plans for giraffe unicycle

[clapchap]

i have been looking around unsuccesfully for plans for a giraffe unicycle, as i suspect this would be a lot cheaper than buying a new one (like the 850 CDL 8 footer being sold here). im sure my local bike shop could help, with the right plans a giraffe isnt too much different from a bike. i have heard horror(?) stories about bike shop people, but the ones near me are cool at least, and i'm sure they would be happy to help. or i could ask my metal teacher...
anyway, the thing i need is plans! where to go from there is the next step.

[le pire]

You can find Savage giraffe Uni's on ebay for around $125. They're not as good as Sem's or DM's, but they are EXCELLENT for your first giraffe. I performed on one for three years, and would still be using it if American Airlines did not TRASH it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2700821109&category=2904

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2700076653&category=2904

étienne

[clapchap]

i was looking at savages too, as cheap 1sties... making one taller wouldnt be a prop would it? just more chain and a pole extention right below the seat post...

[clapchap]

hmmm and bring up the pedal deal...

[le pire]

Make the cut in the main shaft below the pedal case.

Weld the desired-length pole to the two pieces.

You will need a chain specially built for this, and personally I would have a bike shop put it on. I'd hate to imagine the chain falling off while you're 12 feet up in the air throwing three torches around.

Personally, I'd just by a DM, a Voltige, or Tom Miller. Safety first.


étienne

[clapchap]

good call etienne... im gonna keep it at six to start, then see how it goes. i figure if im gonna raise it, i'm gonna raise it all at once. no double welding manouvers. I have a bidding going on ebay (thanks!) for $80 less than the going price. two hours left and its luckily lonely! What happened with american airlines? thats a bummer...

[Mark Wessels]

If I were you, which I'm not, last time I checked, I wouldn't risk lengthening a cheapy. The frames on cheapy giraffes are rumored to bend and I'm sure that adding and extra few feet would be enough to bend the frame pop off the chain and drop you on your head. that'd get a big hat. I'm off to try and make a break away unicycle. Mmm pity.

markus parkus

[clapchap]

oh ow. not to you mark, i was just outbid by 1 lousy cent. thats a stinger. maybe i'll have to get a good one...good grief....

[le pire]

I recommend for a first giraffe uni, you go with a five foot. It is much easier to learn freemounting a five and then moving on to six.

When I'm learning a new skill, I totally trash the prop in the process. I went through a set of clubs per year when I was learning to juggling, now I burn through a set every three years. I still practice as often, I just don't drop as much, and I've learned how to control them better.

This being said-- it is much better to learn with SOMEONE ELSE's stuff!!!

Here's my process for learning the free-mount:

1: make sure your "idle" is SOLID on a regular uni. By solid I mean that you can stay on one exact spot, and not swerve or turn at all. You should be able to hold this for 10 minutes. You should be able to idle with either foot in the downward position. This is VERY IMPORTANT!!!


2: get a giraffe uni (or borrow one, but don't ask to borrow mine, 'cause I'm on to ya, punk!)

3: have a pole or something you can grab on to on your LEFT side.
Hold the uni by the front of the seat with your right hand, and the
pole with your left. The chain should be on the RIGHT side of the uni, with the pedal on the RIGHT, downward and perpendicular to
the ground. Jam the wheel with your LEFT foot. Hold the uni relatively close to your body. This is the START position.

4: Inhale. On the exhale launch your right foot onto the pedal, at the same time jam the heel of the right foot into the chain. THIS
BLOCKS THE WHEEL FROM MOVING!

5: Keeping the shaft of the uni CLOSE to your body (very important) Step over the seat with your left foot and bring it onto the pedal.

6: Start idling and let go of the seat, and let go of the pole.

7: REPEAT! keep doing this until you no longer need to hold onto the pole! This took me months, so don't give up-- IT's WORTH IT.
If you think - oh I'll just climb all over an audience volunteer to get onto my uni, so I don't need to learn the freemount you're
headed for BIG trouble. (you never forget the look of pain on a total stranger's face when you nearly dislocate their shoulder.)

8: In the end, you have to find your own way of doing things. No street performer ever gave me any tips on the giraffe uni-- one
even told me not to learn it because it was "his thing." I learned from watching videos of chinese acrobats, Charlie
Dancey's "How to Ride Your Unicyle" and Jack Wiley's "Unicycle Book." Good luck!

[Tom Comet]

You know I really wouldn't mess around with extending a uni into a taller uni and I'm NOT just saying that cause I have 2 DMs for sale. It's bloody dangerous is all! Riding a tall uni is hard enough to learn and do without some crappy frame flexing all over the place and inevitably breaking. Believe me, I have broken many. Sem cycle was the last and that is a reasonably built machine.

Any frame builder who is a REAL FRAME BUILDER will charge at least as much as a good production bike will cost and way more for something custom that breaks apart. I know people who have spent three times as much as my DM brand new and ended up with some weird custom jobby that they seem to always have trouble with. Sure I guess if you just want something that looks like a tall unicycle built it but if you actually want to ride safe around people and do shows then get the real deal.

One last word of advice: Anything over 6 feet high must have two chains for stability, frame strength (the chains add a lot of strength) and safety.

Good luck!