I cannot imagine how a handlebar could ever possibly improve a freewheeling uni. You could challenge yourself and (try) to ride with one, just for the heck of it, but I doubt it would improve the balance. Im sure its way more like riding the BC, where upper and arm movements make most of the corrections.
A handlebar might be helpful if you’re pushing a high gear ratio. It’s less important as the gearing goes down, but riding a 36" Schlumpf, for example, with just a stock unicycle seat is very sketchy for me. The handlebar, especially if it’s away from the seat, gives you a place to lock onto and keep more steadiness in the frame angle as you put all that varying pressure on the pedals.
For being completely ungeared, the only possible need for a handlebar is to take weight off the seat for long rides. And I only know one person that might need such added comfort…
Thanks! I suspected that my freewheel braking style was not the norm. I actually learned braking on a freewheel first and it may be too late to change. I use a more-braking, less-coasting style off road and when I’m tired or riding around cars, dogs, or people.
This is probably right.
I use the regular handle for leverage when I’m getting up to speed or going up a (small) hill. I normally ride a flat saddle but find the curved saddle also helps with some leverage. At this stage I’m not pedaling very hard but that could change with more practice. I was practicing yesterday and regularly getting up to 13+ MPH not touching the handle and not pedaling with much force (there was a slight tail wind). My biggest limitation is a good place to practice.
Hmmm…I wonder how well this geared freeweel set up would work on a road riding 36er?
I have considerably reconsidered my thoughts,
if you do manage a freewheel on a 36er, Im sure you can ultimately acheive a much better, smoother rolling momentum from the nature of this beast, which equates to less jerkiness for upper body to make corrections of. You can also have the option of riding one handed, (the other arm for balance) or no handed at times of greater need.
Then, the long handle might be feasible, in actually helping to increase more speed with the slight foward lean, but that is of course, with enough practice…
Who’s willing to experiment? I do wish I have the equipment to do so…
Hmmm…long bar, huge freewheel, realllly fast coasting speed…
So Very dreaming of this day 
Well, there are a couple stumbling blocks to riding this geared setup in a 36er. This first is that at 11.4 gear feet (3.8x3) it would be pretty hard to pedal. While I’m actually very tempted to learn to ride a virtual wheel size that’s over twice my actual height and I’m sure I’d be able to pedal it up to speed on a sufficiently long, flat section, 15 MPH is about what I’m comfortable running out and I’d be pedaling very slow even at top speed. The second problem is that this “frame” and hub are made to work together. Someone could fabricate a 36" frame for it or cut and weld the existing one but that someone is not me. I’d consider paying someone to do it down the road if I’m able to get one or two other geared freewheels.
I used to have my 36er built up with a freewheel:
What was most problematic about it was the rim brake; I much prefer the smoothness of a disk brake on a freewheel unicycle. I built the wheel myself and didn’t do it very well so that was probably a factor, too. I ended up building my 36er back into a fixed wheel. A 36er freewheel with a disk brake is a little complicated because it’s hard to find an appropriate hub. The Nimbus drift trike disk hub may be too narrow for a reliable 36" wheel.
I find the jerkiness of using my upper body for corrections is not significantly different between different wheel sizes. It’s something that can be improved over time. It only applies to coasting so can be erased completely by using a more braking-oriented riding style. Like the geared freewheel, the 36er freewheel offers more pedaling time.
Another issue with a long handle bar is that there is considerable variation in the angle that the frame is tilted relative to the ground. When I’m coasting the tilt is the largest and it’s less when I’m pedaling. In and of itself it’s a method for absorbing variations in terrain, i.e., I increase it in anticipation of a bump. I ride a KH Fusion Zero and on my freewheels it’s completely flat whereas on my fixed wheel unicycles I tilt it up in the front a couple notches.
Somehow I had missed this vid or completely forgotten watching it. It looks outrageously challenging and fun! 
It makes me really interested now.
Do you prefer to freewheel on a 36r or smaller wheel?
I would think the larger wheel might be easier because of the large momentum at a sufficient speed, to keep you upright longer, no?
Wow, you really are getting good at this thing. Really impressed. I suppose in theory, when one gets good enough and eliminates most of the jerkiness , this freewheel will be a lot more efficient than the fixed wheel. Less control, but more efficient.
Wow! going down a hill on a free wheel 36er. 
