I’m looking to get my first off-road unicycle (currently relatively new to unicycles with a 24" Torker). I’m looking at the Sun Flat Top 24" Off Road Unicycle
It comes with a 24x2.6 tire. I’m about 195 lbs, and would like a wider tire to handle soft dirt (my 24x1.75 non-knobby is miserable in soft dirt). But I’m looking for recommendations. Is this tire wide enough for me? At 6’2" should I move up to a 26" tire? Can anyone recommend a better option.
I really like the $200 price tag. I’d really rather avoid spending much more on my first muni.
24 is a good muni size, but it’s use is mainly technical muni, lots of roots, rocks, big obstacles, trails that mountain bikes have a hard time covering. Now if thats what your goal is to ride, then it would probably be an o.k. choice. If your goal is more like cross country mountain biking, single track trails in the woods then you would probably be happier with a 26 (or even 29).
The reason I say only an “o.k. choice” is the tire that comes on the uni you linked to is probably best suited to more cross country type riding. I’m saying that just based on it’s size, I honestly don’t know anything about it, but most technical muni tires are 3" wide. The rim is also on the narrow side, so the rim/tire combo will not provide maximum stability.
I think if it was the same uni but a 26" version I would say go for it, but a 24" version I would say not the one you want.
That’s because the 3" tire is heavy. Most people find that with a 26" wheel size it’s too heavy. With a 24" it’s more reasonable.
How experienced are you and what kind of riding do you want to do?
I would go with a Nimbus 26" if I were you and maybe see how you like it. It comes with a 3" tire. If you find it’s too heavy there are millions of 26" tires to choose. 24" tires are much harder to come by.
You can get a better quality muni on the trading post if you’re patient.
I’m about 7 weeks into it. Obviously I spent most of that time learning to ride and free-mount. But lately I’ve been doing some off-road riding. The other day we went to a spot where we were on soft dirt. Between my meager skills and skinny tire I was hopeless. I do OK on dirt and gravel trails though.
I don’t have very clear plans. I’m starting to work on idling and riding backwards, but I kind of like the challenge of off-road. And I think it forces me to really concentrate on balance - particularly when I’m pedaling very hard and very slow uphill.
That sounds right to me. Thanks.
Great. I’m not really in a hurry. Is the trading post part of this forum?
Oh, I didn’t see you were 6’2". Don’t go with a 24. 26 at least. I find a 29 a bit big to be a versatile muni, but that’s my opinion. If I had to have one unicycle it might be a 26.
If you think you’ll stick with it, which it seems you will, don’t cheap out. Penny-wise pound foolish. A top-end 26" muni, new will put you back about $700. Compare that to a top-end bike. The Nimbus 26" muni (http://www.unicycle.com/unicycles/mountain-unicycle/nimbus-26-inch-mountain-unicycle-black.html) is a happy medium. It’s a quality cycle, but won’t cost you as much as a KH or Oracle.
Better yet, look around for a used KH26 or Oracle26 on the Trading Post, and you can have a top-end muni for maybe $500.
Get dual hole cranks, 150/127mm and invest in a good seat if the uni doesn’t have them. So while the Nimbus 26 seems like less money, by the time you start upgrading you may as well have gotten the KH. I have several Oracles, which are very, very good machines, but even with them I ended up upgrading the seat and cranks.
Thanks for the additional good advice. Not sure I want to really go for the top quality. I’m having fun, but I doubt I’ll get really serious about muni. The 26 definitely sounds like a good call. I found the trading post and am just now checking it out.
Hey guys - I’m getting a bit impatient and want to pull the trigger on a muni. I think I’ve narrowed it down to the Nimbus 26" or the Nimbus 29". The guy at the store tells me the 29 is just a better muni - and probably better suited for my size (6’2" 195 lbs). I’m inclined to agree with him. But it comes with a significantly skinnier tire - and won’t accommodate a 3.0" tire (while the 26" comes with a 3.0" tire).
Given my weight I’d think the wider tire would be important on soft surfaces and gravel. I also like the fact that 26" tires are easy to come by - and that the “gearing” for uphills is a bit better on the 26" (assume 170mm cranks on either).
I love the 26 for muni. I never tried a 29, but cant see it working on some of the hills I ride on. Everybody is different though (edit: I’m 6’ ~ 180lbs. if that makes a difference)(and I have the Oracle with the 3" tire)
It’s all personal. I don’t think the wider tire is an issue with your weight and size. It really has nothing to do with it. The wider tire gives you more bounce and cushion on technical stuff, but as I said you will then have a heavier uni.
I would go with the 26 for my first muni. If you have the skills and endurance maybe a 29. Personally, I find a 29 a bit too much on hills to be versatile. It makes a good size for easier muni. If I had to choose one I’d get a 26, then play around with different tires.
