how nice would it be to toss your 36er on your roof rack?

[kb1jki]

I am thinking of making a version for other types of unicycle handle bars... is there a market for this?

[Harley]

I doubt that there is a large market for it based on the # of uni riders out there but it is a great idea. Nice work.

[Tirving]

The market is not huge but a lot of us with 36-er would probably jump at the chance to put the uni on the roof. I know I'd buy one, especially if it could also fit my 24" and 26" wheel (larry is a big, fat tire). I have been toying with the idea for a while and you can fit most unis on the Big Mouth Thule tray with some extra straps to strap down the seat/seatpost.

[wdmunicyclist]

I would buy one right now if it were available

[saskatchewanian]

Looks like it would work with both the Nimbus Shadow handle and the T7.

If you made a mount that could bolt onto the rear saddle bumper bolts and the rear seat post bolts it would work for those of us who do not have a rear facing section on our handles.

I don't think it would be a very big market but you should be able to sell a few.

If I had a rack I would be interested but as it is I just throw my unicycles in the back of my SUV.

[Gadfly]

I'll have to get my roof rack out of the garage and back on my car. I am positive I've used it -stock, with no modifications- to carry my Nimbus 36er. If I'm right I'll post some photos.

(It's a Yakima Raptor bike rack)

[Gadfly]

As promised, a photo of my Yakima Raptor holding a unicycle. In this case my Nimbus 29er. The Raptor is shown sitting on the driveway instead of on the car's roof rack, I only mount the roof rack when loading up for a big trip, for everyday use it's easier to toss a unicycle in the car.

The tilting grapple of the Raptor holds a bicycle by the down tube, but for a unicycle I use it to hold the seat post. For a bicycle this rack makes a three-point stable hold but obviously we only have two points of contact on a unicycle. It seems stable enough, I have not had problems with a unicycle tilting over during travel.

[johnfoss]

I have a minivan.

It's not often that you get to follow the word 'minivan' with the "cool" smiley.

If the intent is to make something that will work for a wide range of unicycles, don't concentrate on handlebars. 99.9% of the unicycles out there don't have any. How about a hinged arm that folds flat next to the rail when not in use, but can then attach to the fork leg when raised? Should be able to make it to clamt to a wide range of tubing sizes. If done right, it should work with any unicycle, any size.

Then you would almost have a market!

[kb1jki]

thanx folks! more to ponder. the raptor is a nice rack dude.

[Gadfly]

I got the Raptor before I discovered unicycling, so it's pretty sweet to find that it works so well for unicycles!

[Dane M]

Originally Posted by johnfoss

I have a minivan.

It's not often that you get to follow the word 'minivan' with the "cool" smiley.

Dodge caravan myself minty green, very hip.

[kb1jki]

If you don't have a large vehicle a 36er is easier on top. if you are carpooling 3 riders, it's nice to stick the muddy Muni's on the roof... but the feedback isn't so mediocre, but I'm torn between making an adapter for handlebars, since I have a good relationship with a fab shop, or a rear bumper which means I'll have to get into vacuum mold plastic.

[Gadfly]

Originally Posted by kb1jki

...an adapter for handlebars, since I have a good relationship with a fab shop...

hmmm, what about an adaptor which attaches to the roof rack just like you've already made, but at the other end simply grabs the seatpost, as the raptor one does. As John Foss points out, most unis out there have no handles. I believe many of those that do only have front handles (of a tremendous variety of shapes and configurations). A bracket that grabs the seat post or the frame would be quite universal.

As for the size of the car needed to insert a 36er...when I last shopped for a car I brought my 36 along to see how easy it would be to toss it inside. I wound up with a Honda Fit, one of the smallest cars around. The 36 slides in quite nicely across the rear passenger seat area or in the hatch back area if I have a third passenger. (though with a T7 handle this proves more difficult).

edit: upon re-examination it appears your adaptor becomes part of the handle, so the rider doesn't have to remember to bring it along. My idea would result in a separate adaptor which would have to become part of the riders tool/supply kit or whatever.

[kb1jki]

not bad, but I want to make them for at or under $50. I want to make specialized bar ends that are crushed into fork tips at the ends which will mount onto both Nimbus and KH bars and retail for the price of bar ends, roughly $30. I may make a tube adapter that attaches to the rear seat bumper for those without handlebars, but it needs to be quickly removable.

[kb1jki]

I'm thinking of two cheap adapters that bolt to existing fork mount bike carriers that are very common to cyclists. The down tube grabbers will still allow a 36er to potentially tip over on the car, and not all wheel grabbers will fit such a huge wheel.

the first type will adapt a receiver to the seat via the rear bolts of the seat post and pin a fork adapter in place for quick release installation and removal. the second will use the shadow handlebar as the receiver, and use a quick release collar for installation and removal.