Thanks for posting this! This is the video I referred to earlier in this thread and couldn’t find. Can you share any details about how you made the uni? Did you lace the wheel yourself? What frame did you use? lobbybopster graciously donated a Green Machine hub to me (the 48 hole version) and I’m trying to put together a uni around it with my limited mechanical skills. The bearing spacing is wider than the couple spare frames I have but not as wide as the frame of my fat wheel unicycle. I got some calipers and measured the spacing and diameter of the flange but it doesn’t compare to hubs in other wheels I might try to recycle.
Thanks for sharing. Did you also tried to cycle uphill? I would expect that uphill is somehow easier, you can accelerate and slow down (balance over the cycle) with some pressure on the front pedal.
Albatros
The wheel came laced and ready to go. As for the frame, I don’t think you’ll find one that will fit onto the bearings out of the box. I had to bend mine. Obviously getting something custom made is the way to go, but if you don’t want to go that route I’d recommend using a round crown frame since bending them should pose less issues/risks.
It rode like a normal uni uphill for the most part. Just had to always be aware that letting off the pedals for a split second would result in a bruised rump.
Thanks for the tips! I swapped hubs with an existing wheel and the math worked out close enough (the spokes were a little long but it’s a double wall rim). I also have a frame I can put on it without too much bending. Now I just have to figure out how to swap bearings around. Any tips on mounting? I briefly put the bearing caps on and can see mounting is going to be a challenge.
I think the video I posted should give you a general idea. Basically, try keeping the wheel behind you so you can keep some pressure applied on the pedals while you climb on the thing. Freemounting is definitely doable.
I posted an update over in the Current Projects thread about the freewheel unicycle I put together thanks to Mark (lobbybopster). I practiced with it today and got a couple 100 foot coasting runs and lots of 30-50 feet ones and only did free mounts. The only time I fell was when I went off plan and tried pedaling. I want to get more comfortable coasting on it before I do any serious pedaling. I was pleasantly surprised that I had enough leverage for forward and backward corrections. At least at the slow speeds I’m starting out with it seemed similar to regular coasting.
I posted a video in the Unicycling Videos forum showing my progress with the freewheel unicycle after a couple short and a couple longer practice sessions.
Freewheel manifesto
I know hearing about someone’s obsessions can be boring but I was consolidating the information I’ve gathered and wanted to post a set of instructions in case someone wanted to build their own simple freewheel unicycle. If anyone’s interested in taking it further let me know. If I get really good at the freewheel I may experiment with a larger wheel (width or diameter) or higher quality components.
Putting together a simple freewheel unicycle
The easiest and possibly cheapest way to put together a freewheel unicycle is to find or purchase:
- 20” round crown unicycle frame like Avenir Deluxe Unicycle ($69.99 at Amazon.com with free shipping, this type often shows up on craigslist)
- Hill Kicker Pro replacement wheel ($68.95 including shipping)
- 6203-15-2RS - 15x40x12mm, available at http://myworld.ebay.com/locatebearings ($34.40 - $9.95 each times two plus $11.95 shipping and $2.47 sales tax)
- gear puller
- crank puller
- (optional) Sunlite MX Sidepull Brake Kit
- (optional) drill and 6mm carbide bit
If you’re really feeling frisky, you can put the wheel on backward and try coasting that way.
Interesting idea, but I should probably wait until I’m able to coast backwards the regular way.
Or just turn the seat around!
Subscribed
Nimbus freewheeling hub!
All of my prayers have been answered by the Nimbus gods…
I’ve been planning an offroad mini-penny farthing build for a while now, but always been held up by the lack of a decent hub option…I heard murmurings of Nimbus releasing a freewheeling hub, both in disc and non disc form…AND HERE IT IS!
Offroad freewheeling double disc brake mini penny farthing is now a reality! Yeeee-Ha!
Hope everyone else is excited about these hubs as I am…Thanks Roger for making my day (I would have said making my month, but our 1 year old daughter walked yesterday for the first time, so that is Number #1, but the release of these hubs is a very close second, haha).
Cheers,
Daniel
Thanks so much for posting this! And whoever is responsible for making these! I’ve found various other sources for freewheel hubs but this has got to be the most favorable for using with unicycles. I’m hoping I can get a wheel built using this hub so I can have a freewheel unicycle with a disc brake.
Where do you plan to put the second disc?
on the rear wheel of his penny
Penny plans.
As Didier said, it will be a disc front and rear build. 36" front wheel with stealth 2 rim, hub from above, waltworks tyre, foss tube. Cranks nimbus venture 2’s, pedals TBD.
Rear wheel is a trials aluminum rim, front SRAM x7 disc hub, SS spokes. Rear tyre a schwalbe BMX tyre.
Rear fork is a monty disc brake trials fork sacrificed for the build, backbone and front fork custom 4130 job. Hoping to work out internal brake line routing through the backbone of the frame to the rear wheel.
Brakes are avid bb7’s, levers also avid, cables shimano, front end bars etc a mix of truvativ, FSA and SRAM.
Once I escape from this oil rig prison on the North Sea, the parts should be waiting for me back home, and the build shall begin! Happy days 
Ah - rear disc on a penny seems a bit pointless though, given the geometry means you’ll get very little braking effect from the rear wheel.
Think outside the box mate, I never said this geometry was going to be normal.
How is the project going?Could you build that freewheeling wheelset?
I am also thinking of building a custom vehicle using 36" wheels and need freewheeling wheels just like you.So any help would be appreciated.Maybe, you can share some photos of what you have done.