I am about to ‘need’ a muni, something I have avoided purchasing for the past decade because I was heretofore too busy on the weekends to have time to make it to a muni weekend. Well, now I’m going to have the muni course in my backyard, but I need the muni!
What would you muni’ists recommend? Or would you mix and match to make something even more amazing? Let’s assume money is not an object. Do I go with Poznanter hub? Do I go as light as possible? Crank length? I don’t even know what Qs to ask.
Help!
Details that might figure in: I weigh close to 200 and am a level 7 rider. I ride very fast when possible. My balance could be better, so I’m going to have a lot to learn no matter what I get. My course is going to be pretty modest, but I’d like to use the same uni on muni weekends and the like (at other locales).
I’m a huge fan (and owner) of the Hunter, but if I was buying again today, it would be the KH Freeride hands down. I think it’s the best overall deal and combo of strength, good design, splined hub. With the KH on the market, I’m not sure any of those > $1,000 models are really worth the price.
Just my two cents, but I think that’s your best deal, especially if you don’t see muni becoming a major part of your life.
This is easy. If I was buying a new muni today it would be a KH 24" Freeride with a few upgrades. Doesn’t make sense to go custom unless you really want to.
My spec would be:
KH 24" Freeride
165mm cranks (I like long cranks)
150mm cranks (looks like the Freeride has 150’s as stock now)
Scott Wallis seat base with Thomson seatpost
Whatever handle you like
Whatever rear bumper Scott suggests
KH foam or foam on air for the seat
KH Fusion seat cover
Better seatpost clamp (A Salsa if if fits the aluminum KH)
Atom Lab Aircorp pedals
No brake
Intense DH tube
And some sort of mojoe to dress up the unicycle (headbadge, Moab emblem, something)
Could opt for the Profile hub since the Profile cranks are apparently stronger than the current KH cranks. But I’m not that abusive to cranks so the KH cranks should do me fine.
I’d also go for both a set of short cranks (150mm) and long cranks (165mm or 170mm). Sometimes you may want short cranks and sometimes you may want long cranks.
my ideal Muni would be the koxx 24" trackmonster with a brake.
if you wanted to go custom i would do it 24" with a brake, and most importantly a large marge rim with big 3.7" tyre, but a 3" tyre will still be pretty much perfect.
failing them, i’d get the KH freeride, i’ve heard their great.
KH 24" Freeride plus:
DMR V12 pedals, mag bodies/ti axles
Magura Hs33 brake with braided lines and S.Wallis cf brake lever and ss brake mount
S.Wallis Derail seat base, deathgrip handle and cf bumper, with probably a UDC gel insert and KH fusion cover
Thompson seatpost
A really good QR clamp, like the Salsa
If you intend to ride alot on loose or very rocky ground you might like to consider a Surly Large Marge 64mm rim, they give more volume and better stability to the tyre, so roll over rough ground better, have more traction and resist sidewall fold more. However, this setup is significantly heavier and less manouverable than for instance the KH rim, although this may just be due to my inexperience on it, my friend who has a largemarge/gb4/Kh custom muni does pretty damn well on it on all terrains. Also, they do a lighter, less strong version which if you’re not doing huge drops may be a possible alternative. I’ve seen one of these rims fit in an Onza frame, and there is of course the surly conundrum frame deisgned to take this rim, even with the 4" tyre that they also offer on it. However, it may not fit in the KH frame due to the increased tyre width, so you may wel have to swap up to a heavier frame aswell. Muni seems currently to be splitting between those who ride ‘normal’ rims and those who go for monster truck wheels, and you need to build up your Muni around which route you deide to go down, as the rim is such a pivotal part.
KH versus profile, Im not going to try and compare the strength of them, but I will say that it seems most crank failures occure in street and trials riding, with few in Muni and cross country, so regardless of whether the KH is stronger or not it will still be strong enough to withstand the abuse you give it. It’s lighter than the profile, you can get the cranks off easily, the cranks don’t squeak and click, it’s cheaper, ok it doesnt come with a warranty but it sounds like a lot of people have been dissapointed with profile’s warranty recently, it certainly does not mean you will never have to buy another hub or set of cranks.
PDC’s new beast, that thing is probably the best looking muni I could ever imagine, although if it were mine I would probably have Koxx hub and cranks Because I trust them more.
I forgot to add, earlier, that I’m NOT planning any huge drops (like over 2.5’). That will def’ly figure into the thinking when I buy a muni.
It sounds like I’ll be going with the KH 24" Freeride since so many of you advocate it. As Foss and others note, I can always add on after I get the uni. As Muzzle wrote:
Sounds smart to me. I have a carbon fibre seat for my freestyle and love it. I love gazz tires, and I certainly plan to get a good post.
Your booster goes on the other side of the break mounts. it’s supposed to sandwich the brakes between itself, and the frame.
as for my choice muni:
profile hub
kh24 frame
avid v brake with nokon housing
surly rim
Kujo tire
atomlab trailpimp pedals
thomson post direct connect to a kh syle cf base
titanium reeder
i was lucky enough to sit on a couple prototype kh seats, they felt pretty amazing, so i would use the foam off one of those.
24" koxx-one/tryall wheelset
KH 24" frame
nokian gazaloddi 24" by 3" tire
DH tube
maguras
derail base with deathgrip handle
thomson seatpost
gel padding from nimbus gel saddle
fusion cover
06’ atomlab trailking pedals
140 and 160 mm cranks.
if I was heavier I’d get the surly large marge rim, but I only weigh 80 pounds.