 December 16, 2013 - 9:14am | While looking for some stock pictures for a new adventure I'm writting for next summer, I came across an interesting picture from 1931 (though the design dates back to the 1860's): This monocycle was supposedly able to travel at about 90 mph. I've found a few examples of more modern monocycles of this same basic design, but they all seem to have stability and handling issues (avaxnews.net/appealing/Kerry_McLean_And_His_Monocycle.html). Most of the ones I found weighed between 45-50 kg and topped out at about 25 mph. Gamewise, what I was looking for was a compact vehicle design that I could tuck into a tiny compartment in a jetcopter so that the jetcopter could be landed and the smaller ground vehicle utilized in rugged, off-road conditions. Further searches uncovered some other interesting designs that I thought I might share. Don't know if I'll actually use any of this in-game, but it was pretty fun looking around the web at all this stuff.  Now that little beauty is collapsible - looks nice and compact. Not sure how rugged it'd be though.  That is a pretty neat concept - it's called a dicycle and uses two wheels with a cockpit suspended between. That solves the stability and handling issues of the monocycle but it looks pretty frail and bulky - not what I was looking for.  That is called a RIOT Wheel and also solves the stability and handling issues through the use of counterweights. This is a very robust solution though; making this machine weigh around 1,200 pounds! So after a few hours of looking I did finally find something that I think would work for what I was looking for - provided I decide to use the idea.  That is called the Hornet. But it uses two wheels instead of just one (it's sort of hard to tell, but you can see them both in the first image there) so it solves the stability issues of the monowheel. It looks pretty hearty and with those fat tires it should handle rough off-road terrain fairly well. As well, it weighs about 60 kg (+/-) so it should tuck away nicely in a smaller compartment and provide the PC with a secondary vehicle when space is a limiting factor.  I also liked the looks of this one. It's a monocycle - but It seems like it would be more stable than the other design in which the pilot is seated inside the wheel. I never found any stats on this one - it may even just be a concept model. Regardless, in the SF setting this one might be do-able and though it doesn't look as compact as the previous one, it does still seem fairly compact. I don't have to outrun that nasty beast my friend...I just have to outrun you!  |
 December 16, 2013 - 9:31am | Have you heard of Venus Wars? It's a pretty good manga/anime that has monocycles. They're used for both racing and combat: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jpl3k/391691011/ - a google image search will turn up all sorts of interesting artwork from it. |
December 16, 2013 - 9:40am | No I hadn't KR - I'll go check it out, thanx! :) I don't have to outrun that nasty beast my friend...I just have to outrun you! |
December 16, 2013 - 10:19am | Glad to help! Venus Wars is good fun - there are many off-the-wall designs for other vehicles in the film. Stability and off-road effectiveness seem to be two problems that make monocycles a bit tricky. That said, that's without any form of computer-controlled stabilising. I wonder whether this would work in the same way it does with modern fighter jets, where inbuilt instability is countered and exploited by the way the computer-filtered controls handle pilot input. |
 December 16, 2013 - 10:20am | Here are some more monobikes and monowheels: Venus Wars Race-bike  Combat-bike  Spiral Zone (the US designs are not as impressive as the Japanese counterparts) Monoseed I (Zone Raider Cycle in the US)  Monoseed II (Rimfire Cannon in the US)  Everything Else War Wheels from Justice League Unlimited  From ???  From a 1925 issuse of "Science & Invention" and a 1918 issue of "The Electrical Experimenter".  War Wheels form Airboy  "War Tank On One Wheel" form a 1933 issue of Popular Scinence.  From Psychepool, at DiviantArt  |
 December 16, 2013 - 12:13pm | lets not forget General Grevous's monocycle. ----------------------------------------------- |
 December 17, 2013 - 6:32pm |   |
 December 26, 2013 - 9:10am | It's a pity these are not in 25mm or even 15mm scale. DP9 has made motorized infantry for the PRDF. And they ride monocycles, which look very much like the Venus Wars combat monobikes. Yes, we all know how much DP9 draws from anime for it's games. But it's all at 1/144 scale, too small for RPG's. And you know I'd be shot for being a Gundam fan and forgetting about Victory Gundam's crazier ideas. A Monobike for mobile suits, the Motorad. In every age, in every place, the deeds of men remain the same. |
December 26, 2013 - 3:20pm | I tried to look for more info on the Motorad, but all I found was one of the greatest Gundam montages around. In the other hand, I almost forgot about the IT.  Does that not look really, really comfortable?  |
