[Closed] Commuting by unicycle, pros/cons?

Easy to carry, walk with AND people look at you

I'm obviously being a bit dumb here but how do disk brakes work on a unicycle?

I'm obviously being a bit dumb here but how do disk brakes work on a unicycle?

Same as any other bike although guess you wouldn't want to be slamming them on as you would faceplant

I'm obviously being a bit dumb here but how do disk brakes work on a unicycle?

[url= http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/showthread.php?t=111220 ]http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/showthread.php?t=111220[/url]

Just make sure you clear your browser history

Years ago I used to work in Moorgate/ Liverpool St area of London and there used to be a guy that rode a unicycle about but with a full pin stripe suit, bowler hat and a brolly under his arm.

There is a young lad though called Ed Pratt currently unicycling around the world, very interesting to follow and he is raising money, i think that riding a unicycle means that he is forced to interact with others a lot more as they are amused/interested about what he is doing. Really interesting to follow as he is currently in rural China

You can take them on buses, trains and into buildings where bikes aren't allowed. You can usually get away with riding on the pavement too although less so with a 36". Good exercise without being much slower than a bike. Biggest negative is probably the inability to freewheel downhill. In fact without a brake downhill is almost as hard on the legs as uphill. Just another form of transport with pros and cons

But no better than a Brompton or fixie?

But no better than a Brompton or fixie?

And no doubt it will be everyones fault but his own when he puts himself under a car due to lack of control.

And no doubt it will be everyones fault but his own when he puts himself under a car due to lack of control.

If it's the chap I've seen he's bloody quick on it. I have nothing further to add.

I thought about a unicycle for my trip to the train when I was train commuting, kind of like a brompton but without the faff of folding.

I decided against it when I realised that people might want to talk to me about it.

No ta.

A unicycle can be a surprisingly useful form of transport; you can take it on trains and buses, hang it off the back of a shopping trolley in a supermarket or just carry it round shops, it takes very little space to store, there's very little to go wrong, they're much cheaper than any folding bike and you can carry a bag in each hand while riding.

You can also stop in place, turn on the spot, go backwards, mount or dismount without breaking step, jump sideways and your head is much higher up than it would be on a bike so visibility is better.

As prawny says, by far the biggest disadvantage is the people who somehow think you're doing it for their entertainment. They can all sod off.

My mate commutes to Leeds fire station on his unicycle but he's mad

You can also stop in place, turn on the spot, go backwards, mount or dismount without breaking step, jump sideways and your head is much higher up than it would be on a bike so visibility is better.

Sweeping rant against unicyclists based on an anecdote and a sample size of one :

I once got caught in a pack of riders on an MTB ride who were all clumped up on a narrow but fairly technically straightforward section. At first I couldn't figure out what the problem was, thinking there must be a huge tree across the track or something that everyone had to dismount to get past. As I finally got closer the "obstacle" The reason was a muppet who was doing that ride on an all-terrain unicycle. Except he couldn't ride it for shit. Every time there was a 2 foot high mound to climb up or a 2 inch high root to get over he'd come off it, giving one or two of the pack of riders a couple of seconds to get past him while he got back on. It was a 45k ride and I think it was going to take him about a fortnight. Asshat.

Seen a chap on the train this morning between headingley and Harrogate, if you know him/it's you

I've seen (presumably) the same guy flying past our house a few times.
On the hill down from Headingley to Kirkstall, he gets some serious speed going, and the disk brake must work well, because there is a major junction at the bottom the hill, and he's not dead 😆

[img] [/img]

looks like you are grabbing your privates when hopping up a kerb.

an advantage or disadvantage depending on your outlook on life

Good exercise without being much slower than a bike. Biggest negative is probably the inability to freewheel downhill.

Presumably with a disk brake you can get a model that allows you to freewheel downhill?

Aye that's him, overheard him chatting to a mate about being in kirkstall.

At least he's riding it, rather than just posing!

That could well be my mate nealglover as the fire station is at the bottom end of Kirkstall road

Tye chap i sit next to at work sometimes commutes in on his unicycle,it 13 miles each way

I think hes nuts.

Blue 'frame'/forks, orange pedals?

Though was going from headingley to Harrogate this morning?

There's a chap in Edinburgh who I pass regularly on his unicycle. I guess it's not a lot different to a bike, but it looks awfy precarious in traffic. As in, he's using one of the busiest roads in the city centre. Each to their own but it doesn't seem well placed amongst traffic.

And no doubt it will be everyones fault but his own when he puts himself under a car due to lack of control.

Each to their own but it doesn't seem well placed amongst traffic.

sounds like hard work tbh but I guess with a decent sized wheel it's a fair bit quicker than walking.

And no doubt it will be everyones fault but his own when he puts himself under a car due to lack of control.

Ok, As we are playing guessing games based on zero knowledge....

I would say fairly confidently, the guy I see coming down the hill in Kirkstall has way more skill and control on his unicycle, than you do on your bike.

Good excuse to wear a top hat?

I bet they don't even pay road tax

For those fancying a dabble in unicycling:

[url= http://www.worldunicycletour.com/about/ ]Ed Pratt round the worl on a Unicycle[/url]