GUNI is here!!!

Looks great, UW!

But with those pedals, ankle-shifting may be nigh impossible. It should
be great on Adam's ride -- I hope you get to try it out in high gear for
a good deal of the ride. You could be flying pretty fast! It loox like
you don't have a cycle computer yet -- are you planning to get one? It's
nice to see how you're progressing as you get better at the speed
aspect, and I also like to know how far I've gone on a regular basis and
over all. I had problems with my cycle puters that were on my Cokers,
and as a result, I can only guess how far I've ridden in all on a Coker
(around 4,000 miles). I did manage to hit 2,000 miles on one computer
before destroying it in a fall!

I was also contemplating getting an extension for my guni. It would be
nice to have even more control on that thing. As it is, I clutch the
seat handle for dear life (and my left arm is definitely getting
stronger as a result!). An extension like the one on my Coker could
really help, I'd bet. Maybe I'll denude my Coker of it's extension and
try it on the Queen. Can't hurt, right? And I think it'll fit.

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Thanks for posting a photo of the 28" model. I've only seen the 24" and
it was cool enough looking. I'm going to be on Long Island in October,
the week of the 16th I think. I'll be in NYC staying with a friend in
lower Manhattan the weekend after that, probably starting Thursday the
20th. I fully expect the Unatics to have a special meeting in my honor
when I'm in town and I want all of you wearing my tatoos when I get
there. I want David Stone to replicate his flattering tatoo placement
during the Minneapolis NAUCC in 2003. I also want Billy to ride with no
seatpost extensions when I'm there. Hopefully I'll get the geared Coker
back to Andrew well before October. I want Raphael to bring donuts and I
want to try one of those Schlumpf 28ers.

--
harper - TANKED at GASWORKS

-Greg Harper

B L U E S H I F T

"Never ride backwards up a rocky mountain road because the things that
will trip you if you see them will also trip you if you don't. " -
munipsycho
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harper said:

*...I'm going to be on Long Island in October, the week of the 16th I
think. I'll be in NYC staying with a friend in lower Manhattan the
weekend after that, probably starting Thursday the 20th. I fully
expect the Unatics to have a special meeting in my honor when I'm in
town and I want all of you wearing my tatoos when I get there. I want
David Stone to replicate his flattering tatoo placement during the
Minneapolis NAUCC in 2003. I also want Billy to ride with no seatpost
extensions when I'm there. Hopefully I'll get the geared Coker back to
Andrew well before October. I want Raphael to bring donuts and I want
to try one of those Schlumpf 28ers. *

Ask and ye shall receive! You will get all of your wishes. Where can I
get me some of them tats?

I'll get the word out soon that you're coming -- there will be wild
crowds. -- David

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David_Stone said:

*Where can I get me some of them tats?

I'll get the word out soon that you're coming -- there will be wild
crowds. *

Oddly, I have several of the temporary tatoos left that Rhysling gave
me. As for wild crowds, is there some other type? Is UniDak still about?
He hasn't posted in a couple of years. I was hoping to see the taxi.

--
harper - TANKED at GASWORKS

-Greg Harper

B L U E S H I F T

"Never ride backwards up a rocky mountain road because the things that
will trip you if you see them will also trip you if you don't. " -
munipsycho
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harper said:

*Oddly, I have several of the temporary tatoos left that Rhysling gave
me. As for wild crowds, is there some other type? Is UniDak still
about? He hasn't posted in a couple of years. I was hoping to see the
taxi. *

Maybe the crowds are different out by you, but we get quiet crowds all
the time here in quaint NYC. Maybe you're thinking of 'throngs' -- our
throngs tend to be pretty wild.

Dave K (unidak) is a collegian, so it's unlikely he'd be available other
than summer or xmas hols. We've only been priv'ed to have him join us a
couple times since he became a coed. He's doing great in school, you'll
be happy to know.

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I just finished my 100th mile on my guni (thanks to 11 miles tacked on
tonite).

Mainly, I rode around the 3.35-mi loop three times. The first loop took
a paltry 14 mins, my best time. I hit a top speed of 21 mph. The second
and third loops took 15 mins and then 15:30. My top speeds were about 19
mph on those rides. Fiona Apple music still helped.

