You should probably ask @toutestbon about that, he knows a lot of things about fast unicycles
BTW, there are some 3.6:1 freewheel hubs. If you want to have a theoretical winner, thatâs probably the one. But you certainly wonât find anyone who can ride faster with this beast than with a traditional Schlumpf hub.
Depending on what you call âfastâ - is it on a straight line, when commuting, on a 10k race, ⌠-, it is hard to define which uni is the fastest. For example, I personally think that the fastest uni you could build for a 10k race would be something like a carbon rim and V-frame 36er with three gear ratios around 1.2:1, 1.5:1 and 2:1. If you want to go for a straight line speed trial, you probably could increase the gear ratio to something like 2.5:1⌠But youâll have to start that beast!
If you want to commute fast, youâll want a light and agile uni - something like a 29er with three gear ratios around 1:1, 1.5:1 and 2:1.
So⌠Really hard to define whatâs the fastest uni
I canât say anything about the Red Menace. I donât know if this unicycle is as efficient (and reliable) as a schlumpf at the same ratio. I think and hope it is more reliable than a hunirex, which I find interesting for the current price, but there is a lot of play, it is heavy and without optimization you have to tighten the parts regularly.
Then talking about the fastest unicycle is a question of engineering, but to achieve a performance, you need a unicyclist. There are other dimensions that come into play, notably physical dimensions: strength, velocity, coordination, cardiovascular adaptation, biomechanicsâŚ
If the unicyclist could be replaced by gyroscopes and motors, probably only the wheel size or ratio would matter. On the motorway, you go faster in 5th gear than in 4th gear.
But probably itâs not that simple in reality. The more force is applied to the pedals, the harder it is to maintain balance. Finding the right cadence is an element of performance. At a guess, I would say that the unicyclist should be able to keep a cadence above 100 rpm. By optimising the distribution of support (pedals, saddles, handlebars), you can pedal harder while keeping your balance. It is therefore important that the unicycle is rigid both for the transmission of effort and for maintaining balance.
For my part, I imagine that a 36" unicycle with a ratio between 1.8 and 2 would allow me to use longer cranks (165-170mm) while keeping a pedalling frequency around 110rpmâŚ
