Alex DX32 Rim = 3 inch tire?

Unicycles and Equipment
1

Will my Alex DX 32 MUni rim (24 inch) take a 3 inch Gazz tire? And, probably most importantly, will it be a bear to get this type of tire on that rim… a la earlier ‘tight tire’ posts?

thanks,
Erin
(who is thinking up a lot of questions while at home with a case of the Xmas flu…)

2

i have a gazzoloddi 24" by 3" tire on my MUni. it’s takes a bit of effort to get on, but that is soon forgotten, and the 3 inch tire is amazing. i’d say that the best rim to put a 3inch tire on would be the Alex DX 32 (your rim) so go ahead.

the only problem with this idea, is that it will require you getting a wider enough frame to use it (bedford frames d’ont fit)
however, Darren was telling me that he was going to be getting some wider frames that will fit a three inch tire, so i guess your in luck.

Tell us what you end up doing,

-Ryan

3

Your Alex DX 32 rim has an affinity for any and all Gazzoloddi 24x3 tires and will cleave unto them. My understanding is that it’s a tight but not undoable fit. I’ve never had to separate mine even though the constant cooing from the pair in the basement becomes annoying at times.

4

Greg,

Tell me you don’t leave them in the basement - together - unattended?

Bruce

5

Ah, cooing of rim and tire, music to my ears! Yes, just what I hoped to hear…
and I have also heard that Darren will be getting frames to fit a 3 inch tire soon…

So what will I notice when I ride on a 3 inch tire as opposed to a 2.5 inch tire, let’s say… will there be a significant difference or only a subtle difference?

Erin

6

There is a very noticeable difference in the ride between a 2.5" tire and a 3" tire. Think of the difference in ride and feel between a 2" tire and a 2.5" or 2.6" tire. There is an equal difference in feel when going from a 2.5" or 2.6" tire to a 3" tire.

One difference you’ll notice is that riding over roots and rocks will be easier. Traction will be better. Small rocks that used to roll under your tire and cause you to UPD will not not cause you to UPD as often. It will suck up bumps better when rolling over roots and such. Landing drops will feel more stable. So many good things are better with a 3" tire.

That isn’t to say that there are no downsides. Turning on pavement will be more difficult. You’ll have to some of your riding technique because of the difference in turning. You will find that you’ll end up choosing to ride right over things on the trail instead of turning or zigzagging around them because you can and because it is not as easy to turn. Rolling resistance also increases with the 3" tire but the upsides of being able to just plow over things instead of zigzagging around them can make up for that.

7

Thanks for that info John… sounds pretty good to me!

What about weight, is the 3 a lot heavier than the 2.5, and therefore is it harder to hop with the extra weight?

Erin

8

I am not sure which 2.5 tire you are referring to. The Gazz 24x3.0 is about 1450g (I found figures in the range of 1350-1500g and have not weighed mine). Nokian’s official specs are here - but with emphasis on 26’’ tires and without the 24x3.0:

http://www.nokiantyres.com/bike/dhspecs/index.htm

Some more weight data can be found here:

Have fun,
Fred

9

The 3" tires are heavier but the extra weight doesn’t seem to make a big difference in jumping unless you are going for ultimate height like in a jumping contest where every inch counts.

The biggest factors in jumping height are your skill, your standing vertical leap, how well you can make your jump “snap”, and how well you can sync your jump with the compression and rebound of the tire. The weight of the tire not near the top of the list of things that significantly impact your jumping height. The nice thing about the 3" tires is that they compress and rebound nicely and the nice rebound does help when jumping with them. The 3" tires actually feel bouncy compared to the higher pressure skinnier tires. But lighter tires are nicer for jumping with, which is one reason people like the 3" Fireball tire for urban/trials.

Just a few psi difference makes a very noticeable difference in how the 3" tires feel and behave. You’ll want to experiment to find your ideal tire pressure for your style of riding. A while ago I posted a heuristic for determining tire pressure. Scott Bridgman put that post in his Tips and Techniques section of muniac.com.
<http://www.muniac.com/tips.htm#pressure&gt;
With the 24x3 Gazz I usually run about 24 psi.

10

Thanks John, again, very helpful!

Erin

11

ya, like everyone else said, the alex DX32 rim is ok with the gazz tire. Auctally i just got a unicycle with that combination, and it works really well. As for jumping, it depends what your doing. A single jump is a bit harder, but it’s not much difference, and the extra bounce is great for when you’re doing a few jumps.

12

Also, some 3"ers are harder than others. for example I dont think I could change my Intense 24x3 if I tried my hardest for an hour, but I can get my kujo on/off in less that 5 minutes. I havent tried a Gazz though.

13

I found that the 3 inch tires are quite heavy, but they have have higher sidewalls, meaning the distance between the ground and the rim (with the unicycle on the ground, inflated) is larger, so the actual outside diameter is much closer to 26inches than 24, even though it’s on a 24 inch rim, and it’s a 24 inch tire. this added sidewall, allows you to run lower pressures, and get more bounce out of your sidewall. this increases your hopping height, despite the added weight.

-Ryan