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Buying your first unicycle
Second-hand is cheaper!
Once a year, Aldi Australia sells "Crane Brand" unicycles (I'm not sure about Aldi in any other countries)
Wait a few weeks after the Aldi sale, and you'll find hundreds of 'used once' unicycles for sale, on second hand market places like:
E-bay
Gumtree
Facebook marketplace
Craig's List
If you're more serious about learning, look for the brand 'Torker' or "DRS" for your first uni. It's better quality than a cheap Crane brand, has a wider tyre (is therefore slightly more stable and easier to ride), and feels sturdier.
If you're really serious and are wanting to get into street-style (tricks) go for something like a Club 20" Freestyle (approx $215 new).
How to choose
What size should I get?
Unicycles are sold by their wheel size, in inches.
Unless you're buying for a child under five, start with a 20" wheel.
Don't pay more than $30-$50 for a second-hand unicycle. Don't spend much, unless you are absolutely committed and dedicated to learning it.
If you do want to spend more and get something sturdier, Torker brand has a slightly wider tyre, and is good for beginners.
Learn to get your balance on a 20" first, then you can progress up the sizes. It doesn't take much to ride a bigger-sized wheel because once you've got your balance, your body will work the bigger wheel out after just a couple of rides. Bigger wheels are just less responsive, go faster, need bigger turning circles - and are further to fall!
Unicycle progression is: 16" (children's size) / 20"/ 24" / 26" / 27.5" / 29" / 32" / 36" / Penny Farthing. Of course, you'll need to buy all of these sizes, just in case.
Types of unicycle
Yes, there are different types. You wouldn't ride your expensive track bike on a downhill mountain bike track. So it is for unicycles. There are many different styles of riding, so pick the right uni for the ride:
Flatland, freestyle, trials/street, racing, giraffe, endurance riding or muni (mountain unicycling).
Crank size
Just go with what comes with the uni. You can muck about with crank sizes later .
Start big, it's easier for hills.
Seats
Because there are only 40 unicyclists in the entire world, there's not really a market for comfy seats. You'll just have to test them all out, eventually.
Famous Unicyclists
Ed Pratt
Sophie-Ann Rodet
Sophie-Ann Rodet
British legend Ed Pratt was the first ever person to unicycle around the world. His trip took three years, 21,000 miles (33,000 klms), and he raised GBP300,000 for a charity: School in a Bag.
I drove an hour and a half to catch up with Ed when he crossed Australia, and he gave me some arse-saving tips!
Sophie-Ann Rodet
Sophie-Ann Rodet
Sophie-Ann Rodet
In 2013, French-Canadien woman, Ann-Sophie Rodet completed a 1,480 mile (4,600 klms) solo journey across Patagonia on a unicycle, starting from Ushuaia in South American, all the way north to Santiago, Chile!
Cary Gray
Sophie-Ann Rodet
Gracie Cole
Cary Gray is an American unicyclist who set out to ride the world in 2014, passing through 11 countries and 22,000 kilometres.
He is also an accomplished artist, having written and illustrated (via foot painting!) a children's book about unicycling, and once rode a Unicycle in an Iron-Man triathalon!
And, he makes custom-made unicycle touring pannier bags!
Gracie Cole
Samuel Johnson
Gracie Cole
In 2006, Gracie, as a 16 year old, was the first woman to ride a unicycle 3,566 miles coast to coast across the United States, and then later in 2009, off-road from Canada to Mexico along the Continental Divide.
Her stats from her Across the US ride included:
flat tyres: 1
tyres used: 4
# of identifiable types of roadkill: 27
# dogs that chased me: 14
# servings of ice cream: 144
% of riding days that i cried: 29
# thunderstorms ridden through: 8
marriage proposals: 2
Kris Holm
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson
Considered a pioneer and 'inventor' of Mountain Unicycling . Kris is one of the world’s most experienced and best-known mountain unicyclists. He is the founder of competitive unicycle trials and created an award for riding called the Evolution of Balance Award.
Kris now manufacturers and sells quality unicycles under the 'Kris Holm' brand name.
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson is an Australian actor, who in 2014, rode a 36" unicycle almost 16,000 klms around Australia, to raise $1.8 million for the charity "Love Your Sister", to help his sister who died from cancer in 2017.
An epic ride from an epic bloke!
Still, more famous unicyclists
The Unipiper
The Unipiper
The Unipiper
The Unipiper is an amazing American dude from Portland, Oregon, who unicycles whilst playing (a flaming) bagpipe, wearing a Darth Vader mask, oh, and a kilt...He usually belts out the Game of Thrones theme or Star Wars tunes..
Red Panda
The Unipiper
The Unipiper
Red Panda is a performance artist who does acrobatic tricks using a (very high) giraffe unicycle, and empty eating bowls, in the US National Basketball League. In 2018, someone stole her unicycle ....
Lutz Eichholz
UNICYCLIST OF THE WEEK
UNICYCLIST OF THE WEEK
Lutz likes to ride very fast, down very very big mountains. Mountains that you and I wouldn't even consider riding on a normal bike on.
Oh, and Lutz also has the Guinness World Record for Longest Distance by Unicycle on a Line of Beer Bottles..and a World Record Slackline unicycle ride. Just because....
UNICYCLIST OF THE WEEK
UNICYCLIST OF THE WEEK
UNICYCLIST OF THE WEEK
WHO DO YOU KNOW?
Send me some details about your favourite, most awesome unicyclist, and I'll feature them here in Unicyclist of the Week!
Where to Buy half a bike
