Could anyone help me?

So, I’ve been searching in the web for a trials uni, the only thing I found is the 20" nimbus trials that someone on here recommended for me. I’m pretty sure I’ll have to bite the bullet and pay the extra $100 because everything else I found was cheap and crappy looking. Thank everyone for helping me.

I’m in the same boat, but ahead of you on the research, I think. Read around here in the product reviews – just getting a feel for who’s the big names in the biz. Lots of good advice on learning technique as well. After reading around and talking to people who sell unis, I’ve pretty much settled on the Torker LX as being a slightly-better-than-just-basic learner. After that, who knows? I like to support businesses who support local builders. I’m just starting out, too, so it’s not for me to have too many opinions until I can “ride the talk” so to speak.

I also really like seeing what people are doing to customize their rides – I have a fondness for bold colour combos.

On you or the uni?:smiley:

You can replace anything you break on the uni. On you, good shin guards and a helmet. Gloves with wrist support because most of us “young old phartes” are prone to cracking things when we land hands-out. There’s probably other stuff – but I kinda figure (just like when I got back into longboarding after 25 years) that you’re gonna collect a few scars and that’s part of the tuition for this course.

From what I read here, and from what I see when I get my hands on them, Torker LX is a pretty good learner. It feels good and is more sturdy than the CX. My take on it is that you don’t need to spend $300 for your first uni.

Most local bike shops have access to unis, but only a few (such as the shop I know near a major U.S. university where there’s a uni club) actually stock a range of them and have an employee on staff who rides and can speak knowledgeably about their differences.

Shout out: props to Corvallis Cyclery in Corvallis, OR where they actually let me freemount and sit on a uni in the showroom. I was surprised I actually got on top of it. :smiley: :sunglasses:

The trouble with bike shops in Canada, and maybe in the U.S. is that any uni they seem to have in their catalogue is “no-name” which makes me a bit suspicious. Online sources like Bedford and UDC (unicycle dot com) seem to be the ticket – but the uni I want to learn on isn’t sold where I live.

Oh BTW: Is “SD” Sandy Eggo or South Dakota?

Hey Skiv, Have you checked out the Club Freestyle at municycle.ca? They haven’t been around that long so don’t have as big a following as the torker LX but I would be more inclined to go with a club freestyle than an LX for the reason that they have more standard parts.

Pros of the club freestyle over the LX

Cheeper

Nimbus II frame - been around for ever, well proven strong frame

UDC hub - one of the strongest cotterless hubs on the market

36 spokes - lighter and more standard than 48 spokes, easier to find replacement parts

Tire - the Kenda Kikzumbut is a great tire, I have one on my freestyle, not sure what the LX comes with

Seatpost - this is a bigger difference than most people realize, the torker LX does not come with a standard seatpost compatible with non LX or Miyata seats, the club freestyle has a strong standard seatpost. I have this post on my MUni.

Available in Canada, no duties or brokerage fees to get it across the border.

Now to be fair I will give the pros for the LX over the club freestyle

The frame has a flat crown which some find easier to do foot on crown tricks with

The 48 spoke wheel may be stronger and you are less likely to get your foot stuck in spokes if you happen to land with your toe on the wheel

127mm cranks are more suitable for learning than 114mm

In stock now at UDC and various places on the internet, no need to wait for a shipment to come in.

If you get the Club freestyle ask Peter to swap the cranks to 127s or 145s, I am sure he would do that at no extra charge.

Wow! That wraps it all up in a nutshell. Thanks – just the kind of information I needed. I had looked at the Club Freestyle, but I wasn’t sure exactly what it was I was seeing. Having an expert opinion helps.

I have family down south and visit them regularly, but I think you’ve shown me a way out of having to arrange to buy one down there. Now I can hit the LBS for some armour, dig out my old helmet, and get down to work.

Skiv :smiley:
The Flyin’ Perfesser

does anyone know if the torker Lx is splined or ISIS? because that is what I’ve been looking for.

The LX is neither splined nor ISIS.

bummer, well do you know if it is strong. I know it isnt as strong as that is splined.

Hahaha! This and the comment above made me laugh.

Cotterless crank/hubsets are somewhat strong. Will last for learning and progression into the style you want to learn. Once you are close to 200 pounds or above, cotterless will give way quickly when you start learning drops though. By that time you will want to move to a splined setup.

If you keep to freestyle, the cranks should hold for ever pretty much. Though if they give out, Qu-Ax has smaller splined cranks that would work for freestyle.

if it was something I said, please forgive me for the apparent stupidity, but I have been riding for five weeks and I can ask some dumb questions.I’ve nearly broken my learner uni (it was a peice of crap) so I am looking for one that wont fall apart on me. :frowning:

okay. thanks for your help.