I’m going to buy a trials uni in the next couple of months. I’m new to unicycling so when I’m comparing the different models I don’t know which is best and or worth the money. I’ve been comparing all the ones listed at UDC
http://unicycle.shopgate.com/category/3139?page=1&sort=price_asc&settings={}
They all fit into my budget but I don’t want to just get the most expensive thinking it might be the best due to price. If you were going to buy any of what UDC has, which one and why? What would be the best crank length for trials?
137mm cranks are nice for trials. I ride a long neck frame. There is more possibility for adjustment. I have been very happy with my Nimbus Equinox. It’s been a great, multipurpose unicycle.
Same here but mine has 125 cranks. If I could only have one Uni my Equinox would be it.
Been thinking of buying a trials for months but i wanted to buy the correct month. Im still at a limbo with the equinox and kh trials. Then long or short neck… i have went through 3 unis before purchasing my 26 due to lack of knowledge and exp. I wish to gain some knowledge here… i really want to buy my trials/street so i can stop dreaming about it.
Sounds like we’re in about the same situation.
Yup. I read past threads still hard to decide. Im leading on the kh though you cant go wrong as they say. But equin is cheaper so is it worth the savings?
Im a 30ish 31 inseam is long neck worth? Ill be using it practice hop since i suck. Whats the diff with a higher post short frame vs short post high frame? I feel like the first one would be better since i can cut the post vs a high frame where even cut u cant go lower if u needed to. How high really is that higher frame anyway. Questions questions… i want to order one now! Help 
Oh and im really fat, 5 6".
The different crowns and different neck lengths are probably what you want to think about.
Crowns
KH has a square-ish crown with rounded corners. This means that you can do stand up wheel walk tricks and one foot riding tricks a bit easier AND you bash your knees less when trying flatland tricks or tucking when doing large hops in trials. The new KH does not have a brilliant sized top though so its not great for a lot of the tricks that use the crown heavily like scuff coasts and stand up wheel walk, you can sometimes slip off.
Impact reagent has a very square top that allows all those crown tricks, it also has very pronounced corners that can involve lots of pain when hitting it into your own leg.
Nimbus equinox has pretty much the same as impact reagent. Just as painful to hit yourself with
Impact gravity has a rounded top, never hit your knees, can tuck in hops without fear of bashing them but means its harder to do some tricks like one foot riding. Stand up wheel walks and scuff costs are not possible.
Frame neck length
KH has the longest, long frame necks mean the seatclamp is very close to your saddle which stops you bashing your knees with it when doing tricks or tucks in trials.
Nimbus equinox is also quite long
Impact gravity and reagent are slightly shorter though still longer than a KH shortneck frame.
Cranks
KH will come with spirits which are good for trials and are ok for flatland and street. Most prefer KH moments for street/flat but they dont make them anymore.
Impact reagent/gravity will come with either impact groovys which are a tubular steel crank or impact eiffels which are an aluminium crank that I have heard breaks easier than spirits. Unless you are doing advanced stuff on them you are unlikely to break them I am guessing.
Nimbus equinox comes with ventures. Ventures are disgusting for trials,flat,street. I dont know any rider who likes them for urban disciplines. They are ok for freestyle and hockey but not very nice for flatland and dont feel great. My dad who is an average rider at best managed to snap a pair playing hockey which has no hopping at all so strength is questionable.
Venture Cranks
I have done 99% of my riding on Ventures. My next unicycle will have a pair of Spirits on it, so I’ll be able to compare. What I ‘can’ say about Ventures is:
- You can buy two pair of Ventures, in different lengths, for the price of one KH pair.
- The money I've saved on Ventures may have been offset by the damage they have caused to my shoes; I tend to hug the cranks with my feet, and the square profile is quite abrasive against the insides of my shoes.
- I own Ventures in the following lengths: 114, 125, 137 (preferred length on my 19"), 150, 165 (on my 26" mUni); none of them have ever broken. I weigh 200 lbs, I do jump mounts, small drops, hops, stand on the cranks, etc. I am careful to keep everything tight. I don't do pedal grabs.
- Lately I've been working on wraps, and I'm finding that, with the Ventures, it's often hard to ride out of the trick, because my foot is right up against the side of the crank. I assume that, with added Q, my foot might get some more clearance from the crank.
I think Ventures have improved their strength and I am sure that the broken pair that I saw must have been a bad batch or something. I have used ventures for hockey and I am heavy and ride hard and didn’t have issues at the time, I dont like the zero q though.
No one has really broken moments ever.
Spirits sometimes have issues with the threading that the pedal attaches into bending and resulting in your pedal not sitting 90 degrees into the crank. I know one rider who bent his spirit the first ride though I am sure they were replaced for free.
There are also the new impact groovys that have just come out. Lighter than Moments and I think lighter than Spirits. Aluminium, have rollo attachments also. Haven’t been used extensively though so cant really comment on them much.
Some people really like zero Q-factor. For me, personally the more the better. Never tried a pair w/ too much for me & my favorite ones (Qu-Ax 10 spline) prob have the most of what I’ve tried but I mostly do Muni & no tricks.
Added Q will make the wheel wobble more when ridding fast & tricks like kick flips. Some feel it makes skinnies harder. Prob a bit of Q doesn’t matter but too much does & prob depends on the person. (For me I think skinnies are a bit easier w/ more Q, but I suck at them, may be because I’m more used to the Q).