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

[Jeff54]

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!

 

[Jeff54]

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.

 

[kostnerave]

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.

 

[HEMI426]

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?

 

[koolbikes]

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

 

[koolbikes]

Seen this listed on eBay today as a Startel No. 7000 Uniskate ... More modern but only one I've ever seen that was similar design as the Monkee's Uniskate.

 

[ODDER]

Reminds me of a custom wheel I made a few years ago for a project I never finished. Sold the wheels to a cool cat in KC who used em on a Kustom bike he built.

 

[Beach Bum III]

Reminds me of a custom wheel I made a few years ago for a project I never finished. Sold the wheels to a cool cat in KC who used em on a Kustom bike he built.

View attachment 1986471

That’s rad! Did you weld a “beauty ring” to the out side diameter of the hub cap to increase the size?

 

[ODDER]

That’s rad! Did you weld a “beauty ring” to the out side diameter of the hub cap to increase the size?

Didn’t need to. The cap fit perfectly in the Lester mag wheel with a little persuasion.

 

[Beach Bum III]

Didn’t need to. The cap fit perfectly in the Lester mag wheel with a little persuasion.

Thanks, man! Luckily Lesters are still relatively cheap! I love how you handled the valve stem. Any clue what hub cap that is?