I finally scanned in some old trip photos, including one of an old unicycle.
http://www.thehouse.org/~seth/photos/1997-Paris-and-Italy/s_54.jpg
It’s in the Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnica in Milan, Italy. There
was no plaque with the unicycle, but the bicycles on display nearby were of a
similar style and were mostly from 1880-1890.
Re: photo of old unicycle
Greetings
In message “photo of old unicycle”, Seth Golub wrote…
>
>I finally scanned in some old trip photos, including one of an old unicycle.
>
> http://www.thehouse.org/~seth/photos/1997-Paris-and-Italy/s_54.jpg
This seems to be dead.
>It’s in the Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnica in Milan, Italy.
>There was no plaque with the unicycle, but the bicycles on display nearby were
>of a similar style and were mostly from 1880-1890.
>
>
>
Regards, Jack Halpern Kanji Dictionary Publishing Society, http://www.kanji.org
Voice: +81-048-481-3103 Fax: +81-048-479-1323
Re: photo of old unicycle
Jack Halpern <jack@kanji.org> writes:
>> http://www.thehouse.org/~seth/photos/1997-Paris-and-Italy/s_54.jpg
> This seems to be dead.
Seems to be fine. Must have been a temporary problem.
Re: photo of old unicycle
I reviewed that photo and it appears to be a simple “High Wheeler” with the rear
wheel and wheel stay removed. But it still retains the handlebars. (ever try to
ride a uni with attached handlebars?)
Still, I remember reading about “radical” high wheeler people who in those
days used to simply lean their machines forward and cruise on the large front
wheel, kind of like a reverse “wheelie.” But again, as in modern-day
“wheelies” on bikes, could always rebound and relax to the second wheel
whenever riding got hairy.
The machine in the photo would seem “very difficult” to ride considering the
seat and handlebar configuration. My feeling is that it was NOT built originally
as a ** unicycle **
Steve
At 03:33 AM 8/1/99 -0700, Seth Golub wrote:
>
>I finally scanned in some old trip photos, including one of an old unicycle.
>
> http://www.thehouse.org/~seth/photos/1997-Paris-and-Italy/s_54.jpg
>
>It’s in the Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnica in Milan, Italy.
>There was no plaque with the unicycle, but the bicycles on display nearby were
>of a similar style and were mostly from 1880-1890.
>
>
Re: photo of old unicycle
Al Hemminger wrote:
>The vehicle that was pictured indeed is a unicycle. If one puts a handlebar
>unit on what you know in your mind as a unicycle does that make it
>something else?
Al, thanks again for your reply. I have not yet seen such depictions of
old-timers riding early unicycles - with or without handlebar units. I’ll look
for such. But you’ve got a valid point … if it’s got only one wheel, and
is ridden by somebody it is indeed a “unicycle.” I’m sure you’ve got MUCH more
first and second - hand experience than I in seeing strange unicycles under
wheel!!! We value your experience and your comments.
My question was simply whether * THAT * unicycle was intended to be ridden with
handlebars in “normal” use, or were they simply attached there as a prop for
certain tricks. I’ve never before seen a picture of such a unicycle in action,
and have experienced great difficulty in manuevering a unicycle while grasping a
fixed handle - bar unit.
Steve
>Al Hemminger
>
