@uni_jack, @setonix, I always have a small pump with me when I’m doing muni. First, it allows me to (change and) reinflate the tube if it gets punctured. So far I had two punctures on rides, but not so bad ones that I had to change the tube. Inflating every now and then kept me riding.
Aside from allowing me to deal with punctures, the pump is mainly there to dial in the tyre pressure, both on the trail and later on tarmac. I always start with high pressure when I leave home, lower it for the trail, then reinflate to ride back home.
I don’t really feel the increased rolling resistance by the fat tyre(s) on the trail. Maybe that’s because it’s all I know - so far my only two points of reference are 26x3.8+ and 27.5x3. The difference was minimal, not really perceivable. Maybe if I tried a 26x2.5 or so, the story would be different. Or if I rode more uphill sections; I always choose the trails so I ride downhill for the most part, rather than uphill.
I have a very easy hipbag for my wallet, phone and car keys and it has space for some Allen keys. Even though I have a very small backpack as well, which has space for a pump, the hip bag, I already wear when leaving the house (though not when I go to the office, because that looks silly).
To then change to a backpack every time is cumbersome, but then I don’t have a pump with me or any other tools. But as I generally only do rides of around 10km I’m never really far from the car. Having to walk 2-3 kms isn’t the end of the world. I only ever got 1 flat on the 29" I believe, in the forest.
But since yous are talking Hatchet, I will dig it out of the unicycle pile one of these days.
Oh, and those combat boots were the swiss variant. I guess most of them look quite similar, if they‘re not made for special purposes (like super cold winter conditions, or deserts).
I agree with how you see the Hatchet and my Night Rider, but for the Oregon, I think you should forget the picture of Marylin and just use the queen with those boots. They will make her look a lot younger, but still be a grandma.
First word that comes to mind: Oregon
@Wheelou@Setonix@Ulkicycling@Uni_Jack no chuffing idea what you boys are on about this time. But I need the pink uni thing, the kinky boots I will leave to you lot if we are taking sensible the the best tyre combo for the hatchet by aalong way is the 27 5er, either the Duro Crux 27.5x3.25 or the Knarwhal 27.5 x 3.8, both on the KH free rider rim. The 3.8 feels like half the weight of the 4.8, absobs anything and its reasonabley agile for a hatchet. The best of both worlds, looks cool, and its easy to ride, but still feels like a fat tyre hatchet. I still love the 26x4.8 it is a heavy beast to get going,but once its rolling it has it own kinetic energy.
For me its either slippers or open toed sandles, with white knee length socks style and comfort, its unicycling not a parade ground.
@Wheelou never really got the lower tire pressure, for off road and higher for road. Usually just pump mine up till they firm with some give, and thats it.
I have plenty of uni pals riding like 10psi on a fat hatchet, the tire just looks flat and almost riding on the rim, cant be good for the tire walls or the added friction, camber steer. Perhaps not so bouncy on less pressure ?
Disclaimer: I’m not one of those expert hardcore muni riders, so take what I say with a grain of salt.
Reducing the tyre pressure for riding in rough terrain absolutely makes sense, in my view. I went as low as 6psi, though I usually ride with 7-8psi on 26x4-ish tyres; bought a pressure gauge for this. But I‘m not doing any big drops, so I‘m not likely to have to deal with snake bites. Instead I enjoy the benefit of the low pressure: rollover ability.
The Kenda Juggernaut 26x4 has less deep tread than the Surly Nate 26x3.8, but the Nate is even better to steer! I think it‘s comparable to the 27.5x3 Duro Crux while being the better part of an inch wider. And on tarmac the Nate has significantly less auto steer than the Juggernaut - particularly with low pressure (but it’s a good idea to inflate the tyre for tarmac).
