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KS-18L + Noob - what to consider?


Seware74

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Yesterday I ordered a KS-18L on recommendation of some fellas I ran across in Europe last month, on account of being a bigger fella... 6'3", 250+ lbs. They thought the bigger unit would be best to bus me around in the long run. I see now that perhaps there are still some bugs being worked out on this new model. I'm not worried about that necessarily... I'm patient and will be taking it slow...anyway as a first time EUC'er. After reading more material here in the forums I'm wondering if perhaps I should have started with something smaller, despite my stature? Doesn't matter now maybe since the die is cast, but I'd like some validation on a best approach to get started wisely. My plan is to: first receive the EUC, gear up with safety-wear, update the firmware, vinyl-ize the exterior and then "learn slowly with a shopping-cart" method, from atop the new steed. Anything else to be considered or fallacy in my plan? (I'm a planner and so I have to have to "research" and then have steps in mind before really needing them.) Thoughts?  

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Hi @Seware74… Welcome to the forum.

My size happens to resemble yours quite closely, and I also ride an 18L (among other wheels)...

Learning to ride on a larger wheel size is actually slightly easier (especially for us "well statured" individuals), as smaller diameter wheels are more agile (which means potentially "squirrely"). So with that and your organised approach, I think you will go well. 

I would suggest you focus initially on riding straight, then how to stop properly, add in cornering or turning and finish with learning to "free-mount".

If you are using a shopping trolley, you will be bent over a bit, so be careful - riding is best done standing upright with your knees bent slightly. And with your (our) size on the 18L, I would also suggest leading with your hips - thrust forward to accelerate, pull backward to decelerate and twist them to steer.

Most of all - let us know how you get on and feel free to ask anything while you are learning!

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6 hours ago, Seware74 said:

Yesterday I ordered a KS-18L on recommendation of some fellas I ran across in Europe last month, on account of being a bigger fella... 6'3", 250+ lbs. They thought the bigger unit would be best to bus me around in the long run. I see now that perhaps there are still some bugs being worked out on this new model. I'm not worried about that necessarily... I'm patient and will be taking it slow...anyway as a first time EUC'er. After reading more material here in the forums I'm wondering if perhaps I should have started with something smaller, despite my stature? Doesn't matter now maybe since the die is cast, but I'd like some validation on a best approach to get started wisely. My plan is to: first receive the EUC, gear up with safety-wear, update the firmware, vinyl-ize the exterior and then "learn slowly with a shopping-cart" method, from atop the new steed. Anything else to be considered or fallacy in my plan? (I'm a planner and so I have to have to "research" and then have steps in mind before really needing them.) Thoughts?  

Don't worry ! I think it was a right choice ! There is some issues with trolley, lights but when riding this wheel is rock solid and mega powerful ! You will just love it ! There is actually a french guy who is doing tour de France on KS18L, and I think a polish guy is on the way to do the same.

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2 hours ago, TomOnWheels said:

.........

You will just love it ! There is actually a french guy who is doing tour de France on KS18L, and I think a polish guy is on the way to do the same.

TRUE :wub:

I would like to have the time to do the same B)

The Tour of Italy all riding the coast perimeter..:thumbup:

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4 hours ago, TomOnWheels said:

Don't worry ! I think it was a right choice ! There is some issues with trolley, lights but when riding this wheel is rock solid and mega powerful ! You will just love it ! There is actually a french guy who is doing tour de France on KS18L, and I think a polish guy is on the way to do the same. 

@Seware74, I can confirm - KS18L is a good choice. It's harder to learn on 18" than on 16", but having no previous experience you won't notice this difference. Especially if you're a big guy :) I started to learn with 16" and soon switched to 18" - being happy with KS16C I choose KS18L. Now I've clocked over 1300 km on KS18L without any problem.

