how is the torker unistar for a uni for under 100.00?
PROS? CONS?
The black Torker is amazingly durable for the price.
The chrome one decent but not as strong.
The chrome one comes with a kids size seat.
The black one comes with a good seat (basically a miyata seat).
Unless only a small child is riding the uni, the black one is well worth the extra $s just for the seat.
.duaner.
I would say the black unistar is THE best unicycle in its price range. Dont even think about getting the chrome one.
I have one, it’s super awesome!
A couple of possible “cons:”
One potential issue with the Unistar as it is currently being made - the ones that I’ve seen anyway - is that the frame takes a larger diameter seatpost (25.4mm according to unicycle.com) than most other unicycles in this range do. The Unistar’s post will not fit into those other frames, and other posts will have to be shimmed up to fit into the Torker frame. The Unistar’s saddle does look virtually identical to the Miyata’s and uses the same style of mounting plate. So be sure that the Unistar’s post comes in a size long enough for you, because if it doesn’t, then you will have to either find a longer Miyata-compatible seatpost which is the right diameter, or use a sizer shim with a standard Miyata post as unicycle.com suggests.
Anyone know why Torker does this?
Another small oddity is that the cranks are not straight, but curve outward bicycle-style, placing the pedals slightly farther away sideways from each other than they need to be (what I believe is called “Q-factor”).
Ya, that really sucks and they suck ass for one footed skills. You have to put your foot on it’s side and rest it on the curvey part. I tried to attach a small peice of wood to make it flat but it looked like crap and didn’t hold up. I want to get one of the new 2004 torkers though, they look awesome!
con: produced in China by underpaid labor.
Yeah, I got one about 6 months ago. My first uni :o. It has served me well, though I did do the air seat conversion that some dude has on their site, VERY nice. I would definitely recomend for a first uni. The only problem I had, beside the seat being uncomftorable, was getting the clamp that holds the seat post tight enough, so the seat wouldn’t twist all the time. But I eventually got it figured out. It is a great little uni!
Ya, I had that same problem too! Also, the frame isn’t a flat crown frame so it’s crappy for one-footed skills.
I own one of the 2003 Torker chrome unistars with the old style seat which doesn’t have a front handle. I would say that the unicycle is decent value for the money although the seat is designed for a little kid. If you want to try out unicycling for the first time, it is not a bad buy and it does have a flat crown to use for one footed skills. I put my Chrome Torker through a lot of abuse (hops and riding down 1 foot curbs) and it is still holding up after a year. Also it comes with a standard 22 mm seat post so you can switch seat posts easily unlike the 25.4mm seat post on the black Torkers.
Torker 2004
I bought a lx 24" a couple of months ago, the crown is flat as can be seen in the pics below, its a great uni for the price, it still costed in for me to buy it in the US ($80) and get it shipped to the UK