Grumblings about Miyata

General
1

Well, I bought a 20" Miyata, but if I had to do it again, I think I would buy a
Semcycle. Today the seat clamp mechanism broke, and the seat never stayed tight
before that. I’m going to have to go to a bike store and get a conventional nut
and bolt and crank it down. I’ll carry two wrenches with me for when I need to
adjust the seat height.

While I am at it, I’ll complain about the fork top. Since it has clear edges at
the top of the forks, I figured it would be better than the sloping fork top on
Schwinn’s and some Semcycles, so that my foot could firmly rest there when I do
one-footed tricks. My foot lands there fine, but I spend most of the time while
riding one-footed wondering if my foot is going to slide off, and I keep having
to time things to reset my foot. On my Schwinn the foot pretty well stays put
once I find the fork.

Oh yea, I’ll grumble about the seat handle to. When I hop on my Schwinn, I can
hold onto the seat and it doesn’t move. The handle on the Miyata is easy to hold
on to, but since it is bolted on to the seat it moves around some while I hop.
An annoying feature.

There, I feel better now.

Beirne

Beirne Konarski | Subscribe to the Unicycling Mailing List bkonarsk@mcs.kent.edu
| Send requests to unicycling-request@mcs.kent.edu “Untouched by Scandal” |
Unicycling Web Page:
| http://nimitz.mcs.kent.edu/~bkonarsk/

2

Re: Grumblings about Miyata

Forwarded message:
> From kfuchs@winternet.com Sun Mar 5 03:43:47 1995 Subject: Re: Grumblings
> about Miyata
>
> Beirne Konarski <bkonarsk@mcs.kent.edu> wrote:
>
> >Well, I bought a 20" Miyata, but if I had to do it again, I think I would buy
> >a Semcycle. Today the seat clamp mechanism broke, and the seat never stayed
> >tight before that. I’m going to have to go to a bike store and get a
> >conventional nut and bolt and crank it down. I’ll carry two wrenches with me
> >for when I need to adjust the seat height.
>
> Sounds like the seat post is a bit too small for the head tube. You can put a
> wide strip of thin sheet metal or a piece of an aluminum can around the seat
> post to make a tighter fit. Or cut and grind down the original clamp and
> replace it with double diameter, double bolted BMX clamp (the larger diameter
> grabs the head tube and the smaller diameter just above the head tube grabs
> the seat post tight).

My plan at this point is to buy a nut, bolt, and a washer and crank it down.
I’ll keep these solutions in mind, though, if it doesn’t work. It does seem
like a lot of work, though, after having bought the world’s most expensive
production unicycle.

>
> >While I am at it, I’ll complain about the fork top. Since it has clear
> >edges at the top of the forks, I figured it would be better than the
> >sloping fork top
>
> >I do one-footed tricks. My foot lands there fine, but I spend most of the
> >time while riding one-footed wondering if my foot is going to slide off, and
> >I keep having to time things to reset my foot. On my Schwinn the foot pretty
> >well stays put once I find the fork.
>
> The level top of the forks on a Miyata are much better than the sloping tops
> of a Schwinn or Semcycle, for planting a foot on. You either just need a
> little time to adjust to a better fork top or the fork top is polished too
> well. Try putting grip tape on top of the forks.

I compared fork tops on my three unicycles, which are an old Schwinn, a 28" UF
based on the Semcycle XL (I think) and the Miyata. In spite of the large slope,
my foot stays planted fairly well on the Schwinn. The fork tops are sloped on
the Miyata, and the surface is smaller than the Schwinn. The UF may have the
best design, having flat fork tops; no slope. Unfortunately I am not limber
enough to put my foot there on the 28" model; when I’ve tried one- foot tricks I
just rest my foot against the fork. I may try the grip tape on the Miyata.

>
> >Oh yea, I’ll grumble about the seat handle to. When I hop on my Schwinn, I
> >can hold onto the seat and it doesn’t move. The handle on the Miyata is easy
> >to hold on to, but since it is bolted on to the seat it moves around some
> >while I hop. An annoying feature.
>
> Again, you will very quickly get used to the seat handle moving up and down,
> because the seat is made of somewhat flexible plastic.

I’ll see. I think a firm metal seat would be preferable.

>
> >There, I feel better now.
>
> I feel better too, having come to the defense of my favourite unicycle brand!
> Miyata unicycles may not be perfect, but they are currently the closer thing
> to perfect. Miyata has also improved their unicycles’ quality many times! Try
> to get the newest model possible when buying one used or even new.

