That’s hub ($1500), spokes ($50), rim ($100), build ($50), and shipping ($40).
Maybe a tire and rim strip too…
Best decision, hmmmm.
Well, mun iis my number one sport, I ride 100+ days a year, so from that perspective it’s really just a $20 a ride habit for one year :o
Or you could be like me and have some regrets until it starts kicking in. I’m slow to new things. I finally rode mine to work yesterday. I rode almost all of it in second gear. I was climbing up a 15% grade road and after about 1/3 of the way up I switched to first gear. It’s a harder transition for me to go from high to low than from low to high. The ride was good and I was more tired when I got home than when I ride the 36 or 29. I feel like I’m back in unicycle infancy mode. I’m pleased with my progress, even if I’m slow. Am I really the only person who didn’t like this thing right away?
No, I know of several people who’ve taken a long time to get used to their Schlumpfs, or completely rejected them.
If you’re used to mashing big gears on a bike, a Schlumpf is a lot more comfortable than spinning madly on a 36" or 29" wheel. But if you are used to a light touch, the extra oomph required, the slop and the crappy shifting could make it not worth it.
Yes it takes a while. Offroad in particular, the KH/Schlumpf whole new learning curve. In the beginning it can be frustrating, and it’s not for everyone or all kinds of terrain.
But the gear tolerances are so good that there is very little slop (much less than a bike) and the shifting is beautifully simple once you’ve mastered the heel-button coordination.
If this thing was a Swiss watch it would be a Rolex =)
Kris
Switching gears did not come easily to me either. I was having brake rub problems that made transitioning gears very difficult. But maybe it took me a year to learn to successfully shift on the fly because I’m slow. I had a few attempts at shifting early on after acquiring my Schlumpf that failed dramatically with my guni flying out in front of me. I was pretty hesitant for a long time before I tried it again. After the I got a good brake from Bryce I was able to learn to shift. Other wise I would find a stop sign to grab onto, shift and ride away. Or else I would just get off, shift, get back on and ride away. Now, of course, I find shifting easier when in motion.
I’ve always had more difficulty shifting from high gear to low gear. I think the increased tension on the gears make shifting more difficult. I know other people have experienced the same thing.
One of the things that I love about unicycling is that there is always more to learn, be it riding in high gear, shifting on the fly, muni, drops, wheel walking… Learning is a fun process. It keeps the neurons plastic. Unicycling is great because it is difficult to learn, not despite it.
Geoff
putting together my dream Schlumpf 36er
Congrats Ben! I am so darn ready to make that call. I too will go through Silva Cycle based on references from John Foss, UniGeezer, Corbin, yourself and so many others. I have added a (rather long and drawn out) post in the “How to order a Schlumpf hub” thread. Rather than having you read it twice, I will add a link (below) and ask you to kindly read it when you get a chance. Any advice you may provide would be greatly appreciated.
My question for your thread has more to do with the Logistics of placing the order itself. Josh at UDC did a great job building my Impulse. It was out of the box and assembled (finish airing up the tire, clamp on the seatpost, & add pedals) in minutes. Can I expect that kind of “one stop shopping” simplicity from Silva? When he builds my wheel, will he put on a tube & tire? Will he go ahead and mount it on my frame and tighten the bearing holders to spec like Josh did? Can he bleed the brakes (if I decide on Magura rim brakes) or better yet, could I have MountainUni drop ship Silva a kit to install Sinz cranks and a disc brake? Or do I need to go from Switzerland to California, Georgia to California, California to Boston, and from Boston to my LBS here in Kentucky? Logistics!
I am currently running KH 137s on my schlumpf 36. I really like this crank length but I’m starting to wonder if I might be better served by something lighter weight. What other makes of cranks come in this length that I might have a look at?
Tensile cranks come in a very slightly longer length at 140mm http://www.compulsioncycles.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=641 Worth a look at IMO! 
