The other week one of the lads at work brought in his unicycle, and because I'm a sucker for peer-pressure I was talked into having a go on it ... and got absolutely hooked.

So, yesterday #1 child and I ventured to unicycle hour at a local skate park, to pay a fiver each for the lend of a monobike, a crash helmet and license to fall off as many times as our dignity could bear.

Anyway, I'm still hooked (and so's my daughter) so now I'm trawling through eBay looking for a 2nd hand unicycle, but I have absolutely no idea what I'm looking at, other than knowing you shouldn't be able to count past one using the wheels.

Anybody know anything about these things? Is there anything I should be looking for in a 2nd hand one? Is there a way to stop falling off every 3 feet?

Not really a uni cycle anymore but hey, you have to start somewhere!

My stepson pestered us for one for months a couple of years ago. We duly caved in and he took delivery of a candy pink device on Christmas day. It took him about a week of intense concentration to be able to ride from a mounted start, holding on to a wall, etc and another week to be able to hop on and go. After a month he could ride to school and back without mishap, but - as he discovered - it's very hard to impress the young laydeez when perpetually wobbling and flapping your arms. As ever, his interest waned and now the one-wheeled wonder lies buried beneath kites, roller blades and a Carlton Criterium bike frame.

We got ours from Billy's Bikes in Cambridge, who I think have an online store.

Good luck...

Edited to add: You might be interested to know that another reason he stopped riding it was that he found going any distance over about 50 yards was a right pain in the nads.

@Muzzie - LOL, but I'm not at a stage where side-to-side stability is an issue, more front-to-rear.

@Jim - Give you a quid for it.

I can ask my stepson, but I'm not sure his valuation will match yours... It may, in any case, be more suitable for your lass, as I cut the seat stem down (it actually rubbed on the wheel when low enough for young Billy to ride).

My parents got me a unicycle a few years back. I'm not an avid unicyclist but I like to have the odd ride around.

A hard strip on the front and back of the seat is preferable as this prevents you damaging the seat when you fall but other than that there's not really much to look for (that I know of).

To get the correct size, follow the rule of thumb that says if you lean over the unicycle, seat rested into your armpit, your hand should reach the centre of the wheel.

Thanks, Bikenut, unfortunately most eBay adverts talk about (I assume) wheel size (20" seems the most common) but inexplicably omit my armpit-to-fingertip measurement.