These events bring together a diverse array of people from various backgrounds who are all united in one thing: their pursuit of mastery over the unicycle. The cool thing is that you will get a chance to meet some like-minded people. The catch is that you should be prepared, and properly, for these events. 

Often it’s the case that participants don’t prepare for what they need to bring to these events, assuming they’ll just be able to buy what they need when they get there. That is not always the case and often it is expressly not the case. 

That being said, here are some high-level notes for being better prepared for a unicycling event in your future. 

Be Ready with Your Single-Wheel Cycles 

First, and the most straightforward piece of advice we can offer, is to make sure you bring the single wheel cycles that you know you will need for whatever events you will be participating in. Not only should you want to bring your own ride but you won’t be able to get one where you’re going, despite the fact that it is some sort of unicycle convention. 

So, if that means you need a 20” for freestyle or trick riding, and a 27.5 or 29 inch model for mountain riding, then make sure you pack each appropriately and bring them with you. 

Also, do yourself a favor and pack them responsibly. You don’t want your single wheel cycles to be damaged in transit, especially if you won’t just be driving yourself and you’ll be flying with them or otherwise taking some form of public transit. 

Everyone has their own advice on how to properly pack and travel with a unicycle, so do what works for you. You don’t necessarily need to take the thing apart (as you’d do with a penny farthing to save space) but you will want to make sure it is properly covered and cushioned so as to avoid damage.

With that being said, and while you should bring along the single wheel cycles you know you will need for whatever events you plan on participating in, it is also true that you should plan on traveling with as few as you can. Traveling with one unicycle is hard enough, once you plan to pack two or three, it gets even harder. 

Bring What You Need (Unicycle Parts and Tools)

This is the second most important piece of advice we can offer. There will be other participants at these events that will likely have any tools you might need, but there’s no guarantee of that, and there’s a very low chance that if you need spare parts, you’ll be able to get them from other participants. And, even if you could, those participants brought their spare parts for them, not to save you from your own lack of foresight. Relying on the charity of strangers is not very neighborly.

More importantly, do not assume that, despite the fact that you’re planning on going to a unicycle convention of sorts, that you will be able to get any spare unicycle parts or hardware that you need there. In fact, you almost definitely will not be able to. 

So the first thing to keep in mind is to bring the tools you need to make repairs, should you need to. This includes a set of wrenches and a tire pump as definite must-haves. You should also bring tire levers in case you need to replace a tire or tube to repair a flat. The truth is you’ll probably be able to find someone else at the event that has tools you need, should you need to make repairs, but that’s no way to prepare, and still, you don’t want to put yourself in a position where you are at the mercy of chance. 

As for the parts themselves, you do not want to travel without these because if you get to the event and find you need them, you almost definitely will not be able to get the parts there. And, while other participants might have tools like a pump or a wrench that they’ll let you borrow, they’re not going to be ready with a replacement tube for your unicycle. 

So, you should bring along a spare tube or a couple. You might also want to bring along some spare cranks just in case. Otherwise, you should be more or less prepared for the event. 

Lean on Participants for Know-How

One of the main pieces of information we hope you take away from this article is that you’re not going to be able to get replacement parts for your unicycle wherever you’re going, despite the fact that it is a unicycle convention. 

But, one big bonus of going to a unicycle convention, which will have a bunch of unicycle riders at it, is that there will be people around who will likely not only be able to help you make repairs, if they are needed, they will be more than likely thrilled to do so. 

One of the great things about our sport is that the community is very supportive. Unicyclists tend to be enthusiastic about unicycling and very welcoming of other unicyclists. So, even if you won’t be able to get a tube where you’re going, you will probably be able to find more than one person who will be more than happy to help you replace your tube when you get there. 

Make sure you’re ready with the tools and parts, but don’t be shy about asking for help when you’re at the convention, if you need it.

Shop Single Wheel Cycle Parts and Tools Here 

Fortunately, we can help you stock up on parts and tools for single wheel cycles before you travel for an event. Shop our online collection and if you have questions, get in touch with us and we will be more than happy to help.

That’s the good news. The other news is that it’s work. But that being said, if you want your unicycle or bike tires to last longer, here are 3 ways to do just that. 

Keep Your Bike Tires Properly Inflated

Keeping your unicycle or bike tires properly inflated for the road conditions is arguably the most important aspect of tire maintenance and will help prevent damage. 

Riding on soft surfaces, like snow, sand or mud, warrants a slightly lower PSI rating as it will create a wider contact patch and prevent the tire from knifing into the substrate. 

But, riding on a hard surface with a lower than advisable PSI rating can result in what is known as a pinch flat, and then you will need to replace your tube or tire or both. 

On the flipside, if you ride with your tires overinflated, you’ll wear out the tread and potentially the sidewall more quickly. At the very least, your tread will suffer if you ride overinflated tires on rough or hard surfaces. 

All in all, keeping the unicycle or bike’s tires properly inflated will help prevent damage and premature wear, ultimately ensuring you get the most mileage (figuratively and literally) from them. 

Inspect Periodically and Keep Them Clean

After every ride, take a close look at your unicycle or bike tires to inspect them for damage and signs of routine wear that may indicate you need to replace them imminently (or just soon).

The sidewall is one area to inspect. As tires age, the sidewall will start to develop small cracks. Minor cracking is normal but once the cracks start to get deep, there’s only one thing you can do, and that is to replace the tires. 

As for the treads, you should inspect them after every ride as well. Small bits of wire, rocks, sand, mud, and other debris can get caught in the treads. 

In the case of the former (wire and rocks and even bits of glass) if allowed to remain in the treads these can cause premature wear or even eventually poke through the tire, causing a flat. 

In the case of sand and mud, while these won’t necessarily damage the tire, they can decrease the efficiency of the tread and on top of that there are often road salts in them that can cause corrosion to other parts of your bike.

So, one way or the other, the best thing you can do is inspect and clean the treads after every ride. For loose debris a brush should be all you need to dislodge debris from the treads, but in the case of small rocks, bits of wire, nails or chips of glass, you may need a pair of tweezers or pliers. 

Store Properly 

Lastly, if you want to get your money’s worth from your unicycle or bike tires, one of the most important things you can do is store them properly. 

Of course, for the sake of the unicycle or bike itself, this means out of the elements. High humidity can cause corrosion of exposed, uninsulated steel parts like the frame and chain drive, even if they are kept clean and oiled.

But with specific respect to unicycle and bike tires, direct exposure to ultraviolet light in sunlight is one of the prime causes of premature decay. The UV in sunlight photodegrades the rubber and causes discoloration (typically browning or fading) that ultimately gives way to brittle tires that crack and fall apart. 

So, the bottom line is to store your unicycle or bike out of direct sunlight. This will also protect any rubber coatings on the handlebars as well as the saddle, both of which are also damaged by direct exposure to sunlight. 

Bonus For Bike Riders: Rotate the Tires

One last trick for bike riders which is not applicable to unicycles since the latter only have one wheel. But since bikes have two, you can even out wear on both of them by periodically rotating them. That is, switch the rear tire to the front and vice versa. 

This will even out the wear on the tire so you should get just a little bit more mileage from each of them.

Shop Unicycle and Bike Tires Here 

Whether you need to replace your unicycle or bike tires, we have you covered. Shop unicycle and bike tires here as well as the tools you need to make the repair or replacement, such as tire levers. 

Also, if you have any questions before you buy, get in touch with us directly and we will be happy to help.

So that much should go without saying. It should also go without saying that any exercises or riding challenges you can come up with as a unicyclist to help improve your balance will benefit you. 

That’s why we’re here with these two, plus a few other tips and tricks to help you hone your sense of balance as you slowly become master of the one-wheeler. 

Ride a Painted Line As Slowly As You Can

Find a painted line roughly 4 inches or so wide; the white margin on the shoulder of the road works well for this (just don’t pick a busy road for practice). 

Measure out a predetermined length, say, 25 feet is a good place to start, and then ride it forward as slowly as possible. Keep trying to beat your “score” by adding more and more time to it as you complete the challenge. 

Try not to skew off to one side or the other of the painted line. If you do, you should start the test over. The goal is to be able to do it as slowly as possible without losing the line. 

Up the Ante with a 2x4

If you want to make it really hard on yourself, do the same test, but with a 2x4, or with a series of 2x4s (more on that in a second). 

The more slowly you can ride the “rail” the better, especially since the 2x4s will be less forgiving than a painted line and you’ll slip off if you trend too close to the edge. If you fall off, start over. 

If you want to make this challenge even harder, get a few pre-cut lengths of 2x4 and space them out slightly, still in a line, but with small gaps between them. When you get to the end of one, hop to the next. 

Again, the goal here is to do this as slowly as you possibly can, now introducing the challenge not just of hopping to a new 2x4, but catching yourself on the next one without slipping off. (If you’re going to hop, we recommend a mountain unicycle or at least a model that doesn’t have square taper cranks as you may want the extra stability and durability of splined cranks when riding.)

The Challenge of Riding As Slowly As Possible (Without Idling)

These two challenges so far presented both bring up the concept of riding as slowly as you can, without idling, which is one of the best skills to master as a unicyclist as slow riding is one of the best ways to hone your sense of balance. 

You see, idling is a whole separate skill which, though you should become proficient with it, is somewhat different from riding slowly forward or backward. Idling enables you to shift forward and backwards to help catch your balance, moving only in one direction does not allow you to do that. 

