Mike Sacristan Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 Time for me to share my thoughts and feelings. When we aren't riding our wheels we're thinking about our wheels or reading about wheels or watching videos about wheels. Because wheels. So I ordered an MSX (1600Wh 84v) from Intelligent Walking Store in the beginning of November. It shipped out within the advertised 7 days and arrived a little over 2 months later. That's what happens when you order prior to Singles Day! I had no problem waiting though and I knew it would arrive eventually and if not... well that would be it's own process. A little about me first. I'm 45, born in Toronto, Canada. My parents are from Spain and I lived in Spain från 1987 to 1991 and from 1991 to 1993 I started the process of moving to Sweden. I am quite an anxious person. Obsessive, perfectionist, I need to be in control of everything and I have a tendency to get offended or feel shame if something doesn't work the way I want. So for instance if I listen to headphones and they don't sound the way I want I will instantly feel shame and less worth. However I am aware of this. The what and the why so I try to work around it or use it to my advantage. I work as an IT Manager for Servicedesk amongst other things. I have also recently decided to quit so that I can take a year off and think about my life and what I want to do. I am also happily married and my wife and I have been together for 15 years. Together we mountainbike, exercise, do Zumba, calisthenics and just hang out and enjoy life. We have cheap basic electric scooters, 4 electric longboards (Ownboard and Koowheel), a Onewheel, a Ninebot One E+ and now... an Msuper X. So I unboxed it, took some photos and video, turned it on and stood on it in the livingroom hallway. It growls. Instant anxiety. A bit of research later. Normal. Okay phew. Not defective. It's pulling a bit of power when idle to keep in balance. Compared it ot my Ninebot One E+. Does it do the same? No, not really. Okay it's fine. Apples and oranges. So I look out the window, no snow, some ice, +1 degrees. Start writing on the forum. My wife is in Miami for a week. I have work tomorrow. Should I ride it? Will I damage it on the snow/ice? Life is too short. Let's go! I put on layers upon layers of warm clothes, get my flashlight, bell, helmet, and so on and off I go. Almost died carrying it 2 flights downstairs. Okay I will have to work on my technique there. Just pretend it's an awkward kettlebell. I love the pedals. The cushions are the new kind but they still cut into my calves. Let them cut. The wheel feels unresponsive. I immediately start thinking of people posting about other wheels, KS16 and min dreading, MCM5 and quick responsen. I make comparisons in my mind with my One E+. Again... apples and oranges. So I ride with the tilt back at 18km/h and reach a top speed of 23,2km/h and I try to turn at around 20km/h and. Nothing. It doesn't turn. I start thinking of the Z10. Okay I need to lean. I try again, lean... it's a new feeling. I almost fall but the pedals dihedral save me. I hit a bump and remember the feeling of almost flying off my E+. The pedals save me. I try to carve... a pathetic slow carve. Mixed feelings. I think back to ny E+. When did I get good? At around 500km. When did I get good at my OneWheel. At around 500km. So... let's not make too many assumptions 10km in. 16km ride completed. Damn it was cold. I need to do something about my boots. And gloves. Day 2. Get home from work. Go for the same ride. Better turning, better speed. I wobble the wheel around me between my legs to see how much play I have side to side. I try to think about what is required of me to not have my calves touch the body of the wheel. Then I just ride. I ride to feel free. 16 km ride completed. Charge the wheel. Take screenshots of battery usage and distance driven. A bit less than 1km per 1% of battery. Reasonable considering the cold. Day 3. Saturday. Wake up and drink coffee. Check the charger. Green. Check the wheel. All charged up. Read this forum. Watch some clips. I could be out riding. Time to ride. After around 5km I raise the speed limiter. I change riding mode to soft. I look at the battery. Under 90%. Hmm.... ah well the whole world doesn't have to be linear for me not to feel anxiety. I keep riding, hit some ice, no probs, some snow, no probs. I take a break and an elderly couple stop and ask me about the wheel. I tell them that it's the best thing i've done in my life. I keep riding. The same 35km ride I have done a few times in the summer with my wife and our longboards. The wheel tilts me ever so gently at 28km/h. I hit a top speed of 29,2km/h. Stop and check the battery. It's all good. I think a bit about how hard the tire is. For my weight I could lower the pressure a bit more. I keep riding and the last 8km my feet are getting uncomfortably cold. I ride a few extra km when I get home. Total distance 36km. Battery left 55%. 55+36 = 91. Started at 100. But 100 probably was more like 97. Is this good? Is this what I wanted? It's a bit big and hard to steer. Let's not make too many conclusions i've only done like 66km on this thing. How cold is it? How much does this cold degrade my battery on my boards, OneWheel, One E+? Around one third. What's the battery temperature? 