V5F+ or V8. Help me decide.

[Paddylaz]

16 minutes ago, WARPed1701D said:

One more thing. Do you take it on The Tube? What is it like lugging that weight up and down the steps at stations? The extra 4lb of the V8 could be noticeable in such situations.

Yeah I take it on the tube all the time. I feel like a celebrity lol. Everyone is looking at it. Especially if they're the same people who at the platform have seen me suddenly click-down the handle and lift it off the ground onto the train.

The weight is absolutely fine and I am not a strong man (70kg, 5ft10). The handle allows me to easily 'walk' it between escalators.

[Shemp]

I have a V8 and my wife has a V5F+.  I like mine better than hers and she likes hers better than mine. They are both great. The V5F+ is a little more nimble. The V8 is a bit more stable, particularly off-road and on bad surfaces. I weigh a lot more than her, so the extra power of the V8 matters to me.  Both wheels have been fine in heavy rain on many occasions.  The V5F+ handle is a cooler design, but it is less practical. It gets loose, needing to be tightened with tools every week or so. It also feels wobbly most of the time.  The V5 handle also doesn't come up quite as high, which matters to me since I'm 6' tall. The V5F trolley handle is also vulnerable to breaking in a crash (and you will crash), whereas the internal luggage style one isn't. If you don't like the disco lights on the V8 you can turn them off. Don't be put off by anecdotes of tire scrape on the V8. While I haven't done a scientific study of the issue, I get the impression that most people that have reported it have been using non-stock and/or over-inflated tires.

[Hatchet]

I love Inmotion's wheels! I wish they would build an 18" wheel! 

I weigh almost the same, 150lbs, have a V5F+, use it to commute in the city 4.5km each way (2.5mi), over a long uphill windy bridge, and a couple steep inclines and i am super happy with it.

I just passed 1100km in less than 3 months with it, and she is a champ!

However...I need more power, more!

As a starter wheel, you can't go wrong with the V5F+ or V8, my range is approximately 15-20 miles. I do find wind is a real problem with a light 14" wheel though.

[WARPed1701D]

2 hours ago, Paddylaz said:

Yeah I take it on the tube all the time. I feel like a celebrity lol. Everyone is looking at it. Especially if they're the same people who at the platform have seen me suddenly click-down the handle and lift it off the ground onto the train.

The weight is absolutely fine and I am not a strong man (70kg, 5ft10). The handle allows me to easily 'walk' it between escalators.

And doing all that you would (if not for scraping issues) happily upgrade to a V8 even though it is bigger and heavier by 4lb? I understand the V5 can be tucked behind you legs on a  seat on public transport but the V8 may be a bit too big for that. 

[Hatchet]

I carry mine up a flight of 15 stairs, then 4 stairs up & down (2nd flr, no elevator), up curbs, etc all the time, no issues. 

Inmotion have a feature no other company has implemented which is underrated as hell; the kill switch under the handle when you lift it. Other wheels spin out to max speed and cut out with a bunch of beeping and drama. For the life of me I cannot understand why any wheel that is expected to be lifted wouldn't have this. Included mudflap too, small touches, but they mean a lot to QoL issues when riding day to day.

I work in an office, and I just put the handle down and tuck it under one side of my desk, not even noticeable. Everyone at work loves it.

In case you haven't see it, here is a blurb from ewheels.com (from the V8 page) :

9) How does it compare to the V5F+?
The two share a number of common features, like the similar design & identical battery pack specifications:
Advantages for the V5F+ include:

1. About 5lbs lighter
2. The cost is $250 less than the V8
3. Similar range
4. Slightly more nimble with the 14″ tire
5. More compact, occupies less space

The V8 is the ‘big-brother’ to the V5F+ possesses a number of exciting new capabilities:

1. Designed with high-performance in mind: the 800W motor is superior in acceleration/braking & hill climbing conditions
2. The control-board provides a lot more power, less risk of overheating while performing Wheeling acrobatics/stunts
3. A higher top speed of 18.6mph vs. 15.5mph
4. No carrying required, luggage handle incorporated right into the body
5. Impressive array of lighting effects, with three concentric LED rings on each side that can be programmed by the Owner
6. Accessing the battery pack is a lot easier on the V8

[Fuzzypixel]

6 minutes ago, Hatchet said:

. 

Inmotion have a feature no other company has implemented which is underrated as hell; the kill switch under the handle when you lift it.

Ninebot S1 has this as well. Whole handle is a switch essentially. 

[Hatchet]

Just now, Fuzzypixel said:

Ninebot S1 has this as well. Whole handle is a switch essentially. 

Oh? Well I must wear orthopedic shoes because....I stand corrected!

