Multi-Wheeled unicycles

[Unisykolist]

Originally Posted by pedrotejada

The Nimbus Wheel Extention Kit costs 150 US dollars. I thik that's too expensive. A good welder can easily make it for you.

Bye!

Ill buy it from UDCA anyway...besides its $150 AUD too so US would be more

[Unisykolist]

Originally Posted by semach.the.monkey

Well, to the best of my knowledge, a year or so ago, there were only 3 competent riders in the UK (two of which were called Roger, so I guess that helps). I'm sure lots more have tried, and have probably had varying amounts of success. Personally, I've tried, and come to the conclusion it is impossible.

If you're wanting to do it to perform, then as far as the general public is concerned, a 3 wheeler is much more impressive. They won't appreciate the complete mind-twist that a 2 wheeler does to a unicyclist, and will just like the fact that 3 wheels is better than 2.

STM

Yer i was kinda thinking which one would appeal more to the audience. now youve just made up my mind, yes i guess the 3 wheeler looks better, is taller, and its just something you dont see every day

[Unisykolist]

Originally Posted by pedrotejada

Yeah I'll contact the guy who made the uni for me this week to know the prices of the two extensions... I tought in puting two 16" wheels...Would be funny!

I will take pics ths week pf the tree wheeled (It's in my other house)

Bye!

are u gonna post it in this thread?

[Unisykolist]

Originally Posted by Ducttape

Not sure if you saw in my post but I said I can't running mount(or step up) my 3 wheeler, the tire pressure I like allows the tires to slip when I try to running mount and I haven't got the coordination to step up on the 3 wheeler before it falls. All this talk about 2 wheeler unicycles having very few competent riders is making me want to go try to master the 2 wheeler. I wonder how strange it would feel to be wheel walking it forward and be moving backwards.

EDIT: I found a pretty good video of a guy at Mondo Fest 2 years ago riding a 2 wheeler he even idles it and wheel walks it.

Do you think or know if it is possible though? cos i haven known of anyone who can mount a 7 foot. I guess you would just put more effort in to the crank push and jump.

[Fraggle]

Originally Posted by Unisykolist

Do you think or know if it is possible though? cos i haven known of anyone who can mount a 7 foot. I guess you would just put more effort in to the crank push and jump.

I don't see why either mount wouldn't be possible, just quite hard to learn. Running mount could pose a problem, with the possibility of tyres slipping on each other. I have tried climbing up the 3 wheeler, it's kinda awkward with just the one set of cranks on it, as there is a lack of decent places to put your feet for climbing it. What looks great on a 3 wheeler, is cranks on each wheel, then it looks mad, like there is loads going on with it. I did it on mine thinking that i could climb the pedals like a ladder, but the wheels move at slightly different rates, so the cranks are rarely in the right positions for that. Also, it adds quite a bit of weight to an already heavy piece of kit.

Also, to solve the problem of the 3 wheeler being harder to get going, it might be worth trying some longer cranks on it. I've been meaning to, but not got round to it yet.

F.

[Unisykolist]

Originally Posted by Fraggle

I don't see why either mount wouldn't be possible, just quite hard to learn. Running mount could pose a problem, with the possibility of tyres slipping on each other. I have tried climbing up the 3 wheeler, it's kinda awkward with just the one set of cranks on it, as there is a lack of decent places to put your feet for climbing it. What looks great on a 3 wheeler, is cranks on each wheel, then it looks mad, like there is loads going on with it. I did it on mine thinking that i could climb the pedals like a ladder, but the wheels move at slightly different rates, so the cranks are rarely in the right positions for that. Also, it adds quite a bit of weight to an already heavy piece of kit.

Also, to solve the problem of the 3 wheeler being harder to get going, it might be worth trying some longer cranks on it. I've been meaning to, but not got round to it yet.

F.

it doesnt really matter if the wheels slip does it? I will run up to the cranks and jump on them, even if the wheel isnt touching the other, there still connected by the steel frame bit so i don't think it should matter.

Ducttape, do you have your bottom and top tyre hard and the middle softer? whats your tyre preffereance?

[TonyMelton]

I reckon there must be plenty of people who can ride a two-wheeler. I know of four in NZ alone (myself, Peter Bier, Steve Pavarno and Adam Stone). I have a two-wheeler with 16" wheels which makes it relatively easy to freemount, both static and rolling.

As for freemounting a 3-wheeler I've seen it done by jamming a foot between the lowest and middle tyres, then standing on the pedal.

There's a video of Aussie street performer Mr Spin juggling three baseball bats while balancing a glass of water on his head on a 3-wheeler here http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=X_xNbtlgiMI He uses a volunteer to mount his 3-wheeler. Scroll thru to the end as that's where the trick is.

[kington99]

Originally Posted by Unisykolist

it doesnt really matter if the wheels slip does it? I will run up to the cranks and jump on them, even if the wheel isnt touching the other, there still connected by the steel frame bit so i don't think it should matter.

