JimB Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 (This is not a review.) I've been running past the Solowheel store in Seattle for months and finally decided to stop in. Chatted with Ken for a while and asked if I could try one of their demo wheels. I rode the Glide 3, which I now understand is the rebranded Inmotion V8. When I was talking with him, he mentioned buying Inmotion and I commented that I knew the V8 was well regarded. I didn't make the connection at the time though that the Glide 3 basically IS a V8. After a few wobbly turns in front of the store, I guess that Ken assessed that I was reasonably competent and gave me a helmet and wrist guards and let me play for a bit. The only wheel I've ridden is my Xima Lhotz. So this is the first time I've tried something new. I was a little surprised at the difference in handling between the 2 wheels, both 16". I found myself flailing wildly a couple of times until I adjusted. I think the narrower tire on the Glide 3 made turning a little more responsive. When I tried to turn a little, I was surprised by oversteering. The Glide 3 also has higher pedals than the Lhotz, which I think makes the wheel a little less stable. But after a minute or two, I got it figured out. I'm not going to try to review the wheel - you can find plenty of reviews on this forum. Just interested by the comparative difference in handling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunka Hunka Burning Love Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 The $1000 question is, how much are they charging for the Solowheel Glide 3? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddiemoy Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 3 minutes ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said: The $1000 question is, how much are they charging for the Solowheel Glide 3? Looks like they are selling it for 60% more than the exact same v8. WTF! https://solowheelseattle.com/collections/new-solowheel-glide-3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimB Posted July 20, 2017 Author Share Posted July 20, 2017 3 minutes ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said: The $1000 question is, how much are they charging for the Solowheel Glide 3? $1595 - according to their web site. I think Ken mentioned a 10% discount if you already know how to ride - don't quote me on that though. We didn't really talk price, but I had the understanding that training/instruction was included. Ken mentioned that the purchase of Inmotion has allowed Solowheel to lower their prices. (I didn't comment that it raised the cost of the V8.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddiemoy Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Just now, JimB said: $1595 - according to their web site. I think Ken mentioned a 10% discount if you already know how to ride - don't quote me on that though. We didn't really talk price, but I had the understanding that training/instruction was included. Ken mentioned that the purchase of Inmotion has allowed Solowheel to lower their prices. (I didn't comment that it raised the cost of the V8.) Yeh, but before you could have gotten the V8 for $999. so 60% jump in price! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunka Hunka Burning Love Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Jason's $999 V8's are all sold out. I guess you do get that snazzy logo and the cool Glide 3 name on it for $600 more. He even mentioned the price increase on his site: https://www.ewheels.com/product/inmotion-v8/ SOLD OUT. Inmotion V8 & V5F will be rebranded as Solowheel, the V8 will be known as the ‘Glide 3’ at a 50%+ higher price. Superb performance in a cool sleek design One of the most innovative & advanced Electric Unicycle being made today There goes my wishful no price increase theory. Bring on the "I told you so's!" @houseofjob ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fearedbliss Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 26 minutes ago, JimB said: $1595 - according to their web site. I think Ken mentioned a 10% discount if you already know how to ride - don't quote me on that though. We didn't really talk price, but I had the understanding that training/instruction was included. Ken mentioned that the purchase of Inmotion has allowed Solowheel to lower their prices. (I didn't comment that it raised the cost of the V8.) lmfao.. typical salesman bullshit. Wtf does "10% off if you know how ride" mean? I wish I would get 10% off if I know how to use a cellphone when I buy a new phone. 10% if I know how to eat when I go buy food.. like what? Like @eddiemoysaid, How about giving that 60% discount so you can bring it back down to a fair price? Also, my heart felt sad when I read "Solowheel Glide 3". Long live Inmotion V8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunka Hunka Burning Love Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 I guess anyone considering getting an InMotion V5F+ better get on that purchase now button as they are likely going to increase in price too? https://www.ewheels.com/product/inmotion-v5f/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fearedbliss Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 1 minute ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said: I guess anyone considering getting an InMotion V5F+ better get on that purchase now button as they are likely going to increase in price too? https://www.ewheels.com/product/inmotion-v5f/ Or buy @fearedbliss 's one on sale? Might not want to advertise