Jump to content

A Survival Tale of Men, a Mountain, and the Monster


Marty Backe

Recommended Posts

1 minute ago, EUCMania said:

Amazing. interesting and dangerous adventure. Thanks for Marty and Jeff sharing the experience with us.

What I learnt from this story for preparing our own adventure are  i) bring enough subsistence supplies.

ii) Use ACM or modify the monster to make it easy to lean/push. iii) Bring communication and SOS equipment. iv) buy a book about the surviving skills in the wild used by pilots and paratroopers. It teaches how to get moisture/food ( probably ants) in the wild.

About modifying Monster to make it easier to lean forward: I have to squeeze the pad and bend my lower legs forward to make my Msuper go up steep inclines. If I can change the pads shape to look like an L, with the horizontal - facing forward, then I do not have to squeeze, I only have to bend my lower legs forward to push EUC. One way of doing this is to get a piece of wood, carve/sand one side to the shape, put the pad over it to fit to the leg shape. Then glue it to the EUC. Another way is to use liquid foam builder uses to make tight insulation for house or something better. It can become a solid foam/rubber in a mold. This way one can make many such pads with ease, possibly become a business.

You read my mind :cheers:   That is how I'm going to modify my Monster. I'm removing the pads to install some 'L Brackets' made from wood and foam. This will allow me to simply lean and get some great power. I'll post something when I complete this mod and give it a test. I'm hopeful that it'll work. And if it does I may try something similar with my MSuper.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 124
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Actually pretty nice little Saturday. You were going to go to Home Depot, maybe Bed Bath and Beyond, but didn't have enough time. ;)

os.jpg

Glad everybody is OK and lived to tell the tale. Lessons learned for all of us.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Marty Backe said:

... That is how I'm going to modify my Monster. I'm removing the pads to install some 'L Brackets' made from wood and foam. This will allow me to simply lean and get some great power. ...

Sounds valuable!  A word of caution in the design of this mod: I can imagine situations where a quick bump tilts/leans one forward, causing unintentionally pushing on the L-brackets, leading to a unexpected hard acceleration.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, duaner said:

Sounds valuable!  A word of caution in the design of this mod: I can imagine situations where a quick bump tilts/leans one forward, causing unintentionally pushing on the L-brackets, leading to a unexpected hard acceleration.

They won't be that close, but yeah, I'll implement in a safe manner.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I definitely know now that I'll stay on the north side of the mountain range.
(I'm glad everyone made it out okay.)

Even though it would be during the hot part of the day, next time maybe it would be better to take the north side up and then come back on the south side.  That way, the worse part would be mostly downhill.

Just a thought.

Allen

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Marty Backe said:

You read my mind :cheers:   That is how I'm going to modify my Monster. I'm removing the pads to install some 'L Brackets' made from wood and foam. This will allow me to simply lean and get some great power. I'll post something when I complete this mod and give it a test. I'm hopeful that it'll work. And if it does I may try something similar with my MSuper.

Hmmmmmmmm..........something like that may even help on my KS18.

 

Allen

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, duaner said:

Sounds valuable!  A word of caution in the design of this mod: I can imagine situations where a quick bump tilts/leans one forward, causing unintentionally pushing on the L-brackets, leading to a unexpected hard acceleration.

The L bracket do not have to be protruding too much, just 2 cm curved out will make it much easier when you need to squeeze the pads. If you do not want to squeeze, this 2 cm will not do much difference. Anyway the parameters should be optimized so that you can push just by bending your lower leg forward, without leaning hard. Leaning hard forward reduce your stability and increase the risk of faceplant. On the other hand, bending your leg forward while keep your body vertical makes running off from the EUC much easier, increasing your safe driving speed, and hence reducing the faceplant chance. Example: Test it on ground: 1. Lean your body forward and see how fast you have to run forward to balance. 2) bend your lower leg forward and see if you have to run to gain balance (Ans=0). If the difference is 10km/h, then the leg bending method saves 10km/h from your runoff from the EUC and hence you can increase your safe-run-off driving speed by that much. In other words, with this L, I can drive at 25 km/h just as safe as if I am driving at 15 km/h without this L.

