I found on really steep hills where I was out of the saddle I needed something I could pull on with all my might. Pulling so hard I felt like I would rip the handle off my seat, I don’t think a handlebar system could take that much pulling, and the angle would seem wrong to me, not in-line with my body. Some systems let you keep the seat handle, that would be fine.
can applying upward or downward pressure on the handlebar “enhance” either the balance or performance ? and if so mind explaining the science ??
– I find holding the handlebars tends to make me ride slightly faster. Not sure of the science behind this, but I think it’s because I lean slightly forward, and adopt more of a “running” posture.
when dismounting either planned or via UPD, what risk or danger if any is there to the boys…
– I very occasionally bruise one of my inner thighs hitting the handlebar on a UPD, but have never hit the gonads.
if handlebars are installed and are not used by the hands when riding, is there performance degradation or potential problem ?
– I find no problem not holding the bars, but I rarely ride that way – the bars provide a very comfortable place for your hands, and provide good control.
Jimmy rides a consistand 35 - 40km per week… approx 30 minutes per day would this activity warrant the use for handlebars ?
– It’s a personal preference. I like using the handlebars, no matter how long or short the ride.
one of the benefits to riding Uni is back posture. Eg keeping upright… does handlebars compromise the posture…?
– Everyone has their own preference. I have my bars mounted so my hands are right in front of me, and I sit up straight. Others like to mount them low and lean over.
are there other benefits or disadvantages re installing handlebars on a 36 also to consider ?.
– Riding with bars takes some time to get used to (like everything else uni-related), but after I got used to them I like them, and would not want to ride a big wheel without them.
is it easier to ride up hills with handlebars ?
– For me, yes. I tend to stand in the pedals on steep hills, and having a firm grip on the bars provides very good control. You know how on a bike you kind of pull the handlebars against your pedal pushes on a hill? It’s kind of the same, only not as pronounced.
anything else noteworthy please call out…
– Handy place to mount your brake handle, bell, bike computer, iphone, etc.
I found that riding with handlebars on my 36er really helped me to feel much more stable, even if I’m only using one hand and sitting perfectly upright. Without at least one hand on the bars, everything feels too squirrely.
My handlebars sit pretty high, and all my UPDs have been front UPDs, and I’ve never been hurt by the handlebars.
I can certainly reach the handlebars with both hands sitting upright, but I can’t seem to balance very well and keep both hands on the bars, so I have to crouch just a bit. When I do, I seem to have better balance, I naturally go faster, and if I crouch just a bit more than that, it’s much easier to go up inclines.
I’m probably doing everything wrong, but this is what works for me.
The biggest thing I noticed with the handlebars on my (formerly LanceB’s) 36er is that there’s an extra point of contact, away from the axis from the hub to the seat. They make it much easier to keep the wheel pointed straight ahead. Without bars, the force on the pedals can make the wheel want to pivot one way and then the other. A light grip on the bars constrains the frame by a triangle of points instead of along a line. It allows a higher cadence on the flats where high-speed wobble can be hard to control and also helps when pedaling slowly up a hill where a single hard pedal effort might jerk the wheel sideways with no chance to recover.
When riding with no hands on the handlebars, I can feel some extra inertia from having the weight of the bars far away from the saddle. They do want to swing on their own a bit. But it’s easy to control that with even a very light touch. Some handlebar arrangements put more weight out at the end of the assembly than others and might be worse in that department.
And no, I’ve also never had a problem clearing the bars when dismounting to the front. They aren’t that wide, plus they drop down a lot when the frame tilts forward as it will when forward dismounting. Like the others, I prefer a rear dismount when I can. It’s more elegant and easier to keep from dropping the unicycle.
In the style of LanceB, my comments will be in RED
Jimmy has a Nimbus 36 and chose not to install the handlebar.
if you don’t mind…
can applying upward or downward pressure on the handlebar “enhance” either the balance or performance ? and if so mind explaining the science ??
I’m not sure how much weight I actually put on the handlebar but the extra point of contact seems to add a lot of stability, especially for the smoother strait line sections. If I really need to pull up hard for more leverage to get over something I grip near the seat or the seat grab handle for more “power”. In the twisties you can initiate the turn with your arm.
when dismounting either planned or via UPD, what risk or danger if any is there to the boys…
Very little, although I have bruised my inner thigh coming off, generally about half way down to the knee.
if handlebars are installed and are not used by the hands when riding, is there performance degradation or potential problem ?
I had a long heavy boom style handle made from steel, you could definitely feel it swinging around out there if ridden hands free while doing maneuvers. What surprised me though was since the long low handlebar altered my riding position it also alters your buts interface with the saddle, it felt like it was at the wrong angle when sitting upright away from the handlebar.
Jimmy rides a consistent 35 - 40km per week… approx 30 minutes per day would this activity warrant the use for handlebars ?
It does if you decide you like handlebars…
one of the benefits to riding Uni is back posture. Eg keeping upright… does handlebars compromise the posture…?
