KH 29 frame, opinions, please

[Mikefule]

http://www.unicycle.uk.com/shop/shop...?catalogid=791

My long term project is to build a lightweight skinny tyred 700c. Yes, I know it's daft, but so am I.

At the moment, I have the Nimbus I frame (the one with the Y fork crown, not the H fork crown), the standard wheel, but a lightweight tyre.

The Nimbus I frame takes a 22 mm (approx) seatpost.

Searching Unicycle.uk.com, I found the KH aluminium frame (link above).

This is way more expensive than a standard frame. Is it significantly lighter and better? As it takes a 27mm seatpost, that suggests to me it might be "overbuilt" for more rugged use, and not appropriate for my intended use. Any savings on weight might be offset by the extra weight of the thicker seatpost. Have you used one (or the smaller models?) and if so, what's the quality and style like? What other advice can you give me?

Moving on from that, my preferred saddle at the moment is the Miyata, but that needs a special seat post. Any ways round that? I've heard of rail adapters, but never seen one close up. Sounds like extra weight and clutter to me. Any comments?

The plan for the uni is lightweight and elegant: a rapier, not a broadsword.

Thanks

Mike

[Ottawa Dave]

Hello Mikefule,

The KH frame is a thing of beauty and yes they are light, but for the cost why not have a local welder/frame builder make a frame for you?

Dave

[Mikefule]

That's not an option I'd even considered. Hmmmm. Possibly. I'll think about that.

I'd still appreciate comments on the KH from anyone who thinks they can help.

And on the other points.

Thanks,

Mike

[fexnix]

Shouldn´t you ba able to fit a 700cc wheel into a frame for a 26" wheel?
I mean a 26 x 3" tire should be almost the same size as a skinny 700cc tire.

I have always wanted to build a unicycle witha skinny racing bike tire I hope you make one of your famous Mega-long-writeups that you do, when you are finished building the uni.

[Mikefule]

Another interesting idea, thanks. Thank goodness no one just said, "Use the search function"!

Keep those ideas coming, please.

[johnhimsworth]

I can't see a custom built frame being any lighter - it'd probably have to be steel, hence less (if any) weight savings, and I'd guess it'd be a tad more than £80.

The rail adapter thing you need might be this but don't take my word for it.

I'd have thought a lighter wheel would be a better bet in terms of the weight affecting the riding, being rolling mass. You're not on a 20mm tyre yet, are you?

John

[Mikefule]

Originally Posted by johnhimsworth

I'd have thought a lighter wheel would be a better bet in terms of the weight affecting the riding, being rolling mass. You're not on a 20mm tyre yet, are you?

John

Hi, John. Long time no see.

Unlikely to be anywhere near hockey for ages due to this new job thing.

No, I reckon anything smaller than the 28 mm tyre would be wasted on the standard Nimbus rim. I "need" (in the technical sense of "would quite like to have") a narrower lighter rim.

I'm just looking at all options here.

Experience shows that a lightweight wheel is more responsive, but slower over a journey. It's not only responsive to rider input, but also to input fromt he other end: bumps and changes in surface. You've had a brief go on the 700c x28mm. It feels very different from any other unicycle. I reckon with a skinny rim I can get down to around 20 mm, and have a really temperamental thoroughbred to ride.

[swarbrim]

When i picked up the 20" kh frame it was so light i almost accidently threw it (i was excpecting it to be hevier)

Mike

[jagur]

Originally Posted by Mikefule

I'd still appreciate comments on the KH from anyone who thinks they can help.

ok,

i know your style and i think you would want a frame that is tighter at the crown like a road bike fork.

the kh is going to have alot of space around a 700x25 tyre...that would look a bit unfinished. (unless you need fender clearance )

[Tellurider]

Originally Posted by jagur

ok,

i know your style and i think you would want a frame that is tighter at the crown like a road bike fork.

the kh is going to have alot of space around a 700x25 tyre...that would look a bit unfinished. (unless you need fender clearance )

Yes but when he decides he doesn't like that hard little tire he will have a frame he can use to build himself a 29er.

The 27.2mm seatpost will actualy be lighter than a 22.2 because it is going to be alluminum.

Dan. )--(X)

[jagur]

Originally Posted by Tellurider

Yes but when he decides he doesn't like that hard little tire he will have a frame he can use to build himself a 29er.

yeah, but thats not going to happen. i tryed to get mike to try a nanorapter 2 years ago and no dice. he already has a 700x28 of some sort, sounds like he wants to improve on that model.

[lleberg]

I would use a nimbus X 29" for the purpouse!
http://www.unicycle.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=853
Or a 26.. if it's possible..

I have a 20" and it's beautiful! And i heard the 29" had a quite narrow top-section..

No idea what the shipping from the US to england would be though.

[rob.northcott]

I agree with jagur - I think it would look a bit odd with a very skinny wheel in a muni frame.

It would be cool if you could adapt a pair of straight road racing forks (chop off the dropouts and braze on some uni bearing holders). Might not be that easy though because of the angle of the steerer tube. You could use the crown of a road fork and braze on some straight legs. A possible downside might be that bike forks could be too flexible to take the pedaling forces of a unicycle without the wheel rubbing on the frame. If you could build a nice narrow frame to suit the wheel it would just look far cooler than using a normal unicycle frame, but probably make no difference to the ride.

[keg]

Mike,

It looks like Quax virtually makes the machine you want, very lightweight and skinny with just 20 spokes. The only problem is it aimed at meeting the 24" rule for races so obviously is not 700c. I have got the spec and picture on paper but couldn't see it on the web.

The nearest link I could find was http://www.einradladen.net/catalog/p...45f2143180a6a6

I also agree with Rob this uni would look great with a narrow crown.

Keith

[Fuego]

the kh frame is really light, so it would fit your purpose. Also, the seatpost (which would have to be a kh post) is exceedingly light. However, the KH seat is substantially heavier than a miyata. I don't know, but I think a KH gel seat is lighter. It's smaller, anyway.

I agree that a tiny tire wuold look somewhat out of place in a KH frame, but if you care only about weight, I think it's the way to go.