New guy getting a MUni - looking for advice.

General
21

rhysling,

Now, it sounds like you guys are suggesting I don’t go with the Pashley, but build a custom unit using a Nimbus II frame or a Lucifer frame. This really isn’t an option for me, because I’ve never built a bike or a uni, and I don’t know if I would know how to do everything. (Not to mention, Unicycle.com doesn’t carry either of those frames). Until I’m more familiar with the hardware, I think I’ll need to stick with the package deal, and find one that’s as close to the ideal as I can find.

As I upgrade and do repairs, I’ll eventually learn enough to build my own custom job. Until then, I think the Pashley will do.

Unless you think the Pashley is a waste of money…

22

Remember that the Power Pashley comes with 170mm Lasco cranks, which are good for some hill climbing but not for hopping. As soon as you begin doing any extensive hopping, you will need to replace them with a better quality brand at a cost of $100 to $150 plus shipping (that’s what I did). Or go for them right away and get credit for the Lascos (better idea).

Don’t forget the leg pads and wrist guards(http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18087). I too have scars on my shin that I got before I ordered the Roach pads but not nearly as bad.

There are other hidden costs such as a crank puller, any tools you don’t have, spare tube, hydration, etc., so the helmet really doesn’t count as part of the cost of the MUni.

See also http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18118 if you are under about 5’10" (I am 5’8").

I imagine that most of the other MUni approaches require quite a bit of fiddling too before the machine truly serves you well – even the more expensive ones. If from your figure I subtract $30 for the helmet and add about $125 for a before-ship crank upgrade you are at $670 which is still half the price of many of the fancy machines.

At current uni.com prices, the Sem XLW with the Wilder Bracket Air Seat and Kooka cranks would run about $680 (less without the bracket), which sounds like a pretty good alternative, although I don’t know about the wheel caveat under the XLW… perhaps the Power Pashley wheel is significantly stronger?

All in all, I currently have the Power Pashley with Wilder Air Seat and Kooka cranks. I’m riding local double- and single-tracks and I’ll be doing stairs up and down soon. My largest drops so far are about 1.5’ on downhill trails. I’m currently about 185 lbs. This machine is serving me well and it will be quite a while before I outgrow it.

23

The parts are going to be thrown into the box the same way, regardless :wink: You’ll have the wheel built for you at the source. The Nim-…cough… Lucifer fork might be in soon- just give John a call (1-800-unicycle), and find out what his time scale is -then let us know. If you aren’t willing to wait, there is always the Sem XLW- going with it would meen you would only save $180 on the frame (darn) and that you would have to go with the 2.6 Gazz. You could do that- with the Alex rim- and swap out tyre and frame when the Lucys become available- and still be up $100, and a flat crown, to boot.

Or you could play Jagur-Vice-Lotto to eek a wee bit more clearance out of the Sem- and get the 3" Gazz.

Christopher

24

nbrazzi,

I feel for you. I have had the same problem here. Sometimes, when you are starting out, you just want an off-the-shelf option. Are the pundits correct that other options are better, when considering money spent both up front and over time? Often they are.

Still, sometimes it is worth no amount of cost savings to have do deal with details, assembly, or playing the waiting game. I myself almost didn’t buy my second uni, because the options were overwhelming. I bought off-the-shelf and I was happy.

For my next unicycle, I will probably get a custom unicycle and have unicycle.com build it for me, because I understand my own needs a little better, and I can extract what is important to me from what is important from other posters.

So, you can follow the advice of Chris and John, and you won’t regret it in the long run. Both have experienced a lot and thought about it a lot. You can also “suck it up” and just go another route because it is less stressful.

It really depends on your personality, your patience, and your pocketbook. I personally found it worth it to buy “off the shelf” for my sanity. Later, I am now feeling comfortable buying for my own needs.

So, take all the advice here to heart, do what works for you, and take your time. Feel good about your decision. Expert advice for all levels of involvement is available to you here in this forum, and you can sample from what you need when you are ready.

Just my (probably stupid) opinion,

Lewis

25

Are you sure about that? I bought my original Uni from Unicycle.com and it came fully assembled (well, I had to screw on the pedals). Am I to assume that if I buy one of the Pashley’s listed on the site, it won’t come assembled like my United did a year ago?

26

I had to screw the pedals onto my Pashley; that was it.

27

Just because you might be specing some of the parts on your own doesn’t mean that they would have to ship it to you as a box of loose parts. It would probably come assembled in the box. If it’s an issue for you then just ask unicycle source to make sure that it is as fully assembled as possible in the box.

When unicycle.com gets the Nimbus II frame in I’m sure they will have some complete unicycles speced in the catalog featuring that frame. The Nimbus II unicycles would be no more custom than the Power Pashley’s. Just pick the one you want out of the catalog.

Right now there are no inexpensive frames that fit a 3" tire. The Nimbus II will change that.

Don’t let the bottle mounts on the Pashley sway you. They are useless on a trail. Every time you drop the muni after a fall the water bottle will fall out of the cage. I used to have a Pashely and found the water bottle mounts totally useless for trail riding. For road riding the water bottle mounts could be useful as long as you don’t drop the uni a lot.

