The woes of upgrading.

[Gasmantle]

To those that have upgraded to a better wheel, did you get to that point where it's virtually impossible to decide what to buy?

I'm looking to upgrade from my first wheel (V5F) and look at countless reviews / videos yet everyday I change my mind as to what I want   I'm expecting to have to pay about £1500 to get a worthwhile improvement so that puts me in V10F territory but I'm kinda leaning toward the KS18L.

Most of my riding is on tarmac but the odd short journey off road is useful.

Then the next question is where to buy - I bought the V5F from Speedyfeet so that is the obvious choice but I'm sure I could get a better deal by importing one.

I may as well flip a coin 

[ir_fuel]

V10F or KS18XL, that's what you should decide :p 

 

TBH, first you have to see what your use case is. That will already decide a lot. e.g. a V10 costs the same as an MCM5, but they are completely different.

Then, also realise, no matter what you get: V10F, KS18L, KS18XL, KS16X, MSX, Nikola ... coming from a V5F you will never be disappointed. Don't read too much into what everyone is writing here. We are talking about the last 10%. Can't imagine being disappointed with any one of those wheels, unless you buy an Mten3 and hope to do 60km / day off road trips with it.

[ir_fuel]

For that amount I would get a Tesla or a KS18L @ SpeedyFeet. Advantage being that you'll have it very fast. Otherwise you could end up waiting until the end of summer before you get it.

[UniVehje]

11 hours ago, ir_fuel said:

We are talking about the last 10%

Definitely agree. Whatever you get from that list, they will all be good. This forum is wheel connoisseurs talking about fine details. And the last 10% is always personal taste, there is no “best” wheel. 
You are not making a mistake by upgrading to 18L. If you can, go for xl version. You might get addicted to this hobby and will want to ride longer. 
 

Maybe ask @US69 to hook you up?

[Mike Sacristan]

I started with a Ninebot One E+ and my next wheel was an MSX. You would want to do similar and go to an "end game" wheel.
Nikola, 18XL or MSX.
The Nikola is the best of those 3 especially the 100v.

Nikola 84v

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33029972958.html?spm=a2g0o.cart.0.0.4e913c00z62fnD

£1560 with shipping. Delivered from Spain so should be around 2 weeks.

18XL

https://www.chicway.shop/kingsong-electric-unicycle-18xl-1554wh-2000w-motor-matte-black_p0328.html

£1356 with shipping vs £2195. Probably 2 months wait.

Tesla

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32834398163.html?spm=a2g0o.cart.0.0.4e913c00z62fnD

£984 with shipping and ships from Spain.

MSX 84v

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32895987076.html?spm=2114.12010608.0.0.258152e9AFqCTQ

£1334 prepare to wait 2 months.

The Tesla will do everything you want and is quite enough.

Do these prices make anything a bit clearer and easier for you? I know your pain anyway... it's time for me to buy a new wheel but I am a bit stuck on which one to buy.

Yes, as @UniVehje said PM @US69 as well!

Edited August 5, 2019 by Mike Sacristan

[Gasmantle]

Thanks guys 

I guess any wheel at £1500 is going to give significant improvements of my V5F and I really do need an upgrade now that I'm able to ride properly (the V5 is my first wheel). To be honest the wheel I have has been a great learner wheel and with about £500 miles on it now I've really enjoyed it but I'm starting to feel it's limitations now that my riding skill has improved.

I'd really like something capable of 30miles range minimum and at least 20mph speed - the V5 can only do about 15mph which is great when learning but I now find I ride at tilt back speed regularly so another 10 mph would be a great help.

Will an 18" wheel make it significantly easier to negotiate bumps and kerbs? I don't do a lot of riding over rough ground but the ability to climb kerbs easier is attractive.

I have quite a sophisticated astronomical telescope that I bought about 4yrs ago, it's had about 6hrs use in all that time so I've decided to sell it and use the cash to buy a new wheel that at least I'll get some use out of. Ebay, here we come 

@Mike Sacristanyou typed your reply just as I was replying but I'm now talking a look through your suggestions thanks 

[Acturbo]

20 hours ago, Gasmantle said:

To those that have upgraded to a better wheel, did you get to that point where it's virtually impossible to decide what to buy?

I'm looking to upgrade from my first wheel (V5F) and look at countless reviews / videos yet everyday I change my mind as to what I want   I'm expecting to have to pay about £1500 to get a worthwhile improvement so that puts me in V10F territory but I'm kinda leaning toward the KS18L.

Most of my riding is on tarmac but the odd short journey off road is useful.

Then the next question is where to buy - I bought the V5F from Speedyfeet so that is the obvious choice but I'm sure I could get a better deal by importing one.

