I already have a KH20 Flatland and a mid-eighties 24" Semcycle. I was thinking the trials would be good because she could learn on it and I could interchange parts with my KH, esp the wheelset if I wanted to do trials. Is learning to uni on a trials tire more challenging or easier than on a freestyle, or flatland-type tire, or does it matter? I imagine, the important thing to begin with is to just stay consistent when learning. Am I correct?
I think the tire is the only difference, besides frame color.
Personally I learned on a 26" smooth tire, then got a 20" freestyle. When I got around to a trials it was hard to get use to. Seat really low, knobby tire is very noticeable and bumpy. Its all personal opinion, if got kinda short legs a trial size should be ok, but I think smoother is better for starting.
You’re a very lucky guy to have a wife who wants to learn to ride. I hope she does and that you ultimately ride together frequently. If I were you I would do everything possible to make it easy, convenient, and fun for her to learn. The payback has fantastic potential.
It’s easier to learn on a narrower tire than a trials. Also, pump it up so it’s hard, not squishy. The frame will probably make no difference at all. The saddle height, the tire profile, and the pressure will.
If you can afford it, get her a cheap learner. I’ve never met her but she sounds like she’s worth it to me.
Instead of getting the learner, what about having her learn with my KH Flatland wheel on the Nimbus trials frame, and using the trials wheel on my Flatland. That way we have two quality and flexible unis. Would the Nimbus trials frame with the KH Flatland wheel set be a decent uni for her to learn on?
You seem to want someone to tell you that it’s OK to give your wife your KH flatland wheel to put on a trials frame for learning. I am officially telling you that it’s OK to do that.
That sounds fine - but I must be missing something here. What’s wrong with her learning on the KH Flatland without any need for wheel swapping (or even a new uni)?
I started on a junk 24 with a smooth tire, then bought a 24 muni. I immediately had a little trouble with the nubbed tire so I bought a smoother tire and pumped it up hard. Once I got the hang of it a bit, I went back to the Duro and was fine. If an old woman can do it, your wife can:D I think the smooth hard tire and a good seat helped me. Have your wife read the learning threads and tell her not to get discouraged!
So, I decided to get my wife a starter unicycle, instead of the trials. It should last her a long time until when and if she gets into more advanced stuff.
Beside the frame color, which one should I get? The Hoppley is $45 cheaper. Is the Club worth it for a starter uni? I notice that the cranks are shorter on the Club and tube is fatter, right?
So the only reason you are buying another uni is so your wife can learn?
And your KH street frame is too tall?
Is the Semcycle also too tall?
When is your son going to be ready for a bigger wheel?
I’d say that you should get something your son can grow into and your wife can use for learning, so a decent trials uni that would also give you something more robust if you need it.
Otherwise if she can fit the Semcycle, then have her start in it.
> So the only reason you are buying another uni is so your wife can learn?
Yes.
> And your KH street frame is too tall?
Yes, because it’s a long-neck, and I don’t want to cut the frame.
> Is the Semcycle also too tall?
It’s a 24", which I keep at work to get around the campus when needed. I use it most days. Also, I wouldn’t learn on a 24". I would think it would be harder than a 20" especially for her.
> When is your son going to be ready for a bigger wheel?
He’s on a 16" and is just tall enough for it, so not for a while. Plus, he can’t ride yet. He’s starting to let go a bit from the wall, but it will be a while I think. It’s too small for her.
> I’d say that you should get something your son can grow into and your wife can use for learning, so a decent trials uni that would also give you something more robust if you need it.
That’s what I thought at first, and was going to get a Nimbus trials but I was concerned about her learning on the fatter wheel of either the KH Flatland or the trials wheel. I think most people learn on a standard freestyle type tire. I guess the KH Flatland would be fine for that purpose if I put it on the trials frame and run a high PSI, even though it’s wider than a standard freestyle tire.
It’s pretty good looking and is straight forward. Skinny non knobbed tire. It will be good to have a decent learner uni around anyway for other folks who might want to learn.
That’s funny. My wife expressed some interest in learning and is also short, under 5’. The original plan was for her to learn on a really crappy $60 uni that I picked up 10+ years ago to fill a void until I could get a decent uni.
It was a 24" and was a bit much for her, we were able to cut the frame down enough but it had an uncomfortable seat and a loose crank arm with no way of tightening. I thought about welding the crank to keep it from giggling.
Anyway we got a nimbus trials with the idea that if she didn’t take to it that I’d have a trails to build my woeful skills on. Well she took to it and learned to ride on the trials. I though it would be an issue but she was fine with the creepy crawler tire. It’s officially her unicycle and a 26" is the smallest uni I own so I get to procrastinate learning new skills even more.
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