The mini giraffe in the video/picture is my latest project. The giraffe has a 10"x3.3" tire (wider than a 3" Gazz) geared to be the equivalent of a 20" wheel and is about the same height as a normal unicycle. It’s definitely the easiest giraffe around to freemount. The project is still in the prototype phase, but a production version will be available from Unicycle.com in time. It will be significantly cheaper than the mini giraffe they used to sell.
I’m not sure what I want to call the mini giraffe, if anything. The giraffe does has a short necked relative, called an “okapi”.
Roger and Sarah are going to point out that to be a proper mini giraffe you need to be able to lower the seat way way low to the point that your heels hit your butt as you pedal. The UK mini giraffe comes with a seatpost extension so you can ride with the seat way way low or put the seat up at a standard riding height. Really short cranks also make it easier to ride in the mini low seat position.
The point of a mini is being able to look silly while riding it.
>
> I like it.
>
> Roger and Sarah are going to point out that to be a proper mini giraffe
> you need to be able to lower the seat way way low to the point that your
> heels hit your butt as you pedal. The UK mini giraffe comes with a
> seatpost extension so you can ride with the seat way way low or put the
> seat up at a standard riding height. Really short cranks also make it
> easier to ride in the mini low seat position.
>
> The point of a mini is being able to look silly while riding it.
>
>
> –
> john_childs
>
> john_childs (at) hotmail (dot) com
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> john_childs’s Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/449
> View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/20334
>
>
I was just watching the trials movie again. Is Aaron’s gap over a spool to a higher platform as impressive to you all as it is to me? Maybe he can hop better without the weight of any armor.
I’ll upload just this clip for those of you on slower connections. It’ll be in the same directory as above.
About the giraffe:
I was hoping not to bother with the extension… but maybe I should reconsider.
The cranks pictured are ridiculously long… they’re what I happened to have on hand. The production model will definitely have shorter cranks.
It does really need an extension so the seat can be lowered really low. I have one of the UK mini giraffes. I would not have gotten it if had to be ridden at a standard seat height all the time. Riding it in mini mode is the purpose for the uni. Unlike Roger, I know exactly where my seat extension is and I do ride it more often with the extension than without, but it is when riding in mini mode that I’m reminded of why I bought it.
The UK mini giraffe has really short cranks. I’m not sure how short, but they are less than 100 mm. Shorter cranks are better when in mini mode. It might require specially modified short cranks as an option for people who really want to ride it in mini mode. People who want to ride it with the extension all the time might prefer slightly longer cranks.
A mini should be viewed as a novelty unicycle. Something fun to play on for its novelty, not because it’s practical.
your avoiding the not so obvious fault of technic gbarnes,he can jump higher because he is jumping to the right with his left hand on seat(body open).you are jumping to the left with left hand on seat.(body closed)
try it this way(open body) and in time you will see that its alot harder to jump left while holding left(closed body).its also alot harder to extend the uni to meet the obsticle that way.its good to know how to hop with both hands but if you want maximum height and distance your gonna have to switch hands and open your body.
P.S. your handle is going on a year soon and still strong as ever.(knock on wood)
Good advice, I suspect you’ve hit the nail on the head. I was going to reply after I tried it, and I haven’t had a chance to yet. I’ll let you know how it goes.
with bigger gaps and drop offs