My new KH29

[Mikefule]

Well, it was only a matter of time.

New KH29 arrived the day after ordering (thanks, Roger) and it had its first spin yesterday.

It arrived with a seatpost so long I had to cut about 7" off. (Don't ask me how I measured) The uni feels lighter than my old KH24 (I haven't weighed them). The Stout tyre is good and grippy but still rides OK on tarmac.

The two-hole cranks are very smart. Yesterday I rode on the shorter setting and the uni scooted about like a good 'un. Today I've put it on the longer settings in anticipation of a hilly ride in Merrie Sherwode with Gadge and Nov.

This model has a micro adjust seat fitting with no rails. All very tidy and easily accessible. Neat.

Pedals are weird: no flats for a 15mm pedal spanner. Will take a larger spanner, but I approached from the rear with an Allen key.

Frame neatly finished. The bearing clamps appear to be a more robust design than on my old 24.

So far, first impressions are good. It's obviously faster than the 24 (or the 26) and rolls over uneven ground nicely. It's more manoeuvreable than the 36, and fremounting in the rough is less of an excercise. My gut feeling is that on a mainly off road route, it will maintain a higher average speed than the 36.

It certainly looks like the KH concept has genuinely evolved* rather than changes for change's sake.

More follows.

*Or it has been intelligently designed. Let's not go there!

[Into the blue]

Originally Posted by Mikefule

New KH29 arrived the day after ordering (thanks, Roger) and it had its first spin yesterday.

It arrived with a seatpost so long I had to cut about 7" off. (Don't ask me how I measured)

I bought my new KH29 a couple of weeks back.
I ordered it on Tuesday afternoon and it was on the doorstep by Thursday morning.
Roger and his gang of elves are the biz.

I also had to cut off around four inches from my seatpost.
I think they make these things for giants.

[justtysen]

Originally Posted by Into the blue

I also had to cut off around four inches from my seatpost.
I think they make these things for giants.

Kris Holm seems to keep the current product lists as streamlined as possible, hence all of the KH seatposts are 350mm long. That length has to serve the full range from 20" to 36".

Anyway apparently Mikefule is a "giant" of sorts.

[rob.northcott]

Nice one Mike - I also recently submitted to the lure of a 29er. Mine's mostly KH, with some changes for the sake of lightness for xc racing (you've probably seen the pics I posted in the "show us your muni" thread or whatever it's called - if it isn't called that then it should be)

On my mostly easy xc commute (with the odd rock garden thrown in) it's pretty much the same speed as my 36er, just because it's so much easier to control so I tend to ride the rocky bits faster. If I was a real speed demon on the 36er I'd probably make up some time on the couple of miles of road at the end, but I'm not (I chicken out at 15+mph and tend stick at 13 or 14).

The only bad thing (or at least, something I wasn't expecting) is that it's by far the bendiest of my unicycles, even including the 36er with normal width hub. I would have expected the aluminium frame to be at least as stiff as my far cheaper Nimbus 26, but it isn't. I suppose the wheel could be the bendy bit, but it's built with coat-hanger thick spokes (13 gauge?) so it shouldn't be. Very light though, which was my main aim (although it'd be even lighter with sensible 14g spokes KH!)

Rob

[ally1776]

I'm happy you guys like the new KH29 unicycle. That's promising I just bought one, hoping it arrives by the weekend. The upcoming weekend is a long weekend in the States and I'm kind of excited that I might have a long weekend to ride the new uni.

Mike what do you mean and please excuse my ignorance...

Originally Posted by Mikefule

Pedals are weird: no flats for a 15mm pedal spanner. Will take a larger spanner, but I approached from the rear with an Allen key.

Does that mean "stock" pedals won't fit if we want to change them up?

[justtysen]

Originally Posted by ally1776

Does that mean "stock" pedals won't fit if we want to change them up?

