#MugabeFalls
Zimbabwe’s 90-year-old President Robert Mugabe fell down and the interwebs lit up with #MugabeFalls photoshop masterpieces (like the one above).
‘Shoppers had him doing everything from bowling with the Big Lebowski, to running with the bulls and getting intimate with a certain Kardashian, so we felt it was our responsibility to represent with this tasteful little number.
Zenga Brothers: Tall Bike Tour
Meet the Zenga brothers. A couple guys who seem to get the whole Odd Cycle thing.
They became interested in tall bikes at a young age and it has since become an obsession! In this video, you can see some of their wild creations and learn a little about what it takes to tour backcountry on a hand-built tall bike.
This is extremely cool and hopefully their story will inspire some of you to try building your own odd cycle!
Zenga Bros – Tall Bike Tour from Zenga Bros on Vimeo.
DIY Unicycle Stand
Check out this great tutorial from the UniGeezer. In just a few minutes he is able to show us how to make a cheap and easy unicycle stand out of afew items you can pick up at your local hardware store.
Danny MacAskill’s Wee Day Out
Danny MacAskill is at it again with another crazy video that is sure to break the internet.
Fat Bike World Championships
Anyone out there riding a new Nimbus Hatchet or KH plus sized uni in the Fat Bike Championships this year?
Unicycle Fail Video for the Win
The Hippo Unicycles crew out of New Zealand are keeping it 100 in this unicycle fail compilation posted to YouTube by sponsored rider Balthazar Ossig-Bonnano. Here they show us how not to grind a rail and the proper form when folding in half over a fence post. Listen closely and you will hear an F-bomb dropped at 120 frames per second. Neat!
BMX Freestyle Added to Tokyo 2020 Olympics
The rumors are true, BMX Freestyle will be added to the schedule at the 2018 Olympics!
According to press releases from the UCI (International Cycling Union) and IOC (International Olympic Committee), a non-racing BMX event has been added to the line-up for the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
BMX Freestyle is descended from BMX racing, which became a medal sport at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, and consists of several disciplines including street, park, vert, trails, and flatland. Little is known about the setup for the upcoming games, but apparently a street course has been confirmed.
We will be sure to keep you updated as more details are released.
BMX freestyle park officially added to 2020 Tokyo Olympics https://t.co/VRFkOzl097
— GrindTV (@GrindTV) June 9, 2017
The Unipiper on ABC’s Gong Show
The Unipiper strikes again!
Ditching his usual Darth Vader Mask and cape for a full body sasquatch costume, the Unipiper appeared on ABC’s new game show reboot “The Gong Show“, complete with flaming bagpipes and a banana creme pie.
The Unipiper has become a kind of internet celebrity over the past few years, showing up in memes and viral videos on social media. Now that this Portland, Oregon native has brought his unicycle freak-out act to network television and passed round one of the hit game show, he is sure to become a household name!
Stunt Unicyclist Rides Rim of Super Tall Chimney
The line between bravery and stupidity is razor thin and sometimes hard to define. Unicyclist and performer Flaviu Cernescu explores those boundaries in this video, where we see him riding, juggling, bouncing and even doing a wheel walk around the rim of one of Europe’s tallest chimneys. Although we cannot condone riding without a helmet (especially under such extreme circumstances!), we do recommend that you watch this video and share with a friend who is afraid of heights 😉
DISCLAIMER!!!
You are hereby notified that the stunts displayed in this video
were performed by professionals in a controlled environment.
Do not attempt to duplicate, re-create, or perform the same or
similar stunts, unless you are a trained professional as personal
injury or property damage may result.
The producer of this video is not responsible for any such injury
or damage.Info:
This video shows me and a friend climbing the big chimney at
CET Târgu Jiu and riding the * Unicycle * on the top, at the height
of about 256m (840ft).Note:
For the best experience of this clip use high brightness and turn
the volume up!Starring: Flaviu Cernescu, Nikolai Ismail
Filming, editing: Flaviu CernescuChimney at CET Târgu Jiu, 256 meters (840 feet)
July, 2016Special thanks to Mada for being so kind ?
Unicycle Ride on the Edge
Impressive riding at even more impressive heights!
Markus Büchel likes to push the limits of where unicycles can be ridden. Watch as he takes his mountain unicycle down some of the steepest most gnarly trails out there in this insane video.
Bicycle Self Defense 101 – Goats
Bikes should never be used as weapons. They are magical machines that have many practical uses like carrying goods between villages, or bussing children to school and back. They can also be used for fun and adventure and are made to go into the most remote locations and to get the raddest of air. But did you know, that in some very rare cases, bikes can and should be used in self-defense from would be attackers? Learn the proper technique in this self-defense classic.
