Check out the wheels that are for sale on EBay. Perhaps the Sulky racers
have wheels/tires that unicyclers could use? At least these wheels look as
if they are inflated.
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1013623512
David Maxfield Bainbridge Island, WA
I think the seller screwed up the description. I can’t find any sulky
wheels larger than 28 inches.
David
Yup, those dont look like 38" wheels.
Maxfield D wrote:
> I think the seller screwed up the description. I can’t find any sulky
> wheels larger than 28 inches.
>
> David
I asked the seller on EBay whether these wheels are really 38 inch–as it
says in his description. He emailed back that, Yes, they are 38 inch. I’m
still not sure if I believe him.
>http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1013623512
David Maxfield Bainbridge Island, WA
I thought Sulky was a bike manufacturer name, but my research quickly
turned to…horses. So for those not in the know, a Sulky racer is a 2
wheeled horse drawn cart with a seat for the driver. Here’s a picture:
http://www.alltry.com.au/competitioncarriages/carrpics/vsulky.jpg
From another article it seems that before the turn of the century, and I
don’t mean the year 2000, Sulky wheels were manufactured up to 8’ or 96"
in diameter! And you thought a Coker was large? The article also talks
about spoking patterns, which was interesting. Horse racing seems to
prefer radial spoked wheels. http://www.rjwalsh.com.au/t-swedish.html
This web site sells Sulky carts, with wheel sizes 18", 20", 24", 26", and
even wooden 40" diameters. Although many of the wheels are radially
spoked, many look a lot like bike tires, with widths of 2.125". They
should try a Gazzalodi. So the eBay seller may well be telling the truth!
Check out the radially spoked wooden “Model H-80 Super Sport” with 40"
solid rubber tires complete with 4 leaf suspension for $2,450US. Cool…
http://www.drivinghorse.com/equip.html
Personally I’d rather be riding my uni than sitting down staring at the
butt of a horse.
Don_TaiATyahooDOTcoDOTuk, Toronto, Canada
http://torontounicyclists.tripod.com
Maxfield D wrote:
>
> Check out the wheels that are for sale on EBay. Perhaps the Sulky racers
> have wheels/tires that unicyclers could use? At least these wheels look
> as if they are inflated.
>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1013623512
>
> David Maxfield Bainbridge Island, WA
> I thought Sulky was a bike manufacturer name, but my research quickly
> turned to…horses.
Oh yeah, harness racing!
> in diameter! And you thought a Coker was large? The article also talks
> about spoking patterns, which was interesting. Horse racing seems to
> prefer radial spoked wheels. http://www.rjwalsh.com.au/t-swedish.html
Radial spokes are great for non-driving wheels. These days they are very
common on the front of high-end bicycles. You sometimes even see them on
the left side of the rear wheels, but the right side, which takes most of
the strain, remains crossed.
When you put driving (or pedaling and pedal braking) force into a radially
spoked wheel, the axle will flex in relation to the rim. This gives you a
reduction in power, and puts lots of stress on the spokes.
This is why the early Semcycles, though their radial spokes looked
beautiful, tended to break lots of spokes if you didn’t constantly
adjust them.
But the interesting thing about these sulky wheels is that, if they can
use conventional (though long) bike spokes, they are a source of large yet
light rims & tires.
Hmmmmm… 
John Foss, the Uni-Cyclone jfoss@unicycling.com www.unicycling.com
“Freedom is not free”
> the interesting thing about these sulky wheels is that, if they can use
> conventional (though long) bike spokes, they are a source of large yet
> light rims & tires.
Yes, this has been my interest. However, it appears that modern sulkies
use bicycle wheels–or mag wheels that use 20 to 26 inch rims. I haven’t
been able to find any larger sized inflatable sulky tires.
David Maxfield Bainbridge Island, WA