Some people like the Nimbus Oregon for their all-around muni. I’ve been hearing great things about it, but that’s out of your price range and some people say it’s a niche uni.
So, everyone will have their opinion, but you just can’t go wrong with a decent 26. It will keep you busy for a while.
I am really happy with my 26" nimbus oracle. Though the stock 165mm cranks were too long for me so I am now riding it with 137mm cranks. It feels like a good mix between large enough to nicely roll over bumps and not too large to handle. You might of course end up buying a larger or a smaller one at one point, but I am not sure you are able to avoid that.
If your skills are not very good, if you’re not fluent on a 20", you won’t enjoy the 29".
I have a 20", a 24" and a 29" and it took me a long time to enjoy the last one. I’m no amazing rider - I can free mount in several different ways, can do XC, moderate Muni. You’re much higher on the 29", and that makes a difference when it comes to obstacles.
Considering the amount of people here doing 30+ miles riding on a 26", I would go for that size. The 3.0 tire might be overkill (and overweigh), but it’s a standard MTB size so tires are easy available and affordable.
Cranks size, I wouldn’t go over 150mm with either of them. Above that is way to long and your legs travel too much to be enjoyable after a few miles. Needless to say your footprint (“tireprint”?) will be verrrrrryyyy snaky. If your LBS can switch the cranks for a minimal fee, go for the 150/125 dual inserts.
I started almost 2 months ago. I did a 2 mile ride today on a very non-technical trail (almost no ups and downs). I can go up and down moderate inclines on my Torker 24" on or off road. I cannot idle, ride backwards, or hop yet. I really don’t even ride off a curb yet.
That’s an interesting take. I had wanted long ones for the uphill leverage. Right now that’s where I feel most limited - particularly off-road.
I’m not sure what you mean.
LBS = local bike shop? I was planning to buy it here:
I have had the stock 165, 150 and I now have a set of 137/165 mounted, but to be honest I only use the 137 option. Strangely enough I felt it was easier uphill with 150 than 165. I guess it has something to do with a smaller dead-zone and it being easier to keep the flow with shorter cranks. Which again comes back to what pierrox mention regarding a snaky track. (I assume he means how much your track goes from side to side if you look at it rather than that the point of contact between the tire and the ground will have a snaky shape…)
The difference between 150 and 137 to me was mostly increase in speed, slight reduction in control and far easier static mounts. I do notice that it is heavier to pedal slowly uphill with the shortest cranks, but the difference is not that big. I have a disc brake on my 26" so when I go downhill I don’t need the longer cranks to keep control. If it is within your budget I would go for the option to add brakes. It does make going downhill much more easy on your legs.
Yep that’s what I meant by snaking, if you look at the track you left behind you, the longer the cranks, the more the tracks weaves. It’s much harder to pedal smoothly with longer cranks, and the climbing ability doesn’t get much better above a certain length.
I have a pair of 110/137 and 127/150. I tried many combinations between my unicycles. At the moment I have the 110 on the 24" and I love it for XC. I was for a long time on 125 on the 24" (the 29" was not used much then and was setup of the road). I had a spare muni tire so I put it on the 29" and gave it a go, with the 150mm cranks. I got used to it very quickly.
At the moment, I have settled for 125mm on the 29" (road tire is back on) and 110mm on the 24". In the next couple of days, I’ll put the 137 on the 24" since I’m going to the mountains with it. Love the 137 because (for me, and I’m just under 6ft) they are the biggest size before I start snaking too much. 150mm is good for the 29" XC/light muni but I can’t go fast with them.
Last time I rode the 29" with 125mm in town, I came against a very steep street (yes, there is such a thing in Paris!) and surprised myself when I managed to climb it. I think with time, we become better at climbing and maybe the 110 will be tried on the 29". But overall, I strongly think 150mm is the max one should get.
Who does 30+ Miles on a 26?? I can barely do over 20 miles on my 29er…
To answer the OP - I wouldn’t discount shorter cranks. I bought my 29er with 145’s, and I’ve even shrunk those down to 125. If you feel uphlls are too hard, then just work on it - hill climbing on a unicycle is weird, and it took me a while before I was really able to do it! Crazily long cranks (like 170’s on a 26!) Will just make everything slow, tiring and wiggly.
That being said, if you’re doing really extreme MUni, then sure, long cranks probably work awesome. I just don’t see them working for anything less than that Then again a 26er with a 3" tyre probably weighs a tonne, so you might need the extra crank power. 170’s sound super-long for a 26 though…
(edit: I’m 6’ ~ 180lbs. if that makes a difference)(and I have the Oracle with the 3" tire)
Then again a 26er with a 3" tyre probably weighs a tonne, so you might need the extra crank power. 170’s sound super-long for a 26 though…