Geared Unicycle vs Bikes!
#1
Not "2" Tired
Thread Starter
Geared Unicycle vs Bikes!
Had a blast trying to keep up with bikes! Even in high gear hitting close to 18 mph I lose, but it was fun trying!
First up is on the bike path, then on the trail:
First up is on the bike path, then on the trail:
#2
Don't make me sing!
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Western PA
Posts: 1,022
Bikes: 2013 Specialized Crosstrail Elite, 1986 Centurion Elite RS, Diamondback hardtail MTB, '70s Fuji Special Road Racer, 2012 Raleigh Revenio 2.0, 1992 Trek 1000
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 308 Post(s)
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Looks like fun!
#4
Me duelen las nalgas
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 13,361
Bikes: Centurion Ironman, Trek 5900, Univega Via Carisma, Globe Carmel
Mentioned: 196 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4461 Post(s)
Liked 2,566 Times
in
1,668 Posts
I like the idea of having a good excuse for holding the nose of my saddle like I'm a bull rider. And 8 seconds is about all I could manage on a unicycle.
#5
Senior Member
Dude! Crazy! Looks like so much fun!
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 5,747
Bikes: 2015 Charge Plug, 2007 Dahon Boardwalk, 1997 Nishiki Blazer, 1984 Nishiki International, 2006 Felt F65
Mentioned: 53 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1303 Post(s)
Liked 1,437 Times
in
717 Posts
Your videos are amazing!
#8
Let's do a Century
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 8,309
Bikes: Cervelo R3 Disc, Pinarello Prince/Campy SR; Cervelo R3/Sram Red; Trek 5900/Duraace, Lynskey GR260 Ultegra
Mentioned: 58 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 648 Post(s)
Liked 866 Times
in
404 Posts
Path way too busy for my liking. Give me my rural roads with pastures, cows and horses!!
__________________
Ride your Ride!!
Ride your Ride!!
#9
feros ferio
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: www.ci.encinitas.ca.us
Posts: 21,267
Bikes: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo; 1960 Capo Sieger (2); 1962 Carlton Franco Suisse; 1970 Peugeot UO-8; 1982 Bianchi Campione d'Italia; 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10;
Mentioned: 41 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1242 Post(s)
Liked 895 Times
in
604 Posts
Anyone who can balance a unicycle is a better man than I am.
__________________
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: southeastern PA - a mile west of Philadelphia
Posts: 430
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
As always UniGeezer, your videos are a hoot to view.
I honestly can’t imagine myself going 18 MPH on a unicycle (foreseeing myself doing a horribly disfiguring face-plant). You, however, make it look so easy!
A couple questions for you:
1. What’s the weight of your “geared” unicycle?
2. What are the weights of your lightest & heaviest unicycles?
I honestly can’t imagine myself going 18 MPH on a unicycle (foreseeing myself doing a horribly disfiguring face-plant). You, however, make it look so easy!
A couple questions for you:
1. What’s the weight of your “geared” unicycle?
2. What are the weights of your lightest & heaviest unicycles?
#15
Not "2" Tired
Thread Starter
As always UniGeezer, your videos are a hoot to view.
I honestly can’t imagine myself going 18 MPH on a unicycle (foreseeing myself doing a horribly disfiguring face-plant). You, however, make it look so easy!
A couple questions for you:
1. What’s the weight of your “geared” unicycle?
2. What are the weights of your lightest & heaviest unicycles?
I honestly can’t imagine myself going 18 MPH on a unicycle (foreseeing myself doing a horribly disfiguring face-plant). You, however, make it look so easy!
A couple questions for you:
1. What’s the weight of your “geared” unicycle?
2. What are the weights of your lightest & heaviest unicycles?
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: southeastern PA - a mile west of Philadelphia
Posts: 430
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Thanks Gnosis! Well, the 26er geared is about 17 lbs, with the internal geared hub adding about 1 extra pound of rotating weight, vs a non-geared standard hub. The lightest uni I own is a 24" "ultra climber" which I built using the lightest and strongest materials. It tips the scales at just a hair over 10 lbs. Heaviest is my 36er touring uni which includes T-handle and aero bars plus Shimano V brake. The tire alone weighs close to 4 lbs, with the tube a close second at almost 3 lbs! This uni weighs in at about 19 lbs.
I wish I lived in your vicinity so we could go for a ride now and then to share a few laughs. We both have lots of energy to burn for our age.
Keep the videos coming!
#17
Not "2" Tired
Thread Starter
Roughly 10 to 19 pounds is somewhat lighter than I’d have guessed. In any case, you make unicycling appear so natural, easy, and fun, which is saying something at your 60 years of age. (I turn 60 in a couple months.)
I wish I lived in your vicinity so we could go for a ride now and then to share a few laughs. We both have lots of energy to burn for our age.
Keep the videos coming!
I wish I lived in your vicinity so we could go for a ride now and then to share a few laughs. We both have lots of energy to burn for our age.
Keep the videos coming!
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: southeastern PA - a mile west of Philadelphia
Posts: 430
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Every time I watch your unicycling videos, I find myself thinking, “Man, look at him go!!!” I don’t see a 60-year-old guy riding those unicycles, but instead, I see what appears to be a “supercharged teenager.” It always brings a smile to my face.
It seems those unicycles are your fountain of youth (and they're doing a fine job of keeping you young and highly energized)…