[Tjtripp]

I say V8, but as a lighter guy you probably like either wheel.  But i feel that the V8 is incredibly nimble, especially after learning on a ninebot 1.  I personally cant imagine having a wheel that is more nimble than the V8.  I say go for stability with the 16 inch wheel.

[houseofjob]

3 hours ago, Shemp said:

The V5F+ handle is a cooler design, but it is less practical. It gets loose, needing to be tightened with tools every week or so.

Yes, it does get loose. My solution was to put electrical tape over the screws, which didn't let the screws vibrate loose

 

3 hours ago, Shemp said:

The V5F trolley handle is also vulnerable to breaking in a crash (and you will crash), whereas the internal luggage style one isn't. 

Don't agree. 

The V5 trolley sits fairly good and clamped. All my V5 drops, I've never had it spring loose, let alone break.

On the flip side, I used to ride with the V8 handle not locked into the body for faster and easier access to the trolley handle. I subsequently had a fall where I didn't realize the sidewalk dipped, and the V8 crashed, resulting in the trolley bending and being no longer able to retract into the body. If you do go V8, I'd advise always to fully lock the trolley handle into the body while riding.

 

2 hours ago, Hatchet said:

I love Inmotion's wheels! I wish they would build an 18" wheel! 

Ditto!

With 35km/h top speed please! (too bad Shane Chen / Inventist will probably be ruining this)

 

56 minutes ago, WARPed1701D said:

And doing all that you would (if not for scraping issues) happily upgrade to a V8 even though it is bigger and heavier by 4lb? I understand the V5 can be tucked behind you legs on a  seat on public transport but the V8 may be a bit too big for that. 

I think you're grossly over-estimating the size difference. I've tucked both V8 and V5 under my legs on public transport plenty of times. Plus, I really don't think of the V8 as necessarily an upgrade over the V5; they are different wheels to suit different needs.

 

38 minutes ago, Fuzzypixel said:

Ninebot S1 has this as well. Whole handle is a switch essentially. 

Ninebot's implementation is slightly less convenient. The switch is at the ends of the S1/S2/A1 handle, so you have to take care to pause before you fully lift the wheel, otherwise the wheel will go spinning mad at first. Conversely, the InMotions are solid buttons, where you can deliberately press before you lift.

 

[WARPed1701D]

5 hours ago, Shemp said:

I have a V8 and my wife has a V5F+.  I like mine better than hers and she likes hers better than mine. They are both great. The V5F+ is a little more nimble. The V8 is a bit more stable, particularly off-road and on bad surfaces. I weigh a lot more than her, so the extra power of the V8 matters to me.  Both wheels have been fine in heavy rain on many occasions.  The V5F+ handle is a cooler design, but it is less practical. It gets loose, needing to be tightened with tools every week or so. It also feels wobbly most of the time.  The V5 handle also doesn't come up quite as high, which matters to me since I'm 6' tall. The V5F trolley handle is also vulnerable to breaking in a crash (and you will crash), whereas the internal luggage style one isn't. If you don't like the disco lights on the V8 you can turn them off. Don't be put off by anecdotes of tire scrape on the V8. While I haven't done a scientific study of the issue, I get the impression that most people that have reported it have been using non-stock and/or over-inflated tires.

Thanks for taking the time to respond. It's great to hear from someone who owns or has owned both. I didn't know the handle on the V5 needed periodic maintenance and hadn't considered it's prominence on the case could make it particularly vulnerable to damage in a crash. It makes sense though. Anyone know how much the handle weighs? I know it is aluminum so can't be that much but the weight difference between the V5 and V8 is a deciding factor for me and the handle on the V5 would narrow the gap.

[WARPed1701D]

5 hours ago, Hatchet said:

I love Inmotion's wheels! I wish they would build an 18" wheel! 

I weigh almost the same, 150lbs, have a V5F+, use it to commute in the city 4.5km each way (2.5mi), over a long uphill windy bridge, and a couple steep inclines and i am super happy with it.

I just passed 1100km in less than 3 months with it, and she is a champ!

However...I need more power, more!

As a starter wheel, you can't go wrong with the V5F+ or V8, my range is approximately 15-20 miles. I do find wind is a real problem with a light 14" wheel though.

More power for the inclines or just more speed?

[CaptainKBLS]

Please let us know your decision! 

 

[WARPed1701D]

3 hours ago, Hatchet said:

I carry mine up a flight of 15 stairs, then 4 stairs up & down (2nd flr, no elevator), up curbs, etc all the time, no issues. 

Inmotion have a feature no other company has implemented which is underrated as hell; the kill switch under the handle when you lift it. Other wheels spin out to max speed and cut out with a bunch of beeping and drama. For the life of me I cannot understand why any wheel that is expected to be lifted wouldn't have this. Included mudflap too, small touches, but they mean a lot to QoL issues when riding day to day.

