I have the stock UDC coker with a torker air saddle.
I love it. Biggest problem is dealing with Coker twist or veer (whatever you folks call it when the unicycle just tends to go to the left, or right consistently on its own) at the end of a ride when I am tired.
I’m getting my coker set up for a unitour next summer and wondered what the thoughts are on handlebar units. I did a search on the forum and just didn’t come up with any threads. I am sorry if there are countless other threads like this that I didn’t find.
Are they a must, nice to have, or just a hazard when you fall?
Where do you get handlebar units? I didn’t see any on UDC that looked like the ones I have seen on cokers?
How important are brakes?
Also I just put a cyclometer (cat eye) on my coker. I used two magnets like a read in some ancient post.
What is the cm rollout on the coker? Does tire pressure make a big difference?
My George Barnes handles are indispensable. With them I feel almost like I am on a bike (as stable as on a bike). Once you can place both your hands on the handle for most part of the day, the position will lift off some weight from your butt. Most important though, learning to ride hands on handle will improve your stability. Not being able to move hands or arms to make small corrections of your balance, you will have to use your body instead. Those tiny shifts of weight you make with the body are much quicker and accurate than if you use arms and hands. When there is no wind and the road is flat I feel so stable I can click in my autopilot (it resides somewhere in my belly) and it feels almost as if someone else is doing the cokering. So GB handle has become essential to my coker riding.
Brakes are important for me when going dowhill with short cranks. If you intend to keep the standard 150 mm cranks and if you are not planning to tour the alps, I think you won’t need them.
About roll outs: Klaas has an eminent web page with all kinds of coker wheels roll out figures. Someone will come up with the link to it I am sure.
the GB4 handles are sooo awesome. they provide a lot more stability, and I’m sure they’ll help keep your coker going straight towards the end of the ride.
the cm rollout on a Coker I think is 287…36 * pi * 2.54 = 287, so yes. but if you use two magnets on the wheel, then you’d do half of that, right? hmm…on my Cateye cyclometer, the manual didn’t list the cm rollout for a 36" wheel, but I just figured it out on my own and entered that using one magnet. once you get the computer set up, you should go to a running track somewhere and ride around once, and it should come out to 0.25 miles per lap if you got it right. a good way to check, I find…
have fun,
How old is your Coker? Mine is only 4 mos and so far I dont feel any twist or flex although when I rode a friends older model that did not have the wide hub I thought it was going to collapse under me
The GB4 handle people are refering to is this one. It makes a very good addition for a stock coker…I had one on mine, and loved it. The hand position when climbing is solid, and you can also put both hands on it and use it to shift some weight off your seat for short periods. Final benefit is the little extension to mount your cycle computer. It is a little challenging to view it while riding, but it is at least well protected when you crash.
Depending on the drill pattern of your seat, you may also need to get the GB4 “stiffener plate”, which both strengthens the saddle, and gives you the correct hole pattern needed to mount the GB4 handle. I’m not familiar with the Torker air saddle, so apologies I can’t offer advice on that. UDC should be able to tell you.
oh yeah, I forgot to add that you need to get either the stiffener plate or a carbon fiber seat base…the carbon fiber base is super light, and the stiffener plate is super heavy, but the carbon fiber base is suuuper expensive and the stiffener plate is relatively cheap. I have the miyata stiffener plate on mine…and it works fine. also, if you get the GB4 handle you should get it with the computer mount so you can read your speed really easily while riding.
I’m sure there’s heaps of stuff already on distance handles? I know cos I typed up heaps.
My first Unitour- 500km through Cambodia was on a stock standard KH. It worked fine, but got a bit uncomfortable- probably more a factor of the seat than the handle.
My second Unitour- the AUT- used the GB4 handle which was better but had less leverage for going up and down steep stuff.
We’ll have photos and descriptions of all the LUT riders set-up shortly (most of it is there already)
I put the GB4 handle on my Coker this past spring and agree with everybody else - it is a big help for saddle soreness and in climbing. I have a Schwinn cycle computer on the GB4 mount, and it’s well protected but pretty difficult to see while riding.
The other big plus for me was the GB4 seat post, since it tilted the aft part of the seat more nearly horizontal and made riding a lot more comfortable.
Good luck with finding the perfect set-up!
Thanks Dforbes!
Now I’m settled on the GB after reading all the good things. Next decision is the seat. I have a torker air saddle, which I am pretty happy with, but based on my reading I think for the longer rides I’ll be happier with a cut down KH. I just have to bit the bullet and buy the stuff!
i have a GB4 handle on my coker and have put a bicycle bar end to use as a cross bar between the two handles (i cut the bar end down to the space between the GB4 handle tips)
this allows me to aggressively pull up on the handle as well as all the aforementioned comfort benefits, making for a great Coker MUni handle, I’ve had this set up for over a year and love it.
Do you have padded cycling shorts? I would buy those before any seats. And what I have learned, the more you tip your seat up, the more comfy it seems on longer rides. I bought a seat/post from the forums and was shocked to see how far up the front was tilted. And it was one of my most comfort-making discoveries yet!
A velo seat that is tilted makes for a great saddle to spend hours in, there is no need for an airseat with today’s tehnology. Thanks Kris!!
the air seat is comfy, but for really long distance rides, it can be bettered. I agree with Brian, get cycling shorts first…then, from what I’ve heard, a KH Gel saddle is the very best for distance rides. I personally have a regular KH seat. actually its a Miyata seat base, KH foam, and a duct tape seat cover…I was planning on using it till I got a new one for christmas, but then I didn’t q-: but anyway. its about the same as a normal KH.
do you have a picture of that? sounds interesting…
Yep I got two pairs of padded shorts and I like them both. Wearing padded shorts in public needs to be on one of Cathwoods’ farcical begining unicycle levels. I also got a pair of wind proof bike pants that are the whip. They are awsome for winter riding!!
I’ll try tipping the seat back, too. I need to adjust the intertube… . as it came, It’s a little lumpy and off center.
I lost 15 pounds riding this year and THAT has made a huge difference om seat comfort. Less weight and smaller thighs, I’m wagering. I don’t have much more weight that I want to shed, so modifications to the uni are next!
Brian: I’d like to see the modified handle, too! Thanks in advance if you can post a picture or diagram.
I can’t keep up with you west coasters any more. It’s past my bedime!
Later,
B