Mountain Unicycling

[patch]

I am looking to ride on cross country trails, in fact the same trails as I ride my mountain bike. I am considering the Kris Holm 29-inch Mountain Unicycle. My thinking is the 29" wheels should roll nice over bumps and rocks as opposed to a 26" wheel. Is this correct? Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

[musketman]

A KH29 is one of the best uni's for the trail. As long as you dont get to technical then the big wheel, it can take it. A KH will last you a long time, so if you are serious about unicycling then get a KH. Otherwise there is cheaper 29" and 26" uni's out there.

[James_Potter]

[BillyTheMountain]

Wrong forum.

[patch]

Which forum should I be in?

[James_Potter]

Rec.Sport.Unicycling.

[thejdw]

Originally Posted by James_Potter

Rec.Sport.Unicycling.

You hobnob!

[spazdude222]

Originally Posted by thejdw

You hobnob!

Yeah...get it right...(what's a hobnob?)

[john_childs]

Originally Posted by patch

I am looking to ride on cross country trails, in fact the same trails as I ride my mountain bike. I am considering the Kris Holm 29-inch Mountain Unicycle. My thinking is the 29" wheels should roll nice over bumps and rocks as opposed to a 26" wheel. Is this correct? Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Technically Just Conversation is the wrong forum for specific unicycling questions, but we can live with that.

There are two primary classes of mountain unicycles.

The XC mountain unicycles have a standard XC tire as used on XC mountain bikes. Usually about 2.1" wide or so. The 26" size has been taken over by the 29er size because the 29er is slightly bigger and slightly faster.

The freeride mountain unicycles use a fat 3" wide or similar wide downhill bicycle tire. The fatter tire absorbs bumps better and makes it easier to roll over bumpy terrain. The fat tire is much like adding a front suspension fork to a bicycle. Typical rim size is 24" but with a 3" wide tire the rolling diameter only slightly less than a 26" XC MTB wheel.

A 29er tire doesn't have the fat cushyness of the big DH tires. It won't absorb impacts of rolling over rocks and roots as well. With a DH tire you can plow over many things. With a 29er you'll want to weave around the bumps and take the smoother line on the trail.

Think of the 29er as an XC racing MTB. Think of the freeride muni as an all mountain MTB. If you're riding XC style the 29er should suit you and the trails you ride. Course there is overlap. You can do XC with a freeride muni and can ride some aggressive trails with a 29er.

[kington99]

Originally Posted by spazdude222

Yeah...get it right...(what's a hobnob?)

A hobnob is an oaty biscuit, the fact that they don't exist in america just goes to show that you have no culinary heritage

[thejdw]

Originally Posted by kington99

A hobnob is an oaty biscuit, the fact that they don't exist in america just goes to show that you have no culinary heritage

lol

[BluntRM]

Originally Posted by kington99

A hobnob is an oaty biscuit, the fact that they don't exist in america just goes to show that you have no culinary heritage

We have them, but they're always stale by the time they get here. Besides, why would anyone opt for British food when there's also Indian, Italian, Mexican, Japanese, Mediterrainian, Near Eastern and Thai cuisine available to them, you know, good culinary heritages (British sweets being the exception...).

Muni:
John_Childs posted the authorative answer so I'll just add the opinion piece: 24x3". I don't think MTB sizes and ridingstyles translate into unicycles as well.

[kington99]

Originally Posted by BluntRM

We have them, but they're always stale by the time they get here. Besides, why would anyone opt for British food when there's also Indian, Italian, Mexican, Japanese, Mediterrainian, Near Eastern and Thai cuisine available to them, you know, good culinary heritages (British sweets being the exception...).

They're not stale, they're meant to taste like that

British people agree, our most consumed dish has been chicken tikka masala for some years, although actually I understand this was invented in Britain. Incidently, what counts as Near Eastern? I've never heard the phrase before. What's so great about british sweets? I'm not a sweet eater

[thejdw]

Originally Posted by kington99

I'm not a sweet eater

I don't like sweets that much either
Anyway chocolate orange hobnobs rule!

[BluntRM]

Originally Posted by kington99

They're not stale, they're meant to taste like that

British people agree, our most consumed dish has been chicken tikka masala for some years, although actually I understand this was invented in Britain. Incidently, what counts as Near Eastern? I've never heard the phrase before. What's so great about british sweets? I'm not a sweet eater

Near Eastern = Middle Eastern + the Northeastern corner of Africa. My understanding is that during World War II, Allied forces held a central base of operations in India, the Middle East, and when these forces were later moved to the Near East, the phrase Middle East followed them. Basically any country that's "key" to the Global War on Terror (GWOT), serves hummus, bean salads, and falaffles, is a Near Eastern country.

I don't know the specific ingredient difference between domestic and British sweets, but there's a completely different process behind the whole thing. Side-by-side you can taste a difference.