tothjm Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 hey guys i just started yesterday and had a question. so i got the Glide 3, i ended up brusing my right dominate leg on the bone near the mid calf muscle region. I was curious if i am just doing something wrong or what? leaning the 30lb against my leg is VERY uncomfortable so today i am going to wrap my leg up so i can keep learning.. can only ride for about 1-2.5 seconds before i fall off but i suppose everyone has their own learning rate and curve. i dont have a ton of muscle mass so not a lot of self padding.. also looking for suggestions on anything off amazon like a gel pad or something i can tape onto the device at least while i learn. i basically start with the wheel turned down towards the left leg so i can hop on and that is no problem but just leaning it against my right leg while i wait to hop on hurts bad now. i also read that you should try balancing on 1 leg and use the left to hop forward but even trying to brace my body against my righty leg again hurts really bad.. prob just not strong enough yet? am i doing something wrong or just need more muscle mass\pading ? any beginner tips welcome as well im heading back out today after work to try again :) wont give up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarrettJ Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 That's normal when getting started - when getting started it's a lot more tiring on your body as there is a lot of starting and stopping and bending over. In a week or two you won't even notice it on your leg at all (at least partially because you won't be starting and stopping nearly as often). I'd recommend doing a lot of short sessions (I would go out like 5 times a day for like 15 minutes at first - I'd always end wanting to do more, but I know I have a tendency to over do it and injure myself and I managed to not injure myself learning this). Learning would frequently come in "aha!" moments and breaks really help with that - and one thing to keep in mind is that it is a LOT harder to go slower than it is to go fast. I'd also recommend trying to keep your arms by your side and not using them for extra balance (which will be your natural tendency). You can also try mounting on the opposite side if your calf is still hurting (or if you have a SO you can rope into helping you mount, then you can practice going at speed for longer without having to do as much mounting). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoadRunner Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 When i started, not long ago, i had the same problem. I just put on some long socks and stuffed another sock in there, helped a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mono Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 Padding https://www.electricunicycles.eu/protective_foam_bumper_(black)_anti_scratch_adhesive_tape-c__226 and even shin guards (worn turned inwards) https://www.amazon.com/Franklin-Sports-Superlight-Guards-Assorted/dp/B002HJ5ZDY was without I wouldn't have been able to learn. The shin guards I don't need anymore by now. The padding I still find helpful to prevent unnecessary pain (though I could do without as well). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tothjm Posted October 24, 2018 Author Share Posted October 24, 2018 guys thanks so much for the info and links i will def take a look... the extra padding would be helpful since this is the only wheel with literally no damn padding on it lol.. way to go Inmotion can you guys speak at all about riding position and usage of legs? my main questions are about my ankles and where the tops of my legs hug the wheel itself? is the idea to hug it with my legs to steer and balance and hug with my ankles, or do i keep my ankles away from the wheel, but hug with legs vs just have it against 1 leg at a time etc tried to watch a ton of EUC videos to see how others do it but i see a mix of some not touching the wheel at all, some seem to have legs against wheel but not harshly.. i guess where does the balance happen, is it with leg hugging, or just muscles figuring out how to balance without touching. im sure all is possible once i figure this out it also turns out that the wheel shipped almost entirely flat lol.. no wonder i couldn't balance on the damn thing my first day... last night was better now that i have air in it but still cant go for too long and lots of arm balancing happening but ill take your advice and try to keep the arms down for now best as i can. thanks again and all suggestions links and question answers very much appreciated! just on the stage of trying to figure out now what to do with those ankles and legs and squeezing\hugging the wheel for balance vs not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meepmeepmayer Posted October 24, 2018 Share Posted October 24, 2018 Don't worry too much about your stance, it takes a while to relax and find a natural one. Certainly more than a few days. So stand how it feels comfortable and so you feel in control. Usually, you more or less only steer with your feet and touch a wheel only because the rest of your body is there anyways. The V8 is comparably tall and narrow which makes it more natural to clamp it with your ankles and legs (especially as a beginner), and you can more easily ride one-legged etc where you need to hold it against your leg. But in principle your soles on the pedals do 95% of the controlling. On all wheels, most people will stand with the feet on the