3.1 Where can I get a unicycle?
Description
This article is from the Unicycling FAQ, by Beirne Konarski with numerous contributions by others.
3.1 Where can I get a unicycle?
The reviews of manufacturers and retailers that follow are written by
individuals who are not associated with the companies they review. Please do
not write to the reviewers asking for product information. Instead contact
the companies themselves or dealers selling their products.
Manufacturers
Miyata
This is a popular Japanese brand that recently quit selling in the US
due to the cheap dollar. You may be able to find some leftover in the
retail channels in the US. You may also be able to get them in Canada,
and you can of course get them in Japan. There are rumors that they
will be imported into the US from Canada. I don't know about
availability in countries other than Japan.
The Standard and Deluxe Miyata both have an extremely loyal following,
and have been used by nearly every world champion unicyclist thus far.
They also make a 5' blue painted giraffe unicycle.
Semcycle
Run by Sem and Theresa Abrahams, who were actually married on
unicycles. There are two regular models, and a giraffe. The Semcycle,
though relatively expensive, has extremely strong axle and crank arms,
and is intended for heavy use by the most demanding of riders. The XL
models are much less expensive, and built more along the lines of many
other brands of Taiwanese origin, but with an above-average saddle.
Both regular wheel models come in 26" wheel size, as well as the usual
24" and 20". The 6' giraffe is a chrome A-frame, available with either
one or two chains.
For more information write to semcycle@aol.com or go to
http://members.aol.com/semcycle/
The Semcycle reviewer is John Foss (unifoss@calweb.com).
Siegmono-Cycle
Siegmono-Cycle
D. & G. Siegmon
Schreberweg 4
D - 24119 Kronshagen b. Kiel
Tel: +49 431 541441
Fax: +49 431 549099
E-mail: gsiegmon@kernphysik.uni-kiel.d400.de
We produce our own brand SIEGMONO. The idea of our unicycle production
is to distinguish between three kinds of components: a) crucial, b) not
so crucial and c) individual. As a result the SIEGMONOs consist of a
strong wheel (strong axle and crank arms), a relatively cheap fork
(Taiwanese) and one of three saddles (a contoured one which is
completely resilient to hitting the street, a symmetric Pashley like
model with bumpers and a saddle similar to the Semcycle).
Written by Georg Siegmon of Siegmono-Cycle.
DM
DMs are very sturdy and look good. The contour saddles are matched only
by Semcycles for comfort, though DM straight saddles are an instrument
of torture (some people apparently prefer them, it takes all sorts...).
DM contour saddles also have front and back grab rails which do duty
for holding on to, wheeling, catching while dismounting, but mostly
taking all the knocks when dropped; my saddle is unscathed after a
year's abuse, though there's no chrome left on the grab rails.
DM's giraffes are works of art with twin chains for real durability and
no twist. The only complaint is that they're a bit heavy, but they're
built to last. DM's classic design is the 5' to 8' convertible, where
the frame has a 3' extension tube and a long set of chains.
Review written by Peter Lister(p.lister@cranfield.ac.uk). For sales
information contact DM engineering by snail mail, or a retailer.
Unicycle Factory
The Unicycle Factory is your one stop source for custom cycles, parts,
and expert information about unicycles. If you can't find it anywhere
else, it's because Tom Miller has it. Some of his custom models are big
wheels (up to 56"), multi-wheels, tennis shoe wheels, ultimate wheel
kits, giraffes up to 24', basketball-wheeled unicycles, etc.
Review written by John Foss (unifoss@calweb.com). For further
information call Tom Miller at (317) 452-2692.
Pashley
Pashley is a British unicycle that has gone from making junky
beginner's unicycles to be the first company to make production
mountain unicycles.
The older Pashley's have one screw holding each bearing to the fork.
Once these get stripped (it won't take long), you are out of luck.
The new mountain Pashley is sold by the Ugly Juggling Co, of Newcastle
on Tyne, UK. It was built by Pashley, to Ugly's design they say.
