10" Travel Wheel, King Song version of the MTen3?

[Lutalo]

To be certain the usefulness of a wheel like this extend beyond  how I imagine I  would use the device. Functionally if the Airlines have made it more difficult to transport a wheel than it is to find a heart transplant donor it's not worth it for me. However, the utility of the wheel outside of airtravel make a wheel like this attractive to many buyers. Hell, for under 500 I might just buy one to hoard it. 

[Jerome]

On 1/6/2019 at 9:56 PM, The Fat Unicyclist said:

The biggest challenge with this is that most airlines have simply banned electric unicycles... As most staff will have never seen one before, it is impossible for them to tell whether it has batteries or not and whether it is safe. So the easy option is to just say, "No!"

I think that if a "flight safe" model were to be proposed, it would need to get airline (and maybe TSA) buy-in before anyone would be willing to take the chance on flying with one.

The above is the only way I would consider a travel wheel. The TSA/Airlines have approved the model - like Segway got "most" states to do so years ago for pavement riding. A ten inch wheel doesn't appeal to me as a subway/train to work-home vehicle because of the bad pavements, street bumps, dips and potholes. I rather trolley my 18L several blocks than carry a euc weighing less than half it's weight more than a few yards. The only possible reason I would have to buy such a proposed wheel is to practice skills and tricks and my interest is not great enough in those areas to invest even less than $500.

[paulz]

Instead of reducing the weight, focus on making the weight manageable.   Recess the pedals into the body creating flat sides.  Add three pull-out padded straps that turn it into a backpack, two for the shoulders, one for the waist.  Make the top handle rounded so that it is easier to carry without hurting the fingers.   Add a pull-out wheel cover to the bottom that hides and covers a potentially dirty wheel. 

 

[LanghamP]

I suppose you could get the wheel through airport security by disguising it as a very large gun.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/13/us/tsa-gun-flight/index.html
 

[that0n3guy]

I like the idea of a travel wheel.  Every time I go someplace I which I had one.  Most of this thread is focused on taking the battery on the plane.  If you look at electric skateboard forums, its an iffy process.   That said, many people avoid putting the batteries on the plane at all.

With removable batteries you could quickly/cheaply mail your batteries to your destination hotel or fedex pickup location. Without the batteries, it should be pretty easy to get your EUC on a plane. For those that go to the same place over and over, they could just leave a set of batteries at the location (remote office for example).

 

[Marty Backe]

1 hour ago, that0n3guy said:

I like the idea of a travel wheel.  Every time I go someplace I which I had one.  Most of this thread is focused on taking the battery on the plane.  If you look at electric skateboard forums, its an iffy process.   That said, many people avoid putting the batteries on the plane at all.

With removable batteries you could quickly/cheaply mail your batteries to your destination hotel or fedex pickup location. Without the batteries, it should be pretty easy to get your EUC on a plane. For those that go to the same place over and over, they could just leave a set of batteries at the location (remote office for example).

 

This really is not true. Plenty reports of EUCs not being allowed on a plane even if the batteries have been removed.

[Smoother]

1 hour ago, that0n3guy said:

I like the idea of a travel wheel.  Every time I go someplace I which I had one.  Most of this thread is focused on taking the battery on the plane.  If you look at electric skateboard forums, its an iffy process.   That said, many people avoid putting the batteries on the plane at all.

With removable batteries you could quickly/cheaply mail your batteries to your destination hotel or fedex pickup location. Without the batteries, it should be pretty easy to get your EUC on a plane. For those that go to the same place over and over, they could just leave a set of batteries at the location (remote office for example).

 

it has been mentioned several times in this thread that even without batteries several major airlines will not let an EUC on their airplanes.  

[Jason McNeil]

15 hours ago, that0n3guy said:

With removable batteries you could quickly/cheaply mail your batteries to your destination hotel or fedex pickup location. Without the batteries, it should be pretty easy to get your EUC on a plane.

Latest update on this: KS will be reaching out to their other Distributors to evaluate the possible market demand for the concept. They had mentioned the possibility of dusting off the old 14B; I suggested it's too old, too ugly, too large, not enough battery/power, in short not good enough for 2019. It won't be until at least 3-4 months until we see a 10-12" preproduction prototype.

[RockyTop]

13 hours ago, Smoother said:

it has been mentioned several times in this thread that even without batteries several major airlines will not let an EUC on their airplanes.  

I removed the batteries........ honest!

  I would hope that after showing them the empty battery port with a visible sticker That says “this device has two batteries. This battery has been removed check other side for other battery,” They would except that the small device is void of batteries. 

Edit: It would be better is the message was imbedded in the plastic.

[Smoother]

31 minutes ago, RockyTop said:

I removed the batteries........ honest!

  I would hope that after showing them the empty battery port with a visible sticker That says “this device has two batteries. This battery has been removed check other side for other battery,” They would except that the small device is void of batteries. 

