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Noob first try - meh


Seware74

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18L showed up today...what a great looking piece of machinery! Got the firmware updated and a lovely skort made for it from an old neoprene yoga mat and duct tape. 

I opted to try the "pusher" approach to learning which was only slightly successful. If the goal was a homerun I got thrown out half way to first. My longest controlled run was 8 feet.  Meh.

I was not prepared for how physically exhausting it is just to pedal push a 40-something pound wheel.  I lasted a little more than an hour before deciding to come back for more punishment later. 

One question... where it comes to horizontal calibration where should a beginner set it in terms of front to back?  Dead center or a few degrees of forward or back. 

I was using medium hardness, following advice I saw herein. I think I'll take a partner next time to have a hand to balance with and someone to carry it back to the truck when I'm done.  

Tired(hello old man).

Sore(hello forgotten muscles).

Happy. (No faceplant).

:P

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10 minutes ago, GamingBarbecue256 said:

What is the "pusher approach"?

Like a skateboarder... dominant foot on it's pedal pushing with the other. Try to step up and go once familiar with the balance. (Or so I've been led to believe) 

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Read this thread in its entirety: 

TLDR: Start getting comfortable with the wheel by spinning in slow circles around your grounded (off) foot. Then use a wall or railing to balance on the wheel and get a feel for riding forward. Finally learn how to hop on and ride off from there. Use a leash if you want to keep from scratching the wheel if/when you step off as you learn. When using a leash be careful it doesn't trigger the auto-off switch under the handle if there is one.

 

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Keep the calibration level for now. Medium ride mode is fine, but if any of the others feels better, use that. This is an instinctual thing.

It's only exhausting when learning (especially the bending down to hold the wheel). Once you have the hang of it, the wheel weight will vanish below your feet and every wheel will feel like nothing, until you stop riding and have to carry the damn thing.

Frequent short sessions are better than long ones. 15-20 minutes a few times a day (of course, if you're having fun, don't stop:efee8319ab:). Your brain needs time to process, and you literally get better overnight. What works barely at the end of a day's last session will suddenly work better when you try it the next day (or day after that).

Here's two good videos, there isn't too much to say other than do what you feel make sense, don't overthink. Just try and get a feel for the strange machine. And enjoy.

Not much else to add other than... you do wear wrist guards, right?:efee47c9c8:

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Thanks guys... I'm the eager beaver type so I've been reading and watching everything for weeks now. But just reading about it does not an expert make.

I did spend some time getting familiar with the wheel, dominant foot on pedal, turning slow circles for a while. Only after that did I try and push forward with one foot and eventually step up. 

I'm a patient person and realize that this is way outside my normal comfort zone and activity level. It will take time... I expect it will click when it clicks.

I'm actually okay with the progress... maybe it takes two hours or two months... still trucking on no matter and I can hang my hat on the fact that neither me or the wheel were injured in round one!

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A good trick is: don't be afraid to go a bit faster. Walking speed and slightly above that and turning is much harder than 10+ mph and just going in a straight line. So as soon as you can step on in the open (or even before that if you step on with the help of a pole or wall) just lean forward and floor it. Then you can practice going from riding faster to slower and keeping the balance, until you can go from a quick braking for stepping off to doing the same in slow motion, sloooowly reducing speed and even standing still for a moment before you step off with one leg.

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24 minutes ago, meepmeepmayer said:

Not much else to add other than... you do wear wrist guards, right?:efee47c9c8:

Absolutely! Old dudes break easy when they fall... a reality I was reminded of when playing volleyball recently. <sigh>

Triple eight knee pads and wrist guards, some motorcycle gloves and an old bicycle helmet... though I have to admit my first thought was to make a full-sleeved tunic out of the left over yoga mat and duct tape. What a great way to embarrass my kids.

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It's been determined many times by people here including me that the reason EUCs are rather hard to learn is because any slight mistake results in a fall.

Therefore make it so minor mistakes don't result in a fall. Get another person on either a bicycle or an EUC, and hold onto them. Those minor mistakes forces them to correct for your mistakes, and in this way I've commonly taught people within minutes or less. You wobble, they correct, and so within an incredibly short amount of time they can ride just fine.

Now mounting an EUC... that's another story...

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When I learned I found it easier to just go for it, pad up your EUC and ride straight. I tried watching vids and reading but it actually did more harm than good. I started on dirt/desert and in two hours I was riding great, turns as well. 

In short, do what works for you while learning and don't feel like you have to do this a certain way. You will be cruising in no time mate. 

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you should get it, "click" in about 2-3 hours of trying.  30 minutes at a time.  best way is to pad up, wear protection, get on the wheel with two feet and push off from a fence or wall.  learn to lean forward so you maintain a some speed, little faster than walking.  don't make the mistake of going slow.  going slow is the an advanced skill.  balancing is easier when the wheel gets moving.

good luck, it may feel like it is impossible, just know it isn't.  every little effort you invest, your brain is working to "figure it out".  It will click if you feed it enough data.  it is a remarkable thing.

 

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So, some more basic questions... 

I have tried (about 3 hours in total) to make some progress on learning to ride. A little progress maybe?

