Introduction: Welcome to the fun-filled world of unicycling! To kids young and old, you're about to embark on an adventure that will last a lifetime. The average time needed to learn unicycling is 10-15 hours. That's about an hour a day for two weeks.

Safety Gear: The Unicycle.com team strongly recommends a helmet and wrist guards. We've been unicycling for many years; we all wear safety gear.

Where To Learn: The best place we've found for training is a back deck, preferably made of wood, with a handrail. Wood is more friendly than concrete, and you'll need to hold onto the handrail while your leg muscles learn to react. If you don't have a back deck, try a baseball field with a chain-link fence. Pick a grassy area with solid, flat dirt and you can hold onto the fence.

Does This Thing Have A Front And Back? Yes. The seat post clamp skewer (bolt/nut or quick-release handle) is on the back. The pedal marked "L" should be on your left, "R" on your right.

How High Should The Seat Be? When you're seated on the unicycle, with one foot on a pedal in its lowest position, your leg should be almost straight.

Getting Started:

1. Pull the seat into place as shown in the top picture.

2. Spin in the wheel so that the pedal is in the 4:00 position, as shown in the next picture.

3. Put both hands on the handrail or fence, as shown in the third picture.

4. Step on the pedal closest to you. This is different from a bicycle, where you step on the forward pedal. Bicyclists are used to moving forward when mounting. On a unicycle, you want the wheel to rotate 1/4-turn backwards. Step on the pedal and you should now be on the seat with the wheel underneath you.

5. Hold onto the handrail tightly and lean forward slightly while pedaling slowly. Next is the most important tip we can offer you. When the unicycle starts to fall, let it. Stay on your feet and let it fall. The seat can be replaced; your seat can't. Continue to hold onto the handrail until you've practiced steps 1-4 at least three hours.

Congratulations! You're about 10 hours away from riding without assistance! During the next several days you'll ease your grip on the handrail and then hold on with one hand. You'll travel a few feet without assistance, then a few yards, then you'll soon discover the secret to unicycling: Lean in the direction you want to travel and the wheel will try to catch up with you. Always use caution when riding a unicycle. You are responsible for your own safety!

A. There are lots of different styles of unicycles because there are lots of different things that you can do on a unicycle. When deciding which unicycle is suitable for you it is worth deciding what sort of riding you are planning to use the the unicycle for. Here are some of the main styles. 



Beginner
We use this term to describe those unicycles that we feel most suitable for someone who is learning. These are generally the same as the freestyle unicycles but of a less specialist nature. To help people when they are buying their first unicycle we have produced learner kits that contain the most commonly bought items when learning to unicycle. We have two types of learner unicycles; Dodger and Club unicycles, which are suitable for children and are not recommended for people over 11 stone (70kg) and not for jumping or rough use; the Trainer and Circus unicycles are more robust with CroMo hubs and stronger saddles so are suitable for adults as well as children. If you would like a stronger unicycle, have a look at our Freestyle Unicycles. 



Freestyle
This is a term used to describe the unicycle competition where music, movement and high skill level are mixed. This is an up and coming style in the UK with more people learning freestyle tricks. You will find a good selection of these tricks in our One Wheel No Limit DVD or UNICON dvd. The most common size for freestyle is a 20" wheel. Freestyle unicycles have slick tires to help with tricks. At Unicycle.com we also use the term 'freestyle' to describe the basic ranges of unicycles that are suitable for majority of tricks and games, like unicycle hockey or basketball. 



Trials
Trials riding is a style which involves jumping over obstacles such as picnic benches, up stairs or along railings. Trials Unicycles have special 19" rims and massive 2.5" wide tires to help absorb the impact from landing and for greater stability. Trials Unicycles are available with ISIS hub/cranks or cotterless hub/cranks. ISIS hubs being much stronger. 



Road
It would not be sensible to use a 20"unicycle to commute to work or school, but there are unicycles suitable for this, these we refer to as road unicycles. They generally have larger wheels and proportionally shorter cranks. The UDC 36" and the Coker have a 36"tyre are capable of speeds in excess of 20 mph with an experienced rider, while the 29"Nimbus is quite capable of exceeding 15 mph. These large wheeled unicycles can also be used for cross-country unicycling when fitted with an off-road tyre. With the Schlumpf geared hub you can now also use a smaller wheel but gear it up for commuting or long distance riding. These are not really learner machines and are for experienced riders. 



Muni
This is the commonly known abbreviation among unicyclists for Mountain Unicycling. Muni was originally used by Pashley for their range of off-road unicycles, but is now used to mean any off-road unicycle. Off-road unicycles have to be very strong and generally have bigger wheels and longer cranks. The wheel size can vary with 24" for technical Muni and jumping, and 26" and 29" for covering greater distances. Unicycles with splined hub and cranks are much stronger than cotter-less but can be more expensive and heavier. 



