He’s not wearing a helmet ;p
Just to show you that there actually is no step or break or anything supporting the freemount, here’s a picture of that giraffe:
- Extra points for getting your leg over the oversized DM bumpers.
I agree that, for purposes of this type of comparison, the unicycle should be measured from the ground to the center of the bottom bracket. Riders can then go to a bigger wheel to boost the height while shrinking the jump size…
Someone just told me the guy from the Flying Dutchman used to freemounting a12 foot unicycle all the time. I’m calling BS but he swears it’s true. Anyone know? Or any videos out there?
I guess you met Bikeboy Shean Bridges in Australia?
The Flying Dutchmen was a duo, who only half was Dutch.
Michiel Hesseling still visits my house about once a year.
After they lost their .com they are now at http://www.the-flying-dutchmen.com/
I don’t know about the freemount, but back in the days (halfway the 90’ies) they were famous for doing a riding swop’s to each time a taller unicycle.
It was Jean-Michel Paré -the other half of the duo- doing that.
The unicycling starts around minute 8.
So not one freemount but 3, is that bonus, or not?
Moving from one giraffe to another, taller giraffe is a pretty amazing trick. Thanks for posting the video! I don’t think I could sit comfortably in the first few rows of the audience.
That was outstanding!
That was great!
Ah wait, I found a better video which proofed my memory was well, I remember the act with only tall unicycles and the final on two unicycles both taller than the German video (which I guess was in a too “small” tent):
unicycling starting around 3:45
That video is insane! So how tall is the large giraffe? It looks to be about twice his height, so I would imagine between 10-12 feet…
Yes, very nice, and great all-around skills! I’d say 11-12’ on the tall giraffe. That’s also a lot of giraffe to forward-dismount from, even with a little parachute. 
But from the ground up, we still don’t have a definitive idea of what’s the highest that’s been free-mounted. We’re still around 9’, I think, with rumors of higher ones. Wolfgang’s is still one of the most impressive, with his direct jump (from the tire) to a very high pedal! The step on mine arguably made it easier, though going direct to the pedal, if you can reach, shortens the time it takes to get up there.
Let’s make some estimations. Here’s a frame from this video at 4:53.
As you can see, the pedals of the medium giraffe is at eye height of the bystander, which would be about 5’6". The seat of the tall giraffe is right in front of the eyes of the rider, another 5’6", which totals in 11’. So I think 11’ is quite accurate.
Thanks. But be aware that there are/were others, who were able to mount the same height. As I am pretty tall, maybe my seat is a bit higher. But what counts is not the seat, but the pedals.
And with skills and without tricks (and without helmet).
If people say “steps dosnt count”, then I’d say bonus points for the “stillstanding coasting” part.
Did you found the pictures yet?
Ha, I think we all made ours. But think 11 foot is underestimated:
Michiel (the guy below) comes very close to my size (and I learned to make extreme accurate estimates using police tricks).
Then it seems the 1st chain driven unicycle is a 6’ foot Semcycle, of which I have identical ones.
With the seat set to JPM’s size it then must be minimal 1.77 m (since for me it’s exactly 6’ / 1.85, but I’m taller).
I just measured the size between bracket and floor, which is 103 cm.
Based on that I’d say the increments must be 85 cm, because it looks like the seat of each previous one is slightly below the BB of the next (although “bottom bracket” sounds silly here).
So unless Jean-Michel turns out very small, or the camera angle created a strange perspective (such as with video-judging at a UNICON ;)), then I think it must be pretty accurate to say at least the calculated 3.67 m, but no more than 4M.
Converting the 3.67 m, it surprisingly turns out almost exactly 12’
I’ll drop them a link, so they could answer themself. As they are still outstanding (and mind: already since 1990), I don’t think they’d have any need to exaggerate.
Also I learned they have upcoming gigs in 2015… so they are still pretty active.
I’m curious if they still do that masterpiece! Flying all that oversized heavy metal around the world was already expensive in 1990…!
Although I hope he has learned one thing by now:
Exactly what I was thinking. I haven’t been doing any (tall) chain driven unicycle in the past 10 years I think (mysteriously disappeared unicycle). But since the past weeks I have one again, and now dismount more and more controlled and relative gentle. Which makes me wonder even more what I always wonder when seeing that; why would you choose to forward-dismount from such a high height?
Got the answer already; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gfguPOZXMY#t=180
Maybe less spectacular, but better than trading on health.
Received reply:
The tallest he freemounts starting from floor is a 8 foot DM, with an extra extention piece of at least 6 inch. He’s now 50 years old, still is able to do that.
The tallest he’s “freemounting” starting from another unicycle is in deed 12 foot.
They mounted yours? Or theirs is the same DM model?
What sprockets has it? 21 up and down 22 …? The cranks are 140?
Same model, while I tried all of their giraffes, and most of them tried mine.
Cranks are 140mm. Not sure about the sprockets. 21/22 sounds reasonable.
How do you like this one?
I really like it. I might enrol for evening metal work classes and make one for myself.