After having my coker for a week and riding it every day, here are some of my preliminary observations in relation to comparing the coker and the 29er.
Benefits of the coker:
The coker feels much more stable to ride.
The coker is much easier to ride for distances.
My avarage speed has increased in comparison to riding the 29er, although my top speed hasn’t. Largely because I am afraid of falling off at high speed. Somebody’s comments on the forum regarding UPDing at a speed faster than you can run keep playing in my head.
I find it only slightly less manouverable than the 29er and I’m sure with practice this will cease to be the case.
It is much more stable/rideable in the wind (very important down here by the coast).
I’m high up in the air.
It just feels more fun.
It reacts far less to the slope in the road/on the prom than the 29er.
The semi slick tyre - I can ride on and off road on it.
It looks sooooo good.
Slight disadvantages:
More difficult to freemount (although I’m sure I’ll get better with practice)
Further to UPD when I do stupid things like suddenly decide not to cross the road at the last moment (good job there wasn’t a car coming as I collapsed into the road).
Heavier to haul up steps.
At the moment I’m a little nervous of riding it without my knee pads (veggie 661s - Large size) and they cut into my legs and rub them raw. I’m seriously thinking of taking my chances with the pavement. Or try a cheeper pair of knee pads.
Thats about all I can think of for now.
If anyone can recommend any knee pads that are comfortable on fat knees and legs that would be great.
I have only once cut my knees in a fall, and that was when I was riding at warp speed on tarmac and UPDed. Knee pads may be useful when riding on a rocky trail. At normal Coker speeds, you will normally land up right, or have time to roll over your shoulder. You need wrist guards and a helmet, but I’m not convinced about the knee pads.
Every time I carve out a couple hours I am torn between my muni and my coker. I hope you have many great rides and look forward to adventues you relate on the fora!
Since I live in the heart of Texas I decided that the 661’s just aren’t going to cut it for Coker’ing about. I found an EVO pad set and have been quite pleased with them. They don’t cut or chafe and are made with Coolmax stuff. I haven’t crash tested them yet but since I’m going to go out around the neighborhood right now Murphy’s law says that might happen tonight. I’ll let you know if how they work out if that’s the case.
On Mon, 12 Jun 2006 12:52:26 -0500, cathwood wrote:
>At the moment I’m a little nervous of riding it without my knee pads
>(veggie 661s - Large size) and they cut into my legs and rub them raw.
>I’m seriously thinking of taking my chances with the pavement. Or try a
>cheeper pair of knee pads.
People have used some kind of wide socks to don under the knee pad to
prevent the chafing/cutting. Maybe a part of a thick old pantyhose or
maillot (if that is a word in English)?
Klaas Bil - Newsgroup Addict
“I’m slowly but surely stealing Wales and bringing it back to my house on the wheel, frame and cranks of my muni. - phil”
Well this is a bit embarrassing (but you’ve met me - I’m not built for speed) avarage speed on 29er was usually about 5 mph (but that includes my ‘rests’ during which I walk, to get the blood circulating again). Avarage speed on coker = 7mph (also including the walking rests). That’s on a ride of 10 miles. I also managed a top speed of 10mph. But it’s also early days on the coker since I’ve only had her a week.
And it’s also difficult to ride fast cos people keep talking to me. Last night I set out to ride 9 miles and only got as far as the end of my street because I met someone who wanted to buy the 29er.
I’d also like to say that it isn’t actually as simple as 29er v coker. I feel that having the 29er has very much enabled me to ride the coker quite easily. I feel that I would have had more trouble adjusting if the coker was my first big wheel. So, for me, it worked very well to have a 29er for about 8 months before getting a coker.
Cathy, you about got me to thinking of buying a 29er first before just going crazy and buying the coker! Now I gotta scratch my head some more.
May the miles be many and fun!
Mike
If you look back to my “80 miles, uphill all the way” thread, I managed to average 5.8 mph over a day! although it was mainly grass & narrow paths… you get the idea that your speed’s fine!
Some out there are doing amazing speeds with Cokers and geared uni’s.
While less than amazing, last Saturday I rode my Coker 30 miles. I averaged 10.8 mph and according to my gps had a top speed of 17.4 mph. That must have been while I was going downhill with my sail up.
i am getting really close to buying a new uni, and i think i want something good for distance (either that or a tough 24" muni).
how different is the 29er from a 26"? that’s what i ride now, but i want a bit more speed, but still the off-road versatility. i think a 36 would be great, but i don’t want to buy a cheap one, and i cant affoard $500 for the nice one, and i’ve only been riding for about 5 months.
I went from 26 to 29 recently for the extra speed. It can make my journey 10% faster with the same effort, or, what tends to happen is, I get there in the same time but not as knackered! In fact I have time to look around and have a generally more pleasant ride.
I find it pretty much the same for maneuverability, less nimble around town/people than a 24 but the difference between 26 and 29 is marginal if any. Certainly go for a light weight wheel, eg KH rim and light tyre, if want maneuverability.
One other point to consider is that if you have a big frame, like the Nimbus II, you can just get a 29" wheel made up and it will fit in the frame - measure it first though. That will save a bit of cash.
