How the hell do you ride this?

[cludence]

I found this bike thrown out a few weeks ago. It is a skate bike that came out in the 80's. I pulled it apart and cleaned it up and it works, but is impossible to ride. You cant get any further than a few metres before you fall. It is currently sitting in my loungeroom and whenever someone visits it gets the better of them and they try, but as yet no one has succeeded.

Anyone game?

[mikesbytes]

By the looks of it, you lean left or right to go left or right - skateboard style.

Burn plenty of Glycogen
Frame Size Calculator.....Park Tools Repair Guides

training log

[cludence]

In theory leaning sounds right but once you are on it, it leans all by itself and you fall off sideways.

Might have to bring it in one week for you to try on the slowies rides!


Karen.

[Bnej]

Perhaps the design of this vehicle was not fully thought through, beyond the "wouldn't it be cool to have a bicycle/rollerskate" stage?

It should be called a farthing-penny.

[sogood]

1) You've done a fantastic job cleaning it up. Look at that shine!!!

2) It got thrown out maybe because it was a design that went bad, very bad...

3) Given 2, maybe you can set this up as a challenge ride at the next agricultrual show... Side show alley stuff. $2 a try, cross the line win stuffed toy.

[Bnej]

Is it fixed gear, or is that a coaster brake? Or no brakes at all?

[cludence]

Sogood, the shine is compliments of wood bleech (oxalic acid) and a decent polish afterwards. The stuff works wonders.

It was a design that was around for a few years and you can actually still buy new versions of them. I have read that unicycles are actually easier to ride.

It would make a good fundraiser, few dollars a go and anyone who succeeds wins a prize. Problem would be everyone would sue you for injuries.

Bnej, it is a freewheel and is supposed to have a brake, I just have to get one to fit it. The lever goes under the seat. -Just another thing to send you falling when trying to put the brakes on.

My nieces and nephews think it is great so I am thinking of putting some training wheels on it before they go killing themselves.

Karen.

[Bnej]

Oh yeah

Edit: Found this while looking for that:

[wombatoutofhell]

I remember these! they were called skate bikes and believe it or not some people could actually ride them. I wasn't one of them-my attempt ended in almost disaster. You steer by leaning in the direction you want to go but from memory you need a bit of speed up to maintain balance. Which was partly where I went wrong. Our local skating rink had a few back in about 1985 or 86. I'd forgotten they existed.

[moosterbounce]

I'm getting this weird vision in my head of someone riding one, then standing up only to find hte bike missing.

"My bike, what happened to my bike?"

Think about it!!

Moo...

[DrEvil123]

you need a bit of speed up to maintain balance.

This looks to be the key. Spin as fast as you can

[Mulger bill]

I'd have a go, I'll just have to borrow a pressure suit first...

[wombatoutofhell]

Bnej, it is a freewheel and is supposed to have a brake, I just have to get one to fit it. The lever goes under the seat. -Just another thing to send you falling when trying to put the brakes on.
Karen.

As I recall anyone using the brakes looked like they were playing with themselves. who knows-maybe they were. As the brake was under the seat you sort of had to use it with your palm on the front of the seat and you fingertips around the lever. this meant spreading your legs a bit to get your hand in. not very elegant!

[Akadoo]

Bnej, it is a freewheel and.......

Drat! I was going to suggest turning the seat around and ride with front wheel drive.

[europa]

They had one of those on Funniest Home Videos this week. The bloke riding it had full control and turned a corner - he only fell off because he hit a small step that the small wheels wouldn't go over.

And yes, it looks as bizarre in operation as you'd imagine it would, and not the least unstable - he was very smooth.

Richard

[AUbicycles]

Couldn't find anything on youtube however I suggest that some retro skate boarding videos from the early 80's may contain some 'oddball' footage with some hardcore skate bikers.

Could this here be the original patent for the skate bike:
Patent 4863182

Found these images of Uniskate bikes


Rodeocycle from Motobecane

Another image here
found on a Unicyle forum

[khendar]

Sorry to bump the thread, but I was fascinated by this thing and tried hunting it down:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01Pe7Q5sFfw