Here are some over all findings:

1. There IS some slop, even in the 1:1 (low) gear, but it's pretty
minimal. I think I notice it more (or create it more?) when I'm tired.
It hasn't been a hindrance in any way so far.
2. Shifting is easier when you're going high-to-low because going the
other way is like suddenly finding that you're running with flippers on
your feet. You are forced to lean into differently, and it's a mild
challenge.
3. No bad (level 3) UPDs so far! In fact, I haven't even UPD'ed except
for when I didn't handle the shift.
4. Shifting while going uphill is easier than while going downhill. It's
not too hard to downshift downhill, but upshifting while going uphill is
really challenging.
5. Sidewalk- or street-riding is definitely scary in high gear. I'd
rather go a bit slower in those situations, because you never know when
someone (or some dog) is going to get in your way all of a sudden.
6. My legs took about 20-30 miles to get accustomed to the more
strenuous pushing required of the higher gear. I was exhausted after the
first few rides, but now (despite higher temps), an 11-mile ride doesn't
faze me. I think I could have gone another five to ten miles, but it's
late!
7. No pedestrian or biker has any clue that I'm riding a guni. Early on,
when I was still working on the shifting, nice people would see me UPD
and say, "Looks like you're almost there! Keep trying!" It's neat
knowing that I have this super (shifting) power. I'm a stealth
unicyclist. But there were a few times last week when I wanted a
tee-shirt that said, "This is a geared unicycle. I can ride a regular
unicycle just fine. You are in the presence of a great machine."

At this point, I think I've inundated the forum with guni posts and will
hold off unless necessary. Ciao for niao!

--
David_Stone

Dictator for Life,
NYUC
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I just finished my 100th mile on my guni (thanks to 11 miles tacked on
tonite).

Mainly, I rode around the 3.35-mi loop three times. The first loop took
a paltry 14 mins, my best time. I hit a top speed of 21 mph. The second
and third loops took 15 mins and then 15:30. My top speeds were about 19
mph on those rides. Fiona Apple music still helped.

Here are some over all findings:

1. There IS some slop, even in the 1:1 (low) gear, but it's pretty
minimal. I think I notice it more (or create it more?) when I'm tired.
It hasn't been a hindrance in any way so far.
2. Shifting is easier when you're going high-to-low because going the
other way is like suddenly finding that you're running with flippers on
your feet. You are forced to lean into differently, and it's a mild
challenge.
3. No bad (level 3) UPDs so far! In fact, I haven't even UPD'ed except
for when I didn't handle the shift.
4. Shifting while going uphill is easier than while going downhill. It's
not too hard to downshift downhill, but upshifting while going uphill is
really challenging.
5. Sidewalk- or street-riding is definitely scary in high gear. I'd
rather go a bit slower in those situations, because you never know when
someone (or some dog) is going to get in your way all of a sudden.
6. My legs took about 20-30 miles to get accustomed to the more
strenuous pushing required of the higher gear. I was exhausted after the
first few rides, but now (despite higher temps), an 11-mile ride doesn't
faze me. I think I could have gone another five to ten miles, but it's
late!
7. No pedestrian or biker has any clue that I'm riding a guni. Early on,
when I was still working on the shifting, nice people would see me UPD
and say, "Looks like you're almost there! Keep trying!" It's neat
knowing that I have this super (shifting) power. I'm a stealth
unicyclist. But there were a few times last week when I wanted a
tee-shirt that said, "This is a geared unicycle. I can ride a regular
unicycle just fine. You are in the presence of a great machine."

At this point, I think I've inundated the forum with guni posts and will
hold off unless necessary. Ciao for niao!

--
David_Stone

Dictator for Life,
NYUC
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uw said:

*oops image was to big, here it is 10% smaller *

And here it is again, reworked somewhat for colour.

+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Attachment filename: geared1_ia_dce.jpg |
|Download attachment: http://www.unicyclist.com/attachment/345881|
+----------------------------------------------------------------+

--
Klaas Bil - Sir Prince of Newsgroupia
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David_Stone said:

At this point, I think I've inundated the forum with guni posts and will
hold off unless necessary. Ciao for niao!

You don't have to hold off for me. I for one (will) read all your guni
posts with great interest and they provide a great benchmark for me --
once the machine is here, that is. Grrr.

Klaas Bil - Newsgroup Addict
--
"Unicycling is like glue: you have to stick with it, and it's not to be sniffed at - Mikefule"

OK, Klaas. For you, I'll post at least two more times about my guni (and
this counts as one).

I just installed a Wieganowski extension on my guni. I 'borrowed' it
from my Coker, which is currently resting forlornly in my shed (along
with a disused double-wheeler and a few other unis not currently doing
much).