It takes great strength, control, and balance to move a unicycle either forward or backwards without stopping, idling, or worse, shifting back or forwards slightly to catch yourself. Therefore, one of the most elite skills to master is riding in one direction at a snail’s pace, and it’s even better if you can do it in a narrow line, because side to side dips also let you catch yourself.

Anyone that can ride a line or a 2x4 at a crawl without stopping or veering is doing something right. 

Other Tips to Improve Balance 

The two practices mentioned here will go a ways towards improving your balance, but there are other things you can do as well. Here are some top tips: 

• Stand on one leg for as long as you can; either fix your gaze in front of you or close your eyes. Some yoga poses, like the classic “tree” pose, can be helpful here as well. 
• Do crossover exercises that build strength and balance, like pistol squats, leg lifts, and calf raises. 
• Engage in other training with your unicycle in addition to slow riding, such as idling, riding tight figure 8’s (as slowly as possible) and balancing on a still unicycle, or rocking it, without letting it get away into an idle. 

Start with some of these, commit to improving your balance, and see where it takes you from there. 

Here for a New Ride? 

Whether you’re here for unicycle tools or parts like a replacement pair of square taper cranks or you want to add a new unicycle to your collection, check out what we offer and if you have any questions get in touch with us and we will do our best to help.

These are the sorts of tools that can get you home when things go awry on the trail. Make sure you always have them with you. 

Tire Pumps

A flat tire is one thing, a low tire is another because even if you don’t have a flat, riding on a tire that’s too low can result in a pinch flat, and then you will be up a creek. Having a tire pump with you can help circumvent this potential issue. 

On top of that, having a tire pump is just necessary to give you the flexibility to set the tire pressure to be appropriate for the conditions. Let’s say you start the day riding on blacktop or concrete and then move to sand or mud or something else soft; or, perhaps it starts to snow.

You’ll be burning way more energy riding on a higher tire pressure on the soft stuff in that case. You need a wider contact patch and the only way to do that without actually replacing the tires is to lower the pressure. 

Of course, if you reverse things, you need a way to bump the tire pressure back up when you get back onto a hard surface, and while lowering the pressure is a little more straightforward and doesn’t necessarily require a pump, getting the pressure back up does.

And that is why you should never go out on the trail without this bike tool in your pack. 

Tire Levers

You’ll probably also want to have a tire lever on you (and a spare tire or tube) because it can be really hard to get the tire off with just your fingers, let alone get it back on, which is really hard without a tire lever. 

They’re pretty much only good for getting tires over the rim, but if you have an issue with a tire or need to replace it, you’ll be glad you had one on you. 

A patch kit and a replaceable tube can also be a good idea to keep on you when you’re out there, even if they aren’t conventional bike tools. 

Also, if you have a tubeless setup, you can use patches called darts or plugs that can be used to provide a temporary fix to a hole to prevent you from experiencing a bigger issue while you’re away from home and before you can more properly address the situation. 

Wrenches

A set of wrenches is also a mandatory bike tool to have on you whenever you leave home. As far as tools go, wrenches are not just relatively lightweight, compact, and easy to pack, they are nigh indispensable, since without them you won’t be able to tighten any fasteners on the bike.

That being said, the next reasonable question is what type and sizes of wrenches should you bring with you. You can’t bring the whole tool chest for obvious reasons so you need to be as judicious as possible with what you pack in your loadout. 

A typically metric Allen wrench set from 2.5mm to 10mm will cover most of what you need, but you should also carry a Torx T25 and T30 since these fasteners are also relatively common on bikes. 

As for what’s most important, usually the 10mm will work for the pedals and crank arms, and a 4mm for a water bottle holder (which is actually sometimes a T25). Either way, just get a metric set with sizes between 2.5mm and 10mm and you’ll be covered in most cases. 

Chain Breakers 

One other bike tool you might also want to carry with you most if not all of the time is a chain breaker, despite its niche application. 

Also called a chain tool, a chain breaker is so called because it enables you to remove the rivets in the chain so the chain can be “broken” so that it can be shortened and reconnected, which can be necessary if you ever have any problems with the chain drive when you’re on the road or trail. 

On top of that, a chain breaker makes it easier to remove and disassemble the chain so it can be cleaned, serviced, or otherwise repaired, making it one of the most indispensable bike tools out there. 

Explore Bike Tools Here 

Looking for bike tools to round out your prepper loadout before you take your next trip? Check out our unicycle and bike tools here and get in touch with us if you have any questions before you buy; we would be more than happy to help.

Let’s take a look at a couple of them. 

1. It can help exercise cognitive ability.

This is actually one we’ve written about before, and it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. The truth is learning to ride a single wheel cycle is as much a mental exercise as it is a physical one, and you will need to stay sharp to address the multiplicity of challenges that face you when you’re in the saddle. Obstacles become a lot more pointed when you only have one wheel. Unicycling can potentially help sharpen your critical thinking and problem solving abilities, as well as the speed with which you process information.