And probably I'm the polish guy @TomOnWheels is talking about :) Next summer I plan to cross the Poland from north to south and back (about 1400 km in total), and I've already started to prepare. Last weekend I did a test ride - about 100 km; first 40 km on KS16C, then swithed to KS18L for the rest of the trip. Completely different surfaces - from smooth, asphalt road to forest trails with lot of stones, deep sand and mud. It was very challenging, but everything went good. KS18L proved that it is a very capable wheel, not only comfortable on smooth roads but also very mighty in rough terrain. Almost 100 km done in less that six hours, including one 20 minute break and few shorter breaks.

40526705_2076794659248481_189986010027786240_n.jpg

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1 hour ago, Seba said:

@Seware74, I can confirm - KS18L is a good choice. It's harder to learn on 18" than on 16", but having no previous experience you won't notice this difference. Especially if you're a big guy :) I started to learn with 16" and soon switched to 18" - being happy with KS16C I choose KS18L. Now I've clocked over 1300 km on KS18L without any problem.

And probably I'm the polish guy @TomOnWheels is talking about :) Next summer I plan to cross the Poland from north to south and back (about 1400 km in total), and I've already started to prepare. Last weekend I did a test ride - about 100 km; first 40 km on KS16C, then swithed to KS18L for the rest of the trip. Completely different surfaces - from smooth, asphalt road to forest trails with lot of stones, deep sand and mud. It was very challenging, but everything went good. KS18L proved that it is a very capable wheel, not only comfortable on smooth roads but also very mighty in rough terrain. Almost 100 km done in less that six hours, including one 20 minute break and few shorter breaks.

40526705_2076794659248481_189986010027786240_n.jpg

Indeed @Seba:-) Mowilem o tobie :-) (I was talking about you)

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Yes! Especially for taller/larger folk, the 18L is the way to go. You WILL feel the 16S (though a great machine and fast in it's own right) is a bit small.

And, yes, there are a couple bugs being worked out, but as confirmed yesterday, the latest FW should prevent you from having to unscrew the shells and disconnect the battery (IF that issue affects you). Many people have these units and not reported a lock up.

It is a very nice wheel. Start off slow and ease into your comfort zone. Safety gear is a great idea.

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7 hours ago, Seba said:

@Seware74, I can confirm - KS18L is a good choice. It's harder to learn on 18" than on 16", but having no previous experience you won't notice this difference. Especially if you're a big guy :) I started to learn with 16" and soon switched to 18" - being happy with KS16C I choose KS18L. Now I've clocked over 1300 km on KS18L without any problem.

And probably I'm the polish guy @TomOnWheels is talking about :) Next summer I plan to cross the Poland from north to south and back (about 1400 km in total), and I've already started to prepare. Last weekend I did a test ride - about 100 km; first 40 km on KS16C, then swithed to KS18L for the rest of the trip. Completely different surfaces - from smooth, asphalt road to forest trails with lot of stones, deep sand and mud. It was very challenging, but everything went good. KS18L proved that it is a very capable wheel, not only comfortable on smooth roads but also very mighty in rough terrain. Almost 100 km done in less that six hours, including one 20 minute break and few shorter breaks.

 

Wow, @Seba! That's really incredible. I've seen a few videos of some fellas doing extreme off-roading with a wheel, but never considered doing a long-distance journey. I can imagine that the logistical planning is quite involved. What level of problem do you plan for on a journey like this? Everything goes right -OR- everything goes wrong? I can imagine having to pull a trailer full of spare batteries and other parts, just in case. It's a great idea... I will be following your progress with much interest. Best of luck!

Thanks everyone for your input... I'm feeling less skeptical about my choice now. The whole notion of a middle-age large fella riding around on wheel already has my family in disbelief. Time to prove them wrong... I may be old but I'm not dead!

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Have fun. The first week or 2 may be difficult. Part of that may be making sure your unit is in good working order and how it operates. Both my 16S and 18L had issues at first. I had to have my controller board replaced on my 16S, but after that I have over 1300 miles on it without any issue. They've already made 9 FW updates since I got my 18L, so they are working at improvements.

