Fastest speed on a unicycle

[rob.northcott]

Originally Posted by redwelly

There are increasing limits of leg strength, wind resistance (as you mentioned), road/tyre friction and control/guts that come more into play as super-high cadence is removed as a limiting factor.

I reckon "control/guts" is by far the most important factor there Sam! I consider myself a decent cyclist with fairly strong legs, but I won't go over 15mph on my (ungeared) 36er for more than a brief sprint, and I tend to hang around 13 or 14mph for a comfortable "fast" cruise. It's not cadence limited because my absolute top speed is very nearly as fast on a 29er with similar length cranks. It's not strength/drag limited because I can go much much faster on a bike (faster than even the best unicyclists). So all that's left is (lack of) skill and balls.

I suppose it may require stronger legs to do the same speed on a unicycle as on a bike, even given the required skill and bravery, because of the extra energy consumed by balancing, but I still reckon it's "control/guts" that are the ultimate limiting factor.

Rob

[steveyo]

Originally Posted by redwelly

Yeah, unfortunately pedal cadence isn't the only limiting factor - and that's all that the gearing helps with. There are increasing limits of leg strength, wind resistance (as you mentioned), road/tyre friction and control/guts

Dude, I think guts is a huge factor. My list would look like "strength, wind, friction, and GUTS!!!" Guts, like you need to buy special pants to hold cajones that big.

30 mph? Not for me, even if I could. But someone will do it soon, I bet.

40 mph? I say it might be possible, given a uni where you can change out the sprocket, like Harper's, (I think he made one like that, right?), and pick a 2.5:1 or something. It would be hard to start up in such a gear, but you could probably cruise easily in the low 20mphs down gentle hills, considering how easily my 1:1.5 goes along at 15mph.

Then, there will someday be two different official records, one for allowing downhills, and one for flat. On flat, has anyone broken 20mph? 25?

[scotthue]

I've definitely done 25 on flat. The 28mph that I was talking about above was also on flat, but with a really nice tailwind behind me. While it seems assumed in some cases, I think that we need to specify no wind or head wind for actually on flat records.

[steveyo]

Originally Posted by scotthue

I've definitely done 25 on flat.

Wow. Sick.

Originally Posted by scotthue

...we need to specify no wind or head wind for actually on flat records.

Definitely.

[johnfoss]

Originally Posted by steveyo

Guts, like you need to buy special pants to hold cajones that big.

No kidding. When comparing to bikes we have to factor in wind and tire resistance (a properly fitted road bike is much more aerodynamic), but once you get beyond running speed, guts is probably the biggest factor. It keeps me from "finding out" my limits on the geared 36". Because how do you find out, unless you test the system to failure? That's why 24" racing is so much safer...

I can cruise fairly comfortably in the 16's, but only when I'm confident in the riding surface and traffic. I can also go faster, but don't try to do it for long periods. Mostly I'm happy at 15 and below.

Originally Posted by steveyo

...there will someday be two different official records, one for allowing downhills, and one for flat. On flat, has anyone broken 20mph? 25?

Speed records for other types of vehicles usually don't allow for hills or tailwinds. While it's known you can go faster with either, they make for hard-to-repeat records so usually aren't counted. Maximum speeds should be done for a minimum distance, and then in both directions within a given timeframe to eliminate winds. This is how IHPVA has done it with bikes, and also how they do it for motor vehicle land speed records.

Downhill records, and "max indicated speed" records, like in this thread, are more just for fun.

[steveyo]

Originally Posted by johnfoss

...Downhill records, and "max indicated speed" records, like in this thread, are more just for fun.

There is a stated record for fastest drafting bicycle (Fred Rompelberg), (167mph, 268kph behind a racing car).

I think a fastest-anyone-has-ever-unicycled record would be interesting to track.

[piranhamatt]

the guts part i'm not bothered about now, i have hard plastic knee/shin guards, and have enough experience falling so 99% i slide on my knees, no harm done then, for that reason i don't mind pushing myself to the maximum, as for resistance, a tire pumped up to 80+psi has very little of it.

And like John Foss said, its fun to see what speeds other people are hitting, evan if it is downhill, the 22.14mph that i have in the list is downhill, but in the last few days i have hit 22mph a couple of times, and 20mph isn't to hard for me to hit now, i can do it fairly easily on the flat, in both directions.

