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HELP: Torn Between which wheel to buy for city commuting + off-roading


t33m

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Hi All, I'm new here... been eyeing the Gotway Tesla for weeks by now lol but had heard it was not so great at offroading...
 
Use Case:
  1. Up to ~15miles of paved bike trail to get from my city to Boston.
    1. a. The less menacing a wheel looks here, the better, as technically there are no motorized vehicles allowed on the bike trails, I havent done the full 15mi bike trail yet, I usually take transpo most of the way and would not "need" more than 5mi range, but 16mi to get me to work with no use of public transpo would be a nice option to have.
  2. After Bike Trail Cruising, need maneuverability around people to make it all the way to work (~1mi)
  3. Would like to take in on low-speed limit roads safely (30mph etc)
  4. Frequent use of trains and busses
  5. Weekends will be occasional off-roading with one-wheel XR friends.
Tesla:
  1. Higher speed margin = safer, esp in/near traffic (up to 37mph boosts?)
  2. Bigger wheel probably safer for shitty Boston roads, (although less width on the wheel)
MCM5:
  1. Smaller wheel is more maneuverable, stable at walking speed
  2. Cuttoff switch on the handle is convenient for cities
  3. Smaller form factor better on public transportation
  4. Has been said to be better on trails? (not sure why)
Cost seems same-ish on both. I don't want to spend more than $1500 and 18in wheels look to big to be portable. Please let me know any suggestions you guys have, even if it isnt these two wheels. Thanks!!!
 
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I think the Tesla is a better wheel for primary usage.  The bigger battery and larger wheel extends your range.  Everybody eventually regrets not getting a bigger battery.  While the size difference is noticeable, practically speaking it doesn't make that much of an impact where portability is concerned; neither are going to fit in your backpack.  And I don't think many Tesla riders find themselves bemoaning the lack of maneuverability.  The MCM5 is a good backup wheel to switch things up every now and then; it could work as a primary but I think the Tesla is better to that role.

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Yep, the Tesla is much better for your use case, that's pretty much a no-brainer.

It's not bad at offroading. The bigger your tire diameter (and the wider the tire, but that is secondary), the better on uneven ground. 16 > 14 so the Tesla is better here. You may confuse offroading with climbing steep mountains, where you need torque and therefore a smaller tire (on a powerful enough wheel) is naturally advantageous. You can still climb mountains with a 16 incher, they just won't beat the MCM5 here.

You can maneuver around people with the tiniest and biggest wheels, that's never a problem.

The new Tesla/Tesla 2 has a cut-off button just like the MCM5. Make sure to order the right one (Tesla2) and not an original Tesla (the new Tesla also has the conspicuous red speakers on both sides).

As other alternatives, there's the King Song KS16S (v2 also has a lift sensor) and the Inmotion V10(F) which is extra comfortable with the 2.5''wide tire, but it's bigger and heavier than the others. I think the Tesla is the best choice between the three here - size and weight, range/battery, price (presumably).

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Just now, t33m said:

Man, this pretty much seals the deal then. I don't see ewheels carrying the Tesla 2. Where do you buy yours?

Reach out to EWheels ( @Jason McNeil ) first. He often carries stock that isn't listed on his website or he can tell you if he's getting a particular wheel soon.

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AliExpress won't take my card and I'm not about to send them a bunch of my PII... Someone recommended to me the V10 since the tire is wider and the pedals are higher(trials). I'll save a couple bucks with the non-f version at about $1200. I have a feeling it won't be as fun as a Tesla but if its more stable at speed its probably better for commuting. I just hope I never grow out of it. The V5F felt way too slow at day 2, but ive never been above it's limit. Maybe 22mph wont be so bad.

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1 minute ago, t33m said:

AliExpress won't take my card and I'm not about to send them a bunch of my PII...

Paypal?

1 minute ago, t33m said:

Someone recommended to me the V10 since the tire is wider and the pedals are higher(trials). I'll save a couple bucks with the non-f version at about $1200.

650Wh instead of 1020Wh, heavier and bigger, and might overheat fast. Got the comfy tire, though.

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Hey thanks for the advice! After much indecision I decided to go with the MSX. Thats what it looks like everyone ends up on anyway and I don't think the wife will allow more than 2 wheels. Also PayPal worked! I did have to pay an additional $70 though "marketplace fee" but at least it went through.

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6 minutes ago, t33m said:

Hey thanks for the advice! After much indecision I decided to go with the MSX. Thats what it looks like everyone ends up on anyway and I don't think the wife will allow more than 2 wheels. Also PayPal worked! I did have to pay an additional $70 though "marketplace fee" but at least it went through.

Have your wife visit the Forum. I'll show her a picture of all my wheels and then tell her, "See, it's really not that bad if he only wants 5-wheels" :)

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2 hours ago, t33m said:

After much indecision I decided to go with the MSX.

Well-selected. The Tesla is hardly a "37 mph" wheel (I'd advise keeping it below 30), but the MSX is certainly capable of those speeds. With gear and helmet please. 

