Re: Unicycling and Applied Directon of Energy a.k.a the Efficiency

On Wed, 8 Jun 2005, Loosemoose wrote:

> Anyone else have any scientific or non-scientific views on this?

My pseudo-scientific take:

  1. It feels easier to ride a certain distance than to walk it. I tend to
    travel at jogging pace with what feels like the same effort as walking at
    normal pace.

  2. Less energy is being converted to sound. The tyre makes little sound on
    the ground compared to footsteps.

  3. The wavy motion of a walking body is not present when unicycling
    smoothly. That has to be more efficient - not redirecting your centre of
    mass up and down all the time.

  4. I thoroughly believe you that the vertical component of force on the
    floor is significantly smaller, and more constant on a unicycle.

Which, not to get too off topic, suggests that if you want to sneak up on
someone, you should ride a unicycle to do it. Which then goes on to prove
the hypothesis that all clowns are evil*

Cheers,

Stu

*Oh crikey, now I’m suggesting that all clowns ride unicycles, and by
inference that all unicyclists are clowns. There’s no hope.

:wq