Which is best: Nimbus, KH or Qu-Ax

Unicycles and Equipment
1

I know I have 6 unis already, but I just miss a trials uni. I was thinking of buying a Qu-Ax:
http://www.einradladen.com/webshop/387mm-20-Inch-QX-Series-Longneck

I don’t want the KH, maybe because the brand just always is most expensive, but does that mean that KH also is better than the other brands. I like my KH’s, but mostly I ride the Nimbus 29". I see that the Nimbus trials are cheaper than Qu-Ax even.

I choose the long neck because I’m 1.86m (6’2"). So I already made my choice of what I;m gonna buy, but I am just interested to know if one brand is better than the other.

2

I’m not super familiar with trials stuff (still hate trials) but I really think the high end nimbus and qu ax stuff is approaching kh quality.

Back in the day, I think nimbus and qu ax offered primarily budget steel options and kh was much more prominent as the best of the best.

However now that we have the oracle line and qx line, I think the lines are pretty blurred.

I see aspects to all brands that one has over the other, but nothing significant.

In short, it’s a pretty level playing field.

3

I have two Qu-ax 20 inch unis. A Luxus and Profi.

Both the frames are very solid and the chrome is very good quality.

The Profi wheel is unbelievably strong. Double walled rim, 48 spokes and an ISIS hub.

4

For trials, don’t overlook the Impact Gravity. A very good unit.

5

The impact gravity is 19". Is there any difference in handling between a 19" or 20"? The fatness of the tire might make the 19" into a 20" I reckon.

6

The QX you showed us, is also 19" as most Trial Unis are.
With this wide tire, a 19" has an outer diameter of about 20" and a 20" of about 21".

7

If you already have many Unicycles I would say go for the cheapest. I bought a brand new Nimbus only because it was the cheapest I could find back then (old model from a web retailer - not directly from UDC) and it does the job very well. I mainly use it to improve my hopping skill and learn some flatland tricks, etc..

Also don’t forget the ‘Indy’ Trials Unicycle option which is probably the cheapest choice, link below for spec:

http://www.oddballs.co.uk/indy-20-trials-unicycle-p-3843.html

I’ve got the Freestyle one and it does the job very well ..

8

Ah I just now notice that even though it is called 20", they refer to wheel size and not rim size. :slight_smile:

9

The Indy one looks very fancy.
Doesn’t cheapest automatically mean “breaks within your first year”

10

I frequently use the terms 19" and 20" interchangeably. I think the outside tire dimensions for both the 20" freestyle and the 19" trials tire are the same. The 20" freestyle tire is typically a high-pressure/low-volume tire, while the trials is a low-pressure/high-volume tire. The relatively small contact patch of the freestyle tire helps to facilitate pivoting easily. Though I no experience with the narrower hubs and narrower Q factor of freestyle unicycles, they are reportedly better at doing things like pirouettes.

If you want to experience moderate speed, are afraid of face planting, and if you enjoy mixed road-off-road XC, then a 29" might be the wheel for you.

11

My first unicycle was an indy ‘freestyle’. I now consider it the base benchmark of things that can be wrong with a unicycle.

Here is my list of what I think of the components:

Saddle distinctly flexible and uncomfortable for a full grown rider and will need to be replaced for anything more than learning to ride. Due to having a non standard seatpost this needs to be replaced at the same time. The seatpost clamp MUST be replaced or you will curse it forever.

My frame was not properly aligned and required bending and filing when I replaced the hub.

Tyre and inner tube passable but rim single walled and low quality.

While nothing was wrong with the cranks and pedals, my hub was faulty and wore through 2 pairs of cranks before I replaced the uni.

After sitting unused for around 3 years, I built it back up with a spare Nimbus hub, Qu-Ax cranks and a passable flattened KH saddle experiment and sold it on for my sisters friend to learn on.

It is seriously worth spending the extra money for a Profi or a mid range Nimbus.

12

The Qu-Ax linked above looks excellent. I don’t have much first-hand experience with this brand, as it is not generally available in the US, but I do prefer a longneck frame, even though I am 10cm shorter than Setonix.

KH is good but overrated, and, in my experience, not worth the extra money. Nimbus is excellent.

13

Well I bought the Qu-Ax yesterday. Naturally black was out of stock at municycle.com, but maybe Qu-Ax still has some black ones left.

Black is better quality than white, you know! :stuck_out_tongue:

Hopefully it will arrive next week.