I am planning on saving up for a geared hub, will take me all summer though, but i am looking forward to seeing how far i can push it, another thing i want to try out, is why no one uses short cranks on the geared hubs, i ride with 100mm cranks on the ungeard 36er, and there brilliant, hills are tough, but if i keep a high cadence there not to bad, the most benefit is just setting a constant high speed for hours, i can go for a good few hours at around 16mph.

[Ben Meighen]

Originally Posted by piranhamatt

a tire pumped up to 80+psi has very little of it.

What tire are you running at 80+ psi? You are going to pop your nightrider like I did aren't you?

[tholub]

Originally Posted by steveyo

There is a stated record for fastest drafting bicycle (Fred Rompelberg), (167mph, 268kph behind a racing car).

I think a fastest-anyone-has-ever-unicycled record would be interesting to track.

I think Lance's unicycle may hold the "fastest unicycle ever" record. At least until it hit bottom.

[johnfoss]

Originally Posted by steveyo

There is a stated record for fastest drafting bicycle (Fred Rompelberg), (167mph, 268kph behind a racing car).

Cool. And he set that unbroken world record at the age of 50! Such a record must also probably conform to some standard to make it "official". If it's Guinness-only, they would have offered some parameters. If it was done under the auspices of another organization it probably followed theirs. Such as at least averaging his speed over a measured distance. For true records, we probably need to set a distance and require that the times be averaged over two runs, in opposite directions, done within one hour. That's what they use for motor vehicles at least. IHPVA was using a 200 meter speed trap back in 1986; not sure if that's different today.

Originally Posted by piranhamatt

...another thing i want to try out, is why no one uses short cranks on the geared hubs, i ride with 100mm cranks on the ungeard 36er...

I did great in the Unicon XIV Marathon on a 36" with 102mm cranks; perfect for that pretty-flat course. And I can tell you why I've never tried the 125mm holes on my Schlumpf 36, but I'm sure you'll want to try it yourself anyway. For me, the shorter cranks don't offer sufficient leverage for me to feel safe. However, other riders may feel otherwise...

[DavidHood]

Originally Posted by piranhamatt

why no one uses short cranks on the geared hubs

Every time I hear someone say that, I feel like saying "You've never ridden a geared 36er have you?" I enjoyed spinning the shorter (using the 110mm hole of the 125/110) cranks on my ungeared Nimbus (disc brake) Impulse and, like you, I could climb some fairly steep hills given enough momentum. But, when I got my geared 36er, I decided to follow the lead of our very own John Foss (undoubtedly a far more experienced and talented rider than I) and went with 150mm cranks. I would have gone longer but my 9.5 shoe size barely reaches the shift button as is. Now that I've had it for a year or so, I am considering switching to 137's so I can reach the button without needing to ride on my tippy toes as I do with the 150's. So... since this is a "fastest speed" thread and not a "what size cranks do you use on your Schlumpf hub" thread, I will end with this: riding in high gear felt surprisingly natural early on but it can still mess with your head. I love mine and I really love spinning shorter cranks but I've never felt the need to switch to the 125mm hole on my KH36G.

[magicollin]

13.29 (mph). Collin Jones. Arvada CO, U.S. KH29 125mm cranks

slow compared to y'all.

[piranhamatt]

Originally Posted by Ben Meighen

What tire are you running at 80+ psi? You are going to pop your nightrider like I did aren't you?

Sorry, i meant 60+psi although i have tried it around 80 for short amounts of time

[piranhamatt]

since the actual list is so far back, here you go, updated with Magicolin's speed.

