AllenF Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 Hey guys! I joined the forum today after placing an order with Jason for an Inmotion V8. I figure I'd get the order in before the upcoming upheaval and price increase because of the joint venture between Inmotion and Solowheel. Jason is a really nice guy and processed my order over the phone personally. I can't wait to get it! My wife and I will be learning to ride on it. My hope is my wife loves riding and I can give the V8 to her and maybe get a KS-18s for myself. We'll see how that goes. Any tips or hints on learning how to ride an EUC would be appreciated. - Allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WARPed1701D Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 Ditto. I did the same thing today. Same machine. Same company. Although online. Not sure my wife will get on it either. Can't help with tips as I'm in the same boat as you but welcome anyway from one noob to another. Its a nice place here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainKBLS Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 I'm a new rider too. I started mid April. Step1: Step on with your dominant foot and try to hop on with the other foot and stay on for 1sec or more. In this step, your focus is to mount the wheel. I've seen other tips about holding onto walls etc. but I feel it didn't help me. You gotta go for it. Step2: Now that you can safely get on. You'll try to lean and make it go as soon as you're on. Squatting helps. Flapping your hands help. Squeeze your legs/knees against the wheel helps. For me, I was generally leaning to the left cuz I'm a righty and I notice my left leg was keep swinging out...so you have to squeeze the wheel and keep it straight. I think you need wide open space like a soccer field or empty parking lot. When you're learning you're going to go every direction, so you just want to keep staying on and keep it moving. Someone had a good suggestion about taking a rope and strap to handle and pull up to help keep it straight up (but you'll probably want to disable the button under the handle). Step: Once you finally learn to ride, you'll feel it wobble big time as you go a little faster. Now it's time to straighten up and relax and put a lot of hours and it'll go away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriull Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 @AllenF Welcome to rhe forum and have fun riding! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goodman Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 Congratulations and welcome to this forum, you will love the V8 I am sure. I had the same idea at the start to get my wife started but that failed so in the end I justified to myself to get 2 more wheels. I am lucky my wife doesn't mind me buying something I truly enjoy. She refuses to let me buy a motorcycle again as I have had way too many accidents. Learning is the fun part some people learn super fast others take a little time. You will be sore just like doing anything new with your body that you are not use to. I learnt in my hallway just stepping on and off, leaning back and forth understanding what an euc was. When I got comfortable I went outside on flat ground I sort of knew how I can step on and decided to just go for it. I didn't use any walls to push off as I knew it would slow my progress. Drop the wheel a few times trying to get on, once I got on it was like balancing and turning was like leaning on a skateboard. Trust in the euc to hold you upright, just concentrate on blance left to ride. You will get there just takes time and uour body will adjust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fat Unicyclist Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 This thread will soon be filled with a wealth of information on how to learn and what YouTube videos to watch (as are a bunch of similar threads scattered across the forum). So instead, I'm going to tell you the two things that often go unmentioned - but, I think, you should know. While learning, you will fall over, a LOT! But stick with it, because there is a point in time when it will all just click. And when that happens you will understand our secret - there is nothing that feels quite as inconceivably awesome as gliding along on your EUC - using nothing but your mind to control how the world moves around you. I also suggest that there may be some benefit from a beer/wine - but just one (okay, maybe two) - before a learning session. Seriously, it will help you relax a little - which really does help with the learning process. It makes you a little more malleable - and falling will hurt less too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
affe Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 Congrats for the choice, V8 is a really nice wheel. I've ridden my V8 350km now and haven't ever fallen. I lost the control once in a sharp turn but managed to keep my balance, the wheel did tip over and there's a small scratch on one foot support reminding me of that incident. So, it is possible to learn ride these things without "falling over, a LOT", if you're careful and if you don't push yourself over the limit of what your current skill level allows. Therefore I don't even recommend anyone to buy a "learning wheel" -- it's just waste of money as you can keep the V8 unscratched if you're patient. You cannot really learn the tricks of steering and keeping balance in advance by reading this forum. You can read what your gesture should be but the finesse can only come with practice. What