Commuting

What Is a good unicycle for commutes? I have a 20" torker lx and I want to go long distance so what would be a good uni? I have thought about getting a 26" torker lx or a nimbus 26 what should i get?

I currently have my KH 26 Guni set up with a slick tyre.
Im using this to commute.

im normally doing only half, train first half, then the last 5K by Uni
but did the whole 11K yesterday.

this is all on cycle paths all pretty flat with few reasons to slow down.
so on this trip im mostly in high gear, and could probably manage on a geared 29 or even 36 - (later maybe).

this for me would be too slow, and dull, on an ungeared 26

if you’re needing to climb hills or stop at lights/ intersections more however a 26 may be perfect.

greatly depends on the route and also on you

I use a 24x3 muni, but I live in a very hilly place and do like to take it off the road occasionally.

For higher speeds and longer distance a 29-er is good, especially if you get one of the options with dual-hole cranks, so you can, for example, choose 125/150’s which makes it versatile.

But anything bigger than 20" is going to be a substantial improvement for communting.

This is my 559/26-incher commuting machine. Things to note:

  • Mudguard -> dry back
  • The KH saddle is one of the older models with a faux leather surface rather than fabric -> dry buttock (the uni is parked outside at university).
  • klickfix mount for the cable lock… not necessary but it’s a bit quicker than rummaging in the rucksack.
  • The miyata Cross pedals stay grippy when it’s wet and I feel less threatened by them than by metal cage pedals or pedals with metal pins.

What wheel size you should get depends on the route, your cadence, your patience…
I’m quite happy with this on 6km (one-way).

Mein Alltagseinrad.jpg

Ewok, what is the size of your wheel?

I’m commuting about 10km through the city center and daily I’m using my bike, but from time to time, especially in nice weather, I take my Nimbus 29er on the road. It takes me about 50% more time (45min vs 30 by bike) but twice as fun. This size is quite good for what I ride giving enough speed and maneuverability.
If you have a shorter ride, with high traffic, 26er may be enough. Otherwise I would recommend 29er, or even 36er if you have long and relatively easy way.

I regularly (actually daily) commute to work either on my KH29 or KH36 (every morning I make a spontaneous draw …), both equipped with Schlumpf hub, 128mm cranks, brake, T-bar. In winter when there is snow and ice, I switch to my muni.
For darkness I have battery lights to attach to the seat post plus a head lamp to find my way through the forest.
One-way distance is 7km = 4.5 miles with an elevation gain resp. loss of 40m = 130ft. The route is a mixture of city, rural area, pavement, dirt road.
It usually takes short to 20 minutes, depending on weather conditions, brightness (at dark I am slower than with daylight), traffic, personal shape and attitude, …

I commute on my 36 about 3 days per week. When my Schlumpf hub is working, I use it. At the moment I have 125mm cranks, which work quite well as a substitute.

My commute is about 25km each way. The route is around Sydney harbour, which is surprisingly hilly, but very pretty. Sometimes, I shorten the ride home and catch a ferry half way.

Here is a short video.

I found that once I started commuting, my riding got better and better and I enjoyed bigger wheels, gears and shorter cranks.