22 degrees. Okay we're good. Let's charge the wheel and chill. Day 3. Later that evening. After spending a few hours reading about electric unicycles. Checking prices on Aliexpress. The MCM5 is still looking tempting. Getting cheaper and cheaper. My Ninebot One E+ can easily do 28km/h. And climb hills. Do I really need a faster version of it? Have I even tried hills with the MSX? Trails? Well it's winter now. We'll see later on. The wheel is fully charged now a few hours later. I do some research on quick chargers. I will eventually need one. Oh yeah deflate the tire a bit! Done. Okay let's ride! So I go for the same ride that I went on day 1 and day 2. I can carve now, I can turn now. I ride over bumps to see what it feels like. Fluffy. But I bounce a bit much still. Lucky those dihedral pedals keep me locked in! I push the speed and ride the tilt back. When I get close to home I ride on a field of frozen grass and dirt. Bounce around all over the place. Go home. Check the battery. Check the mileage. Take screenshots for reference. 16.3km. 77% battery left. 77+16. 89. Started at 100. But the voltage wasn't showing 84v. So I didn't charge it for hours while green. In other words it wasn't "real 100". It's fine. IT'S FINE! Day 4. Wake up. Coffee.. Watch youtube clips about electric unicycles. Read the forum. Think about going for a ride. My wife came back from Miami. She fell asleep on the couch. Check the weather. +1 degrees. It'll be light out for another couple of hours. Meeting a friend at 5 and it's 1 now. Maybe I could go for a ride? Just going to watch NonstopNeals clip regarding the MSX. What's this note I see in the description? He didn't have it on a high power mode? A high power mode? What high power mode? I start thinking about the responsiveness of the wheel. Is it a bad thing? It shouldn't be. I don't mind throwing my weight around. It will feel more interactive to me. Yes I have small feet. I'll manage. Should I lower the angle? I guess a few of you guys will recognise some of the though patterns here haha. Anyway loving it so far! I will just continue to ride it as it is now and put 500km on it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Sacristan Posted January 13, 2019 Author Share Posted January 13, 2019 Oh yeah, an additional note regarding my purchase. Intelligent Walking Store was quick to respond when I had questions about tax and customs. No tax, no customs. They had the best price for the MSX and they also included the following: mudguard, seat and new side pads. I also got a $50 off coupon so the total price was 14300 SEK. If I would have ordered from Europe it would have cost me 50% more (around 22k). Everything arrived in perfect condition. Pumped tyre, 80-90% charge. Around 500m mileage on the wheel. I know there are a few threads regarding Intelligent Walking Store as well as some other Aliexpress stores so just sayin'. JUST SAYIN'! Of course it took 100 years to get the wheel though. That's not their fault. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meepmeepmayer Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 Cool story. The wider the stance and the heavier a wheel is, the more you control it by upper body movement instead of shifting weight between the feet. Maybe that's what's confusing you after the narrow and light Ninebot. 1 hour ago, Mike Sacristan said: Because wheels. Such a wonderfully accurate summary of why everyone is here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty Backe Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 5 hours ago, Mike Sacristan said: <very fun read> I really enjoyed reading this (and I've enjoyed your wheel videos - you and your wife look like you have fun together). I was laughing every time you started your day watching EUC videos and reading the Forum. So funny. I'm glad that you're enjoying the new MSX experience. I think you 'get it' that it just takes time. This is what I like about owning such a variety of wheels. They all ride differently, some remarkable so. And yes, your legs will adjust to the MSX pads. I think my legs have been through so much, no matter what wheel I get on now I have zero leg/feet issues. Too bad you got it during winter. You'll have a blast once the warmth returns. I get the sense that you're the kind of guy that might love having fun on the Mten3. So don't forget about that little guy Keep writing (and videoing) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Sacristan Posted January 13, 2019 Author Share Posted January 13, 2019 4 hours ago, Marty Backe said: I really enjoyed reading this (and I've enjoyed your wheel videos - you and your wife look like you have fun together). I was laughing every time you started your day watching EUC videos and reading the Forum. So funny. I'm glad that you're enjoying the new MSX experience. I think you 'get it' that it just takes time. This is what I like about owning such a variety of wheels. They all ride differently, some remarkable so. And yes, your legs will adjust to the MSX pads. I think my legs have been through so much, no matter what wheel I get on now I have zero leg/feet issues. Too bad you got it during winter. You'll have a blast once the warmth returns. I get the sense that