Where did AndrewA find his Flamingo unicycle?! 😲

[AndrewA]

@mroze

If you’re in a pinch waiting a long time for shipping, I have a slightly fatter tube that might work for you.

Thanks, but I doubt the Flamingo tire would take that thing at anything near a high pressure I can ride my 26" or 20" for now so the shipping time isn’t a big issue, but it’ll be good to have the thing back in working order!

@mroze

Generally, if you’re changing the hub with a different model you’ll need to get new correct length spokes for the new hub if the flange will not be the same diameter.

Oh yay, a complete wheel-rebuild!
Thanks for the resource and advice

[saskatchewanian]

Please don’t tell me you are paying international shipping duties and brokerage fees on a generic tube that you could pick up at any LBS or general store.

[AndrewA]

Nope, nope, I was just seeing if there were any special considerations for a unicycle and linked a picture as in, this is just a generic tube with nothing special, as long as the size is good?.. perhaps not the most logical (or, when I look back, well-worded) question, but I didn’t want to waste money. My LBS doesn’t know anything about unicycles and so I figured ya’ll would be a better authority than them

[fetzenschorsch]

@AndrewA

My LBS doesn’t know anything about unicycles

I thought a bicycle store knows twice as much about unicycles.
(Couldn‘t resist to add another variation to the god ol „you doubled your wheel“ joke)

[johnfoss]

@AndrewA

Since I’ve never spoken with the original owner, I don’t know how much of this is a stock Flamingo and how much was customized.

From what I can make out in your photo, your Miyata is 100% original. Also it is not recent, as the seat has no handle. I’m not sure what year it was, but around the late 90s Miyata added a handle to that front seat bumper. Great for everything except Freestyle, where it could get in the way. Note that your frame is on backwards (or you’re sitting backwards). This doesn’t matter except for aesthetics. However, if your hub is backwards, that means your pedals are on the wrong sides, and will tend to come loose unless you Krazy Glue them.

Why do they call it Flamingo? The sticker provides the answer. At least on older models; not sure if yours is the same. It’s a picture of a flamingo at rest. They fold one leg up, and balance their whole body on top of one skinny leg. All of Miyata’s unicycles are called flamingoes, including their Giraffe, which was called the Long Flamingo. It’s surprising to me that today’s Unicyclist Forums crowd doesn’t know this. Miyata hasn’t been a major brand (for most of forum members) for quite a few years…

[AndrewA]

@johnfoss

However, if your hub is backwards, that means your pedals are on the wrong sides, and will tend to come loose unless you Krazy Glue them.

That’s how I got it, and would explain my episode with the pedal randomly coming off (quite confidence-shaking to a learner, I’ll add)!

Anyways, I removed the frame to replace the tube a week or two ago, and so hopefully I got it on the right way this time. I should check this…
Okay, yes, the saddle is indeed backwards on the frame. The nut is super duper tight, so I might change it, or might not.