If you want a geared giraffe and you can't afford a Schlumpf, you should
make a hub with sprockets on both sides. This will give you an
effective two gears. In fact, you could get four gears if you
re-purpose a double-chain giraffe with different sprockets in all four
locations. Run the chain on one side only, and switch the wheel around
to make the 3rd and 4th gear changes. Sure it would be a pain to change
gears, but it's been done.
Walter Nilsson rode a 2-speed giraffe across the United States in 1933
to win a $10,000 Ripley's Believe it or Not prize. He probably changed
gear for the hills, and otherwise left it in the higher gear.
I used to ride my Schwinn Giraffe with what I believe was a 28:48 gear
ratio. That made it very difficult to freemount, and a lot of work to
ride. But I do remember doing a 4-minute mile on it once, after several
tries. That's 15 mph; pretty fast for a giraffe with 20" wheel! Also
you could use a bigger wheel on your giraffe.
--
johnfoss
John Foss
"jfoss" at "unicycling.com" -- www.unicycling.com
-----------------------------------------------
"The worst thing you can do on a unicycle when you land is stop dead."
-- Kris Holm, world's expert on high-consequence unicycling
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