Review on Osell's Unicycle Frame

Unicycles and Equipment
1

Chris Cline is working on a unicycle database and asked me to do a review on the
Osell’s custom frame for 20" unicycles. I have just received my first 20" custom
frame from Osell’s and am really happy with it. My main artistic unicycle before
the Osell’s frame was a Miyata standard frame with an extended seat post (and a
few other modifications). The Osell’s frame utilizes the Miyata bearing holders
so it can replace the existing Miyata frame.

Here the reasons that I think the Osell’s frame is superior to my previous
Miyata standard frame:

  • The frame is stiffer then a Miyata. I wouldn’t think this would be a factor in
    a frame but the Osell’s unicycle feels more responsive.
  • The flat crown on the frame is slightly bigger and the corners are not so
    rounded. This really makes a difference when doing lots of stand up skills.
    The extra surface area can help save the foot from being fatigued when doing
    such skills as stand up wheel walk for a long time.
  • The crown is lower to the wheel than the Miyata frame. Reducing the clearance
    between the wheel and the frame has benefits on skills that rely on having a
    foot on the frame. While I don’t feel any difference in the one foot skills,
    the harder skills and skills that involve both feet on the frame feel easier
    (such as coasting and gliding with both feet on the frame).
  • The frame is designed for my height. The GT seat clamp is right under the
    seat. Even though I had a low profile clamp on my Miyata, I still would get
    scrapped from it. With Osell’s frame the clamp under the seat and I would
    really have to try to hit it. Having no clamp in the middle of my frame makes
    it a lot easier to do the skill seat in front freehanded.

I called Osell’s for some prices. Of course, the standard disclaimer applies in
that prices and times are subject to change. Here is the cost of the frame with
some different finishing options. The time after each option is the delivery
time. $175 bare (one week) $220 one color (two weeks) $260 two color frame (with
a fade or other options) (two weeks) $300 chrome. (They have just switched
chroming places so time and money could change on this) (1 to 2 months)

If you wanted a complete unicycle, the rest of the unicycle is $216 to $246
depending on rim quality. So, for a frame with one color finish and high quality
rim, the price would be $468.

While the Osell’s custom frame is not a beginner item, it is something to
consider if you spend lots of time on your standard unicycle.

Osell’s also makes custom 28" unicycles and custom two-wheeled unicycles. If you
have questions give them a call at 612.788.5200. Osell’s is located in St.
Anthony, Minnesota (very near to Minneapolis).

-Andy

PS. Have a good Christmas and hopefully all those packages under the tree are
either unicycles or are really cool unicycle parts.

Andy Cotter cotter@skypoint.com Twin City Unicycle Club - http://www.tcuc.org

2

Re: Review on Osell’s Unicycle Frame

> -Andy mentioned the GT seat clamp and I believe he’s referring to the double
> bolt model. This is the best clamp that I’ve ever used. .

I had to replace the clamp on my unicycle because the screws broke, but it is a
wounderful clamp. The seat doesn’t move at all.

> -Another benifit of having a Wyganowski Frame is service. Paul takes his work
> personally and it has been my experience that Paul wants each frame to be
> perfect.

Paul built the 28" that I rode across Minnesota. He was great to work with and
trued the wheel for me free of charge once it started to wobble. It’s a great
unicycle to ride and is very high quality.

Peter

3

Re: Review on Osell’s Unicycle Frame

Here’s some technical details and revisions I would like to add to Andy’s
excellent review:

-The credit for these frames should go to Paul Wyganowski. Paul works at Osell’s
bike shop, but he builds the frames independantly in his own shop. He does
acquire some materials from Terry Osell.

-The tubing on the Wyganowski Frame is heat treated 4130 chromoly steartube and
oversize tandem fork blades.

-The fork crown is a machined Columbus two plate. The two plates allow two
insertion and welding points for the fork blades creating a stronger more rigid
frame. Miyata’s and Semcycle XL’s use crowns that are stamped out of sheet
metal. Paul has told me that the difference in production cost of a stamped vs
machined crown is about $6 vs $40, that should give you a little idea about the
difference in quality.

-Paul uses Miyata bearing mounts. I have one Wyganowski Frame with with the old
style Miyata bearing holder fitted to a Semcycle NK hub (the first uni frame
that Paul ever built.) My other Wyganowski Frame has hardened steel dropouts
that are tapped to accept the new style Miyata bearing holders. This one is
built with a Suzue hub. When ordering make sure you specify the bearing mounts
and hub that you will be using because the widths are different on these hubs.

-Andy mentioned the GT seat clamp and I believe he’s referring to the double
bolt model. This is the best clamp that I’ve ever used. I recently removed the
“permanent” clamps on my Miyata frames and put on GT double bolt clamps. The
beauty of these clamps is that half of the clamp is machined to clamp over the
seat tube and the top half clamps down on the seat post. In the two and a half
years that I have used these clamps I’ve had a seat come out of adjustment only
once that I can remember. My allen key is getting very lonely.

