I was looking at the same Torker brake handle. It should work perfectly. You will only need a shim to take the 22.2 brake handle up to 25.4 for the Pi-Bar stem. Let me know how it goes.
Jerry
Funny you mention that - the same thought occurred to me right after I put up my post, so I called and added a shim to my order. My total cost is now up to about $10 (+ shipping) for the handle bar fix. I think it should work pretty well, just need to see if I have any problems with parts rotating too much. If it works out, I’ll have an adjustable length and height bar that’s long enough to actually be useful, for total cost of $60 + shipping (pi bar $50 + the $10 for extension parts). As much as I like the looks of the new Nimbus Shadow handle, I’m not sure it’s worth paying twice as much.
-James
Considering a 36” for Muni? Well worth it!
Just got myself a new KH36 (all stock + magura brake, no handle yet), so I thought I would share my first impressions here!
Well, what a blast! This was my first time riding a 36” and it has not disappointed me (first time I even saw one was just a month ago at the Elsbet Muni event…).
I bought the KH36 to ride it pretty much exclusively offroad, so I was a bit anxious to see what sort of trails I would be able to tackle with this wheel.
It has so far exceeded my expectations:
- Mounting is not difficult – 100% success rate so far. Tend to do static mounts (with no movement of the wheel) or rolling mounts. Both slightly more difficult than on a 29”, but not as hard as I was expecting.
- Great offroad fun right from the start! All my rides have been offroad so far and I did not feel like I needed to spend time on the road to get used to the big wheel. My first ride was on singletracks with some very bumpy sections (roots and rocks). Nothing steep though. No UPD, that big wheel really does roll very well over obstacles. On my first ride, I was feeling a bit like a passenger, with the wheel not eagerly accepting my directions to accelerate, slow down or even turn! But this has improved a lot after a couple more rides.
- Using the rim brake has been ok so far. Easier on my first ride – I should not have adjusted the brake since then!
- Scary how much air you can take without looking for it – there is a small jump I know well from doing it on my KH29, and I did not realise I would fly this far with the KH36. I guess I was carrying more speed than I thought. Tried it twice but did not land it properly on both occasions… will have to try more as it feels great while in the air – not so great on the landing, but that will come!
- No mechanical problem so far, it feels rather solid. Not sure how long the wheel will stay true, but it has been ok so far, unicycle.com have done a good job with it.
I should mention that I have only used the pedals in the 150mm position. Will give the 125mm position a go, but I am in no rush.
Anyway, all this has reassured me that this is going to be a very fun uni to ride off-road. And very different from the 29” and obviously 24” wheels, which makes it a great purchase to complement a stable – even for Muni riding.
Teddy
Sorry if this is covered somewhere in this thread already, but I couldn’t get through all the pages.
I’m new to unicycling, loving my 24" Nimbus II. I’ve never tried a bigger unicycle. Other than difficulty free-mounting, how much harder is it to learn to ride a 36"?
NOt much more difficult at all. Turning and speed control are a little bit different but not much. It only takes a little bit longer to get used to.
Considering 36er parts vs whole new uni for myself for Christmas :), went looking through this thread, and realized I never reported on my handle experiment.
Hooking the Pi-Bar onto the Torker brake handle with shim worked well in some respects. It put the handle out at a length that is useful (about the same as pre-2011 KH TBar). It also allowed for pretty much infinite vertical adjustment of the handle bar.
However, I hated this set-up. The problem was in the width of the Pi-Bar. When mounted directly to the seat post, the width of the Pi-Bar didn’t bother me too much. But once I mounted it on the Torker brake handle, it put the rear of the Pi-Bar right next to my legs, so that every time I pedaled I rubbed across the end of the Pi-Bar. Not so bad as to be immediately painful (although it probably would get painful over a long ride), but very very annoying.
I’ve since taken my KH TBar off the 29er and put it on the Coker, and I’m very happy with that setup. The Pi-Bar has subsequently been used on my 10yo’s 24" with some success (mainly to mount lights - see: Hiawatha rail trail with my son ), although I think it’s really too wide for him.
So I’ve changed my mind from the prior post: the KH T-Bar is definitely worth the extra cost over Pi-Bar + Torker mount; probably also true of the Shadow handle (although I haven’t tried it).
moving for 24" to 36"
The transition is not hard. I find that once I get used to the 36" that I have trouble moving back to a smaller wheel. It may take several attempts at freemounting, but it eventually happens. What ever uni I am riding immediately becomes my favorite.
