Some quick tests yesterday and this morning: the braking position feels amazing. As expected, it’s really similar to a bike-braking position - the brake lever is where it has been designed to be and the fingers spontaneously go on it.
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Quick questions. How is it moving from an aerodynamic position to an upright to operate your brake? Have you moved into a more upright stance to shift your weight backwards for a decent?
Not sure to get your questions right 
It’s been a long time since I have use the aerodynamic position. I have gone through a difficult phase when I was unable to be stable on a fixed uni - I have had a bad fall after switching from freewheel to fixed uni on a muni day and I have needed lots of time to get back onto a fixed uni. Now I’m back but not really reassured to use the aerobars. So I can’t really reply to your questions as of now. I have planned a 50 km ride on Saturday, we’ll see how it behaves!
Let me rephrase, it looks like you have to pull back completely off of the resting position On your aero bars to operate your brake, that seem like you are moving your riding position a great deal to operate the brake. I could be wrong. I’m not one to tell anyone how to ride,if it’s working for you that’s all that counts. Have a great ride.
I’m not sure. I have ridden my unicycle for 6 months with a similar setup but brake lever was on the t-bar. I could keep one hand on the handlebar while the other one was operating the brake. Not the most comfy position but it worked. I’ll have to give a try with this new position, though.
Thanks for your cheers, mate! Have fun, too 
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I’ve been enjoying my M40 Handle Saddle + ISM saddle setup for quite some time now. It’s my favorite so far. But I’ve also come to realize that the Handle Saddle base is not really important to me as I exclusively hold the handles/bull horns at the end. So I have long been toying with the idea of building something similar with a regular seat post…
Parts list:
- Split nose saddle (an ISM clone)
- 27,2mm regular bike seat post
- 27,2mm → 31,6mm shim (ideally it should be 31,8mm but I had no issues with 31,6)
- A piece of 22,2mm handlebar (just a piece of a regular bike handlebar)
- 22,2 → 25,4mm shim
- 3 x bike bar ends / one cut short to just hold the brake lever.
- 180 degree bike stem
- Folding bike stem 300mm - description said tube was 28,6mm but it was in fact 25,4mm
- 25,4mm → 28,6mm shim (because of above mistake…)
I ended up using some other longer bar ends than pictured and I also had to angle the nose of the saddle a bit downwards to get the best comfort.
It’s very stiff and also quite lightweight. Seatpost, seat and handlebar is ~1300g in total.
Like it so far, obviously best suited for seated riding with two hand on the bar. When standing up in the pedals it feels a bit sketchy
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Nice setup!
Those stems you found look perfect for low fabrication diy handlebar builds
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Nice DIY build indeed !
Seeing the picture, I wonder how does it feel riding? Does it feel like you need to reach down (aero-like) or is it just the picture giving this false impression ?
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It feels like I have to reach slightly downwards when riding but I believe physics/balance makes it slightly less aggressive than it looks like in the first picture I posted.
I think it rides similar to the angle pictured here but unfortunately I don’t have a picture in motion…
Also a “cockpit” view. If you look closely you can see the “clamping screws” on the 180 degree stem just in front of the nose of the saddle. I touch them slightly when riding and it’s the only minor issue I have with this DIY solution.
Btw if someone wants to tweak this setup with a different handlebar position I suggest getting a 28.6mm seat post and a regular 1 1/8"->25.4mm stem. It would obviously be possible also to use a stem with an adjustable angle for a flexible but a bit heavier setup.
The important part in this setup is the 180 degree bike stem connecting the seat post to any tube of 28.6mm (or smaller with a shim). The rest is just about creativity.
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I had the same thoughts, and that’s part of what led me to the realization of my new 29" frame.
In my experience, handlebars that attach under the saddle are fine for muni.
For road riding, long & stiff handlebars are a real plus. This type of handlebar or specific frames are more suitable.
Not having the front bumper can be confusing. To handle easily the unicycle (mounts, stops, technical sections), it’s best to have the handles positioned close enough to you.
In any case, I think you need at least 2 positions to optimize comfort and handling.
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Is the inner bore of the 180 stem 28.6mm throughout? Or only for the clamped section near the end?
Unfortunately a 28.6mm tube cannot be inserted further than the clamped section.
Just a few pictures of two other handlebar setups build using my previous ideas described a few posts above. They are slightly less aggressive than my first build and by moving the 180 degree bike stem downwards / away from the saddle I also experience less rubbing of the bar from my legs.
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I love it!
Do you use a stem for 25.4mm handlebars, a 22.2/25.4 shimmer and a 22.2mm tube?
How do you feel your new setup compared to the old one with the M4O handlesaddle base?
I feel that the handlesaddle base, which is 7 cm wide in front of the saddle, can be a useful support with the thighs when mounting or idling. On the other hand, when riding, it’s a source of friction for the thighs.
