I’ve read lots of tire reviews. The reviews seem to stress weight, rolling resistance, side wall stiffness, and puncture resistance. Also mentioned is the tendency of the tire to want to track straight or track up the inside of a bench cut. I didn’t notice any comments about traction. Does this mean that traction is not all that important for a unicycle tire? Is this true? If so, I can understand, since unicycles don’t get leaned over the way a mountain bike does and with a uni, the weight is over the wheel.
This brings me to a personal observation. I recently purchased a Nimbus 29er from UDC. It came with a Dissent 2.5. The reviews for the Dissent aren’t glowing, but I thought it would be alright for my near beginner skill level. However, it seemed like the tire made adjusting to the 29er from my generic 24 very difficult. I decided to try a different tire to see if it would make any difference. I went to the LBS intending to purchase a Kenda Small Block 8, but they didn’t have any in stock. Instead, I got a Serfas Sheriff, It has the small tread, like a the Kenda Small block, but I suspect that it is lower quality. Anyway, after mounting this tire, riding the 29er became considerably easier. Does this make sense? If so, is the difference because of weight, rolling resistance, a combination of the two, or something else entirely?
The advantages and disadvantages of a tire are different depending on the rider’s experience, same goes for wheel size, crank length, etc…
A new rider would definitely struggle with a Dissent, it is not a forgiving tire, it likes to steer into sidehills, so anything off camber is going to be harder.
Also, coming from a smaller wheel you are adjusting to more than just the tire; higher center of gravity, change in relative gearing, etc…
The best bet is to get a tire that is closest to what your used to so as many things are kept constant when changing wheel sizes, then change tires over time as your skills and interestes change.
Traction is very important on a uni- especially in unfavorable conditions (wet roots, mud, and snow). Many riders don’t experience a lot of adverse conditions on a regular basis. That doesn’t mean they’re lesser riders, it means they have different terrain at their disposal.
The Dissent is a heavy tire. It will provide some stability in the direction it is rolling, but it takes more effort to change direction than a lighter tire. The weight isn’t always a bad thing when you’re rolling and want to plow through a situation.
If you don’t need a lot of traction under slick circumstances, the Dissent is probably too much tire. I like it a lot. Ben doesn’t.
Ride and decide which tire you like. Don’t be swayed by internet opinions.
While my goal is to ride the local single track, I am still very much a beginner. I am currently riding some of the easier sections as well as gravel trails in the park near my house. I also ride on the street and sidewalk, as a lot of my uni time is after 9:00 PM.
Perhaps I’ll try give the Dissent another try in 6 months or so.
