Thanks for the pics. So it actually works with some handcrafting. Nevertheless we are in the situation now that Kris Holm offers hubs, cranks, and frames that are mutually incompatible. From a customer view that is not a satisfying situation. So I wonder when the product portfolio will become aligned.
None of that is true. You’re disappointed that the older models of things are not compatible with newer (and better) models. Is there anything that is of the current model that does not fit with any other new KH part?
Personally, I am quite happy that as a business, Kris is willing to explain how to retrofit older parts to work with the newer ones. How many businesses would be willing to do that? It encourages you not to buy all of their newer products.
Just went for my first test ride with the Spirit Cranks and Avid Elixir 5 disc brake on my KH36 Schlumpf. I have to say it is a whole new level of awesomeness. It is beyond belief how smooth and easy it is to brake. It feels as easy or easier than in low gear - I never thought that could ever be possible.
Stopping power with the 160mm rotor is not that much (would not satisfy Chuck, that’s for sure), but for long steep descents, it is a game changer.
I only have time for 2 more test rides before I pack for Switzerland, but I think this brake is coming with me! (Will bring the old as a backup of course).
Kris, thanks so much but why didn’t you do this years ago?! 
Joe, you are the man for putting together the kit and getting it out here so quick so that we could actually do this. Scott, your photos helped us a lot. And Corbin, THANKS!
—Nathan
That brake and setup look perfect for my KH26! I’m ordering my package from Joe just as soon as the frames come in. 
Kimmie, excited at new toys, even if they are not computer related. 
Designs evolve … and hindsight is 20/20 … yeah there is a bit of home modification required but that is part of participating in a minority sport… for me it adds to the experience 
Well said Alan.
I’d like to quote Roland Wende, owner of municycle.com:
Which means he again had to grind down the new KH frames. Otherwise neither hub nor disc brake would fit.
+1
that’s also a reason i love this sport and I’m not mountain biking…! schlumpf and disc brake is a new level in muni and probably also in road riding (36")
He had to grind down the newest KH disc frame to get it to fit with a Schlumpf and Spirit cranks?
That is what he said.
There are two important parts to pulling cranks –
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Be sure you have the right tool. The ISIS puller has a wider tip; if you use the square-taper tip on a splined crank you’ll screw up the threads in the axle that the crank bolt goes into. If you use an ISIS puller on a square-taper crank, the tip, if it fits at all, will hit the crank arm and as you torque the center bolt down, you’ll probably end up stripping the 22mm threads that the extractor goes into. Older pullers without a floating tip shouldn’t be used on “bolt-style” axles, only “nut style”, but the floating tip can be used on either. Square-taper Schlumpf hubs (the original type, not the KH/Schlumpf) require a special adapter (it came with the hub) to protect the shifting pin from the extractor. KH/Onza cranks (older generation) need a left-handed puller (if the original self-extractors are damaged); Campy used to make one, so they are available (I have one). Especially on aluminum cranks, be sure you use a high-quality one that isn’t worn – the Park Tools ones are best. Their CCP-22/CCP-44 seem like the best combination, but the CWP-7 puller will work on unicycles without having to pull the pedals first.
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NOW THIS IS THE IMPORTANT PART – Be sure that the 22mm shell is fully-engaged into the crank before you start to tighten the extractor bolt (and do not cross thread it). The most common mistake is to set the extractor up so that when you think you’ve made contact with the bottom of the crank, you’ve actually made contact between the axle and the extractor bolt – i.e., you’re not all the way in. If you’re not all the way in, you’re going to damage the 22mm extractor threads when you try to pull the crank. The best way to avoid this problem, is, AFTER you tighten the 22mm extractor shell into the crank, be sure that you can spin the extractor bolt by hand – this verifies that the bolt isn’t contacting the axle and what you felt “bottom” when you tightened the shell as indeed the shell. If you have trouble threading the shell, don’t use a wrench, take it to a professional. There are a number of tools that can be used for thread-repair and this is best done BEFORE you really screw them up by cross threading.
If you can’t get the cranks off, or if you strip the extractor threads, you can loosen or remove them by loosening the center bolt a turn or two looser than hand-tight and do some hopping on the unicycle. (Leave the bolt in to catch the crank as it falls off, to avoid injury.)
