I’ve been learning on a cheap 24", and recently cracked the frame so it’s time for a new unicycle. I go on 10 mile weekend rides along with shorter rides during the week, and have been doing some flat hardpack. My area is very flat, so hills aren’t an issue. I probably ride 80% roads and 20% muni - but pretty tame stuff. I don’t see myself doing big drops, but would like to ride off a curb now and then. I thought a 26" Yuni or Nimbus would be the right choice, but now I think that given the amount of road riding I do and the nature of my off road riding, I’ll be happier with a 29" Nimbus or Yuni - or maybe the 29" KH since I’ll be doing some trails. Any thoughts?
How much do you weigh? What’s your inseam? I weigh 195 and routinely rode my ultra-weak steel-rimmed Coker wheel off curbs and hopped up curbs. I finally tacoed it hopping stairs but it (almost) sprung back to shape. My point here is that any decent 26" or 29" wheel is going to take a curb drop even for a big boy. Cranks and axles don’t like too much abuse and are probably a weaker link.
Cracking a “quality” frame is quite a trick as there is usually very little lateral force on the frame itself. It’s mostly compressive. It must have been garbage to start with or you landed something very strange.
Ten mile jaunts on a 26" wheel sound cumbersome to me. A rugged, 29" MUni seems excessively heavy to me. You have to decide how to compromise if you only want one unicycle. Your 80% road riding leans heavily toward the 29er in my opinion.
I’m about 185, almost 6 feet tall, and 45 years old. I just learned to ride a couple of years ago. I think a Coker will be too cumbersome for the residential street riding I do. 10 miles on a 24" has been a bit too slow for my liking, and I felt that the 29" would be fine with the occasional tree root and grass field. When I’m honest with myself, I realize that I’m more of a street rider, which led me to the 29.
Coker, Coker, Coker. I commute 5 miles to and from work each way on a Coker on residential streets and in bike lanes. I cross eleven stop signs and nine traffic signals on each trip. I can idle, hop, or grab sign posts or such if I have to stop but I almost always make it both ways without putting my foot on the ground and still average 10mph even if I ride a few curbs on the way. A 29er does not compare to a Coker if you’re a road rider.
I just got a 29" a couple of months ago. I also ride a coker so I am enjoying the nice compromise of added maneuverability (vs coker) plus better performance over longer distances (vs 24). I think it was Jonh Foss that said it in a way that I could remember it…basically you will end up with several unicycles if you stay with it long enough. For now, I think that you will love the 29er. I do take mine out for light MUni but I am also mostly street. Enjoy!
What 29" do you have? There doesn’t seem to be much of a choice at unicycle.com.
A 29er is definitely preferable to a 26" for road riding and light off-road. I would only consider the 26" if the primary riding was off-road, including significantly technical stuff. Any 29er will do just fine on fire roads, and a lot better on roads than a 26".
And despite Harper’s comment, if you put short cranks on a 29er it is quite capable of keeping up with a Coker.
I got the Yuni. I upgraded the tire to a Kenda Klaw (since I was too cheap to get the KH 29 that comes with the Klaw) and the pedals. Road crown was driving me nuts so I really pumped up the tire pressure which helped tons. The ride I take is half paved road and half dirt/fire road/steep in spots so the traction of the Klaw helps a lot. Since I am not too rough on unis so far it is a nice smooth ride.
I’m 43, 5’7" and about 150 pounds. I have a Coker and a 28.
Given that I can take either uni with me on any ride, the fact that I now choose the 28 more often suggests I prefer it.
I find it safer on roads, and more manageable on paths shared with pedestrians and bikes.
As for speed - undoubtedly the Coker is faster over a journey, but only by 10% or so. I wnet on a Coker ride a year or so ago and Joe Marshall was on his 29 and left me for dead. On a recent thread relating to world records, I note that some riders can go faster on a 24 than I can go on a Coker.:o
If you can only afford one of the two, I’d say the 29 is more versatile. But versatile means it will falls short of the Coker in some respects, because it beats it in others.
That’s because we’re polite enough to stop for them to catch up every so often.
29er
I ride a 29" KH Cross Country. It is a great unicycle. I got a set of 125 cranks and a Big Apple tire for on-road riding. For off-road, I can use the Kenda tire that came on it and the 150s for extra torque. I love mine. I am thinking hard about getting the 24" KH XC for more challenging terrain but am not sure I will do that much of it. I really enjoy riding the 29 with 125s on the road.
Good luck in your decision.
Carey
If I were you, I would get a 29er…and if you have the money for the KH29, you should get that, I hear its pretty freakin awesome.
Come to San Antonio for a Saturday and you can try a bunch of different Cokers, 29ers, and 26ers. Just send me an email or PM. 
rabkenny-
If you go to San Antonio and see Dave Stockton and Scott Wallis BE CAREFUL. You will see some of the most elegant unicycles built today. Take LOTS of money because you’re going to want one.
Sa
U-turn,
If that offer is available to anybody, I may ask to stop in later this summer when I come to San Antonio. Not to impose myself, mind you.
Carey
heh - thanks, Greg, but those are all out in the hands of customers 
The unicycles here have the leftovers, the seconds, and the prototype parts on them. And they get lots of use!
Not always true, surprisingly. We can do lots of mixing and matching. Many times a price is comparable to (ahem) other sources.
You are welcome, Carey. Just send an email ahead of time so I/we can be sure to make you feel welcome.
Practice, Practice, Practice
When I first received my Coker. I had difficulty mounting and controlling the flywheel effect.
But like anything else if you feel something isn’t possible than it won’t be.
If you spend time and master that Coker than you will be surprised to find out that most of the riding around the country including MUni is possible on a Coker.
I can now ride anything other than that wild and wacky terrain in Santa Barbara, CA or any other extremely technical terrain.
Things in which I felt were impossible when I first mounted that Coker (3ft drops. log stacks, root sections, sand and gravel, embedded rocks and more) are now as easy to accomplish as was on my KH24"/29". But more exciting
I have a dozen unicycles in my garage and the only one I ride is the Coker.
I haven’t been able to achieve the satisfaction level on any other uni.
I would be more than happy to demonstrate the capabilities of the Coker to give everyone a better insight to its abilities. Just let me know when you in town.
Adam