Nimbus Hatchet questions

Yeah, thanks for that. Looks like I need to place an order.

About 2 months ago on my request, Roland from UDC Germany had a few shipped over, so check there to see if any are still available.

Roland will definitely be the first place I check. Thanks!

So the day has finally arrived. Well, to tell the truth rain has postponed the day until tomorrow but then it is time to say goodbye to traction and hello to speed. I pumped this bad boy up to 12-15 psi and it folded under my weight so 20-25 tomorrow and we will go from there. I am thinking too soft and the option of steering is gone, too hard and the first bump will rocket me into space.
I will let everyone know how it goes tomorrow.

edit: I just rechecked the PSI with a special low pressure gauge and while my pump read 15 it was actually at 5. That explains a lot.

Nice looking hatchet there vee. I can’t believe how much clearance you have with the apache at high psi. Makes me feel a bit better about my 27.5x4.5 build… (still waiting on my nextie rim to arrive) what crank length are you using?

The amount of clearance on the Hatchet frame is ridiculous. My next wheel for it will be a 100mm Clownshoe with a VeeRubber Snowshow XL. I am also planning a 32" in the near future as well.
When I got back into unicycling my wife made me promise to keep it at one and thanks to the Hatchet I can do that.
Still I believe a Triton frame is in my future for this Apache Tire. I also am thinking of a carbon rim down the road. I want a fast fat ride uni for the sole purpose of they are so fun to ride.

I am loving my hatchet with the 29x3 on it. is it worth getting a 26" wheel to put in there as well? i only use it off road really and keep my 40" T.U.F. big wheel for long road rides

I wonder how the Apache slick, which I think is close to a 32" equivalent, rides compared to a conventional skinny 32". I’ve been using my Snowshoe 2XL on pavement, but the rolling resistance is insane. I’m on the fence as to whether to simply put an Apache slick on my 80mm rim for road or build up a new 32" wheel. I do like the cushioning “suspension” of high volume tires but a speed machine would be nice too.

I cannot comment on a 32" but the Apache Slick is a speedy tire. It has been a couple of days and I am still getting used to the feel of absolutely zero rolling resistance.
Hopefully I will have a review up soon.

I don’t think there’s zero resistance.

Yes, a fatter tire/low pressure generally means greater rolling resistance. But I think we get the idea: Smoooooooth rolling with no tread noise or vibration!

I imagine if you have long cranks and poor spinning skills, i.e. an inefficient spin of the pedals, you could end up bouncing all over the place while trying to ride in a straight line… :astonished:

Actually wide tyres have less rolling resistance at a given pressure than narrow tyres. Put another way, to achieve a rolling resistance of X with two otherwise-identical tyres of differing widths, you will need to inflate the narrow tyre to a higher pressure than the wider tyre.

Of course a wider tyre might be heavier, harder to steer (depending on pressure) etc.

Pressure and rolling resistance is a bit weird too. On smooth surfaces more pressure means less rolling resistance. But offroad more pressure can often increase the rolling resistance.

The pressure difference necessary to ride on a tire that’s actually narrow compared to a super-fat one makes it impossible to compare them realistically at the same pressure. In other words, higher pressure as the tire narrows should be a realistic assumption.

That said, I don’t know if rolling resistance is the same as friction. I was thinking in terms of friction in my previous post.

You’re right that it’s not practical to compare them at the same pressure, but the principle still stands. As an example, a 25mm wide tyre at 100 PSI might have the same rolling resistance as a 50mm wide tyre at 60 PSI. There are many other factors at play, of course, such as tread, tyre material, wall thickness and probably shape.


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Good chart! A reminder that tire pressure is always going to be a factor in how much energy it takes to move a wheel, regardless of width. A 5" tire with really high pressure might be pretty interesting to take on a bumpy trail. You might bounce like a basketball!

I have seen some pictures of the Hatchet with a Snowshoe 2XL on them but I cannot tell what size rims they are.
I have a couple of Clown Shoes lying around from a fat bike and want to put one in my hatchet with a Snowshoe 2XL. I need to order the hub from UDC US and want to make sure everything is going to fit before I do.
Has anyone put a 100mm rim with a Snowshoe 2XL in a Hatchet yet (with pictures)?

Indeed.
I have the Vee Apache at about 15 PSI and it feels solid. It takes very little energy to get it rolling. I cannot imagine a thinner tire at 15 PSI rolling as easily.

The Apache says it can go to 40 PSI but I cannot imagine the person that would want to do that. At 15 I feel every bump and have to hold on tight on a bumpy road.
I took the wheel out of my uni and tried to bounce it like a basketball and perhaps a new sport is to be had. Once I got it going it was very easy to dribble.

2xl on 100mm rims

256mm spokes both sides, 36 hole rim.

2017-08-20 10.42.01.jpg

Nice ! With a build like that, you do not need to worry about turning anymore. Straight line forever :wink:

I will have to do a tire measurement on a 65mm rim (as it may be slightly narrower than on your 100mm rim).

It would be fun if you could picture the clearance in the Hatchet frame :stuck_out_tongue: