I can’t remember anyone reporting using a 26x3 set on a 24hr race (relay or otherwise).
26x3 owners - do you reckon it would be a reasonable set up for a mixed course.
Pros ?
You can go to sleep and still ride over bumps
Lots of rolling momentum
Lots of grip in muddy parts
Takes tecnical stuff in it’s stride - so less dismounting/remounting/running/walking)
Con’s ?
Heavy to push (if walking/running)
Slug to accelerate ?
I’m intending using a 29er for the ‘Red Bul’ 24hr but after seeing an ad for 26x3 Gazz tyres reduced I thought I might bring along an alternative wheel.
Gary Kanuch used one this last weekend for 24 Hours of Adrenalin in
California. He completed both of his laps on it and liked it better than the
Coker he used last year. He also tried a 29" last year on a practice lap and
found that it bounced him around too much.
It comes down to personal preference. I’d recommend a thinner 29" tire if
the course is non-technical, but the 26x3 if it’s technical. The 26x3 has
got to be nearly 29" in diameter - has anyone measured it?
I can see the 26x3 Gazz being a good choice if the course is suited for it. You’d need a bumpy and technical course to get the most advantage out of the tire. It has a lot of the advantages of the 24x3 Gazz. It plows over rocks and roots (the tire just sucks up the rocks and roots). It sails over ruts. Lots of traction. It’s pretty much a faster version of the 24x3 Gazz.
The 26x3 has a different tread pattern than the 24x3. The 26x3 has more of a front tire tread pattern while the 24x3 has more of a rear tire tread pattern. It’s easier to do a tight scuff turn on the 24x3. The 26x3 doesn’t like to turn as tightly and I think it is partly due to the different tread and partly due to the larger wheel diameter. I only really notice the difference in turning when trying to do a tight switchback style turn. On a downhill switchback you may have to really force the muni to make the turn.
If you’re going to be racing with it I’d put in a lighter weight DH tube. I use a really heavy DH tube in mine just for extra pinch flat protection. But if I was going to race it I’d go with a lighter tube for the race.
My 26x3 has 175 cranks. I’m thinking of getting some 150s to play with on that muni and see how it is on some of the faster XC trails. I gotta do something to get some speed. I’m sloooow.
I've got 175's on mine as well. I'm about a week away from putting some 145's on to use on a few of the trails around here that I think will be suited for it.
I really like the 26 X 3 Gazz but it is a very heavy rig. I feel more tired after a long technical ride on the 26 than I do on the 24 Gazz. But even with the 175’s I’m faster on the 26".
They’re not on sale cheap, but the gazz 26x2.6 is a fair bit lighter and almost as big. I’d reckon the 3" is such a tractor you’d probably be a bit faster on the 26x2.6.
Having ridden the 26x2.6 for 50k, I’d say definately use the 29er for red bull, the 26 was just too much like hard work when tired,
I’d definitely take both to the race. Having a backup uni is great. For the 12 hour Moonride I took 3 unicycles: Coker with 170mm cranks, 29er with 140mm and 24x3 with 150mm cranks.
The coker was excellent even though the course was pretty technical. I rode my MUni for the night laps. I did one lap on my 29er and didn’t like it. Probably coz I had cruddy gripless pedals on it, or maybe it was because it was the first ride I’d done on it (it was finished the day before).
So actually I could’ve gotten by with just 2 unis, but whatever you do don’t rely on untested equipment for a loooong 24 hr race. All this means is that if you’re gonna try something new you need to do a few test rides with it first = more training
foolish wrote:
> will it fit in a Nimbus (1) 28" frame??
Nope. The 24x3 Gazz won’t even fit in a Nimbus 28" frame.
Regards,
Mark.
–
Fujitsu Telecom Europe Ltd,| o
Solihull Parkway, | In the land of the pedestrian, /|
Birmingham Business Park, | the one-wheeled man is king. <<
Birmingham, ENGLAND. | O
I took the Coker out on my night lap, like I said I wasn’t going to, and what I noticed, is I couln’t ride with my 9W setting any more, I needed the 12W. Not to mention that by this time I was quite exhausted…and it was a hard beast to ride. Fun though.
There was one technical part (before the 3-arrow hil, if anyone from my 24 race is reading this) where I have no idea how I got down. It starts with a 12-15 inch dropin into a technical stutter bump chute down into an uphill then back onto the fireroad.
I wasn’t gonna do it in the night, but there was someone behind me so I had to. I couldn’t look down far enough for my lights to hit the trail, and my ‘brakes’ were completely exhausted, so I was only able to keep my feet on the pedals, not control the speed any.
It shocked me that I came out of there A) on top B) alive C) riding a true Coker wheel.
Most importantly? the guy behind me said, ‘My god, that blew my f**kin’ mind! You guys are amazing!’
foolish wrote:
> Oh. GRRRRR There isn’t really much point in buying a nimbus 2
> frame just to have the 3" gazz is there…
No. Absolutely definitely not. I would never do such a thing. Ahem.
Regards,
Mark.
–
Fujitsu Telecom Europe Ltd,| o
Solihull Parkway, | In the land of the pedestrian, /|
Birmingham Business Park, | the one-wheeled man is king. <<
Birmingham, ENGLAND. | O
The ride and behavior of the 26x3 Gazz is quite different from the 26x2.6 Gazz. The 3" tire sucks up bumps and roots much better. It has more bounce. It lands drops better. It just has a lot more Gazz goodness.
Look at it this way. The difference in ride behavior between a 2.1" XC tire and the 2.6" Gazz is about the same as the difference between the 2.6" Gazz and the 3" Gazz. Going to 3" is a big change in the ride.
Indeed, I’m quite tempted by the tyres myself. But if you’re doing long distances like the Red Bull on not very technical terrain ie. no big drops and no big upward hops I’d totally go for the 26x2.6 over the 3" any day.
Yep, the 26x2.6 is the biggest tyre you can put in the pashley frame.
foolish wrote:
> So what’s the Gazz like then Mark?
It’s excellent. Mine’s the 24x3 rather than the 26x3 which was
originally being discussed in this thread. The square profile suits my
riding style better than the rounded Contra - I’m quite hesitant on
steep downhills and the extra traction seems to reduce the sliding.
Of course, I should just ride faster down the hills but I’ve been riding
with Alan too long. I’ve seen the results of that…
Regards,
Mark.
–
Fujitsu Telecom Europe Ltd,| o
Solihull Parkway, | In the land of the pedestrian, /|
Birmingham Business Park, | the one-wheeled man is king. <<
Birmingham, ENGLAND. | O
so I had to. I couldn’t look down far enough for my lights to hit the trail, and my ‘brakes’ were completely exhausted, so I was only able to keep my feet on the pedals, not control the speed any.
There isn’t really much point in buying a nimbus 2 frame just to have the 3" gazz is there…