Edit: It would be better is the message was imbedded in the plastic.

No, unfortunately they do not behave like this.  Your idea of embedded "battery goes here only" is clever and logical but, go read @US69 post (page 1) on how this did not work for him.  Also, read my post (also page 1) where United airlines specifically states no personal electric transport devices powered by Li-Ion batteries.  They don't care whether the batteries are present or not.  Li-Ion powered? rejected.  There are too many lives at stake and hundreds of millions of dollars of  equipment, not to mention the years of law suits if one of their minimum wage employees gets it wrong.  See @LanghamP s link about the gun carried to Japan in hand luggage.  These people make mistakes and boarding many aircraft per shift is fast paced and stressful.   Their game their rules.

Why are people still persisting with this idea when it wont work?  It's like nobody reads anyone else's posts.The only thing that will work is a design that uses airline safe battery technology that is certified and approved by major airlines.  Anything else, they will/do reject.

[Lutalo]

16 hours ago, that0n3guy said:

I like the idea of a travel wheel.  Every time I go someplace I which I had one.  Most of this thread is focused on taking the battery on the plane.  If you look at electric skateboard forums, its an iffy process.   That said, many people avoid putting the batteries on the plane at all.

With removable batteries you could quickly/cheaply mail your batteries to your destination hotel or fedex pickup location. Without the batteries, it should be pretty easy to get your EUC on a plane. For those that go to the same place over and over, they could just leave a set of batteries at the location (remote office for example).

 

That is a great idea for those who would just want to use it for tooling around. That wouldn't work for me because I imagine using as airport transportion; from the Airport terminal to the subway platform in Washington, and from the platform to home. Without being able to take the batteries aboard the ✈ there is little point for me; I don't personally see much use for a wheel. If under 500 smackers,  it would be a such a cool little wheel that I might get it as a hoarder. 😀👍

[that0n3guy]

14 hours ago, Smoother said:

it has been mentioned several times in this thread that even without batteries several major airlines will not let an EUC on their airplanes.  

That's because those EUC's weren't in a box that says "medical equipment" or "farm equipment" :p.   Or just put a big sticker on it that says "this side up" pointing at the wheel (upside down).

There is no security risk of a piece of metal with a wheel on it.  You just need to make sure no one knows its a "self balancing vehicle".

[Smoother]

4 minutes ago, that0n3guy said:

farm equipment

So If I paint my wheel John Deere green and add a few JD stickers maybe they will accept it?  I'd have to call myself Billy Bob, and this is my girlfriend; Charlene.

 

[that0n3guy]

17 minutes ago, Smoother said:

So If I paint my wheel John Deere green and add a few JD stickers maybe they will accept it?  I'd have to call myself Billy Bob, and this is my girlfriend; Charlene.

Ha, Probably, EUC's don't look like anything most people know.   For all they know its part of a pully system or part of a pivot.   Thats why you put the "this side up" stick on it so they start thinking about it upside down right away :P.

[that0n3guy]

The more I think about this, the more I just want a simple way to move when I travel.  I don't know if I care how I move (EUC, skateboard, scooter, whatever).  So an EUC for travel might be more of a pain than a small lightweight scooter or eboard. 

An EUC by design has to have more weight to have sufficient power and battery so it can never be as light as an eboard/scooter... simply because it has to balance.  The only advantage and EUC has it that it doesn't look like a vehicle.

There are some eboards that are < 15lbs with 7 miles range.  I'd say that almost everytime I travel a 3-10miles range is plenty.  Get from hotel to conference, or hotel to remote office, or cruise around a resort complex, or quick trip downtown form hotel, etc...

I know this is an EUC thread, but a "travel" designed escooter/eboard (with backpack designed specifically for it cough-upsell-cough :P) might do better since the weight could be kept way down.   As far as I know, there are no specific travel designed eboards out there (I'm probably wrong since there are a million of them popping up out of china).  

@Jason McNeil Have you played with that idea?  Is ewheels staying away from eboards from a strategy/brand standpoint?

[Smoother]

52 minutes ago, that0n3guy said:

The more I think about this, the more I just want a simple way to move when I travel.  I don't know if I care how I move (EUC, skateboard, scooter, whatever).  So an EUC for travel might be more of a pain than a small lightweight scooter or eboard. 

Thinking outside the box that's good.  But unfortunately the box you are thinking outside off is inside a much bigger box, specifically this one, "owned" by United Airlines:

On 1/6/2019 at 9:31 PM, Smoother said:

"In the interest of safety for our customers and employees, we do not accept as checked or carry-on baggage any recreational self-propelled vehicle or device designed to carry one or more persons or goods, and which moves by use of a lithium battery-powered electric motor.

