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who assembles the machines?


Carlos E Rodriguez

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49 minutes ago, Carlos E Rodriguez said:

I think this is the same test ramp I have seen in the kingsong factory.

In a lengthy video about a KingSong factory visit, I think I remember that they mentioned doing OEM stuff as well as their own brand. Maybe they build the IPS wheels, or at least a few of the prototypes. The place in this video must be the KS factory if you ask me.

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Just now, Christoph Zens said:

In a lengthy video about a KingSong factory visit, I think I remember that they mentioned doing OEM stuff as well as their own brand. Maybe they build the IPS wheels, or at least a few of the prototypes. The place in this video must be the KS factory if you ask me.

I know someone posted a video of the KingSong guy testing I believe an 18 inch wheel. Trying to find to see if I remember correctly.

Do you know where the video is?

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Here is the factory visit video. Near the beginning, you can see the ramp but it looks different (still plain) while the room seems to be the same. Maybe they upgraded the ramp later on, because I also remember the ramp exactly the way it is in the IPS video. In any case, the floor color is the same. Also, they keep the camera down all the time in the IPS video, which is strange. If I remember correctly, there would be the assembly line with kingsong wheels behind the ramp.

The ramp video I remember was from a 16-S test. It is rotated by 90 degrees, but here the ramp and the room really looks very much like in the IPS video.

 

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oH yeah is it identical. The ramp has identical 4-yellow-lines. The ramp has also the same red circles logos. Also the cabinet on the right side is the same. Also the far right has the same red rectangle painted in the floor.

WHAT A SCAM!.   I am very suspicious. No competitive company would allow competing product to share same facilities. It makes no sense.

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Could be that the usual factory/warehouses are just similar with floor color etc. On the other hand, although they're blurry in the IPS video, the ramp-markings remind me of something...

King-Song-KS-18A-6.jpg

Y4BTiH1.png

 

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While I admire your investigative skills (top that, @Hunka Hunka Burning Love :ph34r:), I can't quite follow your excitement about it. Scam, fraud, betrayal of the century??? Why? It may well make sense for competitors to share certain facilities, parts, even assembly lines when the economic conditions make it advisable. 

Samsung and apple were fiercely fighting each other in court and the consumer marketplace while happily contracting parts deals in the billions. The "Luffy" was traded on aliexpress many months before becoming the new GotWay Mten successor all of a sudden. So, yes, there appears to be a business-to-business cooperation evolving. But that's commonplace for ages in mature industries like automotive. 

So, unless you find evidence of a gravity compensator hidden inside, it's just an IPS wheel rolling up and down a KS test ramp - and successfully so :roflmao:

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1 hour ago, Tilmann said:

While I admire your investigative skills (top that, @Hunka Hunka Burning Love :ph34r:), I can't quite follow your excitement about it. Scam, fraud, betrayal of the century??? Why? It may well make sense for competitors to share certain facilities, parts, even assembly lines when the economic conditions make it advisable. 

Samsung and apple were fiercely fighting each other in court and the consumer marketplace while happily contracting parts deals in the billions. The "Luffy" was traded on aliexpress many months before becoming the new GotWay Mten successor all of a sudden. So, yes, there appears to be a business-to-business cooperation evolving. But that's commonplace for ages in mature industries like automotive. 

So, unless you find evidence of a gravity compensator hidden inside, it's just an IPS wheel rolling up and down a KS test ramp - and successfully so :roflmao:

Nothing wrong with basic OEM/rebranding, perse. I wouldn't call it a scam. They could be working with King Song, or just sharing facilities, nothing wrong with that...

But on the topic of scams and OEM, what I call borderline-scam is the texts in the Swedish Monowheel -company pages:

 

Mono Wheel ™ is a Swedish technology company with the longest experience of electric unicycles. It was Mono Wheel ™, which launched the first products on the market in 2013 and since then we have been a market leader and the only one that could provide ongoing warranty, service and support for so long. This gives customers a sense of security and increase the resale value of your product. We always strive to offer the best available on the market, suitable for the Swedish climate and always choose branded components that offer the best performance. Earlier models launched in order from Mono Wheel (2013) Mono 1.0 Wheel ™ (2014) Mono Wheel Light ™, (2015) Mono 2.0 Wheel ™ and now Mono Wheel elite Zero ™.

