Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Road Cycling
Reload this Page >

Top 10 steepest streets in San Francisco... On a unicycle!

Search
Notices
Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Top 10 steepest streets in San Francisco... On a unicycle!

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 07-14-21, 01:12 PM
  #1  
UniGeezer
Not "2" Tired
Thread Starter
 
UniGeezer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Redondo Beach, CA
Posts: 460
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 16 Post(s)
Liked 28 Times in 12 Posts
Top 10 steepest streets in San Francisco... On a unicycle!

This was the most difficult unicycling challenge I've ever attempted, and definitely a personal record for me. The climbs ranged from 31% to a seemingly impossible 41% grade! And to be honest, after the very first climb I wasn't sure if I would have enough stamina to do even two more climbs let alone nine more, so I think it was mostly sheer will power and adrenaline that kept me going! There's a pretty good chance that you will "feel my pain" watching this video...👍🙂

UniGeezer is offline  
Old 07-14-21, 02:21 PM
  #2  
chaadster
Thread Killer
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 12,435

Bikes: 15 Kinesis Racelight 4S, 76 Motebecane Gran Jubilée, 17 Dedacciai Gladiatore2, 12 Breezer Venturi, 09 Dahon Mariner, 12 Mercier Nano, 95 DeKerf Team SL, 19 Tern Rally, 21 Breezer Doppler Cafe+, 19 T-Lab X3, 91 Serotta CII, 23 3T Strada

Mentioned: 30 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3136 Post(s)
Liked 1,704 Times in 1,029 Posts
Pain? You made it look easy! Kudos!
chaadster is online now  
Likes For chaadster:
Old 07-14-21, 02:59 PM
  #3  
UniGeezer
Not "2" Tired
Thread Starter
 
UniGeezer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Redondo Beach, CA
Posts: 460
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 16 Post(s)
Liked 28 Times in 12 Posts
Originally Posted by chaadster
Pain? You made it look easy! Kudos!
haha, thanks Chaadster. But it was I was definitely hurting even though you might not be able to see it. Mostly the lactic acid building up about halfway up each of the longer climbs. But just had to push through it because I didn't want have to do it over again! 😁
UniGeezer is offline  
Old 07-14-21, 06:45 PM
  #4  
TiHabanero
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 4,462
Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1744 Post(s)
Liked 1,370 Times in 719 Posts
STUD. Period. Back in the day I climbed those hills on two wheels and they were a total bear, and doubly hard when the frame flex kept shifting the rear derailleur. No way could I ever think it can be done on a unicycle, however you just did! BRAVO!
TiHabanero is offline  
Likes For TiHabanero:
Old 07-15-21, 10:05 PM
  #5  
veganbikes
Clark W. Griswold
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 13,516

Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26

Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4350 Post(s)
Liked 3,989 Times in 2,663 Posts
This is a bike forum...gotta have two wheel

That was awesome. A true feat. 10 steep climbs on a unicycle is just crazy but you did it. I would have fallen off by the first one and curled up in a fetal position at the 41% grade.
veganbikes is offline  
Likes For veganbikes:
Old 07-16-21, 05:13 PM
  #6  
Kimmo
Senior Member
 
Kimmo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Melbourne, Oz
Posts: 9,545

Bikes: https://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=152015&p=1404231

Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1528 Post(s)
Liked 718 Times in 510 Posts
Holy crap, I couldn't even watch it all, too painful! No wonder you're so ripped.

Now, can you go down those hills...? Maybe better not, you'll be ripped in a bad way 😬
​​​​
Kimmo is offline  
Likes For Kimmo:
Old 07-17-21, 07:57 AM
  #7  
Sy Reene
Advocatus Diaboli
 
Sy Reene's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Wherever I am
Posts: 8,635

Bikes: Merlin Cyrene, Nashbar steel CX

Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4733 Post(s)
Liked 1,532 Times in 1,003 Posts
Originally Posted by Kimmo
Holy crap, I couldn't even watch it all, too painful! No wonder you're so ripped.

Now, can you go down those hills...? Maybe better not, you'll be ripped in a bad way 😬
​​​​
no worries, he's got a disc brake
Impressive feat, I woulda thought clipless would help for trying something like this.
Sy Reene is offline  
Likes For Sy Reene:
Old 07-17-21, 11:30 PM
  #8  
SoSmellyAir
Method to My Madness
 
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: Orange County, California
Posts: 3,657

Bikes: Trek FX 2, Cannondale Synapse, Cannondale CAAD4, Santa Cruz Stigmata GRX

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1944 Post(s)
Liked 1,466 Times in 1,015 Posts
San Francisco terrain is crazy and so is Terry!

I have never seen a unicycle with a brake before.
SoSmellyAir is online now  
Likes For SoSmellyAir:
Old 07-18-21, 08:43 PM
  #9  
Mojo31
-------
 
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Tejas
Posts: 12,795
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9653 Post(s)
Liked 6,365 Times in 3,505 Posts
Dayum!
Mojo31 is offline  
Old 07-18-21, 09:38 PM
  #10  
UniGeezer
Not "2" Tired
Thread Starter
 
UniGeezer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Redondo Beach, CA
Posts: 460
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 16 Post(s)
Liked 28 Times in 12 Posts
Originally Posted by Sy Reene
no worries, he's got a disc brake
Impressive feat, I woulda thought clipless would help for trying something like this.
yeah, the ride back down is easy with a brake, and the reward for going up! I have thought about trying clipless but it would always be on my mind that I might not get out in time and face plant! 🥴 So for me it looks like push/push, no pull. 😁
UniGeezer is offline  
Old 07-19-21, 09:20 PM
  #11  
SoSmellyAir
Method to My Madness
 
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: Orange County, California
Posts: 3,657

Bikes: Trek FX 2, Cannondale Synapse, Cannondale CAAD4, Santa Cruz Stigmata GRX

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1944 Post(s)
Liked 1,466 Times in 1,015 Posts
Originally Posted by UniGeezer
yeah, the ride back down is easy with a brake, and the reward for going up!
Do you use the brake to hold during the climb? I can see your hand that is waving around like a matador, but cannot see what your other hand is doing. I don't think the descent is a reward unless the city clears the roads of other traffic.
SoSmellyAir is online now  
Likes For SoSmellyAir:
Old 07-19-21, 10:54 PM
  #12  
rsbob 
Grupetto Bob
 
rsbob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Seattle-ish
Posts: 6,214

Bikes: Bikey McBike Face

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2581 Post(s)
Liked 5,636 Times in 2,920 Posts
Just unreal. The power that takes is off the charts.

Any recumbent owners want to take this guy on? I would imagine it would be about the same degree of difficulty
__________________
Road 🚴🏾‍♂️ & Mountain 🚵🏾‍♂️







rsbob is offline  
Likes For rsbob:
Old 07-22-21, 08:43 AM
  #13  
UniGeezer
Not "2" Tired
Thread Starter
 
UniGeezer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Redondo Beach, CA
Posts: 460
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 16 Post(s)
Liked 28 Times in 12 Posts
Originally Posted by SoSmellyAir
Do you use the brake to hold during the climb? I can see your hand that is waving around like a matador, but cannot see what your other hand is doing. I don't think the descent is a reward unless the city clears the roads of other traffic.
my left hand is holding the lift handle that is attached to the front of the saddle, and just under that is the brake lever. So with a brake I can control my downhill speed, which makes the ride down much easier than going up.

Last edited by UniGeezer; 12-29-21 at 10:28 PM.
UniGeezer is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.