Take it slow...it's hard to explain, but a series of mental "clicks" are required to get used to it, if you have never ridden before. When you get to the point you can mount and dismount without any issue, you are there. But even before that, you will be able to ride it. Lots of tips are on youtube and forum.

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15 hours ago, Seware74 said:

Wow, @Seba! That's really incredible. I've seen a few videos of some fellas doing extreme off-roading with a wheel, but never considered doing a long-distance journey. I can imagine that the logistical planning is quite involved. What level of problem do you plan for on a journey like this? Everything goes right -OR- everything goes wrong? I can imagine having to pull a trailer full of spare batteries and other parts, just in case. It's a great idea... I will be following your progress with much interest. Best of luck!

Thank you! There is a lot of things to plan, but it's not so hard - I have whole winter for planning :). There are only two things that can stop me from completing my challenge - major technical failure or major injury/health problem. I will plan to use paved roads with little traffic and avoid any roads (or off-road paths) that can become muddy during or after heavy rain. Rain itself is not a problem. KS18L proved to be weatherproof; I've ben riding for about 20 km during steady, heavy rain, no harm to me or to the wheel ;)  I will use only one wheel and two chargers - quick for charging during daily breaks and standard one for overnight, balancing charging. Two weeks of EUC riding, day by day :) From the sandy beaches of the Baltic Sea to the peaks of the Tatra Mountains... :) Can't wait!

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1 hour ago, Seba said:

Thank you! There is a lot of things to plan, but it's not so hard - I have whole winter for planning :). There are only two things that can stop me from completing my challenge - major technical failure or major injury/health problem. I will plan to use paved roads with little traffic and avoid any roads (or off-road paths) that can become muddy during or after heavy rain. Rain itself is not a problem. KS18L proved to be weatherproof; I've ben riding for about 20 km during steady, heavy rain, no harm to me or to the wheel ;)  I will use only one wheel and two chargers - quick for charging during daily breaks and standard one for overnight, balancing charging. Two weeks of EUC riding, day by day :) From the sandy beaches of the Baltic Sea to the peaks of the Tatra Mountains... :) Can't wait!

And of course we need a way to be able to follow you adventures ! :-) Website, blog, etc...

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On 9/6/2018 at 1:15 AM, Seware74 said:

Yesterday I ordered a KS-18L on recommendation of some fellas I ran across in Europe last month, on account of being a bigger fella... 6'3", 250+ lbs. They thought the bigger unit would be best to bus me around in the long run. I see now that perhaps there are still some bugs being worked out on this new model. I'm not worried about that necessarily... I'm patient and will be taking it slow...anyway as a first time EUC'er. After reading more material here in the forums I'm wondering if perhaps I should have started with something smaller, despite my stature? Doesn't matter now maybe since the die is cast, but I'd like some validation on a best approach to get started wisely. My plan is to: first receive the EUC, gear up with safety-wear, update the firmware, vinyl-ize the exterior and then "learn slowly with a shopping-cart" method, from atop the new steed. Anything else to be considered or fallacy in my plan? (I'm a planner and so I have to have to "research" and then have steps in mind before really needing them.) Thoughts?  

My 2 cets of best suggestions to you. 

Glance through the EUC dynamic thread. It is long but many good tips and explanations for new people so they don't have to learn the painful way.

And be patient as there is a learning curve. This is normal. If you like few laugh take a look at my first training sessions. I only did like 10 min each time, as it wad so hard a workout for me. 

 

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1 hour ago, TomOnWheels said:

And of course we need a way to be able to follow you adventures ! :-) Website, blog, etc...

For sure! :) For this purpose I already bought a Sony RX100 Mk 6, and today got GoPro Fusion... The latter one will replace my GoPro Hero 6 I bought about three months ago, but eventually found it inconvenient. This summer I've been visiting Bieszczady Mountains - great views, landscapes etc. The problem is that when riding in new places, you never know what to capture. With GP Fusion I will be able to capture the whole sphere, so nothing lost.... :)

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18 minutes ago, Seba said:

, and today got GoPro Fusion...