Giraffes
A giraffe is a tall unicycle or to be exact a unicycle which is driven with a chain, this needs to be said because there is no way you could call the fleet mini giraffe a tall unicycle at only 18"above the ground! Giraffes are generally easier to ride than a standard unicycle after you have over come the fear of being so high and the problem of getting up there. This being said, they are not for the beginner because falls can cause injuries. 



Ultimate Wheels
These are like a unicycle with the saddle and frame missing, just a wheel with pedals attached. Quite challenging to ride, though the bigger the wheel the easier they are to ride as you can pedal more slowly. 

 

Adults and Children (over 12 years)

Most adults choose a 20" unicycle to learn on, although a 24" may be better in some instances:

• 20" is preferred by people who like to do tricks, eg. BMX riders, Skate boarders and Jugglers. It is better ridden on smooth flat ground.
• 24" is preferred by riders who like to move. eg. Mountain bikers and road cyclists. This can be used on rougher ground than the 20" and needs more space to learn in.

Children (under 12 years)

Select the largest unicycle they can ride up to 20".

What size fits?

The table below gives you indicative only. Check in the product descriptions as the size varies by model.

*WHAT DOES "CUT-DOWN" MEAN?

A unicycle seat is directly above the tyre, so when it is pushed down the seatpost will hit the tyre. It is absolutely standard procedure to cut the bottom of the seatpost off to allow the seat height to be lower if required (this will not effect your unicycle's warranty).

This is how to measure the Inseam:

You need to take a book (DVD case) and put it between the persons legs as if they were sitting on a Unicycle ( the same as sitting on a Bicycle seat).Now squeeze the Book between your legs, holding it as tight and as parallel to the ground as possible. Now with a measuring stick / measuring tape, measure from the ground to the upper edge of the book (please measure with shoes):

 

Here is a breakdown of the sizes and how they can be ridden: 

12" Unicycle This is a unicycle designed for a smaller child. It's good for children who are too small to ride a 16" unicycle, but it needs smooth ground and is not really great for most outdoor surfaces. For children up to 5 year olds. 

Cut Down Seatpost: 18.5" (47cm) Minimum Leg Length: 19.5" (50cm) Maximum Leg Length: 24" (61.5cm) 

16" Unicycle This is a children's unicycle, the small wheel makes it only suitable for very smooth areas. Best used indoors or on smooth ground; it can work outdoors but only on smoother surfaces. Good for learning for 5 to 8 year olds (always check the leg length of your child to be sure) 

Cut Down Seatpost: 20"(51cm) Minimum Leg Length: 23.5" (60cm) Maximum Leg Length: 29"(74cm) 

20" Unicycle Traditionally the most popular size of unicycle. These are great indoor, they turn quick and the best size for tricks.. They are great for unicycle hockey or basketball.  The down side is that they make poor distance machines. Good for learning. 

Cut Down Seatpost: 24" (61cm) Minimum Leg Length: 28" (71cm) Maximum Leg Length: 33" (84cm) 

24" Unicycle This is a common size among adults for learning. The bigger wheel can be used for freestyle riding but can make some of the advanced freestyle tricks harder.  For mountain riding, this wheelsize is better for hopping and jumping and technical single track. 

Cut Down Seatpost: 27" (69cm) Minimum Leg Length: 31" (79cm) Maximum Leg Length: 36.6"(93cm) 

26" Unicycle This is a versatile size.  Great for taller adults to learn on and can be ridden on pavement to off road trails.  For mountain riding, this wheelsize is better for less hopping and jumping and more rolling over technical single track. 

Cut Down Seatpost: 29" (74cm) Minimum Leg Length: 32" (81cm) Maximum Leg Length: 36" (92cm) 

27.5" Unicycle  This is the newest wheelsize available and is great for all types of mountain riding.  Where this size shines is all the tires that are available in lighter weights and thickness. This is as aggressive as a 24, more agile than a 26.  

Cut Down Seatpost: 29" (74cm) Minimum Leg Length: 33" (84cm) Maximum Leg Length: 38" (97cm) 

29" Unicycle This is good for commuting and paved paths. For mountain riding this is ideal for fire roads and light single track.  

Cut Down Seatpost: 30" (76cm) Minimum Leg Length: 34" (86cm) Maximum Leg Length: 39" (100cm) 

32" Unicycle  This is good for commuting and paved paths. This wheelsize is faster but agile like the 29" unicycle. For mountain riding this is ideal for fire roads and light single track per the rider's skill level.  

