This has often been a fantasy of mine. I unicycle that fits into an average looking breifcase, My friend and I are currently thinking one up. We have thought about a wheel that folds in half, a telescoping seapt post, folding pedals and such. Currently we are thinking about having a smaller wheel, such as a 16 inch one with the fors already attached and possibly telescoping. The only think I am worried about is stability and the strength of the thing. I do believe that it would be an amazing thing to have, and I am sure you do too. It would be a unicycle that would be there when you need it, anytime.
Ill keep working on it and possibly post some pictures if the project ever gets off the ground.
I've thought about something along these lines too. I think a 20" wheel would be possible. The frame could maybe have a quickrelease seattube similar to aluminum crutches, with a spring-loaded pin. The pedals could snap in the same way, with a pin on the crank. Either that or snap-on cranks, but that might be a lot weaker. Depends on the type of riding. It'd also be pretty cool if you could figure out a way to gear it up without taking up too much space, so you could go faster.
thejuggler24 wrote:> *This has often been a fantasy of mine. I unicycle that fits into an> average looking breifcase, My friend and I are currently thinking one> up. We have thought about a wheel that folds in half, a telescoping> seapt post, folding pedals and such. Currently we are thinking about> having a smaller wheel, such as a 16 inch one with the fors already> attached and possibly telescoping. The only think I am worried about> is stability and the strength of the thing. I do believe that it would> be an amazing thing to have, and I am sure you do too. It would be a> unicycle that would be there when you need it, anytime.>
Ill keep working on it and possibly post some pictures if the project> ever gets off the ground. *
Seems to me that it would be possible. With enought ingenuity, anything is. Problem would be that the foldable unicycle probably wouldn't be much good for performance or extreme stuff, just easy riding.
When we went to Seattle in 2002, we disassembled and packed five unicycles in suitcases. We purchased another uni while we were there so had to buy an additional suitcase at a yardsale for the return home.
Rogeratunicycledotcom 22 March 2005 22:18:07 [ permanent link ]
One of our long term projects that may be coming to fruition this summer is a 5 foot/7 foot CrMO duel chain giraffe... that dissassembles using quick releases to fit in a box that is only 2 foot x 2 foot x 9 inches. It takes about 5 minutes to dissassemble and about 10 to assemble.
We have had a couple of samples already and have not been satisfied with the design (there is a lot of design and testing needed in those joints). I am just about to autherise the production and with luck it will be available through Unicycle.com's in the summer.
Have you looked at 'Pichler' (http://www.pichlerrad.de/de01.htm) unicycles, the frame can easily be taken apart by removing the allen bolts in the crown
The frames are quite strong and wide enough to fit most tyres.
You could pack it in a case and to reassemble just bolt the crown up again and put the pedals back on
I have tried lots of folding pedals but never found any decent ones
Jim wrote:> *Have you looked at 'Pichler' (http://www.pichlerrad.de/de01.htm)> unicycles, the frame can easily be taken apart by removing the allen> bolts in the crown>
The frames are quite strong and wide enough to fit most tyres. > *
Hmmm, this frame for a Schlumpf would be nice . . . :cool:
-- brian.slater - Nellfurtiti, the Wonder Cat
Brian C. Slater AKA: Snoopy
Ok, I am now officially in my normal state of -advanced- confusion. Don't try to confuse me, it won't make any difference.
Wayne van Wijk has a unicycle which fits in a suitcase. I'm pretty sure its a mini-giraffe and has a 16" wheel. He uses folding pedals, but doesn't ride it hard so they are OK for him.
A wheel that folds in half would be a very weak wheel. How would you secure it? Moreover how would you lace it? It would be 100 times easier just to use a standard 12" or a 16" wheel instead.
All very good ideas of course. The only thing is is that I don't want to have an overly large briefcase. I'd like it to be an average size, not a huge one, although that seems like the only thing that could accomidate a wheel large enough with the fork still attached. As for the pedals, 'these' (http://tinyurl.com/48u3q) look reletivly sturdy. I am liking the idea with the seat as a telescping thing with the spring pins like a cruth. I can see that working. What I really want is for it to be very practical and for the assembly time to be at the minimal.
well if that guy on the t.v. can fit a petrol driven go-kart big enuf for him to ride ina briefcase then maybe we shud wrk on getting a uni in there. ud only need a small wheel just with a 2:1 gear ratio like a mini graiife?
It sounds like nobody has done much measuring yet. The key problem area is *width*. Unicycle axles are probably twice as wide as a standard briefcase. So without re-engineering the whole axle & crank system, you might want to start off by thinking in terms of a giraffe wheel.
Alexander Frisch of the Moscow Circus used to enter the ring with a suitcase, from which he produced a little unicycle and rode it around. But this was a larger suitcase. The unicycle had something like a 12" wheel.
My assumption is that you want a "useful" unicycle when this is done. This means something bigger than 12", or even 16". Without gearing, this means a wheel taller than a briefcase. So, a geared-up mini-giraffe. It will be a bumpy ride, but you should be able to gear it to 20" or even larger. Just watch out for bumps!
I've been wanting a mini giraffe for travelling. Something like a 16" wheel, with folding/removable pedals & quick release on the wheel. It may be easier/smaller to use a _shaft drive_ instead of a chain drive. The shaft would separate as you pulled the wheel out. It should be possible to make this thing ridable in about a minute. If it were geared 2:1, it would make a decent commuting vehicle to/from a train station.
The reason for the minigiraffe isn't for the height, but for the gearing. If you bent the seatpost to put the pedals out to the front or to the rear, you could keep the overall height to about the same as a 20-24" standard uni.
On Fri, 25 Mar 2005 15:15:25 -0600, "johnfoss" <johnfoss@NoEmail.Message.Poster.at.Unicyclist.com> wrote:
It sounds like nobody has done much measuring yet. The key problem area>is *width*. Unicycle axles are probably twice as wide as a standard>briefcase. So without re-engineering the whole axle & crank system, you>might want to start off by thinking in terms of a giraffe wheel.>
Alexander Frisch of the Moscow Circus used to enter the ring with a>suitcase, from which he produced a little unicycle and rode it around.>But this was a larger suitcase. The unicycle had something like a 12">wheel.>
My assumption is that you want a "useful" unicycle when this is done.>This means something bigger than 12", or even 16". Without gearing, this>means a wheel taller than a briefcase. So, a geared-up mini-giraffe. It>will be a bumpy ride, but you should be able to gear it to 20" or even>larger. Just watch out for bumps!>
Heres one GB used to make thats similar. [image: http://www.unicycle.com/images/catalog/chaindriven/UNGB4Mini.jpg]
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we're mostly runts & too high strung in nature, mother eats the young who are we to breed?; put away your seed we can't evolve an iron-lung ------------------------------------------------------------------------ DK's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/8054 View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/39065
