Hello,
Just joind this forum for some help on a unicycle for my 8 year old son. He has his heart set on one, even asked Santa for one and followed up with a letter least he forget. He seemed kinda busy.
I know nothing about unicycles. So what do I need to know to pick one out or can you recommend a good starter one?
Thanks much!
How tall is your 8-year old? You will probably want one of the small ones, but something well built enough to be useful. You need to decide an an appropriate wheel size, which is where height comes in. On useful measure is inseam-- distance from the floor to the crotch WHILE WEARING SHOES.
Club unicycles are supposed to be good, but they may be a bit to large for him or her.
http://www.unicycle.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=1198
Torker unicycles are generally well built.
Scott
I’m certainly not the most experienced or qualified person to answer, but hopefully this will help.
The answere depends mostly on the size of your son. See this FAQ:
http://www.unicycle.com/faq2.asp
Probably a 16" wheel would work well. Here’s a link to a few:
http://www.unicycle.com/shopping/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=1&subcat=2&cat=Child+Elementary+(approx+ages+5+-+9)+-+16+inch+wheels&L2=Beginner+Series&L3=Child+Elementary+(approx+ages+5+-+9)+-+16+inch+wheels
Calling the folks at UDC (Unicycle.com) is also probably a good idea.
Also, just a note on the Torker CX 16": I got one of these for my 8yo last Christmas. It’s OK for him to learn on, but the frame isn’t aligned quite right, so the wheel sits at a bit of a sideways angle. I would have returned it, but I received it about two weeks before Christmas (like you will), so instead I just kept it. My son is now almost ten, and about ready to move into a 20" uni, so the 16 is fairly temporary anyhow - no need to spend a lot on that first uni.
P.S.: As long as you’re buying, you should also get a 20" unicycle, too. Probably a Torker LX 20. That way you can learn with him, and he’ll have the 20" uni available when he’s ready to move up. And when he takes your 20", it gives you a good excuse to buy a 24 or larger for yourself! 
my son is 8 aswell and rides now a 24" uni, for going faster (to school). i’d recommend a good 20" one like quax or nimbus (or torker? we don’t have them over here). because a good 20" uni he can ride also when adult, 0.
…th.e only thing you have to change will be the seatpost, which is very cheap…
also you can buy just a cheap one, but if he’s getting in to unicycling a qulity one will be much better and if he gives up ( he’ll not) you can still sell it very easy…
Thanks for the help so far, my son is 50 inches.
Lots of good advice here. I will put my penny worth in as well.
Getting your son on a 20" will not only future proof your investment, they are also better to learn on as they roll over any bumps better.
You do need to get a crutch to floor size with shoes on to be sure about the size. You may find that your son is too small for a 20". You need 25" (63cm) even with a cut down seatpost. We have had 13 year olds who would not fit on them! I also know an 8 year old who used to ride his dads 26" unicycles… definately worth checking.
Some ways to get the crutch to floor dimension by deception:
Need some new trousers…
Measure saddle to pedal distance on bike when saddle is set right.
Take trouser inseam dimension from the trousers and add between 1" and 2" to it for measured dimension.
For an 8 year old… don’t buy expensive, they are unlikly to break it. This being said look out for crap from China that is almost unridable, even by experienced riders. In the UK I would recommend the Dodger range for kids.
http://www.unicycle.uk.com/shop/shopdisplayproduct.asp?catalogid=91
I hope this helps.
Roger
If it looks like your son will only just fit on a 20" he’ll probably learn quicker on a 16". The smaller kids at the local school learnt on a 16" no problem, a few of the smallest learnt on 12"!
At 8 years old there’s a good chance a 20" will be ok, which will be handy as it’s a versatile size, good for anyone (including adults) to learn on, loan out etc.
I loan a bunch of uni’s out to schools, the bulk of them are the basic UDC learner uni in various sizes e.g.
http://www.unicycle.au.com/View.php?action=ProductDetail&Code=UNIUDCT20BLUE
I think this level uni would be a good way to go because:
- it’s adequate quality (don’t go cheaper though like the rubbish on ebay)
- even though he’s keen now he might not be once he starts learning
- when you’re learning to ride the uni tends to get beaten up
- you can do some cheap upgrades to extend its life/appeal e.g. seat, pedals.
- if he gets right into it he’ll really appreciate stepping up to a better uni later on (and he can loan out his learner uni to friends!)
Go Uni Santa! 
Also, you may have noticed there are various different UDC’s in different countries (US, UK, Australia, etc.). Not clear where you’re from, but probably best to order from the UDC closest to you to save on shipping and delivery time.
Thanks guys. I measured his inseam from crotch to floor without shoes and he is 23". So it looks like a 20" wheel is reasonable? I have been looking at the recommendations, looks like Torker LX20 or a Blue Axis 20"? Which would you suggest? I would like to keep the cost down, the Blue Axis looks a little pricey, but if it’s significantly better then the Torker… Is the video “Introduction to Unicycling with Dustin Kelm” worth while?
Thanks
I’d recommend the Torker LX over the other. It has a better saddle (tho people complain about it), since the other didn’t look like it had a front handle. Torker makes a nice intro-level uni, but don’t go below the LX level (the CX is not a good uni).
I cut a 20" Torker LX down for a short friend to try. The absolute lowest I could get it was 25" from pedal to seat. If your son or daughter has an inseam in bare feet of 23", they will not be able to reach the pedals. That will make it impossible to ride. I notice that the minimum inseam height listed for the UDC club unicycles is also 25" for a 20" wheel. These adult-sized 20" unicycles may not be ridable for your child.
You may want to look at this page:
It lists the child-sized unicycles with 16" wheels. UDC is a reputable company and all these look like reasonable choices. You will want a unicycle from this list with a minimum inseam of no more than 23". These are trainer unicycles for a small person and you should expect your child to outgrow it within a year or two. At that point they will be bigger and may have a better idea of what style unicycling they enjoy.
Others have advised against a Torker CX model, but I think that it will not be a problem with a small and light child. If I bounce on one, I will quickly destroy it, but I weigh 170 lb. Your child is probably a bit lighter than I am and will probably outgrow it long before he or she breaks it.
When he gets it, tell him he’s not allowed to ride it. Guaranteed, he’ll learn in a week.
I found the LX seat very uncomfortable. I could only ride it for ~ 15 minutes, it’s definitely better than the CX seat though.
Aside from the seat the CX is a decent learner & in 16" you don’t have many choices.
If you really want to get him a 20" and it’s too short w/ the post cut all the way, you could cut the neck of the frame, but I’d leave at least 3" left (1" for adjustment & 2" for securely clamping the post), and/or you could put some shorter cranks on (but this makes learning harder IMO).
I had a frustrating long learning period and tried a 24, 20, & 16 and although it didn’t roll over bumps well at all the 16" was definitely the easiest to learn to ride and learn some basic tricks on.
I even tried some 125 cranks on the 16 which made it harder to pedal smoothly & could only do wide turns, they nearly eliminated all fear of falling - shorter distance to the ground & slower speed (I found this set up ideal for learning to ride backwards).
Diogenes, you old dog, you’re supposed to be looking for a honest man. In this case, a honest young man. Unicycling is a honest sport, there are no posers. No trickery or witchcraft is needed for a self driven individual.
Ok guys. Thanks! 
I am going with a 16 inch Trainer with a 300mm seat post. The 20 inch seemed like a possability, but I want him to have a chance of riding it. I’ll let you know how it goes. Thanks again!!
awesome, sounds good!
Here’s a pic of Frankie, 7 years old, started to learn in May. Has his own 16" uni and loves it. Hope your son enjoys it too.