Pedal Ticking

kristine said:

*I've had my unicycle for a year, but only used it for one one and a
half summers (cant ride in the winter :P) but recently my right pedal
has started to make a ticking sound. Does anyone know how to fix this
or what it is caused by?
Thanks *

Either the pedal is loose in the crank (most likely), or the bearings
are shot.

1) Grab the pedal center and pull it up and down hard. If the pedal
spindle moves even a tiny bit then the pedal is loose.

2) Orient the unicycle so that the pedal is pointed straight up. Spin
the pedal with your finger. Any strange grating or clicking sounds?
The inner bearing is shot.

3) Orient the unicycle so that the pedal is pointed straight down. Spin
the pedal with your finger. Any strange grating or clicking sounds?
The outer pedal is shot.

(PS: Most experienced mechanics go through this entire process in less
than 5 seconds by jerking the pedal up and down, then pulling in and
pushing out while rocking the pedal. The three step process is
instructive, though.)

If the pedal is loose then tighten it with a wrench thin enough to fit
tightly on the flats with a little room on either side. A pedal wrench
is ideal.

If a bearing is shot then you've got three options. If you're low on
funds then just ride on it. It won't self destruct rapidly. If the
pedal is really nice and the bearings are serviceable then replace the
bearings. Option three is to replace the pedals. Given the beating
that most unicycle pedals get with UPDs the third option is probably the
most sensible.

If none of the pedal diagnostic tests come up positive then your
unicycle has a problem somewhere else. Since the clicking is on one
side only that limits the problems to a) loose crank, b) some sort of
hub failure, like a loose key, or c) some sort of spoke ailment.

--
cyberbellum - Level 1.0 rider!

I was standing in the park wondering why frisbees get bigger as they get
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Thanks for the help, none of the tests were conclusive, but I guess I'll
ride on it anyway, and maybe take it to a bike shop when I get some
money. Thanks again

--
kristine - The Unicycling Kristine!
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