The following are questions from my classmates about unicycling, collected in an informal survey.
Q How do you keep your balance?
A
By making small adjustments back and forth as well as side to side to keep your centre of gravity above the contact point between the wheel and the ground. See page on balance.
Q Is it difficult to learn how to balance?
A Balance has been described as the degree of familiarity to a certain situation. Balance is learned through practise and becoming familiar with the feeling of being on a unicycle.
Q What is the tallest unicycle?
A The tallest unicycle to succesfully be ridden was 115 ft, (35 m) tall. Driven by Sem Abrahams in 2004.
Q Is it easier to ride a tall unicycle or a short one?
A When talking about different seat heights on the same unicycle, yes, because it is a more comfortable riding position. But also, since you are higher up you have a larger balance envelope. This means if you begin to fall you have more time to react and regain balance. But as you get into higher unicycles it does get scary and more intimidating.
Q Is it easier to go faster on a bicycle or a unicycle
A It is easier to go faster on a bike for many reasons. First, a bike has gears which means you can get a greater amount of wheel rotations for the number of pedal revolutions. Plus a bike is much more aerodynamic. On a unicycle normally your body position is similar to standing up, on a bike you are leaned over. Also unicycles have a fixed hub, which means it can't coast, you can only go as fast as you can pedal.
Q What is fastest speed ever on a unicycle? How fast can a unicycle go before its impossible to keep control?
A The fastest speed reached on a unicycle was 48.5 km/hr (30 mph) by Christian Hoverath on a 36" wheel with 125 mm cranks. On a unicycle you can only go as fast as your legs move. So soon as your legs are moving as fast or faster then they can run, you aren't going to last long.
Q What is the biggest size they can be?
A Retail unicycles can range from 12" to 36". In between there are 14", 16", 18", 20", 24", 26", 28" and 29". But then, there are always custom sizes, which can range from 1" to 73". Pictured are a 12" Sun and a 63" custom unicycle.