I agree; the first time I got on my 36er and tried to pedal away, I fell off forward because I wasn’t used to the huge inertia of the wheel and so didn’t put enough force on the pedals (since when you start unicycling from a stop you usually throw your weight forward and then pedal quickly to catch up). After a while you get used to this and its nice and easy.
I’ve ridden my 36er around 5 times and now my free mounting success is probably 90%, so you just get used to it.
The hard bit is going back on a 20" wheel- when I got back on my KH20 It felt REALLY light since I was used to putting loads of force on the pedals from riding a 36er. The first minute I spent falling off and wondering why I couldent ride it! but then it came back.
just for simple distance commuting?
Has anyone compared the Coker, the KH 36", the Nimbus 36" and any other 36" unis, stripped down without bars or brakes, just for simple distance commuting? I own the Coker and the Nimbus 36", but I’ve never ridden the KH 36". I had the Nimbus with the T7 handle and brake, but never really had use for either (except to hold the bell).
Because the KH costs so much more than the others, somehow I think the Nimbus is best for the $ because of its light weight, but not much ahead of the Coker.
What do others think?
Without any handle or bar, is there any convenient way to attach a bell (to the seat)?
you could mount a bell to the KH brake mount that fits under the seat. depends on the mount that you use.
I dunno, I tried riding without a handle for a while. I think with shorter cranks it’s essential for commuting over potholes and uneven surfaces. Can’t say I’ve ridden anything but my nimbus.
If I had to just get a commuter, I would look at the titan. I really wonder why more people don’t have them. it’s basically a steel framed coker with a lighter wheel. Always wanted to ride one, and if I do any looong touring, I’d probably consider one as a cheap alternative to carrying my nice one.
Billy,
For basic commuting your needs are simple. It shouldn’t really matter which brand/version you choose, other than having a crank length you like (which usually changes over time), and of course a seat you like. All should work well. I recently “replaced” my 2002 Coker Deluxe with a KH/Schlumpf with Nimbus Stealth handle and all the trimmings. Awesome as my new 36" is, the old Coker is still great for just plain riding. I can’t see myself getting rid of it in the near future…
Remember, the reason most of us like handlebars is so we can take some of our weight off the seat. But you can always add one later. I recommend 150s if you’re not used to a 36", or 140s or 125s if you’re comfortable riding one and know your intended commuting environment. When you get more comfortable/confident, you can move to shorter cranks if it’s not too hilly.
Bell? If you don’t want a handlebar it might be easiest to attach it to yourself. Did you see that video from Japan where the guy had the bell on his wrist and used it for pedestrian traffic? That might be the easiest! 
For nice, basic 36" I would recommend the Nimbus Titan. I rode one for a while and put 1300 miles on it. At some point I upgraded it with a KH seat, brakes and a KH handlebar. More recently I switched to a KH36. The KH is stiffer and has a bit nicer ride, but the difference in incremental. (It is a lot more rugged, but that does not show up in road riding.) The Titan makes a great, moderate-distance commuter Unicycle.
If you know you want to add a handlebar and other goodies, you may want to price out the whole package. You may do better purchasing a higher end Uni with more bells a whistles if that is what you ultimately want on your ride.
Scott
Interesting you say that. I’ve always used 150s/152s. I’d like to go for shorter cranks, so can’t I just use the plastic handle on the front of the seat for commuting over potholes and uneven surfaces? What difference does a long metal handle make?
For some reason, the T7 just made it harder to mount, and when I returned to my no handle Coker, I could zig and zag with more agility. Am I the only one who experiences this?
John,
For my 6+ mile rides, I never relied on the T7 to take my weight off the seat, not for any length of time anyway. that would have been awkward for me.
Bell on the wrist sounds good. I wonder if they could make on I could attach to my thumb and operate with my index finger, so I can get to it fast:p
thanks for all the feedback, everybody!
I thought it was “bells on her toes.”
The Nimbus “Shadow” handlebar came standard on my Impulse Disc Brake 36er with “Stealth” rim. I broke my Shadow handlebar (on the weld same as others see pics on older posts) pretty quickly (unfortunately the UPD was five miles from the car and since it’s integrated in the seatpost, it was a long walk) but it has been solid as a rock since then. Unigeezer has me wanting to experiment with Aero bars. Do you think your Shadow would bear the heavy load better than the T7 or Pi bar?
