# I'm Looking For Information About "The Monkees" Unicycles



## kostnerave (Jan 29, 2022)

I'm looking for information about the unicycles featured on The Monkees T.V. show. I'm posting the inquiry here because it seems to fit the Sting-ray/ Musclebike genre, and it's custom culture related. My internet searches have provided a few still shots of The Monkees riding them around and doing tricks on them, but that is the extent of it. From what I can see, the unicycles are very well made, with what appears to be an American Racing mag wheel cut down and fitted with a special hub and crank arms. Tubular framework comes off of the hub and angles back to hold a padded saddle, complete with racing stripes. More framework angles downward, toward the back of the mag wheel, to form some sort of wheelie bar with two heavy rubber caster wheels. The four machines appear to be painted different candy colors. My questons are first, who made these? Dean Jeffries, perhaps, or some other custom firm? Second, did any of them survive and if so, where are they? It would be great to see some detailed photos of their construction. I can't believe that something so omnipresent on the show, and something so iconic hasn't turned up somewhere. These unicycles were a part of 60's pop culture history and to me, just as important as the Eddie Munster chain link Sting-ray. If anyone has any information, please share. Thanks!


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## mrg (Jan 29, 2022)




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## Rivnut (Jan 30, 2022)

Those are actually tricycles, by design anyway with the itty bitty wheels in the back.


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## StingrayRider (Jan 30, 2022)

Kind of like the old skate bikes.


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## kostnerave (Jan 30, 2022)

StingrayRider said:


> Kind of like the old skate bikes.View attachment 1560935View attachment 1560936View attachment 1560937



I see the similarities in design to the Skate Bike, but the Monkees' unicycles look way more custom made. They also pre date the skate bike by almost twenty years. Who made these things?


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## StingrayRider (Jan 30, 2022)

Maybe Dean Jeffries. He created the Monkeymobile.
https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo...onkeemobile-creator-dies-dean-jeffries-was-80


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## Frank and Pam Skid Kings (Jan 31, 2022)

Those are really interesting. Bet they are out there and probably stashed in the back of a garage in L.A. somewhere.


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## stingrayjoe (Jan 31, 2022)

Very cool looking machines! Five spoke mag with color line tire. They look pretty high quality...


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## StingrayRider (Jan 31, 2022)

Just keep your hands and feet out of the spokes...


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## StingrayRider (Jan 31, 2022)

Maybe I could make one out of my old hotwheels case.


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## Coyote (Feb 1, 2022)

Frank and Pam Skid Kings said:


> probably stashed in the back of a garage in L.A. somewhere.


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## koolbikes (Feb 1, 2022)

Mickey Dolenz


mrg said:


> View attachment 1560119View attachment 1560120



Mickey Dolenz is the sole remaining MONKEE he has a web page and facebook page, has anyone reached out to him about info of these Kustom pieces? 








						Micky Dolenz
					

Home page of Micky Dolenz, a rock artist from Los Angeles, CA. Singer Musician  Actor The Monkees




					mickydolenz.com


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## kostnerave (Feb 1, 2022)

koolbikes said:


> Mickey Dolenz
> 
> Mickey Dolenz is the sole remaining MONKEE he has a web page and facebook page, has anyone reached out to him about info of these Kustom pieces?
> 
> ...



Thank you for a really great idea, koolbikes. The problem is that his webpage is more about engagment booking and the agencies he's working through. These people will probably have zero interest, or time, to discuss a prop used in a show made five decades ago! If he had a personal Facebook account, I might stand a chance. Does anyone on here know the man? I'm not a stalker, just a vintage bicycle collector. Ha!


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## StingrayRider (Feb 2, 2022)

Interesting story about the Monkeymobile. Maybe you could post your question on that site.









						Why Is George Barris Getting Credit For The Monkeemobile?
					

With yesterday's unexpected death of the Monkees' onetime-hearthrob Davy Jones, there has naturally been a resurgence of interest in the amazing, funhouse-mirror version of the Pontiac GTO that was the Monkeemobile.




					jalopnik.com


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## koolbikes (Feb 2, 2022)

I feel that these Monkee's Unicycles were a Kustom Built piece.

I happened to be looking at the fender of this unicycle and it made me think of the Mattel Stallion bicycle Fenders so, I looked up Mattel Unicycle and came across a very similar style piece, same concept. The Mattel description was Tricycle unicycle.

1968 Hot Wheels Super Rally Case by Mattel... looks more like the Wheel.

Found the patent... LEAN VELOCIPEDE  https://patents.google.com/patent/US3860264

Mattel Stallion bicycle has Squared fenders with stripe down the middle similar to these unicycles.


