Yup, can’t ride short cranks downhill without a break, things are just to busy and bouncy, I have literally been pushed off the uni by the pedals, and I way 200#!
I have been using a brake regulary for a couple years, have gotten to the point that it’s second nature. When I rode in Utah a couple weeks back, I lost a brake pad in transit, so I had to ride brakeless all weekend. I was running 160’s on my 29er, manageable, but certainly harder than with brakes. If I had been on 150’s, I would have walked some downhills. As it was, I walked a couple places that I could have rode with a brake.
One thing I just started doing is removing the spooner to get better brake feel and to open up the lever so I can have more finger choices. I think the spooner is great for certain situations, like a mad brake grab, but for feathering the brake on a longer downhill it gets in the way.
Though the shorter cranks (137) feel wierd, I can climb pretty well with them, maybe not quite as well as 160-165’s, esp when I need to power upa steep section, but they are 90% as good and in some places the easier spin may be better.
Rain cleared out, going riding when I get off, need a couple more days of shifting and riding high gear before taking it to the races
I’m pretty much in the Kris Holm camp regarding crank length, for the G26er. We both use 150’s, and I like them for the versatility; great on super tech terrain, providing optimum leverage and control. Also great for DH as the longer crank length makes back pressuring easier with less dependence of the brake, while still allowing for high speed riding with minimum wobble. Plus, I’ve been doing a fair amount of climbing in high gear, where the 150’s also seem optimal.
Having said all that, I did try the 125 hole in my dual moments; In high it was much harder to stop by back pressuring, and the speed difference was negligible. In 1:1 they were ok and climbing wasn’t much harder vs the 150’s. I do have 137’s on my trials uni, so I might give those a try, just to see if I might prefer them over 150’s.
Yes I think that the preferred length comes down to not just your riding style but also the terrain where you ride. Even if it’s hilly, short cranks can be really good for climbing, of course, but singletrack climbs requiring combo cranking, pulling over bumps, and some hops, might benefit from a bit of extra torque. But things change, too: a decade ago I was running 175’s on my 26" (ungeared) muni and today I’ve got 137’s on my (ungeared) KH24 for the same terrain. So far I like 150’s on my geared 26 for the rooty trails where I live and huge variation in difficulty on some rides, but will certainly keep experimenting.
Relative to Kris, I am a very new rider, but even in the short three years since I started riding, my preferences have changed dramatically. It seems like, as my skills grow, I have more ability to accomodate to shorter cranks as well as develop a style that allows me to use a shorter crank.
I’m not sure I could have ridden a 26er with 137’s last year, at least not as well as I can now.
I still find a 50% gear step to be excessive. I would gladly pay more $$ for a 25-33% step if it were available, any chance of that Kris?
I’m not sure as it really depends on market size - if we could sell thousands of these hubs then a lot more options would open up in terms of things like different gear ratios. Right now the major goals are to keep it simple, reliable, not overly heavy, and available.
On the them of things changing with experience, I agree that the ratio jump is a lot but over time the current setup becomes (for many, maybe not all) more and more helpful as it spans the useful practical range of gearing for most people, on or off road.
Well, last night I went out for a training ride on the guni, which wasn’t bad, but it definitely “informed me” that I was not ready for prime time :o
Riding in high gear in rough terrain is hard, then when I’m tired it’s really hard, then when miss shifts it’s really really hard, then I so tired that I’m walking stuff I can ride which sucks.
I think it must take some time to become efficient at riding in high gear because I do not find it to be energy saving over riding in low or riding my fixed gear 29.
I’ll keep working at it, I can see the possibilities a little better now, though a smaller step would be more usable esp for low angle climbing. I think the short cranks are helping (137 Moments), but to make it even easier to hit the button without hitting my ankle I’m changing to Koxx K1 140’s which have low Q.
I am also going to change out the Ardent from 26 x 2.6 for a 26 x 2.4, this will drop some weight and minimize some of the “auto steer” that I get with the high centerline DH version of the Ardent.
So it’ll be the KH 29 at the Black Bear race this weekend, should be fun, so far there are seven muni riders, yeah!
BTW, I spoke to Steve at UDC and he said that UDC will advertise a uni event for free if the director of said event provides fliers/cards to use as package inserts.
I just got the ardent 2.4 and it is a full 1 pound lighter than the 2.6, and retains the exact same tread pattern, but has a kevlar instead of steel bead. So far, I like it.
I also try to ride in high as much as possible, including climbing and tech terrain, which is definitely harder than 1:1, since you are pushing a very high gear. Sometimes I lose momentum if it gets too steep and I can’t downshift in time, and either have to dismount or hop twist 180 to give it another try. I look at it as just another challenge that will make you a stronger rider. And then when you do downshift it seems as if you are in the lowest “granny” gear!
I hadn’t though about stopping and trying to push the button while hopping, that definitely sounds like a “Terry thing”
Cranks and tire arrive today, so I’ll get those mounted up and go for a ride. I really want to take the guni to the race, but I need a bunch of practice time riding in high gear, and a race is not the place to practice.
I have been riding my 24 guni for about a year now and really feel comfortable on it. I have a trail that I ride that is a nice mix of relatively smooth singletrack and some moderately technical terrain. This is a trail that was kind of boring on a normal 24, pretty fun on a 29er, and a total blast on the guni. Yes, high gear is awkward at first, but give it time, it is a lot of fun.
As far as the ratio is concerned, I agree that the step is a little big, but no way would I want to give up the top end. To me, having to push hard for a few cranks to get wound up in high gear is worth it for the speed you get. If you want smooth gear transitions - ride a bike. Unicycling is always a little about doing things the hard way.
