gringomojado

How many of you cyclists committed or otherwise own and ride a unicycle?

I won't ask about tricycles (too common)!

gm

LV2TNDM

Riding a unicycle had always been on my "to-do" list. As a pretty dedicated cyclist, I felt it was something I had to master. So a couple of months before my 50th birthday, I committed to learning. I spent about 45 minutes every day and by day eight, I could ride about 20'. At day 12, I was riding unassisted. Not pretty, but unassisted. That was almost six years ago.

The only problem with riding a unicycle is that people expect you to juggle! What gives? Now I have to learn THAT too! Sheesh!

phughes

I ride one.

UniChris

I tried a bike once this summer, it was wierd.

Other than that, all uni.

Mostly the 36er, since it starts to have enough gear inches that I can actually go places with it.

I try to stay at a 10-12.5 mph speed where I could run out the rare unrecoverable mistake staying on my feet. My nephew is now faster over short distances on his bike but doesn't yet have the consistency to hold a pace so I can still bring him along on 10-20 mile rail trail rides. The 40-100 mile ones are and will probably always will remain solo.

Unicycle saddles are much less comfortable, traditionally you really sat "in" them. Like many today my distance unicycle is set up with a flat saddle - it still has a nose/waist so you can briefly ride no hands, but its really made to be used by pushing yourself back on it against a handle bar that projects forward and has a couple of bar ends spaced close enough that you go around rather than "over" them in an oops. Still even with chamois, chamous cream, etc saddle area pressure and chafing are the main limits to endurance, riding consecutive days for a tour, etc. Though touring contemplations also invoke cargo capacity; I rely on a backpack though have managed to get two bottles, tools, and light batteries on the frame.

wolfchild

Unicycles are for circus clowns to entertain people, they have no business riding on roads

wolfchild

Trikes are common ??...where ???

Siu Blue Wind

They do great off road though. But of course, don't be entertained by this.

UniChris

In terms of cyclists who don't identify as "bi" we'd have to start by recognizing that tadpole trikes are the most widely seen recumbent platform. Adult/industrial plant upright tricycles are seen from time to time, too.

And while theres undoubtably some experiential expertise in riding them well (cornering, obstacles, not running over your legs, visibilty) theres also a basic reality that anyone can get on and give them a tentative go.
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​​​​​​As for trolling, if you do a poll of drivers, the most popular (if ignorant) opinion would be that it's bikes that "don't belong on the road"

gringomojado

just one/

gm

gringomojado

Not counting toddlers, I have seen trikes in Chicago and on the trails, my wife has one too, but never seen a uni 'cept in the circus!
gm

UniChris

Not counting those I coordinated to meet up with, I've seen an average of slightly less than one other a year.

Even upright trikes outnumber that. And I don't count tadpoles.

...course I've also crossed the Brooklyn Bridge in a group of fifty or so that went the whole way to Coney Island.