That’s some achievement, right there 
Hmmm. I was thinking that this freewheeling thing might be really useful for flat trails or perhaps road riding. Remarkably, I see that you are most unstable is when you are not pedaling or hit a bump when not pedaling.
So, for efficient riding, one can pedal most of the time, even through the bumps, in order to maintain the most stability, and just quickly freewheel, which the fixie cannot do, thereby, increase efficiency, by that much, by that momentary coasting. Then with enough practice, add a handlebar for stability n increased speed, aerodynamics, and comfort , and the rest is history.
It’s definitely fun! It’s difficult to compare the different wheel sizes since my skill level has changed, too. It’s probably slightly more difficult to balance on the 36er since it’s taller and there’s more travel between a coasting position and pedaling position, but there is that slight momentum benefit. It’s less dangerous than I originally thought it would be. You’re higher up but that gives you more time to get into a good position by the time your feet him the ground.
You lose efficiency by braking which you can control and improve but not through back pressure on the pedals. When I ride my fixed 36er I try not to put back pressure on the pedals.
One element that hasn’t been brought up in this discussion is downhill sections that are too steep for coasting only (since your speed would get too high) but not steep enough to justify brake-coasting only. These can be challenging. I can brake-coast all day and I can easily coast for 500+ feet but alternating being the two is necessary on very long downhill sections and both transitions are susceptible to a UPD and the resulting loss of efficiency. This is another skill that can be practiced and improved on. If you skip the coasting part it’s a lot easier to alternate pedaling and brake-coasting but that’s a significant loss of efficiency.
Thanks!
Yes, pedaling is the easiest thing to do. As long as you can put forward pressure on the pedals balancing is relatively easy. So that means accelerating on flat sections and pedaling on a slight uphill. On flat sections I try to see how long I can pedal and it’s good practice for consistent pedaling. There’s that little loss of efficiency in the hub that lets you put a tiny bit of pressure on the pedals as well as friction from the tire. There’s a much bigger loss of efficiency in the geared hub so I can pedal for much longer sections without having to coast or brake. Long, flat trails or roads without much traffic is perfect for practicing both geared and regular freewheel unicycles. If I had access to those I would do more riding.
He makes it look easy! I tried it last week and couldn’t even get a half a pedal in.
I am definitely sure its not easy. We have to unlearn the backpedal pressure and sway back and forth like crazy!
Hi waalrus and others freewheelers!
I just introduced myself here.
I read all this topic, and maybe all topics about freewheeling.
I practice freewheeling for 1 year and now almost every day with 32" for commuting (only 500m between home and work;)) and twice a week I train indoor on a 24".
I know some mounts (running mount, static mount with ou without break, with 1 foot, 2 feet or no foot…). I need to make a video to show you (but I need time before!).
I use the break to maintain balance like dima said, and I train “coastlike” on the 24" like waalrus. I think my best lenght is about 20 or 30 meters, but I can’t keep my feet horizontally (always right foot down).
I am really excited about this 3.8 gear freewheel and a shop sells it in France. Shipping within 24H
Waarlus, do you have some advices before I make the irreversible?
What is your feeling after 2 years of practice?
What is the maximum possible length of cranks? (125?127?135?)
To install the seat post, there was no particular problem?
I already dream to buy it and to take holydays in montains with!
Hi, Simon! I’m always interested in what people can do with freewheels and I’d love to see your video when you make it. One trick I practice is reverse pedalling. My record so far is about six revolutions but I’d like to be able to do it continuously. It sounds like you have a good mix of wheels.
I rode for a long time with my feet at six and twelve o’clock like you describe. This works pretty well on smooth terrain but causes problems in rougher terrain. To practice coasting or brake-coasting with the pedals level (nine and three o’clock) try standing up slightly like in this video:
It may take some practice but makes coasting long distances and absorbing bumps a lot easier.
Regarding advice on the 3.8x geared freewheel, it’s the same advice as for any unicycle. Everything depends on where you’ll be riding it. I think that particular wheel is best on a long, mostly flat bike path that doesn’t have a lot of people on it. I don’t ride it a lot myself because I don’t have a place to ride it that fits that description. There are a couple bike paths I can ride it on that are about a half mile long. Because it’s so highly geared it’s difficult to pedal up even a minor incline and it’s easy to go too fast on it. I’m not a daredevil and don’t like to go over 15mph. It’s definitely fun but since I don’t have a good place to ride it and my riding time is limited it’s more of a novelty. I feel my efforts are better put to riding regular freewheels where I can ride longer distances in more interesting places.