outside of the pedals or even overhanging. Doing that (and not having the ankles touch the wheel) might be a good idea to consciously try. It will also give you a greater leverage for your legs to keep the wheel from tilting sideways. So keep your ankles free. I tried a V8, coming from the ACM which is very wide and low, where leg control (pushing against the sides) doesn't work and it's all via the pedals. I found the V8 hard to control at first, doing snake lines, until I realized it needs very little input to balance. Slightly shifting weight between the legs and not touching the wheel with them otherwise worked best for me to keep it going in a straight line. You can also step on the wheel, hold on to a wall with one hand, and then move your legs away from the body and tilt the wheel left-right back and forth to train being more relaxed and to control with the pedals. Eventually you can do this tilt thing when riding. In the end, these are just recommendations, what works best for you is the right thing to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tothjm Posted October 24, 2018 Author Share Posted October 24, 2018 oh and sorry, what do you guys suggest i use for a strap and or something on Amazon USA i can purchase to keep this from falling since Inmotion did not send a strap of any kind..cheap asses they didnt even send a 90 degree attachment for the air nasal! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarrettJ Posted October 24, 2018 Share Posted October 24, 2018 You'll find your stance with time, I wouldn't worry about that. One tip that I wish I could go back in time and give myself is to not worry about "perfect pedal position" - for some reason I thought I should be trying to get my feet into this exact perfect position each time - it turns out there are lots of "good enough" positions and no such things as "perfect" (there's also a lot of "I can make do with this for a few blocks and the next time I have to stop I'm gonna reorient" positions, too) - I pretty much always have one foot slightly ahead of the other, too (usually my right). Also don't look at your feet when trying to get on - if I look a few feet ahead I mount 99% of the time with maybe a wobble at most; but if I'm looking at my feet it's 50/50 as to if I'll need a second try to mount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tothjm Posted October 25, 2018 Author Share Posted October 25, 2018 do you guys have any tips for keeping the body straight when mounting? so after day 3 doing better, but i find that when i mount the ride, i guess im twisting my body by accident to try and balance and of course that makes the wheel try to turn in a circle lol.. trying to stay straight and just get my footing in a place that im comfortable with so far so good, man ill be happy when i can just go in a straight line without falling lol... can feel my whole damn legs being sore and getting stronger! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meepmeepmayer Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 The V8 is very sensitive due to its geometry. You're likely oversteering, and then your ass (literally) has to counterbalance, hence the body twisting. Do very slight pressure variations between your feet and slight upper body turns to control the direction you're going. Also at this stage, simpy use a wall/pole to get on the wheel, find a nice foot position, and then go free. Riding is easier than mounting. Instead of mount+ride, do ride+slow down+step off to learn the ropes. Start by holding on to something. Other tips: Go fast! Speed stabilizes you, so aim for something like 15kph/10mph instead of walking speed. Consciously keep your hands on your side/at your hips. So you'll learn not to use your arms for balance. You balance a EUC like you'd balance a bicycle's front tire. By twisting it around the vertical axis, in the direction it would otherwise fall. Do that for staying balanced instead of using foot pressure. Use your hips instead of legs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tothjm Posted October 25, 2018 Author Share Posted October 25, 2018 thanks for the tips! so i cant seem to stay on the thing without falling off for more than about 2-3 seconds at this stage so i think your tips mean well but at this point im just trying to not fall basically right away haha.. i can ride an electric scooter and bike no problem but this is taking a bit more time for me it seems. i think i need more core and leg strength, but when im going slow my body has started steering into the direction im falling on its own so thats good, but i do still fall lol. some progress! for the reasons listed above i think 10mph is out of the question haha.. as i start to approach some decent speed in the 2 sec or so i can stay on the thing, my overcorrections turn deadly and end in sharp turns and me having to jump off the thing. i guess my balance just isnt there yet ? little crushing to see some people get it in a few days but for me taking a bunch longer though one guy online who does reviews mentioned it taking a solid 2 weeks. im determined either way so i will just keep trying until my body finally gets it and try to keep your tips in mind! if anyone has any other tips or if it sounds like im doing something wrong that i should correct please let me know. I def am hard on myself and feel like i should get things quicker than i do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rehab1 Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 Simon had some very informative tutorials about learning how to mount and ride an EUC. You can easily explore his other videos from his link. Once you master the skills you’ll be hooked. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mono Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 The most valuable tip(s) to find the balance are IMHO given in the two vids linked in this post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tothjm Posted October 25, 2018 Author Share Posted October 25, 2018 i will keep the twisting motion in mind. thats really good to think about that way. mine did not come with a band to save the wheel when i bail off.. anyone have suggestions of something to use or buy ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarrettJ Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 Search amazon for a luggage strap - mine was neon orange and like $6. It’s very important to have it be adjusted so it’s not so short you accidentally hit the kill switch while riding but not so long that the wheel can tip too far or get away from you (and then boomeranging back due to the leash and hitting you...that wasn’t a fun a lesson). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
existensil Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 I learned with the Glide 3. Since it has a button under the handle to turn the wheel off when lifting, I think a strap is very dangerous unless you can find somewhere else to attach it. Even if you place the strap away from the button at the front of the handle, it could easily slide back during a bump and shut the wheel off. That would be catastrophic. I learned without a strap. I think a strap would make it easier, but, on the wheel we have (Glide 3) it's simply too dangerous. It's a very manageable wheel though. Just take your time. Find some railing, fences, and maybe a friend willing to lend their shoulder. You'll get it without the strap. It won't even take much longer. It's a very durable wheel. I've had multiple high speed hop offs which sent it into a curb and it was just fine, minus the cracks and scratches added to the outer plastic shell. I got this wheel based on the durability that various videos make evident. It has not disappointed. Try to reach down and catch it if you can during a hop off, but if you don't it's probably going to be just fine. It took me almost full two weeks of going out every day and spending at least a few frustrating minutes trying to "get it" and practicing on the railing outside, and eventually a nearby parking lot. I had one fall and several hop offs, but now I mix with car and pedestrian traffic effortlessly. Gear up and keep at it. Eventually, it will be everything you hoped it would be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingfelder Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 On 10/23/2018 at 1:17 PM, Jesse T said: hey guys i just started yesterday and had a question. so i got the Glide 3, i ended up brusing my right dominate leg on the bone near the mid calf muscle region. I got a huge "pedal bite" right where you're talking about, from my regular unicycle. Those pedals usually have big nasty teeth. It was serious enough that continuing to practice was out of the question, and once I could get back on, it seemed ridiculous to take the chance to be torn up that badly again. So I got out some soccer shin guards I had ordered from Amazon in my quest to find the perfect protection for the front of my legs. They were just too small to cover much in the front, even though they were the large size. But ... they fit pretty darn well to cover that vulnerable area in the back. Additionally, they didn't interfere with the bulky leg armor I use up front. Adidas Ghost: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0105YHSZA/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoadRunner Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 I’ve heard people take shopping carts to start, never tried it but sounds good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
existensil Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 Another tip for the Glide 3: I had a lot less discomfort when I purchased and installed the padded Protective Cover (found here: https://www.myinmotion.com/pages/parts-and-accessories). I think my upper calf is conditioned enough now that I could take it off without too much discomfort. Like others have said, you really do get used to it and won't even feel it in a couple weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mono Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 16 hours ago, existensil said: I learned with the Glide 3. Since it has a button under the handle to turn the wheel off when lifting, I think a strap is very dangerous unless you can find somewhere else to attach it. Even if you place the strap away from the button at the front of the handle, it could easily slide back during a bump and shut the wheel off. That would be catastrophic. The wheel shutting off is not going to happen, because the kill switch is inactive above around 2-3km/h. It still can happen while mounting (dealing with which is also a good exercise, IMHO). As a compromise, the kill switch can be deactivated in the app if so desired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tothjm Posted October 26, 2018 Author Share Posted October 26, 2018 hmm so i see the regular cover but i dont see a padded protective cover? they ship with the regular cover now which i am using. had a decent ah hah