Hey! So I’m really interested in getting a unicycle. I live in Boston, MA and here, people mainly commute with bikes. I just moved, and my families new apartment is about a mile or two from my school, so I decided that I should ride to school. A few weeks ago, I saw this unicycle video on youtube, and I started to consider getting myself a unicycle. So, I was wondering, compared to a bicycle, how is commuting with a unicycle?
P.S: I’m trying to find a cheap (under 100$) unicycle that I can use for commuting. I found these two on ebay:
I often commuted the 2 miles to high school on my 24" Cyclepro beginner unicycle.
I would say don’t get anything any smaller than a 20" wheel. IMHO, 24" is a good mix of “small enough for a beginner”, and also “big enough that you can actually get somewhere”.
Sun and Gravity are definitely beginner cycles. Spending a bit more would definitely be beneficial. That said, my buddy has had a Gravity 24 for 6 months and it’s still going strong. And he weighs 220 lbs.
I would say that for commuting there are a couple of things to keep in mind.
You won’t be able to carry as much as you can on a bike. Even if you are wearing a backpack the extra weight can really throw you off balance. You can get used to it, and make it work, but it’s not nearly as comfortable.
24" is a good size to learn on, and if you are really just putting in miles on the road commuting it will probably become too small fairly soon.
If you could get a used uni on craigslist for $30 you could learn on that and maybe pick up a Sun Classic 28" for a commuter after you get the hang of it. The 28/29" is a much better road uni size, and really not intended for tricks and the like. While it’s a bit heavier than a more expensive road uni, it’s got pretty good reviews except for the seat.
I would personally recommend getting a 20" to learn on (especially if you’re not tall) and then getting either a 26" or 29" for commuting. I say this just because you might also want to get into trials/street/freestyle, and 20" is a good size for all three of those. Also it’s good to have multiple unis.
If that’s not in your budget, then a 24" is the standard all-purpose size.
I would personally recommend getting a 20" to learn on (especially if you’re not tall) and then getting either a 26" or 29" for commuting. I say this just because you might also want to get into trials/street/freestyle, and 20" is a good size for all three of those. Also it’s good to have multiple unis.
If that’s not in your budget, then a 24" is the standard all-purpose size.
So I’m still not sure whether I should buy a unicycle for commuting. I have a bike, but I haven’t really used it in a while, or for commuting in general. I’m assuming a bike is faster, whereas a unicycle is more fun. Does anyone else have any opinions/ideas on commuting with a unicycle, in contrast to communicating with a bike?
Bike is faster, unicycle is funner. Also more exercise per mile than the bike. Also you might be able to bring it inside, whereas the bike probably has to stay outside on the rack, or wherever the other bikes park.
I don’t recommend a 20" wheel for your needs. 24" or larger. Though a 20" wheel might be slightly easier to learn on, they’ll both seem equally impossible at first, so the difference is not significant. 24" is still a pretty versatile size, that will allow you to try lots of tricks and things (within the stress limits of your wheel) while getting you from A to B.
I prefer uni by far. I commute 4 miles to work, and it takes between 20 and 25 minutes on my 29er. By contrast it takes 12-15 minutes on my bike. So the time difference isn’t significant (unless I’m running late), but it’s a much better workout and much more fun. The pace gives me a little more time to notice how beautiful the mountains look in the morning light.
One morning in May I got to my classroom and checked my email only to find a message from one of my colleagues. She said that seeing my on my unicycle made her day, and it was only 7:00am. I never have such a response when I ride my two wheeler.
4.6 miles for me and on my KH29 with a Big Apple it takes just under 30 minutes with a stop for a bagel. It is quick and fun - also you really do not sweat as much on unicycle as you do on bike - I have noticed. Also you get a smile from everyone that passes you. I say go for it - a backpack does not affect my riding either.
It is about 8 miles to downtown on my hot flat island. I have learned different routes to make the commute in the evening, so I can ride mostly in the shade, then I ride back at night.
For shorter trips in a less ideal place (I have low traffic, few peds, no hills), a 29 is better. During the 4th of July I rode a 29 down the beach route because it was packed with people and general havoc.
I would advise a Torker lx 24, ok but not ideal for commuting. Commuters want a 29 for a tight-dense city or a 36 for more open roads. Both sizes are easy to ride, unless you are a beginner. I am not saying it is impossible to learn to ride on a 29 or 36, just that it is really going the hard way.
Riding a 36 is very easy compared to some other uni skills. If you can ride a 24 a half mile, you can learn to ride a 36 in one afternoon. The premier uni commuter, it is also awesome to be about 7’ tall !
Buying a 75 $ uni is not as good as buying a 125 $ lx. It is a case of you will not get what you didn’t pay for. The lx Torker (the cx is as junk as the Sun) is widely considered the best cheap starter uni. The 75 $ dollar stuff is soft metal crap.
Because I like riding unicycles. Bikes are not very interesting. My commute is now short, but it used to be 8.2 miles each way, and I preferred the unicycle for that too.
I thought I remembered someone saying at some point that unicycling was safer because people pay more attention to you so cars dont hit you because the drivers are staring at you, not so with boring bikes
I find people in cars to be more polite when I’m on the unicycle. They will stop and wave me ahead (with that awe-struck look). I never assume they see me though. Too many close calls on a bike to know that thinking you have eye contact can turn out bad.
I seem to average about 10 minute miles on the unicycle. It makes my commute to work about an hour. If I choose the fun route (includes a hilly climb) it takes about 1.5 hours. It’s a much better workout than my bike and I can carry about the same amount of stuff. I usually drive a car with my unicycle in the back and go for a muni ride before work. I keep extra clothes at work so I can change out of the sweaty stuff. It’s a great way to start the day.
So I’m really interested in getting a unicycle. I live in Boston, MA and here, people mainly commute with bikes. I just moved, and my families new apartment is about a mile or two from my school, so I decided that I should ride to school. A few weeks ago, I saw this unicycle video on youtube, and I started to consider getting myself a unicycle. So, I was wondering, compared to a bicycle, how is commuting with a unicycle?