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## koolbikes (Feb 2, 2022)

After more research it was Mattel that had a hand in the Monkee Velocipede
Inventors : John W. Ryan & Robert A MacMeekin
Same Guy's invented the Mattel V-RROOM X-15

US Patent # 3392991A



			US3392991A - Velocipede          - Google Patents


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## kostnerave (Feb 3, 2022)

koolbikes said:


> After more research it was Mattel that had a hand in the Monkee Velocipede
> Inventors : John W. Ryan & Robert A MacMeekin
> Same Guy's invented the Mattel V-RROOM X-15
> 
> ...



Wow! I think you've nailed it. This is really "Kool" information. Now, outside of the four Monkee unicycles, were any ever put into production? If so, there has to be one languishing somewhere. You made my day!!!


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## koolbikes (Feb 4, 2022)

Could not find anything in the 1964 thru 1968 Mattel Toy Catalogs or toy advertisements.
I'm sure if they were produced we would be finding them or something about them available. 
Maybe there stashed in Mickey Dolenz Garage, there out there somewhere.
Sounds like a Monkee's song : "I'm a Believer"


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## GTs58 (Feb 4, 2022)

I checked out the Sears Christmas catalogs for 1968-69-70 and didn't see anything other than the regular unicycles. Sears usually had all the new crazy items when I was a kid, so I thought they for sure would be in their catalogs.


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## kostnerave (Feb 5, 2022)

The "mag" wheel on this thing looks like it may be a cast aluminum piece, very expensive to mass produce. It was probably too cost prohibitive to mass produce. The end product most likely would have cost as much as a Bronco or Stallion bicycle, too much money for something that would end up collecting dust in the corner of a garage!


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## 1motime (Feb 5, 2022)

Could very well be a molded plastic overlay on top of a fabbed wheel.  So bicycle spokes did not show could be a rim with welded in rods under the "Mag".  Never underestimate what Hollywood builders could throw together when Hollywood money was involved.


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## koolbikes (Feb 5, 2022)

kostnerave said:


> The "mag" wheel on this thing looks like it may be a cast aluminum piece, very expensive to mass produce. It was probably too cost prohibitive to mass produce. The end product most likely would have cost as much as a Bronco or Stallion bicycle, too much money for something that would end up collecting dust in the corner of a garage!




I have to agree with cast piece, in the patents description says, "molded" but if you ever seen a Sear's Screamer 2 Mag rear Wheel assembly, it is probably fastened in that fashion, from the inside of rim. Also states a pneumatic tire.  Keep in mind this is before any "Mag" wheel was ever produced such as the Webco Mag Wheel for George Barris's Stelber / Iverson bicycles.
You probably would have seen something such as this Unicycle sell at FAO Schwarz, in the high-end specialty toy department.


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## StingrayRider (Feb 5, 2022)

More pics of Monkees on unicycles and a monkey on a bicycle.









						Unicycle Pictures
					

62 pictures of Unicycle with The Monkees.




					monkees.coolcherrycream.com


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## koolbikes (Feb 6, 2022)

StingrayRider said:


> More pics of Monkees on unicycles and a monkey on a bicycle.



After looking at those pictures, it appears that Peter Tork's Unicycle had a longer seat.
Here's the best two close-up photo's of the unicycle...









Davy Jone's was Red
Peter Tork's was Violet
Mike Nesmith's was Lime
Mickey Dolenz's was Gold


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## Jeff54 (Feb 6, 2022)

IDK but, this seems to be the first episode or only, they appeared in and in it, on a shelf, it looks like a Mattel Chatty Cathy doll. With the Patent applied by them, probably the place to go like, Email em.

“_Monkee vs Machine_” (_Season 1_, _Episode 3_)


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## Jeff54 (Feb 6, 2022)

GTs58 said:


> I checked out the Sears Christmas catalogs for 1968-69-70 and didn't see anything other than the regular unicycles. Sears usually had all the new crazy items when I was a kid, so I thought they for sure would be in their catalogs.



Yeah. Here's a Sears, no tomato but similarity that looks like inserted next to some big spokes, plastic Mag wheel accessory or what? Candy Paint too.


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## bicyclebuff (Feb 7, 2022)

The mag wheel looks to be one off of a huffy  rail, very rare and hard to find, ive  had a couple


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## kostnerave (Feb 7, 2022)

Jeff54 said:


> Yeah. Here's a Sears, no tomato but similarity that looks like inserted next to some big spokes, plastic Mag wheel accessory or what? Candy Paint too.
> 
> View attachment 1565318



I had one of these, as a kid, and the "mag" wheel was a cast aluminum piece. It was riveted at the five contact points to a Murray steel rim. The bike looked cool and I loved it until the wheel loosened up with use.  This caused the aluminum spokes to flex against the steel rim, creating a very loud squeaking sound with every revolution of the wheel. It drove me crazy, so I sold the Screamer and bought the cheapest polo bike Sears had, a candy apple red Huffy Dragster with white painted rims. It was the best wheelie bike in the world. I could ride wheelies for blocks, holding on to the seat and spinning the front wheel. Good times!


