Thoughts as A beginner

[RockyTop]

  How it all started. I was watching a video on YouTube.  A guy in Brazil records his bike travels and posts them.  In one of his videos he is annoyed by what I now recognize as a beginner ECU rider on his bike path and labels this strange device as a new problem to frustrate him.  To be fair everyone seem to annoy him but he is fun to watch. When I saw the strange device I realized I had seen this contraption before. Two years earlier I had followed one in my van through the local college. 20 mph speed limit.  I was amazed and had to have one. Then a squirrel ran pass me in the other direction and I forgot about it.  But not this time!!  I had to find out what this thing is. 

  After watching lots of great videos I had to choose a wheel. This turns out to be quite difficult.  I see people on ninebots and smaller and I see these huge monsters.  So I looked up the spects on all of them and then the prices. This is not helping.  $300 to $3,000.  That is a big difference.  I want the best but I don’t even know if I will able to ride the thing.  Do I get a learner wheel?  Witch one?  So I started looking for a learner wheel.  I started to find a common phrases. “with a 150 pound rider”, “ on flat ground” , “ reduced speeds when not fully charged”  I am paraphrasing on that last one.  I am 6’3” and 220 pounds naked and barefoot.... Nope!! , I need more battery and a bigger motor. 

  I picked the KS16s as my learner wheel and I am very glad that I did. It has a 840wh battery ( now considered a midsize battery, was HUge!) , 1200w motor, a rider weight of 300 pounds and a top speed of 22mph.  I believe these numbers are just short of the original msuper v3 that I had been watching Duf ride. ( thanks for those videos Duf.)  The fact that Chooch said that it was his favorite daily commuter at the time also helped in my decision.  Chooch has skills, ....might lack a sense of impending doom.  So..... let’s just say I have been very happy with my choice.  

  Learning:  The first day I was more excited that a kid on Christmas morning. I got on and after 15 minutes was able to cross a 20 foot room. I spent two days going back and forth wall to wall. (Concrete walls, NOT drywall)  I believe this is called the post to post method.  My feet hurt and I was sore all over from waving my arms around.  I know.  If you are waving your arms you are doing it wrong but you have to start somewhere.  Then I found the ride setting on the app.  I was on expert.  So I changed it to learner  mode.  $&@$#%!!!!     So......warning..... this is where most will disagree..  I got on the thing and it was soooo much easier.  I think part of my problem is that my center of gravity is much higher than average.  I am over 6’4” with shoes on and most of the weight is upper body.  Before I changed the setting I had to lean forward without applying pressure to my toes then after leaning, apply forward pressure.  The learning mode has that slight delay built in.  (More on that latter..... don’t worry you win)  On day three,  I moved my training to a parking lot.  Now I really had to learn how to turn.  I started by going back and forth between my van and a small box trailer.  Then from my van around the box trailer.  Success!!!    But I could only turn left.  So .... On the 5th day I took a road trip........that ended quickly.....  funny thing..... sometimes you have to turn right.  So, back to the parking lot.  This time I learned to do figure eights around the van and box trailer. Success!!!!   I guess this would be a good time to say that every day I learned so much more than the day before and that ended on day 7.  Day 7and 8 I seemed to fight to keep what I had already learned.  I had to ride for half an hour to catch back up.  I could do figure eights around objects but struggled without them.  Day 10.  If I had to have a reason to turn to turn I would give myself a reason.  So I headed out to a seldom used bike path.  The path was very hilly.  Remember the learning mode?  What a sensation!  When shifting from up to down hill or down to up the wheel shifts like the horse on the spring in the playground.  On a positive side I got much better at turning.  I desideded to ride on the trail ever day.  At first I thought that the bumps would always give me an uneasy feeling.  But..... on day 12 I switched to medium mode and things got better.  Day 16, - It beeps...... It beeps a lot.  If it could talk it would be saying. “ You are accelerating too hard” “ you are going too fast”  Well?  At Least I am not braking too hard yet.  It feels like I am flying a foot off the ground while dragging a heavy basketball behind me.  Yesterday I was going down a trail and heard a guy yelling. “Hey!!! Slow it down! “  It was Chooch.  Ok I made that last part up.  But that is how it feels.  Don’t worry the path I am riding has very few people and I always slow down around all people.  My next post will be labeled “ My first big crash” ........ Stay safe out there!   

