QU-AX Only One Installation guide

assembling
instructions for your
unicycle & lots of
tips & tricks about
unicyc
ling

How to assemble your QU-AX
detailed view
assembly must be
done by or under
surveillance of
an adult!
tools you will
need: 10mm and
15mm wrenches
box
content
2 3
Assembling
should be made
by an adult - or at
least checked by an
adult!

first,
be sure to
define front & back,
left & right - they
are marked on the
inside of the
cranks
So this is the right hand
(RH) crank (incl. pedal)
slot
on frame
must aim
backwards
right
crank (RH)
Now turn the frame and wheel upside-
down and put the bearing cupholders
on. The nib on the screw should fit in
the slot of the bearing cupholder:
slot
4 5

Tighten both screws evenly so that dis-
tance between frame & cupholder is the
same on both sides. But not too tight!
tighten to fix
the wheel -
it should still
turn easily
tighten in
the same way
on both sides
with 10mm
wrench
top: slot should be
on the same side as
rear bumper.
left: once again,
make sure the seat-
clamp is opened,
then, put the tube in
the frame.
Check that the handle
faces forwards, as
in this picture, the
crank in the fore-
ground is the right
side.
Put
seatclamp
on frame with
slot matching
the frame
slot.
6 7

I
am the left
pedal !
...
& I am the
right one
The
right pedal
belongs to crank
with an "R" or
"R H " on the
inside
tighten right pedal clockwise and left
one counter clockwise. check if pedals
are well tightened after first ride!
Seatpost must
always be inserted at
least 6 cm in frame!
If seatpost is too
long, use the
second, 200mm post,
which comes with all
Qu-AX Luxus
unicycles.
That way, you do not
need to shorten the
original post. Once
you are tall enough,
just mount the long
one again.
Always
check all
screws
before
every ride,
especial-
ly after
the first
ones!!
Leg
should be
nearly straight
with pedal in
lowest
position
8 9
Check
pedals &
cranks
after the
first rides!

How is this ever going to work?
If you want to ride a unicycle, physical fitness and
ability to concentrate will come in handy. The first hour
or so of practice can be quite frustrating - but the sport
soon becomes addictive! Once you learn to ride
a unicycle, learning to snowboard, ski, surf -
and indeed any sport requiring mastery of
balance - will in turn become much
easier to learn.
Before you first attempt to mount the
unicycle, make sure you wear a helmet.
Knee and elbow pads, and gloves, are also
recommended.
If you have assembled the unicycle as
shown on the previous pages, you
should be aware as to which end
is the front. If your unicycle was
assembled by somebody else, take a
closer look: the vertical slot cut into the
frame at the seat-post clamp is at the
back, and the handle on the saddle at
the front. The inside of the crank-arms
are labelled “L” and “R” for the left-
hand and right-hand sides respectively.
The saddle should be adjusted
so that your leg is almost
straight - but not locked -
when the pedal is in the
lowest position, as with a
bicycle. Whilst learning,
however, it may be more
suitable to deliberately set the
saddle 1-2 cm too low.
Learning to ride with your
friends is great; you can help
each other! If you prefer learn-
ing on your own, find a place
with flat ground and a hand-
rail or something at arm height
to hold on to. A doorframe, as shown in the picture, can
work well, too.
And now - let’s go! Rest one hand on the handrail or
your friend’s shoulder. Try to keep the saddle between
your legs and the right-hand pedal at the 4 o’clock
position. As you press down on this pedal, the unicycle
10 11

will roll, under your body. Now, you are sitting in an
upright position on the unicycle. Congratulations; you
are now only about 4 - 6 hours away from riding a
unicycle!
The next goal should be to find the right balance on the
unicycle. It is important that your body stays in an
upright position; do not try to look down, or at the
wheel. Hold on to your friend, or your handrail.
First step: to find the balance
In order to ride forward, hold onto your friend or hand-
rail and pedal forward carefully. When you master this,
or find it no longer useful, try pedaling for a little while
without holding a support. Now you are only
3-4 hours away from free riding!
Most importantly, when you feel
yourself losing your balance, abandon
the unicycle by jumping or stepping off; it
is designed to withstand these crashes! It
cannot cry - but can you?
Soon, the journey will become its own
reward! You will suddenly find yourself
able to ride one meter, then two, and soon you won’t
understand how the first step could have been so
difficult. If you like, you can stop practicing in private
and ride in a public place. People who see you are likely
to be most impressed!
Remember, always keep cool. If you have to step off,
relax and try to find a handhold, perhaps a tree or
streetlight, to hold onto when you climb aboard to
continue.
I feel I can fly!
Now you should practice this over several days. During
this time you will develop an understanding for how
your unicycle behaves.
Your riding will not be very smooth or precise, but do
not worry; this is typical for unicycling in the beginning.
Whilst riding, you may discover that you can exercise
some control of the unicycle by moving your hips. If you
feel you are falling from the front of the unicycle, pedal
a little faster and it will catch you up; if you feel you are
falling from the back, pedal slower and you will catch it
up!
12 13

