Best flatland unicycle: KH20FL vs. Nimbus vs. Reagent

Hello, friendly experts. I started unicycling a year ago on a cheapo Torker CX and now I’m fascinated by flatland. I want to swoop and twirl around an indoor gym on one of those nice long unicycles with white tires. But I’m having a devil of a time picking one. It looks like these are my options:

Kris Holm KH20FL: http://www.unicycle.com/kris-holm-20-inch-longneck-street-unicycle.html ($600)
Nimbus Equinox Freestyle: http://www.unicycle.com/equinox-20-inch-freestyle-unicycle.html ($390)
Nimbus Eclipse Freestyle: http://www.unicycle.com/eclipse-20-inch-freestyle-unicycle.html ($360)
Impact Reagent: http://www.unicycle.com/impact-reagent-unicycle-4100.html ($320)

How do I even begin? The KH20FL seems overkill for me since I don’t plan to leap off tall buildings, and it’s heavy. The Reagent looks OK but has a narrow crown - hard to stand on? The Equinox is black (bad for gyms) and doesn’t take standard tires, apparently? The Eclipse is probably my favorite, because cute white tires, but it seems to be out of stock in the US.

Should I care more about feel and balance? Weight? Durability? Price?

Someone tell me what to do :slight_smile:
Dugan

I have a Reagent and I don’t think you will find the crown too narrow for foot/crown riding. I’m not sure where you are getting the crown measurement, but it’s not that narrow. In fact the Reagent is used with trials wheels more often than flat wheels. I would say it is at least as wide at the crown, if not wider, than a KH.

Between the uni’s on your list I would say the Impact is far and away the best bang for the buck. If you look at the frame price alone the Reagent is $20 more than a KH.

The only reservation I would have about it is the aluminum spindle hub. Keep in mind that this would be my reservation based on no first hand experience with this hub. It would only be an issue if you are going to do any tricks with big hops. I could see even a hard landing from a unispin might be rough on it. Hopefully someone with intimate knowledge of the hub will chime in and lay this to rest one way or the other.

All of those are viable options for what you want to do (except the KH, they don’t make the KH flatland edition anymore).

Personally, I would get the Equinox. But the most economical one, the Reagent, should be more than fine. I mainly like the Equinox because it can also take a trials tire (the Nimubs likely won’t because it’s too narrow), and the Equinox has plenty of room to put your foot on the crown. The Reagant is also a solid choice, though.

Those are my 2 cents (unless you’re Canadian, then it’s my 3 cents, since 2 rounds down to 0, which is worthless).

I’m pretty sure this is the Nimbus 20" flatland rim, and not the 19" trials rim. I believe it has the same wheelset as the Reagent in this list. In order to do trials on either of them you would either find a 20x2.5 tire like the Onza “sticky fingers”, or build a new wheel with a 19" rim. My Reagent came with a Sticky Fingers tire so I know it fits.

I vote Equinox

Hi Dugan! This is Matt from the Gasworks meetup (SAURs). :slight_smile:

I think Morgan’s one you rode was an Equinox. I have ridden it too and feel the same way you do about it - LOVE IT. In fairness I have not ridden the Impact one but I think that Equinox with the super long neck is the way to go for freestyle. :slight_smile:

Equinox

Also, this will have stronger cranks than the Torker cranks you currently are using. I crushed my Torker cranks just jumping off curbs. That will not happen to these.

Just know if you want to get super fat tire that may not be able to happen on this unicycle. The frame is narrow and will not support larger wheel I do not believe. But what this uni has is such a nice nice freestyle feel - small cranks, narrow hub, light weight everything.

Hi Dugan :slight_smile:

I know very little about unicycles but I do know that Nick Harden, the unicyclist that taught the first unicycle class at Seattle Central College this past summer rides a Nimbus Eclipse. Here’s a link to his website with videos -> A Unicycle Built for Two. This is not exactly the type of unicycling you have in mind but this might give you an idea of how strong it is. When he gave us a list of unicycles he recommends he called the Eclipse a “professional freestyle unicycle”.

Maybe UDC is planning on having the Eclipse in stock in time for Christmas. You could always send them a message to see if they know when it will be in stock again.

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Just gotta point it out, the eclipse is not a flat unicycle. It’s a freestyle.

Thanks for everyone’s generous replies - very educational.

Re. the KH20FL (http://www.krisholm.com/en/gear/unicycle/kh20fl) - I had assumed that it was known in the US as the “KH Longneck Street” (http://www.unicycle.com/kris-holm-20-inch-longneck-street-unicycle.html). At least they look identical in the photos.

Re. flatland vs. freestyle - I confess I’m not crystal clear on the distinction. Flatland seems to be outdoors freestyle sans the musical/performance aspect, is that about right? If that’s the case, what would be the mechanical difference between a freestyle uni and one designed specifically for flatland?

For me it’s between the Eclipse and the Equinox now, and I’m still torn. Any thoughts on how to pick between them?

Thanks again -
Dugan

Freestyle is made for a slimmer tire, for indoor use, whereas flatland generally has a 19" trials tire. Freestyle unicycles also aren’t made to withstand all the forces of flat. Notice your link to krisholm.com the unicycle has a skinny tire and your link to unicycle.com the unicycle has a trials tire.

Difference between Equinox and Eclipse (to my understanding):
The Equinox is much more versatile. It comes with a freestyle-type 20" wheel, but it can handle a trials tire.
The Eclipse is too narrow to take a trials tire.

The verdict: the Equinox allows for more flexibility in the end, plus it looks better :slight_smile:

OK, the verdict: Equinox, with a white freestyle tire.

One last question - crank length! The options are 75mm, 89mm, 100mm, and 114mm. I’m thinking 89mm for indoor freestyle tricks? (I’m at about USA level 3-4.) Or is 89mm really limiting when it comes to getting some real torque?

Thanks again…

It’s fine for freestyle tricks. For flatland you want 125’s or 130’s

Anyone know anything about Nimbus’ stupidly named “Tutti Frutti” 20" Freestyle uni?

Personally, I would get the Equinox. But the most economical one, the Reagent, should be more than fine. I mainly like the Equinox because it can also take a trials tire (the Nimubs likely won’t because it’s too narrow), and the Equinox has plenty of room to put your foot on the crown. The Reagant is also a solid choice, though.