[Duf]

Glad you are well on your way in this fun hobby!

[kour]

nice progress! no need to rush - eventually turning will become easier. you have safety gear?

[RockyTop]

40 minutes ago, kour said:

nice progress! no need to rush - eventually turning will become easier. you have safety gear?

I can turn pretty good now as long as I have a reason.  Doing random turn I a parking lot still feels a litte strange.  Safety gear?  Yep! Full dirt bike body armor under a loose t shirt,  a white water kayak helmet ( much better coverage than a bicycle helmet not as good as a dirt bike helmet) and wrist guards, Thick Carhart pants, No knee pads. Flying through the air 4 feet off the ground at 30 MPH+, waiting for the ground to come up and get me has been a common thing in my life. (I think the time spent could easily be measured in minutes. It is actually quite enjoyable until the inevitable happens.)  I seem to land well and never on the knees.  Although the ground is getting harder and the laws of gravity are becoming more strict than 40 years ago. 

[Ipsiain]

4 hours ago, RockyTop said:

chooch has skills

Couldn’t agree more. I love his style, just so cool, relaxed and loose. I no doubt look like a big stiff, awkward twat in comparison. 

[RockyTop]

5 minutes ago, Ipsiain said:

Couldn’t agree more. I love his style, just so cool, relaxed and loose. I no doubt look like a big stiff, awkward twat in comparison. 

I think you can learn a lot watching Chooch shift his weight around.  His movements more resemble a dirt bike riders movements. 

[Esash]

12 hours ago, Duf said:

Glad you are well on your way in this fun hobby!

I too discovered EUC through your videos Duf, in particular the riding the MSuper to work video. As soon as I discovered EUCs I did a youtube search for "electric unicycle long distance" or something, and your video came right up. That's when I knew I had to have one, and they weren't just toys like hoverboard:

 

 

 

[Kens]

23 minutes ago, Scouts Honor said:

I too discovered EUC through your videos Duf, in particular the riding the MSuper to work video. As soon as I discovered EUCs I did a youtube search for "electric unicycle long distance" or something, and your video came right up. That's when I knew I had to have one, and they weren't just toys like hoverboard:

@Duf video also gives me emotional support when learning to ride this dangerous one wheeled contraption a month ago. Especially this one:

I could just gives up when I realized how hard the learning curves without his video ?

[RockyTop]

6 hours ago, Scouts Honor said:

I too discovered EUC through your videos Duf, in particular the riding the MSuper to work video. As soon as I discovered EUCs I did a youtube search for "electric unicycle long distance" or something, and your video came right up. That's when I knew I had to have one, and they weren't just toys like hoverboard:

 

 

 

Wow!!! It was the first video i watched too!  The first 5 minutes i was thinking,  This guy is going to get run over in dark during rush hour.   My next thought was how can this guy have abs and an unhealthy fascination with Duncan Donuts?   

[Adumb]

I love hearing everyone's stories about how they got into EUC's. Mines boring hah, I tried a mate's wheel while in Afghanistan and loved it. I was amazed at how easy it was to learn to ride, the basics anyway, after an hour I was zipping around. Now that I'm back home I just bought a new ACMv2 from ewheels and after a little snafu it's on its way to me due Tuesday. I too saw the same videos and @Marty Backe videos and posts are what made me want a Gotway. Anyway, happy to join the forum. Cheers. 

[RockyTop]

  I just got back from my first nature trail on an EUC.  Most of it was on a gravel path.  Some of it was on packed dirt.  I was surprised at how smooth It was. The slight bumps help the blood flow to my legs.  I zipped around while my wife watched me with a scowl on her face as our two dogs wrapped their leashes around her......  I had a blast!! .. ....    So.......  On a side note,  I learned that walking a well behaved dog while riding an EUC is not as bad as I thought.  Doc is a well behaved 7 year old Brittany Spaniel that would run beside me without a leash.  He has had practice running beside a bicycle  and we both know what happens when he cuts me off.  I did not put my hand in the loop so I could let go.  He pulled in the wrong direction a few times.  It was not a problem.  It reminded me of water skiing and actually improved stability at times. I don’t think I would have tried it on asphalt. 

