I would like a 36" uni to keep up with the family on their 26" mountain bikes. Found this one a little over an hour away. Doesn’t seem to have a brake or free-hub. Plan is to move from a 20" Torker LX to this monster. My tape-measure gave me a quick reality check.
Any idea as to what model it is?
What year?
Pros?
Cons?
Recommendations?
Thank you!!!
Classic Nimbus Nightrider. I bought a Coker but looked pretty hard at those too when I was shopping.
It looks very much like this one, which has some useful upgrades and might still be for sale, and which I gave some real thought to buying even though I didn’t need another 36er:
(No connection to the seller, just caught my eye…)
Thank you for the reply! Both are now the same asking price, but the one with the disc brake is really far away. I am in TX. The one without the brake is a one hour car drive from me.
Does anyone know how much it would cost to add a disc brake to a classic Nimbus Nightrider?
More than it costs to ship from New York. 
Also the one I linked to has a Kris Holm Freeride saddle. That’s a considerable upgrade IMHO.
The only negative for me on the Nightrider frame was it’s flexiness. I might have spelled that wrong. The thin tubing makes the frame more flexible side-to-side. Not an issue when cruising along, but when hard cranking up a hill, or making sudden turns, the tire can rub the frame. If it rubs hard enough, it can even have a braking effect, but this would only be in extreme situations.
Having a disc brake on there would eliminate the main problem with a flexy frame, which is the usefulness of a rim brake (useless). It’s a great unicycle otherwise, so if the price is right, I think you’ll be fine.
This is the same as mine, Nimbus Nightrider as mentioned above. I bought mine new in 2007, I believe it was a newer format at the time. I’ve got a shadow handle and rim brakes on it. It can flex in extreme cases but isn’t a huge issue. It’s been bombproof in the time I’ve had it.
Also, I am not certain that there’s any reasonable way to add the disc brakes. I could be wrong.
The newer Nightriders use ISIS cranks, which made it easy enough to add a disc brake. The one in your photo has square taper cranks, so not as straightforward. Others have done it but it’s a compromise.
Switching to ISIS would not economical as you’d need to replace the cranks, hub, probably spokes, and possibly frame.
I have an ISIS Nightrider (AKA Nightrider Pro) which I’ve converted to disc and I’m very happy with. I initially experimented with rim brakes but wasn’t happy with the results for the frame flex issue mentioned. I’ve never had the frame touch the tyre itself.
Nothing wrong with buying that uni as long as you’re prepared to run it brakeless.
I have the nightrider pro frame (42mm bearing cups) as opposed to the normal nightrider frame (40mm). I ended up swapping it out for the new oracle frame, but wanted to keep my old bearing holders (for sentimental purposes). They unfortunately don’t line up. I believe I remember trying to fit a d-brake mount on the nightrider pro frame and it didn’t work. Unfortunately I can’t confirm that because I gave away the d-brake mount, but I imagine the normal frame has a different spacing anyway.
The only real way I see to add a disc brake is to use that d-brake holder, and get an old pair of sinz cranks with the disc brake mounted on it. . . or do some custom work.
I really want a hunter frame, but most of them were built with those darn 40mm bearing holders that don’t fit ISIS hubs. : /
I had the same thing as my first 36er. It was a fine machine. The frame is very stiff to rotation, but equally as flimsy to sideways pressure. If you want brakes I would go with long arm V-brakes off an old mountain bike mounted to the Magura mounts with a booster, or a simple BMX style brake mounted through the bottom of the seat-tube. Rim brakes will rub when climbing hard or aggressively turning, but the simpler cable actuated brakes will move out of the way and not add much resistance unless you want them to. I got fancy with mixing Magura parts to make a hydraulic brake that was more forgiving but eventually replaced it with a scavenged caliper brake off a BMX I found at the dump.
I would not bother trying to add a disk to a unicycle with a superwide square-taper hub. If you are determined there are ways it can be done, but like I said I don’t think it’s worth the cost and effort.
…Unless it was for a custom Hunter frame…
http://www.municycle.ca/unicycle-parts/22-x-40-mm-bearing-shims-pair
… O___o
It looks broadly the same as the Nimbus 36 I’m selling in the UK. (Offer already accepted.) There may be a few changes of detail - most people change cranks or pedals or seat or seat clamp to personalise a uni.
I have ridden mine many happy miles on roads and rough tracks, up hills and down hills, through mud and water, done 20 miles at a time without dismounting, and never needed a brake.
My previous 36 had a heavy steel rim, a button tread tyre, a cheaper less rigid frame, and a Viscount saddle with no handle - and you know what? I rode that many happy miles on roads and rough tracks, up hills and down hills, through mud and water, did 20 miles at a time without dismounting, and never needed a brake.
I know have a KH36 which is clearly a better, more rigid, and all round nicer uni, but there is nothing wrong with the design or specification of the Nimbus shown in the picture.
