup, long cranks on a Coker. Since switching to the
long cranks my commute time has actually decreased because I'm better able
to control the Coker and deal with the commute time obstacles. For stop
and go commute style riding long cranks can be just the ticket. But for
open stretches of road where you want to spin the pedals the long cranks
are not as much fun.

john_childs
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[Jeff Lutkus]

It's been known to happen. My experience is that young people tend to be
most receptive to trying such things. I started a juggling / unicycling
club at my college. It basically all happened in one afternoon when three
of us got together -- two could juggle, and two could unicycle (yeah, I
was the cool one who could do both). Anyway, just from practicing one day
in the fall enough people stopped by and said things like either, "Oh,
that's so cool," or "Hey, I wonder if I can still do that." Fortunately, I
had a pen and papeer on me, and took down names and e-mail addresses
before the night was over.

Back to your BMX conversion -- I don't know too many BMX people, but what
little experience I've had, once they see some trials related stuff on a
unicycle (my hopping up or down a set of stairs is usually sufficient)
they realize the similarities in skills. While I haven't done much
converting, I have gotten a lot more people to respect the unicycle, and
see it as more than just a circus prop.

jeff lutkus

--- "Olivier Paugam" <opaugam@aptilon.com>
> wrote: Every evening at the local park in downtown Montreal, I see more
> and more kids coming to me as I play around on my monty uni. Most of the
> bmx riders are really interested and yesterday a kid came and told me he
> dusted off his old 24'' uni he never really used to learn how to hop on
> things,ect... I'm getting more and more chats about unicycling in the
> park now, so I have to play in the remote parts :-)
>
>I was wondering if many of you happened to trigger a 'unicycle
>illumination' in neigbourhood kids.
>
>opaugamATaptilonDOTcom !

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[Tammy Marsh]

My 20" is Yoda, my 24" is Silver Streak (Streak for short), my 28" is
Cyclops, and my Coker is Tractor. :)

Tammy http://MarshT.tripod.com (http://marsht.tripod.com/)

> > My first unicycle got named "Koyaanisquatsi", which is a Hopi Indian
>word
> > meaning "life out of balance." -Tom
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[Jeff Lutkus]

I also got interested in unicycling because it was a thing that many
people did not tend to do. However, I would never have learned to ride in
the first place had it not been for a friend who encouraged me to ride,
and even lent me his unicycle for a few months.

I still get a kick out of the fact that I am frequently introduced as "the
unicycle guy" (if they were incredibly popular, that wouldn't exactly
work), but I feel the more people become interested in riding, the better
it will be overall -- the more people who ride, the more cool tricks they
will invent.

I've heard all the usual lines while riding around campus, but it totally
made my day when I heard this one: two people were talking to each other
as I rode by, and I heard one remark to the other, "oh, there goes
_another_ unicycle." That was so cool it was so casual, and by no means
anything new. I suspect these people would have been more excited if they
saw a blue car drive by.

jeff lutkus

--- JFatSmokes@aol.com
> wrote: <FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=2 FAMILY="SCRIPT"
> FACE="Comic Sans MS" LANG="0"> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As I read a
> lot of these messages, there is one point that keeps <BR>getting brought
> up. I keep seeing people trying to get the sport to grow. <BR>Although I
> really enjoy riding with others, I like the fact that there are <BR>not
> TOO MANY others. One of the reasons I was attracted to unicycling in the
> <BR>first place was that it was a unique hobby. I like to know that if I
> am <BR>riding my Coker around the loop in Central Park, the chance of
> seeing someone <BR>else on a uni is pretty slim. I like unicycling to be
> thought of as somewhat <BR>of an art, but I am afraid that if it becomes
> too popular, it will loose some <BR>of its charm and appeal. <BR>
> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Criticism is expected and welcome. I
> am interested to hear how the <BR>rest of you feel about the popularity
> of unicycling. <BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nb-
> sp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&n-
> bsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&-
> nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;-
> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp-
> ;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbs-
> p;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <BR>-Dave Kaplan</FONT>

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[Jeff Lutkus]

>I got interested in unicycling because of the challenge. Now I unicycle
>because it's still a challenge and it's fun

It's interesting, when I first started unicycling, I was not drawn to any
challenge. In fact, I'm really not even sure why I wanted to unicycle. I
guess it just seemed a good way to spend a friday afternoon.

However, since I've gotten into unicycling, my life is all about
challenges. I have a long list of tricks to master. I got a giraffe
because freemounting was an interesting challenge. I built a freestanding
ladder because I'd never had the chance to learn to use one. When I
juggle, I try to find the most unusual club passing patterns for the
challenge of learning. I took up skydiving to have a new mode of
locomotion to master.

I think what happened is that I got interested in unicycling for some
reason. I spent the time to learn, and made faster progress at it than I'd
expected. From this, I quickly discovered that there are few things I
cannot learn so long as I put in some effort. I also discovered that
learning, in itself if quite fun, and it's just awesome each time you've
mastered a new skill.

Jeff Lutkus

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