I’m starting this thread as a place holder for when I take shipment of my new 26" Oracle (just ordered it today) and I plan to write a full review after I have had a chance to ride it for a while. For now, I can only provide my first impressions from seeing the new pictures that have been added to UnicycleDotCom (UDC) and seeing the available options now that it is up for sale.
This is the age of the disc brake! I learned to Coker on an Impulse and now I’m going to learn to MUni on an Oracle. After much deliberation, I decided on a 26" instead of a 24" because there are more tire choices. I’ve ridden a 3" Duro Wildlife Leopard and I just don’t think I need that much volume (you Oregon Larry people are crazy!) in a tire. So, while I was waiting for the Oracle’s release, I ordered myself a Maxxis High Roller 26x2.5 based on advice from the pros. It was between that and the Ardent. My High Roller has arrived and I plan to swap out the 3" Duro on day-one. More to come on that.
When I was placing my order, I was a little surprised / disappointed to find that UDC was offering the KH Fusion Street instead of the Freeride (like they always have on their non-disc-brake MUni) as a $15 upgrade to the standard Nimbus Gel saddle. I’m guessing it has something to do with the color (red) scheme and the fact that Freeride’s don’t come in red. You could always buy a black Freeride and spring for an extra ($19) red cover. Of course it only took one phone call to the wonderful folks at UDC to get my (red) Street exchanged for a (black) Freeride. You (RecSportUnicycle veterans who were on RSU back when it was RSU!) didn’t hear it from me (free advice and speculation is usually worth what you paid for it) but I think it might have been more of an issue of these Oracle’s are going to sell like hot-cakes and we have a lot of these red Street saddles on hand… Then again, what do I know. Some people might actually prefer a Street over a Freeride for MUni. I ride what Kris rides just not nearly as well.
I would have liked to have seen Nimbus introduce a grab handle with the Oracle but they do appear to have done a nice job mounting the brake level under the seat. I’ve got a NurseBenGrabHandle on hand just dying to be mounted to something. On this subject, I really like the feel of the KH Spooner paddle on my 36er but I’m reluctant to go circumcising my new lever and trying to retrofit a Spooner paddle just yet. I’m sure Kris has a patent on his design (he should because it’s pretty cool and there is nothing like it) but you would that UDC would come out with a triangle one (the spork?) or something instead of just the lever. Then again, I got used to the lever on my Impulse so I’m sure I will get used to this one as well.
That’s all for now… Now where is that darn brown (UPS) truck?
I believe I read somewhere on the forums that KH will be coming out with a new spooner which will be compatable with other brake handles. I cand find the thread at the moment
2012-04-03, 04:42 AM * #57
danger_uni
Kris Holm
*
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Vancouver BC
Age: 38
Posts: 1,407
FYI, the 2010 (but not 2011) Magura Marta disk brake is compatible with the Spooner. This is the only Spooner-compatible disk brake that I know of. I’ve been running this brake as one of my disk brake options for about a year and it works well. May be hard to find, though.
Kris
*
2012-04-03, 05:41 AM * #58
danger_uni
Kris Holm
*
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Vancouver BC
Age: 38
Posts: 1,407
For other disk brakes, a universal KH brake lever extension will be available by June.
*
So June it is unless you can get the 2010 magura Marta
Thanks for finding Kris’ post about the universal KH brake lever extension that is coming out in June. It sounds very promising and I will probably be first in line to buy one. Now, getting it installed might be a different story. I’ve read horror stories about people building a wheel from the ground up and reporting that the Spooner lever swap was the most time consuming part. Hopefully, UDC will offer it as an upgrade (just like the option to pay $15 more for Moment cranks) on future Oracles. That, or come out with a solution (new product) of their own.
The Oricles look nice. I might end up getting one but just can not figure why a $320 unicycle doubles in price to $640 just for a brake. Is there more too it that Im not understanding?
26Oracle I will be swapping out the standard 165mm Venture2 cranks with a pair of Moments 165/137 double hole that I already have on hand. Saved the $15 upgrade option. I love spinning shorter cranks on my 36er. I’ve got to have that 137 hole when I’m on smooth asphalt. The weight penalty is substantial. The Moments weigh 586g versus 463g of Venture2.
Compared side by side with a KH 26, though there are some differences between them, the Nimbus is a a better deal; maybe the KH is too much as well?
