3 wheel unicycle

i have a three wheeled a unicycle i bought it from UDC but i have had
trouble idling would getting shorter or longer cranks help? if any 1 has
any other tips they would be greatly appreciated.


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spiderpig2533
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johnfoss;1148040 wrote:
You can walk the wheel on a 3-wheel giraffe. For general riding it's
less fun because the cycle is a lot heavier, and even when well-adjusted
there's still plenty of friction in the drivetrain compared to a giraffe
with a chain.

But it's much more of an attention-getter -- excellent for parades!



+1

John is right on the money with his assessment. You have to use more
force when pedalling to overcome the drivetrain friction. This can
cause your foot to slip off the pedal, causing a spectacular UPD. I
switched out my pedals to Odessy Twisted plastic for better grip.

John used the phrase "...even when well adjusted.." (refering to the
drive train, not the rider). Adjusting can be tricky. It is done by
fiddling with the tire pressure for each of the 3 tires. Too much
pressure binds things up. Too little pressure causes tire slip, which
is very difficult to handle. I have settled on 40lbs for the top and
bottom tire (sidewall says the tire has a 40-65lb range). The middle
tire has almost no air.

Never ride this monster in the rain or on wet pavement. As the tires
get wet, they lose their friction and will start slipping like crazy.

For all my supposed expertise, I don't even ride the damn thing. Both
my kids do fine with it. But I find the extra height over my regular
giraffe (the 3-wheeler is one foot taller) makes me chicken out every
time I get in the saddle.


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spiderpig2533;1163743 wrote:
i have a three wheeled a unicycle i bought it from UDC but i have had
trouble idling would getting shorter or longer cranks help? if any 1 has
any other tips they would be greatly appreciated.



You don't mention the exact nature of your trouble with idling - but
presumably it is with the increased drive train friction. Longer cranks
could help because you would have more leverage. But before you try
that, try adjusting your tire pressure (see my comments above). If all
3 tires are fully inflated, you will have way too much binding friction.
After fully inflating the top and bottom tires, only put enough air in
the middle tire to prevent slippage. This may make idling (and riding
forward) easier.


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thanks ill be sure to give it a go


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spiderpig2533
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But I have an idea for a crazy parade type homemade thing. Have a 29 on
top, a 24 in the middle and a 19 at the bottom. Or maybe a 29-20-12. I
think for a homemade item, different sized wheels give different gearing
options, as well as catching the eye. Flashy LEDs in the wheels that
could emphasize the different spin rates would look cool.

If you wanted a 1:1 ratio, for control, a 20-29-20 , should work ok.
Perhaps the center tire could be offset a bit, front or back, lowering
it a bit and adding more paradability.If paradability is a word, it
means "adds to looking good in a parade". The offset center wheel could
be balanced with a small 4th wheel, that drives a monkey doll banging
cymbals. I need one of these. There is a lot of parades in my town.


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feel the light;1165207 wrote:
Perhaps the center tire could be offset a bit, front or back, lowering
it a bit and adding more paradability.If paradability is a word, it
means "adds to looking good in a parade". The offset center wheel could
be balanced with a small 4th wheel, that drives a monkey doll banging
cymbals. I need one of these. There is a lot of parades in my town.



Putting the wheels off-center would add considerably to frame weight.
Even with all the wheels in-line, a standard 3-wheeler is already a
beast...but if you could ride it, it would certainly turn heads!


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feel the light;1165207 wrote:
But I have an idea for a crazy parade type homemade thing. Have a 29 on
top, a 24 in the middle and a 19 at the bottom. Or maybe a 29-20-12. I
think for a homemade item, different sized wheels give different gearing
options, as well as catching the eye. Flashy LEDs in the wheels that
could emphasize the different spin rates would look cool.




Isn't the actual gearing entirely set by the size of the top wheel - as
any movement of the top wheel moves the tyre of the middle wheel a
certain distance, which moves the tyre of the bottom wheel the same
distance, which in turn drives the unicycle that distance. Although it'd
still look cool with the wheels spinning at different speeds.

Or am I being a dumbass and missing something obvious?

Joe


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