Okay, so, my wife needs a bike that’s suitable for moderate trail riding and whatnot. I would like a 26x3 unicycle to be better able to keep up with her on her road bike. And I’m figuring, why not just have/make one “wheeled vehicle” to accomplish both tasks?
I’m wondering any actual (not “inferred”) drawbacks to a STC style “bike” built with the correct geometry (as close to at least) of a mountain bike. Obviously it couldn’t freewheel or have gears. I’m wondering if having the seat under you, instead of behind would add much difference to feel vs a normal mountain bike. And are there any other things that I haven’t thought about that would make this a bad idea?
There’s a picture I found from here. Looks a lot more like a real bike than the STC or Uniqo, this is kinda what I’m thinking, except with a regular detachable uni and a larger mountain bike frame.
Also, I was just wondering if anyone knew any good 48 spoke rims out there? I’ve looked, but can’t really find anything that I know would be good, and would fit a 26x3 tire.
Weird idea - good luck with it!
As for 48 hole rims, all the ones I know of are intended for tandems. You’d probably have a hard time finding one wide enough to work well with a 3" tyre. If you’ve got a 48 hole hub you want to use, you’d probably be better off just using a 36 hole downhill rim and doing some creative lacing - 48 into 36 isn’t too bad.
I have a “hybrid” or “cross” bike, a Miyata Triplecross. It’s supposed to cross the line between a road and mountain bike. But it can only be what it is. The better you make a road bike, the worse it will be as a mountain bike, and vice-versa. So what I have is a lousy road bike, and an even lousier mountain bike. Fortunately it’s a great commuting bike.
If you want to build something for fun, that’s fine. If you want to build something for the point of building it, that’s also fine. But if you want a cycle to do two very different things, you’re going to have to compromise. For a good quality ride, use two different cycles.
Beyond that, the picture you posted looks really cool. One obvious drawback with the bike in the picture: it won’t go up steep hills. Try to pedal that thing up steep hills and you’ll have to lean crazy forward, but it still probably won’t be enough to keep the front end on the ground.
I envy you, then, as your wife must be MUCH more athletic than mine. That’s why I said easy to moderate trails. The only reason that she would need another bike than the one she has, is that it’s a laid back, beach cruiser, 3 speed. And it would probably break the hub the first time she tried to do anything even remotely off the pavement.
I’m just looking for basically a bmx with a larger frame and bigger tires. I figure that that’d be enough for her to keep up with me on a unicycle and have a little fun of her own.
I problem I would have, I think, is mostly with the seat.
For upright riding, like on a unicycle, you want a unicycle style seat. Now, imagine that you are all hunched over, like on a bike - also figure in that with the pedals under you that you’d be even more hunched over than on a normal bike. Think about leaning that far over on your current uni - You are going to squish or damage your man parts. It won’t be much better for a woman.
Yeah, I’ve already imparted my disdain for current uni seats. Maybe I’d just put a bike seat on it from the get go, I dunno. But, part of it will be solved as I intend to lean the uni to the front slightly for attachment, so it’ll be in a better position to lean over a little. And the geometry won’t be all that agressive anyways, so…
Anybody out there that wants to take a stab at how such a bike would actually feel? Any STC owners that can look past the bad geometry and small tire size, to let me know how it might feel to ride a mountain sized bmx bike with the seat, cranks, and tire inline?
I’d really like to generate some conversation on this, and not just let it die…this is me on my hands and knees here begging.
Its people like you who make america great. I’ll second the seat problem. maybe you could modify a uni seat and cut of the front portion? I think a rail mechanism to adjust the seat angle for uniing and biking would be useful. Best of luck to you, and thanks for innovating
I think you’d have to be bold upright with cruiser handlebars or really really leaned over with tons of your weight no your hands.
If you figure proper biking the cranks are right under your knees with your thighs parellel with the ground, and on your unibikethingy the cranks would be under your butt… I dunno. I think you should try it - if it’s horrible atleast we will all know the answer.
yeah…guinea pig I will have to be, I guess. I figure, if you lean the uni to the front, like the Uniqo does, you’d be in a weird position, not like a bike, but if you get used to it, it might be cool. You’d be in like a sport bike position…might work.
Thanx for that. I take back the bad thing that I think I just said about you in the “little punk” thread.
That’s why I said easy to moderate trails. The only reason that she would need another bike than the one she has, is that it’s a laid back, beach cruiser, 3 speed. And it would probably break the hub the first time she tried to do anything even remotely off the pavement.