Square Unicycle

So, I made a square unicycle and a track that it rolls smoothly on. There’s some math behind it that could be explained if people are interested. There are several tricycle variations that have been made.

Does anybody know if this is something that’s been done before? I’m giving a talk about it and I’d like to give some credit to whoever did it first. Given the number of math folk who ride it seems like something that’s probably been done but I can’t find any evidence…

I’ve heard the idea, and vaguely remember an advert on TV that showed the idea using a bike (The advert was for Tango soda I believe, and showed a sad-looking guy riding a triangle bike on the road. The Tango turned the street triangular, allowing him to speed past his peers!) :smiley:

Never seen a uni though, look forward to your talk!

I haven’t seen it before on a uni. Well done, it looks sensational! Can you idle and ride backwards across it too?

That is so cool. I saw a similar thing at the Museum of Mathematics in New York City, but with tricycles. A photo is on the banner.

What a great idea! Even better if the track was portable for performing.

I love it - I’ve seen similar things with bikes and trikes, but I think you might be the first with a uni. I want to see you do a hop twist 180 on it though :wink:

That is amazingly cool! Looks like something I would spend way too much time on, but enjoy every minute.

Last year I’ve seen it with a bicycle, on some late 90’ies video. Then I knew it was possible on a unicycle, but I’m not having much space to work or store props you only seldom use. But hey, supercool!

That’s a bicycle. The extra off-set in the front fork is logic math to.

Excellent stuff! It’s great to actually see it in action.

For full credit, let’s see the equations. (As I tell my students.) :slight_smile:

Thanks for all the psych guys, I’ll try to post a little video with some of the math whenever I get some time. If anybody wants measurements for making one let me know.

You could bring this to some uni events as an attraction …

Love it!