Unicycle Unicycle Triceratops Category="Circus skills"Category="Cycle types"Category="Unicycling"[image] A unicycle is a one-wheeled Human powered vehicle. Unicycles are similar to, but less complex than, bicycles.

Construction

Unicycles are comprised of a few key parts: the wheel, which includes the tire, tube, rim, spokes, hub and axle; the cranks and pedals; the frame; the seatpost; and the saddle. The wheel is the main part of the unicycle; it is basically a bicycle wheel with a special hub that doesn't freewheel, which means the axle can't turn independently of the hub. This makes it so the rotation of the cranks directly control the rotation of the wheel. This is called direct drive. Some modern unicycles are using gears in the hub to increase riding distance. The frame sits on top of the axle, and cranks attach to the ends of the axle. The seatpost links the frame to the saddle. Some modern unicycles are using gears in the hub to increase riding distance, but the basic construction reamains the same, the seat is located on the frame and the frame sits above the wheel.

Riding

Riding a unicycle typically takes between 5 and 10 hours of practise time to learn to ride forwards with some control, unless one has an inherent natural ability for riding one. Mastery of the skill however takes a lifetime as there are always new things to learn. Compared to a Bicycle, although the rider must maintain balance in two dimensions rather than one it is not a great deal harder to learn (although stabilisers are not an option). At slower speeds steering motions need to be exaggerated to achieve the same angle of turn as at higher speed. The biggest problem for beginners is mounting unaided(freemounting) and this can take a number of days to learn the basics of but due to the number of different mounts it can take a long time to learn them all.

Balancing a Robotic unicycle or a Eunicycle forms an interesting problem in Control theory.

History

Unicycles are thought to descend from the Penny-farthing bicycles of the late 19th century. These bicycles had a large wheel in front, to which the pedals were attached, and a much smaller wheel behind for balance. When these bicycles hit a bump, or the rider attempted to slow suddenly, the rear wheel would come off the ground, forcing the rider to balance on one wheel. Early unicycle photographs, which show unicycles with very large wheels, support this explanation.

Theory

A unicycle is a Nonholonomic system because its outcome is path-dependent.

Recent developments

In recent years unicycles have gained a following as a means of everyday Transport. Unicycling has also gained popularity as a Sport. The annual national NAUCC and bi-annual world championship Unicon hold Unicycle races. Riding a unicycle in off-Road conditions is known as Mountain unicycling, commonly called MUni. In Unicycle trials the unicyclist aims to negotiate a series of obstacles, usually done by hopping, without any part of the rider touching the ground or using the hand to grasp onto an obstacle. Freestyle Unicycling contains a style of tricks similar to those seen in Skateboarding, aggressive in-line skating, BMX, and freestyle biking including jumps, spins, and grinds. The newest style of riding is Street unicycling. It is a mix of Unicycle trials and freestyle unicycling. It consists of stair riding, jumps, grinds, spins, and rail riding usually on urban obstacles.

Unicycle hockey

Unicycle Hockey is a growing niche sport, with 5 members on each team and played with ice-hockey sticks and a street hockey ball or a deadened tennis ball as favoured by the Germans (some clubs have been known to use a puck). A league operates in Germany/Switzerland; in other countries, clubs typically meet and play individually, and competitively at Uni and club meets and conventions. The world championships take place at the biennial Unicon event.

International rules: /~sander/uni/iuf_03e.html

Variations

Municycle-meant for off roroad riding typically for going through rubble.rocks,tree roots, and dirt paths, also have thick wheels and light frames direction. The rider of a kangaroo unicycle appears to be hopping about like a Kangaroo, hence the name.

External links

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