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up vote 13 down vote favorite

I know that this is a 'bi'cycle forum, but I'm going to chance it and ask for unicycle buying advice.

What should I look for when buying a unicycle? I probably will do some leisure riding with it, maybe ride it around NYC instead of walking.

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Well there are a few tricycle questions, so unicycle questions should be fine. – Andrew Lowe Sep 9 '10 at 8:36
2  
You should look for half of a bicycle – Joe Philllips Sep 9 '10 at 17:39
@milesmeow: What kind of riding will you be doing? City riding? Mountain unicycling? Commuting? – Neil Fein Sep 9 '10 at 17:57
circus riding maybe? – dotjoe Sep 9 '10 at 18:34
Some people may not be aware of this, but unicycle riding is quite popular. People have crossed the country on unicycles, and I've heard of unicycle commuting. – Neil Fein Sep 9 '10 at 18:40
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2 Answers

up vote 6 down vote accepted

Have been looking around and found this site. Has a lot of good information. Talks about:

  • type of riding and what configuration works best
  • sizing
  • big/small wheels (20"/24"/26"/28"/36" typically for adults)
  • width of tires (2.5" - 3")
  • crank arms (4" - 6" in .5" increments)
  • seats
  • where to buy

So for me for "all purpose riding" I would need:

  • 24" unicycle (based on inseam measurement...check website above for details)
  • 5" or 6 crank arms.
  • 3" wide tires, for a smoother ride
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up vote 6 down vote

Probably the most important point is that it should be dirt cheap. Particularly if you're like me and try it briefly, find that it's uncomfortable when you have to involuntarily dismount and never reassemble it after a move.

Other than that, large wheeled unicycles are apparently easier to learn on. They are also faster (assuming ungeared), but not as maneuverable.

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