Hi.
My son wants a unicycle for his birthday so I wonder if anyone has and experience of riding one and knowledge of which ones are best to buy.
It may be a total fad so economy is important.

A mate got me one a while back. Just a cheap eBay one from China. Fine for playing about and learning on. Had to buy a longer seatpost though.

Your best bet is to have a look on unicycle.uk.com or give them a ring. Really friendly bunch that will be glad to help out no end and can recommend the best size depending on how big your son is. I’ve had a few unis, 19″ trials, 24″ muni (mountain uni) and a 29″ muni and have to admit I loved riding. Would happily buy another if I could justify it but I struggle to use the bikes I currently have!

Another vote for speaking to unicycle.com or looking on the website. Good range of budget models. There’s also a few clubs dotted around the country. It’s pretty easy to learn just takes a bit of commitment and not minding falling off. Maybe a couple of weeks of 20 mins practice sessions.

A 20″ freestyle is the standard for learning on but it might be worth going something a bit more trials orientated if he has an interest there. It’ll be a little harder to learn on but be better once he improves.

If it does get the hang of it there’s a few options to progress. Most of the youth are into trials and street riding but hockey and mountain unicycling are popular too. It can be a good sport, certainly no more pointless than football or mountain biking.

[video]http://youtu.be/N1QiN0hliqg[/video]
My son got a cheap eBay one a couple of years ago, this was him on day 2. I gave it a go a couple of times but it needed more commitment than I had time for

this was him on day 2

Bloody kids!

Top tip, don’t sit on your spuds

My wife bought me one for my birthday one year after I jokingly said that’s what I wanted. I tried to learn in my (small) garden but quickly realised that I needed more room!

Best way to learn is on a flat surface where you can balance with a wall.

I think she bought it in Lidl, but obviously it’s very random when Lidl get things in!

Two schools of thought on this.

I learnt on a cheap one from Lidl (here are some other people who may or may not be able to ride http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/anyone-bought-a-unicycle-from-lidl – I’m pleased to note mrs aracer was also wrong about the second part!) Very happy I used that approach as the cheap one was more than adequate to learn on and for a while after, and anything better I might have bought to learn on I’d have ended up wanting to upgrade anyway – which is in fact what happened with my second good quality uni I bought shortly after learning. Plenty of this type for sale on ebay.

Alternatively get a quality one from unicycle.com as mentioned above – their Club branded unis are pretty good, the Nimbus ones better, but you’ve been warned that if he gets into it he may well want something different anyway.

I forgot to add and reminded by another thread, if you get a cheap one, budget for some replacement pedals – the ones which came with mine were rubbish. Still using cheap plastic Odyssey Twisted ones on my trials uni, which have the advantage of being more shin friendly than ones with metal pins – shin pads still recommended (far more important than a helmet IMHO) even with those.

D0NK – Member
Top tip, don’t sit on your spuds

known in unicyclist circles as BIF balls in front

another vote for swop the pedals and skateboard style shoes help

if go the cheap option avoid one with curved tops to the fork – need square shoulder to the fork for a some tricks

loads of good stuff and less good on youtube

this is better than average and made me smile
v=Igzng0zqVIo[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Igzng0zqVIo[/video]