just got my V8, learning to ride on a grass covered soccer field ...

[bpong]

y'all;

i had read some posts that recommended not learning to ride the ewheel on grass.

since im abit old (60yrs),  i decided to start my ewheel experience on a grass covered soccer field with hopes that the grass would provide a 'softer' surface to

fall on.

all in all,  this week,  after 3 sessions at a local grass covered soccer field,  i finally began doing runs of a few hundred feet (including return to starting point).

wed, and thurs,  i began riding using a wall to support myself as i gingerly tried to ride slowly forward,  going one direction,  followed by the

opposite return direction.  however,  the last part of thurs' learning session gave me 2 runs under 50 feet where i veered away from the wall and just decided

to try to continue the forward momentum - that was exciting to say the least.

fri,  i rested cause i was tired.

but today, saturday,  i worked on trying to to get a more controlled start to riding the ewheel.  i had 4 runs totalling a few hundred feet.  they were not very smooth

runs where my body was relaxed and my arms where at my side - no, no, no...  my arms where out away from my body trying to keep my balance,  while my

body was leaning, twisting and turning every so often to keep my line of travel relatively straight.  not good,  but its a starting point.  it was also very exhausting.

now,  im pretty sure that riding on a nice smooth asphalt surface would give my better rides with less bouncing and flexing of my knees.  and my body

 and arm posture would probably be more relaxed too.  but all the falls that i have had so far have not been bad ones,  and i had only 1 bad fall today where

i landed  primarily on my right shoulder,  and rolled abit to dissipate the energy properly.

IMO,  im not having a problem learning to ride my ewheel on a grass covered soccer field.  my problems lie in getting used to the forward and backward leaning to

generate the forward motion and braking motion.  i am less intimidated by falling simply cause the grass provides a softer surface.

after a few more weeks of 'grass' training (and once i receive my rolls of 2inch wide 1/2inch thick neoprene self adhesive tape to cover the annoying spots on

both sides of the V8),  i will try a few short runs on asphalt to begin riding on a more common surface.  i will re-edit this posting later to add my experience weaning

off grass riding and beginning to ride on asphalt.

grass is good,

grass is relatively soft,

grass has been very kind to my old body........

i have to admit it is a pretty cool experience gliding along on the soccer field;  this ewheel thing is fascinating and keeps your mind and body sharp too !!!

bpong

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[RockyTop]

  Riding these wheels make me feel like a kid again!   I am getting scolded by old people and run off from places that I should not be in.  ?

  Everyone learns their own way.  Sounds like you are off to a great start.  If you are on the wheel you are learning. 

[Stan Onymous]

Also remember that you are on a device that is designed to self balance using a gyroscopic interface. You really only need give it direction and stay on the pedals while doing it. The machine will upright itself as it probably already has if you kicked it forward out from underneath you. Marvel at how it flaunts how easy it is for the machine, without you on it, to balance itself far away from you. ?

Each time you get on it it will get remarkably easier, and you will stop trying so hard to simply stand like you would on a moving train. Then it just clicks and you are totally on your way from what you have written! Congrats!

[Esash]

Somebody posted a how-to video in the video thread about simulating jumping while on the wheel to cruise easily over bumps or even curbs. Just kind of half-jump or quarter-jump in a way that lifts your weight off the wheel without your feet actually leaving the wheel.

Incorporating that technique into my riding has really allowed me to make big progress as a rider, on my 14" MCM3.  Before I was always riding tentatively whenever there were bumps in the street or sidewalks of fields or paths. Now I can ride much more confidently and aggressively, and don't feel like I need a bigger wheel anymore. 

But if you're just standing there with your full weight on the pedals, going over bumps can jar you from your foot positions, and make you feel like you could slide/bounce right off the wheel.

So a frequent use of a little bunny hop action is just a central part of riding, I guess, especially on a 14" wheel.

[RockyTop]

 

[Esash]

7 minutes ago, RockyTop said:

 

Thanks! That technique is also helping me maintain much needed speed while climbing hills on trails with roots and other bumps in the ground. It's amazing what kind of hill climbing ability happens when you're going relatively fast and don't slow down.