Reinstalling cranks?
Use a torque wrench. Medium strength thread-locker on the bolt (Loctite 242, the blue stuff). I torque non-ISIS cranks to 400 in-lbs (350 would be considered a minimum, 450 is really high). The new ISIS cranks are problematic; I would say that 350 is a maximum and 300 is more appropriate for a KH/Schlumpf hub. For my KH/Schlumpf, I use a setting bolt (which has a bigger hex driver and is less likely to strip) and torque to 350 in-lbs to “set” the cranks, then I install the regular bolt with loctite to around 325. Carry a wrench with you on the first few rides, and retorque after each ride until it stops turning when you go to retorque. KH/Schlumpf? I always reinstall my shift buttons using a torque wrench and I’ve never lost one.
I feel taller in high gear
Just an observation over the past few months. Whenever I shift into high gear on my KH26, with 137 cranks, I feel taller. I’m not sure if this is just a psychological thing and I think I’m taller cause my mind thinks it’s a bigger wheel thus should be taller or if I actually do sit up straighter and am actually taller. I’m guessing it is maybe a combo of both. It just feels like I have to duck more for branches in high gear vs. low gear. Curious if anyone else has experience this?
when I shift my 36er into high gear, it helps to imagine that I’m actually riding this guy’s 56" wheel.
Where? I believe what Kris was saying is that if you want to use the Spirit cranks with the older (non-disc mount) frames, you would have to grind them down. I’m pretty positive that the new cranks and frame work great together. But I can let you know this afternoon when my 36 frame comes in the mail. (I managed to bend the D’brake when I stopped really quickly in high gear.)
Only because you go too fast Scott!!!
My New kh36 disc frame and spirit cranks work perfectly, assembled in about 30mins when I got into it, and after a week of riding my 30km return commute every day, they’re still working perfectly.
Top work kris; you can’t please all of the people all of the time, but you can please some of the people all of the time.
And Scott, you’re an animal.
That’s good to hear Daniel (and just what I expected). Congratulations on the new uni!
Hey Kris, I am looking at moving from a 24 guni to a 26 guni. I am wondering what set-up you are riding these days. I want to use the new Spirit Cranks (150/127). I am trying to decide whether I want to invest in a disc brake. What are your experiences with the disc brake for geared muni? Also, what is your preferred tire choice. I am looking for a lighter setup than my current Duro24x3, but the trails here in AZ are pretty rough, so not too light. I was thinking of the Ardent 26x2.4.
I’m using a 26 guni, but just built a 24guni as well just to try it out again. It’s been over a year since I had a 24 guni setup so it’s hard for me to compare (haven’t been out on the new setup yet). The disk brake works well on the 26 version; have ridden that for about one year now.
My reasoning on the 26 versus 24 setup is I prefer the KH24 on the really technical DH trails, and around here they mostly involve a continuous climb then a continuously technical descent. So I’d never get into 2nd gear anyway.
I like the 26 size for up-and-down technical XC in 1st gear, and the 2nd gear is still controllable for me on singletrack (unlike the 29).
I like the High Roller 26x2.5 for All Mountain but you might try sourcing a 2.7 (single ply) of the same model, if you can find one. It’s a great tire - major volume at only about 1000 grams in the 2.7 size, and well supported on a 47 mm wide rim.
New weights on these unis:
KH24: 6.1 kg
KH26: 5.5 kg.
The difference is entirely the tire.
The one thing you have to get used to on the disk brake is that you can no longer simultaneously shift and brake. That’s something that may bother some people. I thought it would bother me but it didn’t seem to take too long to get used to it and adapt.
Thanks Kris. I have been running my 24 without a brake, so the no braking while shifting should not be an issue. I am getting a whole new uni, so I will keep the 24 for now (insurance against long repair time if required). My thoughts on the 26 are that the lighter wheelset will be more responsive and quicker. I have been working on riding in high gear through rough single track. With practice, I am finding it to be quite doable. It will be interesting to compare the 24 and 26 for this kind of riding. Cushioning with the 24 versus lightness and better rollover capability(?) with the 26.