I hope tom'w to post a shot of my current setup (that'll be post two),
but if you know the Wieganowski extension that some people have on a
Coker, then you can imagine what my guni looks like.

I think this extension is going to enable me to ride a bit faster and a
lot more confidently. I took it for a tiny ride (1km) to test it, and
already I felt much better about riding the guni, mainly because I have
a lot better feeling of control with this extension. Before now, I held
the piece attached to the front of the seat, but it was only big enough
for one hand, and it didn't provide as much support.

It will also be nice for me NOT to look like I'm holding my nut-sack
while riding. In fact, when I rode wearing cycle shorts without an extra
layer on top, I pretty much WAS holding my nut-sack.

I wonder what the Dutch term for nut-sack is.

Dach!

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The back of the 1998 California MUni weekend shirt says:

no brakes.
no gears.
no handlebars.
no problem.

Now here we are just seven years later with brakes, gears, and
handlebars. What am I supposed to do with this shirt?

--
aigeek
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That's funny about the shirt, but it's still mostly true for muni, isn't
it? Brakes have been around for some time, it seems (starting as soon as
the shirt came out, I guess), but most muni'ists don't use gears or
handlebars. As for the 'no problem' part -- well, judging by a recently
revived post about uni-related injuries, I'd say that that part might be
a touch misleading, too!

I wonder when people will begin using munis with gears -- could be real
soon!

--
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Dictator for Life,
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OK, at Klaas's request, an update on progress.

Shifting advice:
I've now ridden 132 miles (220km or so). In the short time since I hit
the 100-mile mark, I've gotten a good bit better at shifting on the fly,
and I've noticed something: When shifting from low gear to high gear, it
seems to make more sense to lean back a bit. That's because the high
gear feels 'heavier' (or 'more sluggish'😉, so you need to lean back to
compensate because as soon as you change gears, it's going to feel like
you're suddenly slowing down. If you stay still, you may be ok, but you
may also lurch forward a bit due to the sudden deceleration. If you lean
forward, like I was doing for some time, then chances are you'll fall
when you upshift.

I find it pretty easy to downshift (very few UPDs that way), but I'm
guessing I must lean forward a touch when doing so; it's hard to say.

What's really nice is that many of my favorite commutes are now just as
fast on the guni as they were with a Coker. For example, my 4.3-mile
(7.2km) ride to school took me longer (30-32 mins) when I first got the
guni, but now I can do it in sub-Coker time: 24 mins. That's because I
can quickly upshift when I hit a long, safe stretch, and when the
sidewalks get too crowded, I'm able to go into low gear and still pedal
pretty fast.

I love it when I get to the park on my way home. I click into high gear
and zoom down the hill at speeds I never reached on the Coker (or only
reached with great effort). Typically my max speed is about 20 mph (33.4
kmh) on that stretch, and I can probably maintain at least 4/5 of that
for most of the park ride, which is longer than a mile.

I think it helps having the Wieganowski handle in front of me now --
more support means I feel more confident.

There was an oil issue I should mention. Florian is sending me a little
rubber washer to plug up a small leak around the hub. Some oil
(actually, a grease/oil mix, he said) is getting out as I ride. My fear
was that the uni could suddenly seize up, but Florian said not to worry.
The uni comes with extra oil, to be applied once or twice a year anyway,
so I'll refortify the hub with a few drops and then apply the washer.

--
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David_Stone said:

SHIFTING ADVICE: ...

I FIND IT PRETTY EASY TO DOWNSHIFT (VERY FEW UPDS THAT WAY), BUT I'M
GUESSING I MUST LEAN FORWARD A TOUCH WHEN DOING SO; IT'S HARD TO SAY.

OK, I'm quoting myself bc I wanted to draw att'n to what I think was a
kind of error. When downshifting, if you lean forward, you may lurch
too far forward until the low gear clicks in. This can take nearly two
feet of gliding, by which time you may have UPD'ed. It's probably
better just to maintain position.

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I took the Queen for another spin tonight, convinced I could achieve a
personal speed record for the hilly 3.35-mile (5.4km) bike loop near
me.

I did, racing around it at an avg speed of 14.4 mph (23.2 kmh) and
coming in at just a few seconds shy of 14 mins. Had I not wasted so much
time failing to click the shift button, I'd have prolly made it in
13:45, and I think 13:30 is very possible. On the big downhill, I
managed to reach 21 mph (33.8 kmh). Later I attacked just that big hill
in order to try to best my speed record for the night, and I managed to
hit 22 mph (35.4 kmh), which is about as fast as I've ever ridden
(similar to speeds reached last week). I held back a bit bc I'd
forgotten knee pads, and frankly I was a bit knackered. I think I can
manage 23 mph or even 24 mph soon. I know those speeds aren't even what
some have done on Cokers, but hey, I'm a bit nervous.