I really like the ISM saddles. The KH fusion one saddle I have on my G36 is really uncomfortable by comparison. But its shape and handle are useful when mounting or idling.
I’m thinking of a 36" frame in the spirit of my 29" frame (with an ISM saddle, a stable extender, maybe with a small frame bag too… but that also increases lateral wind resistance…), but also with a support not too far forward of the saddle to make mounting easier.
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Exactly. You can also get stems for 22.2mm bars to avoid the shim but I believe they are all made for BMX use so they are short, bulky and heavy. I have one in my spares collection. Not optimal in my opinion.
Due to the two “clamping screws” on the 180 degree stem (one hidden under nose of saddle in picture) sticking out either left or right
I feel that the best comfort is achieved by using a long stem making it possible to get the bar as far away (within reason) from my tights as possible.
Stiffness feels similar. I don’t have any noticeable flex in the handlebar. It’s the legs of the frames that flex if I try to twist the bar.
Saddle angle/tilt is obviously easier to setup to my liking with a regular seat post and the plastic strips mounting of the ISM saddle on the M4O was also difficult to get right and without any kind of flex.
With the M4O/ISM setup I was able to freemount almost all the time. Its definitely harder with the new bar not being able to use my tights for stability so my success rate has decreased some - a bit annoying but I assume practice will make perfect (again). And ride quality is better by not rubbing the M4O bar with my tights as you also mentioned.
I do not idle but I can imagine that would be harder.
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Apologies in advance with my question as this thread is rather long and i had never given any thought about handle bars until now.
Is there a combination of using MTB stems , Bar ends and/or aero bars to use ?
Im intrigued to try if thats what people are using, It would be on a 25.4mm seat post.
I’m looking for ideas on a small handle extension option for riding 4 to 6 km daily.
I found an old post I did over 10 years ago on here and here’s a few photos from that post I posted for my medium size handle extension for uni riding
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You are right!
I have a similar setup on my G36. I was a little apprehensive, as I am every time I don’t ride my G36 for several months.
I hadn’t ridden it for a year. And after 2 rides with flat pedals, I went back to clipless pedals, wondering how I was going to mount the beast without a bumper.
I didn’t insist much on freemounts before going out riding. I used a wall to help me get on. After my session I did some exercises to practice freemount and freedismount.
In fact, I manage to grab the saddle with my middle finger in the saddle slot. It’s like holding a bumper.
And I’d also managed to get on by holding the handlebars, but that’s more difficult.
I’ve still got a few adjustments to make, but I’ll share some pictures soon 
@PeterG Your handle looks nice.
Personally, with a short handlebar, I prefer to have the brake lever on the handlebar and not the bumper.
Otherwise, I no longer ride saddle with a bumper. Do you know M4O handlesaddle? For me, it’s the best short handlebars (M / L size), but not everyone likes it.
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Hi I totally understand about mounting the brake lever on a larger (like M40 handlesaddle) or bigger.
This old medium size handle bar was solely designed for a 50 kilometre Mountain Bike race for when I was in high gear.
But I cut down the brake lever body and tucked up close underneath the saddle the lever body so that I could use it on technical Mountain biking downhills.
It worked absolutely brilliant and are having a brake on the handlebar would’ve been just too dangerous and unsuitable for the events I rode in, and the mountain biking are used to do on my geared unicycle.
The smaller handlebar I’m trying to design is for on my new KH, 19 inch trials unicycle that hopefully we will arrive in the next few days after a long wait in New Zealand customs.
Apparently it was missing a wheel? (Only one wheel?)
I now have a permanent disability of a severe traumatic Brain Injury, and this is gonna limit my ability to ride off-road anymore and for riding a larger wheel than the 19 inch.
The plan for the smaller handle is for an extra position for when riding 5 to 6 k’s on a 19 inch wheel, I know it’s painfully slow on the smaller tire. I did it when I went over on holiday in Australia and would go for 5 to 6 km ride each morning practising for the upcoming unicon in New Zealand in 2010.
Any ideas for slightly larger handle than the long standard handle that comes on impact saddle would be appreciated.
All I need to do is go and buy some suitable steel and start welding away.
Live Life to the max when you can, and then after you’ve got a disability still try to live it to the maximum safe without causing severe disabilities going forward.
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I decided to try to get rid of the protruding “clamping screws” that I showed earlier…
…so I got yet another “folding bike stem” from aliexpress - and this time I got one in 28,6mm diameter
It is supposed to clamp a 25,4mm handlebar… but used in reverse clamping a 25,4mm seat post in combination with an Ergotec High Charisma makes for an even better setup as there are no protruding “clamping screws” occasionally touching my tights/pants.
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