KH29 Out of the Box!

I’ve been looking at the box containing a new KH29…

I’ve been delaying opening it as I don’t want to complicate my skill development and maybe even reduce the enjoyment of the KH24, as for example I hardly ever ride the 2o” now as it seems to small and slow compared to the 24 – don’t want that to happen with the 24! But I’ve got some longer rides I’d like to do that aren’t really suitable for the 24″. This weekend is also the challenge between me and my kids – if the girls can get to the local store first on their bikes vs me on uni, I buy lunch, or vice versa. They have it won anyway but at least the 29 will give me some chance of not being too far behind

I hopped in the car with the KH 29″, the cranks in the 125 position and Big Apple tire fitted, and drove down the reserve. I headed off for a couple of laps and it didn’t take long to be impressed with the smoothness, speed, momentum and stability of the 29′er, especially compared to riding the 24″.

KH29 First Day

The bigger wheel starts to act as a flywheel, a  very different feeling to smaller wheels. Going down the first long gentle descent at a good speed I discovered how much harder it is to foot brake on a combination of bigger wheel and shorter cranks. I’ll look into getting some brakes I think, as whichever direction I travel from home there are large and fairly long hills to climb/descend.

The track had quite a significant camber, and I found the uni naturally wanting to roll across it which is a known behaviour, but still a weird feeling. Mounting the 29′er turned out to be no worries! It’s amazing how short a time it takes to adjust to the larger wheel and forget you are higher. The first lap went past quickly, so I headed off again. I can imagine commuting on this uni.

After some more messing around at the reserve across grass, short drops etc all of which the 29 handled beautifully – that larger diameter wheel is very nice but still quite agile. I took the 24 out for a session to end the day and it still felt great. A 29 and 24 seem like it will be a good combination of unis for me, to swap back and forth on. The 24 certainly all of a sudden felt very nimble (which is great tbh, like an instant confidence boost), now that I had a larger uni to compare it with, but no less enjoyable.

Related posts:

1. KH29 GUNI With the frame compatibility problems sorted out it was finally time to assemble the KH29 GUNI! I’d slowly been upgrading my 2007 KH29 – Magura brakes, seat post, brake bracket and Trail Mix pedals – so as things turned out with the addition of the new 2008 frame the GUNI...
2. KH29 GUNI Day 1 Video Just a short video I made for my own record and fun of the first afternoon in the KH29 GUNI. The speed of the GUNI will take some getting used to, but surprisingly the gear shifting isn’t difficult at all. Enjoy! ...
3. Kris Holm Freeride 29 Project My KH Freeride 29″ Project kicked off last week with the arrival of the 2009 Freeride rim and 2009 Moment Hub. The KH 29″ is my second most ridden unicycle off road – first is the 36″. The 29′er is such a crazy light unicycle, so nimble and zippy. The...
4. Dog·gone Crank Lengths The KH Freeride 29er has already got me riding familiar trails harder and faster. I’m also trying out stuff on the 29er I wouldn’t have before, I guess due to the steamroller go anywhere feel the 29er has with the wider rim. Is it all in the mind? Who knows!...
5. 5 Footer Giraffe As luck would have it Eric the Red a street performer of many years lives only a few minutes away. After months of talking about it we finally hooked up for a uni session. Eric wanted give off road unicycling a go, and I was keen to try out a...