i’m a n00b, and i’m in australia. i’d like to learn to ride a unicycle, but i don’t know anyone in my city (perth) who has one, i’ve never even seen street performers on one, so i can’t ask to borrow anyone’s to learn and then buy.
i want to use it for riding to work, so on roads and pavements, as well as maybe one day doing some tricks on it? i guess if i’m good enough. and hopefully for some sideshow performance type stuff. basically a fairly average type unicycle, tho i’m not entirely sure what all the different types are.
i’ve been to unicycle.au, and looked at their catalogue. according to my height, i’d need a 24" wheel one. with the book, and i think shipping/courier, it comes to about $190. i’ve also been in to some bike stores, and they said it would cost around $190-$200 to ship it from over east too, but i wouldn’t get a nifty little book with it.
so, does anyone have any other suggestions? bike stores or chains in australia with knowledgeable unicycle people? other online places that ship to australia for a reasonable price? good places to get unicycle books/help?
suggestions muchly appreciated, thanks in advance
janey
Try www.unicycles.com.au . I used to work for Gary, the owner back when he was running a bike shop. He should be really helpful.
Klaas Bil and I wrote a short instruction document on unicycling. It’s available for free here - www.unicycle.2ya.com . If that site’s still not running (one that Peter van Boekhout and I made…currently being transferred to a different host) you can get a copy from here - http://www.xs4all.nl/~klaasbil/Learn_unicycling.pdf . Check out both those sites for tips on riding and other skills.
For the tips on my site, I’d suggest the url Tips for beginners . From there, you can download said pdf file too, and get some context at the same time.
hey,
the funny thing is, is that i used to be in the same little dilema as it sounds you are in at the moment. I live in melbourne in australia!
Wen i first wanted to start riding a uni, i went to the local bike shop and they had a 20" little road uni, which i got for $160, it kept up with me for about a few months while i learnt the basic skills but then i wanted to do more stuff, like hop off picnic tables and things, then the cranks bent and it started getting weak.
2 years later unicycle.com got a distributor out here in aus, which made my day, so now i am getting a KH20" Trials uni from them.
So i reckon you shouldnt bother with the local bike shops, they arent much help at all! Go straight to unicycle.au.com, they know what they r talking about and they have everything a beginner needs and they also have a toll free phone number for u to talk to them!!
I am happy to quote. Send me an email if you want. I have access to most of the gear available in Australia.
The next statement is very generalised I must admit, but most bike shops (not all) usually don’t seem interested in stocking anything except the beginners unicycles. I think it costs them to hold the stock and they don’t turnover very fast. They also see them as an oddity. I have a Nimbus Muni on consignment in a friend’s bike shop and it hasn’t attracted much interest. Bikers only think two wheels.
If you live in perth, then I guess that the best place to buy from would be www.circusshop.net seeing as the shop is in perth. They sell nimbus and standard unicycles.
I was a MTB rider before unicycling, then I saw the MTB movie “New World Disorder” with Kris Holm’s section. Maybe you should get the bike shops to stock New World Disorder or any of the other ones with Kris in them (or even one of the unicycling movies) and put a unicycle next to it.
I have swapped TWNR with a few of my local bike shops for small favours and repairs. I am sure they have looked at it, I hope they have.
Bike shops are friendly places, but “bike Shops”!! I get along with my locals just fine. Even though I am not spending big money like a new $5000.00 MTB or road bike, the still have great gear like helmets, tires, pedals etc which helps me to part with my hard earned $s and generally nice people to talk to.
Just recently one of my local bike shops threaded some pedal bushes for my impending 36UW. Left and right threads, bike standards etc for nicks.
Sounds like an Axis 24 unicycle would indeed be a good choice for you, janey.
www.unicycle.au.com sells a wide range of unicycles and ships to Western Australia. Contact email address: info (@) unicycle.au.com (remove safety to reply.)
thanks for all the helpful replies and links guys!
i went into a bike force shop today, the guys going to give me a call back, but i’m not holding out any hopes. he says i’m the third person to go in and ask in 2 weeks… maybe there is some surge of interest atm!!! did someone from big brother or american idol unicycle? i wonder why so many recently.
i emailed circus shop to ask them, they have a 20" trainer for $170, but the 24" are $309, and that’s a bit too much for me if i’m just testing it out still. i think i’ll probably go with the unicycles.au one.
just need good ol’ dad to come home with the credit card