GEARED WHEELS
Speed (mph), Name, Location, Unicycle, Crank size
---------------------------------------------------------------
28.8 mph, Chuck Edwall, Laguna Beach, CA, Geared KH36, 150mm (downhill)
27.0 mph, Corbin Dunn, Los Gatos CA USA, Geared KH36, 150mm
26.8 mph, Jan Logemann, Remscheid, Germany, Geard KH36, 125mm
26.0 mph, Scott Wilton, Madison WI USA, Geared KH29 125mm
25.9 mph, (41.7 kph), turtle on "turtle's V", Gearded 29", 125mm
25.8 mph (41.5 kph), Sam Wakeling, Wales UK, Geared KH36", 150mm
25.0 mph (40.3 kph) Geoff Houghton, Ashland, Oregon, USA, Florian Green 36" V frame with Schlumpf, 152 mm
24.2 mph, John Moriarty, Sarasota FL, 24" Schlumpf muni, 125mm
24.1 mph, Roland Kays, Albany NY, Geared KH36, 165mm
23.5 mph, David Stone, Lobster, 29" Schlumpf, 125mm
23.0 mph (37.0 kph) Nathan Hoover, Rob's Ride on dirt, Schlumpf KH 36, 150mm
22.74 mph(36.6kph) Jakob Flansberry Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. KH26 Schlumpf, 137mm
22.6 mph, Spencer Owen, Nottingham UK, Schlumpf 29, 127mm
21.51 mph, Kaycee Stevens, Rt.2 in Orono, Maine, Schlumpf KH29, 150mm
20.8 mph, Steve Relles, Delmar NY US, KH36/Schumpf, 165mm


UNGEARED 36" (or larger)
Speed (mph), Name, Location, Unicycle, Crank size
---------------------------------------------------------------
29-ish, Christian Hoverath, ungeared Coker, 125mm
28.0 mph, Madison Johnston, Portland Oregon, Ungeared Nimbus 36 114mm cranks(downhill)
26.7 mph Sam Wakeling, Wales, UK, Ungeared 36, 114mm
24.2 mph, Lars Lottrup, Nivå Denmark, Nimbus 36, 114mm
23.4 mph(37.7kph), Jakob Flansberry, Gatineau, Canada, Coker Big One, 114mm
22.9 mph, Scott Wilton, Madison WI USA, Nimbus 36, 114mm
22.5 mph Madison Johnston, Portland Oregon, ungeared Nimbus 36 125mm cranks(flat ground)
22.14 mph, Matthew Morris, Manchester UK, KH36, 100mm
22.1 mph Tyler Nail, California, ungeared UDC 36er, 125mm
22-ish, John Foss, 45" Unicycle Factory Big Wheel (28 pounds), 6.5" cranks
21.9, David Stone, 36" Coker with 110mm cranks
21.1 mph, Øivind Stuan, Trondheim Norway, Nimbus 36, 125mm
20.8 mph, Nathan Hoover, Norway, Hunter 36, 125mm
20.2 mph, Samuel Farmer, West Sussex England, Qu-ax 36, 114mm
20.0 mph, Austin Bachman, Gardnerville, NV, USA, Nimbus 36, 125mm
19.9 mph, Peripatet, Jacksonville FL USA, KH36, 125mm
19.5 mph Tomas Nemecek, Phoenix, Arizona, USA KH36, 110mm
19.06 mph, Federico Moretto, Pove del Grappa ITALY, Nimbus 36, 145mm
19.0 mph, Joe Sowul, Anaheim CA USA, Nimbus Nightrider 36, 125mm
17.5 mph, Rob Northcott, Warwick cycle races, UK, Mongrel 36er, 145mm
16.0 mph, David Hood, Louisville KY USA, ungeared N36, 110mm
15.5mph, Bob Griffiths, Shrewsbury Cycle Track,UK, Coker 36, 150s

UNGEARED 29" (or smaller)
Speed (mph), Name, Location, Unicycle, Crank size
---------------------------------------------------------------
19.1 mph, Marco Schmidt, 29" KH with 114mm cranks (on a street going downhill), near Dieburg (Germany)
17.5 mph, John Foss, Max. indicated speed on 24" with 125mm (multiple repeats)
16.8, Austin Ritz, Conewago Trail, ungeared KH 29, 125s
15.9 mph (25.4 kph), Blacky Burny (haha Joey), Millbank, ON, Nimbus/Semcycle 29er, 125 mm
15 mph, David Stone, Semcycle 29", 110mm cranks
14.0 mph (22.48 km/h), Dominic Fandrey (kamikaze), Germany/Karlsruhe, Siegmono Touring 26", 114mm
13.4 mph, Mark Blyth, Nimbus 26" MUni, 165mm cranks, near Newcastle England
13.29 (mph). Collin Jones. Arvada CO, U.S. KH29 125mm cranks
12.8 mph BrianP, Ocala FL US, KH24 w 150s

[Klaas Bil]

Originally Posted by johnfoss

That's why 24" racing is so much safer.

Ah! Good to see that in writing from you! I hope 24" racing stays around for a long time, and not be replaced my more 'modern' sizes such as 29".