Invention of the Future Contest

We all have hopes and dreams for the direction of unicycling. Many of us
hide these dreams in the support of our fellow riders or by adding to
these forums; a constantly updated wealth of knowledge about unicycling.
This community has been blessed with many talented individuals who have
the ability and talent to create products that allow us to push the
envelope of our limitations. I would like to start this thread out with
some inventions or innovations I would like to see that impact everyone
in the community, or even a select group of riders. Kris has been a
great asset to our community and has already given birth to one of my
dreams, the Pulse wrist support glove(s). I would like to see the word
unicycling added to Microsoft's list of words. I get tired of "adding"
it on every computer I type a document about unicycling on. I would like
to see geared unicycles become more readily available without the
backlash currently associated with them. I would like to see more
options in the areas of personalization in unicycles. We've already been
blessed with people like Darren, George Barnes, Scott Wallis, and an
ongoing and constantly updating list of supporters. What are your hopes
or aspirations for the future of unicycling?


--
AccordNSX - Adam Coast Choppers

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- I think more brands would raise competition, lower prices and
creating new idaea (such as the aluminum KH and Onza Frames).
- More riders and better media coverage- most important
- Parts that are more redibly availible, along with more "custom" type
parts/unicycles without a "custom price
- Cheaper geared unis
- more/better pros



--
DK - Team YAMS Member

-Hunter-
Im a Yamsta.
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Above all else, I want to see that unicycling doesn't reach the point
where the world's best riders don't have the time or rather inclination
to give advice to beginners, and others less skilled than they are.
That's one of the things I love most about this 'community'. Not an
invention for the future, sorry.

Andrew


--
andrew_carter - Learning to unicycle...

*http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/andrew*
http://www.unicycles.com.au
unicycling tips and tutorials - http://www.unicycle.2ya.com
*'my big movie (51mb, divx)' (http://tinyurl.com/4bxdl)*
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andrew_carter wrote:
* Not an invention for the future, sorry.
Andrew *


An invention in direction for the future of unicycling, very acceptable.



in·ven·tion ( P ) Pronunciation Key (n-vnshn)
n.
The act or process of inventing: used a technique of her own invention.

A new device, method, or process developed from study and
experimentation: the phonograph, an invention attributed to Thomas
Edison.
A mental fabrication, especially a falsehood.
Skill in inventing; inventiveness: “the invention and sweep of the
staging” (John Simon).
Music. A short composition developing a single theme contrapuntally.
A discovery; a finding.


--
AccordNSX - Adam Coast Choppers

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I'd love to see industries created in this sport. Where companies would
have sponsorships with their team. Sounds a lot like skateboarding? If
you take a skateboarder and find out how long it took to actually do
something, unicycling is right there as well. So why are so many people
skating, instead of riding? Beginning... We should get a word out there
on how easy it is, somehow. The more riders the more demand for
unicycles. It would really boost the production of this sport. And i'm
pretty sure bedford and unicycle.com would love the profit increase.
That's my word.

-Shaun Johanneson


--
unifreak7 - Team Hazard

Mindless Films
www.geocities.com/mindless_films
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I'd like to see splined cranks and hubs become the norm. I remember
when cottered cranks is all you could get; we're moving in the right
direction.
It would be nice if Torker started selling their DX hub independently
from their unicycle; that way, more people could afford splined parts.


--
paco - Co-Founder of the PacoGild Movement

Every time I see this thread I wonder what happened to Paco's back.
-John Childs

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1: Standard quick-release bearing caps. Come on guys, this one should
be easy.

2: MUni shoes. Stiff sole, hiking boot rubber, reinforced toe, very
light tread pattern to allow foot adjustments, smooth inner heel piece
to not catch the crank. Some mountain bike shoes come close, but they
usually have too much tread and a tread cut-out for SPDs that don't work
for use on metal pinned pedals.