[bpong]

3 hours ago, RockyTop said:

  Riding these wheels make me feel like a kid again!   I am getting scolded by old people and run off from places that I should not be in.  ?

  Everyone learns their own way.  Sounds like you are off to a great start.  If you are on the wheel you are learning. 

cool !!!!  thanx for the encouragement !!!!  and that video is you posted is excellent with the slo-mo sequences.

have a great riding season for summer 2018 !!!

bpong

[bpong]

3 hours ago, Stan Onymous said:

Also remember that you are on a device that is designed to self balance using a gyroscopic interface. You really only need give it direction and stay on the pedals while doing it. The machine will upright itself as it probably already has if you kicked it forward out from underneath you. Marvel at how it flaunts how easy it is for the machine, without you on it, to balance itself far away from you. ?

Each time you get on it it will get remarkably easier, and you will stop trying so hard to simply stand like you would on a moving train. Then it just clicks and you are totally on your way from what you have written! Congrats!

hey stan, i hope you are correct that it gets easier the more you ride it.  you are correct about over-steering and over controlling the wheel... thats what im trying to reduce now...

take care and have a great riding season too !!!!

bpong

[bpong]

2 hours ago, Scouts Honor said:

Somebody posted a how-to video in the video thread about simulating jumping while on the wheel to cruise easily over bumps or even curbs. Just kind of half-jump or quarter-jump in a way that lifts your weight off the wheel without your feet actually leaving the wheel.

Incorporating that technique into my riding has really allowed me to make big progress as a rider, on my 14" MCM3.  Before I was always riding tentatively whenever there were bumps in the street or sidewalks of fields or paths. Now I can ride much more confidently and aggressively, and don't feel like I need a bigger wheel anymore. 

But if you're just standing there with your full weight on the pedals, going over bumps can jar you from your foot positions, and make you feel like you could slide/bounce right off the wheel.

So a frequent use of a little bunny hop action is just a central part of riding, I guess, especially on a 14" wheel.

SH, yeah, i only feel my weight on the pedals currently.  since im always rolling over slightly bumpy terrain,  i dont feel anything except the increased and decreased pressure on the front of the pedals.  as for the curb jumping,  that will have to wait until i become more comfortable on the ewheel.  you are at a stage in your riding skills that i can only hope to be at,  in a few seasons from now.  i wish you a great riding summer ahead for 2018 !!!

bpong

[bpong]

update, july 17.

im a newb at this whole ewheel thing.  got my wheel july 3 and began practicing on a large field that contains 3 soccer fields.  its quite big and all grass.

i have written a very brief post already on beginning to learn on grass but today, after 2 weeks of practicing,  i have started to ride on the large asphalt parking lot.

it was a very EASY transition  because i learned alot while riding on grass.

my grass field riding summary:

- used my knees ALOT to cushion the mildly bumpy ride in the open field.  once i began to ride on the hard asphalt surface,  i suddenly realized i used way less leg tension.

riding on grass requires alot more leg power and reaction speed.

- fall and roll both sides,  a must have skill.  bruised my right shoulder but all is well...

- started my rides comfortably by practicing riding on one foot for several feet,  alternating left and right foot separately.  it took a week to get used to that,  fell quite alot at the

beginning of this motion

- twisted my hips back and forth for several repetitions while moving forward slowly to get a feel for how the dynamics work at slow speed.

- did a heck of alot of speed up and slow downs up and down the length of a soccer field,  alot ...

- did quite alot of very slow riding to hopefully acquire more control of the ewheel in prep for riding in the downtown core.

- did abit of fast riding (well, fast for a newb)  up and down the field as well to see how that feels and get used to the body motion and transitions.  wore a hockey helmet with face

cage for this practice...

