As part of my plan to convince myself not to spend my entire life savings on a motorcycle that will go rusty or be stolen and torched, I am starting to seriously consider spending some of my life savings on a new MUni instead.
Given that I already have a 20, 28 and a Coker, and my current MUni is a Pashley 26 with a few modifications, I’m starting from the premiss that I will buy a 24.
So I look at unicycle.uk.com and see three models of Kris Holm, a Qu Ax and a Koxx. And they all look remarkably similar to my untutored eye.
I am from the rolling school of riding, rather than the six foot drop school of riding. I have a traditionalist’s prejudice against brakes.
So, any strong reasons to choose one particular 24 inch MUni over another, assuming the budget is not an issue?
I don’t think there’s much difference, granted I’ve only ridden the KH. The problem with these kinds of questions is that most people really only have extensive experience with one. So who knows?
I don’t know if i would reccomend you a 24", having read your posts about rides and knowing (sort of) your riding style. If you’re looking to get into technical wheel threading type riding I suppose I can see you doing it, but not for anything other than that. Maybe I just misread your personality or something.
Anyway, as you aren’t going for any big drop stuff or anything like that, I’m really not sure what you would want. Are you sure you need splined cranks? If you’re not planning on dropping off anything bigger than you’ve already done and you don’t bend cranks already, I would suggest something unsplined, or at least less strong/more light, since that would be cheaper and more fitting towards your riding.
As one of the “six foot drop” sect of unicyclists, I enjoy my KH freeride immensely, but I’m not sure you need something so bombproof and expensive. I have also tried a KH XC, (I rode one for several weeks after breaking my rim) and I found it really really nice. If you’re going splined and expensive, I think this is what I would recommend you. The tire is a lot lighter and skinnier, but it’s fun to ride on. I think you’d like it better than a giant heavy wildlife leopard. Also, the cranks are shorter, which I find I like even for my six foot drop style. Hill climbing is all in technique anyway, at least until you get to hills it’s not even worth climbing. (You might get farther up on 165 mm cranks,but why bother?)
I wouldn’t really recommend a qu-ax, since it’s pretty much a lower quality KH. Also, the cranks it comes with are incredibly long, which I don’t like. I don’t know anything about the Koxx.
Unicycle.uk.com has the KH munis reduced at the moment (you probably already know this…), my mate just bought the 29" and it’s a thing of beauty, the whole thing fits together very neatly, and for the money I don’t think there’s a better buy. I’d try the 24" XC as Fuego recommended, I’m desperately trying to find a reason not to buy one…
Motorcycle:
If you plan to ride it with cars (in the street), there are a lot better ways to strive for perfection in this lifetime instead of hurrying to the next. In other words, of course, they’re a lot more dangerous than a bicycle and of course are no fun in bad weather.
As a rolling-type MUni rider, you can question your need for a splined hub. I don’t do six foot drops either, but I like knowing my (Profile) hub will probably last forever. Not knowing a lot about the Koxx and Qu-ax, I’d say get the one you like the most, including seat comfort and ability to customize as you might want to later. If it were me I wouldn’t hesitate; KH all the way.
I’ve had a go on a KH 24xc and it felt really good, nice and light, and a bit less of a tractor tyre than the 24x3. You’d probably like it. It’s the only one of those unicycles really designed for people who don’t do silly drops.
The 29xc is nice too though, I can’t see it being that limiting for riding round Nottingham and riding places like Sherwood Pines, although it’d not be so good if you venture into the difficult end of the Peaks ever, and some of the lines at Bramcote are a bit beyond it. But most muni is doable on a 29er with a proper muni tyre if you’re fit.
Having been to Rykers cafe at Box Hill on a Sunday morning, I’d say don’t buy the motorbike, you’ll become a 26 stone “athlete” and start dressing like one of the village people.
Just to add to the confusion, my Nimbus muni with the normal UDC square taper hub seems to be standing up fine to my rolling (but quite rough and rocky) muni. I’ve never even had a crank come loose. I’m not that light (12 stone) and with all the “must have splines” talk on the forum I expected to have broken the hub by now, but no - it seems to be strong enough. Of course, now I’ve said that, it’ll break on the way home from work this evening
But having said all that, I’ve briefly ridden Tue’s KH 24 (freeride I think) and it’s absolutely superb - feels really light (although it isn’t actually THAT much lighter than my Nimbus if you compare the two) and solid, and I think the blue aluminium frame looks good. If I was buying a new muni now I’d buy a KH, just because they’re nice. If I hadn’t just splurged so much money rebuilding my road bike and going to Snowdon I’d be seriously considering a KH29 for fast xc stuff.
I accept no personal responsibility for my actions, which were socially constructed.
I’ve done the motorbike thing for a few years now, but I had the itch for a big bike again, but a motorbike lacks the day to day common sense practicality of the unicycle, don’t you think?
