Nice job!
Will it allow you to do hops and rolling hops by holding the handlebars instead of the seat handle?
Mine is set this way :
But right now I’m trying to set it the same way as yours for the purpose I just said, but I have to remove the seat handle, cause if I don’t I can’t set the brake lever low enough.
I wonder two things:
-by removing the seat handle will it be solid enough to allow me to hop/rolling hop?
-with a closer handlebar will I loose some of my ability to lean forward (and also to ride both hands on the bars while leaning forward) to gain speed when I’m in second gear?
Waiting for your review of your first ride with this g27.5
Very nice setups, Eric and Unidreamer!
I’ve made many versions of handles/handlebars and eventually settled on a “loop” design (insert short section between grips) which allows maximum variations of hand positions in all situations. On many occasions it has made the difference between staying aloft and lying on the ground.
Freemounting was not a big deal even though it happened few times that I find myself looking for the missing seat handle, got used to this new setting very quick.
I even find it easier to freemount now! I hold both handles and this is it.
Before I used to hold the seat handle with my left hand and the handlebar with my right, now both are at the same level, so it’s more symmetrical, and I feel it when I freemount. (I always do a few hops before pedaling)
I did few hops from a sidewalk and on the sidewalk, It seams to work pretty well.
Did few little rolling hops too (over nothing), sure, the beast is heavier than my 19er and I am not a good jumper on the little wheel, but the new setting doesn’t seam to make it significantly harder than with the old one.
I successfully shifted and rode in 2nd gear, but my parking is too short to really give a good idea of how it will go in a real muni ride.
I don’t remember if I tried to ride with both hands on the handlebars :D.
The nude seat is a bit uglier than with the seat handle, but… who cares?
Yes it is. I didn’t have much saddle time yet. Normally I ride a Nibus Gel. I bought a KH Freeride for this project first. But then last summer, I had a short testride on an eleven and instantly liked it. So I bought an Eleven. All riding I had on it yet, contained many dismounts as I’m learning to shift my Schlumpf. Untill now, it felt really comfortable, but I would not like to judge it until I did not ride any long tour with at least 2 h saddle time on it.
Concerning my new setting (inspired by Eric’s one, see the “After” Photo few posts above) I gave a longer test on a parc/forest (knard inflated at about 21 PSI) and its was pretty good, both for riding in high gear( with one or two hands on the handlebar) and for hops/rolling hops.
Nonetheless I suspect that your bar-ends, Eric, are set a bit too high for hoping with ease, I mean I had to set mine lower than yours in the first place to “feel” the good position that allows me to hop comfortably.
And when I passed from settings to tests it confirmed what I was expecting.
It’s probably subjective though, the higher the handlebar is, the more arms are flexed while holding the unicycle during the hops, and it depends on how low your seat is set.
There definitely is a downside in the fact of decreasing the distance between the handlebars and the saddle when you use a geared unicycle.
During my last urban ride with other unicyclists, I tried to get the handlebar even closer to the saddle than what you can see in my previous pic ( it was nearly touching the saddle) and if it was pretty good for hopping, riding in second gear was not as efficient as before because I wasn’t able to accelerate as easily.
Then I set the handlebar a bit further and lower and my ability to accelerate after shifting in 2nd gear was back.
Hopping was still doable, I didn’t find it more difficult to hop at least.
This is my last setting:
Yesterday I had a muni ride in the forest with this setting and that was pretty good, even though I still don’t hop in my muni rides.
So as a conclusion:
-the further (and/or lower) you set the handlebar from the saddle, the easier you’ll be able to accelerate and ride in second gear (probably because you can put more body weight in front of the unicycle) but you’ll loose some of your ability to hop by holding the handlebars.
-the closer you set the handlebar from the saddle, the easier you can hop (but it’s more difficult to accelerate in second gear and lest stable when you ride with both hands in the bars).
you have to find a compromise between those different settings.
With my angled T bar I couldn’t set it both close and low, if I want to test that I have to use a straight T bar.
Thanks, and looking forward to your review. I always mod my saddles (make the “relief channel” wider and deeper) so I’m disappointed to see that the cover seems to be attached with staples rather than cord or velcro.
This homemade handlebar is not pretty - but it is solid.
With the brake it has raised the total weight of the hatchet up from 7.5kg to 8.5kg.
So I may need to lighten the assembly a little by removing the excess plate.
Hi all. I’m new here and this is my first post and first time posting on this type of forum software. I hope this ends up on the homemade handlebars thread.
I have not rode in decades and just picked up a 36" Coker. Been working on getting used to it and wanted a handlebar. I’d never used a handlebar on a unicycle as they were unheard of when I learned to ride.
I ended up making a very simple one out of some scraps I had laying around. I used a length of SCH 40 3/4" pipe for the seat post and turned one end down just a little to fit the Coker frame. Formed a plate to bolt to the seat and found some lighter weight tubing for the handle. The handle tubing is 1" OD where it is welded to the seat post and necks down to a 3/4" OD tubing for the handle part. The bends and necked down part were just as is came from the previous use on a refrigerator.
