After the experience of being stuck yesterday with a unicycle failure I didn’t have tools for (loose crank), and lucking out in being rescued by a uni-curious bicyclist who had driven to an event, I got to thinking about other options when unanticipated things go wrong - with the unicycle, or for that matter the unicyclist.
Has anyone tried bringing a unicycle in a taxi, uber, etc?
Is there any compact car a 36er will not fit in the back seat of? Can one fit past the folded passenger seat in a 2-door?
I actually have carrying bags for my unicycles (both for convenience of carrying them on my shoulder and to avoid objections in stores, “no bicycles” elevators, etc) which I then fold up and put in my pack on rides, so have some ability to contain any dirt and damaging protrusions, etc.
I don’t have the uber app, and have multiple reasons to hesitate in installing it, but have heard of stranded bicyclist requesting a large vehicle and then immediately texting the driver to confirm their bike is okay, otherwise cancelling within the few minutes no penalty window. Any unicyclist experiences?
I’ve heard mention of Uber in some cities offering bike racks; can a unicycle be tied to a typical dual-arm crosswise bicycle rack in a sound manner (seems like it might be awkward) or does it really need to be transported inside the vehicle?
AAA now offers roadside assistance for cyclists. They’ll take you to a bike shop or home, whichever is closer. Unicycles probably qualify. I’ll let someone else test it out first.
I’ve heard about that, and it’s almost tempting, even for someone who hasn’t had the need to operate a motor vehicle for some time now. Does perhaps raise the bike rack question though depending on what the standard aid vehicle is (I seem to recall the lockout assistance I used a few times ages ago in Boston arrived in a mini pickup with a cab cover).
In a way I’d personally prefer the clarity of paying for the specifically needed transport, over any debates over what qualifies - “It’s not broken but I am” or “no, a bike shop can’t fix that, I need to go to the train station” My sense is that 2 beyond-average-distance-to-train Uber rides in a year would about equal the AAA membership fee, or probably several “could walk it but don’t want to” ones.
Is that a dual arm rack or some kind of single central one, almost like a trailer hitch mount?
Anything supporting the frame beyond the circumference of the tire?
I do usually have a few two-foot lengths of parachute cord on me (even more if I pull the drawstrings out of my pack and unicycle bag) so tying the unicycle to something is no problem, if there’s a suitable thing to tie it to.
Im my experience, if you can put the rear seat down, you can fit almost any uni in the trunk of most cars. My daily driver is an Infiniti G37 coupe, with a very small trunk and almost no back seat. But with the back seat folded down I carry two unicycles all the time, and sometimes three. A KH36 will fit in the trunk, but on a Coker or Titan (125mm hub), you have to take off one of the pedals.
I have a bicycle carrier (the kind where the wheels sit into troughs) that I use regularly, mainly if I’m carrying a lot of unis (it holds 6), or if I’m going somewhere to ride with my wife on her bicycle. (I use this on my other car, with a hitch.)
I’ve never called a taxi/uber/lyft, but it sounds do-able to me. Best thing is to carry enough tools to fix most problems on the ride. It doesn’t have to be that heavy/bulky. I’ve done a LOT of maintenence on the trail/road, and have always been able to ride home. (I like the AAA idea, I didn’t know they offered that service. I’ve used AAA for decades.)
Cheers!
I suppose taking the frame off the wheel could help with fitting into a trunk. I know on my machined bearing uni I have the tool to do that, should double check for the stamped one. And it occurred to me a spare bolt/nut for that wouldn’t be a bad idea.
My main realization though is that there’s always a possibility one hasn’t brought a solution for - broken seatpost, axle, or hub flange? Spontaneously self-disassembled pedal bearing?
Or rider issues that can’t be toughed out but are short of the emergency medical assistance threshold.
The bike rack on the miata, is a hitch mount, and it has rings the tire sits in, and the clamp that comes down just holds the tire in instead of the bike frame. To get that ring in the middle, he loosened the handle and turned around one of the loops so it went center, rather than away from center. the ins a bungee around the seat post.
I’ve taken my 20" uni and 12 foot unicycle plus suitcase full of my gear on several Uber rides. Keep in mind I have to take it apart into 3-4 pieces to make it all fit. Sometimes the driver is grumpy when he sees all of my stuff but I’ve never been refused.