Pashley have been actively involved in developing a specific machine
for mountain unicycling. Their products are the most cost effective way
of riding uni's off-road and new products are in the pipeline. The
bearings are double bolted into the forks, and show no trace of
looseness. The saddle is contoured, completely resilient to hitting the
concrete (still looks like new), and comfortable. The weight is about
6Kg, which is not excessively heavy. After a year of use (by Chris
Hughes) the whole thing is like new except for tyre wear and bashed
pedals.
Review written by: Chris Hughes cdh@wg.icl.co.uk
Duncan Castling c/o Roger.Davies@octacon.co.uk
Beirne Konarski beirne@ald.net
For further information contact Pashley directly.
Rideable Bicycle Replicas
They specialize in making antique bicycles, including the penny
farthing, the ancestor of the unicycle. They also make big wheel
unicycles, 38" to 52".
Schwinn
Schwinn has been out of the unicycle business for several years now,
due to problems like near-bankruptcy. They have now reentered the
unicycle business, though. They have a 20" and a 24" model. They are of
the same general style as the 1980's Schwinns, with some size
differences in the axle.
Cyclepro
Another decent value for the price. Made in Taiwan, steel fork with
bearing holders as described in Pashley/Absolute. Different colors.
Taiwan steel contour seat with chrome bumpers. Available in 20", 24",
and sometimes 16". Review written by John Foss (unifoss@calweb.com).
For more information contact Cyclepro or a dealer.
Bogglefingers
Butterfingers and Boggle, juggling shops based in Bristol and Bath
respectively import these. Can't really comment on the quality, but
they look a better "budget" option than Pashley, for those people who
can't afford DMs or Sems.
Review written by Peter Lister(p.lister@cranfield.ac.uk). For sales
information contact Bogglefingers by snail mail, or a retailer.
Oddcycle
Oddball's own uni, built by Sem, looks much like a rebadged Sem
trainer.
Cycle Design
Cycle Design is a part of a company named "Ridgeway Products" that
sells bike parts (not whole bikes). They also carry both a 24" and a
20" uni. I have heard the name "Zephyr" when referring to these unis --
I don't know if that came from the company or is a Muddism.
The unis are medium quality: they are definitely superior to the
generic kind that probably all come from the same factory in Taiwan.
They have a tubular fork with a sloping face where the Miatas have a
flat one. The fork is very lightweight, but very strong. It is chromed
from top to bottom.
The seat is (in my opinion) very comfortable. It is made out of a hard
plastic frame with black foam molded around it. It is very easy to
catch when dismounting either forwards or backwards. This is a good
thing, since there is NO protection for the seat (like a metal bar, or
a plastic piece). The first damage that happens to them is that the
foam cracks in the front as a result of falling on the ground. The seat
uses a standard Schwinn seat mount (the curved piece of metal with four
oval holes) so you can easily replace the seat. Seats that fit this
mounting style are easy to come by.
The seat post connects to the frame by a standard seat clamp. People
have a lot of trouble keeping these tight enough to resist rotation
during tricks. One solution is to put a machine screw through the fork
and post just to hold the alignment and keep the clamp to transfer the
rider's weight. The metal is almost definitely too thin to handle
system like Schwinn unis use.
There's not much to be said about the wheel. It's got a chromed rim and
some spokes. It seems to be well built. It comes with a black tire that
looks sharp with the black pedals and seat. The biggest problem in the
design is in the axle. The axles of the unis belonging to our two most
demanding riders (hopping, curbs, jump mounts, etc.) have been sheared
off at the connection between the crank arm and the axle. This does not
bode well for long-term reliability. These unis were less than six
months old when they broke. The bike shop has been very friendly about
getting them repaired, though.
The bearing mounts are also only rank 5 on a scale of 1 to 10. They are
mounted directly at the end of the fork, providing a good metal to
metal fit. From the bottom, though, four small bolts hold a piece of
metal over them to keep them connected to the fork. This looks like an
accident waiting to happen, since the bolts are very small, but we have
had no problems with it. I suppose I am spoiled by what I consider a
10: the Schwinn method of surrounding the bearing with 1/4 inch steel.