The next exercise will be to free-mount.
Your preferred legs pedal should be
in a 7 o’clock position. Try to do
this in a place that prevents
the wheel from rolling
forward, such as against a
kerb. Press on the 7 o’clock
position pedal, and the unicycle will roll
back and underneath you, lifting you up.
Try to remain in an upright position.
It is very unlikely that you will do this
successfully for quite a long time! You
will need to make hundreds of att-
empts - but when it clicks, you genuinely
will feel like you can fly!
Turning without handlebar?
Changing direction at will involves a similar technique to
snowboarding or skiing. Your hips initiate the move-
ment and your upper body indicates the direction. Point
your upper body in the direction you want to go and
the unicycle will follow. It is vital that you look firmly in
the direction you want to go. Initially, you will describe
a broad circle, but eventually you will be able to turn
more and more tightly. Now you have learned the most
crucial elements of unicycling. As always; the most
important of these is still the ability to keep cool!
The best way to develop your skills is to join a unicycling
club (of course, you can always establish a new club of
your own!) In addition, you can find out more about the
world of unicycling using the internet links are provided
in the appendix.
By the way - in Japan, unicycling is taught in school
sports lessons, as a matter of course! Personally, I only
scored an “E” in Maths but I merited an “A” in sports! I
learned unicycling at the age of 35, but it is quite
normal for younger people to learn unicycling much
faster.
14 15

Pit stop
A unicycle is a comparatively simple machine, requiring
only minimal maintenance. The wheel and pedals need
to bear the greatest stress. After a few days you should
ensure the spokes are tensioned correctly and the wheel
is trued. A cycle shop can do this for you.
The pedals and
crank-arms are
handed; they are
labelled “R” and “L”
for the right-hand side
and left-hand side, respec-
tively. When fitting the left-hand
components, be aware that they are
counter-threaded and so must be turned in
the opposite direction (counter-clockwise to
tighten) to the right-hand components (clock-
wise).
On the next pages, you will find general information
about unicycle components. QU-AX manufactures all
parts needed for repairs or aftermarket upgrades. If any
components become damaged, your unicycle dealer will
have spares.
Toolbox
The QU-AX toolbox is specifically designed for unicy-
clists to ensure you always have the right tools for every
part of your unicycle!
- colour-indexed allen keys
- heavy duty tyre levers
- spoke key
- QU-AX ratchet (e.g. for bearing-cup bolts)
- high-end pipe-cutter for seatposts
- heavy duty 15mm pedal wrench
- professional QU-AX bearing extractor
- bearing assembly-tool
- crank-extractor
- Q-Axle-adjusting-tool
This toolbox allows you to
completely strip and reassemble
your unicycle.
16 17

The wheel
The wheel is the most important part of the uni-
cycle and ought to be of the highest quality. A
good wheel should have a metal rim made
from alloy or steel. Plastic wheels will
quickly break.
For a 20” wheel, 36 spokes
should be the minimum. For
smaller wheels, 12” to
18” in diameter, 20 - 28
spokes are acceptable,
because their riders are
smaller and thus weigh
less than 30 kg (65
lbs). Wheels intended
for more extreme use
can have 48 spokes;
more spokes makes a
wheel stronger, more
reliable and easier to
true. Eyelets at the spoke
hole allow a higher spoke-
tension spokes.
Rims:
Steel rims are heavy.
Alloy rims are sturdy and lighter and rustproof.
Double-walled alloy rims are the strongest and yet
lightest rims. This is an example cross-section of two of
our double-walled rims:
18 19
Tires:
Tire designs vary significantly depending on the in-
tended use. Standard tire: Normal bicycle tires are okay
for most ordinary riding.
Indoor/Freestyle tire: These can be ridden at much
higher pressures, offering more smoothness and less
rolling resistance. A white or light color allows you to
ride indoors without marking the floor.
Muni/Trials tire: Wide tires with an aggres-
sive tread pattern, these can absorb the
impact of drops and offer better rebound
and traction.
<< QU-AX DB-45
QU-AX BX-32 >>

