I think I’m going to build my first wheel and it’s a choice between a 26" rim with a 3" tyre, or a 29-er.
Pros of the 26 x 3 are that I can get the hub, rim and spokes off unicycle.uk, whereas for a 29-er I’ll have to track down a decent rim and spokes at a LBS, as unicycle.uk don’t stock them.
so I’ve read some good opinions on the pros and cons of each.
I’m veering towards the 26 x 3 as it’ll be simpler and I do like fat tyres.
A couple of questions are: -
I’ve heard that 24 x3" Gazz’s are particularly bad on roads/concrete- much of my riding is on concrete so will the 26 x 3" Gazz be similarly bad?
Are there any other 3" tyres available in the UK? For example,on my 24" muni I use the 3" Halo Contra (also called Duro Leapard) and it’s really nice, even when worn to a slick.
It would be good if there was a 26" version of it, in case I don’t like the Gazz.
Unicycle.uk doesn’t seem to stock 26" Contras, though maybe the 2.5" slick hookworm would work?
Also, any other thoughts on the 26 x 3 would be appreciated- I’ve done a big search and read past posts, some of which are very positive, some less so.
In particular, has anyone used one in one of the 24 hr mountian bike courses? On paper it sounds like a 26 x 3 would be ideal for this; is it?
As far as riding a 26x3" on the road, I reckon it would be a similar sensation to riding a cushy 24x3" tyre. The reason why people say a 24x3" is terrible on road is that it has a lot of rolling resistance compared to a slick road tyre. You have to pump it up harder than you’d have it offroad, thus losing some of the cush factor.
If you’re going to do a lot of your riding on roads then i’d say a 29er would be better. The 29" WTB Nanoraptor is a really good hybrid tyre (both on- and off-road), though the Big Apple might be good too (I haven’t ridden one of these, though.)
The 12- and 24-hr races I’ve done have not been on very technical courses. This means that it is practical to ride bigger wheels than you might on a typical Muni ride. Cokers and 29ers are the way to go. (24" and 26" wheels are painfully slow)
I have both the 26 inch Duro Leopard and the 26 inch hookworm and frankly, I love the both of them.
Because I’m still just a few months into the uni experience, my opinion on this may not be as relevent, but you can’t go wrong with either one of these for the road.
The Duro Leopard is made for off-road, but I found it to be really nice on some of the bumpy streets and areas I’ve been riding on. I do find it a bit harder to turn for the moment, and that’s why I got the hookworm, which is made for the streets (nice and slick) and easier to turn on. Ultimetly, I prefer the 3" wide bouncy “feel” of the knobby Duro, but for now, the hookworm is easier on the hips for control as I get my skills up to par.
These two tires–I’ve already switched them several times–it’s like having two girlfriends and you can’t decide!
ditto.
I’d like to add that the Gazz seems to be better for “rock crawling” and drops than the two tires mentioned, however, it seems to release energy slower which can be a problem. Nonetheless, the hookworm is available in 26, and is a VERY nice tire with great durability on the road.