2. It keeps you flexible and agile.

Flexibility is one of the most neglected aspects of physical fitness, but it is also incredibly important, and unicycling can help keep you flexible, agile and responsive. Considering how important flexibility is not just to health but also to avoiding injury as you age, this is no small consideration to weigh. 

3. It teaches balance (which is a lot like a muscle).

Balance, like a muscle, will atrophy if you don’t practice or use it. Perhaps not in the same physical manner, but the effects are the same. The less you put yourself in situations where you will need to actively maintain your balance, the harder it will be for you if you do. For what should be obvious reasons, learning to ride a unicycle will force you to keep your sense of balance. In fact it’s one of the best things you can do.

4. It’s good exercise generally. 

Unicycling, like bicycling, is a low impact exercise that’s pretty easy on your joints but which is hard on your muscles. It can be a great way for adults not just to maintain but to build strength as they get older. 

5. It’s good crossover training for other sports. 

Because learning to ride a unicycle is a great way to burn calories, build stamina, practice balance and work on flexibility and agility, it is great crossover training for a wide range of other sports. Really, there are transferable skills to most other physical activities, but some of the best examples are snowboarding, surfing, skiing, kiteboarding, and windsurfing. These activities, like unicycling, all require an excellent sense of balance as well as a very strong core and lower body.

6. It’s good cardio.

Riding a unicycle is a great way to exercise your heart and lungs, as well as to burn calories; riding a unicycle with a 24” wheel is roughly equivalent to jogging, either the same distance or the same amount of time that you ride. 

7. It rewires your opposite brain. 

Psychologists often refer to the two halves of your brain as the “right brain” and “left brain” respectively. The right brain is generally considered to be artistic, intuitive, and better at reading soft, nonverbal cues. The left brain is more verbal, rational, and analytical. 

There is a neuromyth that some people are more predominantly “right brained” or “left brained” than others, when in reality, everyone uses both sides of their brains for different activities. But the truth is also that if your personality leans into more of one set of these traits than the other, and that unicycling can help you engage that other half of your brain. 

Presumably, the reason for this is that for most people, learning to ride a single wheel cycle is not just a novel, but an uncomfortable experience that will force you to develop new neural circuits to problem solve and address obstacles you’ve never faced before. 

The long and short of this is that unicycling is good for cognitive development and maintenance, especially once you get older.

8. It keeps your hands free.

The cool thing about unicycling, even if you don’t see it as a marked benefit, is that it will keep your hands free, which is a huge bonus in this busy world. Whether you’re on the go and need to walk your dog or pick up some groceries, it’ll be a lot easier in the saddle of a unicycle than it would be with a bike, and that’s a big draw of a single wheel cycle. 

Try It Out for Yourself Today: Get a Single Wheel Cycle

There’s no time like the present to try your hand at a new challenge, and few challenges are as unique as learning to ride an adult unicycle. Check out our collection of single wheel cycles and if you need a personalized recommendation (or have any questions before you buy) get in touch with us and we will help you out.

For instance, many beginner unicycles, which are more affordable, are made with square taper cranks, hubs, and singlewall rims. The problem here is that square taper cranks can’t handle the same loads as splined cranks like ISIS cranks, and singlewall rims are not nearly as strong as doublewall rims.

It gets complicated when you factor in price, because splined cranks and thicker, stronger rims cost more money. But there is a happy middle ground as long as you know what you’re shopping for and can understand the details. So let’s take a closer look at this. 

How Much Weight Can My Unicycle Handle?

One of the most affordable unicycles in our collection (that an adult can ride) is the Club 26”. At under $200, it’s reasonably priced and large enough for most adult riders, even beginners, since it’s sized appropriately for most people with an inseam length of 29”.

The thing is, though this is a good sized unicycle for beginners, especially most adult males, it has a weight limit of 200 pounds. The next thing is that most people considering this as a first unicycle are males who weigh 240 pounds or more. 

Now, technically, the components from which these unicycles are made are tested to 250 pounds, but we recommend no more than 200. The higher limit assumes perfect conditions and not mishaps. Hopping or running roughly into a curb with a higher weight in the saddle puts far more force on the rim and cranks than you’d reasonably like to, and damage runs a much higher risk under those loads. 

Guys that weigh approximately 200 pounds can get away with riding this cycle, but it’s imperative that they’re careful doing so. Just riding on a flat, level surface like a road, and at a reasonable speed (not trying to push anything) is the only way it will make sense.

Also, hopping, freestyle, and tricks are out of the question. If you want to get a unicycle of this size and price and weigh close to 200 pounds, you need to take it easy. There are more robust mountain unicycles you can get that will be more accommodating of rough riding, but the Club 26” is not one of them.