-Another benifit of having a Wyganowski Frame is service. Paul takes his
work personally and it has been my experience that Paul wants each frame to
be perfect.

-Besides Andy and I, here’s some others you may have heard of that are enjoying
their Wyganowski Frames: Kristen Donohoo, 1999 US Women’s National Champion;
Yuichiro Kato (Japan), 1996 World Champion; Christian Hoverath (Germany), 1999
Individual National Champion (I’m not sure of the exact title.)

Paul can be reached through Osell’s or directly. (try Osell’s first) Paul’s card
reads as follows: Wyganowski Frames St. Paul MN 651-772-2861 Custom Crafted
Framesets Tandem & Singles All Styles Full Service, Wheel Building Frame Repair
& Modifications 753 Certified

cotter@skypoint.com (Andy Cotter) writes:

>Chris Cline is working on a unicycle database and asked me to do a review on
>the Osell’s custom frame for 20" unicycles. I have just received my first 20"
>custom frame from Osell’s and am really happy with it. My main artistic
>unicycle before the Osell’s frame was a Miyata standard frame with an extended
>seat post (and a few other modifications). The Osell’s frame utilizes the
>Miyata bearing holders so it can replace the existing Miyata frame.
>
>Here the reasons that I think the Osell’s frame is superior to my previous
>Miyata standard frame:
>* The frame is stiffer then a Miyata. I wouldn’t think this would be a factor
> in a frame but the Osell’s unicycle feels more responsive.
>* The flat crown on the frame is slightly bigger and the corners are not so
> rounded. This really makes a difference when doing lots of stand up skills.
> The extra surface area can help save the foot from being fatigued when doing
> such skills as stand up wheel walk for a long time.
>* The crown is lower to the wheel than the Miyata frame. Reducing the clearance
> between the wheel and the frame has benefits on skills that rely on having a
> foot on the frame. While I don’t feel any difference in the one foot skills,
> the harder skills and skills that involve both feet on the frame feel easier
> (such as coasting and gliding with both feet on the frame).
>* The frame is designed for my height. The GT seat clamp is right under the
> seat. Even though I had a low profile clamp on my Miyata, I still would get
> scrapped from it. With Osell’s frame the clamp under the seat and I would
> really have to try to hit it. Having no clamp in the middle of my frame makes
> it a lot easier to do the skill seat in front freehanded.
>
>I called Osell’s for some prices. Of course, the standard disclaimer applies
>in that prices and times are subject to change. Here is the cost of the
>frame with some different finishing options. The time after each option is
>the delivery time. $175 bare (one week) $220 one color (two weeks) $260 two
>color frame (with a fade or other options) (two weeks) $300 chrome. (They
>have just switched chroming places so time and money could change on this)
>(1 to 2 months)
>
>If you wanted a complete unicycle, the rest of the unicycle is $216 to $246
>depending on rim quality. So, for a frame with one color finish and high
>quality rim, the price would be $468.
>
>While the Osell’s custom frame is not a beginner item, it is something to
>consider if you spend lots of time on your standard unicycle.
>
>Osell’s also makes custom 28" unicycles and custom two-wheeled unicycles. If
>you have questions give them a call at 612.788.5200. Osell’s is located in St.
>Anthony, Minnesota (very near to Minneapolis).
>
>-Andy
>
>PS. Have a good Christmas and hopefully all those packages under the tree are
> either unicycles or are really cool unicycle parts.
>

keep on trying, dustin klem unicycling productions www.dustin.kelm.com

(remove the BICYCLE from the above address to send me your brain waves)

isa 40:29-31

4

Re: Review on Osell’s Unicycle Frame

> -Besides Andy and I, here’s some others you may have heard of that are
> enjoying their Wyganowski Frames: Kristen Donohoo, 1999 US Women’s
> National Champion; Yuichiro Kato (Japan), 1996 World Champion; Christian
> Hoverath (Germany), 1999 Individual National Champion (I’m not sure of the
> exact title.)

Paul also made my double wheeled unicycle! After riding this double wheeler, I
never want to ride a different one. It’s a luxury unicycle.

Check out some pictures of me riding it at:
http://gilby.com/unicycling/photos/2wheeler/

Those pictures are of the first test model of the double wheeler and I recently
got the final one back from the chromers, so I’ll try to get some close up
pictures of the frame up on my website soon.

    ___________ =========================================== ___ /_/ / / / /
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    T-shirts at <a href="http://www.gilby.com/">http://www.gilby.com/</a> \_ /_/_/,___/ / AIM/AOL:
    UnicyclingGilby /\/ /__________/ Unicycled Across Minnesota to help
    others! \__/ ================================================