Uni for a "large" person

[Janis Kenderdine]

I am going to Japan in November, and well... I'm a desk jockey.  I'm looking for some sort of transportation that will be convenient to help me with all the walking involved, but I can drag around with me on subways and such without much hassle.  I'm an old-school skateboarder, rollerblader, rollerskater (derby) and the like, so I'm not worried about my balance, although give me a reality check on the muscle-development and how long it'll be before stuff doesn't hurt.  (I only have 2 months to master this thing!)

But #1 problem is: which model?  I'm 5'10-11", and close to 300 lbs these days.  *oof*

How dangerous are potential spills?  What things (like bumps in sidewalks, twigs, etc.) will have a significant impact on stability?

[dmethvin]

There has been some discussion in a couple of existing threads. Hard for me to give any first-hand advice, I'm puny and only 5'7" 

 

 

[Janis Kenderdine]

I've read those, but they are not talking about people around 135kg...

I'm looking at the King Song 18... any others out there that might fit the bill?  I saw a "Kahuna" somewhere too, but not impressed with the styling.  Looks like a pelican case.

[Gimlet]

Until the KS brings out their new motor for the 18" I believe they are using the same 800w motor that is used on the 14".

With bigger wheels you get a lot less torque unless you up the motor power significantly and I think that as you are over the recommended upper 120kg limit of most wheels you are going to need all the torque you can get.

Don't worry too much about the 120kg limit as my 90Kg son takes his 75Kg  friend  piggy back style occasionally with no real problems on all my wheels, 18", 16", 14" and even my little 10" M10.

[Janis Kenderdine]

Would shut-down/cool-down be more of an issue on an over-limit (smaller) unit, even if they have the same big motor?  What about battery life?

[Chrisxr2]

I am 6ft 2 and 210 pounds, my Solowheel xtreme copes fine with me.

[Gimlet]

I'm 90kg and rode Sam Clegg's xtreme on Sunday. It does have power but it doesn't deliver for very long before it suffers from low voltage and goes into a vibration warning mode. It did this after we came back from a 5km ride and dropped down over the hill to my home and up the 15metre steep 19 degree slope of my driveway.

The KS 800w tilts back after long fast rides up steep hills and won't let you ride until the available voltage has recovered. I see this as a safety feature rather than a failing and it's easily avoided by riding a little more slowly up long steep hills. 

With its much larger battery the KS copes with a lot more stress before suffering from low voltage.

Loved the design of the xtreme and comfortable riding position but didn't like the very soft riding firmware and small battery.

[KaleOsaurusRex]

I have received official word from King Song that the 18" 800w 680wh version should work fine with a 150kg rider, for what that's worth.

[Chrisxr2]

I'm 90kg and rode Sam Clegg's xtreme on Sunday. It does have power but it doesn't deliver for very long before it suffers from low voltage and goes into a vibration warning mode. It did this after we came back from a 5km ride and dropped down over the hill to my home and up the 15metre steep 19 degree slope of my driveway.

The KS 800w tilts back after long fast rides up steep hills and won't let you ride until the available voltage has recovered. I see this as a safety feature rather than a failing and it's easily avoided by riding a little more slowly up long steep hills. 

With its much larger battery the KS copes with a lot more stress before suffering from low voltage.

Loved the design of the xtreme and comfortable riding position but didn't like the very soft riding firmware and small battery.

if I get low battery warning after 3 miles, my xtreme is going back, hopefully the lots of downhill sections will help with the regeneration on the ropes I will mainly frequent.

[Gimlet]

if I get low battery warning after 3 miles, my xtreme is going back, hopefully the lots of downhill sections will help with the regeneration on the ropes I will mainly frequent.

It wasn't a low battery warning, it ws a low voltage warning which is totally diffeent.

Batteries have internal resisance and it takes time for the power to flow from the centre to the end contacts, with powerful motors this leads to temporary low available voltage and the smaller the battery the quicker it happen as they have less individual cells and must draw deeper from each one.

