I currently use my 24" for riding to and from classes at college. I like to take it inside because then I know it won’t get rained on or damaged in any way. I very rarely ride more than .75 miles (each way) because my campus is very small. I would like some more speed sometimes but I think a 29er might be excessive plus it would be harder to take into class.
So should I get a 29" for 1-1.5 miles/day?
Should I get shorter cranks for my 24"? I currently have 145s for munis and 125s for speed but I’m worried if I go down to 100s I’ll lose too much control. I already have difficulty idling on the 125s so I could see my self faceplanting with 100s.
Let’s see, I’m a 62 year old woman who commutes nowhere. For some reason I bought a used 24" uni on Craig’s list. Do I need a new Nimbus 24" muni? Of course not! I bought it anyway. Then I read about 29" unis. Did I need a new 29"? Of course not, but I bought one anyway. Do you need a new uni? What do you think:D
Obviously you’re not satisfied with the 24" or you wouldn’t be asking. Shorter cranks are a cheap addition; you can go to 110 or 115mm instead of all the way down to 100mm if you find that idea intimidating.
But a 29er is very nice for short commutes, mostly getting you out of that feeling of “geeze, this is slow” while still being small enough to be manageable.
29 is a versatile size. With twin-holed cranks it can either be a fastish cruiser for roads and easy tracks, or a fairly tough “tractor” for more serious stuff. It’s not as fast as a 36, but it’s more manoeuvrable. It’s not as “go anywhere” as a 24, but it’s faster and easier on less extreme terrain.
I use a 29’er with 100mm cranks for all my uni commutes and to get groceries, so it’s only a matter of getting used to. I can usually carry about 3-4 bags full without losing control, and I’ve only broken my eggs once.
I’d probably go all the way down to 80mm cranks for a 24" as a cheap way to increase speed without getting a new unicycle.
A 29’er is a good size for travelling with- not as comfy on the road as a 36", but much lighter, more compact, and more maneuverable for commuting. I do all my unitouring on a 29" Unguni. Still a little bit big to wheel indoors though. I think your 24" will be fine if you use shorter cranks.
I commuted about 4-5 miles per day on my 24" uni when I was in college. It was 1.5 miles in, some riding around campus to get from class to class, and 1.5 miles out.
It worked fine, but then again there were no 29" unis back then.
I have a 29er now, and sure I would have used it for commuting had I owned one back then but I don’t think I would have bought one just for the commute. On the other hand… everyone should get a 29er at some point.
I also didn’t take the uni into class with me. I locked it up with the bikes outside. I didn’t want any more attention than I was already getting. I’d do the same today but I’d make sure to get a cheap one that’s still good enough not to fall apart. That way if something gets damaged it’s not that big of a deal.
Having said that, I own a 26er muni with 150 cranks and a 29er with a slick tyre and 125 cranks. If going any distance I’d normally take the 29er, but for 1/2 mile rides it’s the 26er every time as it’s just a lot easier to get on and to control - there’s also one little bit of hill which I get on most of my longer rides that I can get up on the 26er but not the 29er (as it continues uphill after that point I also have trouble remounting the 29er). For 1.5 miles it would be a toss up, and depend on how much getting on and off or manoeuvring there is. Maybe I just need to practice more on the 29er - I do ride the muni a lot more than I do that.
I’m still pretty conflicted I RARELY ride over 1 mile and most are saying if it’s not longer than that to use a smaller wheel. I guess I could also use it for muni but I don’t think I’m good enough considering I still have trouble on the trails on my 24" Also, I would need to invest in dual hole cranks for it to be practical to commute and do muni which is another cost
I would also consider a 26" but I have a feeling that wouldn’t be a big enough change to justify the extra cost.
Also, I have pretty limited space in my dorm room and I’m going to have my trials, 24", and then an additional 29". Argh, indecisiveness will be the death of me
Is the 24" useful for anything other than your short commute? If not, I’d say get the 29er and get rid of/sell the 24, depending on the shape it’s in.
You may not do much distance now, but given the tools to do it (which is, entirely, a practical distance unicycle) you may find yourself going for much longer rides. The world of distance unicycling is a good one. Get the 29er and you won’t regret it. It’s definitely worth having less space in your dorm.
I prefer my unicycle over my car for most errands, no matter how long. Partially because I hate driving… partially because I love unicycling.
Well I use the 24 for muni and I used it for racing at nationals which was super fun but I guess I could borrow one for those 20 minutes a year haha
Dammit, I feel like every time I log on I’m buying some new unicycle gear
Will muni be doable on the 29 for someone who isn’t anywhere near an expert on the 24?
I’ve got a 24x3, a 29-er (KH) and a recent Quax 26.
For most of the past 10 years I used the 24x3 (for distance/commuting etc)- the 29-er was faster, but overall, i gravitated to the 24x3 for 98% of my rides.
Since I got the 26, I’ve been riding that exclusively.
29-ers are good- get one if you want, but, don’t do it cos you think that 24"-ers aren’t good for riding a bit of distance- they’re OK, like all wheels sizes there’s pros and cons.
From what I can tell, a 29x2.5(ish) is fine for standard single track. Anything much more technical, you might as well stick with the 24, if that’s what you’re planning on doing.
My experience with riding “distance” on a 24 (5-10 miles minimum) is that I just feel like I’m going so slow after a while. Unless you’re riding really technical trails for that long, a 29er is probably going to be more fun.
I remember my transitions from a small wheel to a big wheel, each was a bit more work, but in the end it served me better. I now think of a 36er as an XC muni and a 29er as a DH muni, so obviously I’m a big wheel kinda guy. But big wheels make sense for unicycles, since unlike bikes, we have to make do with a single patch of rubber, so the bigger the rubber, the better the stability.
I’d get the 29er and make yourself learn it, in time you’ll be glad you did, then when you have the cash you’ll get a 36er…
don’t think i have the 1-2k to spend on my unis right now
I RARELY ride over 1 mile and most are saying if it’s not longer than that to use a smaller wheel. I guess I could also use it for muni but I don’t think I’m good enough considering I still have trouble on the trails on my 24" 
