I would like to know if a KH trials unicycle can be retro-fitted with a Profile hub. The bearing sizes are a little different. The Profile’s OD is 1-5/8" which is 41.275mm and the KH frames are designed to accept 42mm OD bearings. I remember some time ago there were shims (from unicycle.uk.com, I think) around to fix this issue. In the absence of these shims what other solutions are there? I guess I could try the old Coke can shim, or maybe stacking some washers between the bearing holder cups to give them something to clamp against… Any ideas?
Jagur posted that he has done this upgrade and didn’t need to use shims at all. I wonder how well the bearings on that unicycle are holding out.
I think you can just get bearings for the Profile hub that will fit both the inside diameter of the hub and the outside diameter of the bearing holders. Maybe you could email Gary of unicycles.com.au about it because I think he has put plenty of Profile hubs in 42mm bearing holders.
I run a KH Pro Trials frame with Profiles…but that design is quite a bit more than the standard frame (well worth the price though) and is only really necessary if you are snapping the standard version…But there is that option, depending own how strong a unicycle you want. I like mine bomb-proof!
Sorry to bust your bubble, but the only real difference between the KH pro frame and the normal one is the pro is $400 more, has 40mm bearing holders, is hand built in Canada, and it may have brake bosses. The only reason they are $400 more is that Kris had to ask a welder in Canada to custom make a small batch of them. They aren’t really any stronger.
Zack Baldwin and Ryan Atkins both run KH normal frames on profile hubs, as of the last muni weekend.
My KH Pro frame has 1-5/8" bearing holders. It was the first batch of frames made. After that they switched to the 40mm size.
The only practical difference between the KH Pro and the KH Taiwan are cosmetic. The bearing holders on the KH Pro are nicer than the bearing holders on the KH Taiwan. There are other cosmetic differences too like smoother welds. Plus there is the warm feeling you get from buying something manufactured in Canada. The cost difference is because Canadian labor is more expensive than Taiwanese labor and the KH Pro frame is more carefully made.
When the 2004 KH Taiwan frames sell out, the remaining KH Pro frames will be an alternative for the people who don’t want the new aluminum KH frame. I’m betting that Unicycle.com hasn’t sold many (if any) of the KH Pro frames since the KH Taiwan frame was available. Maybe now the KH Pro frame sales will pick up as an option for those who don’t want an aluminum frame.
OK, so you can fit a Profile hub in a KH frame. I’ve had confirmation of this from unicycles.com.au - thanks for your suggestion, Andrew.
One thing I can’t understand is why the KH20 Pro model has brake mounts. Why on earth would you want brakes on a trials unicycle? Maybe if it were used as a kids’ mountain uni, I could understand it, but the KH20 Pro wouldn’t be your first choice for a kids’ Muni due to its relatively high price…