I may as well flip a coin 

Don't forget, nothing says you have to buy new.  Perhaps see if someone has a used good condition MSX or KS18.  Might be worth a shot to lessen the expense of upgrade and figure out what exactly you want.  Also, not sure if the UK has any normal meetups, but its always good to meet other so you can try out different wheels.  

[Guest PogArt Artur]

20 hours ago, Gasmantle said:

To those that have upgraded to a better wheel, did you get to that point where it's virtually impossible to decide what to buy?

I'm looking to upgrade from my first wheel (V5F) and look at countless reviews / videos yet everyday I change my mind as to what I want   I'm expecting to have to pay about £1500 to get a worthwhile improvement so that puts me in V10F territory but I'm kinda leaning toward the KS18L.

Most of my riding is on tarmac but the odd short journey off road is useful.

Then the next question is where to buy - I bought the V5F from Speedyfeet so that is the obvious choice but I'm sure I could get a better deal by importing one.

I may as well flip a coin 

There's many good EUCs these days, all reviewed, all of them have good and not so good points - I know the feeling Peter, it's not easy choice...

Best regards!

[ir_fuel]

24 minutes ago, Gasmantle said:

Will an 18" wheel make it significantly easier to negotiate bumps and kerbs? I don't do a lot of riding over rough ground but the ability to climb kerbs easier is attractive.

Of course. The bigger the wheel the better.

[Mike Sacristan]

31 minutes ago, ir_fuel said:

55 minutes ago, Gasmantle said:

Will an 18" wheel make it significantly easier to negotiate bumps and kerbs? I don't do a lot of riding over rough ground but the ability to climb kerbs easier is attractive.

Of course. The bigger the wheel the better.

I can climb higher kerbs with my NB1 E+ since I can jump with it. 
Tried jumping my MSX and just jumped off it.
#lightweight

[Guest PogArt Artur]

6 minutes ago, Mike Sacristan said:

I can climb higher kerbs with my NB1 E+ since I can jump with it. 
Tried jumping my MSX and just jumped off it.
#lightweight

You've applied wrong technique to the heavy and larger wheel, your E+ technique simply won't work for bigger EUC 😁

[Guest PogArt Artur]

3 hours ago, Mike Sacristan said:

I can climb higher kerbs with my NB1 E+ since I can jump with it. 
Tried jumping my MSX and just jumped off it.
#lightweight

Have you seen this tutorial yet?

I found it interesting and helpful (in my case 😁).

I suspect you've seen it already, but if not - here you are 😁

https://youtu.be/S4L_0zJYxXk

[Gasmantle]

3 hours ago, PogArt Artur said:

You've applied wrong technique to the heavy and larger wheel, your E+ technique simply won't work for bigger EUC 😁

With your Z10 rottweiler you just flatten the kerbs. 

Thanks for the link about kerb crawling kerb riding, I thought 4" was high for my small wheel but with a bit of practice it looks achievable.

This link that @Mike Sacristan posted looks very tempting - an imported KS18XL for 18L prices if imported :-

https://www.chicway.shop/kingsong-electric-unicycle-18xl-1554wh-2000w-motor-matte-black_p0328.html

[ir_fuel]

1 hour ago, PogArt Artur said:

Have you seen this tutorial yet?

I found it interesting and helpful (in my case 😁).

I suspect you've seen it already, but if not - here you are 😁

https://youtu.be/S4L_0zJYxXk

Those are small curbs :p 

[Guest PogArt Artur]

11 minutes ago, ir_fuel said:

Those are small curbs :p 

Why you bothered by the kerbs.., whether they're lower or higher doesn't matter, lol 😁

It's about the technique not the height of the kerbs, isn't it? 😁 

[Guest PogArt Artur]

1 hour ago, Gasmantle said:

With your Z10 rottweiler you just flatten the kerbs. 

Thanks for the link about kerb crawling kerb riding, I thought 4" was high for my small wheel but with a bit of practice it looks achievable.

This link that @Mike Sacristan posted looks very tempting - an imported KS18XL for 18L prices if imported :-

https://www.chicway.shop/kingsong-electric-unicycle-18xl-1554wh-2000w-motor-matte-black_p0328.html

Hahahaaa 😂🤣😂

Yeah, it's like a tank the Z, isn't it? 🤣🤣🤣

I like the 18XL, the other day I were tempting to go for it 😎

I'm still fancy MSX though, if not the Z, then defo MSX would be my upgrade wheel  😁 

[Mike Sacristan]

1 hour ago, Gasmantle said:

With your Z10 rottweiler you just flatten the kerbs. 

Thanks for the link about kerb crawling kerb riding, I thought 4" was high for my small wheel but with a bit of practice it looks achievable.

