So I took my V8 offroading for the first time.

[Blueblade]

Last weekend we decided to go camping and dirt bike riding over on the east side of the Cascade mountain range in Washington state.  The EUC is so small and stashable, I threw it in too. I tried taking it on the OHV trails and the gravel forest service roads in and around camp.  It was very challenging, i wasn't sure if I liked it or not at first because it seemed very unstable... uneven ground, roots, rocks, ruts, soft/loose soil/gravel, etc., i felt borderline out of control the entire time.  After 2 or 3 attempts though and i started to really like it- it was getting a lot easier but still very challenging, but in a fun kind of way. It demands the utmost attention and planning, soon you find you aren't thinking about anything else except riding and what to do about the many challenges approaching.

I think it really helped me be more trusting of the wheel, to relax more, and sharpened my skills significantly. I was hooked! I was definitely the only guy around riding a EUC around through the forest, got a lot of weird looks etc, LOL.

I used about 20% of my 480wh battery riding about 3 trail/gravel miles, sucks the juice pretty quickly.

Now i find myself daydreaming about getting a more powerful and capable  EUC like a KS16X or some such and riding much further on trails and the gravel/dirt forest service roads. Sort of adventure EUCing.  There are many cool things to be found up those roads- mountain tops, waterfalls etc. There is something magical about silently gliding along out in the forest too.

Anyone else do this kind of riding?  Not sure if EUCS are up to this type of task though, especially with a ~230 lb (105 kg) rider like myself. One of the better but not too long routes for example is about a 13mi (20km) long climb up a gravel forest service road that climbs a little over 3000 vertical feet (~1000m) to a beautiful mountain top view. That's not many miles, for a purported ~70 mi range for a 1600wh euc like an msx/18xl/nikola/16x , but i am heavy, and it's almost all uphill, on gravel, and out miles away from civilization where there's no place to recharge.  On the plus side, its almost all back downhill, 13 mi back to camp, so probably a lot of regen opportunity on the return trip if you can make it up without running the battery too low or overheating.

Here's an example of the type of trip I was thinking of: https://maps.app.goo.gl/yBEAEvdhBYFG9oyD8

Doable, you think?

[trya]

Welcome to the club!  Many of us enjoy mountain trail riding very much. See for example my recent post about MCM5 experience

 

 

[mrelwood]

47 minutes ago, Blueblade said:

Anyone else do this kind of riding? 

Abso-freaking-lutely! That’s where it’s at in my books as well. We have a group of local riders that really love extremely challenging off-road paths, cliffs etc. The ones that make riding a huge challenge even after 17000km worth of experience. The ones where we are pushing the egdes of our skills, and continue to be surprised how radical obstacles are doable as our skills develop further and further.

I have a long history of mountain biking in my youth, and I enjoy so much riding the same local trails and cliffs that I have ridden dozens of times back in the day.

A powerful modern wheel such as the MSX opens up the off-roading possibilities to a whole new world of levels compared to the V8! I weigh 92kg and even the MSX struggles at some of the toughest spots I have conquered.

You really need a proper off-roading wheel! I’d look at the MSX, 18XL and the 2nd gen Nikola as the first contenders. Gotway riding modes are all harder than the hardest on the 18XL, which makes them just a bit more stable in these extreme conditions. The 16X may surprise us though.

Edit: Since the MCM5 is bound to come up when discussing off-roading, one must consider the huge difference between challenging off-road riding versus climbing steep but smooth hills. MCM5 has a narrow small diameter tire, which is horrible for off-road paths filled with ruts, roots and rocks. There the 18x3” tire of the MSX just rolls over almost everything without blinking.

Edited July 5, 2019 by mrelwood

[UniVehje]

30 minutes ago, Blueblade said:

Anyone else do this kind of riding? 

YES! This is absolutely my favorite type of riding. I would not enjoy it very much on a V8, though. You’ll need something like KS18XL or MSX with a big fat tire. 16X or Nikola is probably nice also but diameter makes a difference when going over roots and stones. 

I’m right now editing a new video with more difficult technical trails on a group ride. But here’s an earlier video of some relatively easy trails. 

 

[Marty Backe]

39 minutes ago, Blueblade said:

<snip>

Anyone else do this kind of riding?  Not sure if EUCS are up to this type of task though, especially with a ~230 lb (105 kg) rider like myself. One of the better but not too long routes for example is about a 13mi (20km) long climb up a gravel forest service road that climbs a little over 3000 vertical feet (~1000m) to a beautiful mountain top view. That's not many miles, for a purported ~70 mi range for a 1600wh euc like an msx/18xl/nikola/16x , but i am heavy, and it's almost all uphill, on gravel, and out miles away from civilization where there's no place to recharge.  On the plus side, its almost all back downhill, 13 mi back to camp, so probably a lot of regen opportunity on the return trip if you can make it up without running the battery too low or overheating.

<snip>

As you are hearing, many of us love trail riding. I have dozens of off-road riding videos on my channel, including 5000+ foot mountain climbs: https://www.youtube.com/ElectricUnicycles

Modern performance wheels can do amazing things now.

Edited July 5, 2019 by Marty Backe

[EUC Custom Power-Pads]

Copied my story from a other thread:

First I have purchased an EUC only for riding on paved roads with my 4,5 years old daughter on her Moutain-Bike ....until I realised, that thing can drive also on bad roads ...also over rocky roads .... and also over small rocks and roots in the forrest. 

This realization has now changed a lot and I now ride paths that I have not even managed with my mountain bike. (okay....just because of my lousy condition)

Now I have licked blood and want to overcome even worse ways where the V8 has come to its limits. Furthermore, the V8 also lacks the power to push my daughter up the steep trails. 

If I'd known all this before, I'd have bought something with more power directly.