The First Recorded UPD in Unicycle History!
Little did he know it , at the time, but this man was a true pioneer in the evolution of the odd cycle. Like Neil Armstrong’s famous first steps onto the surface of the moon nearly 80 years later, this brave soul planted his face into the earth in what is believed to be the first recorded UPD (unplanned dismounts) in unicycle history.
the Penny Farthing was an oversized unicycle with a training wheel and handlebars. The unicycle was born when riders took off the back wheel and just rode the big wheel.
Today, unicycles are smaller and come in many diameters and seat post length and tire grip, usually they’re specified to their use, but people around the world are following in this guys..er, steps(?) and performing face plants and other spectacular UPD’s while trying to push themselves and the sport to the extreme.
Check out the video below to see how the pros are doing it!
eBike debate heats up
Photo courtesy of Newport Beach Lifeguards
To some people, cheaper eBikes mean that an eco-friendly alternative to driving and public transportation is becoming a reality, while others feel like these electric bicycle hybrids are a sign of the end of cycling as we know it. The electric motors in these machines assist riders when they need an extra push up a hill and cut the effort of a long commute in half. To the casual rider, this sounds like a blessing, while many cycling purists consider this concept to be nothing short of blasphemy.
Regardless of which side you are on in this debate, one recent incident in Southern California in which the battery on one of these cheap eBikes exploded into a ball of fire and sent flaming bits of chemicals and shrapnel flying into the air should make you take notice. According to the original story, nobody was hurt, but as you can see in the photo, the sight was a spectacular display of destruction and a reminder that not all advancements in technology are worth cutting corners to achieve.
Original story published by By SCOTT SCHWEBKE | sschwebke@scng.com | Orange County Register
March 21, 2017
NEWPORT BEACH – An electric bike caught fire Sunday, shooting battery parts as it burned, authorities said.
The incident was reported around 4:30 p.m. at the end of an access ramp on 18th Street.
A man and woman had parked their newly purchased electric bikes on the beach and were sitting next to them when the battery on one of the bikes malfunctioned, said Mike Halphide, lifeguard battalion chief for the Newport Beach Fire Department.
“Lifeguards on scene reported that the battery was popping and sending projectiles dozens of yards from the fire,” Halphide said. “It’s something I’ve never seen before.”
The couple were not injured and firefighters used a dry chemical to extinguish the blaze. One bike was destroyed and the other was damaged, he said.
The couple bought the bikes, that each cost about $2,500, last week, Halphide said.
“I hope they get their money back,” he added.
D.I.Y. Electric Pedal Assist Unicycle
The goal was to make a unicycle like Justin’s but ungeared. Instead of a throttle, like in his 2010 build, I decided to use up/down buttons as torque to allow my hands to remain free for balance. For some background, the reason this is difficult is because ebike hub motors have stators that don’t rotate, just like bikes have static axles that don’t rotate. On the other hand, unicycles don’t have a static axle that doesn’t rotate. As a result, the goal is to replace one of the bearings with a stator support that doesn’t spin and connects to the stator. This is the same principle by which Schlumpf hubs work.
We have a stator! Removing the axle is not an easy feat though. The wires are threaded through the axle, then soldered to the Hall sensor board. We cut the wires. We use a press but it’s not working. We end up using a press with an extremely long handle and a hammer. It’s finally out. First things first, let’s remove the center. For protection, we tape up the outer rim of the stator. Then, using a drill press, we cut a 45mm hole in the stator.
We realize that our custom spindle isn’t going to cut it. Even simple square tapers are hard to machine correctly, and the whole thing is pretty heavy. We find that though it’s not a perfect fit, we can get a hub from UDC with square tapers meant for a smaller frame, then use spacers to make it fit. We machine off one of the flanges so it can fit through the hub; I take off a bit of my thumb in the process.
First (unpictured), we widened the channel for the wires with a dremel. We also shave some off some of the supports on one side plate, as they get in the way of our bolt holes.
We fit it in the fork!
Me with the beast! This is just after a ride test in the dark. Will give it a bit more of a try tomorrow in the light. It’s heavy which makes it a bit hard to mount. I’m also terrified of dropping it which is making me scared to turn up the assist.