The threads are the same so you can fit any standard pedals (9/16") to the cranks. According to Mike's post it is just that a normal pedal wrench won't fit and so a different size may be necessary in order to remove and install those particular pedals. However, as noted there is a secondary method of removal using a hex key on the inside of the crank arms where the pedal has been inserted.

The pedals can be interchanged with any others you are likely to have, however you may or may not have the tools necessary to remove or reinstall them.

Edit: Just checked the pedals included on the KH29. They have wrench flats that are 17mm apart instead of the standard 15mm. However they claim to be wide enough to fit most adjustable wrenches, so if you have an adjustable crescent wrench (normal wrench) you should be able to use that.

[tholub]

Originally Posted by rob.northcott

The only bad thing (or at least, something I wasn't expecting) is that it's by far the bendiest of my unicycles, even including the 36er with normal width hub. I would have expected the aluminium frame to be at least as stiff as my far cheaper Nimbus 26, but it isn't. I suppose the wheel could be the bendy bit, but it's built with coat-hanger thick spokes (13 gauge?) so it shouldn't be. Very light though, which was my main aim (although it'd be even lighter with sensible 14g spokes KH!)

The KH frame is quite stiff; if you're getting flex in the wheel, perhaps your spoke tension is too low.

[scott ttocs]

My 29 " KH also had a lot of flex. After reading about some of the issues with new KH bearing holders, I sanded off the paint from the inside of the bearing holder and reassembled it, carefully tightened the up the bearing holders on the bearing. I got the bearings to fit much better and ended up removing a lot of the flex in the unicycle. It is now a much better ride.

Scott

[ally1776]

justtysen, thanks I do have several sizes of wrenches and a rather large set of hex keys. Thanks for clarifying as I am not good at the mechanical part of unicycling, slowly but surely I am learning. Thanks again.

[Max_Dingemans]

The JC Pedals have a 6MM Allen or 17mm Flats. The claim is that they're stronger.

[tholub]

Originally Posted by Max_Dingemans

The JC Pedals have a 6MM Allen or 17mm Flats. The claim is that they're stronger.

It's a silly claim. Who's ever broken a pedal at the flats?

[rob.northcott]

Originally Posted by tholub

The KH frame is quite stiff; if you're getting flex in the wheel, perhaps your spoke tension is too low.

It's possible, but I wouldn't say it's particularly slack (it feels as tight as my Nimbus 26" wheel). I tightened it up a bit when I first had it, but perhaps it could take a bit more tension. I'm a bit wary to go too tight without a gauge though - it needs to be reliable, don't want to be breaking nipples or spokes on rides.

Rob

[saskatchewanian]

I got a 2007 29" frame a while ago and it is definitely flimsier than my old Yuni frame but the weight difference is huge. Not sure if the newer frames are stiffer.

[rob.northcott]

Originally Posted by scott ttocs

My 29 " KH also had a lot of flex. After reading about some of the issues with new KH bearing holders, I sanded off the paint from the inside of the bearing holder and reassembled it, carefully tightened the up the bearing holders on the bearing. I got the bearings to fit much better and ended up removing a lot of the flex in the unicycle. It is now a much better ride.

Scott

That was true of mine as well - I think they must be specified without allowing for the paint thickness. I haven't actually scraped the paint off mine (yet - keep thinking about it) but after a few fittings and removals and doing the clamps up tighter than normal it did get much better. I reckon the remaining flex is the frame and/or the wheel.

Originally Posted by saskatchewanian

I got a 2007 29" frame a while ago and it is definitely flimsier than my old Yuni frame but the weight difference is huge.

That's how I look at it - even if it is a bit bendier than my Nimbus (and that doesn't flex visibly at all even under heavy stomping on climbs) it's considerably lighter.

Rob

[Mikefule]

Haven't noticed any particular flex on mine. Done two rides on it, with some fairly varied rolling terrain. I do find the KH Freeride saddle a bit sore though.