Unicyclist In The Snow

By · November 30, 2010 at 22:20 pm · 4 Comments · Miscellaneous · Report an error ·

Headcase

Aside from open-toe sandals woven from banana skins, we can’t really think of a more preposterous way of getting around in the snow than ‘pon a unicycle. Still, he seems happy enough, and he’s even got lights courtesy of the ad hoc miner’s helmet.

This extreme lunacy was spotted by ace photographer Paul Clarke on the streets of Purley this evening. Check out his rather good Flickr stream here.

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  • JoeJoe

    What you don’t know, is that unicycles are actually a brilliant way of getting around in snow – maximum traction, easy to take on public transport if it is running, easy to walk with through deep snow, and doubles up as a makeshift ice axe if you fall down a hill.

    Assuming you have the ability to ride a unicycle, and one with a grippy tyre, it is way easier and more stable to ride a unicycle on icy pavements and streets than to walk. You just have tons of traction compared to shoes, more than on a bike even, as your weight is directly above the wheel.

    You don’t slide on snow because when you’re riding a unicycle your weight is directly in line with the wheel – if it wasn’t, you’d fall off, even on a flat dry surface without snow. So by just riding normally you learn to keep your weight in the right position, which means you are fine on snow also.

    It sounds weird but it’s totally true – I took a massive rucksack of shopping back from the supermarket on the unicycle yesterday, in Derbyshire, where we have quite a bit more snow than that (and hills). It was fine.

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  • Triplinky

    LOL< brilliant – guess thats one way to get about!!

    PJ
    http://triplinky.com/

  • Triplinky

    LOL< brilliant – guess thats one way to get about!!

    PJ
    http://triplinky.com/

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