Hello! I have to admit I’m not a unicyclist but I’m hoping you guys can help me out. I’m a teacher for high school at-risk students. When cleaning out a back closet of gym supplies, I can across a pair of these bikes. They are in good working condition and I know nothing about them.
Can anyone tell me anything about them? My Google-Fu is not working on this one, there doesn’t seem to be any info on the web about them other than they are rare. Imported from Germany in the 1980’s? I think?
I don’t even know if I’m asking the right community. Is there a better niche they belong in?
Any idea on a good price? A take-it-and-run price and a fair price? I’ll probably end of selling them and buying different gym equipment. Otherwise they’re going to end up as bumper cars with my students which won’t happen so I’ll probably try to find a better home.
This forum is indeed the place to inquire about that bike. Others will know more about it than I do, but here is a video so you can get started learning how to ride.
The learning curve is pretty steep on those bikes. Once you get over the hump though, tricks are almost unlimited. They are a variation on the Swing Bike. This bike of course has no chain, making it unicycle-like. A Swing Bike has a chain like a normal bike, but it swivels at the back end. Each has it’s own cool factor. I’ve learned that advanced tricks on the Super Trick Cycle go back decades, coming from artistic cycling on fixies.
Edit: Sorry, I didn’t realize Song posted the same link.
Hey Super G! There’s been a bit of discussion around here lately about the art and craft of making videos, so thanks for posting those two. They are pretty incredible, though I’m sure the documentary you’re almost finished with(?) will be better!
There was definitely a cycle like that from Germany, but not sure if that’s the one. The hardware is definitely from Taiwan, though the original distributor may have been German.
A good price, of course, is what the market is willing to pay, and of course an amount that’s acceptable to you. There are few of those things out there, but also a very small market for them. Kind of like used unicycles, only there are a lot more used unicycles available.
I would recommend posting them on the Unicyclist.com Trading Post for starters, since you already have an account here and there are readers who are interested in such unusual cycles. Most of the people that used to read/post here have moved on to Facebook and elsewhere, so you can try there as well, but not sure if they have a mechanism for selling. You can maybe post a link to the Trading Post.
Or there’s eBay, and maybe Craigslist. The upside of Craigslist is it’s local, but the downside is that it’s local. Smaller audience. eBay is probably a better bet. I don’t think people would be interested at over $200, and even that might be asking a lot. But then again, it has two wheels, so your market is a lot bigger than the unicycling community. Lots more bicycle collectors out there than unicycle collectors.
From the photos you posted, that example looks like it’s almost brand new, so that’s very much in its favor. The saddle is a perfect example of bad unicycle saddles from the 80s & 90s. It’s much better suited to the bike, where it wouldn’t get dropped as much, but still a little wide for the type of riding the STC would be used for.
Thanks for all of the help! I’m not too sure what I’m going to do with the bikes yet. Part of me wants to learn how to ride them. I’m also in favor of passing them on to someone that will enjoy them much more than I will. Thanks again.
Well, if you do decide to learn how to ride those bikes, you would definitely want to learn unicycling as part of the process, -probably somewhere near the beginning of the process, actually.
Unicycles are good for the “at risk” students you teach, as a lot of them probably like to “pop a wheelie” now and then, and besides, unicycling appeals to almost everybody except grumpy old men, and actually, even some grumpy old men ride unicycles, as you will find out from this forum.
If you’re near Madison, Wisconsin, you should look up the local unicycle club. They’d be happy to teach you how to ride a unicycle, and there my be someone there with some trick bike experience. You could probably find a buyer there, too.
Before selling them, see if your students have any interest in them. They might be easier than a unicycle and riding it could be a big self esteem boost for at-risk students.
I just got into riding a super trick cycle exactly like this! I’m part of the Madison Circus Space in Madison, WI. I’d love to take one or two off your hands and put them to good use down here. Shoot me an email if you still have them!
I’m also in favor of passing them on to someone that will enjoy them much more than I will. Thanks again.