This link that @Mike Sacristan posted looks very tempting - an imported KS18XL for 18L prices if imported :-

https://www.chicway.shop/kingsong-electric-unicycle-18xl-1554wh-2000w-motor-matte-black_p0328.html

Yes indeed! Very tempting. Chicway is similar to Ali.
Ali Express had 18XL for sale a few weeks ago but they the KingSongs disappeared from there. I asked and they use chicway shop instead.
It seems to be Intelligent Walking Store and Green Fashion (both Ali shops) selling through Chicway.

Sometimes they have European stock and sometimes they don't so it might be worth asking them if they have European stock or not, how they handle VAT, etc.

[Gasmantle]

5 hours ago, PogArt Artur said:

You've applied wrong technique to the heavy and larger wheel, your E+ technique simply won't work for bigger EUC 😁

Will your Z10 rottweiler you just flatten the kerbs. 

Thanks for the link about kerb crawling kerb riding, I though 4" was high for my small wheel but with a bit of practice it looks achievable.

This link that @Mike Sacristan posted looks very tempting - an imported KS18XL for 18L prices if imported :-

 

[Gasmantle]

In the past I've always been hesitant about buying goods from abroad incase of fake or faulty items but after reading posts on this forum over the last few months it seems to be worth the risk.

My only slight concern would be the power supply, are EUC's imported for UK use usually compatible with our electrical supply without needing to buy extras?

Edited August 5, 2019 by Gasmantle

[Heyzeus]

I'm still waiting for the best wheel to come out before I upgrade from my ACM 2

#PulseGliderOrBust

But seriously, If you aren't in a rush might want to consider buying a gently used wheel to hold you over till what you want is really out.  

I bought my ACM 2 as an upgrade to an mcm 4 to hold me over till the 16x but at the moment I really see no strong incentive to upgrade to either the 16x or Nikola, I like my short squat fat wheel a lot and the Nikola seems too big and the 16x seems to be having a lot of issues (which I am sure will be ironed out in the coming months) and is quite tall.

Would be nice to have a waterproof (motorcycle level water resistance) wheel with the power and battery capacity of the 16x/Nikola but in a shorter, squat package.

I'm very happy with my ACM 2, so don't discount a used wheel that may be 500 or so cheaper than a new one.

[Night Rider]

On 8/5/2019 at 11:21 PM, Mike Sacristan said:

Yes indeed! Very tempting. Chicway is similar to Ali.
Ali Express had 18XL for sale a few weeks ago but they the KingSongs disappeared from there. I asked and they use chicway shop instead.
It seems to be Intelligent Walking Store and Green Fashion (both Ali shops) selling through Chicway.

Sometimes they have European stock and sometimes they don't so it might be worth asking them if they have European stock or not, how they handle VAT, etc.

Got the same answer, some weeks ago, to buy via Chicway, but now it's available on Ali Express agian:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000076713256.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.2dd2499b40RTNX&algo_pvid=330bbe66-839d-4939-a60b-52cdf3253004&algo_expid=330bbe66-839d-4939-a60b-52cdf3253004-4&btsid=653ef7ed-f5e5-43d9-a4d5-2dabd80b9841&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_8,searchweb201603_52

[Mike Sacristan]

Yes, even the 16X popped up again a few days ago.
Both the 18XL and the 16X are a bit cheaper from Ali compared to Chicway as well.

[Gasmantle]

Thanks guys, I have a buyer for my current whhel and I hope to be able to buy a 18XL in 2 or 3 weeks.

I've never bought anything expensive from abroad before, are Aliexpress and Chicway both reputable sellers who I can trust?

[stephen]

26 minutes ago, Gasmantle said:

Thanks guys, I have a buyer for my current whhel and I hope to be able to buy a 18XL in 2 or 3 weeks.

I've never bought anything expensive from abroad before, are Aliexpress and Chicway both reputable sellers who I can trust?

I'd buy the 16x from speedyfeet tbh the extra few hundred is worth the 2 year warranty he provides and he will have them in stock in the next coming 3 weeks 👍

[Mike Sacristan]

2 hours ago, Gasmantle said:

Thanks guys, I have a buyer for my current whhel and I hope to be able to buy a 18XL in 2 or 3 weeks.

I've never bought anything expensive from abroad before, are Aliexpress and Chicway both reputable sellers who I can trust?

Several of my friends have ordered from Intelligent Walking Store. I ordered my MSX from there as well.
Simple thing... you order.. they deliver. Don't expect after sales service. Ride the shit out of it when you get it so that you are within the dispute window if something is wrong with the wheel. If a wheel works after 100km it will work forever.

£1400 vs £2200.
Let me recalculate that for you.

3 x £1400 = £42000
2 x £2200 = £44000