The pedals are standard bicycle types of some sort. They have
reflectors and little pegs to help keep your foot on. They work ok, but
this is another place where there is room for modification. The cranks
connect to the axle just like a Schwinn -- no bolts to forever be
tightening here! They are 180mm long, from end to end (155mm from
center to center).
All in all, I'd say that for the $100 we paid (I think we got a slight
bulk discount) these unis are good beginner models. If you buy one, and
really get into the sport, don't expect it to last much more than a
year or two. Use it to learn on, then buy a real uni, like a Semcycle
or a Miyata.
The company can be reached at (US only, sorry) 800-869-9866. They only
sell to dealers, but they can probably find you a dealer in your area.
The bike shop we (the HMC uni club) does business with is Mulrooney's
Sea Schwinn in Newport Beach. Their number is (714) 646-7706.
Review written by Jeff R. Allen jeff@hmc.edu
For more information contact Cycle Designs or a dealer.
Retailers
* Australia Gemini Bicycle Centres
PTY Limited
PO BOX 156
Summer Hill
NSW 2130
Australia
(+61) 2797 8028 telephone
(+61) 2797 9932 fax
Sells Pashley mountain unicycles.
* Canada
Darren Bedford
71 Jasper Ave.
Toronto, Ontario
M6N 2N2
(416) 767-6074
Sells Miyatas (while available) and Semcycles.
Braun's Online
Braun's Online
BRAUNS ONLINE
27 Scott St.
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
N2H 1P8
Voice: 1 519 579-2453
WWW: http://brauns.com/
E-mail: online@brauns.com
Sells 20" and 24" unicycles, as well as 5-foot giraffes.
* France
Unicycle
3 Impass Jules Dalou
9100 Evry
France
phone number is: (33-1)60 77 37 36
fax number : (33-1)60 78 09 88
Sells Miyatas and Semcycles, including giraffes and models with
wheels of 26", 28", and 30".
* Germany
Siegmono-Cycle
Siegmono-Cycle
D. & G. Siegmon
Schreberweg 4
D - 24119 Kronshagen b. Kiel
Tel: +49 431 541441
Fax: +49 431 549099
E-mail: gsiegmon@kernphysik.uni-kiel.d400.de
They sell lots of parts for Uni's and Giraffe, and 20 to 26" (28"
perhaps) Unicycles including a 48 spoke 26" one. They also sell
Miyatas.
* Holland
Semcycle
Box 1675
3600 Br Maarssen
Holland
Tel: 03465-7 05 63
Fax: 03465-7 60 07
E-mail: semcyclenl@aol.com
Showtime
'Showtime' - Fa van der Wel
P.O.Box 10024
3505 AA Utrecht
the Netherlands
Voice: 31 346 551562
Fax: 31 346 552076
E-mail: wel@tip.nl
WWW: http://www1.tip.nl/users/t973594/wel.htm
* New Zealand
Ross Mackintosh
Ross sells Taiwanese unicycles. They have fully welded frames, 36
spokes, cotterless cranks and seats with crash bars
Ross Mackintosh
romack@hn.planet.gen.nz
* Phone: (07) 839 9005 * Shoe: (025) 761 141
* Fax: (07) 839 9006
* Snail mail: Box 776, Hamilton, New Zealand
David Whittam
David Whittam
Cycle supplies
PO Box 33051
Christchurch
Tel: +64 3 338 6803
Sells Pashley unicycles and parts.
* United Kingdom
DM Unicycles
DM Unicycles
59 Fairmile Rd, Christchurch,
Dorset, BH23 2LA
Tel: 0202 471943
Butterfingers
Butterfingers
Unit 10, Burnett Business Park
Gypsy Lane
Burnett
Keynsham
Bristol BS18 2ED
England
Tel +44 117 986 6680
fax +44 117 986 6690
They do mail order, and offer a complete range of circus
equipment, including unicycles. They are, are far as I know, still
run by Pippa Tee and Charlie Dancey. Charlie is the author of two
standard works on juggling.
Review written by Tim Sheppard. Contact Butterfingers directly for
more information.