So far I’m liking the handlebar. It makes is very easy to grab when doing a UPD and in the few days I been using it the uni has not hit the ground once. In my driveway where I’m practicing there is some 10% grades and the handlebar seems to make it much easier to stay in control with my 127mm cranks. My original seat has no extended hand hold on it. The last thing that seems to be easier for me with the handbar is free mounting. It is easier to prevent the uni from turning when mounting.
Maybe when I get out and do some distances I’ll consider a more conventional handlebar with right and left handles rather the single bar but for now it meets my need.
I’ve considered wrapping with some bike handlebar tape but that would increase my cost exceptionally. I do wear gloves with a very good grip and it is probably a good thing that is does not catch on other things.
Hi all, I’m new here. This is my first post and I hope it is it the right place. It is intended to be in the homemade handlebar thread.
After not riding for decades I recently picked up a 36” Coker and am working on getting used to it. I wanted a handlebar on it and found some scraps around to make a very simple one. In an online search I found no single handle bars like this but so far it seems to be working very well. After I work up to traveling longer distances I may consider a more “normal” handle with two hand grips. I have never had a unicycle with a handlebar before and handlebars were unheard of when I learned to ride.
The seat post is a section of SCH 40 ¾” pipe that I turned down just a little on one end to fit the Coker. I welded a formed plate on the top for the seat and found some lighter weight tubing for the handlebar. The handle bar is 1” OD where it is welded to the seat post and then it necks down to a ¾” OD tubing. This works out well because most of the stress is at the point it is welded to the seat post. The handlebar is a section off of a RV refrigerator and was necked down and bent just as I used it.
I find that the handlebar works well for three things. In my practice area I have some 10% grades and the handlebar works well for keeping control of my 36er with 127mm cranks. My original seat has no real hand hold as most new seats have. The long single handlebar also works very well for catching the unicycle on an UPD. It is just easy to grab and in the few days is use I have not dropped it once on the ground. The third thing that seems to help is free mounting. It helps to hold the unicycle straight when mounting.
I’ve considered wrapping with some bicycle handlebar wrap but not sure that is a good idea. I do wear gloves with very good grip and that helps. Adding more grip to the handlebars in the form of bike wrap would likely catch on things that would not help.
Anyway, that is my homemade handlebar for now.
Jim
This is my concept for mounting handlebar. I use it with KH Zero and One saddles for few years already and I like it very much. The only problem is the stiffness of the saddle.
Today I made 3d drawing as I wish to produce more smooth and light clamps. The ones I have are handmade with sharp edges and rubs my shorts greatly.
Welcome to the forum, and welcome (back) to the wonderful world of unicycling. Your post ended up perfectly where you aimed it.
All of those are ‘special circumstances’: steep grades, catching the uni on a UPD, freemounting.
But I think that, in addition to the above, you would find a two-handed handlebar also useful for just straight riding. That’s where the handlebar on my 36 earns most of its points: adding stability to my ride and providing a place to comfortably rest my hands.
For many, a handlebar also helps relieve saddle pressure, by putting some weight on the handlebars. But then it needs to be lower than yours.
This is my most recent set up on the G36
Not really a home made handlebar but some DIY work on it anyway.
-The Audio station is amovible and is made of carton, electrical tape and iron wire, scratch tape.
-The front loop is made of two long bar-ends that I sawed, recovered with some foam, and an old tube that is wrapped by some iron wire to make it a bit less bully and protect it more.
-The spoon on the brake lever is made of Fimo clay.
-the brake lever is attached to a cut bar end to add some adjustability.
-The handlebar is also linked to the frame with two bar ends that push against the frame (to prevent the handlebar from going down) and 3 plastic cable clamps pull it toward the frame (to prevent the handlebar from rising up). this system consolidates the two fixation bolts under the seat, and it also consolidate the adjustable seatpost.
The audio system adds a lot of fun to the ride and at least people hear me coming by by the rear (the King George tire makes this 36er 100% silent). it’s only 2 Watts but you hear it loud when I’m close.
Your set up seems great for my g29. I’ve been badly wanting handlebars but I’m worried about getting hung up in them during a high speed UPD. So, I want something close to the seat and not wide, to minimize getting hung up with my legs. Would you mind posting a shot from the top, looking down, of your muni setup?
I never have my feet been catch by a handlebar during an UPD, long or short, they are not large enough for that.
my G36 handlebar is 17 cm large, and my 29" muni handlebar (short) is 12 cm large.
I don’t think you take this kind of risk unless you make a very large handlebar, like a bike handlebar.
Now if you make technical muni with you G29, with sharp turns between rocks and possible twisted UPDs, you’ll probably prefer a short handlebar.
I ride with handlebars close to the seat but on my g29 I like to push it hard sometimes (18-20 mph) and never want hung up in the handlebars. I’ve decided to weld my own
