Thanks for the help and advice everyone. I decided to go with a cheaper, more street oriented uni for my first purchase. I did go against most advice of getting a smaller wheel size and I got a street 29er but I like a challenge and everyone can say " I told you so" when I start posting about mounting issues. Here is what I went with:
I upgraded to the KH freeride saddle as suggested. I selected the standard 125mm cranks but also order the nimbus ISIS 150mm cranks to learn on that were on sale for $25. Im in a very hilly area so I may end up liking those better anyway. Cant beat that deal, and the reviews say this is a quality uni. The weight also appears to be rather low. Once I get proficient I will order myself a nice KH 26 MUNI with a 3" tire
While it is cheaper than a KH, that’s not exactly what most people had in mind. Still, at least one other person has learned on a 29" so get out there and practice!
It’s possible to learn on a 29. “With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine” as they say :p. I think the 150mm cranks were a good idea. Extra control is what you need at the beginning. Also make sure you have whatever padding makes you feel safe. Confidence helps. It’s hard to commit to leaning forward and riding on your own when you’re nervous about getting hurt. If you’re not sure what to get, use the search box. There are lots of threads on the subject.
If it’s VERY hilly in your area, then use the long cranks.Be careful going down hill that the cycle doesn’t pick up too much speed and throw you. You’re going to have a job mounting it ,?especialy going uphill. A brake would be handy for control on steep hills!!! Hope this helps
Hello tholub. Iguess it’s a question of preference.When I first learnt, it was on the grass with no support.I just made a small groove in the ground and slotted my tyre into it.That really helped to stabilise the wheel.And I learnt to freemount from the beginning.E ven when I bought my 36er,I did some hours on the grass before venturing onto the cycle path.
Learning on the grass surface with no railings or concrete to fall on just made me feel more confident. Some grass surfaces are not too bumpy.
You’ll be fine, sure it’s harder to learn on a bigger wheel but realistically probaly only a few days difference at most. Oh yea, nice uni. Should do the trick for you for awhile, at least until the addiction kicks in
A few years? OK, so I’m still lacking a 36, but I owned a 19, 26, 29 within 7 or 8 months of starting, and got my Schlumpf after just over a year (admittedly I’m still working on mastering the Schlumpf - is rather harder than I expected).
Like unibokk mentioned, quax would also have been good. Personally, I’d rate the quax and the nimbus models as being just as good as the KH ones, especially when you take the prices into account.
If you’re learning to ride on the 29er, then I’d suggest, if you aren’t making good progress on the 125mm cranks, to swap in the 150s- you’ll have considerably more control, especially if you’re trying to free mount it.
And, if you’re in a hilly place, bear in mind that some 29er riders, myself included, prefer 150s overall.
KH ‘dual-hole’ cranks are very useful- I’ve got a pair of 150/125mm ones which enable quick and easy changes of crank lengths, so you can experiment by switching lengths on rides.
Concerning getting a 26" uni with a 3" tyre- it sounds like a good idea, as it means it’s almost as big as a 29-er, but, as you live in a hilly place, bear in mind that that 3" tyre is going to weigh a hell of a lot, and, IMO, going up steep hills with a heavy tyre is not much fun.
I did use a 3" tire on my 24" nimbus, and was totally happy with it. But, I found a 3" tyre on a 26er to be overkill.
Personally, on both my quax 26 and KH 29, the first thing I’ve done on getting them, is take off the stock (heavy) tyre and find a lighter option- it’s amazing how easy it is to slide up the hills once I’m not dragging around an overly heavy mass of rubber.
Also- don’t fixate on the KH26- the quax26 is, IMO, a brilliant unicycle- if you can get one cheaper than the KH, it’s worth considering. Just like the KH it has an aluminium frame, but also has the advantage of not being blue
Still, 