One thing I'm having issue with... I have tried all three riding modes and no matter which one, I cannot maintain any balance while the thing spools up. I had people recommend trying to get going along side a wall and then take off from the end as fast as possible to let centripetal force help, but it seems that I'm pushing forward, pushing forward and it doesn't get going until it's too late and I've already lost my balance. I"m 250+ lbs... am I just too big for it to spool up, for this learning method? The only thing I've had any success at is when I can get on, using my spouses shoulder and then she walks fast or jogs until I can take off. I've gotten several 50 foot runs using this method. Problem is, she's not usually available when I am.  Any way to make it accelerate a bit faster (besides lose a bit of weight?)

Second, where should I place my feet? I've tried forward (which gets me going a little faster) AND middle (Front to Back). And also right up against AND foot hanging off 1/3 to the outside (Left to Right). Can't tell that it makes a difference but that may be because I suck too bad at this point for it to help. Any suggestions?

I'm a patient learner... I'm just not sure if the 'exercises' I'm try to learn with are moving me toward the goal at all. 

I may have to resort to the shopping cart method... 

 

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I wish you the best.  I'm also a newby.  Got an MSuperX (Your 18L an awesome wheel too).  I finally just found a very large open parking lot.

I practiced getting on, then trying to go forward, any distance at all, then getting off.

Today is my 8th day of practice.  Most practice only about 10 to 15 minutes, as I got too tired.   

I found that I need to use the triangle (wheel tilted), and with my feet mid way on the wheel.   Also my leg tilted so my knee even with the center of the wheel. 

Then with just a tiny amount of push, step onto the wheel.     Too much push and I could never get my second foot in the right position.   As long as there is forward momentum, I was able to get on and get going.  

Last Friday, I was able to mount and haphazardly make it anywhere from 20 to 40 feet before dismounting.  

Yesterday, I was able to make it about 100 feet.  

Tonight, I'm unlimited.  I can go a full block on a big open parking lot, then turn (turns a bit shaky) and come back all the way back.  

Just keep practicing, and be patient!  You will get there!  I'm still a long way, but very happy today as I crossed a major threshold.  Yours will come too!

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Not sure if this works with everyone. But one of the tip that help me the most was practice twisting the wheels, sort of like what you do when you ride a bike at low speed. Not sure exactly what it is, but practicing this was what got me off the wall and starting riding in open spaces. IMHO don't worry about feet placement for now. I have been riding for 4 month and am only starting to experiment with shifting my feet, the first 2-3 month I mostly kept my feet in the same spot tight to the scooter.

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45 minutes ago, Hsiang said:

the tip that help me the most was practice twisting the wheels

@HsiangDo you mean, twist back and forth while staying in one place or while moving along the wall?

 

2 hours ago, Andy Crossett said:

Just keep practicing, and be patient!  You will get there!  I'm still a long way, but very happy today as I crossed a major threshold.  Yours will come too!

Thanks @Andy Crossett for the encouragement. As I said, I'm patient and knew this wouldn't be easy (for me). Just making sure that the direction I'm headed is forward and not backward. I too am stopping after 20 minutes or so... it's exhausting for a big guy. Hoping to have some good progress before the days are too short or cold to ride much... I'd hate to have to start from scratch in the spring! On the bright side, those 20 minutes, I'm getting a pretty decent workout (from the look of y T-shirt afterwards) 

Thanks guys.

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From one big guy to another, here's something that you may benefit from... Use your hips!

First off, don't worry about mounting until you can ride - after all there is no point in being able to mount if you can't then ride from there.

So use a wall or a railing or a pole and climb up - get the feel for the wheel by idling back and forward. Now here is where the big guy bit comes in... Don't lean too much - that is what makes it more stressful, which makes riding harder. Instead, use your hips... Keep your back fairly straight, knees slightly bent and just push forward with your hips - this will keep you comfortably upright while shifting your centre of gravity forward (making you move).

As a larger rider, a lot of comfort comes from not leaning hard. And that is where using your hips may help you ride with a bit more relaxation (which is key to making it work). So, hips forward to accelerate, backward to decelerate, and then drop your inside hip (with a bit more knee bend too) to turn in that direction.

This may fit in with what you have already learned, or it may adjust how you ride a little. I know though (for me anyway), this is the best way to stay relaxed and enjoy the ride!

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I actually found that expert mode is easier as a beginner because it helps you pick up speed with less effort. And for a beginner especially, picking up speed is your friend. You'll find the skateboard starts are easier to push off on because motor kicks in earlier to your inputs. Eventually, you won't need to do a skateboard start.

I left it in expert mode ever since. Everytime i try to go back to medium, it felt less responsive. 

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People who are right-handed usually kick a soccer ball with their right foot. We become used to planting our weight with our left foot to make actions with our right/dominant foot. Right-handed skateboarders usually ride using "regular" stance with their left foot forward, steering with their right/rear foot.

Mounting an EUC, most people should find it easier to place the non-dominant foot on first and then push off with the dominant foot.

