EUC Rider Origins: What's Your Backstory?

[Hunka Hunka Burning Love]

I'm always curious as to how people got started in riding on a single wheeled, electronic balancing device.  What got you started in this crazy hobby/sport/activity?

For me, I saw a video by Walk Off the Earth where some of the background dancers were riding on mini segway rides.  Interestingly enough I think they were Inventist Hovertrax hoverboards.

I've always been fascinated by the self-balancing technology ever since the original Segways were invented, but the cost and size was too prohibitive.  The Walk Off The Earth video led me to discover Casey Neistat who reviewed the $200 hoverboard thing:

This was of course before all the fire scares were reported.  I ordered one from AliExpress, and it was a lot of fun.  Incredibly nimble and amazing to ride.  After buying another hoverboard with larger wheels from AliExpress, I saw a video showing these EUC's which blew my mind.

I quickly bought a cheapo generic wheel to try out from AliExpress as it was actually cheaper than the hoverboards I had purchased.  I had a heck of a time learning to ride it.  It was so difficult to trust the wheel with a slight forward lean that I almost thought I would never be able to ride.  After persisting at it, I finally was able to do some rudimentary laps around a basketball court and ended up purchasing a Ninebot One E+ never looking back since.  The hoverboards are collecting dust downstairs, but I hope to sell them off.  How did you get interested in electric unicycles?  What's your story?  How did it all begin for you?

[The Fat Unicyclist]

1 hour ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said:

I'm always curious as to how people got started in riding on a single wheeled, electronic balancing device.  What got you started in this crazy hobby/sport/activity?

For me, I saw a video by Walk Off the Earth where some of the background dancers were riding on mini segway rides.  Interestingly enough I think they were Inventist Hovertrax hoverboards.

 

 

Wait a minute... Is the keyboardist keyboarder keyboard player in this video the same guy doing the Inmotion videos?

As for my story...

I had a short commute to work, and started looking at better options (than driving a car 6km return each day)... Saw EUCs then got distracted by something shiny.

Then our office relocated (now an 8km return trip) and with bugger all parking to be had. Then happened to see someone riding one up the main street in Auckland (which has a bit of a hill to it) and remembered...

Bought an Airwheel X8  and spent some time trying to learn it (without assistance). Caught up with my reseller when he happened to be in town and got some tips and then promptly outgrew my wheel. So I moved on to an IPS Lhotz  which I try to use as often as possible - Note: I recorded milage on my car between six monthly services after getting my wheel... 378km (and still the same tank of gas).

 

But it is the next chapter that gets interesting...

I am a couple of weeks away from a trip to LA, which will include a group ride of Griffith Park, courtesy @GotwayFanBoy (aka @Marty Backe). This is an isolated Kiwi's chance to try a few of the wheels he's looking to upgrade to next... Monster, MS v3S+ (firmware dependant) or maybe KS18.

Then I just need to convince @Jason McNeil to ship one over to me...

[TremF]

As most already know I've had an operation for problems with my spine. I used to walk or cycle a hundred plus miles per week, including just over 2 miles each way to and from work - sometimes taking the longer, more scenic 5.5 mile route. I love being outside in the fresh air.

My spine problem and possible nerve damage has meant I haven't been able to walk/cycle for 3 or 4 years now. After my op, which helped but didn't fully resolve the issue, I decided to look into other ways to get out and about - other than a mobility scooter seeing as I can still stand - as I don't drive either. For the past 2 years I have been getting about on an EUC. I started with a Ninebot One E+ 320wh then upgraded to a Gotway ACM 820wh and, once it's repaired, I also have a Gotway Monster for the longer cruises.  

 

[Paddylaz]

I first heard/read about the original Segway when George Bush fell off one. I remember being entranced by how futuristic and weird it looked. Seeing it somehow stay up at that riding angle. You'd be surprised how many people have no idea about even the basic concept of gyroscopes.

