36er bikes

I am 5′ 9” tall so regular height people find a 36er comfortable and easy to ride,

So what happens if you have to dismount backwards?

Don't get me wrong I'd love a try if I see you about but I'm resistant enough to a 29er rear wheel and the thought of crushing the crown jewels trying to dismount doesn't fill me with joy.

So what happens if you have to dismount backwards?

I don't think I've ever had to dismount backwards? Over the bars loads of times, but never over the rear wheel.

How much does the bike weigh? It looks cool.

I don’t think I’ve ever had to dismount backwards? Over the bars loads of times, but never over the rear wheel.

There may be a correlation between the two... I find stopping on a 70 deg slope and trying to put my feet down forwards tends to precede an OTB.

Would love a go one one, don’t really want to buy one first…

Keep looking here too… https://instagram.com/36pollici?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

That bike is, erm, unique looking?

<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">I’m not quite sure I understand what it’s trying to achieve though..?  Glad you enjoy it though. </span>

I love that. I'd ride it. It's obviously not meant for tech MTBing, other styles of riding are available.

Ditto, would love to try one (preferably with drop bars).

First ride on a 29er years ago was a revelation, would like to take the principle to its extreme.

Had one short ride on a Black Sheep custom Ti 36er and it kind of felt surprisingly normal but smooth for a rigid bike.
No desire to ever buy one though.

So glad there's still a niche out there!

I've been curious about these ever since I saw that GCN video where the guy races one of them

Generally not bothered by bikes. But I do love the idea of one of these. I’m 6 foot 4

I saw one of these in Rotorua in 2008 in one of the central bike shops. It looked huge! The bike shop guy said it was built for a laugh.

It certainly would be an interesting ride.

As for rubbing one's balls on the rear wheel, I had this when trying a 150mm full sus 29er after landing a jump 😣

https://flic.kr/p/2jceFYZ

Put a 24 on the back for the ultimate mullet?

It looks cool

Eye of the beholder an all that.
Where do you get tyres from?

Where do you get tyres from?

The internet

https://www.unicycle.co.uk/nimbus-nightrider-36-x-2-25-tyre.html

I'm waiting for the 37.5" version. Make the trail come alive.

37.5 is just the stop gap before everyone switches up to 39s.

regular height people find a 36er comfortable and easy to ride, very responsive bike and goes over ground easy, larger wheel negates need for suspension fork.

I'm sure I've heard that before but can't quite put my finger on it...

Also, doesnt matter how big your wheel is, if your surface is crap you'll be feeling it unless you either up the volume or add suspension.

Why is the next biggest sized wheel after 29" a 36"? It goes 26, 27.5, 29, 36. That's such a big jump!

Look at them:

Why is the next biggest sized wheel after 29″ a 36″? It goes 26, 27.5, 29, 36. That’s such a big jump!

So they can then backtrack and sell us on 32” before saying they were wrong after all and sell us the new generation of 36”
Don’t forget about the inevitable 36+ either.

Cynicism apart, I’d love to try one, but then I am a serial niche whore.

Also, doesnt matter how big your wheel is, if your surface is crap you’ll be feeling it unless you either up the volume or add suspension.

Yes and no.
The one I had a go on I rode it down a big flight of steps.
It felt a lot smoother than a 26" bike with a suspension fork and my bike. (fat fronted Jones 26x4/29x2.4)

I really wouldn't want to have taken it down anything steep/techy though.
The roll over effect from a 29 to a 36 is a lot bigger than a 26 to 29.

I don’t think I’ve ever had to dismount backwards? Over the bars loads of times, but never over the rear wheel.

I have when going up very steep climbs and had to bail.
36 inch wheels will be too big for me. Only 5ft5 with short legs. The saddle will be lower than the rear wheel.

I love that. I’d ride it. It’s obviously not meant for tech MTBing, other styles of riding are available.

