Here is the scoop. I got back on the uni after a 30 year break. Yes I’m old and I’m about 215lbs. I’ve been riding again for a year with doing up to 9 miles on the road nonstop. My crotch can’t handle any more at one time. I’ve been doing some riding on some hard packed dirt roads. I have a Nimbus 29 muni with maggie brakes and a Nimbus II 24 with no brakes. My 24 has the lighter weight rim, and I’m running a Kendra 2.5 tire. The rim is not the Dominator 2 rim. So I’m not sure how it will handle the trails. I’m not into big 4 foot drops, but I can clear a curb doing a side hop on the 24 and 29. I can ride down a 8 inch drop on the 29 but not on the 24. I like the idea of a smaller muni (smaller than the 29). But when I drop to my 24, I get stop by small. Meaning I don’t roll over the terrain like I do on the 29. So I’m wondering if the 26 will roll of objects like my 29. Or do I just need to keep working with the 24. One other note, I can use the brake on the road down hill. But I can’t figure them out off road. So do I really need brakes on a muni. I know about half of y’all run you muni without brakes. Thanks for any input.
I just rode an event with about thirty mountain unicyclists. Almost all of the riders had 24" Munis. Myself and a couple others had 26", and one person had a 29". The organizer of the event told me that a 26" was the best all-around Muni size, though he and almost everyone else rode 24" for the event. There were very steep up and downhills in the event, which favored, I think, the 24". Maybe more people had 24" because 26" is a newer form of a Muni, and people will tend to ride what they’ve ridden for a long time.
Anyway, the event made me wish I’d bought a 24" instead of a 26", though I’m still super-happy with my 26". I’ve been told that 24" is going to have fewer tire choices in the future, because fewer 24" bikes are being produced, but I assume that, as long as enough people are riding 24" unis, tires will be available.
Regarding the 24" stalling going over curbs, are you grabbing the seat with one hand and taking your weight off the seat? I can see how riding off a curb involves different technique depending on the size of the wheel.
Short answer: IMHO, stick with the 24".
I assume you attended the CA Muni Weekend and if so your observations are a bit off. While it may look like a 24 because Jamey (the organizer) is so tall, he actually rides a G26 and there were at least 4 29ers that I am aware of as well as a number of 26 riders including myself. A lot of the older unis are 24s but you have a far greater selection of rims and tires by going with the 26 and I would guess that as good 24" dirt tires become harder and harder to find the 26 will become the standard.
IMO ride your current 24 as long as you like but if you are buying a new one go 26.
The 29 fells pretty good off road, but I can maneuver the 24 better. Hence the thought of the 26. Maybe I just need more time in the saddle before pulling the trigger on another. I believe my Nimbus 29 will hold up to anything I want to do. But my 24 may not since it has the cheaper rim on it. Especially for my large body.
Long time rider. I have three 19s, a 20, a 24 muni with disc brake, and a 36. I used to have a 29.
Stick with your 24, but maybe run shorter cranks. I ride mine with 137s and can handle anything, especially with a brake. 150s are overkill with a 24 wheel IMO.
If I were to get a new muni I’d get a 26 for the reasons mentioned above. I’m not fond of a 29 for most muni. IMO it neither excels at X-country (a 36 with 150 cranks is fine for that) nor at muni (not maneuverable enough and hard to get uphill), but others love the 29.
As far as brakes, if you are running a 24 with 150 cranks, I don’t think there’s even a need for brakes, unless you are doing some really crazy downhills. With 137s, brake is handy but not necessary.
Yeah right now I’m running 170’s on my 29 and 150’s on my 24. I realize some will say this is overkill. But that’s where I’m at in my riding experience. I’m only running these sizes during off road riding. I ride with 137 on the 29 during road rides.
Since you already have a 29" frame just getting a smaller wheel would also be an option. Rim brakes are more of an issue than a disc set up for switching wheel size.
I didn’t think of that. I was able to do a forward hop onto a curb today. I lower the seat on the 29 and it made a huge difference