unicycle
unicymle
unicymple
sunicymple
suniymple
sunimple
simple!
by Joel Penson
Unicycling
Yes, well it may look different, but that is only because when you look at a unicyclist,
you are actually projecting your schema, or paradyme, of a cyclist, which for at least 99.9999%
of people just happens to be a two-wheeler, or bicyclist. Hence you wonder where the other wheel is,
and for those who do not think before speaking, blurt out "wheres the other wheel"...
GET OVER IT! I have not lost a wheel, instead I thoroughly enjoy the challenge of
unicycling and all of the improvements in personal traits associated with spending hours and hours failing,
only to find success!
It took me a month of afternoons in mid 1998 to be able to ride a unicycle indefinately. I was inspired by
a friend who could ride to the end of the street and back without a dismount, SIMPLY AMAZING!
Since then I have managed to ride a 24" for 50km with no dismount, and also ridden in some wild places...
Styles of unicycling I have tried include:
I mostly enjoy distance riding. I find that when I go out for a long ride, my mind doesn't have much of a chance to wander, as I need to keep focussed (particularly on the geared unicycle which has about an inch of play between the 2 chains).
As a result I tend to have more intense thoughts when riding compared to when I run a similar distance.
On 3rd February 2003 I completed a 1200km unicycle ride around Tasmania. I averaged 75km/day for 3 weeks. 2 other unicyclists from the USA participated in the ride. It was an extremely challenging event, and I learnt a lot about myself during this epic journey.
You can read more on my One Wheel One World page.
On 18th November 2001 I became the first unicyclist to complete the 50km RTA Cycle Sydney, and raised around $400 for the Heart Foundation in the process.
This ride starts in North Sydney, goes over the Harbour Bridge, then winds its way out to Paramatta along great cycleways.
I got soaked through after the first 10min riding, but dried out as I headed west and the weather cleared up.
Click on the image to the left to read the article about me in the Wollongong Advertiser.
My most recent achievement was riding from Crown Street traffic lights up to the retaurant on Mt Keira
and back without a dismount. Time taken up was 37min, and a total elevation
of 460m up and down. I have found out since that to go only to the Queen Elizabeth Drive turnoff in 30.5min is not far from an elite cyclists time (24min).
Before that I had unicycled Mt Keira in 49min from the lights on Crown St to the restaurant.
I completed that ride on my 21st birthday, and felt very happy with the achievement! Riding up the last very steep section was the hardest I had ever pushed myself up to that time, including any level of climbing or running or whatever!
November 1999 I became the first person to ride in the 58km
Sydney to Gong ride for MS. I managed to not dismount for 50km which took 4 hrs.
I needed a 2min stretch then got back on and rode the remaining 8km to the finish line.
I was very happy with that result considering I hadn't ridden for a few weeks prior,
and had a bouldering competition the night before.
When I have a wheel size larger than 24" I will try the whole 92km!
I have practiced a lot on Mt Keria in Wollongong, and in the bush at Bowral, which is great fun, but going out for a whole day can be a real challenge!
8 December 2002 I rode to the highest point of the Australian mainland from Charlotts Pass to Mt Kosciuszco.
It is only about 10km, with a really steep section at the end. Some very strong headwinds on the way up made it tough going, but the road completed a nice switchback to give me a bit of a tailwind by the end. The view was absolutely spectacular.
Time to get to the top: 1hr 13min. Time to descend: 58min. Although I did have to dismount a couple of times on the way up, the descent was completed with no dismount.
I believe this not only makes me the first person to unicycle Mt Kosciuoszco, but maybe also the first to complete a full ascent and descent of the highest point of a continent on a unicycle...?
On May 27th 2001 Gabe Holmic and I rode the six foot track from Jenolan to Katoomba.
It is 46km, with a change in elevation of about 3000m (2mile) over its duration.
We believe we are the second team to complete this on a unicycle, and have the fastest time of 10.5hrs,
compared with 2 guys from Canberra (James and Andrew) who did the ride over 2 days in 1999.
On 10/11 March 2001 Gabe Holmic and I became the first riders to complete the Australian Polaris Challenge whilst riding unicycles. Go to the MUni polaris website here.
This rather large puddle is at the Wolgan Valley and was conquered during a climbing trip at the end of 1999. Jo Gifkins also had a shot at it but wasn't so successful (I wish I had a photo of the result!)
I have been unicycling since 1998 now and am at about level 5 (of 10). This means I can mount 3 different ways, ride forwards, backwards, 1 footed, in small figure of 8's, seat out in front (holding onto it, sitting on nothing), off gutters, up gutters (sometimes), hop, 360 degree spin, idle, idle 1footed with foot off frame, pirouette off a solid object, and dismount gracefully. I can also walk the wheel on a good day, and skip and juggle simultaneously, and pass clubs on a giraffe.
July 2004- the 12th international unicycling convention (Unicon 12) was held in Tokyo, Japan from 23rd July until 1st August. It was a great chance to see some fantastic unicycling, meet international unicyclists and experience the culture of Japan.
I competed in the non-standard wheel 10km marathon and hockey. I came 6th in the 10km, and managed to score a goal against our german opponents in hockey (they still thrashed us by 24 points!).