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On 5/5/2019 at 5:33 PM, t33m said:

AliExpress won't take my card and I'm not about to send them a bunch of my PII... Someone recommended to me the V10 since the tire is wider and the pedals are higher(trials). I'll save a couple bucks with the non-f version at about $1200. I have a feeling it won't be as fun as a Tesla but if its more stable at speed its probably better for commuting. I just hope I never grow out of it. The V5F felt way too slow at day 2, but ive never been above it's limit. Maybe 22mph wont be so bad.

The V10 is a fun wheel, but very limited by the battery size. I have to bring a charger if I am using the V10 to commute. Another thing to keep in mind is that the V10 platform is almost the same size/weight as the 18" wheels. That said you may want to look into the 18L/XL or what has proven to be (IMHO) the best wheel of the current generation, the 84V MSX. 

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4 hours ago, who_the said:

Well-selected. The Tesla is hardly a "37 mph" wheel (I'd advise keeping it below 30), but the MSX is certainly capable of those speeds. With gear and helmet please. 

Thanks. Yeah I got a DH MIPS full face helmet. Could be overkill but I've already had a concussion snowboarding and wear a helmet ever since for like everything. (I feel like most of us don't wear one until our first concussion lol) I saw choochs gear video and got a reflective vest as well. I already use wrist guards. Not sure if I need knee or elbow pads.

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1 hour ago, gon2fast said:

The V10 is a fun wheel, but very limited by the battery size. I have to bring a charger if I am using the V10 to commute. Another thing to keep in mind is that the V10 platform is almost the same size/weight as the 18" wheels. That said you may want to look into the 18L/XL or what has proven to be (IMHO) the best wheel of the current generation, the 84V MSX. 

Yeah I think the turning point was seeing the MSX next to the V10 and realizing how big the V10 was for a 16". Might as well just get an 18" and the MSX looks pretty compact at least from the side.

Edited by t33m
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53 minutes ago, t33m said:

Thanks. Yeah I got a DH MIPS full face helmet. Could be overkill but I've already had a concussion snowboarding and wear a helmet ever since for like everything. (I feel like most of us don't wear one until our first concussion lol) I saw choochs gear video and got a reflective vest as well. I already use wrist guards. Not sure if I need knee or elbow pads.

Your knees almost always hit the ground during a fall, and I suspect my missing elbow pads played a part in my broken shoulder.

If not now, eventually you'll probably come around to seeking all around protection.

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3 minutes ago, Dave U said:

You should really get them even for low speeds, eventually you will speed up when you least expect it, you sorta forget how fast you are traveling. You did good getting a full face helmet and wrist guards, don't stop there. 

Somehow you got the quotes really screwed up. I did not write "Not sure if I need knee or elbow pads", that was @t33m.

I've been wearing knee and elbow pads for years.

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Just now, Marty Backe said:

Somehow you got the quotes really screwed up. I did not write "Not sure if I need knee or elbow pads", that was @t33m.

I've been wearing knee and elbow pads for years.

I know , I screwed up couldn't find a location to delete. 

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25 minutes ago, Dave U said:

I know , I screwed up couldn't find a location to delete. 

:D

You can't delete, but if you click the Options button at the bottom of your post you can hide it.

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4 minutes ago, Marty Backe said:

:D

You can't delete, but if you click the Options button at the bottom of your post you can hide it.

Done, next time I'm going to drink my morning coffee before I comment.

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10 hours ago, t33m said:

Not sure if I need knee or elbow pads.

You should really get them even for low speeds, eventually you will speed up when you least expect it, you sorta forget how fast you are traveling. You did good getting a full face helmet and wrist guards, don't stop there. 

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On 5/4/2019 at 6:17 PM, Marty Backe said:

Reach out to EWheels ( @Jason McNeil ) first. He often carries stock that isn't listed on his website or he can tell you if he's getting a particular wheel soon.

I spoke with Jason and he will have the new Tesla v2 in the next 6 weeks or so.

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12 minutes ago, Lucas Alexander Oliver said:

I spoke with Jason and he will have the new Tesla v2 in the next 6 weeks or so.

Hey, great news. He seemed a bit ambivalent when it was first announced, but I'm glad he's going to carry it. Thanks for the update.

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5 minutes ago, Marty Backe said:

Hey, great news. He seemed a bit ambivalent when it was first announced, but I'm glad he's going to carry it. Thanks for the update.

I think he was just pissed Gotway didn't tell him about its existence while he ordered a batch of Teslas:facepalm:

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On 5/8/2019 at 5:01 PM, Dave U said:

I know , I screwed up couldn't find a location to delete. 

Or you can edit the post, including the quoted material. You could leave it blank, or write something like "edited out of existence" to fill the void

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46 minutes ago, Smoother said:

Or you can edit the post, including the quoted material. You could leave it blank, or write something like "edited out of existence" to fill the void

Thank you.

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