I need help. I am buying a Nimbus 36". Is the airfoil rim worth the money? What about the 14 gauge spokes over the 12? Also how hard is it to learn to ride with the 127mm(?) cranks over the 150mm? Any beginners advice from some seasoned distance riders. Any advice will be appreciated . Thanks,
I’ve put in about 1,300 miles this year on my N36. The spokes wont matter much unless you’re a weight freak (I think its like 7 oz lighter with the thin spokes). I have and love the airfoil rim and do notice it feels stronger than the coker steel rim. The 125mm cranks take a little work to learn to mount but its a very smooth ride. I actually did a long tour with 114mm cranks last week and they were great for the flat areas but I’d suggest having 125’s to start with and keep at them if you live in a hilly area.
thanks. I take it you ride mostly flat lands. how fast is liesurely pedaling? I ride @ 6.4 mph on my 26" i need more speed. how fast are you riding?
I can do about 12-13 at a decent pace but on very long days I usually average between 10.5 and 11.5
Long rides 10+ mph to 13+ mph on shorter rides.
With breaks included I usually average over 10 mph for long rides. Seattle to Winlock, 120 miles in 12 hours breaks included and not rushed.
Shorter rides 13+ mph is not hard to average. I did the Silver Lake time trial, 22 miles with some steep hills and two turn arounds in 1:41:03
I haven’t had my N36 long and have already put over 1000 miles on it, I’m becomeing somewhat of a weigh freak and speed freak, I have 125mm cranks, and am getting some 12 gauge spokes(I have 14 gauge) the Airfoil rim is definately worth the money, and I can average about 13 mph on rides between 15-30 miles long, anything shorter I can reach an average of about 14-15 mph and anything longer is usually abou 10 mph average. Learning to mount with 125’s takes a bit more than learning to mount with longer cranks but it’s do-able and I live in a hilly area, with 125’s hills get easier the more you ride. I’m going to upgrade to some 89mm cranks soon to try to beat my personal speed record of 23.5 mph. I may also find someone who can drill out my airfoil rim.
The Airfoil rim is defintely worth it- much stronger and lighter. As for the spokes, the stainless steel 14Ga spokes are better because they are not only lighter, they are also more corrosion resistant. I don’t think the 12Ga spokes are Stainless Steel.
If you go with both Airfoil and the SS spokes, then there really isn’t a lot to upgrade in future. It would be pretty much close to top-end, short of going custom.
Also, it’s much harder and more expensive to upgrade a wheel in future because it means having it rebuilt, and getting parts sent (check out the shipping charges for an Airfoil rim if you live outside the US). Don’t try to skimp on parts or you may regret it.
You can learn on 127mm cranks, esp if you live on the flat. It will just feel a bit scary at first.
Ken
THIS was great I appreciate all the comments. I am getting ready for a 21 mile ride and am hoping to average 10+ miles per hour. I just can’t seem to get speed and distance on my 26" torker. any more info will be appreciated.
I would second all the comments made thus far. The airfoil rim is a must, and I prefer the 14 guage spokes as well.
127mm cranks are definitely doable. I rode around for months on 102 mm cranks on my N36 with no problems. Riding on shorter cranks will build up muscle really fast as compared to, say, 150’s.
If you’re going to be getting into distance, I would recommend the KH fusion freeride saddle for maximum comfort (as you will be in that saddle for quite a while). Also, the T7 handles are great for having somewhere to rest your hands and having more ability to gain leverage on the cranks for uphills and to gain recovery for those unexpected bumps.
Has anyone else noticed that both the Radial and Nimbus on UDC US aren’t being offered with the airfoil rim as of now??
luckily I ordered mine a few weeks ago… but any idea whats going on with that? 
Oh and I ordered 125’s with 14g spokes, I’m not exactly sure why Ducttape is switching to 12g
I was thinking about it, but I’m gonna stick with the 14 gauge now…
I just received my N36 last week and I’m having a blast with it. Are there any issues with mounting computers and the size of the wheel? I going to stick with the longer cranks for a few more weeks. I found some decent grips for the T7 bar that do a pretty good job taking the abuse of UPD’s.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned so far is to not ride to the point of not being able to freemount due to smoked legs. I gotten alot of cool comments so far.
Marty
The only cycle computer I know of that works with a 36’er is the Cateye Eduro 8 and I have had no problems mounting or using it with my T7 handle…
Ductape,
Is that a wireless unit? Does the wheel diameter mess up the calibration?
Thanks,
Marty
no it’s a wired unit, the link to Cateye’s product page about it is HERE I bought mine for about $30 at the LBS (Local Bike Shop) it works great!
Thanks
Get a Garmin Forerunner Wrist-worn gps.
I think it was Terry that pointed out that you can buy a Radial 360, and the Nimbus frame for the price of the Nimbus unicycle. I haven’t looked into the details, but it seems worth considering.
I dunno if it’s just me but I prefer a wired Cyclometer…
I got a wired for my 36er and it seems to work well. I plan on taking it out for a long ride this weekend. I had to program the unit to calibrate for the tire. It was something like (914*3.1214) and the result is what the computer used. That’s the tire diameter in mm multiplied with the figure given by the manufacturer (schwinn). I just wrapped the wire around the frame all the way to the T7, using zip-ties every few inches. There are no wires hanging out or in the way. It works for me.