Some riders are looking at the Club 24” as a beginner unicycle instead for the same reasons. It is affordable and the right size, especially for a shorter rider. The thing to keep in mind here is that even though it is more affordable, the same concerns prevail. However, the smaller wheel size does make it better for shorter riders, and it makes it a little more agile as well. 

Plus, the 24” wheel size is, as we say, the jack of all trades and the master of none. There is a lot you can do with this wheel size besides race. It’s nimble and handles well, and you can do tricks with it, too. It’s just not good at attaining a high top speed. Otherwise, it’s a good wheel size for a beginner and versatile enough to fill a role even after you’ve mastered the art of riding a single wheel cycle.

Now, if you weigh more than 200 pounds or you intend to ride a little harder or put the unicycle through the motions, a better option of the same size is the Nimbus II 26”. It’s going to cost more, but it has much more robust construction, with a doublewall rim that’s much better suited to hard use, along with ISIS cranks that can also put up with heavier forces. 

The drawback of the larger wheel (in the case of either the Club 26” or the Nimbus II 26”) is that it’s hard to do tricks like juggle, because the unicycle is just a bit too fast, and most riders will outpedal what they throw. Otherwise, any of these can make a good beginner unicycle considering the competitive prices - assuming the rider is of the proper weight. 

Rim Considerations 

Just for general observations, we want to go back to the importance of rim construction here. Unicycle rims are commonly made from aluminum and are either singlewall or doublewall. Singlewall rims are cheaper to make but they are not as tolerant of abuse, and riders should not attempt to hop with them. Therefore, regardless of the weight limit, if you know you are going to put your unicycle through motions a model with a doublewall rim is a better choice. 

Square Taper Cranks and Weight Limit

You should also consider crank type. Square taper cranks, also known as cotterless cranks, are common on beginner unicycles and cheap unicycles because they are affordable to make. When installed properly, they can handle up to 250 pounds, but if they are installed incorrectly or ever work loose even a little bit, you can deform them and you will need to replace them. 

The Risks of Hopping

Lastly, we need to note the importance of weight limit and hopping. Even if you are well within the weight limit of the unicycle, hopping puts a lot of pressure on the cranks and rim. What’s important to note here is that even if you think you won’t hop, sometimes you’ll get yourself in a situation where you accidentally do, or in which you incur stresses on the unicycle that are analogous to hopping, even if accidentally. If that happens you could damage your cranks or rim. So, the takeaways are there: honor the weight limits and don’t abuse your unicycle.

Not Sure? Don’t Guess, Contact Us! 

If you aren’t sure what beginner unicycle to buy, don’t gamble or guess. Get in touch with us and we’ll make a personalized recommendation based on your height, weight, price considerations, and what riding discipline you expect to pursue. 

Celebrities That Have Conquered the Unicycle 

Let’s take a closer look at some famous folk that have mastered the art of unicycle riding. 

• Ewan McGregor: The Daily Mail hailed him as “Uni-Wan Kenobi” for this unique skill, and believe it or not, Ewan McGregor is actually a longtime fan of unicycle riding. He’s better known for his love of motorcycles, but he’s also a dedicated adherent of the one-wheeler. 

• Patrick Demspey: You might know him from Grey’s Anatomy, but Patrick Dempsey actually learned how to unicycle at a young age. It’s actually quite a story; he sold seeds door to door as a child to afford his first unicycle, then taught himself to ride and juggle because he thought it would help him achieve his dream of becoming an Olympic slalom skier. 

• Bode Miller: Better known for his status as an Olympic skier, Bode Miller actually has mastered the unicycle as well, and in fact because it is a crossover activity. He learned to unicycle as a training tool for the summer months because it helped him improve his balance, strength and endurance. 

• Mark Ruffalo (and James McAvoy): Mark Ruffalo is famous for his ability to take on a giraffe unicycle. He and James McAvoy actually exhibited these skills live on the Graham Norton Show. You can see it at the previous link!

• Claude Shannon: Claude Shannon was an electrical engineer, computer scientist, mathematician, and a whole lot more. He actually helped develop Boolean algebra and has been hailed as the “Father of Information Theory,” but what he was also well known for were the fact that he could ride a unicycle and juggle, and at the same time, at that. 

• Jamie Lissow: Jamie Lissow is better known as a stand-up comic, but what you might not have known was that he is also an accomplished mountain unicycle rider. 

• Adam Savage: Adam Savage doesn’t just bust myths, he’s also an experienced unicyclist. He actually taught himself to ride a giraffe unicycle at a young age while living in New York, where he used to ride up and down the steps of the fountain at Washington Square Park. 

