Freewheel Unicycling Megathread

What’s the wheel size and how big are the cranks? When I switched over to a 26" wheel I started with 114mm cranks but moved up 125mm and I’m trying to get used to them. These seem a bit larger.

On a different note since my core is well out of freewheel shape and is often a limiting factor I’ve been doing some cross-training to try to speed up the process. I’ve been riding ultimate wheel, SIF, and wheelwalking.

It’s a 24” tire with 125mm cranks. There was 140mm on before the freewheel was installed and all three of my units have 140 on them so it’s taken some getting used too.

My freewheel adventure started on the 29th of January and been hooked ever since. I’ve close to exclusively ridden freewheel for the past 5 months and 6 days but yesterday my nimbus freewheel sadly (went into real-free-mode :crazy_face:) broke as expected. I think there is nothing to repair right? Broken Nimbus Freewheel 😅 - YouTube Currently considering my options… not sure I want to spend the “big” money for the flick flock if I was mostly okey with freewheel only mode. (okey it probably still influenced the trails I chose quite a bit) The QU-AX Freewheel is still not around… are there any hubs to snatch up anywhere? This is a short clip of our last real adventure together - YouTube R.I.P. Nimbus freewheel you gave me much joy :face_holding_back_tears: :partying_face:

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Qu-ax freewheel should be in the next container - maybe during the summer? You should maybe wait a bit for it. It’s really amazing!

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If the hub shell isn’t cracked it would definitely be worth taking that hub apart and seeing if it can be fixed.

What we need is Bicymple to make some more hubs. They’re definitely the ideal base spec freewheel hub that exists right now.

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I agree with @mowcius . The same thing has happened to me several times and at least one time I got it fixed by having the pawls replaced (it’s a 3 pawls system). Usually I get an occasional “skipping” that gradually increases frequency before it actually breaks. I haven’t broken my JR Drift Trikes hub yet but it has skipped at least once. JR 1:1 Pedal Hub | Free Wheel P-Hub - Flatout Drift Trikes

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What does that skipping mean?

What I’m calling skipping is when the crank moves in a forward direction without engaging the drive system. It’s similar to @oli’s video except that it’s temporary and for one pawls. It usually happens under highest torque, like pedaling up a steep hill. There’s always a little bit of give in a three or four pawls system but a skip is significantly beyond that.

I’m curious what the specs are on the new Qu-Ax hub and the flick flock and how serviceable they are.

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That sounds like it would result in a UPD if it slips like that. The skip is when switching from freewheel to drive? Or does it happen while the drive mode is engaged? My JR free wheel hub is arriving tomorrow so I’m curious about this… Thanks

I didn’t have a UPD with the JR hub when it happened recently but it’s possible it happened with the Nimbus in the past. I’ve had the skip when I’m pressing hard on the pedal with the drive system engaged.

I just realized I may have implied the JR hub has more than 3 pawls but it only has 3. I was getting it mixed up in my mind with a different drift trike hub I had with 4 pawls (I sold that 20" freewheel to an Italian club at Unicon 18).

What specs are you after?

The Qu-Ax hub is 100mm spacing, 36h, Q-Axle crank interface, and a sprag clutch freewheel mechanism. Limited serviceability but the sprag clutch should last a long while.

The Flik Flok is also 100mm spacing, 36h, ISIS interface, and looks to be a little more easily serviceable than a Sclumpf, but not much. I don’t think we know anything about the specifics of the pawls yet or their availability.

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That works for me. Thanks, @mowcius !

Thanks @mowcius @Maxence and @waaalrus for your replies. Got around to opening the nimbus hub and found some funky looking pawls.

Pictures 🧐



There was also a little metal bit inside the hub probably coming from a pawl. Are these pawls standard and could be bought somewhere? I even don’t know how these pawls should look when they are new (unsure if only the left side of the pawls is damaged or also the right side).

Just out of curiousity I put the hub back together after cleaning and lightly oiling the hub insides and found the hub being shiftable between normal-freewheel mode and yolo-freewheel mode. Is this loose axle normal or is this caused by the broken pawls?
EDIT: after one more try to install the axle correctly i could minimise this “wiggle room” quite a bit and the hub is no longer “shiftable”… sorry for that

I’m sure someone found replacement pawls, but I can’t remember who it was. I found replacements for the Bicymple hub, but they are different.

The shiftable nature is probably due to you not having the spacers, bearings, and circlips installed on both sides (and also probably also because those inner pawls look totally shot).

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When you find some new pawls, be sure to reassemble the clutch mechanism is with a good load of grease - the wear on those pawls is pretty common, and greasing it up should help reduce it for the new set. From memory the hub comes with a light manufacturing oil on it and nothing else.

Based on how fast the pawls wear, I’d also be wanting to give the hub a service every 500 miles or so.

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This is the link I got from Roger in 2014 but it shows as unavailable now:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/spank-spoon-hub-pawl-and-spring-kit-2014/rp-prod111326

The drift trike guy that fixed my hub didn’t seem to have a problem finding a replacement. A bike shop might be able to hook you up.

Thanks for the photos!

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Freewheel unicycling seams to be out of reach as hubs are not easily availble so people cant ride frewwheel which means nobody is going to make hubs if theres not the demand for it. Sad for the progress of it really :unamused:

I’m guessing you’re still struggling to get a hub?

Mad4One have obviously released their hub now with the Qu-Ax one coming soon (hopefully), but both are a lot more than fixed hubs, which is going to limit their reach.

I’ve emailed Josh at Bicymple a couple of times now with no response as to whether they’re going to make any more hubs.
My emails were previously going into his spam though so maybe someone else wants to see if they can get a response?

Imagine if George Peck or Kris Holm had this attitude. I started out in 2013 and had to lace up a 20" wheel myself using a Huffy Green Machine hub (graciously donated to me by @lobbybopster). It had plastic components. The parts available now are amazing and are only getting better. We have world class unicyclists like @muni_ben riding. The new hardware by QU-AX and Mad4One might spur on a new generation of riders. From what I see the future of freewheel unicycling is bright.

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I gave up looking for a hub due to it looking like there not easily available.

Thank you for emailing josh but that’s a shame there’s no response from him sadly.

Waaalrus it’s not a case of attitude as a freewheel hub with disc mount is more complex than building a standard wheel out of odd bits, if you have any positive thoughts on how I can get hold of a hub I would be very grateful?

I agree there is amazing riders out there and there could be more to come in only hubs were available.

The nimbus and P hubs were around £100 and the mad4ones/qu-ax are over £1000 if I’m correct? I’m not looking to put £1000 in a learning hub which will no doubt get thrown on the floor loads at first.

I think currently freewheel unicycle is held back lots by this from where I’m sat sadly.

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