The most important part of the unicycle, as far as performance goes, is
the wheel. A good hub, good cranks, good pedals, good rim, good tire,
etc. The most important part of the unicycle, as far as comfort goes,
is the saddle.
That said, a good frame does make a difference. A strong frame with
machined bearing holders will be stiffer. There will be less flex and
twisting when climbing. This is even more important if you're running a
brake. If you're running a brake get the better frrame.
Machined bearing holders are more secure on the bearings. The stamped
metal main cap bearing holders, like on the Yuni and Nimbus, can move
around on the bearing. That leads to frame flex. Ride a frame with
machined bearing holders, like the Hunter or KH, while the bearing
holders are slightly loose. Give it a good ride, climbing hills, riding
off-road, jumping around. You'll feel the wheel rocking and moving
around in the bearing caps. Now ride a frame with stamped metal main
cap bearing holders, like a Nimbus or Yuni, while the bearing caps are
tight. You'll feel the same type of movement of the wheel as you did
with the good frame when the bearing caps were loose.
The better frames like the Hunter have a better neck and will grip the
seatpost better. That means less twisting of the seatpost. A seatpost
that doesn't twist is a very nice feature.
The better frames like the Hunter use a larger diameter seatpost so you
can use a high quality bicycle seatpost like the Thomson. Larger
diameter seatposts have more clamping power because there is more
surface area to clamp.
A fancy frame does make a difference, but it's not a big difference.
It's not like bikes where there is geometry issues and ride handling
issues. A unicycle frame is too simple for that. But having a solid
frame that holds everything together tightly with minimal flex and
movement does make a difference. The frame is the last part of a
unicycle that I'd upgrade. The wheel and saddle are more important.
--
john_childs - Guinness Mojo
john_childs (at) hotmail (dot) com
Gallery: '' (http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/john_childs)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
john_childs's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/449
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/33294