[eddiemoy]

I bought my first EUC back in early Jan 2014.  Didn’t learn to ride it until last year.  To me it seemed impossible.  Then I too found @Duf, @Marty Backe, speedy feet and some others.  Their videos gave me the push to learn after watching Mike Boyd’s channel about what a person can learn in a few hours.  I didn’t learn that I can learn anything until I hit age 44.  It just takes practice.  You brain is an amazing thing.  Just feed it data and it will figure it out.  Feeding it data is practice time.  

Over the last year, I’ve learned EUC, manual unicycling, motorcycling, how to solve a rubies cube, how to spit an apple with your bare hands, how to spin a basketball, etc.   

everyday is a chance to learn something new!   

[Marty Backe]

7 hours ago, Adam Sharkan said:

I love hearing everyone's stories about how they got into EUC's. Mines boring hah, I tried a mate's wheel while in Afghanistan and loved it. I was amazed at how easy it was to learn to ride, the basics anyway, after an hour I was zipping around. Now that I'm back home I just bought a new ACMv2 from ewheels and after a little snafu it's on its way to me due Tuesday. I too saw the same videos and @Marty Backe videos and posts are what made me want a Gotway. Anyway, happy to join the forum. Cheers. 

You'll love the ACM2. Just today @Jrkline "Wheel Whisperer" and I did a 45-mile mile trek through some California mountains. We climbed a total of 4900-feet. My 1600wh ACM2 had 45% battery remaining at the end of the 5h 45m ride  Awesome!

[Marty Backe]

3 hours ago, eddiemoy said:

I bought my first EUC back in early Jan 2014.  Didn’t learn to ride it until last year.  To me it seemed impossible.  Then I too found @Duf, @Marty Backe, speedy feet and some others.  Their videos gave me the push to learn after watching Mike Boyd’s channel about what a person can learn in a few hours.  I didn’t learn that I can learn anything until I hit age 44.  It just takes practice.  You brain is an amazing thing.  Just feed it data and it will figure it out.  Feeding it data is practice time.  

Over the last year, I’ve learned EUC, manual unicycling, motorcycling, how to solve a rubies cube, how to spit an apple with your bare hands, how to spin a basketball, etc.   

everyday is a chance to learn something new!   

Great attitude 

[Tommy Le]

I recently got into euc as well. I am hooked! I also watch @Duf’s YouTube video to learn how to ride an euc. I had trouble when I was first learning how to ride and I remember in one of the video duf said do not look down when you are practicing riding. I change my bad habits and instantly improve overall riding experience. My first wheel was Ks14s, had that for less than 3 weeks and sold it. Next I bought the acmv2, sold that after about 20 miles on if. Now, I own an msuper v3s+ and I love it! Currently waiting for the msuper x, preordered that one at ewheels. My wallet running dry! ?

[GoinPostal]

13 minutes ago, Tommy Le said:

I recently got into euc as well. I am hooked! I also watch @Duf’s YouTube video to learn how to ride an euc. I had trouble when I was first learning how to ride and I remember in one of the video duf said do not look down when you are practicing riding. I change my bad habits and instantly improve overall riding experience. My first wheel was Ks14s, had that for less than 3 weeks and sold it. Next I bought the acmv2, sold that after about 20 miles on if. Now, I own an msuper v3s+ and I love it! Currently waiting for the msuper x, preordered that one at ewheels. My wallet running dry! ?

Can’t wait to hear your MSuper X review!

[RockyTop]

4 minutes ago, Tommy Le said:

Now, I own an msuper v3s+ and I love it! Currently waiting for the msuper x, preordered that one at ewheels. My wallet running dry! ?

I really like the KS16s.  I plan to make a protective cradle/ 3 sided case to keep it in my work van as last mile transportation.  Yep!, I get paid to ride! ?

  My msuper V3s+ is literally in the mail.  I am going to try not keep from riding it for another month because I am a beginner and I do not want to switch so early.  And I am too likely to max out the top speed.  And I need to hide it from my wife until I am in less trouble.  Yep,  mostly the last reason. ?