• Chris Martin: Coldplay fans will know this one, because this skill was on full display in the music video for Paradise. Don’t believe it? Just watch for yourself. Yes, that’s actually him under the elephant costume. 

• Rupert Grint: No, it’s not a Harry Potter-esque magic trick, or a stunt. Rupert Grint actually knows how to ride a unicycle. Although, interestingly enough, he apparently taught himself to ride a unicycle while on the set filming the series for that franchise.

This is of course just a short list, but rest assured all of the celebrities here know how to ride a unicycle, though some of them are certainly more proficient with the skill than others. Look them up on the internet; there are videos and pictures of some of these celebrities riding out there that aren’t covered here.

And do your own research meanwhile, because there are other celebrities besides these who also ride single wheel cycles. 

Perhaps It Could Be for the Benefits of Single Wheel Cycles

It may not be such a coincidence that these celebrities have taught themselves to ride single wheel cycles. It could be that they’re aware of these benefits (that you could also reap if you learn to ride!).

• It’s a pretty good exercise. Riding a unicycle at a brisk pace is roughly equivalent to a light jog, making it excellent if not particularly accessible as a form of exercise that’s great for cardio. 

• It’s low impact. While it’s similar in caloric outputs to jogging, riding a unicycle is much easier on your joints, making it great for those that have concerns about their hips and knees. 

• It hones balance. Balance is just like a muscle. The less you use it, the worse it gets, but unicycling is one of the single best exercises out there to hone balance, for which should be fairly obvious reasons. 

• It can keep you flexible. Just as learning to ride a unicycle will help you hone your balance, it can also help improve your flexibility, which is big since flexibility is one of the most oft-neglected aspects of personal fitness. 

• It’s good crossover training. Take a page out of Bode Miller’s book. There are lots of other sports that will be benefited by learning to ride a unicycle. Specifically, snowboarding and windsurfing and skiing are the big ones, but realistically anything that requires a strong core will be benefited, and that’s basically any physical activity.

• It rewires the opposite brain. Unicycling is an exercise in neuroplasticity that will exercise your brain in ways that few other physical activities will. You will create new neural circuits and might reap benefits we can’t even conceive of covering here. 

• It can improve your cognitive ability. Lastly, unicycling is a mental-intensive exercise that will have you thinking both creatively and critically since you need to respond to things differently when you’re trying to balance in the saddle of a machine that has only one wheel. 

Explore Single Wheel Cycles, Odd Bikes, Safety Gear, Tools and More Here 

Hopefully you learned a thing or two and have come away with a new perspective on some of these celebrities. 

Otherwise, if you landed here because you need new unicycle parts or tools, we have you covered. 

And, if you’re inspired to learn how to ride a unicycle for yourself after realizing just how common the skill actually is, take a look through our collection of beginner unicycles. There’s one on our website for you, and if you need help picking it out, we can help with that as well. Just give us a call. 

One significant and specific aspect of bike maintenance has to do with the tires. After all, without tires that are in good shape, you can’t really ride your bike. 

The tires provide cushioning that supplements your bike’s suspension, since they are filled with air, as well as traction on a wide variety of different surfaces. Bike tires that are improperly filled and not well cared for will not perform. 

With this in mind, here are a few different things to keep in mind so you can keep your bike tires in better shape for longer.

Checking the Bike Tire Pressure

The most straightforward aspect of bike tire maintenance is making sure your bike’s tires are properly filled according to manufacturer recommendations before you ride. The recommended pressure may also be stamped on the tire sidewall. It’s best if you check every time. 

You can just squeeze your tires to get a general feel for fill; it’s easy to tell if they are way too low in most cases. If they yield easily to your grip, they’re definitely underfilled. However, the “pinch” method is imprecise and moreover will not give you an accurate estimation of whether or not the tires are actually properly filled.

For that you will need a tire pressure gauge. Either way, take a reading before you ride and fill or release pressure accordingly. For this, most riders carry a small pump out on the road or on the trail so adjustments can easily be made as needed, even away from home port.

Now, a word on why bike tire pressure is so important. If the tire pressure is too low, the bike will not handle as responsively, and moreover, if the pressure is very low, it may cause accelerated wear to the tread, and on top of that, extremely low tire pressure can also incur damage to the bike wheel rim and even cause pinch flats.

Conversely, if the tire pressure is too high, you’ll feel every little bump in the road and your ride will be a whole lot less comfortable. 

Another reason to keep your eye on your bike tire pressure is to catch inner tube leaks. If you notice your pressure consistently drops every few days, even if you’ve filled the tires a few times, you may need to replace your inner tubes. 

Keeping an Eye on the Tread

In addition to monitoring the bike tire pressure, you should also keep your eye on the treads, as along with pressure, treads that are not too worn will provide you the proper traction, respective of the surface on which you’re riding. 