December 26, 2013 - 3:36pm | And how can I forget about their Steampunk counterparts:     Steamboy looks so badass! |
December 26, 2013 - 5:16pm | Doh, Steamboy, for got about that. Good movie. I have no pictures of it, but a steampunk monobike makes a very short appearance in Nadia the Secret of Blue Water. Ah the Bright slap, turning whiny emo boys into capable pilots since 1979.  In every age, in every place, the deeds of men remain the same. |
December 27, 2013 - 3:41am | I still watch Gundam on Toonami Aftermath (a scheduled livefeed of old Toonami shows with MST3K and Rifftaxs, which I highly recommend), and everyone on the comments like to point-out a Bright Slap like everyone is in a drinking game. They just go crazy with it in those shows, save for The 08th MS Team, but that show is so hardcore, it just goes right for kicking candy-ass men in the balls - by a nurse no less! I remember seeing Steamboy years ago. I remember being impressed by the steampunk elements, but I got board with the story. It looks like animators as Akira? |
December 28, 2013 - 9:27am |  Now that little beauty is collapsible - looks nice and compact. Not sure how rugged it'd be though. I missed this the first time through. I recall when that made its rounds on the various motorcycle forums. It starts out in motorcycle mode and once you get going you fold the front end in. It's actually the second or third generation of the orange one I posted earlier...dubbed the Uno.  |
 December 28, 2013 - 2:26pm | Clearly they should have used the riot wheel in a Mad Max movie. They would need to zip along at higher speed than I saw in a you tube video though. Imagine the football pad wearing mohawk haired mad men of the "Ayahtolla of Rock and Rolla" chasing after mad max in the great Road Warrior chase scene- that would have been cool. Even one of them in the menagerie of vehciles from Thunder Dome would have been interesting. Sadly it didn't happen and there were no riot wheel happy meal toys to bid for on ebay. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
December 28, 2013 - 10:57pm | The original Uno reminds me of Ralph McQuarrie's concept art for Darth Vader...  |
December 31, 2013 - 3:38pm | I still watch Gundam on Toonami Aftermath (a scheduled livefeed of old Toonami shows with MST3K and Rifftaxs, which I highly recommend), and everyone on the comments like to point-out a Bright Slap like everyone is in a drinking game. They just go crazy with it in those shows, save for The 08th MS Team, but that show is so hardcore, it just goes right for kicking candy-ass men in the balls - by a nurse no less! I remember seeing Steamboy years ago. I remember being impressed by the steampunk elements, but I got board with the story. It looks like animators as Akira? Steamboy was same animators as Akira. No Bright in Gundam 0083, which goes like a Top Gun for Gundam. In every age, in every place, the deeds of men remain the same. |
 January 26, 2019 - 8:20am | I just did a basic page for a Monocycle last night for the big wikki. |
January 27, 2019 - 12:49pm | I just did a basic page for a Monocycle last night for the big wikki. Link? I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
January 30, 2019 - 10:33pm | http://starfrontiers.wikia.com/wiki/Monocycle |
January 31, 2019 - 5:01pm | Well alrighty then. Will you clean this up and submit it as an article? Where did the artwork come from? Any of it free for us to use? I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
January 31, 2019 - 8:56pm | Old school BMW single cylinder monocycle:  |
February 1, 2019 - 7:50am | Old school BMW single cylinder monocycle: Somehow I get the feeling that when you face plant with one of these its really something. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
February 1, 2019 - 9:28am | Somehow I get the feeling that when you face plant with one of these its really something.
With the exception of the inside-the-wheel designs (i.e. General Greivous cycle), that's why I would not want to try any of them. And there goes the stupid quoting glitch again.... |
 February 3, 2019 - 11:27am | Chris: loved the monocyle illustration and facts. Joe Cabadas |
February 3, 2019 - 11:23pm | The artwork came from the packaging for a Japanese version of the write up for the cycle, so I would assume it was copyright to the model company. The ohter photo was a pic of the American version of the same toy. |
February 4, 2019 - 9:32am | Alright, if someone submits an article detailing monocycles I'll wory about illustrating it. I actually have drawn a monocycle once. This will be good content for the zine. I also like th dicycle in Rolo's original post. but envision that as a automated conveyance that a robotic brain sends to pick you up and deliver you to where you need to be. Futuristic Uber maybe, you summon it by your chronocom. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