[RockyTop]

I have been riding for a month and a half now.  When I started I thought it would never get so easy.  I watched videos of people looking at their phone and recording videos while I could not even adjust my glasses without loosing my balance.  Now I can pick a leaf up off the ground without a problem.  I am still working on turning my body around so I can see behind me without that almost useless mirror.  I can do it.  I just need to get better.  

 

   Last weekend I was with my wife, daughter and son-in-law.  They were on bikes and I was on my MSuper.  We were at mile 10 and had a half a mile up hill to get back to the car.  I had been riding beside my son-in-law up a long hill at 8mph.  I had been holding my phone in the two hand texting pose for the last half mile.  He was huffing and puffing and said “ I think this hill is going to KILL me!!” I turned to him, looked him in the eye and said in dead pan, “Ohh!   I know!   It’s terrible!!    I have had to lean forward slightly more usual for the last half mile.  Do you like meat lovers? I am ordering a pizza online from Marco’s?”   The poor guy could not laugh and breath at the same time.  Almost passed out.  

 

[meepmeepmayer]

7 minutes ago, RockyTop said:

I am still working on turning my body around so I can see behind me without that almost useless mirror.  I can do it.  I just need to get better.

The trick should be to only move/turn your head, but not your shoulders with it. This goes a bit against natural behavior, but if you do it consciously, maybe you see a difference.

[Marty Backe]

1 hour ago, meepmeepmayer said:

The trick should be to only move/turn your head, but not your shoulders with it. This goes a bit against natural behavior, but if you do it consciously, maybe you see a difference.

I did this while doing some extensive backward riding on my Mten3. It took over a wheel to recover from a very back crick that developed in my neck 

[meepmeepmayer]

Hehe, I'm only saying what works for me I wondered why looking back did throw me off course as a beginner and now it's no problem, and that was the result: I must have learned to only move the head but keep the shoulders as they are.

I guess one could turn the upper body and at the same time shift weight to the other leg, and keep going straight? Will try that.

How do you look back? Or do you not?

[CptSalami]

6 hours ago, Marty Backe said:

I did this while doing some extensive backward riding on my Mten3. It took over a wheel to recover from a very back crick that developed in my neck 

Have you been writing so much about wheels that "week" gets autocorrected? ?

[Yffisch]

I'm on my third month of EUC riding now and I'm so obsessed. A day without at least a small ride does not feel complete. I've been using my wheel almost every single day since I got it in april. At first I was dreaming nightmares of using my wheel in traffic like a bicycle and it all felt so scary. But once the nerve system did it's "thing", I'm completely confident in all kind of traffic by now and turning is not a problem. I still need to learn riding backwards.

I don't approve the technique in the above video when they are practicing on flat ground without fences. My first three weeks, I only "dropped" the wheel about 5-6 times in total (I grabbed the fences), and I have fallen once (will probably be more of that).

Once you know how to ride and turn, then I would say it's the most clever vehicle on the market. I do around 20-40km a day and my knees and hip are much much stronger now than they were at the beginning. I can ride 10km++ in one single session now without moving my feet. It does not hurt too much any longer.

[Marty Backe]

7 hours ago, CptSalami said:

Have you been writing so much about wheels that "week" gets autocorrected? ?

I'm so far down the rabbit hole that I find my brain turning every other word into Wheel 

[Japmerican]

Great story that I can relate to very well.  This Friday, July 6th, will be exactly one month since I got my KS18S.  I am loving it.  By that time I should be fairly well passed the 500 mile mark.  I use mine as a commuter to work everyday and I work between multiple locations so I probably get in about 40 to 45 miles each day just from the ride to and from work and the various buildings.  But then this is so much fun that I charge it up once I get home and go back out for another 10 to 15 miles.

I also am having some minor trouble turning around to see behind me, but the mirror I have at least lets me see enough to determine if anything is behind me.  If so, then I'll expend the energy into trying to look behind if needed.  So my next trick will probably be to try and ride backwards since it seems like you have got to look behind you to do that safely.  So I'll be able to get two skills in at a time.