Such devices or vehicles include, but are not limited to:

• Smart balance wheels/boards such as Hoverboard, Airboard and Skateboard
• Self-balancing wheeled devices such as Ninebot
• Battery-assisted bicycles such as e-bikes
• Wheeled vehicles or motorcycles
• Electrically-powered scooters
• Riding, motorized suitcases"

And most airlines have something similar.  As @Marty Backe said, it's not worth the risk of showing up at the airport with a TSA approved wheel only to have the airline say "not on one of our planes you don't".

[that0n3guy]

1 hour ago, Smoother said:

specifically this one, "owned" by United Airlines

Yeah, United sucks anyways .  Reading through the skateboard forums, that's why they like "stealth" boards.   Boards like the inboard m1.   It just looks like a skateboard.   So you check your skateboard and take the battery with you on the plane.   The battery looks like a portable power bank (like for charging your laptop or phone) and is under the 100w for allowable plane use:

 

 

[Smoother]

That skateboard is a nice bit of kit

[that0n3guy]

9 minutes ago, Smoother said:

That skateboard is a nice bit of kit

:), it looks nice but had some issues a year ago.  Might be better now, I don't know.   Was kinda underpowered for the price.   The chinese stuff has gotten better and better over the last 2 years (like the meepo).  I think someone like Jason could probably find partnerships and create a very specific travel board that does well in the US.

[Unventor]

20 hours ago, Marty Backe said:

This really is not true. Plenty reports of EUCs not being allowed on a plane even if the batteries have been removed.

I saw a post at some point back where almost all major airlines signed a ban of taking hooverbords, ebords, ebike or euc or similar on a passenger airplane. 

We can debate all we like but it do not change a signed agreement to ensure smooth security check and airline safety. It is hard enough to be able to use these on roads is some countries. 

I would love to be able to bring my wheel on vacation or EUC meetup. But right now this is not happening (sad face).

Sidenote, added joke spice: Would I dare to go on an airplane that have a Gotway onboard, when I don't dare to ride/buy them? 🙄😄

(Ducking the incoming @Marty Backe back in your face comment😉)

[that0n3guy]

I think "reliability" is the word.   Taking EUCs on a plane is not a reliable process.  I want to be able to fly every time with an EV... not just hope. 

[Marty Backe]

5 minutes ago, Unventor said:

I saw a post at some point back where almost all major airlines signed a ban of taking hooverbords, ebords, ebike or euc or similar on a passenger airplane. 

We can debate all we like but it do not change a signed agreement to ensure smooth security check and airline safety. It is hard enough to be able to use these on roads is some countries. 

I would love to be able to bring my wheel on vacation or EUC meetup. But right now this is not happening (sad face).

Sidenote, added joke spice: Would I dare to go on an airplane that have a Gotway onboard, when I don't dare to ride/buy them? 🙄😄

(Ducking the incoming @Marty Backe back in your face comment😉)

I haven't heard of any Gotway batteries going up in flames. Can't say the same thing about Inmotion 

[Unventor]

11 minutes ago, Marty Backe said:

I haven't heard of any Gotway batteries going up in flames. Can't say the same thing about Inmotion 

Shortcircuiting melting cables due to overload current? I think @EUC GUY did this pushing a car. But nvm as it is this debate don't change airline and airport policy. Unless more users ask for a service. So EUC needs to become much mpre mainstream. Which could open up to rental wheels, so you don't need you own wheel.

Future options...I guess. So if @Jason McNeil can change pedales at Kingsong. Surely his Gandalf-powers can swing an airline too. As a Lord of the Wheels he is 

[Marty Backe]

3 minutes ago, Unventor said:

Shortcircuiting melting cables due to overload current? I think @EUC GUY did this pushing a car. But nvm as it is this debate don't change airline and airport policy. Unless more users ask for a service. So EUC needs to become much mpre mainstream. Which could open up to rental wheels, so you don't need you own wheel.

Future options...I guess. So if @Jason McNeil can change pedales at Kingsong. Surely his Gandalf-powers can swing an airline too. As a Lord of the Wheels he is 

Plenty of people have burned up control boards. But this discussion has been about the dangers of batteries. You totally changed the subject 

Again, I know of no Gotway batteries that have gone up in flames while sitting in storage. Can't say the same about Inmotion.

[LanghamP]

Personally I don't want EUCs, hoverboards, or any such lithium ion batteries on an airplane. While they are extremely unlikely to start on fire, the resulting fire is extremely dangerous. Then there's also the danger of the wheel accidently turning on and spinning up, which you know eventually happens if you throw the wheel in your car often enough.

The one or two way shipping in the continental US of $60 to $120 isn't too bad. However, may I suggest another solution.

Simply buy a single speed bicycle, replace the pedals with foldable pedals, and carry the bike with you as oversized luggage or check in. Yeah it's a pain to break apart and assemble your bike.