Just for reference in the near future, how does one decide?
I probably will go with the disc oracle but what are the frame differences and can the drak be converted to disc later?
or draK here:
http://www.unicycle.com/nimbus-drak-29-inch-unicycle.html
thanks for your opinions,
doug
The Drak has a steel frame. You can add a disc brake to it using a DBrake bearing cap. Then you would need either a wheel with a disc hub, or a set of spirit cranks. In my opinion this is a great deal in a workhorse 29er.
If I was going to spend 700 on a uni I’d go with the KH. It has a wider rim, frame with disc tabs (no DBrake necessary), spirit cranks, nicer saddle, adjustable post, and it’s over a pound lighter. If you wanted to add a disc later you could just bolt it on. At least around here you can pick up decent used disc brakes for under $50 on Craigslist.
Personally, wile disc brakes look cool, I don’t think they are worth the effort. The main advantage is that they get the brake off of the rim. For most unicycling that doesn’t matter. Probably the best thing going for them is the ability to use different wheel sizes without losing the brake.
It’s easy enough to a add a vbrake to a frame with magura mounts, and unless you have a 3" tire it works well. Then there are Maguras if you really want hydraulic brakes.
I would argue the disc brakescan be very neccesary in some places. Many of the routes I ride have long, steep, sustained downhills. With rim brakes i would be frightened to apply as much brake force as i do to my disc and would have to take the hill slower and use up a lot of energy. With a disc I can apply the anchors and accelerate to whatever speed I feel safe riding without fear of the brake ‘grabbing’ the wheel.
Drak, KH or oracle…
Drak - Steel, tough as hell and actually barely any heavier than an oracle (if you bought a road drak and changed crank+tyre you can get lighter than the oracle).
Oracle - Built with a disc (not of your choosing), Dished wheel is more fiddly and apart from the frame and hub is identical to a drak. Aluminium frame.
KH 2012 - more expensive but comes with all the bits you might ever want to bolt on. Has a wider rim, but not sure how much advantage it gives. Aluminium frame. Much more comfy seat 
I ride a heavily part swapped road drak as a muni. It was cheaper to get than a muni drak and i didnt want the cranks/tyre either came with. Setting up a disc brake with spirits on it is a breeze (just needs some washers).
I would reccomend doing some cost breakdowns before you make the decision. A drak will need a KH/Impact saddle to be truly comfy. Pivotal seatposts - take em or leave em, it depends how you like to sit.
The Oracle has an internal disc and can run any ISIS cranks. The narrower width between flanges on the hub would weaken the wheel a bit, but I’ve never heard of any problems.
A converted Drak would have an external, & have to run Spirit cranks to use the disc. The disc would be more exposed to damage and could cut your leg, again never heard of any problems.
Maggie’s can be very grabby. Disc brakes are very smooth in engagement, and that is a definite plus. I still think V’s work as well, aren’t grabby if you don’t want them to be, and are much easier to maintain.
Anyway, Like I said The Drak is a really good deal. Personally, it’s the one I would go for. I was just saying that for $700 the KH offers much more. Considering that you can just bolt a disc brake to it if you ever wanted one it is just about the same price as the Oracle, and so much more uni. Rotor inside vs. outside? I don’t think it really matters, but for some it could be an issue I guess.
If its a uni you do trialsy stuff w/ (prob not on a 29) if the disc is on the side you pedal grab to, its susceptible to damage, much more so w/ an external disc.
Thanks for all the info guys- still up in the air with the disc- do i really need the disc, i might with a bigger wheel-
I over spun down the trail yesterday and found myself jumping off and running before i hit the ground on my feet, it was spectacular, (good thing it was not a rock garden!!!
Just seems so much easier to buy a Drak for 360.00 then a disc for double the price.
my birthday is coming up and might just treat myself to my first 29er uni…
I rode a Drak for about a year before I got my 26er. The Drak is a solid uni, I beat the shit out of mine. If you want a disc, you can convert with spirits and a D-brake. Don’t listen to all of the internal vs. external gibberish; that’s all it is: gibberish. You can say that internal makes for a weaker wheel build, and you can say that external exposes the rotor to damage, but in reality these things will probably never be an issue. I highly doubt you’ll be doing pedal/crank grabs on a 29er (or a 26er for that matter).
Aluminum is prolly really nice, I’ve never ridden it on a uni. However it is more prone to cracking/breaking than steel (which will just bend). Again, in reality, probably not an issue. Worth the extra money? I personally don’t think so. Trying to save weight in a frame on a unicycle is really a bit knit-pickey to me. You’re better off losing weight in your wheel set (I.E. ditch the Duro for something a bit lighter [even though I really like the Duro for all things except XC riding]).
I have a disc brake on my climbing uni, a U-brake on my 36er, and Maggies on my muni. They all work really good. However, the disc is smoother, and since it’s a cable brake (TRP Spyre), it’s very simple to set up and adjust. My U-brake is good for only being 50 bucks, but I do with it had a bit more power sometimes. Maggies are also great brakes. They can be a bit grabby, and I have dumped myself off the front plenty of times, but with some practice and adjustment, you can learn to use them very effectively.
Bottom line: if it was my money, I’d get the Drak with your crank and saddle of choice (feel free to splurge on these since the uni is half the price), then get in touch with Bryce on this forum for some lightly used or new Maggies. Ride it around a while, and start to consider a lighter weight tire.
Whatever you do, I would suggest a brake of some sort. They will prove their worth on the first sustained descent that you do.
Butthat’sjustme.
I agree, brakes of any kind are worth it. I have a 29er with mags, and a 24 with no brakes… you REALLY notice it when you try to go fast downhill without brakes… can be painful on the legs even.
But with that said, I’m glad I learned without brakes first, I think it makes you a better rider.