It all depends on how you set up your bars. For the road I like the bars a bit further away and I assume a more bike like posture, In fact I often use a bike seat with a long handlebar. I also have shorter handlebars for MUni and commuting that don’t stretch me out as much and I end up much more upright.
are there other benefits or disadvantages re installing handlebars on a 36 also to consider ?.
They can be a great place to mount lights, bells, water bottles, etc. but they can also make the unicycle heavier and more awkward in light spaces. If you have a substantial handle on your unicycle strangers will ask you about it, more than a unicycle without.
is it easier to ride up hills with handlebars ?
For moderate hills I find using handlebars help me keep a strait line and my cadence more steady, but when it’s really steep I will hold on much closer to my body.
anything else noteworthy please call out…
If you like tinkering handebars are one of the easiest things to start tinkering on to get your unicycle to work the best for you.
Note that going on 3 years of 14-15km (x2) daily commute (so roughly 1 hr each way and over 100km/week), I tried a KH T-bar for a while during year 2 or so but took it off again. Note also that I tried it on the (then new) KH Zero and did not like that saddle (changed back to a KH Freeride). I actually did a fair amount of XC muni with the handlebar and did ok. My only real issue was one UPD where the outward-pointing handle scraped my inner upper thigh and cut a hole in my (new) tights. As I am now getting even more proficient and rarely UPD (maybe once every 4 rides or so not counting intentional dismounts for traffic) I think I would probably be ready to try it again. On the other hand I didn’t feel much improvement on comfort or speed (I also wanted to maintain an upight posture and not go aero due to my back: upright unicycling is ggod for my back and bent-over probably not). Probably the thing I miss most about not having the bar is a place to mount my bell and my front light (I usually have a headlight anyway).
My comments in blue:
can applying upward or downward pressure on the handlebar “enhance” either the balance or performance ? and if so mind explaining the science ??
As others have said it feels more stable and “tracks” better in a straight line. As a result you can pedal with less left-right sway and thus go faster.
when dismounting either planned or via UPD, what risk or danger if any is there to the boys…
As stated above I have scraped my inner thighs a few times and cut my tights and drawn blood once. Although I was also somewhat concerned about the nether regions, never had a problem, although in a wild UPD it is another sharp pointy item that could hurt you.
if handlebars are installed and are not used by the hands when riding, is there performance degradation or potential problem ?
Don’t think so.
Jimmy rides a consistand 35 - 40km per week… approx 30 minutes per day would this activity warrant the use for handlebars ?
If it increases comfort definitely. As for speed and reducing required time I doubt that it’s significant. As I said for my 47-60 minute commute I have been running without for the last year (and with 114 cranks for decent speed). So basically no one can answer for you as you would have to try it and see if it’s more comfortable.
one of the benefits to riding Uni is back posture. Eg keeping upright… does handlebars compromise the posture…?
Only if you want to. I initially had my set up bending forward and changed it to be more upright. With the right setting you can keep the same posture. However, this usually requires a relatively long handlebar which is then kind of flexy (see #7). On the other hand if you are going for max speed then you want the aero position for less wind resitance and better power.
are there other benefits or disadvantages re installing handlebars on a 36 also to consider ?.
As above its a great place to mount things as it’s protected AND you can access it and see it well. I also had a trip computer on mine and after removing the handlebar had to mount it on the seatpost meaning I couldn’t read it at all while riding (took it off now).
is it easier to ride up hills with handlebars ?
Without so much experience I would say yes provided that the handlebar is very very strong and thus relatively short, i.e. a short handle often used for muni (these are generally used primarily to increase uphill power rather than comfort and typically only extend a few inches directly in front of the seat). However with a longer handle, I personally felt like I was going to break my KH T-bar (mostly extended to half extended) when I pulled on it going uphill as it was bending a lot. Thus, I would say the problem is that you cannot have both improved uphill and upright posture with handlebar for comfort.
anything else noteworthy please call out…
I would say that as you get more proficient and are less scared of having an additional sharp object to injure yourself on, then it’s worth trying for comfort.
Edit: Note that I posted without reading saskatchewanian’s comments but he said a lot of the same stuff.
You have some good answers already, but I’ll throw in my two cents…
can applying upward or downward pressure on the handlebar “enhance” either the balance or performance ? and if so mind explaining the science ??
It makes me feel more stable, so I’m more comfortable spinning quickly. In that way it does increase performance for me.
I also find it increases my side to side stability.
when dismounting either planned or via UPD, what risk or danger if any is there to the boys…
I’ve never had the handlebar hit me at all. But I try not to fall off very often…
if handlebars are installed and are not used by the hands when riding, is there performance degradation or potential problem ?
If it’s big and heavy you might notice it.
Jimmy rides a consistand 35 - 40km per week… approx 30 minutes per day would this activity warrant the use for handlebars ?
Try it and see. Most likely once you try it you won’t go back.
one of the benefits to riding Uni is back posture. Eg keeping upright… does handlebars compromise the posture…?