Would love to know @Seba what you think about the fusion once you've had a chance to try it out. I considered getting one before my trip to Spain in July, but opted just to stay with my old Hero4. I wish now I had picked up the Fusion... we did some canyoning and tandem mountain-top parasailing. Both would have looked incredible in 360. Especially the flights. Oh well... coulda, woulda, shoulda. :)

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1 hour ago, Seware74 said:

I wish now I had picked up the Fusion... we did some canyoning and tandem mountain-top parasailing. Both would have looked incredible in 360.

Use mouse to pan - wheel to zoom (in fullscreen only)... :)

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10 minutes ago, Seware74 said:

I'll call it "premium protective gear" :P

I'd call it "personal safety recorder", that records everything in front, to the sides and behind ;) Say to your wife: "You know honey, it can record everything in the vincinity, so this will surely prevent others from harming your lovely husband" :D

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1 hour ago, Seba said:

I'd call it "personal safety recorder", that records everything in front, to the sides and behind ;) Say to your wife: "You know honey, it can record everything in the vincinity, so this will surely prevent others from harming your lovely husband" :D

That's brilliant!

I think I'm going to run all of my purchases of consequence by you from now on. 

You might consider changing your username to TheSpinDoctor. 

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1 hour ago, meepmeepmayer said:

The Insta360 camera also seems to be great and produces a lot of amazing videos from what I've seen, especially with the automatic selfie stick removal. It's a bit cheaper.

Thanks @meepmeepmayer. I'm going to take a look for sure. Of course, I will want to capture all of my wheel-riding catastrophes in full HD and from every angle possible.

"it's for follow-up review and safety improvement, honey."  (I'm refraining from calling it a "post-mortem" for obvious reasons):)

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I was just impressed how big a difference the stick removal makes. From the typical "selfie" videos to a feeling like someone else is filming the rider. Rider and wheel easily fit in the frame instead of half of the rider. So much better than the usual action-cam-in-hand-or-on-stick style videos. Shows a great lot of the surrounding landscapes. And the thing is surprisingly cheap.

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You can see how GoPro Fusion works and how agile KS18L is :) Sometimes I feel that KS18L can make the same sharp turns as KS16C. Still, KS16C accelerates and decelerates much better. Anyway, KS18L is better in overall and that's why I use it as my only every day wheel - for commuting, long-range touring and offroading.

 

 

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Welcome everybody, this is my first post here :)

Nice ride @Seba I just bought 18L for my first unicycle, also a bit worried how hard will it be to start learning on 18".

I know there are some modes on 18L that change how the unicycle responds: Learning, Normal and Third one for experienced drivers.

Can anyone advise on that - I heard different opinions...

 

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4 hours ago, Seba said:

You can see how GoPro Fusion works and how agile KS18L is 

Amazing to watch, who needs alcohol when that fish eye camera view made me feel almost as drunk as the guy who laid out that path must have been ?

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2 hours ago, tadzio said:

Welcome everybody, this is my first post here :)

Nice ride @Seba I just bought 18L for my first unicycle, also a bit worried how hard will it be to start learning on 18".

I know there are some modes on 18L that change how the unicycle responds: Learning, Normal and Third one for experienced drivers.

Can anyone advise on that - I heard different opinions...

Learning on an 18 inch wheel isn't necessarily harder unless the pure weight of the thing is a problem in controlling it or you're worried about damaging a big wheel. But you have sideways stability from the big tire and good leg leverage from the higher shell in return:efee47c9c8:

The ride modes are deceptively named. Better would be soft-medium-hard (instead of learner-normal-expert) and it's simply a matter of preference which one to take. They just decide how direct the wheel reacts to input - does it sway a little and feel a bit cushioned (soft) or does it feel rock hard and every tiny weight shift makes the wheel move (hard). Use the mode that feels best and where you feel most in control. There's no wrong choice here.

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