29" Discussion thread

[rob.northcott]

Originally Posted by Mikefule

I would absolutely recommend a 29er to anyone who didn't prefer a larger or small wheel.

Genius

[Nurse Ben]

Now with a 29 I tried using 165/137 combo and it is not absolutely perfect but pretty darn close. I can have it in 165 for climbing all day and switch to 137 for the way down. It is really nice to have the option to "switch gear" at the top of the trail and 137 is still a usable size if you are used to 150.

Well, I have come full circle in my 29er crank choice, having been nearly 100% on a 29er for the past year I was initially riding 170's, progressively dropped to 165 -> 160 -> 150 -> 137, then back to 150, now riding 165/135.

So here's my take: 29er's are great for covering ground, they bridge obstacles, they're stable, they can do most anything a smaller wheel can do "within reason". They are tall and a tad unwieldy compared to a 24/26, but with practice and patience they are a great muni.

I find that the tall wheel works great with short cranks, esp 137 which spin so nice and literally make the 29er more agile, but at a cost: loss of leverage reduces control and power. I went back to 150's and regained a compromise between agility, smooth spin, and power, but it still felt like I was working too hard on climbing and in rough terrain. Granted, I could just ride a smaller wheel on trails that are not ideal for a 29er, but then all of my trails are hilly and rough, soooo I bit the bullet and went back to long cranks -> 165.

Immediately I noticed more control and power, it took far, far, far less effort to climb, but the cranks spin terribly on the flats, so like Eric, my compromise is the dual hole Moments with the 137 for flat trails, the hard part will be making my self switch pedal positions.

[davidp]

After selling my KH29 a little over a year ago, I'm now revisiting the 29" wheel having built up a new one to alternate with a Large Marge / Larry wheel in a Conundrum frame. Since I have a 26x2.4" that I enjoy on rooty, rocky trails and a 36" I like using on mixed road and easy trail rides (not to mention the fat wheel for snow, sand, and silliness) I wasn't quite sure where the 29" would fit in. After just a few rides I'm glad I built the wheel.

Like Mike, I find the 29" to be the most fun on rides that range from easy XC to somewhat technical; too much easy stuff and I'm wishing I had the 36", too much rough stuff and I'm wishing for the 26". I have dual hole moments on my 36" but I don't switch positions mid-ride; instead I choose the position based on the type of ground I will covering more of on a particular ride. Since I'm not looking to make the 29" work for all my trail riding, 145mm cranks and a 2.2 tire are working well for me.

[uniShark]

Originally Posted by Nurse Ben

Well, I have come full circle in my 29er crank choice, having been nearly 100% on a 29er for the past year I was initially riding 170's, progressively dropped to 165 -> 160 -> 150 -> 137, then back to 150, now riding 165/135.

So here's my take: 29er's are great for covering ground, they bridge obstacles, they're stable, they can do most anything a smaller wheel can do "within reason". They are tall and a tad unwieldy compared to a 24/26, but with practice and patience they are a great muni.

I find that the tall wheel works great with short cranks, esp 137 which spin so nice and literally make the 29er more agile, but at a cost: loss of leverage reduces control and power. I went back to 150's and regained a compromise between agility, smooth spin, and power, but it still felt like I was working too hard on climbing and in rough terrain. Granted, I could just ride a smaller wheel on trails that are not ideal for a 29er, but then all of my trails are hilly and rough, soooo I bit the bullet and went back to long cranks -> 165.

Immediately I noticed more control and power, it took far, far, far less effort to climb, but the cranks spin terribly on the flats, so like Eric, my compromise is the dual hole Moments with the 137 for flat trails, the hard part will be making my self switch pedal positions.

I'll be having this dilemna myself this year. I started my 29er with 125/150 in mostly the 150 hole, then switched to 125 for a while, then back to 150, then got 165s. Took last year off from the 29 while I experimented with a 26 guni wheel. Now back to the 29 and not sure whether to go with 150s or 165s. Once I get trained up for the summer, I'll probably go do one of my favorite trails with variable terrain a couple days in a row, to compare.

[Nurse Ben]

It is tough to want a shorter crank and have it work well for the majority of your uses, only to fall short for key aspects on every ride. Maybe if I had younger legs I could ride the 150's all the time, but I find that it is just wearing me out faster than it should, and in the end I want to ride further and longer.