As you inspect the bike tire treads, look for signs of excessive wear and damage. Cracking in the treads is also something to look for. As you scan the treads, be on the lookout for pieces of gravel, stones, or shells that get wedged in there and which can wear the tire or even create a puncture that will result in a flat. 

Checking the tread is also a good time to check the sidewall, as the sidewall will often manifest damage more quickly than the treads. Look out for small cracks. If you see a lot of these in the sidewall, it’s time to replace your bike tires. This is a sign of deterioration that, though it can be caused by more than one factor, still needs to be addressed. 

Also, be on the lookout for bulges in the sidewall that can indicate areas of concentrated stress. If you notice any of these you should also consider replacing your bike tires sooner rather than later. 

One note here is that the rear tire of a bike will tend to wear out faster than the front tire, if only because the rider’s weight is mostly concentrated over the rear tire, and because the chain drive directly drives the rear wheel, which puts the rear tire under a lot of stress.

General Condition of the Tires

In addition to monitoring the treads and tire pressure, you should also pay attention to the general condition of the tires. As stated, one thing to look for is the presence of a lot of small cracks in the sidewall. 

A browning of the sidewall can also indicate UV-related damage. While not necessarily cause for immediate concern, UV will damage bike tires if they are exposed to it for prolonged periods. Therefore it is advisable to keep your bike in the shade, or under cover, when you are not riding. 

You should also keep your bike tires clean, not put them away caked with mud, sand, road grime and salt. Good practice is simply to rinse off the tires, or, if necessary, to wipe them down with a combination of warm water and a mild detergent. You can use a sponge or a microfiber rag for this. 

You won’t always need to do that and in most instances, a simple rinse will get the job done. You just don’t want to put your bike away with a whole bunch of debris coated on the tires or trapped in the treads. 

Here for Bike Tires? Shop Our Collection 

Hopefully you found this guide to bike tire maintenance helpful and straightforward. At the same time, it is only intended to serve as a high level guide. If you have additional (or more specific) questions, feel free to reach out to us directly and we will help. 

Otherwise, if you are here for bike tires or parts, shop our collection and let us know if you’re looking for something specific that you don’t see listed.

Here are a few things you should know. 

A Smooth Ride

One of the biggest selling points of 32 inch tires, and not just for unicycles but for bike tires, is that the larger diameter doesn’t telegraph obstructions as dramatically as smaller tires. 

In laymen’s terms, the larger tire rolls over obstacles more easily, whether those obstacles be rocks, downed branches, or just an errant curb. 

This is a huge advantage of 32 inch bike tires. The faster you go the less forgiving the bike will be of obstacles and aberrations in the ride so the larger tire with its greater forgiveness is a boon. The same goes for unicycles and the effect is perhaps magnified since unicycles are, after all, inherently much less stable than bikes. 

So for one thing, bikes and unicycles with 32 inch tires will offer a considerably more comfortable ride, and for another, they’re more suitable for use on rougher terrain. For instance, smaller tires do not handle well on trails or unpaved surfaces. 

Though most muni riders and mountain bikers might prefer 29 inch or 27.5 inch tires for trail riding, 32 inch tires are not altogether impractical. 

A Fast Ride 

Even though bikes have chain drives (which unicycles lack) we can’t entirely discount the fact that wheel size is still a determinant of top speed. 

Even with a chain drive, the larger the tire, the easier it will be for you to get to and maintain a higher speed. There’s also the idea of rotational momentum to consider. Though it is harder to get a larger tire started, the higher mass of the tire as it spins helps to keep it spinning, like a flywheel, as a result of the conservation of angular momentum. 

In other words, a bike with 32 inch tires will not just enjoy a slightly higher top speed (chain drive and strength held equal) but it will be easier to keep it going at that speed. This makes 32 inch bike tires a top choice for commuting and racing. 

In fact, believe it or not, UCI, or Union Cycliste Internationale, actually has sanctioned 32 inch tires for cross-country racing, not just because of the speed they offer, but in part because of the fact that they offer a smoother ride.

And if we keep the scope of this analysis strictly to unicycles, the 32 inch tire offers higher speed than smaller tires, period. With a unicycle, top speed is determined partly by leg strength and crank arm length and mostly by tire size. The larger the tire, the higher the top speed, which makes 32 inch models faster than anything that doesn’t have a 36 inch tire.

Minimal Impact on Handling

Handling is another thing to consider in both bikes and unicycles with 32 inch tires, and this impacts both bike riders and unicyclists. 

For unicyclists, the 32 is still fairly nimble. It’s not as agile as a unicycle with a 24 inch tire, but it’s also a lot faster, carries more rotational momentum, and offers a far, far smoother ride. Most would say it handles a lot like a 29, which is big because that size is often used for mountain riding. 

