v10, Z06, & MSX - New Riding Experience

[vint43]

Given the great value this forum has provided me along with the extensive YouTube posts many on this forum make, I wanted to at least post our local experience as new EUC riders in the Indianapolis area.

Quick bio.  I am 51.  My buddy is 48.  Instead of buying a Corvette our midlife crisis was to purchase EUCs to prove we were still not too old or out of shape to learn something that took some physical skill.

Speaking of shape, I am not exactly a model.  I am 6'3" and come in at 235 lbs after some real weight loss.  The last time I was athletic was a few years out of college.  My buddy is a little better off but our "most fit" competition is not exactly what you find in other iron man type scenarios.

I am about 110 miles in on my EUC experience.

It started with a purchase of a Ninebot Z6.  Basically, we saw the YouTube videos of the New York guys on the Z10 and are old enough to realize we should probably start with the Z6.  Basically, we knew nothing about EUCs.  I happen to know Ninebot because they purchased Segway and I wanted to know what a new Segway would cost and found EUCs during that search.  Which lead us to the YouTube session and my buddy saying "We should try that".  Search, find out there is something a little less powerful called a Z6, purchase it, and  week later - EUC here we come.  I had no idea about eWheels, the issues with Ninebot support, nothing.  Just a totally uneducated purchase.  Welcome to my world.  At 51, you can blow $1,200 on stupid ideas (that was the price of the z6 on the site I found it).

We both learned on the Z6.  Fairly soon into the learning, my buddy really started doing well.  I was a slower learner.  I was three sessions in before going 30 yards.  So I let him take the Z6 and I purchased an inMotion v10 thinking a more "traditional" wheel might help my effort.  For both us, it turned out it was easier for us to get going on the z6.  The v10 was less forgiving in terms of balance.  It is a little top heavy.  Even after 100 miles, if I lose focus, it can still bite me.  I can still lay it down in a slow turn.  I have practiced my turns A LOT to get comfortable on the v10.  It is getting better.

During this time, my buddy decided to buy his own EUC and purchased an MSX.  He loves it.  He is now probably at 130+ miles in and appears to be zipping around everywhere.  

I actually like the MSX myself.  It has an extreme pedal angle but it makes you feel "locked in" - especially compered to the v10 with the very flat pedals.  I can really see the appeal of the MSX in terms of feeling very connected to the wheel.  The v10 requires you to be very fluid with your motions for it to always feel well balanced.  You can muscle the MSX and z6 more and still feel ok on the wheel.  Again, these are just my early stage impressions.  I actually really do LIKE the v10, it is just requiring more from me as a rider to feel totally at ease in all turn types.

Fast forward to today, we helped train two new potential riders in Indy.  We decided to give them access to all of our wheels.  However, just like my buddy and myself, both of them started actually riding the z6 first.  These are younger more athletic friends.  With the z6, in a 2 hour session, both of them were riding it around.  They could not do the same on the v10 or the MSX.  Both of them felt the v10 was the hardest to learn.  

I am not sure I have seen anyone recommend a Z6 for training.  It is a specialty wheel.  Neither my buddy or myself would want it as our only wheel.   However, for getting started and building confidence (especially when you start on grass - which appears somewhat typical) it is actually the best wheel for getting early success across 4 new riders in our area.

I am currently debating between the Nikola or 16x as my next wheel.  I want the early issues of the 16x to settle down.  However, I am hoping it will be a little more forgiving than the v10 in terms of stability at lower speeds and lower speed turns and have a bit more power for my size & weight.  If I can get some of the low speed stability we see in the z6 but with better turning performance like the MSX or v10, I think these could be good wheels for me.

If you are keeping score, that would make qty 4 EUCs for my buddy and myself over our opening months of riding.  I have a feeling this is another part of the EUC disease.  I somewhat want to get the 16x because then we would have an EUC from every major manufacturer (Ninebot, inMotion, Gotway, and lastly - KingSong).

Sorry for the winding and at times pointless post.  Just wanted to share our early experience for others considering a EUC.

In the end, we both love it.  It is addicting. 

As a midlife crisis, an EUC can make you feel a little younger again!  So if you are having doubts, just gear up (full face helmet, wrist pads, elbow, knee) and give it a shot.  I can assure you, if we can figure it out in our condition, with some patience, an EUC is something many others can also enjoy.

 

  

 

[erk1024]

1 hour ago, vint43 said:

Speaking of shape, I am not exactly a model.  I am 6'3" and come in at 235 lbs after some real weight loss.  The last time I was athletic was a few years out of college.  My buddy is a little better off but our "most fit" competition is not exactly what you find in other iron man type scenarios.

I am about 110 miles in on my EUC experience.

I'm very similar in terms of age, size and experience. I'm up over 300 miles now, and I can tell you experience counts. And you'll get better and better. I can go super slow and balance just fine (pedestrian walking pace), and make much tighter slow turns. I started with the 18XL which is tough because of it's weight. I think with a little more time under your belt, what wheel you ride won't even matter. You'll be able to ride them all. Then the choice is just deciding what tradeoffs you want in a wheel. My next purchase is a Monster V3 for the greater speed and comfort. But it will be even more of a beast than the 18XL.

In terms of balance, one of the things that helped me was to put move my feet away from the body of the EUC. That gives more room for tilting the wheel, and adds a lot of low speed maneuverability.

Edited August 10, 2019 by erk1024
added text

[Werner]

Hi,

i can agree.

I started in May 2018 with a ninebot One S2 without any knowledge of EUC before. Only read a little bit in the internet before and heard about it of some people I know.

I started in a common garage along the wall. It took me 1 or 2 hours to ride free for more then 10m first time, but very very shaky. Ride, ride ride is the best you can do. That makes your muscles and nerves more automatically just without thinking. You do not think about walking or cycling too, do you? I commute with my wheel every day when the weather is fine (~ 10km one way). So I went about 3000km on my S2 till November 2018 and decided to step up to a Z10. Got it on aliexpress on 11.11. (" Black Friday" in Asia!). I got it for € 1250,- and with additional discount had to pay only € 1140,- ! Had to wait four it for more than 50 days and got it after new year 2019. And I'm so glad that I did this! Had good luck with the batteries, nearly hybernation, but after 1 hour blinking red and green it started charging normally. All fine! More power, more distance, more fun, and at least, much more stability at all. The wider tire is a gift, the Z10 runs stable as a train. But at the same time it is so smooth and easy to take little curves and turns on less speed. No problem to go at same slow speed as a pedestrian. Much more easier as with the little One S2. Every time I change from Z10 to S2 it's a little bit of work to ride it, because it's so nervous. You will see, kms on a faster wheel come more faster of course. I'm now on about 4000km on the Z10. And the more km you were going, the easier you will go - without thinking about how to do - just go and have fun!

Always a pleasure and joy to hear from new riders. Welcome and have much fun, and always keep staying on!

Edited August 10, 2019 by Werner