[Janis Kenderdine]

I am 6ft 2 and 210 pounds, my Solowheel xtreme copes fine with me.

Sadly, there's a big difference between that and 300 lbs.  I remember 210 and thinking I was fat... *sigh*

I have received official word from King Song that the 18" 800w 680wh version should work fine with a 150kg rider, for what that's worth.

Great!  The other question is just how exercise-intensive it is to ride, as I'll have to get used to it fairly quickly.  I can handle anaerobic exercise (weights, muscle-building etc.) ok, it's the cardio I have problems with (asthma and that fun stuff.)

And, the question about what tends to mess up your stability - rocks, twigs, bumps, etc.  Rollerblades, for example, seem a lot more stable to me going over stuff than skateboards and quad-skates - possibly due to the polyeurethane wheels, possibly due to less contact with the road (it just slides left or right), possibly because there are wheels behind to "catch" it.  I would expect with a much larger diameter (like 12-18") this wouldn't be as much of an issue, but something I'd wonder about.

[Chriull]

Sadly, there's a big difference between that and 300 lbs.  I remember 210 and thinking I was fat... *sigh*

if you are going uphill you will have about 30% less range. On the flat terrain you should have not much difference, if you don't do excessive accelerations/stops all the time. Acceleration uses again more energy in direct correlation to weight as going uphill, going on level with constant speed is theoretically wirhout influence from the weight. Just friction and wind drag is by a small amount higher. There the main energy consumption comes from kick back by the speed warning. I once looked at my ninedroid app and used (if i remember correctly) about 150watts while going just normally and about 250 watts when kick back was active (going about 20-21kph with my ninebot e+)

Great!  The other question is just how exercise-intensive it is to ride, as I'll have to get used to it fairly quickly.  I can handle anaerobic exercise (weights, muscle-building etc.) ok, it's the cardio I have problems with (asthma and that fun stuff.)

In the beginning its extremely intensive - you use your whole body to stay upright and fight for every centimeter (or inch if you are from overseas  ) I had "light" sore muscles from the toes up to the shoulder. So i did only "trainings" twice a day for 10-20 minutes, which was okay and always had big progress from Session to session. After 4-5 days and one longer drive inbetween without curves/peoples/descends/ascends i managed to go through the city (with all the crowded pedestrian areas) without major problems.

Mounting the wheel was imho the most difficult and exhausting part - so against most recommendations from the forum a postponed starting to learn mounting the wheel. Fortunately on my way where always poles, walls and other stuff to hold one for the forced stops.

On the other side my younger brothers (about 20 years old) just needed 20 minutes and where quite fine...

Once you learned it and drive relaxed its no excercise at all anymore.

And, the question about what tends to mess up your stability - rocks, twigs, bumps, etc.  Rollerblades, for example, seem a lot more stable to me going over stuff than skateboards and quad-skates - possibly due to the polyeurethane wheels, possibly due to less contact with the road (it just slides left or right), possibly because there are wheels behind to "catch" it.  I would expect with a much larger diameter (like 12-18") this wouldn't be as much of an issue, but something I'd wonder about.

 

When going over Bumps, twigs I caused quite hard wobbling to the EUC in the very beginning - but thats no problem after a couple of times. Rocks can relocate/offest you a couple of centimeters to the side which is very confusing too in the beginning  but also a thing you get used to..

But i only drove with the 16" and have no experience how it is with other diameters.

[Cloud]

Until the KS brings out their new motor for the 18" I believe they are using the same 800w motor that is used on the 14".

With bigger wheels you get a lot less torque unless you up the motor power significantly and I think that as you are over the recommended upper 120kg limit of most wheels you are going to need all the torque you can get.

Don't worry too much about the 120kg limit as my 90Kg son takes his 75Kg  friend  piggy back style occasionally with no real problems on all my wheels, 18", 16", 14" and even my little 10" M10.

 

I dont want to sound discouraging to the original poster, but i would be very careful with 300 lbs on a unicycle. 