I work in an office, and I just put the handle down and tuck it under one side of my desk, not even noticeable. Everyone at work loves it.

In case you haven't see it, here is a blurb from ewheels.com (from the V8 page) :

9) How does it compare to the V5F+?
The two share a number of common features, like the similar design & identical battery pack specifications:
Advantages for the V5F+ include:

1. About 5lbs lighter
2. The cost is $250 less than the V8
3. Similar range
4. Slightly more nimble with the 14″ tire
5. More compact, occupies less space

The V8 is the ‘big-brother’ to the V5F+ possesses a number of exciting new capabilities:

1. Designed with high-performance in mind: the 800W motor is superior in acceleration/braking & hill climbing conditions
2. The control-board provides a lot more power, less risk of overheating while performing Wheeling acrobatics/stunts
3. A higher top speed of 18.6mph vs. 15.5mph
4. No carrying required, luggage handle incorporated right into the body
5. Impressive array of lighting effects, with three concentric LED rings on each side that can be programmed by the Owner
6. Accessing the battery pack is a lot easier on the V8

I do a similar routine with my Brompton folding bike. It stays under my desk where I can see it!

I did see the comparison list on ewheels and it compounded the problem that they are both great wheels that fit the bill for me in different ways.

2 hours ago, Hatchet said:

Oh? Well I must wear orthopedic shoes because....I stand corrected!

2 hours ago, Tjtripp said:

I say V8, but as a lighter guy you probably like either wheel.  But i feel that the V8 is incredibly nimble, especially after learning on a ninebot 1.  I personally cant imagine having a wheel that is more nimble than the V8.  I say go for stability with the 16 inch wheel.

Yes I think I'd be happy with either. I was leaning heavily towards the V5F+ initially but I think my view could be shifting to the V8.

Hey look. I finally worked out multiquote! Now if only I could get the mentions (@name) to work! 

[WARPed1701D]

2 hours ago, houseofjob said:

I think you're grossly over-estimating the size difference. I've tucked both V8 and V5 under my legs on public transport plenty of times. Plus, I really don't think of the V8 as necessarily an upgrade over the V5; they are different wheels to suit different needs.

 

I was basing the size difference on V8 prototype photos taken by Jason where he had a V5 next to it. It seemed quite a bit larger. Of course it will be due to the wheel being 2" larger but having never seen either it is difficult to gauge the actual size of either. I've watched plenty of videos of people riding them that remind me that these things really are quite small in general and while the V8 looks much larger it is probably actually only a few centimeters in difference.

[Hatchet]

If i was buying an Inmotion today, i'd get the V8 because I'd rather have a 16" wheel for a bit more stability, as a 16" wheel is still going to be nimble as you like, a couple extra kph is always nice.

57 minutes ago, WARPed1701D said:

More power for the inclines or just more speed?

When i'm riding to the grocery store or a Dr appointment etc it's fine, but when i am on a straight away, I hit the tilt-back warning often and it's a disappointing feeling. Mostly it isn't speed, so much as not slowing down going up a hill. So riding at 20kph say, and when you go up a hill stay at 20kph, rather than slow to 15kph. 

Even after I get an 18" wheel, i'll still ride my V5F+ to the store or dr appointment etc, since it's so light and easy to take into stores or whatever. Heck, I can toss my wheel into the bottom of the small size grocery carts.

Edited June 24, 2017 by Hatchet

[Dingfelder]

2 hours ago, Hatchet said:

When i'm riding to the grocery store or a Dr appointment etc it's fine, but when i am on a straight away, I hit the tilt-back warning often and it's a disappointing feeling. Mostly it isn't speed, so much as not slowing down going up a hill. So riding at 20kph say, and when you go up a hill stay at 20kph, rather than slow to 15kph. 

One of the reasons I decided on a really powerful wheel was to prevent cut-outs, including those that could come from suddenly changing to an incline.  I'm hoping going for a powerful machine will lessen the chances of that.  I'm still going to try to remember to be careful though.

2 hours ago, Hatchet said:

Even after I get an 18" wheel, i'll still ride my V5F+ to the store or dr appointment etc, since it's so light and easy to take into stores or whatever. Heck, I can toss my wheel into the bottom of the small size grocery carts.

I'm wondering how by hook or by crook I'm going to do that when I get my MSuper.   Because I'm sure not leaving it outside.  And if I use the trolley, that means I'll only have one hand to both grab groceries and push a cart/hold a shopping bag.  So I'm hoping a regular size grocery cart will be fine.  I think so ...

[WARPed1701D]

12 hours ago, houseofjob said:

I think you're grossly over-estimating the size difference. I've tucked both V8 and V5 under my legs on public transport plenty of times. Plus, I really don't think of the V8 as necessarily an upgrade over the V5; they are different wheels to suit different needs.

