I really like my 20" unicycle. I can ride around park, but I cannot free mount yet. Also, I get really tired after unicycling for a while. So, I would like to get something bigger, since I want to go for a distance.
What I would really like is to be able to ride the thing to work which is about 8 miles away. I am in a good enough shape to bike that distance every day, but it would be awesome to spice things up.
So, what should I buy? 24"? 29"? 36"?
Also, should I even bother with that before I can free mount?
Is it easy to switch to a larger unicycle or will it be like learning a new thing?
Does somebody have a cheap large uni for sale?
You really should work on your skills on your 20" first. Learn to freemount and ride comfortably and in control.
If you are going to be commuting 8 miles one way then you are going to definitely want to spring for the 36" uni. Riding 16 miles round trip is a lot easier on a 36er than a 29er or 24.
My commute is the same distance as yours. It takes me around half an hour on a bicycle and around 40-45 minutes on my unicycle. I ride a bit differently when commuting on the uni vs. the bike.
The problem is that on the 20" you have to pedal really fast to get anywhere and I would imagine that the best way to get used to the riding would be to ride long distance. I could be wrong.
I was looking at 36", but they are pretty expensive. Is there a cheaper source of them beside unicycle.com?
It would probably be a good idea to build up your skills first, such as free mounting. Also if your going to be commuting there’s the traffic and pedestrians to worry about so stability and manoeuvrability are key. Perhaps a 29 would be your best bet, as it is easier to dodge between people and stop quickly.
One thing I forgot. My 8 mile commute is all on the bike path and I only cross one road. There is dodging of other cyclists and pedestrians, but I think I could handle that.
A 36er is the way to go if you want to commute, a 29er will not be better at commuting. 36ers are expensive yes, but they are well worth the price and are my favorite wheel size. A 29er simply can’t compare to the feeling and speed I get on the 36er.
It has the new Nightrider rim and Nightrider tire, and 36 spokes, it is top of the line, but not at top of the line price b/c of the frame (which doesn’t make that much of a difference).
The Coker Big One linked above is another “cheap” alternative. It is 40 dollars less than the Titan, but you have to deal with 48 spokes (not necessary, and makes for a heavier wheel) and you can’t get the Nightrider tire with it when you first buy it. If you were to go the route of the Coker Big One, I would recommend getting the Street/Road tire, I think they call it the ribbed tire or something like that.
Either way you will want to start with 150mm cranks if you have only come from a 20" uni background.
If you want a cheaper 36er, you can try finding one on the Trading Post section of this forum if someone is selling a used one.
If you want to buy a really nice unicycle for commuting, get a Nimbus Nightrider 36er, that frame design allows you to lock up both the frame and the wheel, which can be helpfull when you lock up your unicycle after commuting to work.