you need to do, is take your time and give your brain time to adapt. Do some practicing at moderate speed in safe location, SLEEP and try a bit harder maneuver next day. It is amazing how much easier the control is after sleeping and resting for a while. I practiced inside my house in a hallway (we still had snow on ground), just to get the basic skill of getting on/off the vehicle and accelerating/braking. Then outside, I was able to ride straight paths almost instantly but accurate steering and sharp turns were problem. I just did some steering exercises at low speed, they were really hard at start but then my brain started to "click" -- one day when I started a ride, I just noticed that the sense of steering comes naturally without any effort. And it keeps getting easier and more automatic all the time. However, at this point you should remember to stay alert, I think most of the accidents come when people start to feel "too confident" of their new skill. Always wear protection, these things are full of electronics and software which CAN fail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenF Posted June 29, 2017 Author Share Posted June 29, 2017 Thanks for the tips everyone and for welcoming me to the forum. I will try to document my progress on Youtube, unless it gets too embarrassing in which case those videos will go the way of the dodo. - Allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenF Posted June 29, 2017 Author Share Posted June 29, 2017 Question for the group: Is there a preferred brand/model of knee/elbow/wrist guards? I don't want to purchase too much in support of the hobby at this point but protective gear is a necessity so I want to make sure I have the right stuff. I already have a helmet from my old motorcycle days so I am set there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
affe Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 I only wear wrist protection (+ downhill bike helmet). For the wrist equipment I can warmly recommend Ennui City Brace II, but I'm sure there are equally good alternatives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenF Posted June 29, 2017 Author Share Posted June 29, 2017 4 hours ago, WARPed1701D said: Ditto. I did the same thing today. Same machine. Same company. Although online. Not sure my wife will get on it either. Can't help with tips as I'm in the same boat as you but welcome anyway from one noob to another. Its a nice place here. Cool, and thanks for welcoming me. I wonder which of us will receive our V8 first. What, isn't everything a race? - Allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddylaz Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 1 hour ago, AllenF said: Question for the group: Is there a preferred brand/model of knee/elbow/wrist guards? I don't want to purchase too much in support of the hobby at this point but protective gear is a necessity so I want to make sure I have the right stuff. I already have a helmet from my old motorcycle days so I am set there. Wrist guards are more important than your helmet. In fact, I'd say a helmet is optional. I've never worn one. Many may disagree, but just my opinion! Unlike a bicycle, your hands are going to be free all/most of the time. 9 times out of 10, if the worst should happen and you fall off, your hands (and thus, wrists) are going to be ground zero for the most abuse. Followed by your knees. So don't go cheap on them. Make sure they're proper shock-protecting wristguards and NOT orthopaedic/medical wrist-supports. They must have that u-shaped shock-absorber and ideally a splint on the reverse. (picture below). I use 'Triple 8 Hired Hands' which are awesome (Amazon) The 'K2' range are also ok, and cheaper - you can pick these up on Amazon too for a few £/$. With the Triple 8's, If you get those, make sure you order a size up from what you think your hands are. I have Trump hands, and the large fits me pretty well. Knee protection is recommended too, maybe get some slim ones you can wear under your jeans/trousers. Or go for big ones over your trousers if you don't care about appearance! Welcome to the club! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demargon Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 Welcome! Is nice to see new people getting on euc. Hope you enjoy it. My advice is mostly the same as @CaptainKBLS said. But getting emphasis in the one foot control when you walk with other (without getting the two feet on the euc). Something like a soft skateboard Impulse. That's really improve your handling and give you confidence nearly as walk. Also pivot around the planted foot is easy and fun exercise what's helps learn euc mechanics and also is the start point of lots of tricks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanghamP Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 Wrist guards are more important if your instinct is to put your hands out and slide your crash out. Most people are in this category. Helmets are more important if your instinct is to shoulder roll, with your arms up and your elbows out. People who did skating and other sports fall into this category. Basically, if you think during your crash that your head might dip below your waist then wear a helmet as that's very disorienting for most of us. Rather than focus on what equipment to buy, I'd recommend practicing falling. Try falling on grass or a mat at first from standing, then walk and crash. If you practice every day until your wheel arrives then you should be a pretty good