For my birthday, I’ve asked my parents for a Yuni 29" Touring unicycle, but my mom wants me to put down all of the specs I want on a piece of paper. So I got all of the usual stuff:
-125mm cranks
-Red Seat
-200 mm seatpost
but this is where I got stuck. What tire do I get? The two options are the 700c WTB Nocros 2.1" or the Schwalbe Big Apple 2.35". Both of them obviously cost the same, so I just need to know which is better for what I’ll be doing on it. I think I’ll mostly be riding around the neighborhood, but I might check out the occasional dirt road, also. Of course no drops or rocks, just cruising down some of the awsome light trials we have in my neighborhood. As I said, mostly pavement, though.
Second, I need to know which pedals to get. That cycle comes with really poopish pastic pedals, and I thought some upgraded ones would be a good present from an aunt and uncle. There isn’t an option for different ones that come with the cycle, but of course I’ll just get them seperate. Please chose from the ones on the unicycle.com pedal page.
Thanks for your help!
-Tyler
P.S. - - Do you think the 125 cranks are good or should I do 150?
I’m pretty sure I want the 125s because I love going fast, but you probably know better than I do.
go to your local bike store… mine had like 8 of the pedals that was on the pedal page… i ended up getting some mosh bike pedals for my 28" they are huge with removable pins and only like 15 bucks
On my 29er, I use a Big Apple and Bulletproof pedals (cheap, light platform pedals). I do the same stuff you do and on a similar uni. You should check out the LBS to. They will probanly have some good pedals.
For ease of riding, on and off road, the fatter tyre option will usually win. However, some tread patterns cause handling concerns for some riders. Take advice from those who have ridden on those actual tyres.
For pedals, you need the platform to support as much of your foot as possible (rather than concentrating the force in two ridges across your sole) and you need reliable grip. I use pinned platform pedals. Various makes are available. Hollow pins provide noticeably better grip than solid ones.
Though I haven’t used either tire, I know that road tires - even
slicks - do just fine on dry dirt roads. Wider tires handle loose
dirt and gravel better than skinny ones.
As for cranks, I find 150mm too long for smooth pedalling. Going down
to 140mm made a big improvement for me, and should still offer plenty
of power for normal dirt road riding. Choose between that and 125mm.
Hey UniTyler, I dont have any pix of the tire. My 29er is a Yuni frame, a wheel I built using a UDC hub and a KH rim, and an air seat I made out of a Torker LX saddle.
I’ve tried 3 tryes on my 29er and my fav is the big apple, its big and has a nice smooth rounded profile, lots of air in it to handle the odd lumpy bit and its got these neat reflective strips in the side walls for enhanced visability at dusk and after dark.
I have only ever ridden the 29" Nimbus they have on UDC - the red one. The big apple is a very thin (and consequently light, this is a good thing!) tire, but it’s made of some ridiculously hard rubber. It’s pretty fun to bounce around on the big apple, and it cruises very nicely, an incredibly smooth ride. Wheelwalking a 29er is good fun too
The tread is a forward-pointing very flat arrow style, which throws water off to the front, and not up onto you for the most part when riding in the rain. It really clings to the road crown though, and if you’re doing a lot of riding on the side of the street it takes a little while to get used to correcting for it, although I don’t notice it so much anymore (I ride it to and from work).
I definitely recommend the big apple, although I guess it doesn’t carry too much weight since it’s the only 29’er I’ve ridden (or seen in real life, for that matter ;))
my friend has that one with the big apple, and it’s awesome.
unfortunately, I don’t know anything about the other kind. I just know that the big apple is awesome. he still has the plastic pedals too, and they work good, soo…yeah…
oh, and if you’re gonna be riding anywhere even remotely hilly, you should get the 150’s. in fact, just get the 150’s, just in case.
Here are some pics of my 29er with a big Apple, Welgo pedals, KH seat and 150’s. I also have the WTB Nanoraptor, but for the street the Big Apple is the choice.
i’ll second the price/quality of the moshbikes pedals. i got mine for $8 slightly used(just test rides at the LBS) very nice for the money. not as nice as my snafu’s but not many pedals are.
I’ll put in another vote for the Big Apple. It rides great, and I used it to win the MUni race at NAUCC! Even though it has a decidedly “street” tread. It’s a great ride.
For pedals, the two you showed are very similar so either will do.
For cranks, 125 may even be a bit much for cruising. I use 102s for street riding, though 125 would be okay as well for more varied terrain. I rode my 102s to 6th place in the 10k at NAUCC against mostly Cokers (on my GB4 29er with Big Apple tire). Gilby won that race on his Schlumpf, also with a Big Apple.
No, I only rode the Coker at North Bend. I wish they had 110s as an option for it because I would definitely get them, but maybe I can call UDC and see if they could put them on there “custom.” If not, I can probably live with the 125s until I get enough allowance money to get some 110s. Hmmm, maybe I could come to another Uniques meet sometime later this summer and I could try out your 29er. What kind is it? Do you like it more or less than your Coker? I think that a 29er will be better for me than a Coker just because I’m a small dude, so it’ll be more handleable for my teensy legs.