Yes but you'll have no control, in the running mount standing on the back pedal turns the bottom wheel backwards and pushes the unicycle upright. With no drive, the bottom will just freewheel away from you and you'll land flat on your arse. Slipping of multi-wheels, or of the drive cog on a giraffe suddenly turns your uni in to a coaster uni, with no warning.

[jamessd]

Originally Posted by Unisykolist

it doesnt really matter if the wheels slip does it? I will run up to the cranks and jump on them, even if the wheel isnt touching the other, there still connected by the steel frame bit so i don't think it should matter.

Ducttape, do you have your bottom and top tyre hard and the middle softer? whats your tyre preffereance?

On a three wheeler you are meant to have the top and bottom wheels harder than the middle.

If you moved more into street performance you could include it in your act to get someone to help you get on the three wheeler, as somebody mentioned above.

+1 to what kington99 said too.

[Ducttape]

I don't know the exact tire pressure on my tires but it's just right for me as was said above you need the middle wheel softest, and the top tire slightly harder while the bottom tire is hardest. Slippage of the middle wheel does matter when running mounting because it acts like the chain and cogs on your normal giraffe and when those slip your unicycle is uncontrolable. If I could time it better I could climb my three wheeler, I've almost got it now but I can't get onto the seat in time, I end up trying to ride my giraffe SIF which is very hard considering how heavy it is. Ihave considered putting a set of cranks on every wheel too, I've even got two spare sets that would work I just don't have two extra sets of pedals.

[johnfoss]

Originally Posted by kington99

i remember a time when there were only 9 people in the world who could ride one, although it was a few years ago

Your profile says you're 22 years old. I knew at least 9 people who could ride 2-wheelers 25 years ago. Don't forget IUF founder Jack Halpern, who is credited as the "inventor" of the cycle within the unicycling community (others surely did it 100 years ago). I learned in 1982 along with other members of my unicycle club (Redford, in Michigan). There were probably five of us in Michigan who could ride them in 1983. I actually performed on one (badly) in 1982 at the USA convention and won the Pairs competition. A fortuitous comedy of errors made our messed-up act look more intentional than it was...

For performing, the 3-wheeler will look approximatel 1/3 more impressive to an audience. Add extra points because it's also taller. Put decorations in the wheels so it's easy to see them rotating in opposite directions. Make sure you idle on it, and if you can, practice walking the wheel up there.

Caution: 3-wheelers are heavy, and dismounts can damage them or bend/knock them out of alignment. Treat it like a fragile machine and it will probably hold up longer.

As a performer, having an act is more important than having cool props. The first expenditure I'd make, based on the photos you posted, would be for a new seat!

Here's some old pictures of multi-wheelers.

[pedrotejada]

Originally Posted by John Foss WebSite

Unicycles like this (even with small 12" wheels) are very heavy, so they have rings around them to protect them in the event of drops.

Very important information I the cranks and the pedals of my tree wheeled... I will study this soultion

Thanks John, your site is full of great pics and cool facts

[jamessd]

Originally Posted by johnfoss

Your profile says you're 22 years old. I knew at least 9 people who could ride 2-wheelers 25 years ago. Don't forget IUF founder Jack Halpern, who is credited as the "inventor" of the cycle within the unicycling community (others surely did it 100 years ago). I learned in 1982 along with other members of my unicycle club (Redford, in Michigan). There were probably five of us in Michigan who could ride them in 1983. I actually performed on one (badly) in 1982 at the USA convention and won the Pairs competition. A fortuitous comedy of errors made our messed-up act look more intentional than it was...

For performing, the 3-wheeler will look approximatel 1/3 more impressive to an audience. Add extra points because it's also taller. Put decorations in the wheels so it's easy to see them rotating in opposite directions. Make sure you idle on it, and if you can, practice walking the wheel up there.

Caution: 3-wheelers are heavy, and dismounts can damage them or bend/knock them out of alignment. Treat it like a fragile machine and it will probably hold up longer.

As a performer, having an act is more important than having cool props. The first expenditure I'd make, based on the photos you posted, would be for a new seat!

Here's some old pictures of multi-wheelers.

I don't understand how that half wheeled unicycle works, and one with no wheel?

[johnfoss]

Originally Posted by jamessd

I don't understand how that half wheeled unicycle works, and one with no wheel?

A lot better than the version without the bottom wheel.

That's the short answer. He later brought a "regular" unicycle with the half-wheel to Unicons, but it always ended up leaving marks on the floor. The "150", as it was called, was surprisingly rideable if you could already ride a 2-wheeler. Yes, when the wheel is up it's freewheeling. Basic rule of riding it: don't freewheel any longer than necessary!

[mscalisi]

I'm not sure that a 1/2 wheel unicycle does work. Seems like you would have to hop-up each half rotation in order to get up on the half part.

A "no wheel" unicycle is a unicycle minus the tire, tube hub and spokes. Basically you have the hub and cranks sitting on the floor. It's basically a silly prop.

Originally Posted by jamessd

I don't understand how that half wheeled unicycle works, and one with no wheel?