The same is generally true for bicyclists. A bike with 32 inch bike tires will offer a faster, smoother ride than a bike with smaller tires but it will still remain relatively agile. The turning radius will be a bit wider, so some would prefer bikes with smaller tires for mountain riding, but it’s still not bad. 

Compared to the 29 and 36 

As far as unicyclists are concerned, we have special notes for unicycles with 32 inch tires compared to 29 and 36 inch models. 

First, yes, the 32 is slower than the 36, but only by a mile per hour or so. It’s also several miles per hour faster than the 29. That said, it handles very similarly to the 29, and is a lot more agile than the 36. Unicycles with 36 inch tires handle like a bus or a Mack truck. Those with 32 inch tires are a lot more maneuverable. 

So, in many ways, you get the best of both worlds. More speed, a smoother ride, high rotational momentum, but far better handling. 

In other words, if you’re tossed up between speed and handling, a unicycle with 32 inch tires might be the exact thing you need, even if you didn’t know it. 

Explore Unicycles with 32 Inch Tires Here 

Whether you’re here for a new unicycle with 32 inch tires or just need some bike tires to replace what’s on your current ride, we can help you out. Check out our collection and get in touch with us directly if you need assistance. 

That being the case, this post will look at three popular tire sizes and what they offer, specifically comparing the virtues of 32 inch tires alongside 29 and 36 inch tires. 

The long and short of it is that 32 inch tires offer a good balance between speed and handling, but this post will break down the details. 

Where 32 Inch Tires Shine 

The great thing about 32 inch tires is that they are nearly as fast as 36 inch tires, but handle much more nimbly, a lot more like 29 inch tires than you’d expect. 

This middle ground is what makes unicycles with 32 inch tires so useful for so many different people. While they aren’t quite as fast as 36 inch tires, they’re only a MPH or two slower, while being two to three MPH faster than a 29. 

And, on top of that, a unicycle with 32 inch tires will handle much more favorably than a 36 inch tire, all while carrying less rotational momentum, which means the former is easier not just to stop, but to get started rolling. 

This makes unicycles with 32 inch tires practical for commuting because they are relatively energy efficient (as unicycles go, we recognize that is a sort of contradictory statement) while still handling relatively favorably. 

It also means that while a unicycle with 32 inch tires is never going to handle with the agility of a unicycle with 27.5 or even a 26 inch unicycle, you’ll still be surprised at how much control you can exert over it. 

In other words, a unicycle with 32 inch tires is great for commuting or just for riding around town. Depending on the length of your crank arms, you might even be able to make it suitable for racing. 

Just keep in mind this: height is also a limiting factor here if you want to get a unicycle with 32 inch tires, you need a minimum inseam measurement of at least 33.5 inches. 

29 Inch Tires: Nimble but Not as Fast 

The 29 inch tire is honestly not too far off of the 32. It handles very similarly. Some riders would note that it is a little more nimble, but at the same time, you lose a few MPH of speed. 

It remains, however, a very versatile tire size, and unicycles with 29 inch tires can also be used for commuting and trail riding. Some riders also prefer them for mountain riding, on fire roads and light singletrack they perform well. 

Also, you can tinker with handling and speed by adjusting the size of the crank arms, within reason, so you have that flexibility, too.

Ultimately, if you are a mountain unicycle rider, this or a 27.5 inch unicycle is a great size. What it sacrifices in speed compared to the 32, it makes up for easily in handling and maneuverability. 

36 Inch Tires: Fast but Handles like a Mack Truck 

If speed is literally the only thing that matters to you, then a unicycle with 36 inch tires is your best option. You just need to be aware of what comes with the territory. 

First, and let’s get this out of the way, unicycles with 36 inch tires are the fastest, and can attain top speeds a MPH or more above what a unicycle with 32 inch tires can hit. 

But that comes at a price. As some seasoned veterans will tell you, a unicycle with 36 inch tires will handle like a Mack truck and that is not necessarily a compliment.

To put it in other words, it takes a split second or two for a unicycle with 36 inch tires to do what you tell it. They’re somewhat slower to respond, mostly because the tire carries so much rotational momentum.

For those in this for speed, this is a blessing. For everyone else, it is a curse. 

This is because rotational momentum, while it makes it harder to get the unicycle going, also makes it easier to keep the unicycle going, especially at speed. 

However, that same principle also makes it harder to slow the wheel down and stop it, and it also makes it a lot harder to exercise precise control over a unicycle of this size. 

So, as long as you know what you’re getting, you’re good. You just need to know that speed comes at the price of handling. 

Explore Commuting Unicycles, Mountain Unicycles and More Here 

Whether you’re here for a commuter unicycle or a mountain unicycle, we carry models from the top brands in a variety of wheel sizes and have something for every rider. Shop our selection and get in touch with us today if you have any questions.