Q-factor, what is it?

General
1

>…?

ive searched… just get lost reading about the koxx street unis

as far as i can gather it is how much the cranks angle away from the frame…? am i right or if not what is it?

thankyou

2

your are right. the angle the cranks are away from the frame. Koxx trials cranks have 0 q factor and profiles have a bit of it. You really searched? Look at the simular threads at the bottom of the page…

3

cool thanks… man i smart hahhah

so what is it good for, what it the effect of having it or not having it?

4

It makes your ankles not hit the cranks. That hurts. Some cranks now are designed with little Q but dont kill the ankles. Q also helps with some street stuff

5

With more q-factor, your cranks/pedals become more angled out from the hub. With this greater flare on the cranks, it gives better control then cranks with less q-factor.

6

if you want more q-factor then why do some companies make unicycles with none

7

Q-factor is actually the total lateral (sideways) distance between pedals. Unicyclists seem to use it to talk about cranks, but it is also affected by the hub width and possibly by the pedal width.

Lower q factor can be good for pedalling fast, because your legs are at a nicer angle. It also means you can lean over further before your pedals hit the floor (handy for sharp turns or freestlye stuff like spins).

John

8

HOW DID YOU GET ANY IDEA OF Q FACTOR OTHER THAN WHAT THIS SAYS???
::annoyed at misinformation to new unicyclist::

it also explains why an ultimate wheel is easier to ride than your wheelset for your coker w/ an ultrawide hub

9

I ride bikes too. Sorry. I also have a vague feeling that it’s been mentioned on here before. Might also have been in a genuine, real-life conversation. Woah!

10

yup, it does give more control in slow situations, and in the bike world it is indeed the width of your whole setup. Unicycles don’t generally even get it measured, as we end up with vauge ‘this has more Q, this has less Q’ statements, which also are quite valid.

A low-q wheel will wobble much less at high speed when you’re pedaling, but there is a slight danger of whacking your ankles on the cranks. It’s all preference and availability, and generally you’ll just get used to what you have, so I wouldn’t worry too much about it.