Is it gr8 in snow? Is it gr8 in sand? Is it gr8 in loose gravel? Is it gr8 on rutted ice? Is it gr8 in soft loam?
Nothing yet. Sorry. It’s still on the project list, but I haven’t had the time to dedicate to it.
Cool, thanks!
True, but if there were it’d probably be fundamentally off. Most hubs for rough unicycle use are still too narrow. Until there’s a paradigm shift to about 80mm flange to flange and a larger customer base to support the move it may be best for things to be looser. We still are begging for scraps from the bicycle industry.
Sorry for bringing up an old thread, but I had to reply.
I have not tried the “normal 26” muni in snow yet. Yes its good in sand, perfect in loose gravel, rutted ice?, soft loam? I dont know, but who rides in rutted Ice, I mean honestly? Yeah I go on my Ice ride every week. If anyone did go on any kind of ice ride studds in the tire would be better than the LM Muni anyway. And what is soft loam?
Bottom line, the large marge is a gr8 invention for snow or sand, but for anything else…like XC or trials(<–haha…trials,no way!) it’s just not the best. I think I could take a Large Marge in a race with all the elements.
I think with maybe just the LM rim, you could possibly have a better uni than the standard Muni. Ive heard good things about the LM rim only. The complete uni seems to weigh it up to much. It needs maybe an Aluminum frame to help, and the tire is already lighter than a Gazz 26, so that’s fine. The rim is As light as it can be if you get an XC rim.
I’ve kept your comments in mind over the last few months. I’ve ridden my Large Marge & Endomorph combo over snow, ice, sand, mud, pavement, sidewalks, and more (almost got a pedestrian). Unsurprisingly, I have been unable to ride it on water.
I started using my Large Marge rim with a 26" Gazzaloddi in July 2005 and I think I used it for nearly a year. I got my Endomorph mounted in time for some of the winter of 2006. I was living near the Arctic Circle at the time, so I rode it on snow, ice, and everything else cold. Nowadays I ride the LM&E on sidewalks everyday and at the nearby Oak Mountain State Park on weekends.
For me, the Large Marge and Endomorph combo is all around better than my KH24 and better than my 26" Large Marge with the Gazzaloddi tire. On clean or strongly cambered asphalt, the Gazzaloddi is better for turning, but if you add dust, gravel, leaves, or anything else, I’d rather have the Endomorph.
My preferences may be influenced by my in-good-shape weight of around 220 pounds (100 kilos). The average unicyclist I see in the galleries and films seems to weigh about 130 pounds, so maybe it’s easier for me to handle a heavier unicycle? My first 20" dodger training unicycle died because I’m much heavier than the average unicyclists.
In any case, I’ll probably purchase a 36" for high speed road unicycling, but stick to my 26" LM&E combo for anything else.
In conclusion, I’d strongly recommend the Conundrum to heavier unicyclists such as myself. As soon as I acquire a Conundrum frame, I’ll swap out my GB4 frame and report back with my findings.
For what reason would you switch the GB4 for the Conundrum? A little weight savings? Are you aware of other advantages or benefits?
I have the Conundrum, LM, Profile etc. Muni (I call her Marge) and find it a work out to ride(I’m only 155lbs) but really fun and will roll over anything. Tire pressure is critical. I was running it too low and could not turn it. I still find myself grabbing the 2007 KH 24 most the time because it is lighter so less work.
I think that’s the tire I tried out at Moab in '05, on a custom GB4 frame:
http://unicycling.smugmug.com/gallery/489732/4/20060462
That thing was wicked cool to ride, for the minute or two I was on it. I was able to ride as fast as I could on the entry path from the parking lot to the Slickrock Trail, which is about 50m of sand with big round rocks in it. Definitely something you have to think about with a Gazz tire, but like riding a sidewalk on that monster. Then I rode right through the super-fine “beach” sand at the end of the path, something I hadn’t seen anybody do on a smaller tire.
The cycle (wheel) was indeed heavy. But so was the tank James Bond drove through St. Petersberg, Russia in a chase scene in Goldeneye. The perfect vehicle for the job. I think it would be very enjoyable to ride on really loose stuff, if you don’t mind the extra weight.
How much exactly does it weigh?
I know my DX Trials is about 15-16 pounds.
I think if that Surly setup weighs about 20~ pounds then it would be normal to me.
Marge is 17lbs 4oz with out the brake.
Mostly because I want to know the difference. I might switch back after trying it out for a month.
Another reason is that my uncle wishes he had a Conundrum and I’m willing to buy pieces so we can build one for him. Maybe it’s better to just buy a Conundrum as a package deal?
Also, I figure I’ll probably kill my GB4 frame after a few years and I’d like to know if the Conundrum is a good replacement.
When you you say Large Marge, I think you actually mean Endomorph (LM is the rim, End is the tire)
The endomorph is specifically a sand and snow tire. To say that it’s not the best all-around tire is to miss the point. The design specifications are different from a downhill tire and therefore will not be better than a downhill or trials tire at the things those tires are designed for.
You could buy a conundrum (complete unicycle based on LM and end) and switch out the tire to a 3" gazz or duro based on the conditions.
There is no single setup that is all things to all people. The endomorph fills a niche that nobody else was addressing.
aebike http://aebike.com/page.cfm?PageID=30&action=list&searchtype=search&keywords=endomorph&Brand=&gobutnsearch=Search sells all the parts, including the 05 KH Hub/Crank set and the new Moment. They do custom wheelbuilds. They built my LM wheel VERY reasonably and did an excellent job.
Makes you wonder how much profit is made on those puppies.