Other than not being able to dismount backwards which I guess you could if you just jump and don't try and keep hold of the bike it looks ideal for a lot of Surrey Tech.. lots of steep and or rooty fast stuff .. Lots of my favourite trails just get easier the faster you go...
one of my riding buddies rides a rigid everywhere local and I usually ride a HT of some description - I'd ride my 100mm XC way more if I wasn't scared of snapping the frame messing up a jump or drop and Andy has gone through 2 frames this year but that's more the way he rides than it being rigid.

I always loved the keener cycleworks 36ers with cannondale lefty forks or head shocks, absolutely mental thngs but wonderful in their beardy-niche-ness

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/132504414019851047/

You think this is good, wait until 37.5" comes in...the trail will 'come alive' 😉

Why is the next biggest sized wheel after 29″ a 36″?

Is it because it's an existing unicycle standard?

That video segment where he races to the front of the pack on his giant wheeled bike is hilarious. I'm 6'4" and would love a go on one but, as a cheapskate, niche pricing would put me off buying one.

There'd probably be 49ers but you have to be over 7ft tall to ride one.

Also, doesnt matter how big your wheel is, if your surface is crap you’ll be feeling it unless you either up the volume or add suspension.

Not what I found in the early days. I jumped between a 100mm travel 26" bike, a Singular Swift and a rigid 26" bike. The swift felt more like the 100mm travel on trails, it only felt rigid when landing a drop.

I think people forget how truly awful rigid 26" bikes were.

Is it because it’s an existing unicycle standard?

Iirc it was as rickshaw size, adopted by unicyclists for long distance riding as the biggest pneumatic tyre available (unicycles are 1:1 or slightly geared up, no massive cassettes). They then pushed for better quality rims and tyres which is what we have now.

In all of my forty-two years of cycling and twenty-five years of mountain biking, I've never, ever needed to dismount backwards. Is this a new thing?

Colour me intrigued as to whether 36" wheeled bikes gain wider acceptance, I can see the logic of it and would definitely try one out if I had the opportunity.

Iirc it was as rickshaw size, adopted by unicyclists for long distance riding as the biggest pneumatic tyre available

Yep, Ed Pratt did his round-the-world trip on a 36" unicycle

*does that make it 113 gear inches?!? That sounds a bit much!!

I'm not sure that I'd be able to get it into the house because of the length. My HT 29er already rubs the top of the front door frame when it's upright being wheeled in.

does that make it 113 gear inches?

No. It'll make it 36 gear inches. It's a 1:1 hub, he didn't have a geared hub.

No. It’ll make it 36 gear inches

I thought that was the diameter? So you times by pi, right? To get the circumference, and therefore the distance travelled by one turn of the cranks?

I’m not sure that I’d be able to get it into the house because of the length.

Snort.

I thought that was the diameter? So you times by pi, right? To get the circumference, and therefore the distance travelled by one turn of the cranks?

No, gear inches are just the equivalent wheel diameter, carried over from penny farthings.

On most bikes you quote the real figure based on the wheel size, track bikes use a slightly different method and quote it for a 27" wheel for historical reasons.

If you measure how far the wheel travels per crank revolution, that's usually given in metric units to avoid confusion.

I’m not sure that I’d be able to get it into the house because of the length.

Snort.

I've seen pictures of you. You're too old for that sort of childishness! 😀

No, gear inches are just the equivalent wheel diameter, carried over from penny farthings.

Ah, gotcha! Thanks!

I’ve seen pictures of you. You’re too old for that sort of childishness!

It's not the age, it's the.. er.. something.. ah, I dunno any more 🙂

I remember seeing a guy called Dylan Thomas, who had a bike shop in York, riding one. He told me I could have a go sometime but it never happened, sadly.

Fun article on building a 36er for the Australian Outback here:

https://bikepacking.com/bikes/curve-titanosaur-36er/

A friend of mine has one, its an amazing machine. He's well over 6ft and looks quite normal on it, against me the seats about chest height!