My Miyata came out of the box a month ago, so I assume I have the latest model.
If I could redo things I would get a Semcycle XL. It would give me the flat fork
top and is otherwise a sturdy unicycle. I’ll be teaching some people to ride
this spring and this is what I’ll recommend that they get, although in that case
its the only option, since Miyata’s are difficult to get and are overpriced for
the beginner (and I guess now for me).

Beirne

–

Beirne Konarski | Subscribe to the Unicycling Mailing List bkonarsk@mcs.kent.edu
| Send requests to unicycling-request@mcs.kent.edu “Untouched by Scandal” |
Unicycling Web Page:
| http://nimitz.mcs.kent.edu/~bkonarsk/

3

Re: Grumblings about Miyata

Forwarded message:
> From kfuchs@winternet.com Tue Mar 7 23:12:30 1995 Message-Id:
> <m0rmCRJ-000Ql7C@subzero.winternet.com> Date: Tue, 7 Mar 95 21:29 CST From:
> kfuchs@winternet.com (Ken Fuchs) To: bkonarsk
> CC: unicycling In-reply-to: <199503062124.QAA02301@nimitz.mcs.kent.edu>
> (message from Beirne Konarski on Mon, 6 Mar 1995 16:24:07 -0500 (EST))
> Subject: Re: Grumblings about Miyata
>
> Beirne Konarski <bkonarsk@mcs.kent.edu> wrote:
>
> >My plan at this point is to buy a nut, bolt, and a washer and crank it down.
> >I’ll keep these solutions in mind, though, if it doesn’t work. It does seem
> >like a lot of work, though, after having bought the world’s most expensive
> >production unicycle.
>
> The early Miyata’s had a weak seat post clamp that would bend easily, if over
> tightened. I only suggested replacing the clamp, because I thought it had
> already been damaged by over tightening. A properly adjusted quick release
> should provide enough torque to tighten the clamp. If not, I suggest you get a
> quick release with a longer handle. (In my opinion, quick releases should
> never have been made with the typical short handle.)

Fair enough. I wasn’t very specific in what broke. For the record, the
self-adjuster broke. When I tried to put a lot of torque on the lever, the
housing that contains the lever cracked between the lever and the clamp.
>
>
> The Miyata Deluxe has fork tops that slope no more than 5-10 degrees from
> horizontal with a somewhat smaller surface area, plus the chrome is highly
> polished. The Miyata Standard has fork tops that are completely horizontal
> with a little larger surface area, plus the painted surface is not as slippery
> as highly polished chrome. If the Miyata Standard also comes with a 36 hole
> alloy rim and alloy cranks, it is clearly better than any Miyata Deluxe,
> unless you like the more stylish look the Miyata Deluxe’s chromed frame.
>
> Anyone considering a Miyata, get the Standard (if it comes with 36 hole alloy
> rim and alloy cranks) rather than the Deluxe and save yourself a little money.

I got the Deluxe. Oh well.

> >My Miyata came out of the box a month ago, so I assume I have the latest
> >model. If I could redo things I would get a Semcycle XL. It would give me the
> >flat fork top and is otherwise a sturdy unicycle. I’ll be teaching some
> >people to ride this spring and this is what I’ll recommend that they get,
> >although in that case its the only option, since Miyata’s are difficult to
> >get and are overpriced for the beginner (and I guess now for me).
>
> Semcycle markets the Semcycle XL as a product that is inferior to the Semcycle
> itself. Given that I would be shocked if the Semcycle LX is proven to be
> better than the current Miyata, either Deluxe or Standard. However, I
> shouldn’t compare them as I have no personal experience with the Semcycle LX.

As I see it, the XL has two possible advantages over the expensive Semcycle.
It doesn’t have the flexible frame, which seems to bother people, and it has
flat fork tops. I haven’t otherwise seen the standard Semcycle, so I won’t
comment further.

>
> I would strongly recommend the Miyata Standard as a first unicycle!

That sounds fine. It looks like there are three production brands to recommend,
the Miyata, Semcycle, and DM.

Beirne

–

Beirne Konarski | Subscribe to the Unicycling Mailing List bkonarsk@mcs.kent.edu
| Send requests to unicycling-request@mcs.kent.edu “Untouched by Scandal” |
Unicycling Web Page:
| http://nimitz.mcs.kent.edu/~bkonarsk/

4

Re: Grumblings about Miyata

Beirne Konarski <bkonarsk@mcs.kent.edu> wrote:

>Well, I bought a 20" Miyata, but if I had to do it again, I think I would buy a
>Semcycle. Today the seat clamp mechanism broke, and the seat never stayed tight
>before that. I’m going to have to go to a bike store and get a conventional nut
>and bolt and crank it down. I’ll carry two wrenches with me for when I need to
>adjust the seat height.