Hub & Cranks
Unlike a bicycle, a unicycle has just one hub; it is at
the same time the centre of transmission, and so quite
unique! It is exposed to much greater stresses than
bicycle hubs, bearing both the weight of the rider and
the entire force of transmission. These forces can be
compounded by aggressive or extreme riding.
Standard unicycles have a square-taper crankshaft,
which is sufficient for normal riding. Crankshafts made
of better-quality steel alloys, like Cro-Mo, are tempered
to be harder and stronger. QU-AX unicycles with such
crankshafts are colour-coded:
QU-AX black and silver hubs are square-taper, ISIS-
splined hubs are red or yellow and Race hubs are blue.
Q-Axle-hubs are anodized red (shiny). Yellow hubs are
tougher than red ones, but all red, yellow and blue
hubs are made from a specially-tempered steel. The Q-
axle-crank-system has a wider axle and pinched cranks
- which is the best way to combine strength, lightweight
and durability.
ISIS crankshafts end not in a square-taper but in ten
splines, giving a much greater surface area to transfer
torque safely from the crank-arms to the hub. They also
have a large diameter and bigger bearings.
The QU-AX ISIS crankshaft is a standard 10-spline ISIS
crankshaft, but there are also brands making 8 and
48-spline crankshafts. The ISIS standard was established
by the bicycle industry. The Q-axle standard follows the
current bicycle-technique evolution.
The yellow QU-AX hub is almost legendary among
Trial-riders as the first genuinely solid hub. The first
front-flip on a unicycle was
done on a yellow
QU-AX hub!
All high-end QU-
AX unicycles are
built with up to 36
to 48 spokes for stiffness
and resilience when
performing tricks or for extreme riding.
20 21

Bearings
Unicycle bearings are industry-standard
sealed bearing units. They are fully en-
closed and don’t require servicing. QU-AX
bearings have an outer diameter of 40mm
(square-taper) or 42mm (Q-axle, ISIS), mak-
ing them compatible with almost all
popular unicycle frames.
Crank-arms
The crank-arm length has a crucial influence on the
transmission ratio of the unicycle; a longer cranks gives
you more control and a shorter crank gives you more
efficiency. The length is a very personal choice - de-
pending on your riding-stile and type. A long crank, for
example, can be helpful for small pilots to easily control
their speed down a hill. Typical lenghts are e.g.:
16-18“: 102mm
20“: 114mm
24“: 127mm
For multi-purpose,
cranks with 2 holes are available.
Frames
There are two types of frames: those with a
rounded crown (the ‘shoulders’ of the frame)
and those with a flat crown. Freestyle riders
prefer a flat crown, because they can place
their feet on it for “wheel walking” and
other tricks. Freestylers also like the so-
called “long’necked” frames; on these,
the seatpost clamp is as high up as
possible to keep it clear of the rider’s
knees whilst they perform tricks.
The material a frame is made from is
less important than that of the cranks
as the frame experiences far less stress.
Cro-Mo and alloy frames have the
advantage of being lighter and
more resistant to rust. For trials
and muni frames you should choose
a flat, narrow crown without sharp edges
- which could injure you. Some frames already
have disc- or magura-brakemounts brazed-on,
so a brake can be fitted at some point in future
without difficulty. Alloy frames are lighter - and still
more rigid.
22 23

24 25
Seatposts
A unicycle’s seatpost must be the correct length; riders
measuring about up to 1,60 m (5’ 3”) ought to be
able to ride the unicycle without needing a longer one
than that supplied with the uniycycle. If you need a
shorter one, cutting down a seatpost is not difficult.
Seatposts can have a diamond-knurled surface which
prevents it from twisting in the frame. A diameter of at
least 25.4mm offers more stability and a wider choice
of seatpost clamps owing to compatibility with bicycle
seatpost clamps.
When you first slide the seatpost into the frame
you will observe that at some point it stops -
either on the tyre or within the frame. When this
happens, if the saddle is still too high, you need to cut
the seatpost shorter. This is why QU-AX Luxus unicycles
come with two seatposts; one is made shorter (200mm)
for smaller riders. This removes the need for cutting
a seatpost to length; simply mount the saddle on the
shorter post!
It is vital that the seatpost is inserted at least 60mm
into the frame. When riding hard or riding muni, trials,
downhill or jumping it ought to be inserted even fur-
ther. For such types of riding, QU-AX have developed a
reinforced seatpost with a support gusset (pictured left)
for additional strength.
For very tall riders, QU-AX offers 700mm seatposts.
Simply ask your QU-AX dealer, who should be able to
order one for you.
Light alloy-seatposts save weight - and a gusset rein-
forces seatposts that need more strength - as for trials or
muni for example.
Long distance riders often attach a handlebar-like device
under their seat to provide a hand-rest, something to
lean on and to make steering easier.

