We are high school engineering students who require assistance from avid unicyclers. As our final project for our engineering class, we are interested in developing a prototype for a portable device designed to keep a unicycle up right. If you could please answer these questions for us, we would appreciate it greatly.
Already Exists
I bought a used Torker 20" LX. It came with two pieces of metal that, when fitted together, made a unicycle stand. I tried it out, but never really felt a need to keep it around.
There is another device which is useful for keeping a unicycle upright; it is called a ‘person’. Hee hee.
Good luck on your project.
Hi guys.
I answered your questions but then it dawned on me, are you asking about keeping my unicycle upright while riding. 
Sorry about that. Can I submit my answers again ? 
Edit: BelpuebloUNIdo makes me think I was right the first time.
Good Luck with your project.
Are you referring to a stand like this? 
We found those while researching pre-existing products. However, our intent is to design a small lightweight stand that can be attached to a unicycle for high portability.
Like a kick-stand, for unicycles? 
Couldn’t an existing two-legged stand be used for this? Fold it into the uni forks when not in use, fold it out and stand it up as a tripod (with the wheel being the 3rd leg)?
I suppose the problem is, if it’s only as long as the frame’s forks, then your uni will be leaning backwards pretty far to stand on them.
WAIT! I’ve got it! I’ve drawn up some detailed schematics, feel free to use them.
At the bottom of the frame’s forks near the bearing cups, there are hinges for each of the stand’s leg, and a li’l clip to hold the top of the stand when its in the folded position at the frame’s crown.
There would also have to be some Razor Scooter-type lock at the bottom, so that when the uni’s weight is on the stand it doesn’t just flop back up.
The only downside I can see is the weight…
Extra bulk, extra weight. An attached stand is not for me. Of course you could put a square fatty wheel on your uni which would act as a wheel and stand all in one.
Don’t see any need for such a device.
What are you meaning: something like a kickstand or something like a parking rack?
I think no one want’s to have a kickstand mounted on his unicycle that one allways has to carry arround on the frame. In my eyes, there’s nothing wrong with my uni lying in the dirt… it gets even more dirt on the trails 
To have a device for better storage of unicycles would be more interesting.
Well,
the main problem (and annoyance) while parking is that the wheel rotates and the unicycle falls over. So i usually park it in such a way that the wheel does not turn. Usually by parking with the pedal or the saddle stuck to a fixed object. It usually takes a bit of a balancing act. So a brake mechanism mounted in the frame that can be applied as a brake during parking would be nice.
As engineering challenges go i can think of some that i would like to see solved.
The first one being a way to allow repositioning of the feet on the pedals without compromising measures that prevent the feet from sliding off (usually some form of pins). With practice this can be achieved by lifting the feet off the pedals but i find this less than optimal while riding off road.
the second one being a way to allow setting the crank length in some simple way. I know a gear system is a possible solution there but it is expensive.
good luck with your project
It exists already- it’s the seat. Place unicycle upside down so the seat is on the ground then prop against a wall- the seat on the ground makes it very stable.
Most experienced unicyclists are far more concerned about added weight than they are about keeping their unicycle upright when parked, so any parking device requiring attachment to the unicycle is not going to be that popular.
i don’t think that many unicyclists will leave their unicycle with the saddle on the street as a stand. I use a 24" for shopping an cruising around town and I would not mind the addition of 50-100 g additional weight.
Take something simple and make it complicated… brilliant!
: P That’s the group I’m in at least.
Prop it against the wall, seat down, seat up, heck, leave it in the middle of a floor. It’s robust.
I don’t think the idea of a stand was to leave your unicycle in the street 
One of the pluses of unicycles is that we don’t have to bother chaining them up in the streets, as they are easy to carry around (in shops etc).
If you want a stand affixed to your unicycle, then that’s your choice. But, can you really think of many situations where you’d actually use it?
Is this telescopic? Or why is it so much longer in the second picture? In the first picture it is as long as the frame (a little bit longer than the radius of the wheel) ans on the second one, it is nearly twice the radius of the wheel.
I agree with you that i would not attach a stand to my unicycle. I don’t think it is necessary. I do have a flexible cable lock to fix the unicycle to an object like a bicycle stand or a pole or something similar. Usually i leave it outside when entering shops or restaurants etc. When it falls over it is usually in the way somehow and will likely be damaged. Sometimes by accident and sometimes on purpose. This happens to bicycles as well. A parking break will help here and could have a simple form like a small lever residing in the frame which can be pulled out to block the rotation of the wheel.
A simple mechanism could be a pen that springs up and back in the frame but can be pulled down and locked in place by pushing down and twisting to block the wheel. Something like that
Errm… Yes. Yes it is 
Come to think of it, I think it’d have to be. I didn’t actually think about that at all, but if it weren’t, then it wouldn’t stick out enough from the back to actually stand the uni up.
hi
the stand is a terrible idea lol
how about 3 speed hub
or on the fly tyre inflator
or suspension wheel
or a very small motor for power assist uphills
or infinitely adjustable length cranks
or a projectile to hurl at people who make stupid comments when im riding 
or a cheap simple unicycle trainer for beginners
or a comfier seat
How about an un-spill able beer can holder.
You would be rich!
Good luck with your project. I just filled out the survey, but it’s a little lacking in information:
“What is your main concern with said solution?” – You didn’t say what the solution was, so our answers won’t be worth much.
I have tried several different types of unicycle stand. Miyata used to make one that fit well on their unicycles, but had a small footprint, so it was easy to be knocked or blown over. Also theirs only fit Miyata, or unicycles with the same dimensions of bearing holders. Bill Jenack, the founder of the Unicycling Society of America, made one that was like a 1-uni bike rack. Shaped somewhat similarly, with a little clip on top that you would press your head tube into. This one had a big, heavy base so it was very stable.
I also have a unicycle that came with a built-in kickstand. Sorry, no pictures of it handy. It’s made in Japan, where the market is primarily aimed at girls of elementary school age. A little platform that surrounds the fork crown is attached at the bottom of the frame. It swings down around the back and locks at the bottom, providing a relatively lightweight way to park the unicycle. Long as there’s no wind or nobody bumping into it. I love telling people I have a unicycle with a kickstand; it usually makes their eyes go blank for a few seconds while they try to imagine what that could look like. I’ve even brought it to a few shows to demonstrate the kickstand part. Oddly, I’ve never ridden the thing. I bought it on eBay from a family in Connecticut that probably had recently moved there from Japan. It still has its original inner tube, with the Woods valve on it. I’ve never been able to inflate it.
These guys won’t be back. Notice they’re in high school, and they need to do something for an engineering class final project. Notice the posting date – two or three weeks before the end of school. Procrastinate much?
I can see the conversation now:
“Crap, school’s almost out, and we haven’t started our project. What should we do?”
“I know, let’s make a kickstand for a unicycle, I’m sure no one’s ever thought of that!”
“Yeah, that should be easy! Won’t take any time or research or very much effort!”
…
Maybe I’m being a little hard on them, but I kinda doubt it. (I was in high school once myself, so I know the drill.)