Micro Machines: Tiny crank and tiny wheel Megathread

That’s great! Well done! :star_struck: I would sure call it a Micromachine if you like commuting on it. Portability is a key element.

But I also agree with @SirCranky. The point of this thread, and the term Micro Machine is setting your 12, 16 or 20" wheel up for speed and distance, with rather short cranks.

Anything with cranks 89mm and shorter is on topic and encouraged as well.:sweat_smile:

I recommend we steal crotch rocket from the motorcycle crowd.

Today I finally got a thing off my bucket list. 12"/154mm. A gain ratio of just barely less than 1.


The given crank length is actually to the middle of this hole.

I guess the main problem with this setup is… That it has no handlebars!

Fixed! Ok. So now let’s ride this machine. I won’t merely struggle with pedal strike, but actual crank strike so my strategy is to pull the saddle for each half rev to drag the uni after me.


Well, this was even worse than I expected. Even after a few attempts I just couldn’t make it through the second half-rev. The foot just slipped of the pedal. I would need to keep up the speed or somehow attach my foot to the pedal. Also I don’t want to ruin my son’s hub so I left it at that. @Ruari suggested I find a thin, elevated curb, but I will leave that challenge to someone else.

Also, this was so difficult to pull off that I am considering to remove another thing from my bucket list:

Riding a spokeless hub with only frame, cranks and pedals. I might still attempt it though, @Wheelou :sweat_smile: Maybe that is the future of unicycling - 0 gain ratio!

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I think you should try it on lawn. Look out for a nice golf course - that‘s less bumpy than an ordinary lawn, which will of course be of great help with such a small wheel.
And then: put your foot down! :zany_face:f-spin:

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  • Step 1: Fit 170mm cranks
  • Step 2: Find a really narrow wall with a flat surface on top
  • Step 3: Ride as straight as you can :ogre:
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I approve of this

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I will keep bringing up this quote whenever crank lengths are being discussed. :zany_face:

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This is the only time long cranks should be used. On wheel sizes where they are longer than the wheel. That makes sense to me. I mean long cranks are so stupid anyway, if we are doing it, let’s go all the way.

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…and beyond.

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you’re all yapping about shorter cranks on this thread (before this ridiculous 170mm).
Why not leave the cranks out all the way. Then all you need is a nice downhill section.

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Taking skinny riding to the next level. Slack line riding on the horizon?

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that’s a good one and then you don’t even need the tire and you could even go for 180mm cranks.

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This is exactly what you need to learn to be able to ride a mediumcycle= half a unicycle. Just jump every revolution. How fast could someone go with it?
1/2 rear wheel=mediumcycle

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Today I put a Nimbus Stadium on my current most ridden uni - the 20" this thread encouraged me to us more. I thought putting a handlebar would be overkill so the Stadium would be some kind of compromise. And it’s kind of cool, easier to grab and more useful than a regular saddle handle - the Stadium being much longer that a normal saddle.

On return, I swapped it for the Air Nimbus Stadium from my 32" which I haven’t touched in months. And I was surprised to notice zero differences between those two saddles. They both feels like they’re made from a block of wood.
:wood: :uni2:

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I find that my nimbus stadiums are very soft and perfectly adequate for long distance rides. The nimbus air on the other hand feels slightly harder although I have not used it on any actually long rides I am not convinced of its superiority

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Latest upgrade for summer: Maxxis DHF tires > Marathon Plus. It’s 150g extra tire weight but after my experience with 300g tires on a 20" maintaing no momentum I decided better go for a heavier tire and focus on tread pattern.

Though it seems obvious in retrospect going from a 2.3" downhill tire to a 1.75" road tire drastically decreased the rolling resistance.

It’s taking a bit of getting used to but I’m pretty certain it will be possible with practice to get going 17kmh average up from my current 15kmh on the old tire.

I’m moving soon and will have a 10km commute up from 2.5km and want to see if I can match the speeds from my 29" uni.

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Obligatory saddles are personal and none are perfect for everyone.

Hate the stadium with a passion and love my air saddles. I’m down to one uni but purposely keeping my second air saddle and y’all have seen how quickly I rotate through new unis.

It’s the only saddle I can ride for hours without going numb or needing lots of stops.

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Yeah, of course.

Btw, are you still on the same rim? And is that approximately the same width as an impact athmos rim?

I am quite tempted by your example to try this for the speed.

Also last I used my micro machine the 75mm cranks were actually loose probably due to a slight deformation. What would be the easiest way to solve that?

…and we‘re glad you do - well, I am :grinning_face:. Love the Warthog I bought from you!

Oh, and I‘m also doing 17km/h on average - with my 36er on a good day :rofl: