# Two wheel unicycle??? Sounds like an oxymoron, LOOKS SCARY AS HELL!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 27, 2004, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-wheel-unicycle-sounds-like-an-oxymoron-looks-scary-as-hell/231433 "2004-02-27T06:10:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-wheel-unicycle-sounds-like-an-oxymoron-looks-scary-as-hell/231433/1 "2004-02-27T06:10:19Z")
I keep my eyes on ebay for unicycles, as I would eventually like to buy one and learn how to ride it. Now, riding around on one wheel seems rather hard, but HOW IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT IS HOLY COULD YOU RIDE THIS!?!? 😕 [http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3661944302](http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3661944302) _brain implosion_ :eek: ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-wheel-unicycle-sounds-like-an-oxymoron-looks-scary-as-hell/231433/2 "2004-02-27T07:21:46Z")
That would be for the serious, more-than-enthusiast unicycle rider. These are the folks who ride in parades for fun. I saw one such person once on Guinness when it was still on Fox, and he rode a unicycle that had a wheel roughly the size of a dime. He also had a unicycle made crooked on purpose. THAT thing looked scary. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-wheel-unicycle-sounds-like-an-oxymoron-looks-scary-as-hell/231433/3 "2004-02-27T12:13:25Z")
“By pedaling forward the unicycle goes backward and visa versa.” :eek: ---
**Author:** ![misstee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@misstee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misstee)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-wheel-unicycle-sounds-like-an-oxymoron-looks-scary-as-hell/231433/4 "2004-02-27T13:50:00Z")
I have ridden a unicycle like this. I have ridden one with three wheels. Once you learn to ride a regular unicycle, you can pretty much master any of them. How much are you looking to spend on a unicycle **OpalCat**? There is a great bicycle shop by me that sells them. Every once in a while they have used ones that have been traded in. I bought mine there. It’s a good quality unicycle. The other two I had were not as well contructed. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-wheel-unicycle-sounds-like-an-oxymoron-looks-scary-as-hell/231433/5 "2004-02-27T14:00:12Z")
> [@misstee](#): > > How much are you looking to spend on a unicycle **OpalCat**? Under $100 including shipping. My unicycle-enthusiast friend told me I have to get either a Miyata or a Schwinn or a Semcycle Deluxe… and warned me away from Savage, Torker and others. ---
**Author:** ![misstee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@misstee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misstee)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-wheel-unicycle-sounds-like-an-oxymoron-looks-scary-as-hell/231433/6 "2004-02-27T14:05:21Z")
The next time I go to the bicycle shop, I will keep my eyes open. Unicycles are a blast to ride. I enjoy riding mine down the bike trail with my kids. My younger two kids ride kind of slow, so this gives we stay together. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-wheel-unicycle-sounds-like-an-oxymoron-looks-scary-as-hell/231433/7 "2004-02-27T14:12:38Z")
They look fun. And hey, if [they can do it](http://tinyurl.com/26d3a), then I can, dammit! (I took that picture last week at my juggling club.) ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-wheel-unicycle-sounds-like-an-oxymoron-looks-scary-as-hell/231433/8 "2004-02-27T15:06:21Z")
[http://tinyurl.com/2b7vf](http://tinyurl.com/2b7vf) \<-- there is a tiny picture of a guy riding one of these at the bottom of that page. CRAZY! ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-wheel-unicycle-sounds-like-an-oxymoron-looks-scary-as-hell/231433/9 "2004-02-27T15:53:20Z")
So you already juggle, and you’re looking to learn to ride a unicycle, eh? I think you see where I’m going with this. ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-wheel-unicycle-sounds-like-an-oxymoron-looks-scary-as-hell/231433/10 "2004-02-27T15:58:58Z")
> [@misstee](#): > > There is a great bicycle shop by me that sells [unicycles]. Forget unicycles, do they sell pennyfarthing bicycles? ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-wheel-unicycle-sounds-like-an-oxymoron-looks-scary-as-hell/231433/11 "2004-02-27T16:07:29Z")
Olentzero: they have those at [www.unicycle.com](http://www.unicycle.com) (online catalog \> bicycles) ultrafilter: No, I’m not going to run away with the circus. 😉 By the way, I’m getting better at passing clubs! (I only learned a couple of months ago, remember–I never knew anyone else who juggled clubs so I never had the opportunity to pass before) \>\>\> [http://tinyurl.com/2w3o5](http://tinyurl.com/2w3o5) (video clip from last night) ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-wheel-unicycle-sounds-like-an-oxymoron-looks-scary-as-hell/231433/12 "2004-02-27T16:14:48Z")