It took me quite a while to learn to shift comfortably on the KH36/Schlumpf. When I had about 600 miles, I went on a unitour (India 2009) and it was awesome - by the end I was much more comfortable. Later that year I did another one in Africa and that was even better. The next year on the Mongolia tour I finally started getting those perfect downshifts where you don’t lose any momentum and it feels really right.
Now, at 3000 miles, it is better still. I still can’t say I’m perfect at it though. From the beginning, I told myself that it’s a good chance to learn something completely new in unicycling, something that’s VERY useful. I went riding with some friends on mountain bikes the other day and there were only a couple of downhills where they were faster (on pavement). All the rest of the time I was waiting for them - it was great.
Don’t ever give up.
—Nathan
I got reasonably good at shifting for Unicon last year (I’d say I was hitting 80-90% shifts), but it probably wasn’t till I did a 160km bike race later that year that I was shifting close to 100% on a KH 36" Schlumpf.
The Schlumpfs only ever come out for racing- I mostly prefer the simplicity of an Unguni. If I wanted gears I’d be riding my bike.
I’m getting my third Schlumph (26") later this month, for XC Muni racing.
I’ve had a KH Schlumpf for a couple of years, and I found that it was dependant on my choice of shoes.
I struggled to shift consistently in skate shoes, and then running trainers that I started with - often missing 4-5 shifts before engaging. I got new running trainers in New Zealand at Unicon, and it suddenly got better. It may be different for everyone, but for me the more solid rubber corners on the Cross-Country-style running shoes tread pattern seem to hit the button better.
Keep practising!
Sam
Edit: also getting the button offset (how much it is screwed in along the shift-rod thread) right helps - make it stick out a bit more
The other factor that takes getting used to on a geared uni, besides shifting, is gauging momentum and the different body position needed when slowing down and speeding up.
It’s less noticeable on road than offroad, where you’re constantly accelerating and decelerating over short distances, but for quite a while I found myself anticipating (leaning forward) too much for the slower acceleration in 2nd gear. As a result I’d have to power hard to stay upright and my frame would annoyingly swing forward and back during acceleration as a result. As I learned to stay more upright and put more power into the wheel when accelerating, this disappeared.
In the reverse direction, braking sharply with the feet immediately before a bump is a different feeling in 2nd gear - you don’t have instant stopping power and if you lean back and expect to slow down instantly you’re going to end up stepping off the back of the uni (or on your butt). Over bumps you really have to stay more upright and let momentum carry you over - a body position that’s perhaps a bit more like gliding down a dirt road except you’re pedalling. And using a hand brake (as opposed to braking with your feet) becomes more important.
For shifting, I’d really recommend learning to shift with the inside edge of your heel instead of relying just on your ankle bone. It’s harder to hit initially but eventually more accurate. And if you miss with your heel you can also scrape your inside ankle down at the same time and get a second chance to hit the button.
Personally I would not adjust the button further out than where the inside face of the button is flush with the outside face of the crank, when it is sticking out. Further out makes the button more susceptible to damage and I don’t think it really makes it easier to shift. Flush with the crank face is more where we designed it to be.
Kris
Good points Kris. I remember a couple of crashes early on when riding gentle uphills in high gear (guni 36 w/150mm cranks). I would be blasting along happily, but get slightly too far forward. Normally it’s easy to correct but there is just so little leverage - it’s like 4" cranks on an ungeared 36. So you crash. Haven’t done that in a while luckily!
As for the button position, I originally set it so that it was inside the crank arm - I couldn’t really slip my fingernail underneath. Once I started putting it out a little more (so that I could just put a fingernail behind it), it was noticeably easier to shift. Clearly you don’t want it out too far though.
—Nathan
In anticipation of getting my new G26er, and first ever geared uni, I’ve been practicing the shifting method by “glancing” the crank bolts with my ankle while during my regular riding. I wear 5.10 carvers which have padded ankles, and this motion feels natural, but more so with my right foot than my left, which is farther away from the crank than my right foot. It’s a position I’ve just become accustomed to over the years.