Now I'm waiting for the KS-16X and some feedback from the first batch buyers (hope I can wait so long, if not, I'm a first batch buyer too ) and then I will decide. KS16X or Nikola Plus 100V. 

 

 

 

 

[tessa25]

I use my V8 on beginner singletrack. It's great, but I haven't done any big hills yet. I will be getting a 16x when they come out.

[ir_fuel]

I did the same with my V8 when I just got it. It helps a lot in getting confident in the wheel. One afternoon of off-roading and riding on paved roads is a walk in the park (hmmm...  ). The V8 struggles on steep uphills though. Should try it again with one of my wheels, but time ... 

[Blueblade]

7 hours ago, mrelwood said:

We have a group of local riders that really love extremely challenging off-road paths, cliffs etc. The ones that make riding a huge challenge even after 17000km worth of experience. The ones where we are pushing the egdes of our skills, and continue to be surprised how radical obstacles are doable as our skills develop further and further.

A powerful modern wheel such as the MSX opens up the off-roading possibilities to a whole new world of levels compared to the V8! I weigh 92kg and even the MSX struggles at some of the toughest spots I have conquered.

You really need a proper off-roading wheel! I’d look at the MSX, 18XL and the 2nd gen Nikola as the first contenders. Gotway riding modes are all harder than the hardest on the 18XL, which makes them just a bit more stable in these extreme conditions. The 16X may surprise us though.

Yeah the trails i was on by camp are very easy by dirt bike standards.  There are trails at this place that will make the backside of even very experienced dirt bikers pucker- sidehill single track with a long fall inches away, huge steep rocky uphills, cliffs etc. I think those would be impossible for EUCing, but many others and the service roads would be though.

Its my favorite place to dirt bike due to the scenery and mountains.

I had been wondering a lot if a 16x or 18xl would be better.. fat tires help, but so does diameter over rough stuff, at the expense of torque and maneuverability.

I have been thinking the 16x is what i will end up wanting. Anxious to see those first batch reviews when it comes out!

 

[Blueblade]

19 hours ago, UniVehje said:

But here’s an earlier video of some relatively easy trails. 

 

Cool video... i should have took some video on the trail i rode, but there is no way i could have held a camera, my arms were all over the place. I do have a gopro with a helmet mount, but that isn't the most exciting angle.

[Lucas Alexander Oliver]

23 hours ago, Blueblade said:

Last weekend we decided to go camping and dirt bike riding over on the east side of the Cascade mountain range in Washington state.  The EUC is so small and stashable, I threw it in too. I tried taking it on the OHV trails and the gravel forest service roads in and around camp.  It was very challenging, i wasn't sure if I liked it or not at first because it seemed very unstable... uneven ground, roots, rocks, ruts, soft/loose soil/gravel, etc., i felt borderline out of control the entire time.  After 2 or 3 attempts though and i started to really like it- it was getting a lot easier but still very challenging, but in a fun kind of way. It demands the utmost attention and planning, soon you find you aren't thinking about anything else except riding and what to do about the many challenges approaching.

I think it really helped me be more trusting of the wheel, to relax more, and sharpened my skills significantly. I was hooked! I was definitely the only guy around riding a EUC around through the forest, got a lot of weird looks etc, LOL.

I used about 20% of my 480wh battery riding about 3 trail/gravel miles, sucks the juice pretty quickly.

Now i find myself daydreaming about getting a more powerful and capable  EUC like a KS16X or some such and riding much further on trails and the gravel/dirt forest service roads. Sort of adventure EUCing.  There are many cool things to be found up those roads- mountain tops, waterfalls etc. There is something magical about silently gliding along out in the forest too.

Anyone else do this kind of riding?  Not sure if EUCS are up to this type of task though, especially with a ~230 lb (105 kg) rider like myself. One of the better but not too long routes for example is about a 13mi (20km) long climb up a gravel forest service road that climbs a little over 3000 vertical feet (~1000m) to a beautiful mountain top view. That's not many miles, for a purported ~70 mi range for a 1600wh euc like an msx/18xl/nikola/16x , but i am heavy, and it's almost all uphill, on gravel, and out miles away from civilization where there's no place to recharge.  On the plus side, its almost all back downhill, 13 mi back to camp, so probably a lot of regen opportunity on the return trip if you can make it up without running the battery too low or overheating.

Here's an example of the type of trip I was thinking of: https://maps.app.goo.gl/yBEAEvdhBYFG9oyD8

Doable, you think?

Hey there.  I am so down to do this kind of trail riding.. I started out on a v8 but quickly upgraded. I now have the Gotway Nikola and I think she’s perfect on trails.  I’m in Seattle. I would sooo be down to hit some trails together !

[Blueblade]

1 hour ago, Lucas Alexander Oliver said:

Hey there.  I am so down to do this kind of trail riding.. I started out on a v8 but quickly upgraded. I now have the Gotway Nikola and I think she’s perfect on trails.  I’m in Seattle. I would sooo be down to hit some trails together !

Yeah that place is awesome, the trails and FS roads also interconnect with another OHV place over on the I-90 side, Taneum Junction, a little past Cle Elum (Taneum Junction Campground
Cle Elum, WA 98922
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZobuQL98sHv35A28A) most of the OHV trails once you get away from camp are probably too intense for a EUC, but there's hundreds of miles of forest service roads all around that entire area between SR410 and I-90.

I live off of SR410, so its much faster for us just keep going up over Chinook Pass to get to Little Naches OHV area.

I have been wondering about Des Moines Creek trail too. There were lots of smoother dirt trails great for mountain biking there that shoot off the paved trail in the middle, which starts just south of the seatac runway- probably perfect for riding EUCs on too.  I took my mountain bike there years ago when i lived in Federal Way.  I think that might be in @kasenutty's neck of the woods too