The power advantage of the longer cranks was immediately obvious when I swapped to 165's and rode familiar trail sections with zero leg fatigue where I previously had considerable leg fatigue while riding 150's. It was more "akward" in that the spin was rough (rusty?) and I felt less agile, but I had far more control and could bring on the power with so much less effort.

Of course I miss the nice spinning of the 150's, but honestly I can spin just fine on longer cranks, did it for years, and when I really want that smooth spin back, all I have to do is switch the pedals into the 135 position and they spin even better

I rode the 26 yesterday on a long technical route, three hours of climbing, roots, rocks, downhills, and it was so much easier than the 29, BUT I really missed the rollover ability of the bigger wheel and the stability, speed, ...

I still feel the 29" wheel is the best all around size, esp for bigger riders, but it's a little too tall in the gearing for some things (steep climbs, tech downhill), so the only answer is to build a geared hub with a lower gear as well as a taller gearing

The dream 29er: three speeds, 0.75:1/1:1/1.25:1

And a little more beef on the tire

[MuniAddict]

Originally Posted by Mikefule

The 24 is better [than a 29er] for really slogging up hill, ....

In general I would agree, but I think that my super light kh 29er would be easier to climb up the same steep terrain than my kh 24, which is equipped with a Large Marge rim and 3" wide Intense. 150mm crank length on both 24 & 29er, with the 29er also having the option of 125s in the second holes.

The difference in rotating weight is dramatic, so even though the 29er has about 4" more wheel to turn, I sti think it would be easier for the same given climbing terrain. (I say 4" because the 24x3 intense has a high sidewall, making the actual diameter closer to 25", whereas the 29er's wtb stout has a lower sidewall.)

[legtod2]

Almost 5 years ago I started this thread. I picked up a 29" unicycle from Darren Bedford which he shipped from Ontario to here.

During that time span I have ridden that unicycle between the months of Apr till Oct nearly every weekend, and several special event (Canada day parades, Terry Fox run, Run for the cure, etc).

The unicycle has alot of kilometers on it, and i average 20km rides every time I set out.

So far i have replaced two tires, had the spokes and wheel trued one, replaced 1 set of pedals and tire tubes.

I would say i have traveled further on this unicycle than any bicycle i have owned in the past.

I am really pleased how well this unicycle has held up and kept up to the off roading and long distance riding.

This unicycle behaves just like it did when brand new and i expect to get a life time of enjoyment out of it.

I appreciated my 36 nimbus and my 20 unicycles; however, the 29 is used regularly and is my favorite.

I hope other riders of 29" unicycles get as much use out of their ride as I have.

[JJuggle]

I got my 29" back in 2004 I think after I sold my Coker because I found it too unwieldy and difficult to control. David Stockton put it together for me.

At the time I bought it I used only for occasional riding and doing the LBI Unithon once a year. After 2004 I had a very minor injury and stopped riding and put on a significant amount of weight and the 29er languished along with all my other unicycles.

Then last year after losing 50 lbs I decided to get back into riding. I took out the 29er and averaged 2 or 3 miles per ride. After a while I got it up to an average of 6.5 miles per ride, which is where it has stayed. I got serious in July 2011 and started using the Everytrail app on August 23, 2011. Since using the app I have logged 1,534 miles over 235 trips. I'm riding 3 of every 4 days (thanks, of course, to a very mild winter here). I also must thank Gilby for chiding me to get out and do some riding, after on Facebook I complained about some TV I had been watching.

Over the past year I have become incredibly, almost dangerously, comfortable riding in traffic and idling at street lights on the 29er. And while when I started up again last summer any little dip or bump in the road could throw me, I now ride over things I hadn't even noticed, that are jarring but don't actually force me to dismount.

I have learned to fix my own flats. And I got a Camelbak for long rides in the summer heat (last weekend I did a ride of 17.2 miles - a solo personal best for me - which would not have been possible without the Camelbak).

So the 29" unicycle of assorted parts is by far my most treasured thing. Aside from occasionally doing some juggling while unicycling on a 20"er and vainly attempting to freemount my giraffe, I only ride the 29er and do so all over the area in which I live. Going out and riding it is my main source of physical exercise and is an emotional lifeboat in a crazy world.