I’m just saying, a lady who can’t juggle while riding a unicycle…what’s she got to live for? ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-wheel-unicycle-sounds-like-an-oxymoron-looks-scary-as-hell/231433/13 "2004-02-27T16:51:52Z")
You do make a very valid point… ---
**Author:** ![misstee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@misstee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misstee)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-wheel-unicycle-sounds-like-an-oxymoron-looks-scary-as-hell/231433/14 "2004-02-27T17:09:38Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > I’m just saying, a lady who can’t juggle while riding a unicycle…what’s she got to live for? > [@OpalCat](#): > > You make a very vaild point… I do not know how to juggle any thing besides scarves. ( They don’t fall as fast as other objects! ) Does this count as something to live for? Do I need to learn how to juggle something else? I need to know if I have a reason for living??? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-wheel-unicycle-sounds-like-an-oxymoron-looks-scary-as-hell/231433/15 "2004-02-27T17:41:02Z")
I don’t want to alarm anyone, but all I can say is that my son learned to juggle, then learned to ride a unicycle, and then briefly ran away with the circus. I got him back pretty quick, but not without many nights of waking up screaming…😉 ---
**Author:** ![Tommyturtle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@Tommyturtle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tommyturtle)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-wheel-unicycle-sounds-like-an-oxymoron-looks-scary-as-hell/231433/16 "2004-02-27T18:57:30Z")
There is one downside to riding a unicycle in public I got my first unicycle when I was a kid in the country and would ride it on the edge of the road for practice and EVERY freakin’ person who came by in their car would slow down and ask me if I knew I was missing a wheel EVERY damn person! BTW What are the odds? I brought it with me when I went to college and stayed in the dorm…my next door neighbor also brought HIS too! ---
**Author:** ![dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorkusmalorkusmafia/32/7266_2.png) [@dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorkusmalorkusmafia)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-wheel-unicycle-sounds-like-an-oxymoron-looks-scary-as-hell/231433/17 "2004-02-27T20:33:05Z")
Opalcat, I live in the DC area and have a slightly used unicycle that I will part with. If you are interested I paid 80 bucks for it after ordering from a local bike shop. I will happily part with it. Send me an email at my user ID here at yahoo dot com. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2004, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-wheel-unicycle-sounds-like-an-oxymoron-looks-scary-as-hell/231433/18 "2004-02-28T14:49:45Z")
Email sent. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2004, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-wheel-unicycle-sounds-like-an-oxymoron-looks-scary-as-hell/231433/19 "2004-02-28T21:52:13Z")
My unicycle needs repair. But, I doubt I can afford the repairs. Or if it is possible to repair it. (The wheel doesn’t stay parralel to the frame. If too much weight is put on a pedal, the wheel tilts to that side and has to be pushed back into place.) I also have a few sets of juggling balls (one made to look like shrunken heads) that I cannot juggle. I am aware that you must master one ball before moving to two. After these many years, mastery of the one ball eludes me. I have a set and a half of juggling sticks (I accidentally broke one of the rods in the first set). I stink at these. However, I don’t practice with them often as I fear I will break them or send the large stick flying into a valuable and fragile object. I haven’t considered running away and joining the circus. I have given serious thought to utilizing the skills I do have as a birthday clown. Be your own boss. Make kids laugh. Meet hot single mothers. Forget the big top, that’s the life for me. Though I would like to be shot out of a cannon. Seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Gadfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/aeb1de/32.png) [@Gadfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadfly)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2004, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-wheel-unicycle-sounds-like-an-oxymoron-looks-scary-as-hell/231433/20 "2004-02-28T22:10:39Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > …but HOW IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT IS HOLY COULD YOU RIDE THIS??? With great difficulty, Der Opal. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-wheel-unicycle-sounds-like-an-oxymoron-looks-scary-as-hell/231433.md?page=2)