moment on day 4 training last night.. practiced the turning the wheel vs leaning to one side now that i have more strength and balance... was able to ride a bit further than normal and it feels easier to mount the wheel without help.. so this is exciting working on foot position for mounting and i am finding so far for me at least, it feels best and in the most control with only about an inch or less of foot hanging over the front. too much over the front and i have bad stabilitiy so i will just continue like that for now at least. still end up twisting some by accident and turnign the wheel into a 180 slowly but at least now i can balance through most of those mistakes lol... might rain today so may have to pause the practice but ya this is getting exciting.. i bet i can legit ride it straight very soon! ty soo much to those who left tips and the tip about twisting the wheeel to one side when falling i think for me was the most helpful so far!! watched some of the videos as well online that you all suggested which also was very nice... wish i could leave work early to try more, i will get this soon for sure EDIT: i ordered some D30 double sided wrist guards as i read on the forum here they worked great for a few people, curious if anyone has suggestions for a knee shin combo pads or just brands that they have used, fallen on, and confirm it works great? for now still need the shin\knee, elbow, and a decent helm. thinking just normal skater helm would be ok, i dont need full mask until i start going faster which honestly isnt going to be anytime soon not against a full body solution either, dont mind paying the 200 or whatever it is is it keeps me safe and protected. any and all info there welcome on pieces and or brands that have proven to work for you all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
existensil Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 @Mono Thank you. Didn't realize the speed limit on the button, or that it could be disabled in the app. @Jesse T Congrats. It will get rapidly easier, even if it doesn't seem like it on a given day. You will probably fall at some point, though, so protection is a good idea. I had a pretty fast fall practicing in a parking lot and I'm convinced the wrist guards prevented me from breaking my wrists. Would have been completely unscathed if I had worn my knee pads. I also sent the V8 high speed into a curb while falling, giving it some new outer cracks. It's a trooper. The cover I was referring to is probably the same one you have. It's cloth and has a thin amount of padding. Not much, but it has made the top of the device cut into my calf less, though I may have just conditioned myself around the same time I installed the cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tothjm Posted October 29, 2018 Author Share Posted October 29, 2018 guys -- looks like they shipped me a bad wheel tube.. came fairly deflated, thought that was normal so i put air in, around 35-40 psi. after a few days its squishy again.. pretty sure there is a leak which im pissed about. going to call them today see if they will send me one. Also i wanted to ask you guys.. for hte life of me, i cannot figure out how to get an air nossle on this thing without taking a screwdriver and proping up the air nose ( not a lot as i know that can cause tearing ). is there a tool to get at this thing easier? i tried to buy a 90 degree valve attachment but man does it suck, air just leaks out if you touch it the wrong way. It is so cloise to the wheel body nothing i have will attach to it and for 900 bucks they should really send you some kind of attachment. i may just be retarded here but anyone have some tips for getting at this thing or am i just going about it the wrong way ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
existensil Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 Quote i cannot figure out how to get an air nossle on this thing without taking a screwdriver and proping up the air nose... is there a tool to get at this thing easier? I'm just pulling it up with my fingers a couple mm, enough to slip on the nozzle of this compressor attached tire inflator: https://goo.gl/JHVUpz A screwdriver would probably make that a little easier :-P I used grip gloves the first time. I've started deflating it a bit for offroad trail riding, then pumping it back up for the street, so I've done this several times. Haven't noticed any slow leaks myself, but that is a common problem with any tube tire and is the perfect use of slime. I'm sure you could get Inmotion or your retailer to send you out a replacement, but you can probably save this tube with a little slime and never notice the problem again. You may want to also check if the valve core is a little loose. Taking it out to put in some slime would give you a chance to tighten it too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mozart Gutierrez Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 I'm having the same problem as well. I just recently started riding my inmotion and noticed that the tires deflate quite often. I've been practicing on my apartment hallway and it's perfect since I could use the walls to help me with my balance. I've now graduated to our parking lot but that's when I realized the tires got deflated very often. I pumped it to 40 PSI this morning before I left for work. I'm going to check the pressure once I get home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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