So…I picked out some parts today on UDC to build a Nimbus 36er out of. If I use some parts of my other unicycle, I can get all the parts separately for $470, and get them the way I want them, instead of the $706 I’d pay otherwise. However, I have some questions.
Can you really not fit the coker tire on the “X” airfoil rim? I know UDC says the rim is too small, but does it work anyway?
Is it possible to build a coker wheel in a standard Park Tools TS-2 truing stand? Any mods I can do to make it work?
I’ve heard talk of putting 29er tubes in coker tires…but I haven’t heard many details or success stories. Does this actually work? I was looking at the WTB 29x2.1" on UDC. It’d save me like $31.
Thanks…my friends are really gonna think I’m crazy when I tell them I’m contemplating a 5th unicycle…I’m running out of room in my apartment.
Hey, I’m trying to do the same thing, but my project is on hold because of the airfoil rim and tire issue. It is true according to another post, that the new coker tire will blow off (unpredictably) of the newer airfoil rim. I’ve talked Roger at Unicycle.com in the UK; he has researched this problem extensively. Apparently, the new airfoil rims were made slightly smaller than previous batches while the recent batch of coker tires were manufactured 2 millimeters bigger. It’s a complicated problem for either manufacturer to set up new specifications and produce a new batch, so there is no solution over the next several months.
I had looked all over for an old airfoil rim (already bought the coker tire), and found one in the UK, but shipping alone is well over $100.
So, I’ll probably put the coker tire up for sale on eBay. Maybe someone with an old airfoil rim would like it. Then, I’ll have to settle for a wheel assembly with the new airfoil and the radial TA tire.
Now, I just have to decide whether to get the dwarf airfoil rim and be stuck with TA tires for life, or wait for an indeterminate amount of time for a good rim.
The decisions even harder because I want a coker…NOW!! my friends and I got the okay for starting a unicycle club on campus, and I’d love to have it for the first meeting in a couple of weeks.
So, new question: would it be that bad to have to use TA tires? Sure, they’re a little more expensive…but I’m inclined to go that route unless a new batch of airfoils would be coming in a matter of weeks.
The TA tire is probably okay to be stuck with. Personally though, I don’t like it as much as the Coker. Sure, it’s smoother on the ride, but it’s heavier and it lacks tread. I know there’s the options of cutting sipes into the tire, but this just seems too much trouble and requires too much down-time for an expensive tire.
I’m going to wait until I find an old rim or until a new batch of rims or tires come out that properly fit each other. In the meantime, I’ll be getting good practice by trying to keep up with my 29er.
It is possible to use a 29er inner tube but it is really hard to mount the tire without puncturing the tube. I know of several people who punctured 2 tubes before successfully getting a third working (and others who gave up after several attempts). In other words it may not actually save you money if you have to fork out for 3 tubes.
It may be a better idea to consider a tubeless kit. This should be easier to get mounted and may not be too expensive.
