I figured I mght as well try out the newly discovered polling feature!
- 20 inch
- 24 inch
- 26 inch
- 27.5 inch
- 29 inch
0 voters
So far I’d be leaning towards 27.5. It just seems to be the dominant mtb size these days as well as the favored muni and it’s pretty similar to the 26. I’ve got a M41 24" on order though, so I’ll have a chance to compare the two soon.
So far I’ve tried muni on 19", 27.5" and 36". 19" just doesn’t work well. It’s too slow and too sensitive to bumps. 36" isn’t terrible. It rolls right over things, but it can be challenging to maneuver. 27.5 works well, although I’m curious to see if something a bit more nimble might work better.
I’m guessing the 24 will be both easier and slower than the 27.5 on both the downhill and the uphill sections of trails that have been challenging me.
1 Like
My thoughts are, 24" is great for beginners to muni but go bigger when you get the experience.
For example, I have single track near home. I got used to it on the 24 (when I started I found it so difficult, particularly cardio-wise) then once I got the hang of it, I started riding the 27.5 on it and simply loved it. It’s so pleasant! The 27.5 also gives some momentum to get you part way uphills.
If your control is marginal, the smaller uni is better. Oh, and horses for courses. If you are going to do a lot of hopping etc, smaller is easier. But for fast easy track, bigger is better.
1 Like
27.5 for me as i think its a good all round size, I find it gives a good mix of speed and agility, I have mine running tubeless which is my first experience doing so, I find it very light and nibble for its size making it easy to throw around and idles easily.
I had a 24" for a while but sold it as i found it painfully slow.
1 Like
Well this has turned out to be interesting.
I figured 27.5 was going to be the most popular but I didn’t realize it was going to be such a landslide, And I really thought 24 was going to have a stronger showing.
It was probably a pretty good decision for UDC to start carrying a steel 27.5 muni option!
I supppse if 27.5 wasn’t around, 26" would be the size many people would go for.
1 Like
I do have only one muni, and it’s 650b (“27.5”), chosen mainly for tyre availability. My previous muni was 26", and it was also totally fine. I don’t feel the size difference is significant, although I also went from a 2.35" to 3" wide tyre at the same time, so it’s a bit difficult to tell.
My current frame can take up to 29" wheels. If I ever manage to destroy the 650b wheel then maybe I’ll rebuild it as a 29" to try something new.
1 Like
I picked 24" partly because that is my best unicycle, quality-wise. Maybe I would feel otherwise if I had a decent 26" or 27.5". I am feeling myself getting older, not caring about speed, working my way across uneven terrain slowly and with leverage rather than speed and momentum. Big hills in my neighborhood and I find them easier on the smaller wheel. I suppose we evolve in accordance with our setup and riding conditions.
When I was a beginner, I relied on the rollover and momentum of a bigger wheel to make it through rough patches. Later on, I learned to ride slowly on a smaller wheel, relying more on stability from holding on with one/both hands and the increase in leverage on the pedals that stability gave me. So, my own path of improvement went from a larger to a smaller wheel.
My first muni was a 27.5, shortly after added a 24".
I’m 6’0" (182cm) with a preference for slower technical stuff (almost trial like) and I mostly ride trial/street uni’s (19")
The 27.5 was setup with a 3.0" high volume tire. This results in s similar circumference as a regular 29-er.
It’s easy to roll over stuff and good to control at higher speeds, although off camber is hard to ride.
When doing really slow technical moves, like for example ride 1.5’m between 2 sections where you need to perform a technical move (drop, hop, 180 turn, etc) the wheel size makes it very hard to get your cranks to a strong position again, since the distance travelled with one rotation is a lot more than on a smaller wheel.
The control can be increased by using an extended handlebar, but that makes it harder to hop and drop in place.
The 24" was setup with a 2.8" high volume tire, circumference similar to a regular 26".
It feels like a faster trial uni. It travels a bigger distance in one rotation, but it still provides great control.
Not meant to ride with continuous high speed for sure, but a lot of fun to ride in technical stuff, but obviously more sensitive to bumps as well, so you need to unweigh a lot more.
No need to ride it with an extended handlebar (seat handlebar is sufficient).
So I wanted something in between and sold my 27.5 and got myself a 26" with a 2.6" tire.
I havent had the chance to ride it a lot so far, but the first feel is awesome!
For me it’s the best of both worlds.
The 24" I’ve setup with a street tire now (Maxxis Holy Roller) so I can use it in a skatepark, for brake supported trial and stairs and stuff.
In the end it all comes down to preference and purpose. Just like with bike choice. For example do you want a dirt jumper or a downhill machine? - with uni’s there’s less choice, but you still need to take it into account 
1 Like