- practiced slow tight turns and moderately fast wide turns,  which turned out to be both very disimilar motions

- my initial over steering is quite reduced from a few weeks ago

for my riding experience as a beginner,  my decision to learn on a grass covered field was the best choice possible.  i was able to learn without the fear of falling,

and i was able to practice alot of maneuvers that will serve me well while changing from the grass surface to the hard asphalt surface.

next, i will be practicing more hard surface riding and building up muscle memory in the lower legs for my ewheel.  jumping curbs and such i will not pursue for the time

being.  i will simply stop,  pull out the handle and walk for a few feet and then continue on with my ride.  i really do not want to hit any pedestrians since its their space im

riding in.

i just wish canada did not have a snow covered winter season,  i will miss riding during the winter months.  perhaps there will be some dry underground parking lots i could

scout out during the winter,  (laugh...)

[Stan Onymous]

Where I ride, the grassy area is so much more slippery due to the clover and weed checkered grass around the baseball field than the dirt or the pavement. I bet you learned a ton from that. Here ya go.. ? 

The V8 with the 2.125” kenda tire is fine for the snow as long as it is packed. Ice is too much of a challenge of course.

Look around for bike paths. I bet Toronto Ontario has tons of great biking paths. You will find that you will easily be able to keep up with the bicycle flow, around 14mph. I know there are parks and lovely rivers up there waiting for your V8 and I guess your precense too. When people come up to you see how many questions the V8 gets over you. Lol

Also practice the mount and dismount with either leg. Remember to make a leaning A-frame leaning into the free leg at startups 

[Esash]

15 minutes ago, bpong said:

update, july 17.

im a newb at this whole ewheel thing.  got my wheel july 3 and began practicing on a large field that contains 3 soccer fields.  its quite big and all grass.

i have written a very brief post already on beginning to learn on grass but today, after 2 weeks of practicing,  i have started to ride on the large asphalt parking lot.

it was a very EASY transition  because i learned alot while riding on grass.

my grass field riding summary:

- used my knees ALOT to cushion the mildly bumpy ride in the open field.  once i began to ride on the hard asphalt surface,  i suddenly realized i used way less leg tension.

riding on grass requires alot more leg power and reaction speed.

- fall and roll both sides,  a must have skill.  bruised my right shoulder but all is well...

- started my rides comfortably by practicing riding on one foot for several feet,  alternating left and right foot separately.  it took a week to get used to that,  fell quite alot at the

beginning of this motion

- twisted my hips back and forth for several repetitions while moving forward slowly to get a feel for how the dynamics work at slow speed.

- did a heck of alot of speed up and slow downs up and down the length of a soccer field,  alot ...

- did quite alot of very slow riding to hopefully acquire more control of the ewheel in prep for riding in the downtown core.

- did abit of fast riding (well, fast for a newb)  up and down the field as well to see how that feels and get used to the body motion and transitions.  wore a hockey helmet with face

cage for this practice...

- practiced slow tight turns and moderately fast wide turns,  which turned out to be both very disimilar motions

- my initial over steering is quite reduced from a few weeks ago

for my riding experience as a beginner,  my decision to learn on a grass covered field was the best choice possible.  i was able to learn without the fear of falling,

and i was able to practice alot of maneuvers that will serve me well while changing from the grass surface to the hard asphalt surface.

next, i will be practicing more hard surface riding and building up muscle memory in the lower legs for my ewheel.  jumping curbs and such i will not pursue for the time

being.  i will simply stop,  pull out the handle and walk for a few feet and then continue on with my ride.  i really do not want to hit any pedestrians since its their space im

riding in.

i just wish canada did not have a snow covered winter season,  i will miss riding during the winter months.  perhaps there will be some dry underground parking lots i could

scout out during the winter,  (laugh...)

You can ride in winter, just maybe not every day. Especially the night after a thaw when the entire street and sidewalk is sheer ice. But during those day thaws, and actually at most other times too, you should be able to buzz around the block a few times and get some fresh air. 

By the time winter comes you'll be a much more skilled rider than you are now.

Just remember to slow down to a near stop any time you're turning. But going straight, you can cruise over snow or even ice with pretty good stability on an euc. My very first time riding on streets was the night of a thaw, when the streets were covered in sheer ice. I didn't even fall, and I didn't even know how to ride then. 

After a full warm season of riding, I think I'm going to be out there a lot this winter, 1.5 hours south of Montreal