Anyway, I went on holiday to Madrid in 2007 with my then-girlfriend and I booked what was then a brand new concept - the Segway Tour. The guy who ran it was some banker who had quit the City, and bought like 6 of these £5000 machines (They still cost that!). Seems hilarious now, but it was TERRIYFING getting on it for the first time because it was so alien-feeling.

We had the best day zooming around the city seeing all the sites in 3 hours. I did so 'well' (my gf was a retard) that our guide at the end used his special key to 'treat me'  and unlock the 'high speed' option on my Segway.........*drum roll*........18KPH!!!!!! At the time, this did feel like warp-speed.

It was a great holiday but all I could think about on the way home was the Segway. I was a student at the time and obviously could never afford one but I remember thinking to myself, if only someone could take this tech and put it in something smaller and cheaper. Even then though I would never have believed that this could be done into something as small and slick as an euc.

Fast forward to two years ago....I'm walking through Wimbledon and some guy comes out of nowhere on what I now know is an Airwheel X3. I was smitten instantly.......

[Rehab1]

My interest began shortly after watching Mike Tyson fall off his hoverboard. It was a news sensation! A small two wheeled gyroscopic conveyance dumping Iron Mike on his ass! The rest is history. I was hooked riding the boards and then transitioned to EUCs shortly there after. Best move I ever made ( except for marrying my wife and having kids)! This short journey has introduced me to this wonderful forum and all of the camaraderie that has followed. Thanks!

 

[Keith]

50 minutes ago, Paddylaz said:

Fast forward to two years ago....I'm walking through Wimbledon and some guy comes out of nowhere on what I now know is an Airwheel X3. I was smitten instantly.......

Wow, Paddy, your story pretty much mirrors mine, we had twice done Segway tours on holiday (Centre Parcs in the Lake District and Dingli Cliffs in Malta) loved the concept but neither the price or size of a Segway.

Then one day I could see a guy on the opposite side of the street, behind parked cars, moving at speed but with his body motionless. I was intrigued, even more so when through a gap I saw what he was on. I wonder if it was the same guy, only a couple of miles from Wimbledon? Strange thing is I have never seen him again.

idle research found this forum and then Jason's https://www.wheelgo.com/ site and, of course, all it took was a chat to Jason to have me hooked ?

[Pingouin]

Hi guys,

Interesting stories for all of you !

Mine is a little different, I first saw an original solowheel ridden by a kid in my neighberhood in 2011, I really didn't know what it was back then, but I was really into it, but didn't find any info and forgot about it for a couple of years. In 2015, I did a carpool with a 23 year old girl, who talked to me about electric unicycles for hours, she said that her father was a member of the team of lead solowheel engineer, she said that her father was always away in the US for these reasons because he worked with solowheel inventor, I can't say for sure it the story is true, but I picked up my curiosity in electric rides, at that time I finally choosed to get an electric bike instead, being quite impatient and not being enough informed. I never saw any EUC in my city in 2015 !

A year passed, around end of May 2016, I wanted to get a better electric bike, and after actually getting a new one, I sold my old one and thought I had some money to spare, so I searched on the internet, and I first got intersted in electric scooters, but found a used Firewheel F528, I finally bought one.

In 3 hours, I was having a blast, a feeling of freedom I never felt before, I got in love with EUC ! My F528 broke 2 weeks later, but I immediatly got an MCM4, and the adventure still continues today

 

 

[meepmeepmayer]

Ever since I was a kid I always liked small self-contained infrastructure - RVs, space stations, etc. Just fun to see a "machine" in its whole and see how it keeps working conceptually.

Anyways, a few years ago by chance I came across some guys talking about doing a forum cruise. Which got me interested in cruise ships (the huge ones, with huge diesel generators running the motors and providing electricity to the rest, so less like a ship and more like a general purpose outpost that happens to float).