ALL their wheels are nothing but rebranded IPS's, with a hefty price tag. While Mono Wheel doesn't directly exactly claim to have designed & manufactured the wheels themselves, they clearly let you believe that ;) They didn't even bother changing the "Zero" -name (yeah, Mono Wheel Elite Zerotm is IPS Zero). Oh yeah, and sticking the (tm) everywhere is annoying too. We get it, it's trademarked, hooray. :P

Mono Wheel elite Zero ™ is the sequel to the previous model 2.0 ™. Mono Wheel elite Zero ™ has been upgraded software with more precise control, a full six gyros for better balance posture, more efficient engine, the Bluetooth connection to your phone to see your speed, battery strength and the ability to control light effects and maximum speed, quality batteries by Sony with high-power and a lighter but more durable construction. Mono Wheel elite Zero ™ elite is clearly the fastest on the market, enabling speeds up to 30 km / h for experienced drivers. Mono Wheel elite Zero ™ is for those who want the best. Reserve your copy! Purchase and withdrawal comes as usual and you do not pay before you receive your delivery.

Ooo, FULL SIX GYROS! What does that even mean, like each and every other wheel didn't use 3-axis gyro + 3-axis accelerometer? Or maybe Zero's got two gyro-chips, but I fail to see the use ;)  And that "fastest in the market" wasn't true even two years back... At least stick to actual facts. I have nothing against IPS themselves, but to me it seems Mono Wheel marketing is just leading people astray...

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Yepp, that's a sh*tload of dishonest marketing BS. Unfortunately, one of my Berlin riding pals fell for it and spent a sinful amount of money on it (ever since being on a desperate search for the next power outlet during our tours). "Nothing sucks like an Electrolux" (to quote another Swedish marketing highlight).

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My working theory is that KingSong got a hold of an IPS i5, and they were stress testing it to see how it performs before releasing their own KingSong KS5 version with a nicer looking shell.  :efef08d6fb:   What do they say, keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer?  Each company probably has a few samples of competitors wheels on which they can reverse engineer, study, and borrow from.  It's just the Chinese way.  :efef927839:

Or maybe the owners are good friends, and in a small community they might be showing off their new products to each other.  Gotway and KingSong might be blood enemies (?), but that doesn't mean the IPS guys aren't buddies with KS?  Just speculation, of course.  :efeffe9e4a:

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3 minutes ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said:

My working theory is that KingSong got a hold of an IPS i5, and they were stress testing it to see how it performs before releasing their own KingSong KS5 version with a nicer looking shell.  :efef08d6fb:   What do they say, keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer?  Each company probably has a few samples of competitors wheels on which they can reverse engineer, study, and borrow from.  It's just the Chinese way.  :efef927839:

Or maybe the owners are good friends, and in a small community they might be showing off their new products to each other.  Gotway and KingSong might be blood enemies (?), but that doesn't mean the IPS guys aren't buddies with KS?  Just speculation, of course.  :efeffe9e4a:

I'd bet that the competition has already taken the new models apart before they're available outside China ;)

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13 hours ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said:

My working theory is that KingSong got a hold of an IPS i5, and they were stress testing it to see how it performs before releasing their own KingSong KS5 version with a nicer looking shell.  :efef08d6fb:  

And then they would send the video to IPS so that IPS could publish it on their corporate account on facebook?

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18 hours ago, esaj said:

Nothing wrong with basic OEM/rebranding, perse. I wouldn't call it a scam. They could be working with King Song, or just sharing facilities, nothing wrong with that...

But on the topic of scams and OEM, what I call borderline-scam is the texts in the Swedish Monowheel -company pages:

 

Mono Wheel ™ is a Swedish technology company with the longest experience of electric unicycles. It was Mono Wheel ™, which launched the first products on the market in 2013 and since then we have been a market leader and the only one that could provide ongoing warranty, service and support for so long. This gives customers a sense of security and increase the resale value of your product. We always strive to offer the best available on the market, suitable for the Swedish climate and always choose branded components that offer the best performance. Earlier models launched in order from Mono Wheel (2013) Mono 1.0 Wheel ™ (2014) Mono Wheel Light ™, (2015) Mono 2.0 Wheel ™ and now Mono Wheel elite Zero ™.

