I’ve decided to get my sorry carcass back in shape again so I’ve been back to riding uni for ‘distance’. Last year I was doing 15-20 mile rides on my 29er, feeling pretty good about it. Over the winter built up a 36 and now I’m working on doing the same rides I was doing on my 29 but on the 36. After a few good weeks riding 3-4 times a week I feel like my skills are pretty good on the 36, feel comfortable out on the roads and trails with a bit of traffic. The thing is, I’m tired!
I don’t remember being this tired from riding my 29er the same distances (although slightly slower). I’m a heavier fellow, 205 lbs, not huge by any means. So does it take more energy riding a 36 compared to a 29, does rider weight have anything to do with it (or would it just be a wash between the two sizes)?
I’ve read through this whole thread and did come across a section where NurseBen mentioned he gets more tired riding his 36 than his 29, but thats the only reference I’ve found.
My terrain is definitely on the hilly side. I’m only riding 5-8 miles at a time, just trying to do it as often as possible.
anton005: Yes it’s harder. I ride a 29 with a studded tyre all winter, and when the spring comes I feel in pretty good shape. But when I take the 36 out, I find out that I’m not.
Well I had to see first hand what the difference was… So today I pulled my 29er (125mm cranks) down and followed a route I did last week on my 36 (150mm cranks). I’ve been exclusively riding my 36 for a month. It was so much easier, like my wheel was made of air! I’m not sure what the point is for pursuing the 36 anymore
Yeah it’s a definitely more ‘twitchy’ ride, but some of that will smooth out, this was my first 29er ride in 3 months. I found myself working much more on balancing. It’s soooo much easier to mount. It’s soooo much lighter. Fitness-wise it’s much easier to ride the 29er. Up hill they seem to be similar, both hard but I have more confidence on the 29.
I just don’t see that many benefits to the 36, am I missing something?
My ride was 8 miles. It only took me 4 minutes longer on the 29er. …and I feel like I could ride tomorrow again. After the 36er ride I was beat.
I know so many love the 36er, I feel like i’ve given it a fair shot. Maybe it’s just not for everyone?
You’re right, they’re not for everyone. But before you pack it in, try swapping the 125 cranks onto the 36r. It makes it a real different riding experience. It’s harder, but faster. Takes some getting used to, but short-crank 36" riding is the goal of a lot of big-wheel riders.
Absolutely, correct! I don’t know what you’re averaging on your 29r, but I average around 12 - 13mph on my 36r with 110mm cranks. I can’t really compare a 29r with a 36r because all I’ve ever ridden is a 36r. Right now, I ride about 130-140 miles a week on my 36er. Just like anyone, I get tired after a hard ride. However, those same rides were much harder years ago, when I was a newbie. Slowly build up to smaller cranks and bigger rides. If your goal is to get fit, then how can you argue about getting tired? Isn’t that the goal?
There you go using logic! Now I can’t really argue against that without sounding lazy can I
You would smoke me on my 29er and on my 36. I average 7.5 mph on my 29er and 8 mph on my 36. I guess my point is that I’m not much faster on the 36 so why beat myself up on it. I’m not looking for the hardest thing to do that makes me the most tired, if you can’t get up and do it again the next day your not really doing yourself much of a favor.
I guess I had it in my mind that a 36 was like an instant boost in speed and distance at no (or little) cost, there are almost no stories here in the forums about the struggle to become a proficient 36 rider. Many stories of epic rides. Obviously reality is biting me in the butt.
I will try shorter cranks on the 36er for sure. I will keep at it. It’s nice to hear from you guys that it was once hard.
Hello Anton, have you tried increasing the tyre pressure on your 36er. A 36er with 55 psi is much livelier than with only 30 psi etc.
If you decide on high tyre pressure then I would advise sanding/smoothing the join on your rim tape in order to prevent spontaneous blow out and check the inner rim making sure that it’s smooth etc.
This is my third summer riding my 36" wheel. I suppose one of my unspoken goals is to ride faster. I hoped that the big wheel would make me go faster. Then I hoped a new tire would make me faster. Then I hoped moving my handlebars around would make me faster. Then I hoped shorter cranks would make me faster. Then I hoped the Schlumpf miracle would make me faster. Then I hoped new shoes would make me faster.
Just last week, it finally occurred to me that if I want to go faster, I should simply ride faster. Going faster has a lot more to do with leg muscles and mental confidence than equipment. I’m sure I’ll embrace this paradigm until the next piece of shiny equipment comes along. Feel free to point out my hypocrisy when I jump on the next bandwagon.
I was hesitant about the 36 and was commuting on the 29 for a while. I doubt I get anywhere that much faster on the 36, but I find the experience a lot more enjoyable (with 127mm cranks).
A 36 with 150s isn’t much better than a 29. In fact I’d rather ride a 29 with 127mm cranks than a 36 with 150s. I have yet to use the 150 holes since I got the 36. I might use them again if I ever do muni with it, but even off-road XC is very doable on 127mm cranks.
