Cranks = learning aid

Unicycles and Equipment
1

Several thoughts here… I experimented with 5 inch cranks on my Coker. Got an estd. 20 mph. Did a 53 mile ride, half of it uphill. Knees creaking. Decided I prefer the stately as a galleon movement of a Coker on 6 inch cranks (150s) to the slightly frantic on the flat, but laborious on the hills 5s, and changed back.

Hey presto! Can now idle the Coker for short periods. Low speed control is better. Mounting is now as near as dash it all 100% with my usual foot, and I’m confident to freemount with the ‘wrong’ foot too.

A while back I put 7 inch (170 mm) cranks on my 26. This gave me the extra control I needed to improve my freemounting and idling. Didn’t like them (I only have little legs, you see) and I put the 150s back on. Hey presto! Control, idling and mounting remained improved.

Similar experiments with my 20 and 24.

The general point seems to be that if you put longer cranks on, it’s easier to learn and develop skills (which is obvious, up to a point) but, more importantly, if you run the uni with shorter than usual cranks for a while, when you go back to the ‘normal’ ones, they seem so much easier you feel twice as good as you used to be.

As cranks cost about 10 GBQ a set (Whassat? … About 15 Yankee Dollars?) they seem to be an excellent and cheap training aid. get a set of 110s (for example) and practice in the hall, in the car park (or, as I believe the Colonials would have it, a ‘vacant lot’) then put the normal size back on for ‘real’ riding.

I suppose you all knew this anyway.

Finally, everyone should have a Coker with 150s AND a 20 with 110s, just so you can practise idling the Coker, then feel really really silly when you get on the 20. The nearest thing to it is swimming with diving fins (flippers) then taking them off and trying to swim barefoot. Silly! :smiley:

2

I had a go with 170mm cranks on my 24" today, after generally having 150mm ones on. My knees definitely didn’t like it… once round the village with them going up and down much more than they liked wasn’t good. And the only hill where they might have been useful was a really loose surface, so the tyre just slipped and I fell off.

But, apart from that, it was quite neat seeing what a difference 20mm made… nice, useful in its place, but I shall be putting my 150s back on tomorrow.

Umm. Do unicycles like having their cranks changed? Am I asking for trouble taking them off and putting them on again so much?

Phil, just me

3

Yes, I agree totaly, although I have never tried, I have tried using different sized wheels. It sorta works on the same principal (learn on one size, then use the easier size). One day on a ride around the city with my friend, we decided to switch unicycles. I used his 24" Schwinn and he used my 20" norco. After we finished riding around, we went back home and practiced stuff (ie, idle, backwards, one foot idle, etc.). Then , after he went home, and i was left with my 20", I tried the stuff I had just practiced on his and it felt like I was a profesional…well, not quite, but i noticed idling and other skills were much easier.

I will stop borring you now.

-Mike

4

Naw, its no problem Phil. Just use your trusty catle prod if your unicycles become unruly (spelling?)

-Mike

5

Re: Cranks = learning aid

Pictures, please! :slight_smile:

6

little like this?:

or just a little short.

-Mike

7

Aha, if it should break I can use a cattle prod as a makeshift arc welder.

You see? :slight_smile:

Phil, just me