Hey everyone, I’m just now beginning to look into unicycling and wondering what the best beginner unicycle is. I read a post from back in ‘07 suggesting the torker lx; however, I was wondering if has come out in the past 7 years that is “better” . I am 6’ with an inseam of 32". Initially it will be used as a means of transportation to and around campus. Thanks in advance, I’m really excited to get into this!
the best unicycle to learn on is the unicycle you have
you can learn on any unicycle
you really dont need a special, expensive or versatile unicycle to learn on. if you learn to ride, by the time you have a strong idea what kind of riding you like, you will probably have bought a few unicycles of that type.
the big choice for a learner is 20 inch or 24.
im 6 foot tall and learnt on a 20, some may suggest a 24 is mofe suitable for your height. but you really can learn on either.
im not that familiar with torkers, but ive read enough suggestions to know theyre pretty good unis. you coulsd certainly learn on one. look at the unicycle.com hoppley, learner and club unicycles. all good solid unis
also have a look at the trading post, you can pick up great deals on second hand unis
any way, welcome to the forums
and have fun learning, its a fun experience.
post back here to let us know how you get on
As a 6’ person who wants to go somewhere, I’d recommend a 24" (no smaller) for learning. Any old 24" will be okay for learning, though there’s something to be said for having a decent seat. Some unicycles come with kid-sized seats, which you probably won’t like. You didn’t mention budget, or what country you’re in, but here are a couple of options:
- Sun 24" Flat Top Street Uni (out of stock), $99.99. Not the ultimate seat, but the lowest-priced one on Unicycle.com USA.
- Club 24", $140. Excellent seat! The better buy if you ask me.
You don’t need to spend any more for a great learner. After you get comfortable riding it, then you can decide which way you want to go from there, without having made a big investment in something that might not be the right type of uni for you. You can find cheapies on eBay or elsewhere, but it’s hard to know what you’re getting.
Also, as Fatlazypig mentioned, if you already have a unicycle, just use that one. As long as it fits, and isn’t made from tricycle parts (like the one I learned on). 
Typically people start with a 20 or 24 inch wheel. Given your height and the fact that you’d like to ride somewhere on it I would recommend purchasing a 24 inch as you can go a bit faster.
The Torker LX is certainly an excellent choice for a first uni as it is fairly low price and reasonably tough. You wonder if there is something better and the answer is yes, but you have to pay for it. A new 24" lx is usually just over $150. If you aren’t in the U S of A you may have to go with a different brand as they are less available over seas.
My prediction is that you will have people reply stating that you will want a wheel bigger than 24" and this is probably the case. In my opinion you shouldn’t start with a wheel bigger then 24" as it tends to be harder to learn on a larger wheel. If you decide that you need a bigger wheel you can always get one after learning.
Beg or borrow a 20 or 24 to learn on.(or cheapest second hand) THEN think about buying one
Easier said than done I know, but what you learn on isn’t what you will want to ride in all likelihood. Haven’t ridden my 24 learner for a year at least…
We all end up with more than one 
Hey everyone thanks for the advice! I don’t have one yet, but I found out that a guy at my work has a uni so I’m going to try to borrow it for a few days and see how things go from there. I’ll let ya know what I end up deciding.
Hey there, it’s my first time posting. I too am interested in learning to unicycle over summer but I’m not too sure what to get. Right now I’m pretty low on funds, so I’m looking to find something under £60. I’ve been trawling eBay for second hand uncycles, but there are none in my area right now. I have my eyes on:
I was wondering if you folks knew anything about the brand and it’s quality, since the durability of unicycles in this price range is my main concern.
Hello Squal, I noticed that they havereflex unicycles on the Unicycle.com U.K. web site. They list the Reflex as beginner model which is not very robust. They have a discount price on the Hoppley beginner unicycle with CrMo hub which I reckon to be stronger than the Reflex.
Hope this helps
Welcome to the forum, Squeal!
unicycle.com has this one marked as “Entry level childrens 20” unicycle." They also list some weight limitations: "…not recommended for advanced tricks or people over 11 stone. ". I also suspect that the curved saddle might be really uncomfortable for riding. For more details on this and other learner unicycles check here:
You may also want to check out the reviews on amazon:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008COLDK2
I know it’s more money, but if you can swing it, go for a club or qu-ax luxus. If you’re really on a budget, check local classifieds and flea markets, etc. There are a lot of overpriced duds on the used market as well, but there are also great deals to be had if you have the time and patience. Maybe somebody with experience about the UK used market can provide better information.
Thanks for the feedback, one of the reviews for the reflex didn’t seem too good, so I think I’ve got my eye on the Hoppley, from what I was able to dig up online it hopefully won’t be snapping in half as soon as I touch it.
The Hoppley came this morning and so I started learning. My initial thoughts are that it is of fairly good quality, the pedals are quite slippy and the tire looks fairly cheap, but it feels solid and the seat is nice enough. I’ve already managed to ride 12 metres unassisted. Thanks for the advice.
Well done, keep on riding and have fun!
Greetings
Byc