I made the mistake of answering somebody’s post about what kind of unicycle they should learn on, and it left me craving a tough street cycle again. sigh
So, anyway, how does a 26" cycle compare to the 24" cycle in terms of mounting, riding, mass, maneuverability, ease of a rollback mount, ability to hop, ride backwards, etc?
I ask because I might get a 26" cycle if and when I build out a tough street cycle. However, the mass on the new 28"/29" Sem with Nanoraptor that I got is … well i dont think I could stair hop on it or do other things that are easy to learn on a 24" (by comparison).
How is the 26" anyway? Or should I just go for a 24" for street riding?" I know the 24" is stronger. Grr.
Hey maybe I could get another tough 24" street cycle AND get a less-durable 26" one “just because”. Yeah. ARGH!
There really isn’t anything harder to do on a 26. I learned on a 20" and the learning curve to my 26 wasn’t even all that hard. You got the balance point with your 24, you’d be used to a 26 your first ride I bet. My bud has a 24 and we switch back and forth all the time.
I’ve bent a seat post, but the wheel has remained strong. Biggest drop was 2.5 feet onto grass, and I smash into curbs pretty good.
I like the 26 because while street riding, I can get to other places faster. (And more bike products are available for replacement)
I feel generally more comfortable and stable on my new 26".
And even though that first night, I had to really heave myself atop the beast, its been steadily shrinking in my mind’s eye, so now I don’t feel its much more difficult to mount than the 24".
I’ve been working on backwards riding, and it seems a lot easier on the 24", but when it comes to hopping, its back to the 26" (it feels like its more built for hopping, and its got the Miyata handle).
When I go to the park to practice, I bring both unis and I switch back and forth.
So, yeah, there’s definitely a difference, but not so much that I can’t swap back and forth easily.
What tire do you have on your 26"? For that matter, what tire is everyone using on their 26"? Any street tires? I have an off-road 24" already, so I am probably gonna build my street 26" around the idea that I will have a 26" street tire, say a 2.125 maybe.
I find the 26 just a bit unwieldy on tight narrow tracks between obstacles, compared to the 24. Longer cranks have helped to cure that at the expense of speed and comfort. A 24 is about right for a lot of general riding, but doesn’t have the ‘rollover factor’ of a bigger wheel. As for mounting, I find the difference noticeable, but not crucial. Idling is a bit harder on the 26.
Mine’s on a Sun Rhynolite – seems like a good choice for my style of riding, but I don’t do major hops, drops, or jumps (at least not yet!) and I’m only 150#. Not sure you need the Mammoth, but Unicycle.com could advise you what’s best for you and your style.
I weigh 240 lbs, and I want to be able to do lots of hopping up and down stairs and I want to be able to ride down stairs and take 1 foot drops and the like. Basic “getting around” stuff, such that no common street terrain would stop me or make me get off the cycle.