My left hand is glued. I could not imagine riding without it. Push down hard and straighten your back to re-adjust your junk. Even with the best bib shorts, my butt is numb after fifteen miles or so. John’s sig has me wanting to trade my Nimbus Gel for his KH Freeride just for the cut out.
+1 as 150’s have been my favorite length to date and I have tried em all. Started with 150/125’s. Traded them for 127/110 which I loved on the flat RiverWalk downtown but were awful on the Kentucky hills around the house. So I went to the other extreme with 165/137 so I am marching along at 8mph but mounting is easier so I am having more fun than ever. Still, I miss my 150/125’s. If I can ever talk my wife into a Schlumpf 29er, I could use the long ones and put the short ones back on my Impulse.
Re handlebars:
I also ride with my left hand on the handlebar the vast majority of the time, and do the lean forward and up to relieve stress. In addition, I like that the handlebar helps me keep tracking straighter with less effort. Finally, I’m not sure what I’d do with my headlight and bell (yes the wrist thing is an option - and that video was hilarious! - but not exactly convenient) without the handlebar.
I agree that the bar also gives some extra stability for unexpected bumps on the road. However, when I go through more challenging sections of trail, I still tend to ride without hands on the bar.
This is my first year on the 36er, and I put a handlebar on shortly after I started riding it. I think having the bar on helped me gain confidence and comfort on the 36er more quickly than I would have without it.
Re 36er model:
I’ve got a Coker Big One with KH seat and T-Bar, and although I’ve been contemplating moving to a KH or maybe the Nimbus Stealth, I really can’t justify it. I think I will replace the Non-Skid tire with a Nightrider after the winter (I suspect the Non-Skid is superior for snow riding, so no rush), for rotational weight savings and higher pressure capability. Once I do that, I think my uni wil be pretty close to as good as any other non-geared model. Yeah, the 12 extra spokes weigh more, but not enough more to warrant replacing the wheel. Yeah, ISIS is nice, but I’m probably never going to do any significant drops on this wheel, so square tapers are likely just fine for me. Yeah, my v-brake can be said to be inferior to Maggies, but I only use it for sustained steep hills (not that often) and it does its job just fine. Yeah, the KH frame is sweet (I have a KH29), but my aluminum Big One frame is probably similar in weight, and I’ll be nothing but pleased with my riding prowess if I ever manage to break it.
Re crank length:
I’m very happy with my decision to move from 125s to 152s. I’m pretty sure I’ve gained enough comfort on the 36 to be just fine on 125s if I wanted to. However, I do a lot of mixed riding, including some single track I frequently divert to on my commute home. The 152s give me sufficient control for xc muni, but still spin fine on the road for me (although I admit I’m no speed demon on the uni).
I put a 29" tube on my Coker last week. The difference is weight is noticeable. Mounting is easier, and I think idling is within reach now. There are several old threads about how to to it, but not a lot of follow up on how well it works over time. Has anyone else tried this? How long does it last?
If it survives putting the tire on over it initially (I lost two to installation pinch-flats), it should last quite a long time. I put about 600km on my first 29er tube before the unicycle was stolen (probably still going, wherever it is). My current 29er tube is at about 3,500km since August and still going strong. I get the sense from this forum that failures of these tubes are quite infrequent, although the number of people using them may be low.
If you get it in without pinching and it lasts past a week or two, then you should be golden. I had a 29’er tube in my coker for two years or so, however haven’t had as much luck with them recently. You run into two problems:
1- snakebite punctures trying to get the tire back on (and it is difficult already with some of the tire/rim combinations out there!)
2- thin spots in an overstretched tube can cause explosive decompression, blowing the tire off the rim while you’re riding.
I’ve had both happen to me before, number two after a week with the new tube in. A bit of talcum powder or other lubricant (that won’t eat at the rubber of course) is recommended as the tube slips and moves within the tire as it stretches and settles. If it can move freely there’s less chance of having it blow off at an inconvenient time.
29’er tubes are a great upgrade though and definitely add noticeably to your control while riding. If you’re interested in losing still more weight, you should look into tire shaving as well, it takes a bit of effort but if done right you won’t notice the loss of rubber and you can lose the same amount of weight as the tube swap
edit: hi phil!