It’s not the lighting, it is photoshop, and it’s posterized out the wazoo.
I didn’t misunderstand the amount of risk and work involved with rearranging a Nimbus frame but I am surprised someone like Nimbus hasn’t taken note and redesigned their nightrider!
Is there a reason beyond market-share why there’s never been a production v-frame 36er?
I think market-share is it. The big advantage from V-frames is (from what I understand, I don’t do crazy muni or anything) exclusive to road riders. There just aren’t enough of us.
For example: There are a number of relatively simple ways to put together a high-ratio single-speed geared unicycle (I’m working on one). But there are none in production. If there was a market to support them, they’d exist, or at least that’s the only explanation I can think of. I know there was an attempt to get something based off the “purple phase” from way back into production, but that never happened, and I’m guessing at the reason…
Yes, I agree, market share is a very potent force limiting production model V frames. Risk and hassle are the forces limiting home made V frames.
Here are some pictures I’ve got of Pete Perron’s two other V frames.
Purple Phase and the Red Menace. Both of these are gunis that were made before Schlumpfs were available. Both have Pete’s jack shaft gearing mechanism that allowed him to change chain rings in order to change gears. If I remember correctly, it would take him about 5 to 10 minutes to change gears but he could gear up to almost 2:1. Unlike a Schlumpf he could also gear down. There are some close up pictures of the Red Menace’s gears and disc brake in some other thread. I’m not sure which.
Geoff
So vintage and so cool! Only thing I would add would be elbow rests for the aerobars. These should be donated to the Smithsonian someday! 
Haha, Terry how is it that you could make me feel old? It’s not that vintage… Hey, the menace even had a disc brake!
Close-up shots of the menace can be found in this great thread:
not finding the ones with photos of the purple phase at this moment, but they exist!
Haha, I know it’s not that old, but uni-technology is improving so fast. I think your unis are timeless though, and beautifully designed! Wish I had one like it. 
yeah. just to clarify: I didn’t build them (wish I had!), I just felt old because I remember when the forums were buzzing about them.
Really wish they’d gone into production. I’d be riding so fast right now…
Hey, just realized I’ve never posted my 36er here. So to get back on topic a little bit:
My current ride will be off the test-bench and gathering loads of data as soon as my new hub comes in and after I figure out how to build it into my wheel!
Personally I really like the black-tape optical encoder pattern for looks.
Here it is:
V-Frame: more than a year ago i posted this: (v-frame, aerobars, bike (roadrace) saddle, schlumpf hub…):
Here’s the Purple Phaze thread.
I remember seeing this one last year. It too looks really nice.
Are you still riding it? How’s it holding up? What changes would you consider if you had to do it again?
Maybe you know if Pete still on here or has he moved onto other types of projects? I always liked his jackshaft designs and was bummed when U-turn in Texas I think dropped the idea of producing them.
Bryce
Bryce,
I haven’t seen Pete Perron (aka unisk8r) him on the forums since about the summer of 2008. I think he cleaned out his shop (I was the lucky recipient of this purge) and moved on to other endeavors.
Geoff
someone should totally do a trials high jump on a 36er
The guy in the Coker promo video comes close. The video is on their website @: http://www.cokercycles.com/
That’s Brian Oley… he’s pretty quick with that coker!
A friend in Montreal hopped 4 stairs with his Coker! I’m going to ride some Muni and maybe street stuff on mine this summer. I can’t wait to try this out 
I’ve got coker fever, gotta gets me one.
agree 110%
36er “faring” well!
I wanted to make a little “Faring” or “Fin” for my 36er, that would add a cool look to it, and also provide adequate flat space to mount things to it, like maybe speakers and a few other things. It doesn’t add any real weight, being only a few ounces, and it straps on with flat velcro ties.
I’m out of those at the moment, so I used zip ties. It was just something fun to make, I like the look and it doesn’t get in the way at all. 
This was just my first prototype, and if I did it again, I’d make the lower part closer to the tire. 