#19
Not "2" Tired
Thread Starter
UniGeezer, if I can ever traverse the distance of the states (and I’d like to someday via bicycle), I’d gladly give you a shout.
Every time I watch your unicycling videos, I find myself thinking, “Man, look at him go!!!” I don’t see a 60-year-old guy riding those unicycles, but instead, I see what appears to be a “supercharged teenager.” It always brings a smile to my face.
It seems those unicycles are your fountain of youth (and they're doing a fine job of keeping you young and highly energized)…
Every time I watch your unicycling videos, I find myself thinking, “Man, look at him go!!!” I don’t see a 60-year-old guy riding those unicycles, but instead, I see what appears to be a “supercharged teenager.” It always brings a smile to my face.
It seems those unicycles are your fountain of youth (and they're doing a fine job of keeping you young and highly energized)…

#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: southeastern PA - a mile west of Philadelphia
Posts: 430
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Thanks Gnosis! Funny you mention "unicycles are your fountain of youth" as I've said that very thing for years, believing that it has helped so many people to get in great shape, lose weight, improve focus and overall well being. (Of course, the same can be said for biking and most sports that people are passionate about.) 

My father presumed it would be easier to pedal a unicycle 100 miles compared to a typical two-wheeled bicycle simply because the unicycle can be made lighter. However, I was quick to remind him that a unicyclist never gets the opportunity to rest their legs while in motion because their legs are constantly powering the unicyclist while additionally maintaining their balance (my legs burn just thinking about it). I can’t imagine pedaling a unicycle 100 miles for that fact alone.
Naturally, if I could actually ride a unicycle (though I’ve never had the opportunity to try, so I’m a face-plant just waiting to happen