ALL their wheels are nothing but rebranded IPS's, with a hefty price tag. While Mono Wheel doesn't directly exactly claim to have designed & manufactured the wheels themselves, they clearly let you believe that ;) They didn't even bother changing the "Zero" -name (yeah, Mono Wheel Elite Zerotm is IPS Zero). Oh yeah, and sticking the (tm) everywhere is annoying too. We get it, it's trademarked, hooray. :P

Mono Wheel elite Zero ™ is the sequel to the previous model 2.0 ™. Mono Wheel elite Zero ™ has been upgraded software with more precise control, a full six gyros for better balance posture, more efficient engine, the Bluetooth connection to your phone to see your speed, battery strength and the ability to control light effects and maximum speed, quality batteries by Sony with high-power and a lighter but more durable construction. Mono Wheel elite Zero ™ elite is clearly the fastest on the market, enabling speeds up to 30 km / h for experienced drivers. Mono Wheel elite Zero ™ is for those who want the best. Reserve your copy! Purchase and withdrawal comes as usual and you do not pay before you receive your delivery.

Ooo, FULL SIX GYROS! What does that even mean, like each and every other wheel didn't use 3-axis gyro + 3-axis accelerometer? Or maybe Zero's got two gyro-chips, but I fail to see the use ;)  And that "fastest in the market" wasn't true even two years back... At least stick to actual facts. I have nothing against IPS themselves, but to me it seems Mono Wheel marketing is just leading people astray...

-Giro or Gyro #1 with some pita bread.

  1. x for actual balance.
  2. z for when they add the levitation mode or to detect you are airborne. Advance feature not implemented yet.
  3. y-side to side. some claim that they actually use it to detect turning and change the algorithm. I think is a future feature when the put a FLY-Wheel-gyro-mass inside so when you dismount, the EUC stays up-right by itself.
  4. x-y-z accelerometers more advance features like invisibility and time warp speed.
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17 hours ago, esaj said:

I'd bet that the competition has already taken the new models apart before they're available outside China ;)

You'll be surprised: when in China last June, I visited the KS factory with my V5F. The model was on the market for just over a month, so I didn't think anything of it, assumed  KS Engineers had the scoop on it for months, but they had never seen it before. I'm sure it's only a coincidence, but a month later the KS16 also had the grip tape on the pedals .

20 hours ago, esaj said:

They could be working with King Song, or just sharing facilities, nothing wrong with that...

It's bizarre, IPS are located in Shanghai (R&D, offices, factory), while everyone else is around the Shenzhen area—separated by 1200km, as the crow flies. It's possible that they've relocated development to Shenzhen. Video was posted by IPS, which is pretty strong evidence of some sort collaboration.   

There's a similar recent example, that to me, doesn't make much sense: Inmotion has just released a new Electric Scooter L8. It's fast, light, cheap, reasonably good specs, but they've partnered with a 2nd tier company called KooWheel. I asked Inmotion why, with such a strong reputation for Engineering excellence, they would want to dilute the impact of a new product launch, their response was something about an 'OEM project' so maybe it's easier to get backing for a new project if there's more than one company involved.

http://www.koowheel.com/koowheel-patent-innovative-fashionable-design-electric-scooter-l8.html

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6 hours ago, flass said:

And then they would send the video to IPS so that IPS could publish it on their corporate account on facebook?

Spies!  Spies I tell you! :w00t2:  IPS has a mole in the KingSong organization!  :ph34r:  Or maybe just read part two of my working theory about the friends thing...

Speculation is fun, but it's all guesswork.  Who knows - maybe IPS is doing a joint venture with KingSong, and they wanted to demonstrate their new product to them to maybe collaborate on sharing tech and perhaps joining forces like Solowheel/InMotion.  There can be power in synergy.  Some companies can be techno marvels, but they lack the connections for mass marketing.  IPS seems to be languishing with only one new model.  Maybe seeing dropping sales, they are reaching out to a more successful company to see what a merger or joint venture can produce.

Why doesn't someone just contact the people at KingSong and inquire about the truth?

 

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The new IPS 5I looks to be the most innovative design of all I have seen as of today. 

So it's going. To be interesting how the other brands react or merge. 