Hi Steve never had any issues mounting or dismounting my 36er. The stand over height of the bike/bar is around 36.5 inches (rising to 38inches at the front) so around the same as the wheel size height.
if you were short legged I would imagine your crown jewels may be in danger riding a 36er.
Like all bikes, how often have you hit the bar when suddenly needing to dismount/falling off a bike, I never have in all my years cycling now 60 years old.
The fun riding this bike is fantastic, number of other cyclists who wish to know about the bike, some have taken for a short test ride, probably 1/2 every ride I go on.

Hi 40MPG your friend has good taste buying his Trubike, hopefully he has let you have a ride on it. What did you think if you had a ride and were you tempted to buy one yourself?
hopefully he gets as much fun from the 36er as I do.

Thanks for your comments agree is currently a niche market/bike for 36er's.
They do also produce 32 inch wheels which I have seen advertised for other manufacturers.
To answer a few questions raised:
Standard Nimbus Stealth rims 36 holes, tyres Nimbus Nightrider 36'' X 2.25. Inner tubes FOSS special plastic 36” 1.75-2.5 weight 224 grammes. All parts readily available. They do now also make a carbon rims if you have deep pockets!
Shimano XT cranks 175mm 2 X 11 ratio 36/26 and rear cassette 11 cogs ratio's range 11-42
Total bike weight around 21kg/47lbs so not lightweight, though lighter than my old Trek Mountain Bike. Had slightly longer steerer tube at 250mm which increased weight slightly.
My old trek has shock absorbers of 100mm comparing to the 36inch wheel absorbs and rolls over obstacles easily, the size, width with volume of air gives a lot of absorption and eats up the ground.
Like another rider states never needed to dismount over my rear wheel sound very interesting technique, only been over handle bars in past, but not on this bike. The length of my Trubike is 2194mm so very stable.
Website for Trubike www.truebikes.eu

I’d love a go on one, looks ace.

Hi Mr Sparkle, Dylan's company I believe is Motion Cycles in York, he stopped making the 36er's as was very busy with his main business and simply did not have the time to continue which was a shame.

Hi Funkmasterp depending where you are in the country, I am in Surrey, happy for friends to take for a spin, a few have already done this. All enjoyed and some tempted to buy one.
Hopefully the 36ers will in time become more mainstream and readily available in the UK currently all bikes have to be imported, not overly complicated once the HMRC requirements are met. Treated as a personal import making it more straight forward.

Look at them:

My 1st thought was how you could further the benefits of a mullet with a 36er front wheel, but on balance we must be getting to the stage where wheel size evolution stagnates; it'd take some pretty fancy engineering if you wanted gnarpoon levels of suspension travel without noodle forks and chopper riding position

That contact patch diagram I remember from the wheelsize wars.

Its a bit simplistic.

The contact parch will be longer, but thinner for a larger wheel diameter, assuming a constant tyre pressure. Whether people maintained the pressure, or adjusted it based on the wheel size (and tyre width) was never really discussed.

I'm not sure we ever got to the bottom of what sort of contact patch was preferrable for rolling resistnace or handling

Hi Mr Sparkle, Dylan’s company I believe is Motion Cycles in York, he stopped making the 36er’s as was very busy with his main business and simply did not have the time to continue which was a shame.

Thanks for the update johnny h

The total bike weight, XL size frame, is around 21kg/46lbs. The front wheel alone rim/tyre/inner tube weighs 4.25kg/9.4lbs so around 40% of the total weight are the wheels.
To reduce weight there are carbon rim options, would have cost an extra £800 (£400 per rim) reducing weight for the two wheels by around 1kg/2.2lbs so decided against this extra expense as minimal impact on the overall weight of the bike.

Wheels: Standard Nimbus Stealth rims 36 holes, tyres Nimbus Nightrider 36'' X 2.25. Inner tubes FOSS special plastic 36” 1.75-2.5 weight 224 grammes.