Hey, everyone! My parents recently told me that they would get me a new unicycle for Christmas this year! (I’ll have to help pay if I choose a very expensive one).
I’ve been riding a Torker 24" with a nimbus gel seat (a WONDERFUL upgrade). I’d been talking about getting a new uni for awhile and giving my torker to my little brother.
I want something not TOO expensive, something sturdy. I do a bit of muni (and by that I mean gravel roads and grass, lol!, though eventually, as in a couple years from now, I hope be to good enough to go on a well cleared hike trail in our area).
Mostly, though, I ride on roads or sidewalks or other paved places. I do a tiny bit of freestyle-- some sharp turns, and I like to hop (not jump, hop just a few inches, on and off curbs or for a jumprope). Overall I just want a uni that won’t break down on me, will last several years, and is good for minimal easy tricks in freestyle, muni, and won’t kill my bottom on 3 or 4 mile rides. I’m going to college in a couple years and want to bring my uni instead of my bike around campus.
I’ve got my eye on the Nimbus II 24". Looks good and it won’t break the bank. Opinions?
(Also, what EXACTLY is this “isis” hub in the nimbus ii?)
And if I do go that way, what are some things I should be sure to check periodically in order to keep my uni in good shape? (Tightening cranks and pumping tire… that’s all I’ve been doing for the Torker, is there other stuff to care for?)
An “ISIS” hub is a type of hub that is splined - meaning that there are splines (a bit like the teeth on a gear) that improve the strength of the connection between the cranks and the hub. It’s very highly recommended, especially for high impact stuff like Muni.
The Nimbus II sounds like a good choice for what you want.
Like SmellyGeekBoy said ISIS is the new standard for splined crank interface. It creates a much stronger connection between your hub and crank than square taper.
Look at the 26" option too. It is harder to do freestyle on it but when you get used to it you can stick shorter cranks on it and get some extra speed for when you are running late for classes on campus in a few years. There are also more options for tyres because of the crossover with MTB components.
Nimbus unicycles are great, highly recommended. I ride my 20 inch one everywhere, the saddle is very comfortable and it will take alot of abuse. I can only imagine the 24 inch variant would be just as good.
if you want to do minimal freestyle skills, then i would suggest a 26er or 29er. they are faster than 24" and 20" unicycles, and are quite fun for distance and muni. i think a 24" might be a little slow to use in college. and definitely get a nimbus
Alright, more questions, and I’m hoping to have some opinions by the end of the day…
Mom went online to order the uni, and discovered that the Nimbus MUni is on sale for the same price as the Nimbus II.
Now, MY understanding is that the only difference between the regular unicycles and the MUnis are that the MUnis are stronger, and that their tires are bigger.
Going with that understanding, it would make sense to get the MUni.
But I just wanted to check-- is there any reason why a MUni would NOT be good for distance, or freestyle? (Especially freestyle-- if I ever wanted to get to the more hardcore stuff, would the MUni be worse than the Nimbus II? I gather that if you can go distance offroad on a MUni, you can go difference onroad).
The only thing I can think of is that the fatter tire would be in the way-- but you can always but a smaller tire on, just one from a bike shop, right?
Opinions, please!
(Also, as far as the 26 and 24 inch goes, I learned to ride on a 24". I was leaning towards the 24" Nimbus II. Would the MUni affect that choice?)
Sorry if these are really basic questions-- but since I’m not yet very advanced I don’t know. And if we’re spending good money, I want to make sure to get something that will last and do what I want it to.
The muni just has a bit stronger and probably heavier frame. It will also come with a large, knobby tire which is good for dirt but less good for street and not good for freestyle. I would recommend getting a smoother tire if you plan on doing a lot of street riding.
The 26" is great for muni and riding around. It would be less good for freestyle tricks. Tires are readily available, so that is a plus. (I like the hookworm tire.)
The 24" muni is great for muni. It will be a little slower riding on the street, but may be a bit better for freestyle tricks. Tires in 24" are uncommon and you may need to special order replacements. I would order a smooth tire for road riding and freestyle.
I do not see a downside to getting a muni rather than the Nimbus II as long as you are willing to buy an extra tire.
My 2 cents would be to get the Muni. It’s like buying a Jeep - you can use it on the road and the wood as comparred to a sports car that can only be used on the street. You have more options if your riding tastes change.
I’m still leaning towards the 24". I learned to ride it on streets, so that isn’t an issue for me, I’m used to going slower. It sounds like the happy medium between freestyle and MUni.
Now, we probably won’t be replacing the tire straight off. Does riding with the bigger tire make it REALLY difficult? Honestly the only thing I can think of is trying to do tight turns in freestyle… and I think I could work with that.
Besides, I’ll be able to use my old Torker (to become my brother’s) at least until I go off to college, if I run into problems with that.
(Mom just brought it to my attention how much work would go into removing the frame, just to replace a tire. It sounds like that is something I’d have to do later on, when/if I get more serious about freestyle over MUni).
Take my advice for what it is: a suggestion from someone who doesn’t know you or what you really want out of your next unicycle.
You have a 24" that will continue to be a great unicycle for learning (non-abusive) skills: idling, riding backwards, one-footed riding, etc. I had a Torker, and if my wife hadn’t taken it over, I would’ve kept using it.
I have the Nimbus II 24" and the Nimbus 26" Muni. Both are great. Given what you have, if I were in your position, I’d get the 26" Muni with 150 or 137 cranks and an additional Hookworm tire that you’ll swap on immediately. The Hookworm will easily take you through light muni and be great on pavement. It will be really fun on a college campus: light, fast, and compact. And if you decide to get into more intense muni, swap the original fat tire on (which, by the way, is absolutely awful on pavement).
That said, you’re going to like whatever you get, as Nimbus makes a fine product.