As for shifting, I am very happy with how that's been going. I can
usually hit the button the first time, and when I do, I usually stay
up.

I still haven't had a nasty spill. The worst was a UPD due to shifting
where I smacked the extension handle on my thigh, generating a slight
bruise.

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David_Stone

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NYUC
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Florian wrote me this important note about a potential problem:

Dear David,

I'm training daily, actually with 220 height meters every morning on a
steep road behind Vilters.

Today, I had an UPD after climbing all the distance without releasing
the pedal a single time. But short distance before reaching the peak, I
felt a "click" in the gearing system, and shortly afterwards, the drive
disengaged. A dangerous situation, that mustn’t occur at all!!!

For the moment, until having more info, I just want to inform you, that
you should take care, if ascending long distances without any pedal back
or pedal release movement.

So let's be careful! I wrote back that I don't have long stretches with
complete ascents or descents for more than a few hundred meters, and I
find that I'm not constantly 'leaning' on the pins either uphill or
downhill. Still, I just happened to order knee- and elbow-pads, and I
always wear wrist guards and a helmet. Riding over 20 mph and then
suddenly gliding would be extremely nasty. I also mentioned that I don't
have a brake and don't plan to use one.

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Wow, Gilby! That's amazing! A replacement within the year?!? Truly
amazing.

As for the riding, UW and I were speculating that maybe he accidentally
knocked the button OR somehow caused it to disengage by twisting hard (I
think mine disengaged with a sharp twist once, but I may have hit the
button accidentally). I feel quite safe, esp'ly since I verified tonight
that I really never put too much pressure on one position for too long
-- I tend to 'correct' every few revs, rarely going longer than 10 revs
without a letup on the pins. So perhaps the more often you feel a little
slop, the better?

I have now ridden over 160 miles and have yet to put a sudden strong
pressure on the pedals -- it's all fairly gradual. I avoid going off
curbs and haven't hopped in place or bounced around too much, and I
don't think I would until I hear that it's totally safe. If flightrisk
(Andy from my club) successfully took one of these off road or did lots
of his harsh-style street riding, then I'd feel safer. He rides like few
others. Till then, I'll take it "easy."

I'd love it if the play could be minimized -- it's still a bit tricky to
upshift, esp at any kind of speed; I think my top upshift speed is about
8 mph. I guess more pins could minimize this, but what do I know? It's
not a major issue, but it would be nice to have it improved anyway.

Thanks for the update! That's great news!

--
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I just wrote a note about a very scary UPD I had this afternoon. Here is
the link:

http://tinyurl.com/alzgh

-- David Stone

--
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David_Stone said:

OK, Klaas. For you, I'll post at least two more times about my guni (and
this counts as one).

Thanks, I was away for a week hence the late response. Sorry to hear
about the occasional shifting problems. Sometimes when you say
'gliding' I think you mean 'coasting' (between the two gears). My Guni
is still in the dark.

Quoted message said:

I wonder what the Dutch term for nut-sack is.

Just 'zak' if the context is clear.

Klaas Bil - Newsgroup Addict
--
"Unicycling is like glue: you have to stick with it, and it's not to be sniffed at - Mikefule"

I took my guni to the shop today to see about getting the spokes
tightened. The guy twanged the spokes a bit and told me to come back
tom'w, but in the meantime he cautioned me not to ride much for fear of
breaking a spoke. I've ridden over 220 miles so far, and I'm guessing
the guni can last awhile longer. So I'll ride home and ride to school
tom'w, but I won't take it for a park loop ride this evening.

The spokes are so loose that when squeezing them, they can easily move
over an inch. I'm not sure how theye ended up like that -- did Florian
intend for us to have the wheels trued? THe shop owner also advised me
NOT to try tightening or truing the wheel myself (I'd probably untrue
the wheel terribly -- I have a bad history).

I send this out as a mild warning that if you are lucky enough to get a
guni from Florian (or any uni from anywhere), make sure the spokes are
tight and the wheel is true.

I hope that after I get them tightened tom'w, my Century ride will go
more smoothly. I figure that I'll be expending less energy if the wheel
is 'tighter' than if it's loose.

--
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