Soon, I thought diesel is still a stupid source of energy, which led me to sailboats (like 30 of 40 ft yachts). Same principle, a self-contained infrastructure, but much smaller and with (free, unlimited) wind instead of diesel motors. Stayed interested in them for a long time. Still would not mind to have one

But in the end, sailboats are still quite expensive. And most of all, all the interesting things are where the water isn't, and vice versa, and you may not even be able to land even though it's physically close. And they're slow. So sailing for sailing itself is fine, but in the end it's a quite convoluted (but unique!) way to travel.

Which led me to RVs. Class As, class Bs, Class Cs, trailers, vans, whatever. Sailboats on land, essentially. And people living in those full-time.

--

Which, in January, by chance led me to Will Prowse's Youtube videos, where he also has an electric unicycle.

I wasn't convinced at first sight. Just some small motorized platform to stand on. Nothing for me. Hipster toy like hoverboards. Not practical.

But there were a few seconds in one video where he simply goes back and forth while holding to something, inside (not outside) while fawning how awesome his little device is. Somehow seeing the concept of the movement and especially the movement of the spine did it for me (same appeal as seeing the skiing/waving motion instead of riding in a straight line). I don't have a bad back or anything, but seeing that somehow made the back of my mind interested in the body's movement while on these things. Maybe that's when the concept of how exactly to control these things clicked.

So I decided to do some research out of interest and followed his link to ewheels, where it could be seen that electric unicycles may actually be useful (range and speed) [also, "How much can these things cost? 500€ maybe?" Meanwhile, close to 2000€ overall costs later...]

Then I Googled "electric unicycle forum" (I'm kind of the forum first person, and was also wondering if a V8 might be too expensive or overpowered model to choose - now I have a 1300WH ACM and am glad I didn't choose such a "weak", low range model like the V8) and the rest can be read from my first post on.

The entire thing from "Not for me" to "Holy **** I NEED one NOW!!!" sleepless excited nights took 2 or 3 days max. I'm sure a lot of people here will understand that development exactly. Was around mid-end of January.

I was aware of hoverboards and segways, but somehow they still don't appeal to me at all. I think the way of movement to control the EUC is what does it for me.

So some people talking about doing a cruise and a random Youtube video suggestion lead me here.

[WaveCut]

I was about to buy an electric scooter or bike back in 2013. But as every normal men I dug into research on what's better and more practical, when I saw EUC videos and felt  deeply in love with it.
After youtube honeymoon and forum research I got second hand geared beast - RockWheel GR16, and became really happy riding it between the moments of repairs.
Now I own Inmotion V8 (740Wh/3p battery mod) and I love it even more.

My wife is very jealous to EUC. Trying to seduce her to ride, but, still, had no luck  

[Paddylaz]

2 hours ago, Keith said:

I wonder if it was the same guy, only a couple of miles from Wimbledon? Strange thing is I have never seen him again.

 

Might've been......was it a white one? I'm pretty sure it was the X3. It was chunkyish.

[RichieV]

• Took a Segway tour of San Francisco in 2015 and thought it would be cool to have one.
• Started searching YouTube for Segways and kept seeing the hoverboards which were starting to get popular back then.
• Interest in hoverboards overtook the desire for Segway because of pricing and portability.
• Scoured eBay for "electric scooter" and "mini segway" and these weird one-wheeled scooters kept showing up in my searches.
• Curiosity led me to search YouTube for one-wheeled scooters and found many vids of people obviously using Jedi skills to zip around on one wheel.
• I wanted to become a Jedi too. So. Hard.
• After pain, tears, frustration, money, and blood, I am now a Jedi.

[Keith]

1 hour ago, Paddylaz said:

Might've been......was it a white one? I'm pretty sure it was the X3. It was chunkyish.

No it was black, wasn't a young man riding it either around 40 and dressed in a business suit. 