So I give you a TON of credit for keeping the old “pork pistons” in constant motion as you do over the distances that you’ve traversed particularly at the speeds you tend to maintain. You’re my unicycling hero!
As a child, I remember watching some of the talent shows that would occasionally feature a unicyclist, but they never had to pedal far nor pedal fast on stage. I never imagined anyone would travel as far and as fast as you have on a unicycle. There may be others that have also traversed long distances on a unicycle, but one thing’s a certainty; unicyclists are unique and their numbers are small relative to us two-wheeled bicyclists.
On the 32 miles of the Schuylkill River Trail (SRT)—which I commenced riding mid summer of last summer—I encountered a wide variety of interesting human powered vehicles; arm powered, arm & leg powered, a back-to-back bike (one facing forward, the other facing rearward), pedal cars, trikes, recumbents and even a dual recumbent, but I’ve yet to encounter a single unicyclist on the SRT or for that matter, anywhere else in my 11,649 miles of bicycling. Needless to say, I really look forward to viewing your videos and thanks for posting them for us!
Stay safe out there and as always, enjoy your riding adventures.
#21
Not "2" Tired
Thread Starter
My bikes are surely my fountain of youth. They brought me back from the severity of my heart attack (incurred at age 53, but I wasn’t well enough to attempt bicycling until age 20 months later in mid April of 2011 at age 55).
My father presumed it would be easier to pedal a unicycle 100 miles compared to a typical two-wheeled bicycle simply because the unicycle can be made lighter. However, I was quick to remind him that a unicyclist never gets the opportunity to rest their legs while in motion because their legs are constantly powering the unicyclist while additionally maintaining their balance (my legs burn just thinking about it). I can’t imagine pedaling a unicycle 100 miles for that fact alone.
Naturally, if I could actually ride a unicycle (though I’ve never had the opportunity to try, so I’m a face-plant just waiting to happen
), I could take breaks here and there to give the old “pork pistons” a break as needed over my long distance rides, but that comes at the cost of extending one’s trip time (hence, burning valuable daylight). Conversely, when I’m riding a typical two-wheeled bike, I can take occasional momentary “coasting breaks” (which don’t bite into my trip time) and I can even achieve some fairly high descent speeds (52.6 MPH my highest descent speed thus far) without pedaling at all during those mountainous high-speed descents.
So I give you a TON of credit for keeping the old “pork pistons” in constant motion as you do over the distances that you’ve traversed particularly at the speeds you tend to maintain. You’re my unicycling hero!
As a child, I remember watching some of the talent shows that would occasionally feature a unicyclist, but they never had to pedal far nor pedal fast on stage. I never imagined anyone would travel as far and as fast as you have on a unicycle. There may be others that have also traversed long distances on a unicycle, but one thing’s a certainty; unicyclists are unique and their numbers are small relative to us two-wheeled bicyclists.
On the 32 miles of the Schuylkill River Trail (SRT)—which I commenced riding mid summer of last summer—I encountered a wide variety of interesting human powered vehicles; arm powered, arm & leg powered, a back-to-back bike (one facing forward, the other facing rearward), pedal cars, trikes, recumbents and even a dual recumbent, but I’ve yet to encounter a single unicyclist on the SRT or for that matter, anywhere else in my 11,649 miles of bicycling. Needless to say, I really look forward to viewing your videos and thanks for posting them for us!
Stay safe out there and as always, enjoy your riding adventures.
My father presumed it would be easier to pedal a unicycle 100 miles compared to a typical two-wheeled bicycle simply because the unicycle can be made lighter. However, I was quick to remind him that a unicyclist never gets the opportunity to rest their legs while in motion because their legs are constantly powering the unicyclist while additionally maintaining their balance (my legs burn just thinking about it). I can’t imagine pedaling a unicycle 100 miles for that fact alone.
Naturally, if I could actually ride a unicycle (though I’ve never had the opportunity to try, so I’m a face-plant just waiting to happen

So I give you a TON of credit for keeping the old “pork pistons” in constant motion as you do over the distances that you’ve traversed particularly at the speeds you tend to maintain. You’re my unicycling hero!
As a child, I remember watching some of the talent shows that would occasionally feature a unicyclist, but they never had to pedal far nor pedal fast on stage. I never imagined anyone would travel as far and as fast as you have on a unicycle. There may be others that have also traversed long distances on a unicycle, but one thing’s a certainty; unicyclists are unique and their numbers are small relative to us two-wheeled bicyclists.
On the 32 miles of the Schuylkill River Trail (SRT)—which I commenced riding mid summer of last summer—I encountered a wide variety of interesting human powered vehicles; arm powered, arm & leg powered, a back-to-back bike (one facing forward, the other facing rearward), pedal cars, trikes, recumbents and even a dual recumbent, but I’ve yet to encounter a single unicyclist on the SRT or for that matter, anywhere else in my 11,649 miles of bicycling. Needless to say, I really look forward to viewing your videos and thanks for posting them for us!
Stay safe out there and as always, enjoy your riding adventures.