24 KH/Schlumpf as a coker replacement?

Parts for a 29er shouldn’t be too bad; in a pinch you can use any 700c bike parts. Not quite as prevalent in developing-world countries as 26" stuff, but much better than 24"/36" availability.

I’ve got some strange WTB prototype tire that John Long shaved with a belt sander (still very heavy) that makes the Nevegal seem like a road razor, and on steep and long descents, my knees really get upset with the whole situation. It has gotten me to at least think about adding brakes to the 29er muni. Long multiday descents on that thing without brakes would probably be an exercise in joint torture.

Yeah, you’re right, at least on the uncalled-for part. My apologies. While I still think this would have been a good extension of the ultimate touring thread, I should have made that suggestion nicely or else STFU. Doing the latter now…

No worries! Since I´m not looking for the ultimate touring uni here, but rather one for a very specialized purpose, I still think this should be a thread of its own. We shall have to agree to disagree.

I love that we have to call them singlespeed now :slight_smile:
I sent you an email at info at krisholm dot com , Kris. I don´t know who reads those emails, but just so you know.

Mike, yeah that came up earlier in the thread as well. A 29" frame is certainly an option.
A 26" might be an odd unicycle size, but where I´m going there wont be any other unicycles anyway. Joe does make a good point here.

Would the Nimbus 26" wheel be a good choice? Anyone know how it compares in weight and strength to more specialized rims?

If you want a great 26" rim check out the Echo 46mm drilled trials rim. I don’t know where you are but if you are in North America I would suggest giving Hugo at HBtrials a call, I think he should have a couple left in 36 hole.

I have recently built up a new wheel with that rim and it eliminated all my folding problems I had with the Alex DX32. The Alex rim was slightly lighter though.

For splined 26" Munis there is also the Koxx Track Monster but the rim is supposedly fairly week. You could probably buy it and just replace the whole wheelset. I am not sure if the bearing housings are machined or stamped though.

I still think you’d be happier with a 29’er. Plus…don’t forget, if you want to make it geared (which you want for something less than Coker size to ride on the street), then you must have a frame that supports the KH schlumpf geared hub. So, you need something with 42 mm bearing holders. a KH 29’er has those…I’m not sure if the nimbus does.

-corbin

It does, but it still wont fit the geared hub, according to Roland who runs municycle.com. Anyway, I´m just talking about the wheel here, not the whole uni.

I guess I need to find a 29er and carry it around for a week or so, see how it feels :slight_smile:

If it’s weight you’re worried about the 29er is lighter than a 26 or a 24 (KH24 is about 800g heavier than KH29). I’ve been places with a 26 and a 29, and if I needed to carry both at once, it was always the 29 that went on my backpack because it was easier to ride the 26 and have the 29 on my back than the other way round.

I think the big choice is about the technicality of the terrain, there’s not much difference in the carrying on the back aspect between 24,26 and 29.

How much muni experience do you have? I’d guess given where you come from, you’d have loads of access to muni trails and mountains, personally I’d try doing some long routes near you on your current muni, and see how you feel on it. Also I’d get hold of some kind of 29er, and see how you feel on that on the technical sections. If you’re planning a 1000km trip, then the cost of another unicycle is going to be pretty minimal compared to the cost of doing the trip.

Or alternatively, you could just buy a geared KH24 or 29, and do a similar but shorter ride closer to home with all the gear you’re likely to need to carry. If you decide that the wheel size choice is the wrong one, then changing wheelsize is only a new frame + rim + spokes, which isn’t a massive cost compared to the cost of the geared hub.

There’s a modified for bikes version of the Haute Route in the Alps that sounds pretty similar in character to what you’re suggesting. Maybe that’d make sense for a test ride (obviously you’d have to wait till summer).

Joe

Now I feel like an ass. I didn´t even check the weights, just assumed bigger meant heavier. Shame on me!
Looks like the 29er is the best bet then, assuming it´s as easy to climb with as a 26. Which it should be, right? Sorry for doubting you guys :slight_smile:

My muni experience is limited. I learned on a 24" muni, but got a coker after two months and never really looked back. Most of the first trip should be paved anyway, and on the second trip, after a 700km mostly paved ride, I´m basically carrying the uni with me while skinning up a mountain. I will hopefully take lots of interesting side trips though, and those will be proper muni.

Thanks for some very good info, Joe! Will write more later, but out of battery now.

If the trail/road is so steep that you’re doing half cranks, or is real technical, the smaller wheel will be easier.

If you can maintain a moderate speed a larger wheel w/ more inertia and a “taller gearing” won’t necccesarilly be harder. A wider tire, say 2.6", vs. 2.3" or a larger wheel will both have more inertia than a smaller wheel of the same tire width, say 2.3". Also a 26X3" tire is practially as big as a 29, but is heavier and handles very differently.

sounds like a big challenge

don’t forget the added option of ISIS double drilled KH cranks to help make your uni more versatile. I don’t know what sort of muni it is you plan on doing (why so tight lipped?) but a 26 or 29 with geared hub and dual hole cranks should have your climbing, DH, and distance sections covered. Keep us up to date on how your search for the right ride is going
mark

I don’t know why someone always makes a comment like this. My experience is that half crank climbing isn’t necessarily harder with a 29er over a 24. Here are some reasons why:

  1. Narrower and lighter tires are generally run on 29ers.
  2. Higher tire pressures are generally used resulting in less loss of energy when cranking down.
  3. Larger diameter means less strokes to get to the top.
  4. 29ers are more stable left to right which reduces the left to right pedaling corrections to maintain your direction.
  5. I haven’t failed to climb anything with my 29er than I can climb with my 24–152 mm cranks on both!

If your plan is to cover distance, I’m assuming you won’t be descending the most technical trails (i.e., lots of big drops). Definitely go with the bigger wheels. I highly recommend a geared KH29.

The projects are in a very early stage still, and I don’t want to say I’m going to do something if it’s not 100% certain that it’s going to happen. I just got so excited when I got the idea, that I had to post something and get the ball rolling. I’ll have plenty of time to get in shape for it, but that’s only part of what needs to be done to make the projects a reality. In the end I might have to choose one of them, if I can’t afford both.

And yes, I’m planning on getting the dual drilled cranks as well. Triple drilled would be even more fun, but I guess that could weaken them. But it seems to work ok on cokers anyway.