[Ash]

I saw someone on what I now believe to be an AirWheel X8 a couple of years ago. I'd completely forgotten about it until a few weeks later whereupon I began frantically searching for what it might be. I'm pretty sure that AirWheel's SEO was on point at the time as this is what I believed they were called and I purchased a Q3 in one of their sales. Realising that I'd struggle to justify the purchase as serious to my fiancee, I prepared myself for a gimmick and a bit of a toy with anything else a bonus.

Within the first week of ownership, I started commuting to work on it and fell off countless time. Every time I rode though, I was grinning. I outgrew the Q3 and longed for better range and speed so I went looking - that's how I discovered this forum.

I then contacted Graham at Yorkshire Airwheels, enquiring when he would receive the Gotway ACM back in stock. At the time he wasn't sure but was selling a used 820wh one for a decent price so I dropped the money on that. Still haven't looked back, it's awesome!

[WARPed1701D]

This summer has seen the Florida heat beat me (and it hasn't even got hot yet!). I commute to work, 4.5 miles each way, on a Brompton folding bicycle (which i LOVE) but doing so requires a change of clothes, towels, washcloths, multiple showers a day and generally feeling terrible after riding home in 35 degree high humidity weather. It was getting too much but the environmentally responsible part of me refuses to use the car for such a short journey.

One day while riding into work I heard the whine if an electric motor behind me. I looked back and noticed I was being followed by a guy on an electric skateboard. He wasn't even breaking into a sweat but that little board was keeping up with me. I've never ridden a skateboard but the experience started me looking into electrifying my Brompton. It turns out retrofitting a electric motor to the bike is not only very expensive but makes an relatively portable 27lb bike a very unportable 45lb one and the options available to do the conversion were becoming limited as Brompton are releasing their own motorised version soon. NYCe WHeels, for example, stopped selling their conversion kit in preparation for the official Brompton e-bike. I was disheartened and gave up my search until a few days later I watched a youtube video posted by Dave2D (awesome chilled out tech reviewer) who started the video with him effortlessly leaving this office on his electric skateboard. I decided that even though I had never ridden a skateboard in my life I could probably learn and jumped on Amazon to check them out.

Amazon, of course, is like YouTube. You go on for one thing and the suggestions take you on a tangent. I found myself looking at the product page for the Segway (Ninebot) One S1. It looked super cool and got great reviews...but one wheel. Hmmm. I was worried about going from a bike to a skateboard. 2 wheels to 4. Now I'm thinking of going from 2 to 1! Being me I started reading everyone's comments where most people raved about the wheel and convinced the reader that while the journey was long and painful you could learn to ride on of these things. I got excited. Small, portable, reasonably fast, and environmentally conscious. It was perfect. I kept reading and found a review by "The Mad Professor". Apparently he has several EUC's and while the S1 was a good beginner wheel there were better options out there if you wanted to do more than buzz around the parking lot. He listed them and so off I I went looking for the them. In particular the Inmotion V5. That lead me to eWheels and then to this forum. I decided to think it over for a bit but then the next day Amazon, apparently knowing of my torment, listed the S1 as deal of the day. I could have it delivered in two days for $480! Fretting about missing a good deal I put my first post on here asking for help deciding between the S1 (which I could afford) and a V5F+ (which really I cannot). I was convinced to skip the S1 in favor of the V5. Then of course I found out the V8 was only going to be $53 more than the V5 and the dilemma of the right wheel started all over again resulting in another post in the InMotion forum. Now I've decided on the V8 and will pull the trigger in the next day or two once "she who thinks she must be obeyed" has given her blessing. 

A convoluted journey from e-bike, to e-board, and finally to e-wheel. I'm looking forward to getting started.

[kasenutty]

Mini Pro - I bought one on a whim and wanted to find a Mini Pro owners forum. I found this place and immediately started watching EUC videos and also immediately realized I had bought the wrong device.

 

Don't get me wrong, the mini pro is quite nice and fun to ride around on, but the EUC is everything the Mini Pro was missing. I tell people this when they ask about the difference and why I like the EUC more: The mini is always trying to keep you from dying. The EUC is always trying to kill you. That's why it's more fun  

[LanghamP]

Only an immoral person would demand access to your wallet while rendering no such reciprocity, and asking permission to spend one's own money sets a dangerous precedence. 

