Building a "Universe Cycle"

While searching on-line for a unicycle, I saw something similar to this. It looked like a fun project and a good addition to our collection of dangerous toys. The kid next door came up with the name. Others called it a unicycle with training wheels.

Step 1 Parts List

3/4" Plywood. A little more than 3 sq.ft.
2x6. About 24" long
1/2 NPT Steel Pipe. 2 pieces @ 8" long.
1/2 NPT Steel Pipe Flange qty 4
1/4-20 x 1" Flat head screws qty 16
1/4-20 Nuts (I used T-Nuts) qty 16

Cost To Build. I had everything except the plumbing parts which were about $18.
Duration: About 2 hours not including the decorating time.

Comments

[wakojako]

Hahaha! I remember as a kid I used to play around with these (we had one at school). Great fun it was!

Now I ride muni (mountain unicycle) and sometimes do some trials - it's great fun

[brupielink]

Ah, those things! Still have them around here for the kids.

[the cat expert]

Go unicycles!!! I am downloading the PDF immediatly.

[TheHawkeye]

Cool idea! It might be easier to balance if there was a handlebar. Make it sort of like a Segway. How do you turn on this though?

[Chikara]

omgish add a gyroscope. then it would be awesome.. and even better if you add a T bar like the legway!

[Tenebrioun]

If you added a T-Bar, wouldn't it just be a legway?

[pie R []ed]

the concept is meant to be simple. that's why there's no t bar. I'm just guessing here but i think this is meant to be a fun little thing not hi tech. what you just described was a segway this is and the legway are meant to be simple mechanical systems if you added a gyro it would lose its charm.

[dragonsniper]

i think u could turn a whole lot easier if u make the wheel that's in the middle slightly larger than the side wheels
* v *

[tranoxx]

who needs a band saw when you have a... HAND SAW!!! :)

[bertzie]

How in gods name do you turn on that thing?

[SCrock]

Lightly with a mallet.

[sci5]

The universe cycle was a great idea!! But I did make a few modification... Instead of cutting designs in the wheels, I went ahead and left them solid so they could support more weight. Also, next to the pedals on the steel pipe, I put metal hose clamps to keep the pedals from shifting.

Also, I just left 2 by 6 pedal solid instead of glueing the two cut pieces together. I just wallowed the pedal out from each side with a 7/8 in. paddle bit. I think this made the pedals stronger.

I put sand paper on the wheels facing up and it worked good on carpet but the glue I used to glue it to the wheel got a little lumpy at times so make sure you get all the lumps out. My suggestion would be to find some kind of rubber to fit around the wheels to get better traction.

[bdring]

Sounds great!

Tires....

My Legway used plastic edge moulding.  It works, but degrades quickly.  My Streamroller used split rubber hose.  That has held up to a lot of riding.

[excessive.insurgence]

could 1/2'' thick wheels work... plywood is too expensive and we dont have any 3/4'' in our garage stash

[bdring]

 I don't know.  My guess is yes.  You might want to protect the perimeter with some sort of "tire"

[xerxesx20]

I had a feeling the correct name was an "orbital cycle" The name spouting from the orbital motion... Perhaps somebody will clarify -- is this correct?

[bdring]

The working name was "unicycle with training wheels" until the second grader next door coined the name "Universe Cycle" and that stuck.

[xerxesx20]

Haha, cool. :-)

[yangus]

Hmmm. well, a unicycle without a seat is called an "ultimate wheel" so I would think the name ultimate-tricycle would fit.

[Achan20]

kewl. id brake it or me. lol. sounds like it could use some wd40. lol. verry cool. im sure you could make some money off that.

[bdring]

The Legway is done...check it out

[Aklash, The hunchback]

 I love it

[Bright Shadow]

That = pure anti-corporate WIN.

[xerxesx20]

A far superior product! No tecnical fannying about here!

[xerxesx20]

Marvellous! I hate the Segway, this is a perfect knife in the back for the overpriced monsters!

[the_mad_man]

epic win

[fwjs28]

you mean EPIC WIN!!!!!111

[the_mad_man]

YES, I DID!

[fwjs28]

YAAAAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111

[DuctTapeRules!]

Huzzahs are in order!

[fwjs28]

i agree me lord...HuuzzzzaaH!

[reywolf]

i'm no engineer (yet) but i think i have a pretty nice way to coast...

[bdring]

I am ready to hear any ideas. I am also willing to CNC cut pieces for anyone who wants to more the design forward. No charge...just material and shipping or less if you live in the Chicago area.

[reywolf]

it would take a bit to explain... i'll draw up some pictures and send to yoy

[count jamez]

Make an instructible!

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

pretty scary goin down hills i bet!!!!!!!

[Danrobjones]

Hi, whos the creator of this great piece of work. Because he is the genius I am addressing, Im doing a product design course at college and would love to do something based on the legway. Problem is I need a "client" who I can talk to about the designs ect ect. Would you bdring?? be interested in being that person.

[abcnow]

so now try to make one with bigger outside wheels. then you could go faster.

[ReCreate]

Wow this is Genius XP Thumbs up! Rated!

[alex-sharetskiy]

Look what i found!

The DuoPed!