I’ve had my unicycle for a year, but only used it for one one and a half summers (cant ride in the winter :P) but recently my right pedal has started to make a ticking sound. Does anyone know how to fix this or what it is caused by?
Thanks
Re: Pedal Ticking
Either the pedal is loose in the crank (most likely), or the bearings are shot.
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Grab the pedal center and pull it up and down hard. If the pedal spindle moves even a tiny bit then the pedal is loose.
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Orient the unicycle so that the pedal is pointed straight up. Spin the pedal with your finger. Any strange grating or clicking sounds? The inner bearing is shot.
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Orient the unicycle so that the pedal is pointed straight down. Spin the pedal with your finger. Any strange grating or clicking sounds? The outer pedal is shot.
(PS: Most experienced mechanics go through this entire process in less than 5 seconds by jerking the pedal up and down, then pulling in and pushing out while rocking the pedal. The three step process is instructive, though.)
If the pedal is loose then tighten it with a wrench thin enough to fit tightly on the flats with a little room on either side. A pedal wrench is ideal.
If a bearing is shot then you’ve got three options. If you’re low on funds then just ride on it. It won’t self destruct rapidly. If the pedal is really nice and the bearings are serviceable then replace the bearings. Option three is to replace the pedals. Given the beating that most unicycle pedals get with UPDs the third option is probably the most sensible.
If none of the pedal diagnostic tests come up positive then your unicycle has a problem somewhere else. Since the clicking is on one side only that limits the problems to a) loose crank, b) some sort of hub failure, like a loose key, or c) some sort of spoke ailment.
Thanks for the help, none of the tests were conclusive, but I guess I’ll ride on it anyway, and maybe take it to a bike shop when I get some money. Thanks again