Cut Down Seatpost: 30" (76cm) Minimum Leg Length: 33.5" (86cm) Maximum Leg Length: 38" (97cm) 

36" Unicycle This is the fastest wheelsize for commuting and paved paths. It can be harder to control because of the weight and diameter of the wheel but the speed you can obtain does offset the handling.  For mountain riding this is ideal for fire roads and light single track per the rider's skill level.  

Cut Down Seatpost: 30" (81cm) Minimum Leg Length: 29.5" (75cm) Maximum Leg Length: 40.5" (103cm) 

Note
These are approximate sizes only, check the website for the model you want. The cut down seatpost measurement is there to show the leg length after you have cut the seatpost shorter. If your legs are longer than the maximum leg length for that size unicycle you can always purchase a longer seat post.  

A. Yes, The unicycle weight limit is determined by the type of unicycle and it’s intended and not-intended purpose.  So it varies greatly from learning, freestyle, trials,mountain and road. Structural Weight Limitis maximum weight (rider and cargo) a unicycle can physically support. This limit is different from the max weight that would cause the unicycle to break. 

Here is rough structural weight limits for each brand we carry:
Hoppley - 200lbs with no hopping
Club - 250lbs with no hopping
Trainer - 250lbs with no hopping
Schwinn - Trainer - 250lbs with no hopping
Nimbus (freestyle, moutain, road) - 300lbs with hopping
Impact - 300lbs with hopping
Kris Holm - 300lbs with hopping
Unicycle.com Specialty - 250lbs with no hopping

 

A. No. There are many instances of children younger than 5 who have learned to ride. It can take a little longer as younger children tend to have shorter attention spans but they have the extra time to pick it up easier. If you check your child’s leg length and find it is too small for our standard 12" then look at our Tini Uni. The youngest unicycle rider in the world was only 18 months old.

 

A. If your child is 10 they are mostly likely to be big enough to ride on a 20” Hoppley or a 20” Club, these unicycles are strong and ideal for children to learn on. If you think they are interested in doing tricks and going further with their unicycling skill. A Nimbus II unicycle is a better choice.

 

A. It is more than likely that you will need to be looking in the Trials Unicycle Section. These unicycles have larger tires that absorb the shock when jumping. Knowing that your child is 14, you should probably be looking at the trials unicycles with an ISIS hub. We recommend the Impact Trials unicycles as they are competitively priced and are designed for extreme riding.

 

A. We would recommend that you at least start on a 24” Club unicycle although often it is best to go straight for a 24” or even a 26” Mountain Unicycle. They have a similar crank ratio to a Club unicycle and are ideal for learning on outside. They will also take the knocks and falls of someone learning to ride. We would recommend any of the Nimbus Mountain Unicycles to be specific.

A. No, not a problem. You just need to buy a longer seatpost and look at the unicycles like the Club or Trainer models. Do not make the assumption that you will need a bigger wheel if you are bigger, select a unicycle for what you want to do with it and then buy the seatpost to fit.

A. When trials biking was first starting they stipulated that the rear tire must be 20” in diameter. The bike riders wanted a tires with more cushioning for their rear wheel so Monty took a 1” smaller old scooter rim and tire (which is nominally 20" in diameter) and used that instead of the standard 20" tire. To help differentiate between the two tire sizes the non-standard small rim tires are called 19".

A. Yes, the unicycles have a one year guarantee against manufacturer’s defects. We also go beyond the legal requirements, we offer you a 30 day money back guarantee on all purchases. Just return it us unused, in resellable condition and we will give you an unconditional refund. Not including shipping. At Christmas we go beyond this as we know that sometimes your well thought out presents are not appreciated. If the item is found to be in used condition and cannot be sold as brand new then a 20% restocking fee will be deducted from the price of the product returned.

A. Unicycle.com does not buy their unicycles from a supplier in China who produces them in the thousands for many different companies. Unicycle.com not only designs and develops their own unicycles at component level but are often the technical experts that are consulted by other brands and manufacturers regarding unicycles. They are THE experts in this area and are famous for pushing the boundaries of what a unicycle can be and do. Unicycle.com strives to make unicycles perform better and to be a better value for your money while making them appropriate for the riders ability. Remember… ALL the staff at unicycle.com rides unicycles.

A. Many of these unicycles are sold by people who know nothing about the unicycles and their only interest is to make a quick buck. As unicyclists we get annoyed by phrases like “suitable for most adults” or "Super Strong Unicycles" when the unicycles are blatantly nothing of the sort. Often they have tiny seats, too short of seatposts, single skin aluminum rims and skinny tires… all of which are unsuitable for most child riders, never mind adults! If you choose to go this route just know you will need to stay on top of the maintenance.

A. We strongly recommend AGAINST using training poles. They're more likely to injure you than help you. We recommend holding onto a stationary object, like the railing on a back deck or front porch. Or try a baseball field or tennis court and hold onto the chain link fence.