Just got my “Big One” in today! I wound up spending a few hours on it this afternoon, going 5-6 miles total. I’ve been riding a 24" for a few months, and I was able to ride without too many falls (I’ll wear the scar on my elbow with pride).
I spent around half an hour trying to figure out how to free mount. I managed to land on the pedals a couple of times, but I couldn’t get momentum going. I’m only 5’7, and even after cutting away most of the seat post, I still have to fully extend my legs to reach the pedals on the downswing. I got 150mm pedals, but I think I’m going to order 125 or 110 to try to cut down the distance a little bit (and build more speed).
Riding was a blast. After I got done, I went for a ride on my 24" uni again, and it felt like I was on a kiddie toy. I felt so slow! I’m completely addicted to the Coker already. I can’t wait for the weekend when I can really find a way to hurt myself on it!
How did you decide on the coker versus nimbus, I also am vertically challenged at 5,7 is the nimbus too tall. Have you ever ridden a nimbus? The nimbus is more expensive. I am still trying to decide.
for info on the various 36ers check out this thread.
I would not worry too much about it being to tall for you, shortening a frame is not very hard to do. If you don’t feel comfortable doing it yourself a bike shop would probably do it for you.
I’m about 5’7" and I currently have 170mm cranks on my Nimbus Nightrider, and I still have room to lower the seatpost. In fact I have ridden it with 170mm cranks and the T7 handlebar, so I don’t think your height should be much of an issue.
I took my new KH36 out today for my first real ride on it–a quick 5.5 mile loop through my town’s big park. It was half tarmac, and half dirt (a kind of doubletrack running path). After riding my 29er most of the time in the past year or so, this was an interesting step up! I love the momentum effect; you just sort of cruise along on these, don’t you? Max speed was 13 mph; not bad for someone like me, who is pretty averse to high speed. I don’t really want to ride faster than I can run, for those UPD moments.
I haven’t had any issues with mounting, although I roll-mount this uni and my others I generally static mount. Guess I need a little momentum to get me up on top of the big wheel. My seat is probably 54 inches off the ground!
My riding buddy is having the same sizing issues as the OP–with the crank in the 150 hole, he’s feeling a little stretched. He’s thinking of taking a half-inch off the frame.
We decided to take the 36er plunge because Pete at UDC-Canada had a killer sale during February–buy one, get one half price! So including delivery from Canada to California, the KH36s cost us just under $640 each. Screaming deal! Great service, too–props to UDC-CA!
What I’m finding most remarkable is the difference between this uni and the only other 36er I’d ever ridden–an original Coker, with steel rim, steel frame, etc. I could hardly even get that puppy moving! The KH (and the new Big One, too, I’m sure) is so light and maneuverable compared to that old steel beast. I’m excited at the prospect of doing some distance riding now, and figuring out which local trails would be a good match for the 36er.
Welcome to the 36er club! Riding a 36er for the first time totally blew me away! I’d been riding a 24" and 26" for 3 years doing Muni and I was amazed at how “fast” I could go on my 36er. You all will be doing some long rides before long!
Congrats! Don’t worry, the Coker is not to tall for you. Your legs seem to get longer as you get more comfortable on the uni. I am 5’8"(lost an inch breaking my back Muni-ing) and ride a Big one. Started with the post as low as possible now have it up about 3"! Has anyone else notice their legs get longer?
Is there a story here? It certainly does not sound good.
I like to have close to full leg extension and the bottom of the stroke, so I also like the seat relatively high for my height. I am 5’7" and ride a Nimbus 36" with a few inches (?) of the seat post showing.
I am now the new proud owner of a Coker as well. I will try free mounting for the first time this evening. I have watched Terry’s vid a few times and am hoping for the best.
Yah I cut my first post too short. I am about 2’10 and started off riding with 150s and the seat almost all the way down. After a while I liked it taller and taller until I needed a new seat post. I was usually riding with about 6" of post showing when using 125s.
The weather was too tempting today. I broke out of my office at 3, and I’ve been riding all day. Wound up downtown, where I rode on the levy for a while.
I’ve gotten to the point where I can free mount about 1 in 3 attempts. I managed to get 4 consecutive mounts, so I feel pretty good about my abilities there.
Besides the fun of the Coker in itself, I’ve been getting lots of comments from people who are impressed with how “big” I am. That’s what I like people to notice about me :D.
Unlike the instructions and photos that come with the Coker Big One did you make sure have the frame turned around so that the brake is in the back? If not you’ll soon realize that that is the way to go. I’ve got the same setup and I put everything together like the instructions said and photos show and found that my knee kept bumping the brakes! No problem just turn that frame around!
No problem just turn that frame around!