The future of single-wheeled transportation!

July 7, 2005 9:19 AM

The Electric Unicycle makes transportation a breeze: "You lean forward to accelerate, lean backwards to brake, and gyrate your arms wildly to turn." (Invented by the man who thought his own homemade Segway had one wheel too many)
posted by Robot Johnny (14 comments total)

Very cool. Especially with the (necessary) tilt-correction. I'm a half-assed unicyclist myself, and it takes me forever to get anywhere on my 20". Was thinking of picking up the big Coker or looking into one of these new fangled machines with gears, but this would solve my problem. As I'm also putting my motorcycle on the block, this would keep my life blissfully single-wheeled. Thanks, RJ!
posted by dreamsign at 9:41 AM on July 7, 2005

needs a v8.
posted by jinx at 9:44 AM on July 7, 2005

Pretty neat stuff, the auto-correction bit is nice.

As an engineering project, this is cool, as a practical means of getting from point A to point B, it leaves a fair bit to be desired.

And shouldn't he be wearing a helmet?
posted by fenriq at 10:00 AM on July 7, 2005

Thor (BC comics) would be proud!
posted by BIGSAGE136 at 10:38 AM on July 7, 2005

I don't get why this is cool, but the segway isn't.
posted by crunchland at 10:51 AM on July 7, 2005

crunchland, I don't think it's cool. But maybe I'm just bitchy today. No! I'm not PMSing, dickwad.
posted by Specklet at 11:10 AM on July 7, 2005

is that a kill-switch in your pocket or are you just...

speaking as a (manually-operated, human powered) unicyclist, i am appalled.

but i must admit, imaging a future with sidewalks filled with people riding these gizmos does make me smile a bit.
posted by RockyChrysler at 11:17 AM on July 7, 2005

I don't see any real future for a motorized unicycle aside from a curiousity.

crunchland, the Segway was waaaaay over hyped as the next big revolution in transportation. This is just a cool application of ideas and it works.

I'll stick with my gas powered two wheeled motorcycle to get me to and from work. But when a viable electric or alternate fuel motorcycle becomes available (and by viable I mean something that can perform to nearly the same levels as my current bike), I'll switch over.

What makes me smile is imagining a troop of chimps charging around a circus ring on these things. Because chimps always make me smile.
posted by fenriq at 11:48 AM on July 7, 2005

fenriq: regarding a helmet, my trying-to-lear-to-ride-a-unicycle experience is that when the unicycle falls the rider usually winds up on their feets. Of course anything's possible, but the chance of landing on your head might not be a lot greater than that for a runner.
posted by aubilenon at 12:42 PM on July 7, 2005

I don't get why this is cool, but the segway isn't.

Because a goofy looking homemade electric vehicle is cool. If he were trying to mass market it for $4000 a piece, then it would receive the same sort of scorn. This is also lot more portable than the Segway. An electric unicycle seems like something you could easily keep under your desk during the day (it’s also weighs 30lbs instead to 70). It’s by no means a practical way to get around, but it’s closer.
posted by Gary at 4:31 PM on July 7, 2005

I don't get why this is cool, but the segway isn't.
They are both cool, but for different reasons.
posted by dg at 4:35 PM on July 7, 2005

I must admit that I still lust after the gas-powered skateboard/scooter I saw around UBC campus (yes, the TMNT had them first).

And hey, who doesn't want a monowheel? (warning: page with many pictures)
posted by dreamsign at 10:05 PM on July 7, 2005

I'll go for a Riot Wheel thanks!
posted by crocos at 10:12 PM on July 7, 2005

Wow, that Riot Wheel is awesome, crocos!
posted by dg at 8:55 PM on July 11, 2005