Columbia Unicycle.

[Philip Hinkle]

After our local parade here a few weeks ago someone dropped off an old unicycle
to one of our rider's parent's business and wanted to donate it to the
club......finally people are noticing. Anyway, when I finally got to pick it up
I found it to be a red Columbia model. The original factory sticker was still in
place and in good shape. It has the ugly old rectangular red seat. The frame is
painted red and has cottered cranks. It is a 24" and I figure it is good enough
for someone to learn on.

Are these unicycles worth anything? I seem to remember some discussions here
awhile back and someone telling something about the Columbia model but I don't
remember much about them. Did I get a jewel or another junker along the line of
the old Sears/Montgomery Ward models.

Anyway it was free and I can put it to use.

Thanks for any help....

Philip
--
uniclown@mcleodusa.net

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[Foss, JohnX]

Philip Hinkle wrote:
>got to pick it up I found it to be a red Columbia model. The original factory
>sticker was still in place and in good shape. It has the ugly old rectangular
>red seat. The frame is painted red and has cottered

I have one very much like it; don't remember where it originated but it came out
of one of the old sheds in the Jenack back yard. I believe it was dropped off by
somebody during the 80's, after Bill Jenack's death.

>Are these unicycles worth anything? I seem to remember some discussions here
>awhile back and someone telling something about the Columbia model but I don't
>remember much about them. Did I get a jewel or another junker along the line of
>the old Sears/Montgomery Ward models.

Columbia is America's oldest bicycle company, and their unicycle has the rare
distinction of being one of the only ones to have been manufactured completely
in the USA. The Schwinns started out that way, but if you buy one today, it
comes almost completely from Taiwan.

It's made from real bicycle parts, with ball bearings, real bike cranks etc. so
it's definitely not in the same category as the dept. store models. by today's
standards however, it's heavy and a little primitive, though I would stack it up
against an old Schwinn any day.

>To reply to me click on your REPLY option and remove the NO.SPAM. from

I don't see "no.spam" in your email address. But then again I'm using an old
version of CC:Mail here at work, not the most current/sophisticated piece of
communications software...

John Foss

[agentQ]

So I got given an old Columbia unicycle today. It is a blue 20" model.

It doesn't seem like these have gotten talked about to much in the last 11 years (or Im just not finding it). Any new info on these?

I'm torn about what to do with it.

1.Keep it as is, hang it on the wall and let it get older.

2. Refurbish it, clean up rust and such.

3. Modify it with some newer more up to date parts and maybe re-paint.

Any thoughts?