The maximum crank length is 125/127mm which is definitely not ideal. I have cotterless 125mm Nimbus Venture cranks on it. I originally had a custom part built to put a seatpost on without cutting a slot but found it was not necessary. The inner diameter of the tube is 25.4mm so all you need is a shim and you can use a regular double bolt seat post clamp. You put half on the tube and half on the shim covering the seatpost.
Amazon.com (25.4 ID / 28.6 OD)
Nimbus Double Bolt 28.6mm Seatpost Clamp | unicycle.com
I’m not trying to talk you out of doing it but I have a feeling that your 32" freewheel is more practical. You may want to get it if you have long flat bike paths to ride it on or if you want to push the speed envelope more than I dare to do. Bonne chance!
Thank you for your answer and for all your posts !
My interest about this hub is only to reach high speed on road downhill (not for commuting or climbing…:p). I know that is crazy but it so exciting.
My 32" freewheel is nice but I think your 29+ is better ! (almost the same diameter but more comfortable, and for such better for muni downhill… I want the same!)
I think I will buy it and take my holidays as soon as possible to learn it as fast as possible !
I could not wait, I just ordered it!
I believed the brake was included, but that isn’t. Did you mount a brake on yours?
I think I will buy a second TECH 3 V4 HOPE brake, I really like this brake!
For all freewheelers I advise this brake, it is powerfull and very progressive (and the more expensive…). This brake was designed for downhill, and this brand is known for the progressivity of these brakes (several people recommanded me this brand when I was looking for a progressive brake, it seems the best to ride a tandem in mountain, downhill…)
I don’t try all brakes, maybe there are better brakes I don’t know…
But I know magura MT2 and MT4 and “bengal” (mounted on nimbus unicycle), and they are very bad in comparison.
MT2 and MT4 brakes are less progressive.
The “Bengal” brake is very progressive but really not powerfull, I think it’s a good brake to learn freewheeling.
I missed to ask the shop about the tire size, do you know the max size?
I prefer mechanical brakes because I can service them myself and I run a TRP Spyke on it. Do you brake the same way that you do on a fixed wheel? I learned to brake on my freewheel first and it’s completely different from how I brake with my fixed wheel unicycles.
It’s a 20" wheel and I run a Demolition Momentum tire on it, but I imagine any wide BMX tire would be good (2.2 - 2.3"). It’s probably my heaviest unicycle!
I brake the same way on my others wheels. With a freewheel, I just brake more often.
I think freewheeling is possible for unicyclist who know coasting or braking (or both;)). In my case, I am learning coasting (my best is 3-4 meters while I can do more than 20 meters with the 24" freewheel), I have a good control of the brake, what made learning freewheeling possible.
I didn’t have big problems with my brakes… only purge, disk or pad replacement (and this HOPE brake is sold with an aviation hose, it looks resistant). Hydraulic seems to me more accurate…
Heavier than a G36 ? 
All my unicycles are heavyyy !
My technique on a fixed wheel is to use my left hand. I grip with all my fingers on the handle except the index finger and I pull up with my index finger on the brake lever. My technique on a freewheel is to use my left hand and I hold my hand like I was holding a hose with the fingers pointing left. I pull up using my arm muscles with the fingers perpendicular to the lever. Usually no part of my hand is touching the handle but I’ve been practicing putting my thumb on top of the handle to use for leverage.
I would say the 3.8x geared freewheel is heavier than my G29 and regular 36 but I don’t know about a G36. It’s got a steel frame/fork and the hub is bigger/heavier than a Schlumpf.
Besides maintenance which I’m lousy at I’ve worried about cutting a hydraulic cable in a UPD. I have some wild ones when I’m riding off road (I bent a rotor one time, snapped a D’Brake, and even snapped a cable). I’m trying not to spend on unicycles this year but I’ll keep my eye on that Hope brake for the future.
Yeah, I read in a previous post this strange way to hold your brake…
Do you think you have a better control like this ?
Without T-bar, I use my right hand with all my fingers on the handle except the index or major finger.
With a T-bar, I use my left hand in same way (I put my hand between bar-ends when I use the brake).
I want to put a T-bar on this unicycle… I never try this on my 32", but I like so much T-bar, and I agree with unibokk, I think it could nice for balance.
Did the rift you made with a saw rust ? Did you paint it ?
The weight is not very surprising, I don’t matter, I just want to go down !