26 27
Seatpost clamps
The seatpost clamp secures the seatpost to the frame.
This component must be reliable and of high quality as
it is very stressed, even during casual riding. Of course,
these stresses are even greater during Muni, Trials
and Downhill riding, or during certain tricks.
There are single-bolt, twin-bolt and
quick-release seatpost clamps; the lat-
ter are most commonly used in clubs,
schools and other situations where
the seat height may need to be
adjusted frequently and without
tools, but bolted clamps have the
advantage of being more secure and
able to withstand being tightened to a
much greater torque.
Saddles
On a unicycle, the design and performance of the saddle
is more important than on a bicycle; it is the only in-
strument of control and, without handlebars to lean on,
must bear the entire weight of the rider. Different riders,
of course, may have quite different ideas about what
saddles are comfortable!
A good saddle ought to have a tough, rigid baseplate for
security and responsiveness. For Trials, Muni and certain
tricks, it will need a handle at the front, which must
also be tough and rigid, as under some conditions it
bears a very large part of the riders weight.
An integrated handle makes the saddle
more handy and compact for tricks. A
smooth surface underneath prevents fin-
gers from getting injured. As the handlebar
and/or bumpers are located at the
very front and rear of the saddle,
they bear the brunt of any impact
when the unicycle is dropped or falls
over; they ought to be replaceable. In
this way they can protect the rest of the
saddle from being damaged. All QU-AX
Luxus unicycles from a 20” wheel and
upwards are equipped with such a handle.
For smaller unicycles (12” to 18”), look for a smaller,
child-sized saddle. QU-AX also offers special saddles
for long distance riders, the QX-Eleven saddle is built
with a special dual-compound material for maximum
comfort.

28 29
Stands
Unfortunately, unicycles cannot stand on their own!
QU-AX has unicycle stands available; check out our
website for details: www.QU-AX.de
Pedals
The pedals’ surface, on which the rider’s
foot is placed, shouldn’t be slippery. The
surrounding cage ought to be rounded for
indoor riding to minimize damage to floors
if the unicycle falls over or is dropped. Most
of the time, plastic pedals are good enough.
Flatland riders, however, often prefer magnesium or PVC
pedals, for their reduced weight.
Other extreme riders prefer alloy, magnesium or steel
pedals, which are more sturdy and offer better grip.
Some riders perform tricks, such as grinds and pedal
grabs, which requires pedals with a stronger axle, better
quality bearings and sometimes a completely differ-
ent shape. Most of such pedals have pins along their
surface, for better grip; on some high-end pedals these
pins are exchangeable. With any pedals that have pins,
an angular cage or sharp surface, protective clothing and
equipment should be worn to prevent injuries.
The different types of unicycles
Unicycle sports are evolving rapidly and spawning, as a
result, new types of unicycles and disciplines. This sec-
tion will describe some of the more prevalent forms:
Race unicycle
During a race, overall weight and rolling resistance (the
resistance to motion caused by friction between the tyre
and the ground) are important considerations. A narrow
wheel and thin tyre helps with both. In competition,
international regulations impose limits on the tyre di-
mensions and crank lengths that can be used.
Long distance / Touring unicycle
This type of unicycle has become more popular in recent
years, for road riding, touring, commuting and so
forth. Most have 29” or 36” wheels, and they can be
equipped with a brake, geared hub, a handlebar and
other practical accessories. They can usually handle an
amount of light off-road duties.
Mountain Unicycle (Muni)
Typically with a wheel size between 20” and 27,5”,
although commonly 24”, use to have largest tyres with
knobbly treads that can be run at relatively low

