similar idea a few posts up, search before you post!
Great ideas guys! So far people want a rounded crown frame with the capabilities of it transforming into a square crown, quick release bearing caps, a light built in seat clamp, and over all a light and strong design.
I have noticed on the kh frames, the bearing housing is quite a lot wider and hugs the crank than the standard bearing housing on frames such as nimbusâs and impactâs that just go over the bearing itself. From what I can understand is that this is so the frame forks donât have to be sqoshed to be thin enough to be welded on the thin bearing housing. Any way does it help rolls or does anybody even notice if there is slightly more surface area to put your foot on when using the smaller bearing housed frames?
Hope you understand what I mean
That round to bolt-on square idea suggested earlier in this thread is awesome in terms of pushing the envelope of design. Itâs not the cleanest look, but for sure itâs nice in the sense that you get the simplicity, lighter weight, and stronger join to the seattube as well as a bolt-on option if ever you feel like a bit of flat.
I have some ideas that might help it work in harmony with a frame better like having a tough yet unmarking nylon layer between the bolt-on square crown and the actual frameâs tubing. Kinda like what mod bikesâ bashplates have sat between the plate and the frame to absorb shock whilst saving the frame from being harmed.
Re. the second point I quoted, I think Spencer once mentioned how the extra wideness of the KH bearing holders interfered with the comfort of a lot of flatland tricks. Itâs important from a frame strengthening perspective to have a wider oval tube at the bottom. Who knows, maybe weâll see it for the 2011 KHs, if not in a couple years.
Sponge, you should like the Gravity Impact frame design !
then select Gravity
I wouldnât say that the KH bearing holders interfere with flat tricks, but I do think theyâre wider than they need to be. The nimbus eclipse has nice machined aluminum bearing holders that are slimmer. I think the extra space on the cranks is noticeable.
Itâs gonna be tough to make an âadaptor step/riserâ thatâll fit neatly onto a rounded crown.
How about making the crown angled, then weld on two inserts per side, like heavy duty water bottle bosses, these would serve to anchor the steps and make removal easier. You could even make the steps out of nylonâŚ
Iâd skip on steel, aluminum is lighter, wonât rust, stiffer, and easier to work with, assuming youâre comfortable welding it. Donât use bends, just cut and weld.
Make something for your own riding enjoyment, donât get ahead of yourself and start dreaming about making money. There is no money in building uni frames
Hereâs an idea for making drop out that I got from Josh at UDC:
Buy tubular Al that has a 42mm ID, then get some Al plate, now the idea is to have the tubular Al cut to the width of the bearing with pieces of plate welded as caps, then drill out the plates for the spindle, weld clamps to the the sides, then cut in half. A quick drop out with minimal machining.
When you weld up the frame, be sure and set the drop outs at the correct width and keep the drop outs square, otherwise theyâll place side load on the bearings and youâll go through bearings fast!
Personally I really like the look of the new Qu-Ax QX series frames for a street/flat frame but would like to see more round crown semi-longnecks in the larger sizes for MUni and distance riding.
Longneak or shortbeak?
Longneak. You can always turn a neak into a beak but not the other way around. Besides they have a classier look and allow more seatpost adjustment if you are tall.
I did notice a big difference of space when I switched from my KH to my Triton frame. I never knew why the KH bearing holders where that wide. Itâs not a big problem, but it could maybe help a little bit for rolls, I dont really know about flat though
I really like the Triton sponge design, I think itâs pretty good for trials and I had no troubles for the few crown tricks I do.
Ahh yeah that frame. Iâm sorry to say but thatâs the fugliest frame Iâve ever seen (>o<)
The ârippleâ on the Gravity is ridiculously wide, as is the leg in general. It looks a bit too overbuilt which ruins it aesthetically. However, I would like to see the same design on the Trialtech/Viz forks which works out fine and is lighter.
Donât the Impact frames have QR holders? I think I heard snippets of that somewhere but to be fair, is it really necessary? I think bolts are fine and do the job better as a proven design. QRs on seatclamps and MTB hubs are notorious for loosening up and= easy meat for thieves.
With regards to someoneâs post about which material, I think alu would be desirable but realistically if this topicâs theoretical ends up being made small-time or as one unit then steel is the easiest and cheapest realistic option. If only alu were easy to work with and as readily/cheaply available as steel tubes then Iâd love to get someone to make me a custom one-off design similar to some biketrials forks.
I donât know if anybodyâs suggested this yet, but something cool would be quick release barring holders. My friend has a black domina frame and it takes sooo long to take the frame off.
The old phrase: âDonât fix whatâs not brokenâ comes to mind.
QR holders are a fancy idea that attracts people simply because itâs new and seems revolutionary when itâs just creating a problem area for a part of the unicycle that has a very important job.
I for one would never run QR holders simply because bolts are fine. 10 seconds for my Miyata style lollipops, and 20 seconds for KHs, XTPs and Dominas under 30 seconds. Iâd rather a tighter more reassuring secure fit that is low profile and simple that has worked for years than something anyone could easily undo by hand and steal at a unicycle convention.
Is it possible to make a proper unicycle lock for traditional shaped unicycles?
I completely understand your idea. What I was thinking is maybe the bearing cap has a hinge on one side and either a bolt or some kind of a latch on the other to hold it on tight. Those quick release bearing caps donât look all that strong and could possibly come undone after a while with some stress from trials and flat like what Iâm designing the frame for. As you said there is no point in fixing what isnât broken
Someone with 1000s to spare please start up a new company. Release a killer design frame and a bunch of other great parts so we can move on from this crazy oligopoly-monopoly market.
We need some healthy competition to push the envelope in design, innovations, and more competitive prices.
I wish I had access to my dadâs bank accountâŚ
+1!
the easyest way to get there is to rise the markt - we need more riders, we are not enough to realize expensiv development:(
street and flat fames are pretty much good already, if you wanted to improve a frame a 36 frame would be easiest as they really dont need to be in any specific shape.
after a lot of thinking, this is what Iâve come up with for the top half of the bearing holders. there are three lugs that correspond to another two lugs on the bottom of the two bearing holders that create a hinge system. i believe that a hinge system will help with quick access to the wheel and also save some weight. my reason for this, the extra aluminium is lighter then the bolts that are used. I know that i would be a very small decrease in weight but Iâm trying to create something innovative to get good marks.
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Not sure how a pin system would hold up. Also not sure whether the extra aluminium would be lighter than the boltsâŚ
Perhaps for freestyle/road use itâd be good.
Some cool ideas though
This is a bad idea. First of all some people like double bolt claps and others a like single and i wouldnât like if i had it permanent one way or the other. Secondly if you strip it you pretty much screwed and you either have to buy a new frame or pay a lot to get new teeth. unless you strip the screw which is no biggie.