My GF bought me a hoverboard earlier this year; while I enjoyed it I also could not use it outside my apartment. It was, in fact, nearly completely useless except for spinning in circles on a perfectly smooth floor.

Researching a better alternative came across both the V8 and the IPS Hotz, but ended up buying first a V5F+, then an MSuper, and recently a KS14C.

I estimate I've put 1500-2000 miles of which at least 1000 are commuting miles. Having spent $2350 on my wheels I estimate about 4000 more miles before the cost of my wheels break even.

For those people on the fence about buying a wheel, realize you only need to put on 2000 commuting miles before a wheel like the V8 breaks even, and then every mile beyond that saves you 50 cents. The cost savings is rather shocking insomuch that cars are extremely expensive.

Wheels are fiscally responsible, and you can lord it over people about how environmentally responsible they are.

[meepmeepmayer]

4 hours ago, WARPed1701D said:

I kept reading and found a review by "The Mad Professor". Apparently he has several EUC's and while the S1 was a good beginner wheel there were better options out there if you wanted to do more than buzz around the parking lot.

I remember that review! I once read all the Ninebot One S2 Amazon reviews, wondering what people said and if they were aware of other (aka better) wheels. This one stood out as the best recommendation: get a better wheel!

1 hour ago, kasenutty said:

I tell people this when they ask about the difference and why I like the EUC more: The mini is always trying to keep you from dying. The EUC is always trying to kill you. That's why it's more fun  

That's a fantastic quote! Should be on the box or somewhere

[Planetpapi]

I first heard about Segway in 2001 and after a bucket full of drool and a decade later I bought one. Since then I enjoyed it like crazy with Tron like LEDs all over. People stopped me to have a look and cars honked when they see me crossing the cross walk. Basically a full attention getting machine with more full attention getting LEDs. Too bad I wasted my youth with a plain vanilla bike... no chick magnet.

Already a geek with toys, I saw an article about Solowheel when they first introduced. I kind of ignored it for a while for the price point and limited range. Then somewhere I saw generic wheels selling for under $400. I jumped at it and bought a T3F3 from banggood.com and had blast learning it. Even more people stopped me to have a look and cars honked again when they see me crossing the cross walk. Too bad I wasted my youth with a plain vanilla Segway. 

I only fell once on the generic and found this forum and got educated with Ninebots and other good machines at that time. I bought a Ninebot One E+ and then I bought the Inmotion V5F+. Too bad I'm wasting my youth with plain vanilla V5F+. I should have bought V8 with circus lights...

[Acturbo]

I don't really have a good story behind mine.  I saw a deal on a website for a Ninebot mini pro for around 500 bux.  Intrigued I clicked the link.  Started researching more about the ninebot and happened across the ninebot one.  At first glance I thought it was pretty dumb.  I then came across a youtube video about a double wheeled electric unicycle.  I began researching more and watching videos.  Each time learning more and more about how practical these wheels are and the fact you can actually commute with them unlike a hover board.  I did some research and decided on a Gotway MCM4.  Bought the Gotway on a whim and have been riding it for a few months.  I can honestly say I'm hooked.  The only thing that brings me in at night is darkness and I think that's only temporary.  I live in Delaware in the U.S. and I'm convinced no one around here owns one.  This thing is a huge attention getter.   I have people stopping on main roads to talk to me, people taking videos/pictures of me, stopping me to ask questions, etc.  So much fun to ride.  I really don't use it for commuting or anything.  For me its more of a super practical toy that just happens to be a blast to ride.