If one of them comes with and advance design with cost beating development, the others will not survive. 

Imagine an An IPS with controller inside the wheel. Having 20 mile range and 40+ mph and only weighing 10kg. It's basically an ACM at 1/3 the weight .

 

 

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On 2017-5-24 at 10:23 PM, Carlos E Rodriguez said:

I think this is the same test ramp I have seen in the kingsong factory.

 

 

Yes,it was at we King Song test room.There is a very famous test engineer in King Song.One people wanted to be a dealer of IPS, so he found us to help him to test the wheel for him. The result was not good enough in his opinion. Here I'd love to clarify we didn't cooperate with IPS.

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That is the same ramp.I was on that ramp in Oct 2016 when I visited King Song at their old facility.They wanted to test the fuses in the new KS-18b under load from 200+ lbs. and I was the perfect person(not a lot of 6ft. 200 lb. people in Shenzhen) so they used me to go up and down numerous times.The new wheel passed!:)

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9 hours ago, jrkline said:

That is the same ramp.I was on that ramp in Oct 2016 when I visited King Song at their old facility.They wanted to test the fuses in the new KS-18b under load from 200+ lbs. and I was the perfect person(not a lot of 6ft. 200 lb. people in Shenzhen) so they used me to go up and down numerous times.The new wheel passed!:)

I saw your video of wheeling the dog, it was pretty neat, the places you rode looked good, the camera work was great, and the dog seemed to enjoy the ride too.  Now I have this scene stuck in my head of you going up and down that ramp with the dog over and over.:lol:    Your video made me think, now there's a lucky guy,  not many people get to go to China and have such interesting experiences.  Hey, aren't you the guy that wore that German helmet in the crash video?  Edit: I remember now, it was an American helmet that was copied from the WW2 German helmet.  Thread derail alert;  the germans had the best helmets, the americans the second best, the british and japanese third best, and who knows what all the other countries used.  Oh yeah, the russians copied the american design.  Oooh, that might be what demoralized the germans when they invaded russia, they thought they were fighting america on two fronts.

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12 hours ago, jrkline said:

That is the same ramp.I was on that ramp in Oct 2016 when I visited King Song at their old facility.They wanted to test the fuses in the new KS-18b under load from 200+ lbs. and I was the perfect person(not a lot of 6ft. 200 lb. people in Shenzhen) so they used me to go up and down numerous times.The new wheel passed!:)

YO MOMMA SO FAT SHE BLOW A KING SONG FUSE

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5 hours ago, steve454 said:

I saw your video of wheeling the dog, it was pretty neat, the places you rode looked good, the camera work was great, and the dog seemed to enjoy the ride too.  Now I have this scene stuck in my head of you going up and down that ramp with the dog over and over.:lol:    Your video made me think, now there's a lucky guy,  not many people get to go to China and have such interesting experiences.  Hey, aren't you the guy that wore that German helmet in the crash video?  Edit: I remember now, it was an American helmet that was copied from the WW2 German helmet.  Thread derail alert;  the germans had the best helmets, the americans the second best, the british and japanese third best, and who knows what all the other countries used.  Oh yeah, the russians copied the american design.  Oooh, that might be what demoralized the germans when they invaded russia, they thought they were fighting america on two fronts.

The helmet I wore was contemporary U.S. military issue although there is a resemblance to the Nazi style WW2 issue.And I agree the Germans had the best helmets in WW2 which is why it was the chosen style for Darth Vader.:o

 

2 hours ago, dmethvin said:

YO MOMMA SO FAT SHE BLOW A KING SONG FUSE

Not sure what to make of that? IS YOU A PUNKASS BITCH?:huh:

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9 hours ago, jrkline said:

Not sure what to make of that? IS YOU A PUNKASS BITCH?:huh:

Yep! :D

I just imagined the KS guys thinking, "No way that anyone would be so heavy that this fuse would blow" because they're all so small. Not sure I'd want to be their crash test dummy but mah momma might do it tho.

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20 hours ago, dmethvin said:

Yep! :D

I just imagined the KS guys thinking, "No way that anyone would be so heavy that this fuse would blow" because they're all so small. Not sure I'd want to be their crash test dummy but mah momma might do it tho.

You may be a PUNKASS,but at least you manned up.:cheers:

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