So I put the Duro back on, but after the Knard it felt heavy.
I went back to the Knard again yesterday (21 psi), and I had the most fun on the trail I’ve had in a long time. I still tend to fall over to the side as this tyre is not as stable and forgiving as the Duro, but I also had a lot of success this time. I think two things made the difference: The weather was good and has been for a few days, so the trail was almost dry. And I went from 160 to 150 cranks. I felt I needed longer cranks with the heavier Duro tyre, so this is what I had on when I tested the Knard also. I never felt completely comfortable with the 160 cranks on either tyre as I have used 150 cranks on everyting from 24 to 36 since I learned to ride in 2010.
I really want to master the Knard as it is so fun to ride, so I will keep this setup and alternate between the 24 (150/Duro) and the 26 (150/Knard).
After yesterday’s personal best climb I really like the Knard. It does seem to have more camber to get used to due to the rounder profile than the Duro, but the weight savings makes it amazing, and well worth the tradeoff. For my type of riding, of mostly rolling and steep inclines and declines, and manuevering through sharp switchbacks and berms, it does a really good job for a wide 3"
It is quite sensitive to the right psi. I dont use the guage, but rather by the hand squeeze. Too squishy and youll feel inefficiently sluggish uphills. Too firm downhills and its hard to control going over bumps and and slowing down, and less grip. Way firm and it will feel harsh and youll bounce off the sadlle much easier.
Shoot, just now after rereading, I have realized there’s nothing new that I just stated, but rather Im just agreeing with most others’ experience.
Some weeks ago I had a ride with the KH24 from a friend with a 3" Gazzaloddi and it was amazing compared to my KH26 with a 2.5" Maxxis High Roller. The 3" Gazza reminded me my previous KH24 with a 3" Duro … Better comfort, better grip, less camber sensitivity, … but very heavy
So I decided to build a custom KH26 with the 3" Knard (5990g, 835g for the tyre only) and had some rides with it this summer, but not on my usual field. I’m still looking for the right pressure (I rode the Knard from 1.4 to 1.7 bar = 20 to 25 PSI), right saddle inclination and hight, but the Knard seems to be really a good tyre for me, probably a little bit less stable and little bit more sensitive to camber than the Gazzaloddi or the Duro. I need some more rides to find the right set-up but I’m already very happy with it !
Here’s my latest ride yesterday with the 120tpi knard. Road camber is a little bit of an issue and yet I had to be sure I was confident enough to tackle this fairly steep singletrack downhills, which proved I was.
It performed nicely, of which I went past last Friday’s trails and into new trails.
This track was and adrenaline rush. I had to remind myself to only bail towards mountainside if I must, and NOT look down anf get momentarily distracted at the downhill side. Whooo..what a rush, with that little room for error.
Im sure the Duro would perform just as nice or nicer on this track, but the problem is would it be able to get that steep and that far up in the first place…
Yes of course,
San Jose, beyond Alum Rock Park, more specific Santa Clara County Open Space Authorities, past the second cow gate, past the steep difficult switchbacks of Boccardo Loop Trail and onto Sierra Vista trail. Incredibly beautiful trail and cant wait to return for farther. I was only able to ride a fraction of that trail before I had to return for work.
Was On my longggg lunch break;)
Im always hearing of rumors from another hiker of some unicyclists riding it too. Unicyclists we are, Like ghosts we are, hardly bumping into each other, but only hear rumors from others:D
This thread (like some others) has been very helpful.
My 5yr old muni (a kahero 26er with kenda nevegal 26x2.7) had been upgraded and used as an urban unicycle few month ago (by mounting a hookworm 26x2.5 and a Qu-handle) but then I bought a nimbus 29 road for this purpose so I didn’t use my 26er anymore since.
Thanks to this thread, I ordered everything I need to upgrade this old muni into a “slim” fatty 26er.
I wanted something I can ride muni with low pressure (something around 20 PSI or less) for the comfort it brings and how sweet the little hops can be.
I will put a Surly Knard 26x3 and a light tube on the 47mm drilled rim of my 26er and will change the frame for a kh 2015.
The seat will be the nimbus gel from the nimbus 29er (I’ll change it for a kh street if I don’t like), I will keep the Qu-ax Handle, and will mount the HS33 that I was planing to mount on the 29er (there is no real need on the 29er).
I think of using either 145 Qu-ax cranks or 137 spirits, in all the case it will be with my 23mm pedal extenders (I use it on all my unicycle now).
I presume the pedal extenders will also prevent my legs from rubbing against the T of the Qu-Handle since it makes me pedal with more spread legs.
Waiting for the ordered parts, I’ll have to true my wheel.
I know a place that looks like the one on the UniMyra’s video (Foret de Fontainebleau, France), So it will be the perfect place to enjoy this new toy
Darn, that was awesome mtb single track over on that gorgeous summer day…
Since then, I have recently suffered a pinch flat from having my Oregon flying off a 12’ high creekbed, on a stupidly relatively easy ledge run. Replaced the tube and figured, might as well change back to the original fattie 3.8Nate. The Nate is practically brand new, after suffering smashing nut attacks from the original Nimbus saddle and lack of saddle time.
Now, this time around, the Nate ride good! Really good! Little bit heavier than the Knard, lttle bit autosteering, but tolerable.
Cant wait for the weather to turn decent and I’ll be hitting the same single tracks again on it. I’ll see how far the Nate can take me before Im completely exhausted, or completely rolled off the mountain:p
This morning I received the last parts of my small fatty project (knard 26x3 + schwalbe light tube) so I decided give it a try (without the hs33 for now).
WOW !!!
I enjoyed the hell out of it !!!
I weight 85kg, I inflated it a 15 PSI (minimum recommended).
First part of the ride was with 137 spirit cranks , second part with 145 qu-ax , both with pedal extenders.
I have zero experience with low PSI tires, excepted with my 19er trial, and even with my first unicycle that was a muni I inflated the tyre at it’s max.
So my level in muni is supposed to be very low, but with the knard, I was able to ride everywhere I wanted, no matter what, like if I was an experienced muni rider !
I love so much this tremendous suspension and it’s ability to absorb everything that goes under the wheel, from mud to rocks and roots, deep water fulled holes, wet grass, many inches of leaves, sand.. whatever, it’s like there is nothing ! So smooth ! Smooth and lightweight !
About hops, it has more bouncing than my trial 19er! I can hop (up and down) stairs even more easily than with the little wheel.
It was incredible !
it was easy to ride with the 137 spirits, with good speed, but even easier with the 145 that allowed me to ride in some places or uphill parts that was harder on 137, even if I was slower in max speed
It was worth changing my old no-more-used first unicycle to this tremendous toy !
I recommend the Knard 26x3 !!!
Tyre and handlebar!
This handlebar was helping me not falling when crossing difficult surfaces, like very uneven grass downhill with wet mud, and everywhere I guess I would have fallen if I only hold the seat.
It brings some lever effect.
I had a ride 2 days ago without the handlebar.
the ride was very technical, lot of roots, rocks, lots of tight bends, and curiously I loved to ride without handlebar, I realized that my balance skill has improved a lot cause I no longer need to move my arms like crazy to stay in balance, I can unicycle with arms still and leaning along my body (when the trail is regular).
when the turns were very tight and technical I think the handlebar like it is set in the previous pics would has bothered me, hitting my legs.
I find the knard very great on every surface, even on roads with camber, I only rode it a 15 PSI, don’t know how it behaves at higher or lower pressure.