Original article posted by Logan Stafman on imgur.com HERE
How to #Everest on a Unicycle
On March 10, 2018, extreme unicyclist and Mad4One Team rider Ben Soja cemented his place in unicycle history as the first person to climb the height of the tallest mountain peak in the world in a single day (known as “everesting”) on his unicycle. Read about his incredible journey and all the training and preparation it took to get him to the summit in his own words below:
I heard about Everesting (everesting.cc) about a year ago and immediately started wondering if I could do it on a unicycle. It seemed almost impossible, but at the same time very intriguing. After I completed my last big project in September 2017 (Backbone Trail in the Santa Monica Mountains), I started to think more seriously about Everesting. I mounted a road tire and started exploring various mountain roads close to where I live. After I decided on the road up Mt Lowe in the San Gabriel Mountains, I did multiple practice runs and started to work out all the details.
Then, it was time to wait for favorable conditions. This Friday, March 10, the weather forecast was 13-21°C with a mix of sun and clouds, so I decided to go for it. I got up at 3am and started riding at about 3:30am. After two laps in the dark (one is about 620 m elevation gain), the sun rose and it was getting warm pretty fast. Since there was almost no shade, I was exposed to the sun for several hours. My body didn’t like that and I started to feel nauseous, which made it difficult to keep up with the nutrition. As a result, I had a lap during which I was almost totally out of energy. I barely made it down and consequently forced myself to eat a lot to recharge my batteries. Unfortunately, my stomach could not handle it and made the next lap even worse. I had to take a break of almost an hour to recover. Luckily, at the same time clouds started forming. I continued riding and it felt much better!
During the next hours, everything was going well, but on lap #10, the last before sunset, I had a high-speed crash on the descent. As a result, my elbow is now missing some skin, but at least my legs were fine – the knee pads had saved me!
Completing 10 ascents had a very positive psychological effect on me. Even though the final 2600 m elevation gain had to be done in the dark, there was no way I would stop with my goal within reach. I was going much slower than during the day, but eventually – after 23 hours – I had finally completed the 8848 m!
I want to especially thank Tamara for looking after me several times during my ride! I could not have done it without you! It was also great to get so much positive feedback from the unicycling community when I posted live updates – such a great motivation!
https://www.strava.com/activities/1445153618/
Let me provide some more details about certain aspects you might find interesting:
Location:
A very important part in Everesting is selecting the right location. I think for doing it on a unicycle, the best way is choosing a rather steep road to reduce the overall distance. The road I selected had an average grade of 11% and I still had to complete a century ride. Another decision was traffic vs. road quality. The Mt Lowe Rd is very old and bumpy, has severe camber and quite a bit of dirt, gravel, and rocks on it. I put up with all that because 2/3 of the road are closed to motorized vehicles and the rest is only lightly used (even more so on a workday). In the night, 95% of the road is closed to vehicles. This allowed me to ride much more relaxed and pick ideal lines, which was especially helpful on the descent.Equipment:
I used my #mad4one geared 27.5″ unicycle and it worked great. I’m pretty sure that a Schlumpf hub is necessary for Everesting. Of course, the extra weight is bad for all the climbing going on, but it is much more efficient on the descents.I used the Schwalbe G One Speed 27.5×2.35 tire with a tubeless set-up. It was really good to have such a wide tire to absorb all the bumps and for its volume, it’s quite light. Maybe even too light, since the tire got a few small cuts, most likely due to gravel on the road. Luckily, the sealant could fix all small holes. In one of my practice rides, I even had a 5 mm cut, which needed patching from the inside. Unfortunately, the tire is also quite sensitive to road camber.
I picked 150 mm cranks – a good compromise of leverage and still being able to shift gears of the Schlumpf hub comfortably. In terms of the cockpit, a KH Fusion One with a T-bar worked well. It was very important that I could use both hands for braking during the long descents. I used platform pedals during the night and clipless pedals during the day. I’m not sure if the crash could have been avoided if I had used platform pedals all the time.
Logistics and general stuff:
It’s very important to think through all eventualities and bring plenty of tools, spare parts, extra clothes, food, and water. Having somebody to support you on site is highly recommended. Tamara charged the batteries of my headlamp, brought fresh food & warm tea, and helped me get through tough times.I used the Strava app on my phone (Samsung Galaxy S8+) for GPS tracking. In this case, the elevation data provided by Strava is used, which is based on barometer measurements collected by other riders. During my preparations, I found out through tests that the Strava data on this segment is very accurate with a perfectly smooth elevation profile (no spikes, saw-tooth patterns, etc.). Using the Strava data resulted in a 4% lower recorded elevation gain on this segment compared to using my own barometer measurements. I’m therefore very confident that I’ve actually climbed the 9000 m and it’s not just due to bad GPS data.