Wow hah, I convinced myself to do this mod now. Since @Marky is doing it now, I will see how he does it first. :cheers: ( I do not know how to do this @Person thing ).

 

So, Dont lean. Bend.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, EUCMania said:

The L bracket do not have to be protruding too much, just 2 cm curved out will make it much easier when you need to squeeze the pads. If you do not want to squeeze, this 2 cm will not do much difference. Anyway the parameters should be optimized so that you can push just by bending your lower leg forward, without leaning hard. Leaning hard forward reduce your stability and increase the risk of faceplant. On the other hand, bending your leg forward while keep your body vertical makes running off from the EUC much easier, increasing your safe driving speed, and hence reducing the faceplant chance. Example: Test it on ground: 1. Lean your body forward and see how fast you have to run forward to balance. 2) bend your lower leg forward and see if you have to run to gain balance (Ans=0). If the difference is 10km/h, then the leg bending method saves 10km/h from your runoff from the EUC and hence you can increase your safe-run-off driving speed by that much. In other words, with this L, I can drive at 25 km/h just as safe as if I am driving at 15 km/h without this L.

Wow hah, I convinced myself to do this mod now. Since @Marky is doing it now, I will see how he does it first. :cheers: ( I do not know how to do this @Person thing ).

I'm going to use an iterative process to arrive at a solution that works, so I'll adjust the sizes and placement as necessary. I would only intend on using this new feature when climbing steep hills which I never do when going fast. So I'm not too worried about a faceplant.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow.  What an amazing story!  So glad everyone was ok, and you didnt have to leave your monster is a big plus.   Thank you for sharing that.  Now Ive got to get an ACM if Im going to do any crazy trail rides.   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Tjtripp said:

Wow.  What an amazing story!  So glad everyone was ok, and you didnt have to leave your monster is a big plus.   Thank you for sharing that.  Now Ive got to get an ACM if Im going to do any crazy trail rides.   

Leaving the Monster there in the mountain, we will see a sudden surge of traffic towards that area, mostly by members of this forum. Then Marky can set a lemonade stand there and sell it for $$$. He may quickly get enough $$$$ to get the next EUC.:rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I do not have the Monster. I do have the MSuper. I used to have the lean forward problem too until I set the hardness to medium. I had previously set to sport that felt closer to my Inmotion.

--Set to sport the pedals feel like they are in concrete when leaning forward up a hill. It constantly feels like one slows down.

--Set it to medium one's feet are pointed down while climbing. The constant feeling of sliding forward seems to be enough for the Gotway to climb, and climb fast.

I have this probably tiny bit with my Inmotion but a slight and gentle pressure forward tells to Inmotion to climb quickly.

I would also be tempted to somehow fasten a broom handle to the pedals; pushing the broom handle forward would surely give you better leverage than your feet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, LanghamP said:

I do not have the Monster. I do have the MSuper. I used to have the lean forward problem too until I set the hardness to medium. I had previously set to sport that felt closer to my Inmotion.

--Set to sport the pedals feel like they are in concrete when leaning forward up a hill. It constantly feels like one slows down.

--Set it to medium one's feet are pointed down while climbing. The constant feeling of sliding forward seems to be enough for the Gotway to climb, and climb fast.

I have this probably tiny bit with my Inmotion but a slight and gentle pressure forward tells to Inmotion to climb quickly.

I would also be tempted to somehow fasten a broom handle to the pedals; pushing the broom handle forward would surely give you better leverage than your feet.

Great suggestion. By default I've always set me pedals to hard, but I'm going to experiment with the softer settings.

Whatever modifications I make, I don't want to use my hands or have any poles or such that could impale your body under the right conditions :cry2:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Rehab1 said:

Amazing story! Thanks! Just a thought...it would be a great to send the Sheriff's Department involved a small token of appreciation for the rescue.  It will not only make great PR for the EUC community but also will let the sheriffs department know that they are greatly appreciated for all of their heroic efforts! 