30 31
pressures for traction over loose surfaces and to dampen
out the jolts and jars of Muni riding. Some models can
be equipped with a brake. Of late, there are even differ-
ent types of Muni! Sub-disciplines may have their own
types of equipment adapted to the conditions they en-
counter. Downhill (24” wheel) and long distance, trips
(29” and 27,5” wheel) are two good examples of this.
Trials and Flatland Unicycles
These are very similar in design to Munis. They are never
equipped with brakes or handlebars, they have 19”
or 20” wheels, they can have forks with a flat crown,
useful for certain tricks, and occasionally tyres with a less
knobbly tread.
Downhill (24”), Flat & Trials (19”), long distance (29”
and 36”) and all of them have some special equipment
adapted to their kind of practice.
Classic unicycle
The classic unicycle usually has a 20“ wheel. Better
quality ones have a 20“x1.95“ tire.
Those unicycles are pretty versatile. Some people play
hockey or basketball on them, other people do
Freestyle-tricks on them. The main difference between
a bad and a good unicycle lays in the materials they are
made from.
Some more help...
Link: www.unicyclist.com
QU-AX Videos: www.youtube.
com/user/QUAXUnicycles
The unicyclist forum contains
information about local clubs,
regional tournaments and all sorts
of other aspects of the unicyclist
community. The QU-AX Youtube
channel contains assembly guides
and instructions, videos of our
team riders and more.
contact:
Publisher, distributor, Copyright:
QU-AX-GmbH
Dieselstr. 92
33442 Herzebrock-Clarholz
Germany
Credits:
Thanx to Roland & Petra for some
pictures in the assembling instruc-
tions. Copyright therefore:
www.municycle.com
www.QU-AX.de
race-unicycle
muni-unicycle
Luxus-unicycle

So baust Du Dein QU-AX auf:
Der Kleinkram
An
Werkzeug
brauchst Du nur
einen 10er und 15er
Maulschlüssel...
Karton-
inhalt
32 33
Der
Aufbau sollte
durch einen
Erwachsenen
erfolgen, oder zu-
mindest über-
prüft werden.
Die Montage muss
durch oder unter
Aufsicht eines
Erwachsenen
erfolgen!

zu-
nächst ganz
wichtig: Wo ist
vorne & hinten? an
der Kurbel-Innen-
seite erkennt
man es:
Das ist also ganz klar
die rechte Kurbel !
Der
schlitz an
der Gabel
muss nach
hinten
Rechte
Kurbel
Nun die Gabel auf den Kopf drehen und
die Lagerschale auflegen. Die Schrauben
mit dem Keil in die Aussparungen
einlegen:
Keil
34 35

Beide Schrauben abwechselnd anziehen,
aber nur so fest, dass sich das Lager
noch schön frei dreht
achtung! nur
so fest, dass
es nicht mehr
wackelt...
mit
dem
zehner-
Schlüssel
gleichmäßig
anziehen
Oben: Schlitz,
Schnellspanneröff-
nung und Schutzecke
sind hinten.
Links: Jetzt prü-
fe noch einmal, ob
der Schnellspanner
geöffnet ist, dann
schiebst Du die Sat-
telstütze in die Ga-
bel - achtung !
Auch hier darauf ach-
ten, dass der Griff
Vorn ist - auf dem
Bild ist also im
Vordergrund die
rechte Kurbel.
Schnell-
spanner mit
der Öffnung auf
den Schlitz schie-
ben: hinten
36 37

Ich
bin das lin-
ke Pedal
...und
ich das
rechte
Das
Rechte Pe-
dal in die mit
"R" oder "R H "
beschriftete
Kurbel
Das Rechte Pedal wird Im Uhrzeigersinn,
das linke gegen den Uhrzeigersinn ange-
zogen, nach der ersten Fahrt nachziehen
Die Sattelstütze
sollte immer min-
destens 6 cm in der
Gabel Stecken!
Falls die Stütze doch
zu lang ist, greife
zur zweiten, 200 mm
Stütze, die ebenfalls
im lieferumfang der
QU-AX-LUXUS Einräder
ist.
So brauchst DU die
lange Stütze nicht
abzusägen und wenn
du groß genug bist,
wechselst du einfach
wieder auf die lange.
Das
Bein sollte
durchgestreckt
sein, dann sitzt
du richtig !
38 39
Pedale &
Kurbeln nach
den ersten
Fahrten nach-
ziehen!
Prüfe vor
jeder Fahrt
sämtliche
Schrauben,
vor
allem nach
den er-
sten Aus-
fahrten!!!