Currently I have a studded Schwalbe Al Mighty 26x4.8 (though it‘s measuring in at „only“ 11cm wide on the 65mm narrow Large Marge rim vs. the nominal 12cm). Since I‘m still not supposed to fall on my hand after surgery, I haven‘t ridden the fatty a lot, and never in rough terrain. But my impressions on tarmac aren‘t too bad. It doesn‘t corner in the same nimble way the Nate did, but I can‘t really complain, especially when pumped up rather hard. Looking forward to ride it on snow and ice, when winter finally kicks in. So far my 29x2-ish Schwalbe Marathon Winter did plenty good enough for the conditions we had this winter.
For me to make any meaningful statements about rolling resistance I would probably need to make longer rides to better feel the extent of exhaustion. But that’s I’m not gonna do due to my knees not liking that. But with your exoskeleton, rolling resistance doesn’t bother you much, anyway, right?
@Ulkicycling , I really like that hand on the pink uni thing. Except for the colour it could belong to an Addams Family movie.
Addendum: So I did a short comparison between the Marathon Winter and the Al Mighty on tarmac. Nothing scientific, just how it feel to ride them when trying to corner. The Al Mighty is more than double the width (nominally 4.8" vs 2.0") and must have about double the amount of studs. In real life they corner very similarly. The Al Mighty maybe needs a tad more effort, but given the difference in width, the difference in effort really is astonishingly small. Guess the Surly Nate would beat either of the two fairly clearly.
@Wheelou great indepth response. Yes suprisimg the difference a tire can make, for different disciplines or the same.
Probaley we are all searching for that perfect set up, and our go to une. I kinda like them all for different reasons, so I just choose what I feel like riding and go with that.
Only I more change to make for me and thats swapping out the mini 100mm rim. Likley for an M40 20” and drop the tire to a 3”. All to do with the spokes on the disk side. The M40 spokes run more centrally and will give the spokes on the disk side more angle. The 4” a nice tire but the rims not great with the disk hub, the hole spacings are a good few centimeters apart, disk side spoke fun to straight.
It was always experimental, but a nice new rim from M4O will sort it out.
Sure with the exo, leg torque is not an issue. Easy to offset a crank size drop, or balance up a weaker and stronger leg, so both have equal strength and torque or change to a heavier une and not feel much difference. Biggest I can go is 29”. But imagine it will really shine on a 32 or 36er, if distance and rd riding are your thing.
Not all I guess, but reading how many people have multiple unis, there must be a fair share of unicyclists that do just what you described. Plus, tinkering is just fun, isn’t it?
Today my car got repaired and I decided to ride the 19" trial with exoskeleton eco mode 3 (the @MadHatchetAndy style) to the service station in 2.38km distance.
If I take my uni into the office, I will certainly be frowned upon. Our office is on the 6th floor. Nobody would think of bringing his bike, let alone uni into the office. I brought the 29” today which is in the car. In the old office, the head of the office, was annoyed that I didn’t leave my uni outside in the bike shed, like why would a uni be different. Im glad he was fired shortly after.
Also I question you testing the suit on the trials uni. It is so light already. Those times I took mine for 10km, sure there is a lot of pedalling involved, but it isn’t hard. I imagine you also wore the exo-suit on the 36” in the office, to make sure nobody saw you zip around.
@Ulkicycling Respect, Eco 3 on a 19”, madness but I love it. Yet to try on a smaller wheel une and was wondering. I’ve got 100mm on that
I think I would have to drp to 87mm cranks, just to offset eco 1.
@Setonix my boss so impressed with my hatchets, he stuck one on his office window, just for dispay for a week. Then everyone, had a try in the carpark and a short video for the work website. Take mine to work regular to ride on my breaks.
. You know, I’m a sucker for V-frames 
if we are taking sensible the the best tyre combo for the hatchet by aalong way is the 27 5er, either the Duro Crux 27.5x3.25 or the Knarwhal 27.5 x 3.8, both on the KH free rider rim. The 3.8 feels like half the weight of the 4.8, absobs anything and its reasonabley agile for a hatchet. The best of both worlds, looks cool, and its easy to ride, but still feels like a fat tyre hatchet. I still love the 26x4.8 it is a heavy beast to get going,but once its rolling it has it own kinetic energy.
