Unicycle Thread

[GovernorSilver]

I got a reply from WMATA. Doesn’t look like they understood my question – I specifically asked about unicycles and there’s no mention of it in this email – I’m guessing a 20″ unicycle is a safe size to take onto the Metro as posted earlier.

Thank you for contacting the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (Metro)Office of Customer Relations regarding our Bike-N-Ride policy.

WMATA developed the Bike-N-Ride Policy to provide safe integration of bicycling with
Metrorail and Metrobus ridership. The Bike-N-Ride Policy covers conventional operational
bicycles, as well as tandems, electric powered, and folding bicycles, which can be no longer
than 80 inches, no higher than 48 inches and no wider than 22 inches. A folding bicycle has
a frame that folds and two wheels that come together. This policy does not cover
30 motorcycles, mopeds, tricycles, motor-powered bicycles [including but not limited to
gasoline-powered bicycles], and any other bicycle that exceed the size restrictions stated
above. Such bicycles are prohibited within the Metrorail and/or Metrobus system. WMATA
reserves the right to amend or terminate this policy at any time to ensure the safe and/or
efficient use of Metrorail and/or Metrobus.

Folding bicycles are permitted inside railcars at all times. However, they must remain
folded and securely fastened while in the Metrorail system during the hours of 7:00am to
10:00am and 4:00pm to 7:00pm.

Bicycles as defined by this policy shall be allowed on the exterior of buses at all times, but
only in Metro installed bicycle racks. All bicycles, excluding properly enclosed folded or
disassembled bicycles, shall not be transported inside Metrobuses at any time. Cyclists shall
remove all baggage, backpacks, pouches, baskets or similar storage items from bicycles
before placing bicycles in the bicycle racks on the exterior of buses. All bicycles allowed
inside railcars and on the exterior of buses must be clean – – free of excess grease and dirt – –
and not have sharp projections.

We appreciate you contacting our office and hope that your future travels with Metro are pleasant ones.

Sincerely,

Da’Mali Rector
Consumer Representative
Office of Customer Relations
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
202/637-1328

[ShawnoftheDread]

“Hey Da’Mali, this email’s got the word cycle in it. Send him that cut-and-paste on our bike policy.”

[mstone]

@GovernorSilver 122343 wrote:

I got a reply from WMATA. Doesn’t look like they understood my question – I specifically asked about unicycles and there’s no mention of it in this email – I’m guessing a 20″ unicycle is a safe size to take onto the Metro as posted earlier.

Per the quoted policy, I really think you need to find the tallest big-wheel unicycle you can lay hands on, and cart that sucker onto the train.

[GovernorSilver]

@mstone 122357 wrote:

Per the quoted policy, I really think you need to find the tallest big-wheel unicycle you can lay hands on, and cart that sucker onto the train.

Those 36″ unicycles look pretty neat. I wonder if N+1 applies to unicycles as well as bicycles.

[Steve O]

@GovernorSilver 122343 wrote:

Bicycles as defined by this policy shall be allowed on the exterior of buses at all times, but
only in Metro installed bicycle racks. All bicycles, excluding properly enclosed folded or
disassembled bicycles, shall not be transported inside Metrobuses at any time.

Hmmm. I’m thinking about how I would put a unicycle on one of those bike racks on the buses. Seems possible, since you can secure the wheel, but the seat would likely bounce up and down on the rail.

[dkel]

@GovernorSilver 122363 wrote:

Those 36″ unicycles look pretty neat. I wonder if N+1 applies to unicycles as well as bicycles.

Yes, but it would only be N+0.5.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@dkel 122368 wrote:

Yes, but it would only be N+0.5.

You gotta round down to the nearest whole number, since a bike is a frame and two wheels, so a unicycle is effectively equivalent to having a spare wheel lying around. Therefore, unicycles do not count toward significant other-enforced quotas.

[hozn]

Yeah, I will end up with 2 unicycles without having increased n.

The 36″ do look cool, but you probably want to learn on a smaller wheel. (20″ is apparently recommended; 24″ has been fine for me too.) It takes some investment in time, but it is lots of fun to learn new motor skills.

[GovernorSilver]

@hozn 122409 wrote:

Yeah, I will end up with 2 unicycles without having increased n.

The 36″ do look cool, but you probably want to learn on a smaller wheel. (20″ is apparently recommended; 24″ has been fine for me too.) It takes some investment in time, but it is lots of fun to learn new motor skills.

Yeah, I’m thinking 20″ or 24″ to start, thinking the N+1 rule will compell me to get a 36″ later, but after the recent discussion maybe its N+0.5 or something?

[Steve O]

@GovernorSilver 122418 wrote:

Yeah, I’m thinking 20″ or 24″ to start, thinking the N+1 rule will compell me to get a 36″ later, but after the recent discussion maybe its N+0.5 or something?

I got my 20 incher off Craigs list for $60. They are common. 24″ and bigger are tougher to come by used. I think that’s because the scores of people who never got the hang of it started on 20s. Anyone who bought a 24 can probably ride it, and so they don’t get sold so much. Of course if you want to buy a new one, you can find any size you want. I agree with hozn: start on a 20 or 24, no bigger; it’s a shorter distance to the ground when you fall.

[hozn]

@Steve O 122200 wrote:

I have not even tried doing it left footed. It’s a little tricky, but I find I have more success when I put less weight on the (right) foot that is on the pedal–essentially hopping up with the other (left) foot with very little pressure on the right pedal until I’m up. I saw this in a YouTube video.

I tried this technique (less weight) on the foot that starts on the pedal (in my case left foot) and that increased my freemount success rate significantly. Thanks for the pointer! — I must have missed that youtube video, though I watched a few. I think I’ve settled on working to perfect that method of mounting, since it seems most versatile to be able to get on the unicycle without moving the wheel back at all. (Especially if I ever want to try muni.)

A friend recommended the method where you lean forward hold/pull the wheel in toward you, but maybe he’s proportioned differently (or is generally closer to the wheel than I am); that seems really awkward for me (would have to bend way over to grab a 24″ wheel).

[hozn]

Finally can ride around the block at least two times without any dismounts. –and from a free mount. Need to work on the tight turns still and ratio of successful free mounts continues to grow (probably 50% now, which feels good).

I will say that riding a 24″ unicycle is, even at its fastest, quite slow. So the idea of taking a 20″ to metro for commute might not be that great — might as well just speed walk.

[Steve O]

Hey Hozn,

I learned a technique to help with moving the feet on the pedals if they are positioned poorly. Consciously push your weight down into the seat. I think we are both holding too much of our weight up with our legs. If we let the unicycle carry the weight, then you can shift your foot position. I also think that it will make longer distance riding possible: the unicycle carries the weight and the legs just go round and round.
I had to force myself to push my weight down, and it’s going to take a little getting used to. But not much I don’t think.

[hozn]

@Steve O 123132 wrote:

Hey Hozn,

I learned a technique to help with moving the feet on the pedals if they are positioned poorly. Consciously push your weight down into the seat. I think we are both holding too much of our weight up with our legs. If we let the unicycle carry the weight, then you can shift your foot position. I also think that it will make longer distance riding possible: the unicycle carries the weight and the legs just go round and round.
I had to force myself to push my weight down, and it’s going to take a little getting used to. But not much I don’t think.

This is great; I will try this out. Yes, I definitely started by carrying almost all of my weight on my legs. Thinking of it more like a trackstand. Slowly, I’ve been consciously trying to sit “heavier” and that has definitely helped. But my legs were still quite sore after just 1.5 miles of riding around the block yesterday. It’s gonna take awhile to get comfortable with the idea of 15 miles!

[GovernorSilver]

@hozn 123127 wrote:

Finally can ride around the block at least two times without any dismounts. –and from a free mount. Need to work on the tight turns still and ratio of successful free mounts continues to grow (probably 50% now, which feels good).

I will say that riding a 24″ unicycle is, even at its fastest, quite slow. So the idea of taking a 20″ to metro for commute might not be that great — might as well just speed walk.

Nice!

Sounds like I should look for a 24″ unicycle then. In the mornings when I commute by Metro, I walk about 2 1/2 blocks to the office after getting off the Metro. Too short for bicycling, but when there’s ice on the sidewalks and roads, it might be just enough for a 24″ unicycle with studded tire. My evening walk is longer, because I prefer to walk all the way to Mt. Vernon Square to avoid the train change mess at Gallery Place.

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