faller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demargon Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 That's a point @LanghamP the best protection come from training. I think this video catch the idea "and is funny" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimB Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 15 hours ago, Paddylaz said: Wrist guards are more important than your helmet. In fact, I'd say a helmet is optional. I've never worn one. Many may disagree, but just my opinion! Well, I'll disagree. The one time I wiped out, I was on the ground before I knew I was falling. I felt the helmet hit the concrete. I never ride without my helmet. Think about it. In many places helmets are required for bicycle riders. Why would you think that 1 less wheel would make it less likely to crack your head open! On the flip side, I wasn't wearing wrist guards, and hurt my wrist pretty badly. I wear wrist guards now! Word of caution. On a bicycle, most problems and you can coast to a stop. On an EUC, most problems drop you on your face. It's not a question of IF you will fall, it's only a question of WHEN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchet Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 16 hours ago, Paddylaz said: Wrist guards are more important than your helmet. In fact, I'd say a helmet is optional. I've never worn one. Many may disagree, but just my opinion! I disagree, I think it's insane to ride w/o a helmet. it takes almost nothing to give trauma to the brain. You can hit your head falling while walking and suffer damage to the brain, swelling, bleeding, etc. A helmet is non-negotiable for me. Stay safe Paddy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainKBLS Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 I haven't been wearing a helmet but 13mph is my peak. I get an ugly hat head after taking that helmet off but I'll have to get over that. Thank you for the warnings. I did a face plant less than 5mph. Thank God it was on grass and didn't get hurt. I think I jam my thumb and although it didn't hurt bad it still ache a little even after several weeks. I was expecting to be thrown and was not expecting a smash and happened so fast. A guy at work passed out and fell flat on the back of his head. He's been out of work for over two weeks. He must have hit hard and now he is having memory loss and loss of balance...hasn't showed up to work yet. I pray he gets well soon. I need to put on the gear! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchet Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 BTW, grats on the V8! Great wheel! RIP Inmotion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty Backe Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 19 hours ago, AllenF said: Question for the group: Is there a preferred brand/model of knee/elbow/wrist guards? I don't want to purchase too much in support of the hobby at this point but protective gear is a necessity so I want to make sure I have the right stuff. I already have a helmet from my old motorcycle days so I am set there. You may be interested in these recent posts: And @Hunka Hunka Burning Love has this extensive thread: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Westland Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 On 6/29/2017 at 9:33 AM, AllenF said: Hey guys! I joined the forum today after placing an order with Jason for an Inmotion V8. I figure I'd get the order in before the upcoming upheaval and price increase because of the joint venture between Inmotion and Solowheel. Welcome to the club Allen! Learning to ride? Well ... it's like getting to Carnegie Hall ... practice practice practice :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fat Unicyclist Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 40 minutes ago, Chris Westland said: Welcome to the club Allen! Learning to ride? Well ... it's like getting to Carnegie Hall ... practice practice practice :-) I got to Carnegie Hall just using an Uber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Westland Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 9 minutes ago, The Fat Unicyclist said: I got to Carnegie Hall just using an Uber. Haha ... try that method with an EUC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenF Posted June 30, 2017 Author Share Posted June 30, 2017 55 minutes ago, Marty Backe said: You may be interested in these recent posts: And @Hunka Hunka Burning Love has this extensive thread: Thanks for the tips Marty. I just placed my order for two sets of the Pro-Tec knee and elbow combo and Demon wrist guards; one set for me and one for my wife. Yeah, they're a little more expensive than I'd hoped but hey, we only have one life, and anyway we are not Spring chickens anymore so we need all the protection we can get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty Backe Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 7 minutes ago, AllenF said: Thanks for the tips Marty. I just placed my order for two sets of the Pro-Tec knee and elbow combo and Demon wrist guards; one set for me and one for my wife. Yeah, they're a little more expensive than I'd hoped but hey, we only have one life, and anyway we are not Spring chickens anymore so we need all the protection we can get. I think you'll be happy with the quality and protection they offer. I really feel safe when I have everything on. The Pro-Tec gear is still going strong after a year of riding over 2000 miles. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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