# Bike math....



## Fiona (Aug 21, 2005)

So here's a question for all you tandem riders.

If a tandem is a full bike and a single is a half bike, what is a unicycle? (a quarter bike?)

The weird things you can discuss while riding your tandem. What have you come up with?

Fiona


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## de lars cuevas (Jun 19, 2006)

Well, that just depends. Are we talking tandem of single unicycles here?  

But to make things even more complicated: Redo your math to begin with! Why?

- A tandem is more than a full bike, if you measure in fun-pounds.
- A tandem is about the square root of 2 in fun-pounds... per person.
- The product of square root 2 times square root 2 is... 2. Making tandems twice the fun


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## PMK (Oct 12, 2004)

Recently we did a festival ride. We rode the tandem on the trails, while another guy rode a unicycle, everyone else rode regular bikes.

As the tandem pulled alongside the unicycle on one of the service roads, the unicyclist informed us that we had the same rider to wheel ratio.

Therefore it must be that a unicycle is 1:1 (rider per wheel)
A Tandem is 1:1
A regular bike is 1:2 or 1/2

True story not making it up.
PK


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## TandemNut (Mar 12, 2004)

PMK said:


> ... a unicycle is 1:1 (rider per wheel)
> A Tandem is 1:1
> A regular bike is 1:2 or 1/2
> 
> PK


If I were the type to put quotes in my signature line, this would be it. 
I hereby nominate PMK for some fort of "Best of ..." list or someting, based on this particular posting. It is a great one!:thumbsup:


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## rbtcha (Nov 17, 2007)

PMK said:


> Therefore it must be that a unicycle is 1:1 (rider per wheel)
> A Tandem is 1:1
> A regular bike is 1:2 or 1/2


Hmmmmm................
The logic is good but if we go with that math what would a Triplet be :madman:


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## bsdc (May 1, 2006)

"Bike", is short for bicycle. Bi=two and cycle refers to the wheels. Therefore, a bicycle or bike must have two wheels. Since a unicycle only has one wheel, a unicycle is not a bike.

U=0


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## PMK (Oct 12, 2004)

rbtcha said:


> Hmmmmm................
> The logic is good but if we go with that math what would a Triplet be :madman:


A Freak?

Can't say I've ever seen a mountain triple, but I don't get out much.

PK


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## TandemGeek (Mar 14, 2004)

PMK said:


> Can't say I've ever seen a mountain triple, but I don't get out much.


How about a Ventana El Conquistador Quint that can also be configured as a quad, triplet, or tandem?










This actually started off life as the very first S&S coupler-equipped, chromoly Ventana El Conquistador travel tandem... Jim H. then got the idea into his head to make it big enough for his whole family. I believe it has an optional rigid fork as well as a rigid rear triangle, but can't recall for sure and I'm too lazy to ask or check the archives at another forum. He's presently focused on breeding and racing Yaks....


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## TandemNut (Mar 12, 2004)

bsdc said:


> "Bike", is short for bicycle. Bi=two and cycle refers to the wheels. Therefore, a bicycle or bike must have two wheels. Since it a unicycle only has one wheel, a unicycle is not a bike.
> 
> U=0


From MS Word dictionary:
"Tricycle: a pedal-driven vehicle with two wheels at the back and one at the front, ridden now especially by young children."
"Unicycle: a pedal-powered vehicle that has a single wheel with a seat mounted on a frame above it."
Therefore, isolating "cycle" from the prefix denoting the # of wheels, the term "cycle" is common to all of the different types mentioned above. So, the term "cycle" appears to be generic. 
Based on that, a tandem might be a 1/2 Cycle, but not a 1/2 Bike.
Thanks; Thanks a heckuva lot! PMK posts an elegantly simple formula for solving one of the cycling worlds most pressing mysteries, and you go and screw it up with your (accurate) logic. 
I hope you can sleep at night.


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## Fleas (Jan 19, 2006)

Here, do the math on this...










-F


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## TandemGeek (Mar 14, 2004)

Fleas said:


> Here, do the math on this...


Your call....

1. four nuts, or 
2. four big boobs

... pearched on a unicycle


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## rbtcha (Nov 17, 2007)

TandemGeek said:


> Your call....
> 
> 1. four nuts, or
> 2. four big boobs


I Believe It Would Be..
1. Three Nuts (Especially Since Hes Not Wearing Shoes)
But....
2. Three Boobs Word Work As Well (And Their Much Nicer To Look At) :thumbsup:


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## TandemGeek (Mar 14, 2004)

rbtcha said:


> I Believe It Would Be..
> 1. Three Nuts (Especially Since Hes Not Wearing Shoes)
> But....
> 2. Three Boobs Word Work As Well (And Their Much Nicer To Look At) :thumbsup:


Unless he's a uni-baller like Lance and she's had a mastectomy it's 4 and 4:

1. He and she are both nuts and he's likely got a pair = 4 Nuts
2. He and she are both boobs and, well, it's clear that she has a pair = 4 Boobs

There will be a test on this later on.


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## rbtcha (Nov 17, 2007)

TandemGeek said:


> There will be a test on this later on.


 :yikes: I Hate Tests!!!!!!


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## PMK (Oct 12, 2004)

Every time I read a new reply here I am reminded of the scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail when Arthur and his men want to cross by correctly answering a question. Ending with the terminal velocity of a swallow.

As for the math formula, again I can not take credit for it's logic, I'm merely reciting the words of an off road unicycle rider.

Honestly the real answer is, Fun, at least until someone gets hurt.

PK


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## PMK (Oct 12, 2004)

Fleas said:


> Here, do the math on this...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


This one is either California or photoshop, one other possibility could be some circus workers on their day off.

PK


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## Fleas (Jan 19, 2006)

PMK said:


> This one is either California or photoshop, one other possibility could be some circus workers on their day off.
> 
> PK


photoshop?

No, those breasts are real.

-F


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