should I get a 24 or 26 inch unicycle?

[jeremyi]

Right now I have a 20 and I'm about to get something bigger for mountain riding. At first I was thinking about getting a 24 now and later get a 28 for distance riding. Or should I get a 26 now and maybe a Coker later? It will probably be a while before the second one comes along as I'm short of money and may be using parts from my existing unicycles to build the new one. What would you do?

jeremy

[samuel]

I had a 20", then decided to get a 24", my next uni will probably be a coker or a 28-29er.

In article <jeremyi.lloaz@timelimit.unicyclist.com>,
jeremyi <jeremyi.lloaz@timelimit.unicyclist.com> wrote:
)
)Right now I have a 20 and I'm about to get something bigger for mountain
)riding. At first I was thinking about getting a 24 now and later get a
)28 for distance riding. Or should I get a 26 now and maybe a Coker
)later? It will probably be a while before the second one comes along as
)I'm short of money and may be using parts from my existing unicycles to
)build the new one. What would you do?

If you're looking for a "hybrid", I think you have to go with a 28/29er.
You can get a tire and a setup that will be fine for cross-country trail
riding, and also good for distance riding and commuting.

But then you'll take it to Moab, thrash it and have to get a 24x3 for
serious mountain stuff. (Shipped today, wahoo!)

As long as you're not doing stuff with drops and rocks, I think a 29 is
a fine compromise.
-Tom

[john_childs]

What kind of terrain and what type of trails are you planning on riding? Are you planning to jump up on things and down off things?

If you're going to be riding aggressively on steep and rough trails then a 24x3 setup might fit your needs.

If you're going to be riding smoother fast hardpack trails and if you're not going to be doing trials type stuff during your ride then a 26" or 29er might fit your needs. A unicycle with a larger wheel that can go faster can be a lot of fun on fast trails with swoopy turns.

It all depends on your local trails and on your riding style.

[jagur]

get a Coker...

[nb]

unfortunately there is no one unicycle that does it all. That is why most of us have a shed/garage/bedroom full of 'em.

What kind of mountain riding do you want to do? Long trails and bridleways or bumps and jumps? Either way there's not much in it. The wide 24s are similar in diameter to ordinary 26s.

The 28 is a nice commuter. I wouldn't fancy riding a coker on busy roads (although I'm sure plenty of people do). I'm sure they are a blast on the open road but I've never ridden one very far. Try and borrow a couple and see what suits your style and nerve.

I'd suggest getting a 26 for now. It'll be great for mountain cycling and there is a wide range or tyres available cheeply so you can use it for different things. Mega knobbly for rough stuff, lighly knobbly for bridleways and a slick for long distance road stuff.

[djm]

I'm all in favor with them jermeyi. For me I go for the 26" Uni.
28" I'll use for commuting. I got a 20" Juggleart Taiwanese I had for nearly 10 years and hasn't let me down a bit. It originally had a Savage saddle but I change that 1 month earlier for a Viscount saddle. That Savage saddle.........OUCH! Other one I could go for is a Coker as jagur said. I can't wait to get my 24" or 26" Uni one day. I'm really looking forward to it having one. Good luck.

David.

[john_childs]

I misread your post. You said "mountain riding" and I assumed that was off-road.

For road riding in the mountains a Coker or a 29er would do. If the hills and grades are steep a 29er might be easier. But a Coker with long cranks can handle steep grades too.

The factors to consider are how long of a crank are you comfortable pedaling and do you prefer to spin at a high cadence or do you prefer to stay at a lower cadence. A Coker with 160 mm or 170 mm cranks is going to pedal differently than a 29er with 140 mm cranks. A Coker with long cranks will not feel fast or smooth on the flats while a 29er with 140 mm cranks will feel a bit better on the flats. A Coker with 170 cranks will have about the same leverage as a 29er with 140 cranks.

[jagur]

Originally posted by jagur
get a Coker...

just kidding...

[jeremyi]

I guess I could have been more clear about my intentions. I want to ride down stairs and hop and jump with the one I'm about to get. I'll also use it for getting arount because either way its faster than a 20, but I'd also like a dedicated cruiser in the future, one that won't go down stairs, but may go down a curb.

jeremy

In article <jeremyi.lmta0@timelimit.unicyclist.com>,
jeremyi <jeremyi.lmta0@timelimit.unicyclist.com> wrote:
)
)I guess I could have been more clear about my intentions. I want to
)ride down stairs and hop and jump with the one I'm about to get. I'll
)also use it for getting arount because either way its faster than a 20,
)but I'd also like a dedicated cruiser in the future, one that won't go
)down stairs, but may go down a curb.

A 29er is fine for going down curbs; I wouldn't recommend it for serious
hopping and jumping. If you plan to get a cruiser later anyway, I would
go for a serious 24" trials uni or MUni now, and get a real cruiser later.
If you get some sort of hybrid, like a 26x2.6, you'll thrash it with
your trials, and it won't be that great for cruising either.
-Tom

[harper]

With all else being equal, wheel strength decreases with diameter. The 24" will be stronger but slower.

[michaeli]

I use my 24x3" (which has a outside diameter very close to many 26" unis) for MUni, trials and getting around campus and town. I took it on a critical mass bike ride a few weeks ago and was able to keep up fine with the leisurely pace of the bicyclists.

A 24x3" would be my suggestion.

Later,
Eli.

[Mikefule]

I find my 24 is lighter and more manoeuvreable than my 26.
The 26 will roll over undergrowth and plug through mud better.
There is no difference in speed if they are both set up for MUni, because I tend to have slightly longer cranks on the bigger wheel. In fact, the 24 feels faster because I can pedal more smoothly at a faster cadence.

Much will depend on your height,weight, experience, and your preferred style of riding.

A fat tyred 24 sounds the most versatile choice.

[carjug]

How big are you? How long are your legs? If you are big, get the 26, if you are small get the 24.
What are you riding on? Smooth trails on level ground, get a Coker, rougher stuff, ask the muni crowd. carjug