you're the kind of guy that might love having fun on the Mten3. So don't forget about that little guy Keep writing (and videoing) Glad you enjoyed! I'm still happy that I can ride though. During the summer I will be riding my boards as well so I will have quite a few vehicles competing for my attention. That's true! The Mten3 is definitely on my list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Sacristan Posted January 14, 2019 Author Share Posted January 14, 2019 Today I went for a 24km evening ride. It snowed a bit yesterday but the bike paths were all 99% free of snow. Magic? I don't know. The MSX felt a lot more manageable today and I was able to take sharper turns, play around with the wheel more and I also went offroad on some snow. It just eats everything up! Awesome! I got some crazy winds while riding though (8m/s = 28km/h) so I was very happy that I was on a bigger wheel. Sometimes the wind came from the side, a few times from the front but the most hilarious was when it came from behind. I actually lol:ed because I was trying to brake but my body (winter clothes you know) was like a sail. While I was riding today I noticed that I no longer need to scan ahead of me as much which means I can carefully enjoy scenery now and then. My average speed was 18.5km/h and I accidentally hit 31.5km/h on a downhill so it was 90 minutes of bliss just riding. The fact that I can ride during the winter and during the dark is awesome! I live in Sweden after all. My only worry is if I will damage the wheel riding cold/snow/wet roads. Otherwise it's been business as usual. Checking Aliexpress (Rock Wheel Store has a Ninebot Z10 for 15300 SEK (previously 17300)) with 10 days delivery time from their warehouse in Germany. Worth considering. Also the MCM5 went down another 10 dollars. Worth considering. I added the Mten3 to my basket to keep my eyes on the price. It's a bit expensive for a 512Wh wheel but on the other hand it's probably a blast to ride. I've even started writing on the French Forum espritroue.fr! WHAT HAVE I BECOME??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meepmeepmayer Posted January 14, 2019 Share Posted January 14, 2019 4 minutes ago, Mike Sacristan said: WHAT HAVE I BECOME??? You are fulfilling your destiny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty Backe Posted January 14, 2019 Share Posted January 14, 2019 2 minutes ago, Mike Sacristan said: <snip> I've even started writing on the French Forum espritroue.fr! WHAT HAVE I BECOME??? I can offer this bit of wisdom to help allay your concerns about the EUC rabbit hole. After about the 8th wheel you will finally feel totally satiated. So there is light at the end of the tunnel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Sacristan Posted January 14, 2019 Author Share Posted January 14, 2019 Haha best answer ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Sacristan Posted January 14, 2019 Author Share Posted January 14, 2019 Just now, Marty Backe said: I can offer this bit of wisdom to help allay your concerns about the EUC rabbit hole. After about the 8th wheel you will finally feel totally satiated. So there is light at the end of the tunnel Thank you Marty. I'm pretty sure i'll reach a point where I run out of space at home before that though. I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Sacristan Posted January 14, 2019 Author Share Posted January 14, 2019 Oh I forgot to mention. I asked my wife to try standing on the MSX. She liked the pedals and wasn't bothered by the angle. She didn't really have any trouble with the pads either. We also tried the seat today. Just playing around in the hallway. I can imagine the ergonomics regarding riding seated are going to be a challenge. But I bet it's going to be fun too. Still for seated riding I guess it would be hard to beat the KS18S (possibly the monster as well but that thing is just so big and heavy.. but that 2400wh battery though). I got the MSX on charge now. Might just ride it to work tomorrow, and then ride it during my lunch break. And then ride it home. Woohoo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty Backe Posted January 14, 2019 Share Posted January 14, 2019 1 minute ago, Mike Sacristan said: Thank you Marty. I'm pretty sure i'll reach a point where I run out of space at home before that though. I think. Trust me, you'll always be able to find more storage space BTW, yes the Mten3 is expensive. But it is an insanely fun wheel that probably offers the most unique and satisfying riding experience available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Sacristan Posted January 14, 2019 Author Share Posted January 14, 2019 2 minutes ago, Marty Backe said: Trust me, you'll always be able to find more storage space BTW, yes the Mten3 is expensive. But it is an insanely fun wheel that probably offers the most unique and satisfying riding experience available. Haha damn man. So true. And the specs on it are ridiculous. Crazy max speed. Excellent weight. My Ninebot One E+ gets me around 20km. The Mten3 would still get me 30km which is quite a lot. Thanks for linking to that clip it put a smile on my face. During my year off work i'm going to need some wheels to play with! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.