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If you insist on learning while going slow, 18L isn't the best wheel to do this as it is not very easy to do the twisting action required to stay upright/balanced on the EUC.  So if you know how to ride a bike, it is easier to visualize what you need to do.  When you go slow on a bike, you need to twist the front wheel in the direction you are falling.  When you have learned to ride a bike this become automatic.  Bike and EUC wants to fall.  You need to twist to where you are falling to "catch" yourself.  

In the beginning of learning if you are going really slow, try to exaggerate this movement.  This needs to be done when you are not moving fast enough.  when you are moving fast enough, it takes very fine shifting of your weight left and right to keep you upright.  

It will click for you, just don't give up.  

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14 hours ago, Seware74 said:

 

One thing I'm having issue with... I have tried all three riding modes and no matter which one, I cannot maintain any balance while the thing spools up. I had people recommend trying to get going along side a wall and then take off from the end as fast as possible to let centripetal force help, but it seems that I'm pushing forward, pushing forward and it doesn't get going until it's too late and I've already lost my balance. I"m 250+ lbs... am I just too big for it to spool up, for this learning method? The only thing I've had any success at is when I can get on, using my spouses shoulder and then she walks fast or jogs until I can take off. 

 

As @eddiemoy once said, we give ourselves entirely too much credit for learning an EUC. It's not hard to learn an EUC, we already know all the parts needed to riding one if we can already ride a bicycle.

I estimate it should take between 40 to 120 seconds to learn to ride an EUC.

Typically, what happens is a new rider hops on, using a wall or otherwise, wobbles for a few feet, then hops on. Total time: 2 seconds. 

Instead, have a moving wall next to you so each time you wobble you can still stay on. My direct observation is people will typically wobble but still stay up for around 15 seconds, and by 40 seconds it clicks and off they go!

Ridiculous to do it any other way except the hand holding way or bicycle/shoulder way.

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48 minutes ago, LanghamP said:

As @eddiemoy once said, we give ourselves entirely too much credit for learning an EUC. It's not hard to learn an EUC, we already know all the parts needed to riding one if we can already ride a bicycle.

I estimate it should take between 40 to 120 seconds to learn to ride an EUC.

Typically, what happens is a new rider hops on, using a wall or otherwise, wobbles for a few feet, then hops on. Total time: 2 seconds. 

Instead, have a moving wall next to you so each time you wobble you can still stay on. My direct observation is people will typically wobble but still stay up for around 15 seconds, and by 40 seconds it clicks and off they go!

Ridiculous to do it any other way except the hand holding way or bicycle/shoulder way.

I've not seen anyone pick this up in 40-120 seconds except those who come from manual unicycle background.  No way anyone else can "click" in 40-120 seconds.  I'm a little skeptic.

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1 minute ago, eddiemoy said:

I've not seen anyone pick this up in 40-120 seconds except those who come from manual unicycle background.  No way anyone else can "click" in 40-120 seconds.  I'm a little skeptic.

Have you used the hand holding method on a new rider yet?

100% of a dozen or so riders I've used that method on can ride within a minute or two, and often much less.

You need to be scientific about this; if you go find a dozen people and they cannot learn within seconds, then I'll agree with your skepticism, but if you're being skeptical without going out there and teaching people, then you're not helping advance EUC knowledge.

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45 minutes ago, LanghamP said:

Have you used the hand holding method on a new rider yet?

100% of a dozen or so riders I've used that method on can ride within a minute or two, and often much less.

You need to be scientific about this; if you go find a dozen people and they cannot learn within seconds, then I'll agree with your skepticism, but if you're being skeptical without going out there and teaching people, then you're not helping advance EUC knowledge.

I totally agree with you, except, for the time frame. From  my experience I was able to teach 5 people to ride an EUC within 30 minutes max. Fastest was 5 minutes with unicycle and slacklining background. All I did was walk the whole time beside them, so they can hold on fast for the first couple minutes and then just lean on my outstretched arm to barely touching my arm if necessary after a short time. With that help, all of them were able to ride straight within 30 minutes and do some large radius turns. Getting up on the wheel on their own is a different thing, but if you feel comfortable riding, then it comes quickly.

So go and find someone to hold on to and practice with them. Maybe bribe a friend with a case of beer to spend half an hour walking around with you :eff00eab1e: 

Marco

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2 hours ago, LanghamP said:

Have you used the hand holding method on a new rider yet?

100% of a dozen or so riders I've used that method on can ride within a minute or two, and often much less.

You need to be scientific about this; if you go find a dozen people and they cannot learn within seconds, then I'll agree with your skepticism, but if you're being skeptical without going out there and teaching people, then you're not helping advance EUC knowledge.

I taught both my kids how to ride.  They both took 1-2 hours to learn.  Same as with a bicycle.  

Haven't tried your method.  I was holding them from behind letting them go and catching them again.  Tiring.  LOL

Maybe you can create a video on how to learn this in 40-120 seconds.  I'm still doubtful as I've never seen this done.  I don't see how being along side them would work, but then again, I didn't see how you can learn how to ride a bicycle a proven method in 1 hour or so until I used it on my kids and saw it with my own eyes.  It just hasn't been my experience that you can learn that quickly, or be taught that quickly. 

Also, if you can legitimately teach folks in that short a time, you should open a school or something.

 

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