I made that suggestion to @Marty Backe on the night of our ordeal and he said they would receive a nice donation!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, freetheoranges said:

I was mentally preparing a trip to find a monster in the woods. 

 

Pick up a life straw and carry it with you for future rides. Great story. Now turn it into a picture book!

Had @Marty Backe left it.I would have gone after it the next day.I wouldn't keep it,but I sure as hell would borrow it for a week or two.:D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, Marty Backe said:

Great suggestion. By default I've always set me pedals to hard, but I'm going to experiment with the softer settings.

Whatever modifications I make, I don't want to use my hands or have any poles or such that could impale your body under the right conditions :cry2:

Don't use this kind of phrasing around @Hunka Hunka Burning Love,or surely you will regret it!:o

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, jrkline said:

I made that suggestion to @Marty Backe on the night of our ordeal and he said they would receive a nice donation!

Your suggestion was with regards to the Sheriff Department (the guys that helped you). Everyone that got me down the mountain (including Roberto who drove us) was part of the Sierra Madre Search and Rescue organization. That's who's getting my check and letter. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

36 minutes ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said:

...Especially when riding backwards in the nood!  :innocent1:

:roflmao:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Marty Backe said:

Thanks!

That is some cool tech. I'm tempted to get one just because cell phone coverage sucks in many of the mountain areas that I ride. Just to be able to keep my wife appraised of where I am by periodic texts would be handy. It's a chunk of change though for something that wouldn't be used much. Hmmmm.

A bit expensive but your life is worth more than $500! Just the piece of mind it would serve to both you and your family..... Priceless! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Marty Backe said:

You read my mind :cheers:   That is how I'm going to modify my Monster. I'm removing the pads to install some 'L Brackets' made from wood and foam. This will allow me to simply lean and get some great power. I'll post something when I complete this mod and give it a test. I'm hopeful that it'll work. And if it does I may try something similar with my MSuper.

I really dont know if thats such an great idea...

Or better: Yeah, this is for sure a great idea for short steep hills, or to have an easier pushing in general. But on such an epic hill ride like this was here, for me it seams that is just no Monster parcour...

The riding might become easier with such an installment, but knowing the Amperage that gets pushed trough the wires on such hard -forced- accelarations....this then could came out the same as what happends with meepmeeps ACM....even on that, much more torque related wheel, he got it that the wires burned. When the acceleration is that hard/difficult to do as it was here, i would better "listen" to my wheel....

Clamping between the legs, or mechanical solutions to do so....are longsightedness not so good for the wheel...

Thats All Imho...

i once forced my Ks18 up some -crazy- hills by clamping between the legs-was summer-...and run into heat issues by doing so.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, KingSong69 said:

I really dont know if thats such an great idea...

Or better: Yeah, this is for sure a great idea for short steep hills, or to have an easier pushing in general. But on such an epic hill ride like this was here, for me it seams that is just no Monster parcour...

The riding might become easier with such an installment, but knowing the Amperage that gets pushed trough the wires on such hard -forced- accelarations....this then could came out the same as what happends with meepmeeps ACM....even on that, much more torque related wheel, he got it that the wires burned. When the acceleration is that hard/difficult to do as it was here, i would better "listen" to my wheel....

Clamping between the legs, or mechanical solutions to do so....are longsightedness not so good for the wheel...

Thats All Imho...

i once forced my Ks18 up some -crazy- hills by clamping between the legs-was summer-...and run into heat issues by doing so.

 

I understand what you're saying. But I'm going to experiment and see if it helps - if I don't try I'll never know. For 95% of my rides I'd never use it, but when I do get stuck on steep inclines I'll have the ability.

I'm still not convinced that melting cables is a universal risk in the Gotway wheels. I pushed the hell out of this wheel on this day, and I think lots of low speed uphill driving was pushing more current through the wires than if I was flying up the hills. That just makes me think the Monster handles high current loads.

BTW, I now feel confident that the Monster will not overheat. It never got hotter than 67 degrees although it was very hot outside and the wheel was being driven hard. So I guess those two internal fans are doing the job :thumbup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...