Sounds like the seat post is a bit too small for the head tube. You can put a
wide strip of thin sheet metal or a piece of an aluminum can around the seat
post to make a tighter fit. Or cut and grind down the original clamp and
replace it with double diameter, double bolted BMX clamp (the larger diameter
grabs the head tube and the smaller diameter just above the head tube grabs the
seat post tight).

>While I am at it, I’ll complain about the fork top. Since it has clear edges at
>the top of the forks, I figured it would be better than the sloping fork top

>I do one-footed tricks. My foot lands there fine, but I spend most of the time
>while riding one-footed wondering if my foot is going to slide off, and I keep
>having to time things to reset my foot. On my Schwinn the foot pretty well
>stays put once I find the fork.

The level top of the forks on a Miyata are much better than the sloping tops of
a Schwinn or Semcycle, for planting a foot on. You either just need a little
time to adjust to a better fork top or the fork top is polished too well. Try
putting grip tape on top of the forks.

>Oh yea, I’ll grumble about the seat handle to. When I hop on my Schwinn, I can
>hold onto the seat and it doesn’t move. The handle on the Miyata is easy to
>hold on to, but since it is bolted on to the seat it moves around some while I
>hop. An annoying feature.

Again, you will very quickly get used to the seat handle moving up and down,
because the seat is made of somewhat flexible plastic.

>There, I feel better now.

I feel better too, having come to the defense of my favourite unicycle brand!
Miyata unicycles may not be perfect, but they are currently the closer thing to
perfect. Miyata has also improved their unicycles’ quality many times! Try to
get the newest model possible when buying one used or even new.

Stay on Top, with Miyata unicycles,

Ken Fuchs <kfuchs@winternet.com

5

Re: Grumblings about Miyata

Beirne Konarski <bkonarsk@mcs.kent.edu> wrote:

>My plan at this point is to buy a nut, bolt, and a washer and crank it down.
>I’ll keep these solutions in mind, though, if it doesn’t work. It does seem
>like a lot of work, though, after having bought the world’s most expensive
>production unicycle.

The early Miyata’s had a weak seat post clamp that would bend easily, if over
tightened. I only suggested replacing the clamp, because I thought it had
already been damaged by over tightening. A properly adjusted quick release
should provide enough torque to tighten the clamp. If not, I suggest you get a
quick release with a longer handle. (In my opinion, quick releases should never
have been made with the typical short handle.)

>I compared fork tops on my three unicycles, which are an old Schwinn, a 28" UF
>based on the Semcycle XL (I think) and the Miyata. In spite of the large slope,
>my foot stays planted fairly well on the Schwinn. The fork tops are sloped on
>the Miyata, and the surface is smaller than the Schwinn. The UF may have the
>best design, having flat fork tops; no slope. Unfortunately I am not limber
>enough to put my foot there on the 28" model; when I’ve tried one- foot tricks
>I just rest my foot against the fork. I may try the grip tape on the Miyata.

The Miyata Deluxe has fork tops that slope no more than 5-10 degrees from
horizontal with a somewhat smaller surface area, plus the chrome is highly
polished. The Miyata Standard has fork tops that are completely horizontal with
a little larger surface area, plus the painted surface is not as slippery as
highly polished chrome. If the Miyata Standard also comes with a 36 hole alloy
rim and alloy cranks, it is clearly better than any Miyata Deluxe, unless you
like the more stylish look the Miyata Deluxe’s chromed frame.

Anyone considering a Miyata, get the Standard (if it comes with 36 hole alloy
rim and alloy cranks) rather than the Deluxe and save yourself a little money.

>I’ll see. I think a firm metal seat would be preferable.

Yes, but then you can’t blame your seat for all your falls any more. I’ve added
a diagonal brace on the seat post in front which may reduce the flexing a bit.
It was intended to keep the front bracket of the seat post from flexing, bending
or breaking. Miyata has since improved the design of the seat post, but I’ll
keep using my brace.

>My Miyata came out of the box a month ago, so I assume I have the latest model.
>If I could redo things I would get a Semcycle XL. It would give me the flat
>fork top and is otherwise a sturdy unicycle. I’ll be teaching some people to
>ride this spring and this is what I’ll recommend that they get, although in
>that case its the only option, since Miyata’s are difficult to get and are
>overpriced for the beginner (and I guess now for me).

Semcycle markets the Semcycle XL as a product that is inferior to the Semcycle
itself. Given that I would be shocked if the Semcycle LX is proven to be better
than the current Miyata, either Deluxe or Standard. However, I shouldn’t compare
them as I have no personal experience with the Semcycle LX.

I would strongly recommend the Miyata Standard as a first unicycle!

Stay on Top, of all the new unicycle brands?,

Ken Fuchs <kfuchs@winternet.com