I currently have a 20" unicycle with what I think are 140mm cranks. (do
you measure cranks from axle centre to pedal centre?). It has served me
well. I learned to ride on it and now I’m using it to learn to idle.
On occasion (see previous post about picking my Mini up from it’s service)
I’ve needed to travel 4/5 miles on this thing and it got quite tiring (and
quite sweaty, though not very uncomfortable since I converted it to an air
seat). I’m now thinking of investing in a second unicycle (or a
replacement) for longer distances and urban usage - whilst the 20" is nice
for getting around town, it’s a little slow (typically 6-8 mph. I got it
up to 10 but that was only for about 1 second*). For urban usage, a 24"
unicycle must surely be the best?
I’m not a speed freak but I’d like a little more oomph to help me feel all
that peddling is doing something useful. I felt like a hamster in its
wheel during the 4.5 mile journey into town - all that movement, barely
getting anywhere on that long road…
I was thinking maybe I could get:-
- A 26" or 28" wheel (which would people recommend? Where do I get one?)
- Suitable cranks (how long?)
- A frame for 26"/28" wheels (saw one on the UK rendition of unicycle.com
- “Frame, Numbus/Rogue 28 £23.00” (a reasonable price?, is this frame
any good?))
- “Frame, Numbus/Rogue 28 £23.00” (a reasonable price?, is this frame
- Pedals.
And, using quick-release clamps (are these any good?) swap my air-seat &
seat post between the two cycles depending whether my mood is
business-like-places-to-go-people-to-see or
frivolous-I-think-I’ll-have-some-fun-on-one-wheel. With luck I should be
able to store both wheels and the seat in the boot of my Mini.
Is this a good idea? Unicycling.uk.com is strangely silent about spare
wheels. Should I just get a 28" unicycle and forget the whole
seat-swapping idea? What would be the most cost-effective option? Are
cranks difficult to add to a new wheel? Do wheels come with cranks? Is
this a record number of inane questions in a single usenet post?
All thoughts welcome.
Andrew xADF
- I once used my unicycle to travel, in my nicest suit (only suit, in
fact), to a concert where I sang in a barbershop group. On the way I
lost control (a bump in the pavement I hadn’t seen) I began falling
forwards rapidly and, not wishing to remove the knees of my nice
trousers, I quickly decided to step off… only my nice shoes had quite
big heels on them and I couldn’t get them up over the pedals in the
1millisecond or so I had to put my paws onto terra firma… Fortunately
my stumbling-stepping-off action acted as a very messy speed increase
which got the wheel back under me. I reckon I broke 10mph then… And
there was a strange smell.