Ahoy all!
So I was looking at Miyata’s website, and it appears that their new unicycles are still using lollipop style bearing holders. Aside from the fact that they don’t have to retool their factory for modern main-cap holders (that’s the right term, right? It’s been so long since I’ve heard a discussion about bearing holders I’ve forgotten!) are there any advantages to the l-pop holders? From what I gather, Miyata mostly makes unis for the Japanese gym class/freestyle market, which wouldn’t place the same stresses on the frame as trials or street, so I can see not bothering to change the bearing style…
To quote an old VW commercial:
“I thought those were extinct!”
“That’s what they said about the coelacanth.”
In general, as a bearing holder, a lollipop is superior. It’s a machined, press-fit holder and way better than the main cap clamp holders. As a frame component, however, lollipop holders are in general inferior to main cap bearing holders. I think the Miyata design, with their lollipop-post-frame fit, is actually quite good. It’s the lollipop holders with rods that insert into the thin-wall frame tubes that are such a bad design. Those break the frame tubes pretty easily.
+1
Had been a big problem in our unicycle club for many years. It can hold many years without any problem, but only if the screws are allways tightened with the right momentum.
Ahhhh, yeah, I hadn’t thought about the actual holding of the bearing, just the issue with the frames. Aside from my ex-wifes Schwinn uni, I don’t think I’ve run into many unis with lolli bearings, even the pretty cheap ones some friends bought when they learned back in university were main cap style.
So in short, the actual bearing holders are pretty good, it’s when you attach the bearing holder to the frame that things can get sketchy. (The more you know! *----)
I agree with what has been said above. The only issue I have had with this setup is keeping the bolts tight that attach the bearings to the frame. Older versions actually screwed into holes in the round frame itself, which were notorious for coming loose or stripping or both. I think the current Miyata setup flattened the frame where the bearings attach, which I have never had trouble with.
Some of our team members still use Miyata unicycles for freestyle but I wouldn’t use them for anything where you put more stress on the hub/frame/bearings. You are just asking for trouble.