[esaj]

I didn't know electric unicycles existed until a couple of years ago. In spring of 2015 I was chatting with a neighbor about motorcycles, and how expensive a hobby they are here. I then started thinking about other options, and thought of Segway. The price really turned me off, but my searches also brought up Ninebot ads. Not that long after that, I had found this forum, placed an order on a domestic reseller of Ninebots, but as I was anxious to try the damn thing, I ended up buying a used generic from Vee (nowadays known as EUC Extreme). I also later on bought his used Firewheel (the one he uses in his early videos) and canceled the Ninebot. My starting points and early journey are documented in excruciating detail here:

 

[CaptainKBLS]

I actually sat next to a Segway sale lady on the plane and she told me that Segway was going to ramp their advertisement that year (don't remember the year).  I've always wanted that Segway when it came out but was too expensive at about $5k (I think) and too bulky.

Just recently in February, I got my son the Razorboard Hoovertrax 2.0 that he's always wanted.  We had fun riding in the house for a bit but it could barely go over the threshold.  To me, it was hard to control the two motors and it seem really unstable.  I remember spotting someone in NYC, riding at walking speed on the side walk with a crowd.  That looked cool and it stuck in my head.  I was so impress and always wondered what it was.  I checked Amazon and the Segway S1 showed up and convince my son to exchange.  

We both tried to learn but couldn't learn to ride the darn thing.  He gave up but I didn't, still I decided to return to Amazon on the last day of return.  He wanted the Nintendo Switch instead.

At this point, I was hooked and wanted to get my own EUC (didn't even know the acronym then).  I started to google and keep seeing blogs how Immotion killed the Ninebot, then found the forum and Jason.  I actually wanted the KS18 but Jason didn't have a new one right away so on impulse bought the V8.

The rest is history!

[CaptainKBLS]

17 hours ago, Rehab1 said:

My interest began shortly after watching Mike Tyson fall off his hoverboard. It was a news sensation! A small two wheeled gyroscopic conveyance dumping Iron Mike on his ass! The rest is history. I was hooked riding the boards and then transitioned to EUCs shortly there after. Best move I ever made ( except for marrying my wife and having kids)! This short journey has introduced me to this wonderful forum and all of the camaraderie that has followed. Thanks!

 

Thanks for the video.  Heard about it but never saw it until now.

Our friend's daughter fell exactly like that.  She was in agony.  That thing is way more dangerous than any EUC IMO.

[Hunka Hunka Burning Love]

Just like EUCs there's a learning curve with hoverboards.  They just appear easier to step on and get going,  but people get on without understanding the whole lean control balance thing so they end up accidentally pointing their toes down and shifting their balance point back expecting to be safe.  With the smaller, zippier tires and motors that's a quick recipe for disaster.  

If EUCs were as popular (I wish!), we'd see a lot more fail videos with EUCs in them I'm pretty sure.  In fact if I had recorded my first many attempts I'd have a whole EUC fail collection channel of my very own!  

 

[CaptainKBLS]

6 minutes ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said:

Just like EUCs there's a learning curve with hoverboards.  They just appear easier to step on and get going,  but people get on without understanding the whole lean control balance thing so they end up accidentally pointing their toes down and shifting their balance point back expecting to be safe.  With the smaller, zippier tires and motors that's a quick recipe for disaster.  

If EUCs were as popular (I wish!), we'd see a lot more fail videos with EUCs in them I'm pretty sure.  In fact if I had recording my first many attempts I'd have a whole EUC fail collection channel of my very own!  

 

I think the big difference is falling backward.  I have lower back issues and was terrified of falling backwards when I was standing on the board.  As I was learning to ride the EUC, yes I fell but not backwards.  However, my scariest moment was a lesson in face plant.  The first and only one in my life.  Thank God it was on grass less than 5mph.   It shook me up and I'll never forget it.

[Hunka Hunka Burning Love]

Here's one guy that you don't need to convince that hoverboards are dangerous.    Then again he could probably break a leg on an EUC and not notice for a week or so... 

Regarding being all shook up after a faceplant, if you're acting white as a bug just remind yourself that you're in love with riding, sing this song to yourself, and it will all get better after that...