Not really. You can setup the handlebars to be pretty upright. I have mine setup as per the attached photo, and it feels pretty comfortable to me. Every time I get on a bike I find the posture too bent and uncomfortable.
are there other benefits or disadvantages re installing handlebars on a 36 also to consider ?.
I have a brake lever, bell, headlight and cyclometer on mine. Necessary? Not really.
is it easier to ride up hills with handlebars ?
My crank length (127mm) becomes a factor before my handlebars do as the hills get steeper. I always have at least one hand on the bars. Usually I keep both hands on the bars. Sometimes if it’s really steep I take one hand off the bars and wave it in the air. One thing I have found is that if I take a hand off the bars then it’s hard to put it back on while going uphill. Not sure why…
anything else noteworthy please call out…
They look cool.
can applying upward or downward pressure on the handlebar “enhance” either the balance or performance ? and if so mind explaining the science ??
I think no to that question, at least for me. My handlebar does two things. Being a geared 36", it’s an important part of keeping the wheel from surging front to back as I manage the power input via the high gear. In that sense, handlebars are more necessary with gearing than without. The other thing it does is provide a place for me to place some of my weight, which takes some of it off my crotch, while at the same time allows for a (somewhat) more aerodynamic riding position. In addition, it gives you more room to attach a water bottle, bell, lights, boombox, etc.
when dismounting either planned or via UPD, what risk or danger if any is there to the boys…
Very much depends on the shape of the handlebars (narrower is better) though I believe in most cases the handlebars are going downward while you are bailing, so not necessarily as scary as you might think.
if handlebars are installed and are not used by the hands when riding, is there performance degradation or potential problem ?
Only from the extra weight and, if they stick out a lot, effects on your twisting control inputs (steering) due to more energy being required. Also they will get just as messed up in a crash whether you were been using them or not, so might as well use them! For dedicated offroad riding on my geared 36, I will take off my nice aluminum handlebar and replace it with a short BMX seatpost that has a handlebar grip on the end. I need something on there to hold my brake lever.
Jimmy rides a consistand 35 - 40km per week… approx 30 minutes per day would this activity warrant the use for handlebars ?
The more riding distance you ride, the more you can benefit from a handlebar, especially if it’s Road riding.
one of the benefits to riding Uni is back posture. Eg keeping upright… does handlebars compromise the posture…?
If you are sitting bolt upright it’s indeed good for posture, but terrible aerodynamics and also more wear & tear on your crotch area. The farther your rides, the more you should consider a more aerodynamic posture.
are there other benefits or disadvantages re installing handlebars on a 36 also to consider ?.
On the plus side, they make the unicycle look cooler and more complex. On the minus side, they can add a surprising amount of hassle for fitting a large uni into a car!
is it easier to ride up hills with handlebars ?
Nope, you still have to do the work. Depending on the handlebars’ size and shape, they can either be somewhat helpful, or kind of neutral in aiding you to put power into the pedals. For me, when the going gets really steep I’m usually holding the seat handle, because it’s closest to the cycle’s vertical center. But when it’s less steep I may stay in my normal, bent-over position.
anything else noteworthy please call out…
At first, the handlebar will make the unicycle feel more awkward, and make mounting/dismounting more complicated. Give yourself time to get used to the idea
Nothing to add to what has already been said except one thing:
I had been unicycling (occasionally) during 5 years before starting to use handlebars (and buying more and more unicycles and spare parts) but it’s only when I managed to ride with both hands on a handlebar that I started to really enjoy it.
By preventing me from using my shoulders and twising my body to keep right/left balance, riding with both hands on the handlebar dramatically improved my riding skill.
Before that I was always twisted on one side, was using my arms and upper body to keep balance and barely feel any pleasure.
Now, because the “two hands on the handlebar” teached me to use my lower body/hips to keep left/right balance, I also can ride with hands on my pockets, I do not use my upper body anymore and really enjoy unicycles.
When I ride a unicycle without handlebars I just don’t know what to do with my arms except putting my hands on my pockets if I have ones or on the seat handle but as you know it looks weird in public places…
At least with a handlebar I have a place to put my hands.
Wasn’t going to add anything but I saw this. I took ages to get comfortable riding with two hands on the bars… They didn’t feel natural at all
What Unidreamer says about balancing the lower body/hips is relevant/important with or without bars. I suggest you practice riding with your hands and upper body stationary as much as possible. Having handle bars on doesn’t make it easier…
We did have a thread on learning to use handle bars a few years as I recall…
It’s hard to tell from the photo, but it looks like you have some nice upgrades on your Nightfox. Which cranks, pedals, and handlebars do you have on there?
And I agree, the handlebars are nice for propping up the unicycle.
Depending on the handlebars’ size and shape, they can either be somewhat helpful, or kind of neutral in aiding you to put power into the pedals. For me, when the going gets really steep I’m usually holding the seat handle, because it’s closest to the cycle’s vertical center. But when it’s less steep I may stay in my normal, bent-over position.