--
tholub - Kinetic Sculptor
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Shock absorber cranks to save your knees while doing big drops.


--
harper - TANKED at GASWORKS

-Greg Harper

B L U E S H I F T

"My world view has come crashing down like a drunk clown on a giraffe,
riding through a cactus patch..." -evil-nick on "Entry of the
Gladiators"
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andrew_carter wrote:
*Above all else, I want to see that unicycling doesn't reach the point
where the world's best riders don't have the time or rather
inclination to give advice to beginners, and others less skilled than
they are. That's one of the things I love most about this
'community'. Not an invention for the future, sorry.

Andrew *



I keep thinking about this. Kris is a great guy, it seems to me from
reading his posts and watching his movies. He's the top of our sport, or
close, but he still does workshops for people, etc.

I have tomsey on AIM. He's up there too, but hey, I have him on AIM! i
could talk to him if I wanted to. I wonder how many people have tony
hawk or chad muska on their instant messanger. I doubt it's very many,
and if it is, they're sure not mediocre skaters from some random other
country.

That's what I like about unicycling. It's so new that we haven't really
found limits yet, our pros aren't all rich and arrogant or anything.
They're still people who post here, or don't. They're still PEOPLE in
the eyes of all the other unicyclists.


--
Fuego - Unicycle Ninja

"Unicycling is more about the center of concentration than the center of
balance."

'OneWheelNinjaSquad' (http://gallery.unicyclist.com/OneWheelNinjaSquad)
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unifreak7 wrote:
*So why are so many people skating, instead of riding?*
Three main reasons I can think of:

1. Perception of easiness. Anyone can get on a skateboard and go within
minutes. Everybody knows this, so there is little hesitation on the part
of parents deciding to buy one for the kids. This is also connected
to...

2. They're cheaper than unicycles.

3. Also, they're a lot smaller, so you can bring them with you in the
classroom (if allowed), on the bus, in your luggage, etc.

4. Lastly, there is an image thing associated with skateboarding, and
some riders are probably in it more for that than the actual riding.

5. Last but not least, no barrier to entry. This ties back to #1. You
don't have to dedicate yourself and "try really hard" to be able to roll
down the driveway on one.

But...

Skateboards are mostly for kids. There are very few people using
skateboards outside the age range of about 10 to 25. Unicycling has a
much wider audience, I think. To be honest though, as unicycling gets
more mainstream, I think it will be mostly with that general age group
as well.

Inventions:

I like both of Tom Holub's ideas. Here are some of my own:

- Better bearings. Unlike most machines or vehicles, unicycles put a
tremendous amount of twisting force through the bearings. The bearings
on unicycles, as far as I know, are not built to be used in unicycles,
and are probably weak in the side-to-side twisting direction. I notice
this the most on my Coker, where I lean on a long handle, and all the
torque in the whole frame passes through those cheap little bearings.
It's no wonder we wear them out even though we don't ride fast or weigh
that much.

- No more new rims or tires the same size as the Coker. The Coker tires
are great, and the airfoil rim is also. If people want to make new rims
& tires, how about one for us unicyclists? I'd like a 42" tire, about
1.75" in size. Not too skinny, because the ride would be too bumpy.

- A better seat and handle system. Your seat post should be a T-bar. The
seat will clamp onto the top part of the T (which runs front to back).
The handle will be at the front. All the yanking and pressing down in
the world will no longer kill your seat, so the seat can be much thinner
and at least two thirds lighter. The front bar can also have places for
your computer, water bottle, lights, etc. The back bar can have a bumper
on it, so the seat doesn't have to.


--
johnfoss - The wilder Wilder

John Foss, the Uni-Cyclone
"jfoss" at "unicycling.com" -- www.unicycling.com

"Read the rules!" -- 'IUF Rulebook'
(http://www.unicycling.org/iuf/rulebook/) -- 'USA Rulebook'
(http://www.unicycling.org/usa/competition/)
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