Hello everbody!
I want a new Giraffe! Where can I ge the best deal? Who makes the best kind, and
can iI get tem cheap anywhere? I want a 5 or 6 footer wheel size doesnt matter
to much and I want a good deal! Maybe one of you super collecters could help me
out? My collection so far is a USED Semcycle 20 inch XL and a nice Coker fitted
with a pedometer. Well thanks!
RE: Want to spot a Giraffe!
All,
> I want a new Giraffe! Where can I ge the best deal? Who makes the best kind,
> and can iI get tem cheap anywhere?
I got two requests in one day for information on giraffes; one through the ng
and one to my own email box. Here’s a reply for everyone.
Today there are about six choices for giraffe unicycles, which I will list in
order of quality/convenience/luck:
Here’s a brief description of each:
Semcycle, $400 from Unicycle.com Strong, chrome, based on the classic
Schwinn design (Schwinn no longer makes them). It’s six feet tall,
appropriate for beginners to stage professionals, and comes with a
take-apart top giving you easy fit for transport. If it’s within your means,
get this one.
Miyata, $390 from Unicycle.com Very high quality, five feet tall, painted
frame. If you prefer something a little shorter, and if you like that shade
of green, this is the one for you. Highest quality components, best seat.
Not as strong as the Semcycle, though this should only matter for adult or
very heavy use.
Quentin, $229 from Unicycle.com The cheap one. Include in your purchase
budget a different seat (and post), as this one is the yukky kind. Five feet
tall. Nice frame, similar to Miyata (but chrome instead of paint). Cheap
pedals and components. Not recommended for professional or heavy duty use.
Should be fine for beginners or kids. Overall quality level noticeably lower
than Semcycle and Miyata. But I really mean it about the seat, especially
for small riders, those seats are too wide in front.
The Unicycle Factory (765) 452-2692 (prox. $300-UP) Tommy Miller is the
expert, and can build you the unicycle of your dreams. It will cost more,
and be worth it. Tom’s cycles are very heavy duty, and used by professional
circus and variety performers around the world. Best choice if you want
something different, or intend to perform a lot or just want absolute
reliability. It may take a long time for him to build it though. Tom doesn’t
have email or a web page.
Trying for a used one You can check out eBay from time to time, monitor the
newsgroup (rec.sport.unicycling) and the various web sites that may list
used unicycles for sale. But you may wait forever to find a decent used one
for sale that meets your needs. Giraffes are pretty rare on eBay, and these
are often of the cheap/weak kind. Beware of blue single-pole giraffes from
Taiwan. Schwinns turn up for sale also, and these are worth more. They
probably sell for at least $200 or maybe much more, so it’s not a big
savings. If you want something now, choose from 1-3 above.
Good luck and happy landings 
John Foss, the Uni-Cyclone (reply to
jfoss@unicycling.com) http://www.unicycling.com
“Oh my goodness!” - speed champion Yuichiro Kato, headed down the mountain at
high speed in his first true MUni race, at NUC 99
RE: Want to spot a Giraffe!
Mark Wiggins wrote:
> I’ve been meaning to reply to this one for a while…
>
> John Foss wrote:
> > Today there are about six choices for giraffe unicycles,
> which I will list
> > in order of quality/convenience/luck:
> > 1. Semcycle
> > 2. Miyata
> > 3. Quentin
> > 4. The Unicycle Factory
> > 5. Finding one used
>
> Hmm, six choices. You presumably missed out the top entry:
>
> . DM
Here’s number 7: Pichler in Germany. They build quite good giraffes up to about
2.20m. I think, Pichler’s larger ones are too instable.
Regards, Wolfgang
\\\|/// | ~ ~ | (- 0 0 -)
±---------oOOo-()-oOOo----------------+
| | Wolfgang
|Strößner | | eMail:
|wolfgang.stroessner@sap.com | http://private.addcom.de/stroessner |
| Oooo. |
±--------.oooO-----( )----------------+ ( ) ) /
( (/ _)
RE: Want to spot a Giraffe!
> > Today there are about six choices for giraffe unicycles,
> which I will list
> > in order of quality/convenience/luck:
> > 1. Semcycle
> > 2. Miyata
> > 3. Quentin
> > 4. The Unicycle Factory
> > 5. Finding one used
>
> Hmm, six choices. You presumably missed out the top entry:
>
> . DM
Sorry about that. I forgot to geographically limit my list. I have indeed seen
some beautiful, well made giraffes from DM. And there are other makers that
might be more sensible if you live in the UK, Germany, or elsewhere.
DM giraffes are harder to get over on this side of the pond, but definitely
deserve a mention on my list.
Stay on top, John Foss, the Uni-Cyclone (reply to jfoss@unicycling.com)
http://www.unicycling.com
“Oh my goodness!” - speed champion Yuichiro Kato, headed down the mountain at
high speed in his first true MUni race, at NUC 99
Re: Want to spot a Giraffe!
Kip Koski <ki@sopris.net> wrote in message
news:Djee4.15532$7L.688767@tw11.nn.bcandid.com…
> Hello everbody!
>
> I want a new Giraffe! Where can I ge the best deal? Who makes the best
kind,
> and can iI get tem cheap anywhere? I want a 5 or 6 footer wheel size
doesnt
> matter to much and I want a good deal! Maybe one of you super collecters could
> help me out? My collection so far is a USED Semcycle 20 inch XL and
a
> nice Coker fitted with a pedometer. Well thanks!
>
Re: Want to spot a Giraffe!
I’ve been meaning to reply to this one for a while…
John Foss wrote:
> Today there are about six choices for giraffe unicycles, which I will list in
> order of quality/convenience/luck:
> 1. Semcycle
> 2. Miyata
> 3. Quentin
> 4. The Unicycle Factory
> 5. Finding one used
Hmm, six choices. You presumably missed out the top entry:
. DM
It might be wet and windy in the UK at the moment, but we do get some
compensation.
Regards, Mark.
It’s back !! Birmingham Circus Convention returns 29th April, 2000 !!