I am thinking that I may opt to build up a 29" guni instead of a 36" uni. I am probably going to mostly commute with it but I may also do some XC. Here’s what I’m thinking…
Frame: EB carbon??? Should I go titanium
Hub: schlumpf geared… Now that KH has a signature schlumpf… Will the customer service be better? How’s the quality control? Are they durable?
Rims: KH freeride (I already have one)
Cranks: moments (probably 125’s or 125/150’s)
I may also go carbon seat base
what do you think? Any other ideas? It’ll be a project that probaby won’t be finished until the end of the spring due to the price of the geared hub.
sounds sort of like a jumble of good parts.
If it is going to be primarily a commuter you may want to consider a narrower rim, like the 38mm KH XC rim.
Commuters tend to get left outside a lot so I would shy away from super fancy frames if bike theft is a problem in your area (I know it is not a bike but the thief might not care)
Never ridden a geared hub (had the opertunity to a few times but I really don’t want to get hooked while I am broke) or ridden 137s on a 29er but I would guess that 137mm would be a great size for a geared commuter/XC machine. Maybe go down to 125s if you are racing.
Agreed
Yeah, I have some 137’s that I could use, probably the best length. I am really just brainstorming right now and I totally agree that if I am going to use it for commuting mostly; I’ll get a narrower rim. I only listed the KH freeride rim because I already have one. You did bring up a good point about theft. I don’t have to worry about it too much because the uni will be in both of my offices on either end of both commutes. I definitely want to wait until more people have chimed-in on the quality and durability of he EB carbon frames. Coming from road bikes… I love carbon 
what would your dream commuter be?
It sounds like I’ve already got the unicycle you’re looking for here 
I’ve got the pre-KH hub, so I can’t comment on the newer hub (there are plenty of threads on here that do), but having ridden a few thousand miles on it, I think the non-square taper is more than up to the job. I have only had to contact Schlumpf a couple of times, but the customer service has been second to none.
The new KH saddle and T-Bar might be a nice upgrade too, although I still really like the T7 and wish there was a Ti version of that.
STM
Yes you do… I never like titanium road frames and I have had 2titanium kayak paddles that just didn’t have the same feel as carbon. In your opinion, what are the pros and cons of Ti vs. Carbon?
Also, what rim/tire combo would you choose for mostly commuting but maybe some light X. Stuff? Let me know if you find a lighter alternative to the T7.
Do you have either a 29er or a 36er? For the price you would pay for a geared 29er, you could get a 29er, 36er and still have extra money for gear or another unicycle. Make sure that a geared unicycle is what you really want before investing in it. I had both a 29er and a 36er before I bought the hub.
With that said, I LOVE my geared 36 and my geared hub. I am thinking of getting another one, or moving the hub from my geared 36 to a KH26 for muni.
If you do make a geared uni with the KH/Schlumpf hub, I would highly recommend getting the KH frame. It seems silly not to get a KH frame when using a KH/Schlumpf hub.
I’ve never ridden a carbon unicycle or bike, so I’m not really in a position to judge. They both have very different properties though, so you can’t just use either material for the same design and expect them to both perform well.
I use the Marathon Supreme tyre, and love it. For riding on the road it is fantastic, but it also handles tow paths, fire roads and mild XC stuff very well. I also have a NanoRaptor which is better for more serious off road stuff. It’s got thin sidewalls though, which is great if you like a light tyre, but if you’re a soft tyre hoppy bouncy kind of rider its not so good.
STM
I hear ya…I am going to build a 36" with some old coker steel wheels and ride that around for a while. I am leaning toward a 29" geared because I plan on taking it with me while traveling and tires, tubes, etc. are easier to find on the road. In addition, I have traveled with a 29" Mt. bike before and know it “works”.
Lastly…if I’m going to go big…I want a carbon or Ti frame…not aluminum. I’ll have to crunch some of the weight numbers but I am pretty sure they’re lighter than the KH 29-er frame.
-Tim
Frames for unicycles are just not very big, so I doubt the frame weight for a 29" is going be make much difference. If you are counting grams it might matter, but why would you count grams on a commuter?
I would expect the rotating weight–tire and rim–to be much more important in the handling.
Scott
That’s a good point about the size of uni frames. I’ll have to weigh the cost versus value of having a carbon or Ti frame. I do like how carbon rides MUCH better than carbon but that’s on a road bike and XC mt. Bike.