my sale since I might change my mind! xD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meepmeepmayer Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Here's the official Shitting-on-Solowheel thread. Discussion Ridicule of this new development starts at the end of page 2, from a few days ago. No more V8 in North America, buy the exact same wheel for 600$ more, and also they want to sue to ban every other brand, because hey it's Solowheel and it's not enough if they just failed and are failing themselves, they have to drag everyone else down with them to make the failure really stick. Juicy bits start here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meepmeepmayer Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 8 minutes ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said: I guess anyone considering getting an InMotion V5F+ better get on that purchase now button as they are likely going to increase in price too? https://www.ewheels.com/product/inmotion-v5f/ There will be no more V5F+ (big battery), the V5F (smaller battery) will be the "Glide 2", and there's a V5F with tiny battery that can be taken on planes, the "Glide 2 Light Edition" or something like this. edit: oh, and $325 price increase for the V5F Glide 2 while we're at it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunka Hunka Burning Love Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Hold the phone. Is it just me or does the new name for the wheel have some sort of significance as customers should bend over and take it with some...? New name prediction for Solowheel V5F will be Solowheel Astroglide 6? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meepmeepmayer Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanghamP Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 9 minutes ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said: Hold the phone. Is it just me or does the new name for the wheel have some sort of significance as customers should bend over and take it with some...? New name prediction for Solowheel V5F will be Solowheel Astroglide 6? Forcing customers to bend over and take it since 2011. If the rest of the world gets the Inmotion V8 at 60% cost, won't that mean people will buy online? I mean I would, and possibly buy a SoloWheel sticker for if I get caught. That'd feel odd, if I was busted for counterfeiting an original wheel by rebranding it after a rebranded original. Tricky train of thought, that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kasenutty Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 I wish Seattle had a decent wheel shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WARPed1701D Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 The Solowheel Seattle facebook page justifies the price increase with the following comment (found on their Unboxing video post): There are some firmware differences like more safety warnings, new app coming. Also new, longer and more comprehensive warranty. The new partnership will bring updates to the Glide among other things next. Well let me just stump up another $600 now for even more warnings and what is likely to be another crap app...wait hold on you don't even have a SoloWheel app for the Glide 3? Oh and let me pay that money now so the next buyer gets updates to the wheel. Hand me that lube @Hunka Hunka Burning Love. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimB Posted July 21, 2017 Author Share Posted July 21, 2017 Since this thread is starting to spin negative, I do want to mention that Ken was very nice. Quite an interesting guy. He was helpful/knowledgeable about the wheels. It is worth considering that with a local store, you can get warranty service or general service as well as the instruction for new riders. That certainly has value - how much is up to the individual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunka Hunka Burning Love Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 I guess it's difficult pill for people to swallow to see what appears to be the exact same product go up by 60% with what on the surface appears to be purely a brand change. Our reactions here are no slight towards Ken nor towards you in any way. I hope that's clear. What started as a nice experience sharing thread that you started has taken a different turn along the way. My "Glide" joke was just to try to lighten the mood a little... Certainly building in a cost to help train is a smart business move and offering 10% discount for experienced riders is helpful. When you factor in the costs to run a storefront and pay employees, those costs add up as opposed to a what a drop shipper may face. What will be will be of course so we'll just have to see whether the Solowheel / InMotion products continue to be as popular / competitive with this price hike. Jason McNeil did warn everyone so it wasn't entirely unexpected. I think for us as enthusiasts it's just frustrating to see a popular product increase so much in price. Imagine if Apple iPhones costing $800 one day sold for $1300 the next day for what appears to be the same product? People might still buy them, but for those knowing they sold for much less it's difficult to accept. The product is still just as good, but its future success will entirely depend on what the market will bear. I wonder if Jason will have to pay some sort of license fee to be a reseller of the Solowheel/InMotion brand now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WARPed1701D Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 34 