Sometime in the next few weeks I’m going to upgrade from my 24" Schwinn and I haven’t decided whether to get a Coker or a Muni.
All other things being equal, I would probably go with the muni, but I’m nervous that it will be difficult to find good trails in the mountains (uhh, hay fields) and cliffs (err, corn fields) of southeastern Minnesota.
Do any of you ride in the Rochester area? If so, are there good Muni trail available?
If those of you from outside the Rochester area have any general muni vs. coker comments, I’d be glad to hear those, too.
I don’t know how flat Rochester is compared to the Twin Cities, but they’ve got some real nice trails around there. Look for mountain bike web sites and ask around at the bike shops to find out where people ride. I’m sure there’s something out there.
Then, if the trails are pretty mild, you still have a choice between MUni and Coker. If you’re going for miles, you might enjoy the Coker better. But the MUni will be more flexible for a wide variety of riding.
I was faced with the same dillema 6 mos. ago, but now I have one of each. I went with the Coker first, and I was surprised at all the off-roading I could do on the Coker, esp. where the rises and falls of the trail were more like wave-sized than mountain-sized (if that makes any sense ) I was starting to think the Coker was going to be all I needed. I had to get a MUni though, cuz I live right next to the Rockies and the Coker wasn’t going to get me up and down mountains. The Coker will get you down a lot of trails, though, especially if you put long cranks on it.
Check out this link:
My wheel has yet to taco or wriggle like his does at the end of that vid, but it’s true you can only get away with so much on the stock wheel.
I managed to track down the guy at my LBS who’s into muni, and got the rundown on local trails. It sounds like there are some decent trails in town.
Unfortunately, he also pointed out the Coker they keep in the back room. I’ll probably end up getting the coker as an impulse buy before I sort out which muni I’d want, but I’ll eventually get both a coker and a muni. And a 29er. And the giraffe they keep on display at the LBS. And mebbe a trails…
Hrm, I’m gonna need some extra income to support my habit. Are frivolous lawsuits still in style, or should I sign up for a reality tv show?
There were some great muni trails in Red Wing at Memorial Park. We went there for a muni fun ride during NAUCC. The park is up on a hill and the trails take advantage of that hill. There is something like 500 or 700 feet worth of climbing that can be done getting to the top of the hill. Fun trails with some technical bits that will make you want a 24x3 muni rather than something like a 29er.
I used to ride up in Rochester with Tom Miller and probably the guy you talked to. We’ve ridden at Eastwood park (is that right??) and it was great. Lots of loops that don’t take you too far from the parking lot. I haven’t been up there since Tom moved to Colorado though.
The trails in Red Wing are first class!! Plus, there is a nice little place down here near me.
MORC or Minnesota Off Road Cyclists is a great resource for trails in MN. I would recommend joining…20 greens for all the work they do to gain trails is worth it, plus they have a really cool forum like this one.
Oh, yeah I guess there is.
) I was starting to think the Coker was going to be all I needed. I had to get a MUni though, cuz I live right next to the Rockies and the Coker wasn’t going to get me up and down mountains. The Coker will get you down a lot of trails, though, especially if you put long cranks on it.