The point of the 36 for me is the inertia that the wheel has. It also just rolls over a lot of stuff that a 29 would bounce you off of. It’s just all and all a lot more pleasant to ride with the right sized cranks. I would’t think of another size for any ride over a few miles.
I keep my PSI at about 40-45 on the Night Rider tire.
I’ve been riding the 36" since around April of last year. It was a huge challenge for me then, and continues to be so today. It slowly gets easier. Some guys just jump on and ride, but not me. But as scgoan says, I’m interested in the fitness aspect of riding, so I’m glad when I get home and my legs are tired.
I go back and forth with crank length. I was riding 125s the last few months, but I switched back to 150s recently because there is this mongo hill near where I work that I decided needed to be ridden on a 36" (it had gotten too easy on a smaller wheel). But I just couldn’t do it with the 125s, so I switched back to the 150s. Now I can make it up (barely), but look forward to the day I can switch back to 125s and still do it.
We all have different riding goals. For me it’s fun, recreation, and exercise. If I was interested in going fast, I’d ride a bike. But to me riding a bike is boring. And I like that unicycles are somewhat unusual.
So find what works best for you, and have fun!
For me, the biggest boost to speed on the 36er came by raising the saddle, but I haven’t played around with crank length yet, I’m still running 150s.
The 36er I ride belongs to my mother-in-law, who had cut the seat post down so she could ride it (she upgraded to a KH 36 and let’s me use the Coker). I’m quite a bit taller than her; a few weeks ago I finally ordered a new seat post and raised the seat to the point where my leg is hardly bent at 6 o’clock. It’s more difficult to mount, but the straighter leg really helps with speed and provides a much smoother ride.
Anton, I’ve been using a 36 for two years now and I still find it challenging. After a difficult ride I often feel that I should give up and revert to the relatively easy 29. But then the next day I have loads of fun struggling with the 36 and I change my mind again. I do find that strong winds (most of the winter here) stop me riding the 36 and that’s where the 29 really comes into it’s own.
“If I was interested in going fast, I’d ride a bike. But to me riding a bike is boring.”
Totally agree. I’m not that interested in going fast. I mean you are not going to go that much faster on a 36 than a 29, especially if you use really short cranks on the 29. It’s more about comfort and fun. If you are more comfortable and have more fun on a 29, then stick with it. We are basically a bunch of dorks. Admit it. You are not any cooler on a 36 than a 29, no matter what all those 36 riders think.
That said, all-around skills will make you more comfortable on a 36. If you are interested in improving your all-around unicycle skills learn some freestyle, flatland, trials skills. If you don’t muni, pick that up. It will all help your comfort on a 36 IMO. If not, just stick with the size that’s most comfortable and fun.
If you are having trouble on hills on the 36, try lowering the seat a bit and stand up. That skill seems to come up a lot in muni.
@UnderTheLake I like your post. I’ve been doing the same thing to a certain extent. Checked my bearing cups weren’t to tight, checked tire pressure wasn’t too low (it was, but that didn’t help me ride much faster).
@Geomu My saddle height is probably a bit low, I think my knee has been telling me this for a bit. Higher saddle height would probably help my climbing.
@Kahuna [sigh], yeah, I guess in the end we are dorky… But not as dorky as recumbent riders right? And at least we are fairly cool when we ride Muni right?
I’ve never been interested in going fast, just faster would be nice. I’ve never been competitive with others, but I am VERY competitive with myself. I’m definitely getting in shape, I’ve left ‘couch potato’ status and feel much better.
Just waiting for school to get back into session so I have my days back. Then I’ll get out to the trails riding muni again. Cooler weather will be welcome as well.
Thanks again for all the support, it’s much appreciated.
Just hold on to your 36 and leave it be for a while. I let go of my 29er and now regret it. It would be nice to have something in between my 24 and 36. People told me not to sell it. I didn’t listen. Now I regret it.
I really do. I got her into unicycling while I was dating my wife. Now she owns 6 unicycles and rides much more than I do. All I have to claim as my owns in a KH 20’’ she gave me for Christmas to replace the Schwinn I destroy. But she has this habit of buying two of everything so she can take me along on rides. She has two 24’’ munis and 36ers. It keeps her, me and my wallet/wife happy.
Interesting that you say you don’t go much faster on a 36 compared to 29. I average about 8-9 mph on-road (7 for XC) on my 29er. I’ve been considering grabbing a cheap 36er just to see how fast I can do it (Got my eye on a UDC trainer 36er on eBay!) but now I’m not too sure. I run 125 cranks on my 29er, and that UDC comes with 150 something (I guess 152 or whatever the closest number is to that), but I don’t really know what constitutes ‘short cranks’ on a 36er. 125’s are about my limit for the 29er, with all the hills/XC riding I do, but I’d just use the 36er for roads (which are still pretty hilly…).
but I have more confidence on the 29.