The Ugly Juggling Company
For anyone who wants to know (or for the FAQ), the address of Ugly
Juggling for callers and mail order is
The Ugly Juggling Company
73 Westgate Road
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE1 1SG
UK
Phone: +44 191 232 0297
They also have a callers-only shop at
Durham Indoor Market
Market Place
Durham
UK
They sell both their own unis (made by Pashley) and DM ones, as
well as a wide variety of other circus kit, books, etc. The 1995
catalogue (free, I think) lists the Ugly 20" mountain uni (mk 3)
mentioned in previous emails by Duncan (95 gbp), plus a 5' giraffe
(195 gbp); it also says that 24" and 28" 1994 (mk 2) models
(narrow wheel) are still available while stocks last (85-90gbp)
(has anyone tried either of these? I'm tempted by a 28", then I
might be able to keep up with the kids on bikes ...). The 95
catalogue also lists DMs from 12" to 28" (95-128 gbp), chrome DMs
with square frame (up to 175 gbp) and DM giraffes (265-449 gbp).
They don't keep all of these in stock all the time, however.
Review written by Chris Hughs. For more information contact The
Ugly Juggling Company directly.
Zero G Juggling Co.
Zero G Juggling Co.
The Victoria Centre
Mostyn Street
Llandudno
Gwnedd
Tel: 0492-514039
The Boggle Juggling Shop
The Boggle Juggling Shop
9 Broad Street
Bath BA1 5LJ
England
Tel +44 1225 446685
The Brighton Juggling Store
The Brighton Juggling Store
24 Kensongton Gardens
Brighton, East Sussex
England
Tel +44 1273 696068
Stocks Semcycle, D.M., Pashley
Jugglemania
Jugglemania
119 Children Drive
Surbiton
KT5 8LS
England
Tel +44 181 390 6855
Mushy Pea
Mushy Pea
23 Brown Street
Manchester
England
Tel +44 161 834 6195
Oddballs (Camden)
Oddballs (Camden)
2 Camden Lock Place
London
England
Tel +44 171 254 5660
Oddballs (Basement warehouse)
Oddballs (Basement warehouse)
31-35 Pitfield St
London N1 6HB
England
Tel +44 171 250 1333
Fax +44 171 250 3999
WWW: http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/oddballs/index.html
Oddballs (Oxford)
Oddballs (Oxford)
34 Cowley Road
Oxford
England
Tel +44 1865 200678
* United States
Compleat Gamester
Compleat Gamester
350 MOODY ST
WALTHAM MA 02154 USA
Voice: 1-800-698-9505 or (617)893-9505
WWW: http://world.std.com/~gamester
E-mail: gamester@world.std.com
Sells standard and XL Semcycles.
Dekker Service, Inc.
Dekker Service Inc.
5433 116th Ave. SE
Bellevue, WA 98006-3317
Voice: (206) 641-9639
Fax: (206) 641-0151
Email: mdekker@eskimo.com
WWW: http://www.eskimo.com/~mdekker/index.html
They are actually a wholesaler, and do not do retail business.
They do import the Pashley mountain unicycle, though. They
encourage you to have your local bike shop contact them for prices
and product availability.
Osell's Bicycle/Unicycle Shop
Osell's Bicycle/Unicycle Shop
Minnesota
Voice: 612-788-5200
This company sells Miyatas as well as other brands.
Rideable Bicycle Replicas
They sell their own unicycles, which are big wheels from 38" to
52".
Rideable Bicycle Replicas
2329 Eagle Avenue
Alameda, CA 94501
Phone: 510-523-9938
Fax: 510-521-7145
Semcycle
Semcycle
P.O. Box 40353
Redford, MI 48240
(313) 537-8175
WWW: http://members.aol.com/semcycle/
E-mail: SEMCYCLE@aol.com
The Unicycle Factory
The Unicycle Factory
2711 N. Apperson
Kokomo, IN 46901
(317) 452-2692
Tom Miller sells custom built unicycles and resells some other
brands, such as Semcycles, Zephyrs and Miyatas. You should call
with inquiries rather than writing. He does not have business
hours per-se, since he works out of his house. His waking hours
are between 9am and 1am Eastern time.
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