Obviously I wouldn’t pay $360 NZ for it as I was kinda planning on getting an ISIS muni but I am on a budget and would prefer something second hand. I want a 24" muni, no bigger. Second hand muni’s don’t appear very often in New Zealand.
But what I was wondering is this a good uni? It’s an old KH model, it looks like the cranks are 170mm, which is very long. I’d probably prefer 150mm cranks as I won’t be doing heaps of steep, technical riding. What hub do those cranks fit and what other cranks would fit that hub? What are the pros/cons of the uni?
Basically is it a good unicycle and what’s the most I’d wanna pay for it? I’d need to upgrade the tyre $50-100, and possibly the seat - $85. I reckon I could talk him down to under $200.
I could get a nimbus ISIS 24" muni for $500 NZ (they’re expensive here compared to USA). Would getting this be a better option?
this is an 04 KH muni, they have a reputation for being a little heavy but tough as hell. The only other cranks that wil fit are the KH 03/04 140s and the special Qu-Ax KH spline 127s. The cranks won’t fit on any other hub. I used to swap between the 170s and 140s when i was using this hub, depending on terrain. Personally I would get it, with the upgrades you mentioned you’ll have a long-lasting muni that won’t break on you. Also if you get it that cheap it’s unlikely to be worth much less if you ever come to sell it to upgrade. The only cons that I can think of are that it’s heavy, and the cranks do need regular greasing to stop them clicking, but this is a very simple procedure, no puller required. Also the rim is only 32mm wide, but whether that affects you or not will depend on the terrain you ride.
My mate has run one of these since new without ever maintaining it or even cleaning it, even though it’s been immersed in water many times, and it’s still going strong.
I would prefer a wider rim, although what is the advantage of a wider rim? I’m not experienced with muni but I think I’d go for a 3" tyre. I don’t think I’d be able to sell it if I ever wanted to upgrade coz this guy has been trying for months. If I bought this I don’t think I’d ever upgrade. That hub would be a pain, I’d probably have to stick to 170mm cranks coz I’m not paying $140 NZ for 140mm cranks for it. I’ll just have to pedal fast to keep up with my friend on his 26" with 150mm cranks :).
I will think about it, but not for $360 which is the buy now ATM. If I was gonna pay that I’d be better getting a brand new nimbus. If I can get it for $250 I think I will.
This uni comes with a 3" tyre, the halo contra/duro wildlife leopard (different name for the same tyre). The wider rim makes the tyre more stable at lower pressures and reduces the chance of the tyre folding. It also makes the tyre slightly more wide and gives it a squarer profile. These are all useful things if you ride on broken rock all the time, as I ride in mud and dirt I can honestly say I didn’t notice any benefit when i upgraded from the DX32 to the 42mm Kh rim.
i got exactly the same as that, and i love it! the long cranks dont really bother me now, i can still go quite fast. oh and mine only cost £60 and it was in much better condition.
What’s the chance a bike shop will sell a 3x24" tyre? 24" isn’t a common size. If you look at the picture of that tyre on the auction it’s completely bald which would be horrible for muni. Unlike trials I would’t have my tyre at a low pressure and would be riding on gravel, dirt, mud, mostly so rim should be fine. Seat looks fine apart from the cover.
I worked out that a 24" wheel with 170mm cranks would be no faster than my trials with 137mm cranks. I plan on mostly riding flatter terrain with the odd trip up the hills to come down some DH tracks. If I was to get some 140mm cranks it’d probably work out cheaper to pay shipping from europe or USA than $140 NZ but I’d have to test the 170mm cranks first to see what I thought of them.
Yeah i ran my first duro that bald and while great for trials it loses its muni ability. You might have to mail order a new tyre but someone in NZ should stock them, they’re popular for DH bikers. Your other option is the nokian gazzalodi, very popular for muni.
About the rim, narrow rims can be problematic with a muni. Last muni ride i was on, i did a 180 drop down around 2 or 3 feet, and my tire literally fell off of the dx32 rim. Luckily the tube didnt pop, and unicorn brought the necessary tools, but i guess if you plan on doing such drops or something, a wider rim may be wise, but otherwise the rim felt fine.
and it was in much better condition.