 

This was one of the images that left me feeling the V8 was a much larger machine. Image courtesy of Rehab1 in another post.

[Paddylaz]

15 hours ago, WARPed1701D said:

And doing all that you would (if not for scraping issues) happily upgrade to a V8 even though it is bigger and heavier by 4lb? I understand the V5 can be tucked behind you legs on a  seat on public transport but the V8 may be a bit too big for that. 

The V8 really isn't that big. My first wheel was a 16inch IPS Lhotz, and size-wise that was manageable. When I'm on the tube I rest it on my legs in front of me. Would easily be able to do the same with the V8.

The most important thing with Inmotions, and the most attractive, is the combination of the excellent handle and the trigger switch. Using those two together makes walking it/taking it on the tube extremely easy, regardless if you have the V8 or V5f+. My old Lhotz was the same weight as the V8, but because it had no walk-handle, you had to carry it everywhere and turn it off if you're lifting it up.

In relation to your question about coming to the UK and the law........it's hazy. There isn't a written law for the euc as the current law in the RTA (Road Traffic Act) is for 2-wheel vehicles or more.

Most Police either don't know what it is, or if they do they don't give me trouble. There's one cop who told me to take it out of the park a couple of times but it's always the same guy and he gives the rollerbladers/skaters a hard time too. You should be ok.

I once had a large police van stop simply to ask me questions about it because they were amazed lol. As you can imagine I was worried when they hailed me down initially!

Edited June 24, 2017 by Paddylaz

[houseofjob]

1 hour ago, WARPed1701D said:

This was one of the images that left me feeling the V8 was a much larger machine. Image courtesy of Rehab1 in another post.

Note that the V8 is raised on the guitar stand legs while the V5 is not.

[Juick]

Here you go, for the size difference.

 

Edited June 25, 2017 by Juick

[WARPed1701D]

6 hours ago, Juick said:

Here you go, for the size difference.

 

HUGE HELP! Thanks for that. I see what people are saying now. Very little in it. Especially with the V5 trolley handle fitted. Can't thank you enough for taking the time to take and post that picture.

 I'm even more astounded at the obvious size difference between the 14 and 16 inch wheel. My Brompton uses 16" wheels. Been staring at them all weekend to guestimate  the v8 size.

21 hours ago, houseofjob said:

Note that the V8 is raised on the guitar stand legs while the V5 is not.

 Good catch. I hadn't noticed that.

Edited June 25, 2017 by WARPed1701D
Added content

[Paddylaz]

On 24/06/2017 at 1:43 AM, Hatchet said:

Oh? Well I must wear orthopedic shoes because....I stand corrected!

The Dad-Joke Police have been called and are en-route to your property, sir.

You're looking at 5 to 10 with no possibility for parole.

Edited June 25, 2017 by Paddylaz

[WARPed1701D]

So Jason has said that his latest batch of V8s will have a 1.95 tire vs the 2.15 which should stop the wheel rubbing people have reported. Anytime care to comment on how this would affect the behavior of the wheel? V5 is 2.15 correct? I see a lot of posts where people want wider tires for stability.

Edited June 25, 2017 by WARPed1701D

[Paddylaz]

5 minutes ago, WARPed1701D said:

So Jason has said that his latest batch of V8s will have a 1.95 tire vs the 2.15 which should stop the wheel rubbing people have reported. Anytime care to comment on how this would affect the behavior of the wheel? V5 is 2.15 correct? I see a lot of posts where people want wider tires for stability.

The V5f+ comes with a 1.95inch. It's great. That's still thicker than the 16inch Ninebot tire. 

You're unlikely to notice the difference between a 1.95 tire and a 2.15. 

My previous wheel, was an IPS Lhotz and that had a thick 2.5inch tire, but even that wasn't that big a contrast. Much more important than both tire width and tire size (unless you are going to be off-roading in which case those things DO matter more), is tire PSI. 

How inflated you have your tire will determine the tire's surface area on the ground, which will dramatically affect both how easy the wheel is to ride (if you're a beginner), your manoeuvrability, and your range.

Lol you're really thinking this through thoroughly aren't you? ?

[RichieV]

6 minutes ago, WARPed1701D said:

So Jason has said that his latest batch of V8s will have a 1.95 tire vs the 2.15 which should stop the wheel rubbing people have reported. Anytime care to comment on how this would affect the behavior of the wheel? V5 is 2.15 correct? I see a lot of posts where people want wider tires for stability.

Due to a smaller contact patch, you should have slightly diminished stability and slightly increased mileage and maneuverability. I'm not sure but I think deflating the tire a little should even things out a bit and yet still keep the same profile within the shell preventing the rubbing issue. Deflating the tire won't completely solve it because the weight of the tire is still a bit smaller and tire weight lends to gyroscopic stability.