Okay, so I’ve been riding my electric unicycle for a good while now, and I mostly love it. But, you know, there were times, especially when I was just starting out, or when I was trying to go super slow, that I wished I had a little something extra for balance. And carrying stuff? Forget about it easily. My backpack was always an option, but sometimes you just want to grab a small bag without strapping yourself in.
The Idea Hatches
I saw a few pictures online, some custom jobs, people adding these T-bar handles, kind of like on some scooters, but for EUCs. At first, I thought, “Nah, that defeats the purpose, the whole free-feeling thing.” But the more I rode, especially in crowded spots or when I was tired, the idea kept nagging me. What if it actually made things better for certain situations?
Getting the Bits and Pieces
So, I started looking around. I didn’t want to spend a fortune on some fancy pre-made kit, if one even existed for my model. I’m more of a DIY-kinda guy when it comes to these things. I figured, I need a handlebar, obviously. And then some way to clamp it onto the EUC. My EUC has a sort of trolley handle mechanism, but it’s not really meant for steering or heavy leaning.
I ended up getting:
- A cheap bicycle handlebar – just a basic straight one, nothing fancy.
- A couple of U-bolts and some metal plates I found at the hardware store.
- Lots of rubber padding and strong zip ties. My secret weapons for many projects!
My plan was to somehow attach the handlebar to the existing trolley handle structure, or maybe even directly to the top casing of the EUC if I could do it without drilling too much into the important bits.
The Fiddly Bit: Putting It Together
This is where things got… interesting. My first try was to clamp the handlebar directly onto the top flat surface of the EUC. I used the metal plates and U-bolts. Disaster. It was so wobbly. The plastic casing of the EUC isn’t really designed to take that kind of focused pressure. I was worried I’d crack it.
So, plan B. I looked at the built-in trolley handle. It’s usually a telescopic pole. I thought, maybe I can fix the handlebar to the top part of that. I extended the trolley handle, then tried to clamp my bicycle handlebar across it. This was a bit better. I wrapped a load of rubber around the trolley handle first, to give the U-bolts something to grip onto and to protect the handle itself.
It took a lot of adjusting. The U-bolts kept slipping. The handlebar wanted to twist. I must have tightened and re-tightened those nuts about fifty times. I used a ton of zip ties too, crisscrossing them to add extra stability, making sure the handlebar wouldn’t just spin around when I put pressure on it.
It wasn’t pretty, let me tell you. Looked like something out of a scrapyard challenge. But it felt… somewhat solid. Solid enough for a test, anyway.
First Rides and Realizations
Okay, so I wheeled it outside. Getting on was… different. I had something to actually hold. My first few wobbles, I instinctively used the handlebar. And wow. It did give me a bit more side-to-side control, especially at very low speeds. Starting and stopping felt a bit more secure because I could brace myself a little.
It’s not like riding a bike or a scooter, though. You can’t really steer with it in the same way. The EUC still responds to your body lean, your feet. The handlebar is more like a… a stability aid? A confidence booster? It’s hard to explain. It’s like having training wheels that you don’t fully rely on, but they’re there.
The biggest win? Carrying a small shopping bag. I could actually hook a light bag over one end of the handlebar, and it didn’t throw my balance off nearly as much as trying to hold it in my hand. That was a game-changer for quick trips to the local shop.
One thing I noticed is that it makes the EUC feel a bit bulkier, naturally. And it’s another thing to think about when you’re dismounting or if you have a tumble. You don’t want to get tangled up in it.
So, Was It Worth It?
For me, yeah, I think so. It’s not a permanent fixture. My setup is crude enough that I can remove it if I want the pure EUC experience. But for those days when I want a bit more utility, or if I’m going somewhere I know I’ll be doing a lot of stop-start riding, it’s pretty handy.
It’s definitely not for everyone. A lot of EUC riders love the minimalism, and I get that. This adds a bit of “stuff” to it. But as a practical experiment, it’s been pretty successful. It didn’t cost much, just a bit of time and head-scratching. And hey, I learned a bit more about how my EUC handles and what I can bodge together in my garage!
I might try and refine the mounting system later, make it a bit sleeker. But for now, my slightly ugly, super practical handlebar setup is doing the job. It’s just another little modification in my ongoing journey with these fun machines.
