Unicycling Training Wheels System

most people here would not reccommend a training wheel system, as it
only hinders getting the feel for balance.

Not to discourage you from your project at all! It's a good idea, and
if it appealed to non-riders to get them to learn, then power to it!
There are already many ideas out for unicycle training wheels though,
so do some research. You may get some good ideas and stuff from
previous designs.

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oh yeah yeah i thought bhout the whole balance thing, an thats why i
think im gunna make it so that u can lower the whole thing so that u
have to actually kinda lean over if u need something to lean on, or if
u are really in trouble.

An the problem bout having something sturdy? thats why im trying to
work out some way of having brakes for it, so you can have a sturdy
object when u are starting or off balance, yet able to roll when u are
on the move.

thanks for the feedback guys, it will help heaps. what other systems
are there? ive had a look but i could find any that werent just
bicycles, apart from some really [censored] patents...

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Tom Miller has a 2 wheeled unicycle. The wheels are just a couple of
inches apart. I helped teach a boy to ride a unicycle in an afternoon.
He started on the 2 wheel and when he got is front to back balance,
started on a 1 wheel.

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kokomojuggler said:

Tom Miller has a 2 wheeled unicycle. The wheels are just a couple of
inches apart.

An older version of this, owned by Al Hemminger, has the wheels about
six inches apart. A great learning tool for unicyclists, I even have a
picture of Mrs. Hemminger sitting on it. She never learned to ride. I
highly recommend trying one of those for your project. The nerdly name
for it is "dicycle."

Using support devices in front of the rider leads to bad riding
posture. The riders seem to end up with a bent-forward riding posture
and have a much harder time overcoming the bad posture than people who
learned by other means. Lowering the handle level on your "walker"
would make this worse.

Build a dicycle. Here's a picture of a basic one.[image:
http://www.unicycling.com/garage/pix/DICYCLE.JPG] This was the
prototype of the fancier one Tom Miller made later on. It was assembled
from two basic Japanese 70's unicycles. the same could probably be done
with two unicycles with Torker-style bearing holders. On this "budget"
version there's nothing to keep the wheels together, so there is a
tendency for the cranks to both end up at the bottom. You'd have to
correct this to make it a good training uni.

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Are the Hemingers you refer too related to Scott Hemminger? I grew up
with him and a year ago when I saw him in town, I learned he's a
unicyclist. I let him ride my Coker and he let me ride his 6' giraffe.

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you should make it light enough to lift so you are normally not on it
but if you are about to fall it would stop you, that way it doesnt
hinder it infact helps by bringing down the upd number therefore you
put less time into getting back up

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I think the best thing for training would be some sort of portable
wall.

Cause the best thing I've seen for learning is a regular wall.
something you can put your hand on to help balance while you mount or
to help regain your balance.

A wall is better than a rail because you can't really hold onto it.

So the best thing would be some sort of wall that would move along next
to you. but still be sturdy enough to lean on for support.

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ThisGuyIKnow said:

Cause the best thing I've seen for learning is a regular wall.
something you can put your hand on to help balance while you mount or
to help regain your balance.
So the best thing would be some sort of wall that would move along next
to you. but still be sturdy enough to lean on for support.

I totally concur, maybe a wheeled wall that someone else can tow along
for you. it would have to be taller then the person learning so that
they couldn' grab the top and lean. However, I also think the whole
idea is a bit unecesary. Why not just use an actual wall?

😕

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"Jimwahhh" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hey fellas just thought i would get some feedback from unicyclists on a
DT project i am doing for my year 12 major design oroject.

basically the system is kinda be a modified version of those old person
walking frames. im gunna extend it, widen the wheels up so you dont
keep kicking the frame, put rotating wheels on it (posibly with some
form of brakes) an im also gunna make little pads to rest your for arm
on for support an handles to hold on to.

so yeah, any feedback, ideas, whatever.

I don't think in practical terms that it is worth it as a "uni-training"
project. Mainly because it spoils the fun and challenge of learning, which
is a major reasom people like us first climb on on of these daft machines.

Nao

yeah the dicycle is prolly a good idea, an i appreciate all your guys
input but i actually need a completely new idea, thats why im trying to
figure out ways to make the idea i have already work rather than just
doin one thats already been done.

the whole thing bout getting bad posture? i think that can just be
fixed by people knowing how to use the system, the way i was thinking
it there is not just things for your arms to rest on, but also handles.
this means that u can hold onto the handles (without getting bad
posture) and when u lose your balance or go something u can lean down
(or fall) onto the arm rests, which will hold your weight, and allow
you to get up an riding again. this will hopfully be even better than
the really light idea, which would be good, but also hard to make light
enough and keep the strength.

the wall thing could work, but it would be incredible hard, for one,
you need another person to tag along with it an also, when u lean on it
you will be pushing up the top, which would mean that unless it is
really reinforced an sturdy an heavy its just gunna fall over, an even
worse upd...

an muniuni, i do agree, i worked for ages both with a wall an without,
an i really did enjoy working on it like that, but ive seen so many of
my friends get on it, fail miserably (sometimes hurting themselves) an
not wanna try it again. the main reason i want to do a training wheel
system is just so they have something to show for their bruises, scars
an often loss of dignity =P

again thanks for the feedback, keep it coming!

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anything else? sorry, i just know that there is so much talent an stuff
in all u guys, so i would love to have all your input.

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Jimwahhh
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I like the idea. I've seen people using shopping trolleys quite
successfully to learn to ride and I've used them to work on coasting.
The two things that would make your idea better are a shape that forces
good posture, and for two of the four wheels to be locked forwards so
you can have some control over where you're going. The thing about the
shopping trolleys is they slide to the side easily since they (at least
the ones I've used) have all four wheels free to twist around 360
degrees.

Good luck!
Andrew

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oh thats a good idea actually, having just the back ones rotating or
something, it would also make it easier to have brakes if some wheels
werent rotating...

an i didnt realise people used shopping trolleys, another good idea,
mebbe ill try that with my mates.

how would u suggest shaping it for good posture? its a really good
idea, but atm i cant think of a good design that really encourages good
posture.

thanks again, an keep it coming!

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Jimwahhh
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oh thats a good idea actually, having just the back ones rotating or
something, it would also make it easier to have brakes if some wheels
werent rotating...

an i didnt realise people used shopping trolleys, another good idea,
mebbe ill try that with my mates.

how would u suggest shaping it for good posture? its a really good
idea, but atm i cant think of a good design that really encourages good
posture.

thanks again, an keep it coming!

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