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## kostnerave (Feb 7, 2022)

bicyclebuff said:


> The mag wheel looks to be one off of a huffy  rail, very rare and hard to find, ive  had a couple



The Huffy Rail mag is close but featured six lugs, and the Monkees version has a five lug pattern. Those mag wheel Rails are rare. The only one I've seen were pictures of an n.o.s. bike, belonging to a collector on the east coast.


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## Rollo (Feb 7, 2022)

kostnerave said:


> The Huffy Rail mag is close but featured six lugs, and the Monkees version has a five lug pattern. Those mag wheel Rails are rare. The only one I've seen were pictures of an n.o.s. bike, belonging to a collector on the east coast.








						Super Rare Huffy Mag Wheel
					

This is probably the rarest part you could find for the Huffy Muscle bikes. It is a rear 5 speed mag wheel. The mag you see is plastic with a metal mag under it. There is only 1 other bike that has been seen with this mag. There is another mag like this  floating around out there somewhere and...




					ratrodbikes.com


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## Jeff54 (Feb 7, 2022)

kostnerave said:


> I had one of these, as a kid, and the "mag" wheel was a cast aluminum piece. It was riveted at the five contact points to a Murray steel rim. The bike looked cool and I loved it until the wheel loosened up with use.  This caused the aluminum spokes to flex against the steel rim, creating a very loud squeaking sound with every revolution of the wheel. It drove me crazy, so I sold the Screamer and bought the cheapest polo bike Sears had, a candy apple red Huffy Dragster with white painted rims. It was the best wheelie bike in the world. I could ride wheelies for blocks, holding on to the seat and spinning the front wheel. Good times!


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## Jeff54 (Feb 7, 2022)

Zactly, as it's related to the topic and how the Mattel wheel was put together, I was wondering: " "mag" wheel was a cast aluminum  piece. It was riveted at the five contact points to a Murray steel rim"

I guess it's possible on monkeey bike but, gots a feeling Monkeey's Unicycle could be whole piece aluminum or? cast. Reminds me, my brother and I was messing around near Azua on a Sunday, a small factory, (unlocked storage yard back then) setting out were small Mag wheels but think for Go-carts vs bike, they could have made that unicycle wheel. Mattel factory and extra wherehouse wasn't far from where I grew up. And Azusa had plenty of Start-ups where, prob manufactured for Mattel. If Mattel factory trashed them, then, behind my house in the hills was La-Pu (La Puente) City dump. Mattel's environmentally unfriendly trash pit. That's where it's all at. Everything U can imagine, until 1969/70, reject, discounted Etc.  Mattel is in there. . Directly, I might add, under the Hilton hotel they'd put, I believe, to hide the toxic waste in there. In that dump, Toxic is being polite as some summers there were self-ignited  explosions.


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## kostnerave (Feb 8, 2022)

Jeff54 said:


> Zactly, as it's related to the topic and how the Mattel wheel was put together, I was wondering: " "mag" wheel was a cast aluminum  piece. It was riveted at the five contact points to a Murray steel rim"
> 
> I guess it's possible on monkeey bike but, gots a feeling Monkeey's Unicycle could be whole piece aluminum or? cast. Reminds me, my brother and I was messing around near Azua on a Sunday, a small factory, (unlocked storage yard back then) setting out were small Mag wheels but think for Go-carts vs bike, they could have made that unicycle wheel. Mattel factory and extra wherehouse wasn't far from where I grew up. And Azusa had plenty of Start-ups where, prob manufactured for Mattel. If Mattel factory trashed them, then, behind my house in the hills was La-Pu (La Puente) City dump. Mattel's environmentally unfriendly trash pit. That's where it's all at. Everything U can imagine, until 1969/70, reject, discounted Etc.  Mattel is in there. . Directly, I might add, under the Hilton hotel they'd put, I believe, to hide the toxic waste in there. In that dump, Toxic is being polite as some summers there were self-ignited  explosions.



Huffy also had manufacturing plants in Azusa, making the first high rise bike there, the Penguin. Maybe there was a relation to the Monkees mag wheel and the Huffy rail mag wheel. Ah, to dig through that dumpsite! Thanks for input, Jeff54.


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## HEMI426 (Feb 8, 2022)

Just read this thread and reminded me of a 14 & 15 in. fake metal mag hubcap used on cars in the 60s and 70s that 2 of them could be bolted together on a hard tire with a hub in the center with pedal shafts. Bolted together they would be plenty strong enough as a wheel. Some of you older guys might remember them. They were 5 lug and look very similar to those pics. I always try to reverse engineer stuff. Makes me kinda wanna build one?


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## koolbikes (Feb 8, 2022)

Hey, I'm one of those "older guy's" and I do remember those Mag Wheel Covers... J.C. Whitney

The company that made them for J.C. Whitney was Del-Met Corp. #2515


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