BTW, I tried 125s for a while and was surprised that I could really ride tech XC that way. But, I am not as strong as Mark, and I find I am actually faster on trail with 150s. I have thought about using 135s, but I am very happy with the 150s for now. I have also found that it is key to have the balls of your feet centered on the pedal to get consistent shifts.
It’s not energy saving; it definitely takes more energy to push a bigger gear. The benefit is that you get further for the energy you output. High gear is for contexts where you’re not energy-limited.
While riding this morning, I realized that I had forgotten about that little trick! Yes, I learned how to shift both to high and back to 1:1 while hopping and/or still standing.
The static “toe shift” (to high) is the trickiest since you have to take you foot off the pedal to do it. Downshifting back to low while still standing is much easier, since your heel is already in position. The toe shift isn’t really practical, but I wanted to see if it was doable. The static downshift is very practical for those times when you might run out of momentum just before a climb, or before entering a tech section and you don’t have enough time to pedal shift.
In case some haven’t seen the technique, it’s can be seen in this video. You can scroll to 2:00 to see all static shifting techniques.
Here’s a pic of my newly mounted Ardent 2.4. It’s a full pound lighter than the 2.6, owing to its single-ply and kevlar bead. But I can still run it at the same (lower) psi for tech terrain, where it has excellent compression to absorb impact and roll over obstacles. But for all-out hard tech and serious DH, I would go with the 2.6 2-ply w/steel bead.
The 2.4 also retains the exact same tread pattern as the 2.6, the slightly narrower width isn’t very noticeable, and I really like the raised center line, as it greatly reduces rolling resistance, at least in my experience, as compared to other tires in this size that I’ve tried. Got mine on sale for $21! Sorry, sale ended on 9/6/11. :o
I’m using just a standard tube to save weight. I’ve used it for more than a dozen rides, including technical, DH and even high gear drops and it’s holding up fine. I do carry an extra tube in my backpack in case, but so far so good.
Had my first ever experience with the high gear of a Schlumpf hub on my new KH36 today. Our street is the perfect hill (not too steep) for a high gear assisted (neighbor’s garbage can) mount at the top. Then I ride the gradual hill all the way down to the switchback (cul-de-sac) for a wide turn so that I can try to make it back up as much of the hill as I can before my pathetic attempt at a downshift results in the inevitable semi planned dismount.
First impression, relief that I could actually manage to ride a 36er in high gear and I did not blow this year’s “toys” budget for nothing. Having never seen one in real life, my purchase was somewhat of a leap of faith. The good news is that spinning those 150mm cranks in high gear already feels very natural. The narrow balance envelope takes a bit of getting used to but the high gear seems to slow everything down (plenty of speed with very low cadence) to the speed my brain talks to my legs. Actually, the hard part was switching (hand shifting and remounting) back to 1:1 and I literally laughed out loud struggling to do something that has become second nature after hundreds of miles on my un-geared Impulse in the last few years. So I’m thinking just leave this darn thing in high gear. As I admitted a few posts back this handlebarless (brake is in the mail) period has granted me my first opportunity to practice freemounting without the fear of getting racked. Now I’m thinking after many low speed, high gear assisted mounts, the majority of my freemounting practice might just end up being in high gear. I did a couple rolling mounts (before fatigue sat in) tonight. Watch me put learning on-the-fly-shifting off for 2 years the same way I did freemounting my Impulse due to the handlebar. Get comfortable with the system first, then take on something new. All I know it that the feeling I got riding that high gear tonight was similar to the feeling I got when I took my first unicycling baby steps on that 20" beater that I had 30 years ago. What a terrific sport! Who said you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Learning something new is fun. Thank you Florian! This thing is cool!
Congratulations on the new machine - that’s great.
As for mounting in high gear, while it is not easy, it certainly can be done, especially on a hill. I have always forced myself to start in low gear though, even if I am just shifting up almost right away. In the beginning it was for more practice and now it is habit (and it’s good to see that a shift works first thing). I remember that some old hubs had problems if you left them in high gear for too long. Anyway, I recommend against mounting in high gear, especially if you are learning. Unless you ride on only flat terrain and not in people/other slow conditions you will be using both gears quite a bit. Shifting becomes a joy, not a chore.
Similar to Nathan. Like a bike, it’s better practice to downshift before stopping. But I still have more trouble with the downshift than the upshift, so I still have plenty of opportunities to mount back on in high gear. It takes practice but it’s totally doable. I don’t recommend it for crossing busy streets though!
In my early days of riding, I put large sprockets on my giraffe unicycle, and rode it with a 48:26 ratio. That’s quite a bit higher ratio than a Schlumpf, but on a 20" wheel it’s more manageable. Free-mounting that beast took a while to master, let me tell you! But I did successfully ride it in a parade once, in formation with a bunch of other giraffes. Doable but not very fun.
Congrats on getting a uni that will change your perspective on fast riding!
Shifting is a learning curve that goes on forever, depending on the type of riding, but well worth learning. It’s enough worth getting solid at shifting to go out and systematically practice it (e.g. ride down a level street shifting back and forth, back and forth, until you can get it the majority of the time).
Yes, the shifting will become second nature with enough practice. And I find it very satisfying to get a very clean shift exactly right on time. Of course it still goes wrong once in a while. But I never thought of free-mounting the 36er in high gear. I sometimes do it on the 26" but only on a slight downhill. That must be much harder on the g36 than starting in low and shifting up. Actually you may find handle bars helpful on the g36er too. I think they definitely give me more stability while shifting and when riding in high gear.
Have fun with your new toy!