Okay, now for my rant:
Seriously, are you all so dang cheap that you aren’t willing to pay UDC/Nimbus a little bit of incentive money for pushing the technology? I for one would gladly pay that asking price in order to get a disc brake, it is more than worth it. On top of it all, UDC takes the time to package the Oracle with custom colors, an awesome round crown 7000 series aluminum frame, and all you got to say is that “it’s too expensive”?
Fine, don’t buy it, maybe you really like blue, maybe you don’t mind poor braking in wet weather, maybe you don’t mind hitting your knees on square crown frames, really, if you are any kind of rider, you don’t neeeeed a disc brake
Better yet, go out and price bikes, that’ll fix your persepctive
Quote
I’ve read horror stories about people building a wheel from the ground up and reporting that the Spooner lever swap was the most time consuming part.
I think I’ve read the same posts. I can see how making the spooner fit a non fitting handle would be a real ball ache. Lots of angle grinder work bending and no guarantee you wont just end up with a ruined brake blade
Before I saw the post about the ‘universal’ spooner I was thinking about wether a blob of a binary polymer. ( the chemical metal stuff you can use to set medical implants in - or similar stuff for car body repairs) could be used to
Make your own spooner
I’ll be interested to see how the new spooner attachment works in June
Unfourtnately I’m not really in the market for a new uni right now. But watch this space the oracles look awesome
I had this unicycle out-of-the-box and fully assembled in minutes. I was riding the single-track at my local Mountain Bike park that same day. The “standard” configuration is near perfect and I’m glad that I tried riding it as-is before I did any customization. Some may criticize UnicycleDotCom’s (UDC) choice of the Duro Wildlife Leopard 26” x 3.0” tire as being to heavy but I found it performed very well at low (10-12 psi) pressure rolling over rocks and roots with ease. It’s like riding on a cushion of air! That being said, the 26” tire choices are endless and I did end up swapping the Duro and it’s DH tube for a 26” x 2.5” Maxxis HighRoller with a Freeride (1.2 mm thick) tube. The savings in rotational weight is substantial.
I am glad that I took UDC’s suggestion to get 165mm Venture2 cranks. The extra leverage (as opposed to the 150mm “standard” cranks on the 24” Oracle) outweighs any risk of pedal strike. The Venture2’s have zero Q factor so can you spin smoother circles with reduced wobble. I’m no speed demon so I prefer the added stability (I don’t mind my feet being a little further apart) of Kris Holm (KH) Moment crank arms with a little bit of Q factor. I had a pair of KH 165/137’s on hand so I swapped them out and found that I really enjoyed the 137 hole on hard pack but I still need the 165 hole for technical downhill. My suggestion (especially if you will be switching to an XC tire as I did) would be to spend an extra $13 and get the Moment crank arms even though they weigh an extra 123g (586g - 463g). Truth be told, the 165mm long cranks were a necessity with the 3" Duro but, now that I switched tires, they feel a little long. I might order a set of 150/125’s when Kris releases his new line of cranks.
On saddle choice, I spent an extra $15 to upgrade the black Nimbus Gel saddle to a KH saddle mainly for cosmetic purposes because the red saddle cover matches the color scheme and gives my Oracle that extra bit of pizazz. I do prefer the numbness-relief-channel of KH saddles for riding distance on my 36er where I keep most of my weight in the seat. Riding MUni has me standing on the pedals way more often so saddle soreness is not really an issue. This one is a toss-up and could go either way. As with crank arms, saddle choice is really a personal preference.
What can I say about the disc brake that wasn’t already said in my Impulse 36er review? I’m not that talented and this disc brake was incredibly easy (silky butter smooth modulation that does not grab hold to throw you off the front) for me to use starting day one. If you’ve ever been caught out in the rain with Magura Hydro rim brakes you know they don’t work nearly as well when wet. Not to mention, if your wheel gets slightly out of true, rim brakes do tend to rub which is annoying when you are climbing that big hill.
I new aluminum frame only weighs 525g (602g with cups and bolts). I like the round crown design. I have not hit my knees yet! I also like the brake hose groves and clips (saved originals and used zip ties).
The customer service at UDC is second to none. I ordered my Oracle on the Friday that it hit the market and it arrived undamaged (they have mastered the packaging art form) on my doorstep the following Tuesday. That is less than 3 business days! And, since my order was over $300, UPS Ground shipping was free!
