What is the minimum height for it to be physically possible to ride a unicycle with a 36" wheel?
Inseam is the key, not height. Your inseam must be greater than or equal to the distance between the saddle and the pedal with the crank at its lowest position.
he distance between the saddle and the pedal with the crank at its lowest position
What would this be on a typical Coker? Unicycle.com does not say.
The radius is about 18", plus a couple inches for the seat, plus the length of the cranks (probably 5" or 6"), and you get 26".
29" with 125mm cranks.
This is what I measured on my Coker. From the top of the pedal (not center of hole) to the top of the Coker frame is just over 27". Allowing for an average seat, you get about 29" minimum. That’s with 125mm cranks, which are not for everybody.
It’s possible to cut down the frame a little bit but not much, as it’s very short already. If you prefer longer cranks, add that amount. If you’re in the ball park but still a little short, you can try blocks on the pedals. Add them to both sides for best results (ease of riding and the pedals won’t always be upside down).
Good luck!
I have a 29" inseam (according to the pantaloons) and usually have on 170mm (6.5") cranks. I have a Miyata air seat on it and can drop the saddle a little more, but not much. Using an air saddle may buy you an extra inch depending on how you like the pressure setting. That may account for the difference between my and John’s numbers.
Nope, but if you call them (not e-mail), they will say, and pretty quickly…
I have a 30" inseam, and seem to have a couple extra inches of seat height on my stock Coker, even with a fairly full air-pillow Miyata saddle. I’m at work or I’d go measure it. Actually, come to think of it, that’s just the excuse I need… Over 'n out.
Based on U-Turn’s and Tomblackwood’s comments, it looks like you can get away with 28" or maybe less. I have a bunch of clamps at the top of my Coker, and I can’t actually see where the top of the frame is. Also I was being generous on seat thickness. I think a Miyata seat (preferrably with air instead of foam) will go thinner than a Viscount or other seats that might be put on it.
Re: 36" wheel
Rebecca wrote:
> he distance between the saddle and the pedal with the crank at its
> lowest position
>
> What would this be on a typical Coker? Unicycle.com does not say.
Some math goddess. 
Radius (18") plus crank length (6") equals 24".
–
Grip consistently; begin with higher throws; weight train; juggle with
wrist weights or heavy balls; “drop test” to listen for rhythm; ignore
balls in the air; don’t let mistakes change your throws (let the
pattern come to you); don’t throw to avoid balls in the air; aim at
peaks or crossing point; videotape yourself and review it carefully;
watch good jugglers on tape; concentrate on maintaining the correct
throwing point and target; don’t let badly-placed objects in the air
break your form; visualize during off-practice time; end on a good run;
rest between runs; when you break form to avoid a collision, pull the
pattern back into correct form quickly; look lower in pattern, away
from peaks; breathe; relax
–Jack Boyce
I don’t know what part of Maryland your from, but if your looking to try a Coker out before you buy, I’m in Northern Virginia outside of DC. Theres some guys down in Richmond who have been talking about some sort of get-together. Checkernuts, from Philly, has been known to come down also, but I don’t know if he’s back from California.
It might be nice to do a middle-east coast group ride since I can’t get to NAUCC this year.
For anybody who cares: I’m up to 29 miles, and I’ve gotten the average 10 miles in an hour down - as long as the hills aren’t too bad.
There are videos online of KIDS riding Cokers, and I bet they are shorter than you! I have let a lot of people at festivals ride my Coker, and only once have I installed the no-length seatpost, [three seatposts come with the Coker]. This was for a very short college girl from Tallahassee Florida, once on she disappeared for half an hour, then showed up with a big grin on her face asking where she could get one!
Usually the inseam measurement for cycling purposes is a couple of inches longer than your pants inseam.
The best way to measure it is to get a book (preferably folio sized) and stand with your back to a wall or door frame. Have a friend put the bottom edge of the book against the wall and bring the binding up until it’s firm against your sit bones, i.e., as if it were a bicycle seat. (Obviously, this should be a very close friend.) Make sure the book is square to the wall and measure from the floor to the top of the binding.
For bicycling, framebuilders usually do this barefoot or in socks because their formulas take into account shoe thickness, cleat height and pedal thickness. I think it’s probably easier and more accurate to just wear your regular unicycling shoes and see.
I’ve got extremely short legs for a guy - 27.5 barefoot, 28.2 with shoes. (For reference, the inseam on my pants is usually between 25 and 26 inches.)
I’d like to get a coker, however I’m not sure if a stock Coker would fit. Any suggestions on a decent framebuilder who can do custom work? How are the really big wheel unicycles put together? Do they still have seatposts?
As far as people with Cokers in Pittsburgh I know a few people. If your interested in trying one out I could make a phone call or two.
Let me know if your interested rebecca.
Mike
rebecca and cyber: If your freestyle is set up reasonably for road riding (that is, not like a trials with the seat way low), then do this:
– Tell me the measurement from the top of the bottom pedal to the top of your seat directly along the frame and seat post. If you have an air seat, compress it a little with your hand when you do the measurement. Be sure the crank arms are directly vertical.
– Tell me the length of the cranks you used in the measurement.
I’ll be able to tell you what’s up for most of the current crop of Coker frames, and what tradeoffs you have with seat post/seat tube/crank lengths.
These measurements eliminate all the inaccuracies of books, footwear, and the like, and use a currently working setup that was adjusted by you during riding sessions.
You can PM me with the info if you don’t want the world to know your size.
Also, like the wise ones before me have said, find somebody close and give one a try! However, it may not be possible to ride if their setup is too high. A Coker with the seat too high is, at least for me, impossible to ride.
Man, I wish I had a job like yours!
Good point. 78 cm with 127mm cranks feels pretty good. Would probably go a little higher for long distances, but not more than one or two cm higher.
While in Norway this past June, Aaron Sveck and I caught a troll that was only about 4 ft. tall. See picture at:
http://www.unitours.org/tours/NUT/Update/Day05/D05200306142250119.htm
He showed us that he could ride a Coker, so we let him free. 
my girlfriend has the shortpersons coker frame she is 4ft11" (v small)
she longest crank size she can use is 150mm (not that you want any more)
i can get the inside leg measurement if you want?
http://www.unicycle.uk.com/shop/shopdisplayproduct.asp?catalogid=519 (link for short persons coker frame)
http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/des (link to my gallery with pics of the short persons coker)
feel free to ask if you want any more info
Des
Hey All!
Trust me, if anyone my short height can ride across Norway, someone really short can ride a coker any other time.
-Ryan “Troll” Woessner 