Road Unicycle Set-Up and T7 Handle Modification

That was the initial impression I got from making a shorter version with a T7. I felt like it needed a grip in the middle for mounting and maybe downhill when you feel the need to center your weight instead of spread it out- cos the T7 is not as comfortable to hold where the seat normally goes compared to how that bar looks.

Cool photos!

Kudos to turtle for posting pictures of him riding! Very nice photos.

I agree with GizmoDuck that the third picture is awesome.

Cool!

So you climbed with it successfully. I wouldn’t have thought that to work out well. But how steep did you climb and how does it compare to climbing with another setup? The pictures look as if it wasn’t really steep and all paved roads, is that correct? Of course you couldn’t test it on a 36" yet, unfortunately. But I wonder what it would be like.

KH 36 P-frame ride Report

I rode this to work today and went on a mostly flat 12-mile ride along Portland’s springwater corridor at lunch today.

I’ve adjusted all of the various things that you can adjust with this set-up and tried three different stem lengths and a bunch of seat heights/angles

Here is what I found:

Riding this feels more like a bike than any other set-up I have tried. You do forget you are on one wheel after a bit. It seems to respond well to gentle downward pressure on the elbow pad to initiate a lean into turns at speed, just like the R-frame did that I was using. I didn’t notice any twitcheyness or feelings of instability around corners or anything unusuual really.

The P-frame is very strong and with the brace, there is no noticeable frame flex. As Gizmo observed, it effectively cuts the length of the upper frame in half and makes for a stiffer rid. It feels stiffer and has less bounce at the aero bar than the R-frame set-up that I last built. Seemed strange and somehow funny to look down and see so most of the wheel rolling away down there.

Yes, the same dorky waggling handlebar and aero bar between your legs when you take your hands/arms off the bars. Say, is s that a huge unicycle between your legs or are you just excited to see me??

The knee contact with the frame was noticeable at first, but, as others have noted, your (well mine at least) legs seem to get trained really quick not to rub on the frame and brakes. Under more extreme turns at low speed, legs still made contact sometimes. Next, I’m going to try adjusting the seat way forward and way far back to see what this does to the knee contact issue.

The speed was about the same as I’d get on this route on my old set-up 11-14mph on this trip.

Much of my other notes about this ride had to do with the custom narrowed and flattened KH Freeride seat that I’m trying out. Two words from my smiling 41 year old taint and groinal region: “Daddy Like-ee!!!”. . . . but thats a whole other story that will have to wait until another post.

Also: It is somehow easier to freemount . . because the seat is further back?? I dunno. I was telling Z Boisei about this while we were welding and I got to thinking that you could use this same “stem-seatpost” to create the worlds absolutely-shortest-short-person’s-sub-midget-stubby-nubs-for-legs-coker by cutting this seat post short and adjusting the upper frame angle way back so the bottom of the seat base seat almost touches the tire. If you get the seat angle right, it could be! Yes, all you 4’8" uni riders, with a longing for a big wheel and some speed, the Unicycle Bastards do love you too!

If I go onto complete this set-up:

  1. I’d build the upper frame in a dog leg shape (two pieces welded together at a 25 degree angle) so the backbone would be flat yet the rear part would still support the front of my modified seat. . . . if that makes sense

  2. I’d put it and me (200lbs . . .damned those dutch-baby pancakes and all the snow here in portland in December!!) on a diet. I’d build the upper frame with thinner walled tubing and pare down the chunky aluminum two piece collars/brace mounts a bit.

  3. I’d re-design the (upper) seatpost clamp area to be more easily adjusted and provide some angle adjustment without needing to change the angle of the upper frame

Thats about it for now. See pics below:
Brycer1968, a horribly immature Unicycle Bastard at
www.unicycle bastards.com

That’s is the best reason to have one I would imagine. I like the elbow resting supports.

Great thread! I love to see the pioneering efforts. Evolution of Balance continues.

Awesome report and fine looking ride. Thanks for writing that up.

One of the things that seems to be spot on with your set-up is the height at which the seat is set compared to the higher aero bars. This is probably essential as having one’s hands much lower than the level they are sitting would not be comfortable.

Also, since this set-up has a seat that is further behind the wheel and handle bars that are the further in front of the wheel, I would assume that when looking at the rider’s profile, the angle formed by his thighs and abdomen would be more acute than otherwise.

I know you have a modified freeride, but does the new geometry force you to put more weight on private parts that don’t like pressure? Maybe this issue is null now that more weight is taken off the seat by the handlebars.

Ha, that is so funny. When I first looked at the photos and got to the third one, I thought, “Oh, he’s on a bike now, comparing posture or something!” Incredible.

Seriously, it is great to see all the innovation and experimentation going on here. Great stuff.

—Nathan

My freeride is narrower in the front only and the front tip is dropped about
1/2", otherwise the padding and stock “juice channel” have been retained, so there is not any great change in pressure points.

Very good work, thanks for sharing!

Did you notice any aerodynamic advantage from the more crouched posture?

That’s some creative thinking!

Ummmm, not really. I must be dumb. Can you put up a little sketch?

Also I would like to see close-up pics of the various joints in the frame.

…i live in the alps, trust me it was steep :wink: (how can you, from the netherlands, ask something like this?:stuck_out_tongue: )
the problem was the selftimer: try to mount in a steep section, looking like you’re riding “normal”, in only 10 seconds :roll_eyes:

for roadriding, i can put also the aerobars on it like the brycer ones…

Right, it’s mostly flat around here. But I actually grew up in southern Germany, visiting the Alps like every winter and some summers as well. So I know what it can be like. There are steeeeeeeeeeeep roads and slopes around. I really wish I lived somewhat closer to the Alps now, it must be like muni heaven! Anyways, I just thought it looked rather flat on your pictures but now you explained it all.:wink:

Grüß gott

Grüetzi mitternand

today i rode to work with turtl’s T (12 km both ways), for roadriging it’s perfect for me, never been that fast and safe at my work :wink: only narrow turns are hard, need some practice.

in the afternoon i finished the XC setup (better for steep hill climbing and braking):

Thats good thinking of you.
Now you need to shorten the back tube a bit and put a powdercoat over it

:astonished:

Admirable. Does it seriously feel safer? In what way?

never had the feeling i would upd, no problem shifting gear, no problem with bumps, i’can’t say it here…

it feels like riding a b*** :stuck_out_tongue:

yes and no: this is the prototype, i need the back tube so i can play with the seat position…and when i’m done with testing the geometry i’ll go with alu :astonished: