Hey All, got a few questions about BC wheels. First, is there a special hub you have to use, or can you use a b*ke hub? If I have to use a special hub, where can I get one? Second, what size is best to learn on. My final question is what is the best way to learn? Answers appreciated. I think those are the two biggest words I have typed in a row.
Any front wheel bike hub and the best way to learn is u put one feet on the wheel so both plates are of ground and in a 90 degree angle then just give a little kick to get going and there you go ! and for the best size to learn hmm I preferd 16 ‘’ (front scooter wheel or a kids bike )
Not necessarily any front bicycle hub. You should use a BMX front hub with a 14mm axle. Standard BMX axles are 3/8" inch and too wimpy for a BC wheel. A 3/8" axle will bend or sag. The 14mm BMX axles are used for the more aggressive BMX riding. The 3/8" axles are used on the run of the mill bikes.
So find a BMX front hub with a 14mm axle.
i agree with john all the way, 14 mm all the way. Also i find the best way to get on is to push the B.C like a skate board with one foot a few times then just put your other foot on, much less risky then jumping on. tough to learn though, but B.C wheeling can be alot of fun (i perfer off road b.c’ing). well worth the time and effort, have fun. Ohh also i perfer 20" but that’s the only thing i have tried.
Push off of the backs of chairs to learn.
A somewhat related question:
I’m planning on getting a Bedford giraffe unicycle. I’m going to put BC wheel plates on the axle so I can ride it with my hands. The giraffe has a 3/8" axle. Am I likely to encounter problems with the axle bending, even if I’m careful not to jump onto the plates, but only stand on them?
good
good u should be alright if u aint jumpin
I don’t see BC plates working well on a giraffe. The plates would need to be able to spin freely from the frame so you can tilt the frame forwards when you hand crank it while standing on the plates. The plates would be supported only by the axle of the wheel just like they are on a BC wheel. I don’t see that being good unless you can somehow get an oversized axle put in the giraffe hub.
With pegs the dropouts of the frame will take some of the force. The pegs will be partly supported by the frame dropouts and partly supported by the axle. The potential problem here is that the dropouts on your basic giraffe frame are thin and wimpy. I don’t know if they’d offer much support for the peg to keep the peg from sagging. If it’s a basic Taiwanese giraffe frame the dropouts may need to be beefed up by having a bit of metal plate welded to the dropouts to strengthen them up to properly support the BMX pegs.
Dustin Kelm has pegs on his Semcycle giraffe. You might want to contact him to find out if he had any special issues with mounting the pegs.
on the contrary 3/8" hubs are used alot more now days on the front wheel of bmx bikes than 14mm. the light weight craze has set in. pretty soon a 14mm front hub will be harder to source. a friend at work just bought a Ti 3/8th axled, Magnisium hub shelled Proper front hub for example.
also a rear 14mm hub will work just as good as long as its not a cassette hub.
PS, John needs to acually ride a BC wheel somtime.
i was wondering if it was at all easier to bc with or with out plates and how long did it take some of you to learn to ride one
Yes, that is on the short list of things to learn. First priority at the moment is getting the one-foot ww more solid then it will be time to learn gliding. Then it will be time to think about the BC wheel.
gliding is way harder than bc wheeling. there are safer ways of learning than just jumping on if that the hang-up.
My only hangup is that I want to learn how to glide more than I want to learn the BC wheel. If I was motivated to do the BC wheel more I could easily reverse the learning order and learn the BC wheel first.
Try a bc wheel and when you see how fun it is you’ll be more motivated:D
i guess i dont focus on just one trick like that, i usally have the freestyle out at the same time as the BC and swap back and forth. i think i would get frustrated trying to learn one thing at a time but thats me.