1.  the wheel takes not only static but also dynamic load. I ride on one foot also for a short distance, placing all of my 220lbs on one pedal, but this doesnt mean that the unicycle will hold a 440 lbs person. Going over bumps on the road, braking, jumping off of small elevated surfaces will add dynamic load on the pedals and the unit in addition to the weight itself. 

2. a 300lbs person will feel the hits from every bump much more than a lighter person.

3.  i would imagine that the unit will overheat much faster carrying a bigger load which may make it almost impossible to ride.going uphill may become more of a hurdle.

4. Just because the manufacurer says they will rate their wheel for 300lbs doesnt mean that the wheel will behave normally in every respect. It may be rated for the weight ( so it will hold the weight) but will it accelerate fast enough? Will it not overheat? How will the battery behave? The riding conditions may not be optimal. How did they even test it? Where did they find a 150kg person in china? This may not get tested thoroughly.

5 . If a unicycle is really rated for the extra weight, it will affect its construction - thicker, heavier parts, more provisions for heat dissipation, etc. This will affect the weight.  Is this really in manufacturer's interest to produce a heavier unit that eill be suitable for an additional small percent of the potential customer base? Or is it more profitable to make a lighter unit that will beat competition but maybe not suitable for a small percentage of bigger people? I would think the latter.

6 imagine 300lbs falling down from a unicycle ( everybody falls at some point) and hitting the surface at high speed. How much momentum will the body have hitting the pavement. Dangerous

i know i sound like a kill joy, but please just think this through before you make a decision. 

[Gimlet]

One assumes that larger people will be get used to the capabilities of the wheel they learn on. It obviously won't be as capable when carrying a greater weight but a good wheel will cope far bether in this situation than a cheap small motored generic does with a lighter adult riding it. 

I wouldn't expect a heavier person to be attempting large kerb drops and extended one foot riding.

I still think that until the KS18" gets its bigger motor the 14" is likely to give you more torque with the same powered motor.

More torque means that when you hit bumps and surface changes the wheel will catch any imbalance much quicker.

[MarkoMarjamaa]

How about the the tires?Didn't somebody say the tires were only rated for 65kg?

I would say, try. Your wheel might brake down earlier, but how much is 'earlier' ? We don't yet know.

[Gimlet]

There is quite a variation of tyres used by different manufacturers, some of them have low specs, some are a lot better, a lot are originally made for kids bikes but I haven't heard of anybody having a tyre burst on a kerb jump or anything similar.

As I've already said all of mine have successfully carried 165kg two up, most for about a kilometer or so from my local pub.

[MrBump]

I am 6ft 2 and 210 pounds, my Solowheel xtreme copes fine with me.

How's it going with that, by the way?  Looks like a nice wheel.

[Chrisxr2]

Getting there.

[Janis Kenderdine]

I dont want to sound discouraging to the original poster, but i would be very careful with 300 lbs on a unicycle. 

All your points are valid, and what concern me.  Power is one thing, but structural integrity is at play too.  I got to this weight because I'm an engineer paid to think, not exercise.  ;-)  

My friend in Japan did some research for me, and alas, all electric vehicles/scooters/everything is subject to registration, not allowed on roads, sidewalks, or bike lanes, so... It looks like this potential hobby will have to wait until spring time.  I settled on a Xootr scooter... Manual kick scooter, yes, but I was mostly looking for a portable glide/assist to the walking I'll have to do.  It seems it's a popular model among us fat American tourists, and maybe it'll help me slim down a bit to a more manageable E-unicycle weight.  

I'm interested in how you like the solowheel, too?  

In any case, all this research has got my thinking cap on, and I've been discussing some ideas with the 2 electrical engineer and physicists I live with.  ;-)  So maybe I'll eventually contribute to this whole "eco-alternatives in personal transportation" in some small way down the road.  ;-)

[Gimlet]

Have a great time in Japan Janis.

Let's hope we get to hear from you on your return.