Different Types of Unicycle

How to Choose a Unicycle, a One Wheel Bike

Feb 3, 2009

Unicycles are growing in popularity and come in a wide range of types and sizes. Here's a guide to help when making a unicycle purchase.

Better known as mere circus props, the unicycles of today are manufactured for many different categories. Whilst novices usually learn on basic street models called Trainers, once the basic skills are mastered, most riders move onto a specific category of unicycling.

Some riders prefer to use the balancing skills acquired through unicycling to perform jumps and tricks. Others turn to street performing where juggling on a one-wheel bike is common. More extreme riders choose the modern disciplines of mountain unicyling riding a Muni (mountain unicycle). These different forms have various specific design features appropriate to the category of riding.

Unicycle Construction

Main Types of Unicycle

A basic street model available in (wheel) sizes 16” for kids, 20” and 24” for adults.

A model for performing skills on flat terrain that comes with high-pressure tires and a squared fork for tricks. Available in 16” and 20.”

Used for unicycle trials involving jumps, obstacles and drop-offs, components are stronger and therefore more expensive plus tires are thicker and knobbly to absorb impact. Available in 16” and 20” wheel sizes.

Specifically for off road riding, the Muni has even stronger components and wider tires from 24” to 26”. Saddles are also thicker to cope with rough terrain, tires are huge and knobbly and some models have brakes for steep rocky descents.

Made to cope with long distances, wheel sizes are larger from 26” to 36” in order to cover more distance with less pedalling.

Additional Types of Unicycle

The Giraffe unicycle is used for high performance tricks and is a tall chain driven unicycle, which requires a different set of skills to ride. The Guni is a unicycle with gears used by racers and long distance cyclists, where the wheel spins faster than the pedal cadence

Choosing a Unicycle

The first purchase for a novice should always be a Trainer unicycle. Many people try and either fail or lose interest so choose a low cost option rather than make a more expensive mistake. Popular starter brands in the US are Torker and Nimbus with Trainers costing between $150 and $300.

Riders who get hooked on unicycling will then want to upgrade to models with better components, more comfortable saddles or brakes for those into Municycling. For top of the range models look no further than the Kris Holm range of unicycles.

Where to Buy Unicycles

The market leader Unicycle.com has a wide range across all categories and franchises in several countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany and Australia.

Take time to learn how to ride a unicycle on a Trainer then upgrade to the type of one wheel bike that best suits your style of riding.

The copyright of the article Different Types of Unicycle in Bicycle Types is owned by Helen Smeaton. Permission to republish Different Types of Unicycle in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.