I’ll have to re-train to a better position if I want to be able to shift the other way. Which leads me to this observation. I read Kris’s recommendation for shifting by using the heel, but I tried practicing that, (on my 36er) and all seemed to go ok until maybe the 10th time, when I moved my heel a bit too much inward, and it “blocked” on the top of the crank, causing a sudden UPD! Luckily I wasn’t moving at my normal cruising speed!
Has this happened to anyone else? I can see how it could happen fairly easily if the rider is only slightly too far inward on their shifting attempt!
Yes and it’s easy to miss in either direction. It is way easier to shift on road then on bumpy singletrack. But it does eventually feel natural.
Over the long term, I think that the challenge that probably goes on forever is finding the best gear at all times, for saving energy. For example, say you’re pedalling in first and you see a short smooth patch ahead before it gets rough again. Do you upshift or just pedal faster for a short period? Or you’re blasting along the flat and encounter a hill. You want to shift as late as you can but you don’t want to lose all momentum and then be straining uphill at slow speed in 2nd gear, unable to shift because if you take the pressure off you’ll stop and fall off. Or through a bumpy section, do you pedal fast in 1st (usually more comfortable) or at a slower cadence (but potentially faster speed) in 2nd. There’s the novelty of trying to ride as much as possible in 2nd, but figuring out what is the best gear at all times is a tough challenge.
One additional issue is avoiding accidental shifting offroad, when it’s bumpy and you’re feet are moving around. I do like cranks with some outwards flare for this reason because there’s less chance of snagging the button by accident.
Kris
Having just fitted my KH29G with Sinz cranks and Mountainuni setup, I’ve gone from “every-time” shifting to missing the click quite often. The KH cranks and Sinz have almost exactly the same Q-factor, but KH cranks flare in a concave shape and Sinz flare in a convex shape. The convex Sinz cranks sort of “hide” the button a little, especially the pedal side of the button, and make it harder to hit.
Yet another challenge to overcome!
I am waiting for the arrival of my 36 guni. I think that I will be in good shape for getting the hang of it quickly. I have ridden my unguni 36 a lot on flat and hilly with 110s. I have also gotten pretty proficient at shifting my 24 guni on rough trails.
Yes, to shift or not to shift… My weekday morning trail ride involves lots of shifting. There are lots of ups and downs and small wash crossings. On the wash crossings, I have gotten to the point where I wait until almost the last moment to shift down before hitting the uphill. I also find that I am more comfortable now grinding through short technical sections in high gear that I would normally find easier in low. All of that keeps things moving faster, unless I miss that last minute shift or upd because high is too hard. My best time to finish the loop is still on my 29er. I think the 24 guni would win on a less technical route.
I have had the issue of accidental shifts. One of those incidents ended with stitches in my knee. I upgraded my leg protection, and I am now very careful to adjust the position of my left foot away from the button when I am moving fast in high.
Shifting technique is nothing more than personal preference.
Accuracy is required no matter what shift technique you use as with the speed the cranks are usually rotating (not to mention everything else going on when you’re on the trail) there is only a small window of opportunity to nail the shift.
Bottom line is clean, reliable shifts can be made a few ways. Don’t be a sheep, there is no one ‘proper technique’ to life including gear shifting - use whatever works best for you
Fwiw, my own aim with the off road GUni was to ride it like a two speed mountain bike, where plenty of shifting back and forth just happens as part of the ride. Where there’s the impulse to shift gears, whether due to terrain, cadence etc, and the shift follows naturally - the shift technique that worked for me was geared around achieving that, and imo anyway just about got there.
Hope you enjoy the 36’er GUni Andy.
Fwiw I found shifting gears on the 36’er had a much more fluid feel compared to smaller wheels. The momentum of the big wheel really seemed to smooth out the shifts, absorbing delays/changes etc
36’er GUni are such cool things, but not being into road riding I didn’t feel I was making the most of the hub.