The Pashley is a good unicycle. It’s just a little more expensive and won’t fit a 3" tire.

john_childs

28

piggy backing on Johns comments -

Now you will need a hydration bag/ packpack to carry that water

For short work outs of a less than 45 minutes, I just throw a small water bottle in my front shorts pocket and I am off. But any longer time on the trail and you definately need a hydration bag.

ching, ching - can you hear it? Yep, that’s the sound of a growing
hobby and it doesn’t stop…

But its fun:D

Work the maze

29

Just to continue to hold up the Pashley end of the debate…

The Sem XLW won’t hold any fatter tire than the Pashley.

The useless water bottle holders on the Pashley are just that and no more. I lost two of them when I cut down my frame anyway. If you put a 29" wheel on the Pashley frame, though, for road riding (yes, is possible… try to do THAT with a mere, smear Nimbus), then it makes sense to carry water on the frame. See http://www.unicycle.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=66 for the 29" morph of the Pashley.

The Nimbus II are not only unavailable now at unicycle.com, but also out of stock at unicycle.uk.com. How they compare to the Pashley in terms of strength, I do not know.

There is no Nimbus II-based MUni or trials unicycle listed at unicycle.uk.com, in-stock or out-of-stock. There are a couple of listed freestyle unis with the Nimbus II frame.

When I had to pick out a unicycle for my nephew, who is learning amazingly fast, I was stumped by the options - freestyle, off-road, etc., etc., and by all the unknowns. Finally I realized that it was more important to ride than to have the optimal unicycle, and that helped a lot. If he wants to go “beyond” the Semcycle XL with Miyata seat, that’s up to him – in whatever sense he wants to interpret “beyond”.

You can’t steer a car that ain’t movin’!

enjoying the debate…

30

If the Nimbus II frames are not going to be in stock soon then there is no reason to hold up a purchase. You can’t ride a uni that doesn’t exist yet.

If there is no Nimbus II, then look at the Sem XLW or Pashley. Either would be good. The Pashley would be a stronger frame. But the XLW frame would be adequate till you get to the point that you are hucking off 5’ drops and doing other really hard riding.

Here’s an idea. Get a Sem XLW with a 24x2.6 tire and a nice wide rim like the Alex DX32. Use the 24x2.6 wheel till you feel the need for a wider tire. At that time the Nimbus II will be available and you just swap out the Sem XLW frame, put on the Nimbus II frame, put a 24x3 tire on the rim and you’ll be good to go. The Sem XLW frame in only like $55 so you’re not out that much when swapping the frame.

john_childs

31

  1. There is almost nothing to assemble on a Unicycle (precluding brakes)

  2. All the important things are in place. What are the important things? Things that would be a pain to install without special tools, namely a) wheel spoked and tyre seated, b) bearings, and c) cranks. Everything else goes together with a wrench- and any idiot can put that together, as I am ample proof.

Just my clumsy way of encouraging you.

Christopher

32

The Pashley is a good, very solid first MUni. I got the cranks upgraded to Shimano Deore cracks by Unicycle.com before they sent them. Only thing I don’t like the Pashley are the lollipop holders. Hard to remove the wheel and as for the cast iron they are made of…(c’mon, that should be reserved for saucepans). Also you may need to trim down the seat tube if you are short as it runs quite high.

The Pashley is very upgradeable until you come to the conclusion that you would like to have brakes.

Have a look at www.muniac.com for useful equipment reviews. Good luck.

33

Sorry if I missed this somewhere else, but what did you end up deciding on nbrazzi?
I’m in a similar situation and would like to know what you got and how you’re enjoying it.

34

Well, I decided to get the Pashley Power MUni. You can see some pictures here:
http://unicycle.to/nbrazzi/

I totallly love it. It’s awesome, it’s a beast. I finally got it out on a dirt bike trail and I fell down a lot. I can hop a little, too.

Anyway, I can’t necessarily reccomend you get it, but for my criteria, its a great choice. I could definitely have gotten something cheaper by sacrificing some things or by building something myself. But, I wasn’t quite ready to build my own. And although I paid a little more, theres absolutely nothing that I sacrificed, or wished I’d gotten, although there are some things that may be a little overkill. I feel confident that nothing will break any time soon.

Another thing to consider is, of course, the Nimbus II. This probably would be a much better deal, but I wasn’t about to wait. This was my birthday present for myself (at 24, I’m about the only person who gets me anything) and I wasn’t about to wait.

Finally, there were a few modifications I had to make and the local bike shopped helped out a lot:

  1. It started to give off a strange squeak after 2 days or so. Come to find out the bolts that connect the fork to the lollipop were pretty tight, but had just enough give to cause a squeak. Tightened those up and everything is cool.

2)Had the bike shop hack about 1-1/2" off my seat post. When I got the height adjusted where I wanted it, the seat post was sticking out the other end of the frame and almost touched the tire.

3)Got a nice water bottle cage, but the saddle is so low, I can only use a small water bottle. At least I don’t have to worry about it popping out when I drop the MUni, I can barely get it in to begin with.

4)Took those lame-o “Skid Lid” stickers off the helmet. If you perform this modification, do it in a well ventilated room. The stickers peel off easy, but the smell of the glue burned off a layer of my lung tissue.