For a commuter, weight is an issue… Logging miles means lugging around whatever the whole set-up weighs.
Nice point
That’s a good point about the size of uni frames. I’ll have to weigh the cost versus value of having a carbon or Ti frame. I do like how carbon rides MUCH better than carbon but that’s on a road bike and XC mt. Bike.
For a commuter, weight is an issue… Logging miles means lugging around whatever the whole set-up weighs… And me.
Nice point
That’s a good point about the size of uni frames. I’ll have to weigh the cost versus value of having a carbon or Ti frame. I do like how carbon rides MUCH better than carbon but that’s on a road bike and XC mt. Bike.
For a commuter, weight is an issue… Logging miles means lugging around whatever the whole set-up weighs… And me.
Hi Tirving,
Sounds like a lot of fun- the whole ‘money is no object dream unicycle’ project. If i was to make a 29" it would look something like this.
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KH schlumpf hub
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Eb/carbon frame (would have to have brake mounts but i think it is an option with the EB)
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CF seat base/ KH fusion freeride foam
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Scott Wallis Deathgrip handle
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Milled 125/150 KH moment cranks (stock cranks are pretty huge and a lot of material could be taken out of them without seriously detracting from their strength)
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Magura HS33 rim brake/ KH spooner.
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KH29 freeride drilled rim (I think a road tyre would sit fine on the wider rim- and for any sort of off roading extra width is a blessing- also i’m not sure if the narrower rim is drilled so weight may be comparable as well.)
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KH adjustable seat post ( i really prefer the Thomson elite post but with Scott Wallis no longer making his seat bases there is not a great way to attach it. On my muni i have a Thomson attaching to a KH rail adapter seat post bracket but if weight is an issue for you then this is not really an option)
-as for a handle i think that your best bet is to go custom. The KH only attaches to his seat bases, the T7 lacks adjustability and is weak around the rails. Coker Pi bar is too wide and overbuilt. For the riding i would be doing on a geared 29er (which for me would include a lot of off roading) i would go with something like the GB4 handle but made from alu or titanium.
Would like to see your project come together so keep us updated with what your decisions are,
Cheers,
Mark
The KH 29er frame is extremely light, and I doubt a few grams saved in a custom/more expensive frame is going to be worth it at all. With the finicky nature of the KH/Schlumpf hub (from some reports), I would stick with the tried and true frame that the hub was based around. If you were getting the old standard hub that had the torque arm attachment like Spencer has, then I would definitely recommend a custom frame as the Schlumpf frame that was made for that is not that great.
If you are going to use it for traveling…the dual crank arms are definitely the way to go without a doubt.
Tire choice is extremely important for this uni, I wouldn’t recommend the nanoraptor…I had that on my 29er and it sucked at most things. Spencer is right, it has thin sidewalls and it just felt very uncomfortable to ride offroad. You can either get a tire that can do both on and off road, and not be good at either, or you can get two tires to bring with you when traveling.
If I was going to Unicon (which I am still deciding on actually haha), I would seriously consider rebuilding my geared 29er and bringing a Big Apple 2.0 tire AND my Navegal tire, so that I could have an on and off road tire. The Big Apple 2.35 is still very good on the road (I had no issues with it during RTL), and it can handle some muni/XC (if the ground isnt wet and you lower the pressure).
Word…
OK, the weight difference is probably not much of an issue… I am definitely going to look at the KH frame idea. It would allow me to spend a little more on the rest of the set-up and a LOT less overall. I think I may even be leaning in this direction after a few of you guys chimed in.
Thanks for the input.
-Tim
Tim: Oh man, if I had any doubt, this thread confirms it: you are heading toward obsession. That said, I’d love to lay my taint across some carbon fiber frame-action sometime. Guess I’m still back in the 20th century with my steel and aluminum.
Go!
Brycer
Ha haa!
OK… it’s going to be a while until it happens but when it does… there will be rules…
[LIST=1]
-Tim
Whatever frame you go with, you have to make sure it has the properly machined bearing holders to work with the KH/Schlumpf hub. Since the KH frames are already set up for this, it seems like an easy way to go. And they’re very nice frames from the get-go, too.
My 2cents:
If you want a road cycle, the geared 36’er is the best choice. It can still be ridden offroad (including in mountain bike races).
So, the best setup is a Kh36 + Schlumpf hub.
corbin