minutes ago, JimB said: Since this thread is starting to spin negative, I do want to mention that Ken was very nice. Quite an interesting guy. He was helpful/knowledgeable about the wheels. It is worth considering that with a local store, you can get warranty service or general service as well as the instruction for new riders. That certainly has value - how much is up to the individual. I don't think there is any animosity towards the store staff. They are just doing their job and love wheels as much as the next person. Can't fault them for that. And you are right that having a local store is extremely valuable for service and help and that costs money and is worth some premium added to the price. I've learnt that from having a relatively rare folding bike (Brompton) and having a dealer in my town. That said, eWheels and @Jason McNeil have, to my knowledge, provided remote based service that has been second to none. I had no qualms buying from him based on his reputation and engagement on here. The problem, and the reason for the upset, is how the company is operating. Not the store. Not the staff. SoloWheel, rather than innovating and producing quality competitive wheels that people want to buy seem to be strong arming the market, supressing competition, and ultimately hurting you and I by working to force out the other options. We now end up paying 60% more for basically nothing but a logo change on what was once a great wheel at a competitive price that offered an excellent option for mid-range buyers. Now it is a great wheel that no one would touch if they knew of the other options out there. The KS 16S (400W extra motor, nearly double battery capacity) can be had for $100 less now. It used to be nearly $500 more. I for one am annoyed that Solowheel has made a great brand (Inmotion) and great wheels (V5 and V8) technically unavailable/unaffordable to US buyers without a whole lot of hassle with imports. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houseofjob Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 4 hours ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said: Hold the phone. Is it just me or does the new name for the wheel have some sort of significance as customers should bend over and take it with some...? New name prediction for Solowheel V5F will be Solowheel Astroglide 6? Best. Post. Ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meepmeepmayer Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 7 hours ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said: I wonder if Jason will have to pay some sort of license fee to be a reseller of the Solowheel/InMotion brand now? Jason said he won't be selling any of the Glide series. While that could theoretically mean he still imports and sells the Inmotions, unlikely that Solowheel would give a license to that or not sue him if they want to stop any other brands from reaching the US. But who knows, maybe they just care about having better (at least a little bit competitive) models at their store and don't mind online sales? I would not bet on it though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 15 minutes ago, meepmeepmayer said: Jason said he won't be selling any of the Glide series. While that could theoretically mean he still imports and sells the Inmotions, I know it is suggested repeatedly that this only impacts America, but is this truly the case? Has it, at any time, been stated for certain that Inmotion will continue to sell their wheels under their name (and pricing) in the rest of the world? USA only doesn't, to me, feel like the kind of business model Solowheel would be happy with unless of course it was only the US Patent Office that were stupid enough to allow a patent for something that had already been patented. It feels to me like Inmotion got made an offer they couldn't refuse- not one they wanted to accept, just one they couldn't refuse ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meepmeepmayer Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 We know nothing for certain. Europe may be safe, or not. Right now we just hope Inmotion will continue as is in the rest of the world. Maybe Jason's promised (in the other thread) explanatory post will clear things up. Or he does not know himself (it's his business future, after all, might be subject to negotiations) and things are fluid (you could say they are in motion). For now we have to be content with shitting on Solowheel's corporate behavior Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WARPed1701D Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 11 minutes ago, Keith said: It feels to me like Inmotion got made an offer they couldn't refuse- not one they wanted to accept, just one they couldn't refuse ? All speculation of course but I think this probably sums it up perfectly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunka Hunka Burning Love Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 Does anyone know whether it is a true corporate merger or just a case of "I'm going to sue the pants off you unless you give me exclusive sales rights to your products in the US and rebrand them under my logo?" I know with a lot of Chinese products if you order enough quantities they are more than happy to slap whatever brand name you want on them. Maybe Solowheel saw InMotion as one of the top competitors and the easiest to go after unlike Ninebot who bought Segway and their patents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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