Maintenance and Troubleshooting

Having trouble with your unicycle or hearing strange sounds that you can’t put a finger to?

You should check your unicycle for loose parts every now and then.  Most of these aren’t too hard to fix on your own though.

Loose cranks

If you notice the gap between your frame and the cranks widening over time, or if one side of your cranks looks very much closer to the frame than the other, check to see if the bolt is loose. You’ll need a long allen key for this. Tighten the bolt as best as you can. It’s ok if there’s still a gap remaining between your frame and the cranks because this is dependent on the build of your unicycle but you’ll need for the bolt to be tight. Tighten the bolts again for both sides after the first tightening exercise. The cranks, I repeat, need to be VERY TIGHTLY screwed on.

Loose pedals

Unicycling backwards for prolonged periods may loosen your pedals. If you feel your foot rocking from side to side or if there’s a clicking sound when you cycle, check if your pedals are loose. If you’re changing your pedals, do make sure that they screw in easily on the first few rotations. Forcing them in will ruin the threads on the cranks, making them unusable.

Crooked seat

This happens a lot especially when you’re learning to ride. If you have a quick-release seat clamp, adjust your seat back to its usual position and clamp it tight.

Broken handle

While this doesn’t usually happen, if your handle does break, you’ll have to buy replacements. Email us if you don’t see it in stock.

Tire Pressure

You can see the tire rating or how much you’ll have to pump up your tires to on the sides. It usually comes in a range like 45-60 for a Profi. Your unicycle will usually be pumped to the middle of this range on purchase and it is up to you to adjust the pressure according to preference. If you feel that movement is sluggish, you’ll want to increase the tire pressure and if your tire feels exceedingly stiff and your ride feels abnormally bumpy, release some air from it.

Don’t under-inflate your tire though. You may risk damaging your wheel.

Worn Tire

How do you tell if you need a tire change? Depending on your preferred foot, you will end up wearing out a certain patch on your tire more than the rest of it. If your treads are no longer showing, you’ll want to change for a new one. Worn tires may skid or slip and continued use may result in a tire puncture.

Burst Tube

If your tire is perpetually flat, you’ve most likely a punctured tube. Unicycles use the same tubes as regular bicycles so you can look for the closest bike shop to your place to get it replaced. If you own a larger wheel and can’t find a tube, drop us an email and we’ll help.