Read more about my experience on my Japan Holiday page.
The inaugural Australian Unicycling Nationals were held in Canberra over the October 2001 long weekend. About 75 unicyclists turned up for the event, and it was a huge success. At last the Australian unicycling community is getting it's act together!
I achieved the following places: In this picture I am 2nd from the left. The guy to the left is Javier Ruiz who is the best unicyclist in the world, is from Peurto Rico, and seems to have his head together on helping this troubled world out.
October 2003. Although I had injured my back the week before, I attended the unicycling nationals in Canberra and caught up with friends. I had a great time at the "Austin Powers Goldmember" themed party on the Saturday night dressed as Goldmember!
It was good to see a progression of the abilities and age groups participating in this years UniNats.
Here I am unicycling on my home turf of the jugglers
lawn at uni. I have spent a great deal of time refining my unicycling ability here
and wish that I could spend a lot more time doing so.
The jugglers lawn again attempting
to ride my unicycle on a tightrope. I managed 1 or 2 peddles I think before flying to one side, and my
unicycle being catapulted to the other! People were warned to stand well clear.
Mid 2000. Backstage after performing at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre as part of a production by Debbies Dance Studio (Albion Park).
This was the largest audience I have perfomed in front of- about 700.
It was a success, with Neil Keyzer not dropping a club with the juggling, and I didn't dismount when unicycling.
Other performance I have done include roaming entertainment in shopping centres, and performances with Wollongong Youth Circus- Cirkus Elixir.
I think ideally you only need a 20" for skills, 24" for sports, 26" for off road and a 28" for cruising. As can be seen above, I thoroughly enjoy the variety of unicycling available. As at 2007 I am selling my snow (Mountain) Uni and green 28" cruiser. If anyone has a standard unicycle they would like to trade, I am happy to accomodate.
This unicycle was designed in mid 2001 primarily to go in snow, but the frame performs equally well for Mountain Unicycling.
You cant see in this photo, but the tyre has metal spikes embedded in it. Additionally Gabe Holmic put about 200 self tapping screws through it so it sounds great on tarmac!
We were hoping to ride down Mt Kosciosco but were not allowed on the ski-lifts with our unis. Bummer. It was still fun to slalom on 1 wheel.
This unicycle was build by Keith McKay in about 1999. Click the image to read the article about his unicycle. He built and learnt to unicycle with no support at age 65, and designed and built this geared uni not long after.
I believe that this is the only geared unicycle of this design in the world (as opposed to a sturmey archer type deisgn which I have read about in America on the internet). Keiths second design (below) has been tried in the US in the past. It is the same priciple as his initial green design, however all of the gearing remains below the level of the tyre.
Practice
On a Rope!
Performance
I have a few different unicycles, including:
Snow Unicycle
A Geared Unicycle!
Keith has made another attempt at a geared unicycle , and this one is MUCH smoother than his original green machine. I didn't even see this new version until the Oct 2003 UNINATS in Canberra. I now regularly see Keith riding on the footpath at Coniston with this one.
The solid spokes reduce the hub diameter. The gearing system is all contained below the height of the tyre, with a similar design to the green machine with the hub turning independantly of the axle. I think Keith has it at 1:1.66 i.e. you peddle once, and the wheel rotates 1.66 times.
I began building this recumbent unicycle the day after the RTA Cycle Sydney (19 November 2001). I was pretty inspired after that ride to make a unicycle that can comfortably travel a LONG distance.
I have been dreaming of having a recumbent since seeing a picture of one on John Foss's webpage which is owned by a german guy.
Not since meeting Keith have I had the resources to put one together. This one will be unique also in that I have reversed the frame in relation to Eric Kolbs design, to place the rider much lower and closer to the wheel, however after many hours practice I could not ride it more than several metres. Chain derailment proved to be quite a problem. I think the next prototype will not be so low to the ground.
Keith yet again came to the party and made some fantastic plates to go within the plywood of a custom ultimate wheel. These plates allow crank lengths top be changed from 5inch, to 4inch, to 3inch!. When set to the 3" (74mm) mode even a very mild rise is enough to cause it to stall. It is fun to ride, and more manouvrable than I initially though it would be. I have sewed nylon tape fabric onto the walls of the tyre to reduce the friction, but at the end of the day, 100mm ag-pipe with a cut length wise then wrapped around the lower legs seems to work the best.
I have always thought that the BC wheel really was an impossible wheel. I thought that I would have one built which would make it easiest to begin learning. It has platforms low to the ground, and a frame right over the wheel to stop my leg from rubbing on the wheel. This frame is aluminium plate, it has been bent in 3 corners, and welded in 1. There is some flex inward towards the wheel at the bottom but this doesn't hinder travel. I had only tried it tamely next to a fence a couple of times, then in June 2007 with the help of scott griffen unicycling backwards to tow me along, I could go along smoothly. I could complete 3/4 of a basketball court independantly from a push start within an hour. It does feel quite unique, though I am not sure if it could be sustained for any significant distance. A great unicycling novelty none-the-less.
For a short (1min) video of me being towed and coasting on the wheel, click here (BCwheel.mov, 4MB, 1min low resolution ).