Self-balancing uni-cycle

February 11, 2020 3:40 AM

Footage of a 1935 Motoruota Monowheel.
Background and wikipedia.
Previously on metafilter
posted by growabrain (16 comments total)

A delightfully foolish machine. As the longtime chaplain to Baltimore's annual Kinetic Sculpture Race, I've been bemused by the expressions on the faces of monowheel pilots upon realizing, on their first big downhill stretch, that braking a monowheel at speed is essentially impossible.
posted by sonascope at 4:35 AM on February 11, 2020 [6 favorites]

No monowheel discussion is complete without Douglas Self's ever growing section devoted to the monowheel at his long running Museum of Retro Technology.
posted by 2N2222 at 4:38 AM on February 11, 2020 [2 favorites]

No monowheel thread is complete without footage of General Grievous's monowheel that also has legs for some reason.
posted by timdiggerm at 4:42 AM on February 11, 2020 [4 favorites]

...braking a monowheel at speed is essentially impossible.

... that also has legs for some reason.

I think we figured this one out, guys.
posted by ropeladder at 4:55 AM on February 11, 2020 [5 favorites]

Dear Sir,

I am fascinated by your invention, and would like to contribute to your design process. Have you ever, perchance, been made aware of the concept of the "axle" (you bloody idiot)?
posted by pompomtom at 5:19 AM on February 11, 2020

Dear Sir,
Thank you for your interest.
Sincerely,
Axel Wheeler
Team Monowheel
posted by pracowity at 5:26 AM on February 11, 2020 [3 favorites]

OK, sure, I'll rephrase:

"ONE WHEEL GOOD. TWO WHEELS BETTER."
posted by pompomtom at 5:31 AM on February 11, 2020

Three would be awesome.
posted by pompomtom at 5:32 AM on February 11, 2020

Critical tech needed for when the zombie invasion takes over the planet.
posted by Big Al 8000 at 6:04 AM on February 11, 2020 [1 favorite]

TIL the word “gerbilling”
posted by scruss at 6:54 AM on February 11, 2020 [2 favorites]

Hmm...
posted by pracowity at 7:10 AM on February 11, 2020

All you really need to know about this is to watch the folks on bicycles idly freewheeling right behind the thing while it rolls along for the camera.
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 8:04 AM on February 11, 2020 [1 favorite]

Three would be awesome


A good dairy cow vehicle should have, like four an even number
posted by Maxwell's demon at 9:07 AM on February 11, 2020

scruss: "TIL the word “gerbilling”"

Gerbilling cycle?
posted by chavenet at 9:52 AM on February 11, 2020

...braking a monowheel at speed is essentially impossible.

You have another heavier wheel inside the outer wheel that you can counter rotate. Better yet, two of them rotating in opposite directions at controllable speeds so you can turn. Then you drive the outer wheel against the inner wheels. Lots of magnets and electricity should do the trick.
posted by zengargoyle at 11:20 AM on February 11, 2020

"You know, for kids!" (Cute/Terrifying vintage footage of young child on child-sized monowheel.)
posted by subocoyne at 12:45 PM on February 11, 2020 [3 favorites]