"fixing" my Velo (Kris Holm) seat handle

Hi.

I've recently got a new unicycle from unicycles.com.au and
well, it's farkin cool fun.

The seat is so uber comfy it makes me weep like I'm the widowed
blonde in a Humphry Bogart film.

Only problem I've had this this seat so far is the handle trying to
assassinate my fingers.
Nailside of the main knuckles, especially in my middle, ring and index
fingers were very sore from hopping and seat linking.

I trundled off to the LBS and bought some full fingered gloves.
I call them my 'extreme gloves' and pull them on and run around the
house screaming EXXTTREEEEEMMEEE... nevermind that though.

This helped a little, but not as much as I'd hoped, and as much as I was
lead to believe by some certain communist sympathisers in #unicyclists
on dal.net. (they weren't really commies, they just thought Mao was a
nice guy).

I went at my handle with some kitchen paper towel and some masking tape.

AH-HA! I folded several pieces of this kitchen paper towel (spot who
raided the kitchen McGyver style looking for stuff to use) and folded it
around, and under the handle. Building up the rather uncomfortably thin
edge. I taped this down with the masking tape.
This helped quite a bit, until I bought some thick ass gaffer tape and
went to that baby like a stain to an oval office dress.
I made it all clean looking (I even matched the colour tape with the
seat colour) and it's not perfect.

My finger pain has all but gone, the handle is thicker and much nicer to
hold onto when hopping over pathetically small things, and in general,
all is well.

Enjoy wondering what I'm talking about.
Sam Murray
Perth, Western Australia.


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perth
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You must be holding it weird because Its not that bad at all. sometimes
i ride without any gloves, and it has never been a
problem........strange you are


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dubmuni2004 - Aaron Dubois

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speaking of customising the kh seat, and threadjacking in general

did anybody try removing some of the foam to make the seat better for
freestyle.

i've been finding the kh seat a bit too big to grip for freestyle, and
rather that spend even more monney on an ugly miyata seat or use a
crappy old viscount i've been thinking of opening up the kh and cutting
half the foam out.

does anybody have some pics of this or any advice?


seems that lots of people tape up the handle though, but i don't find it
at all uncomfortable on my trials unicycle.


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evilewan - death or glory

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well the problem is that the cover is stapled to the frame (as you
probably know) so I wouldnt risk it. the saples probably wouldnt come
out that easy and if you get them out then good for you, but getting
staples back on there would be preatty hard. My advise is to just not
worry about it.


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dubmuni2004 - Aaron Dubois

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that was the funniest thing i've read in a long long time. thanks, sam.


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tennisgh22 - Learning to muni

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Sam,
Once you get used to riding more extreme (and less running around the
house), you will relax more and keep a less tight grip on the handle.
Of course, riding down a flight of stairs is extreme for me, but when I
first started, I would pull on the seat as hard as I could. Now I have
a relaxed grip when I ride down stairs and it causes less finger pain.


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paco - Co-Founder of the PacoGild Movement

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Sam, I'm with you on the finger pain thing. I felt like my fingers were
gonna die at some points. I then got a different saddle with a reeder
handle on it and everything was better. I know that doesnt help you much
but i just wanted to let you know that you aren't -strange - as dubmuni
said.

How is the paper towel holding up when you drop the uni and it hits
ground on the handle side? -erik


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mango - unity - as 1 stand together

"I know I'd be willing to spend up to $20 for a set of strong nipples."
-andrew_carter

(sorry buddy, couldnt resist =)

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I'm not holding the seat real hard, it's impossible to hop very well
without pulling on the seat at all. Otherwise, there wouldn't be a
handle.
Maybe you've got chipolata fingers and it dosen't hurt them

The kitchen towel holds up fine as it's under a thick layer of masking
tape, which is double layered under thick gaffer tape.
Pretty much bomb proof unless you dip it in parrafin.

Sam


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perth
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A short little piece of vinyl tubing, slit open, will also work to round
off or bulk up the edges under the handle. If the vinyl tubing isn't
enough you could use an old piece of garden hose. The vinyl tubing is
the stuff that's used for feeding the refrigerator ice maker and similar
applications.

Put the tubing on the edge that you want rounded off and then tape it in
place with hockey tape, duct tape, or whatever.

I did a similar operation to my Kinport handle to make it more
comfortable.
http://tinyurl.com/tkuf
Scroll down to the bottom of the thread.


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john_childs - Guinness Mojo

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