Finally, riding the same road multiple times can be quite monotonous. I listened to music basically all the time to keep myself on track. Also, I was hoping it would scare away any mountain lions or bears that might cross my path
The Physics of a Unicycle
Today we learned that British physicist and astronomer, Prof Stephen Hawking, died peacefully at the age of 76. He spent his life pondering the physics of the universe and so, here we honor his memory by sharing with you this great educational video, “The Physics of Unicycling”, and a very unique song by California based group cLOUDEAD called “The Physics of a Unicycle.
Video produced and distributed by MIT+K12 Videos
License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA
Hey! Don’t forget to check out the super strange hip-hop stylings of Doseone and Why? in their ode to our favorite vehicle. Just click play on the Spotify player below, then sit back and think about space and time and black holes and stuff for a few minutes.
Dirt Rag’s Dirt Fest!
Riding muni is a lot of fun. Riding muni with friends is often even more fun. Unfortunately most of us have many friends who don’t ride muni- yet. (We WILL convert them…) Sometimes meeting new muni friends is difficult. Let’s face it, overall there are a whole lot more folks who ride bikes (and have a lot of friends who ride bikes).
While there are a few muni meetups throughout the year, the calendar overall isn’t saturated yet unless you’re willing to commit to a lot of intercontinental travel. And, for the most part even those events are small in both number and attendance in comparison to those of our two wheeled off road brethren.
Solution? Join the party. That’s what some of us have been doing at Dirt Rag’s Dirt Fest for years. The current version of Dirt Fest has been going strong since 2010 (in PA, WV just started in 2017). In the Dirt Fest site’s words here’s what it’s about:
- Great Trails
- Camping
- Camaraderie with fellow enthusiasts
- Chill inclusive vibe
- Diverse local music
- Demo Bikes and Gear
- Attractive to all abilities and ages
- Trail and Bicycle Advocacy
- Ride from your camp
- Good Craft Beer
- Beards
- Affordable to attend
- No Racing
- Unicycles (It’s not on the site list, but needs added)
Since at least 2012 we’ve had a uni presence as well with a group ride and demo session- to try to recruit more friends who will ride muni with us. Each year we hang with old muni friends and meet new ones as well (many who often ride bikes too). Since there are roughly 2000 other chill off road pedaling enthusiasts in attendance, the infrastructure is in place to have great food, beverages, and all other cool amenities right on site.
We all want great events. In the US, NAUCC only happens once a year. Unicon is only every other year. Outside of an occasional muni weekend here or there, there isn’t a whole lot going on. We should continue to have unicycling specific events, but if we’re welcome at bigger biking events loaded with cool pedaling friends we should take full advantage of the situation and join in the fun!
https://www.dirtragdirtfest.com/
Note: Dirt Fest PA happens in less than 2 weeks. Camping is sold out. However, our muni group, Butler Wobble, has a few extra spots available if you don’t mind sharing our site. If you have interest, get in touch! If Dirt Fest PA is too short of a notice for you, mark your calendar and get out for WV!
Shawn ‘UniMerica’ Smith Rides the Tour de Shore on a Unicycle
On July 29th, Shawn ‘UniMerica’ Smith will be riding his 36″ Kris Holm unicycle 50 miles from Berlin, New Jersey to The Showboat in Atlantic City to raise money and awareness for the Tour de Shore Children’s Foundation.
The Tour de Shore has been raising money to help local children in need for over 30 years with the goal of supporting the families of first responders who are killed or severely injured in the line of duty, improving relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve, and by encouraging children through education and recreation.
If you’d like to support Shawn’s efforts and pledge to this great cause, visit Shawn’s profile page by clicking the button below and follow his progress with the rest of us.
First Unicyclist to Circumnavigate the Globe!
Watch Justin Bieber Learn How To Ride A Unicycle
Justin Bieber has been learning to ride a unicycle, and by the looks of things in the video he snapped at the beginning of the month, he could be a natural at it. Unfortunately for him, pictures of the Biebs committing to a massive UPD (unplanned dismount) from his chromed out 20″ unicycle went viral this weekend.
© Max Lopez-Vasquez / BACKGRID
Learning to ride is super difficult and everyone takes spills like this when they are starting out, but most of us don’t have to do it in in front of the world like this!
© Max Lopez-Vasquez / BACKGRID
It’s OK Justin, just keep practicing and you could be landing 360 unispins and shredding skateparks with the greats someday!
All images © Max Lopez-Vasquez / BACKGRID