Hunka Hunka Burning Love Posted October 18, 2015 Share Posted October 18, 2015 After looking at the various wheels out there, I wonder why they don't incorporate an easily swappable battery pack that you can unlock, remove, and clip a new pack in. Thinking of my various digital camera batteries, I'd hate running out of juice during a holiday somewhere so I have several backup batteries on hand. With many of these EUC's, it looks like your best friend is a powered screwdriver to take a bazillion screws off just to take out a battery. A modular shell that can house a battery pack would make life a lot easier. The outside of the shell would then become a part of the outer housing. One could even put a rubber gasket around the edges to seal the works in to make it waterproof. That way one could carry around some rechargeable packs in a backpack to swap over long trips.Another suggestion for EUC designs is to make some sort of standardized front/back universal attachment to clip on Go-Pros, headlights, brake lights, luggage boxes, etc. Even one that swivels out of the housing and can be snapped back into place would be handy. A couple of simple brackets or attachment grips would help people avoid the need to double stick tape things on. For those who need a splash guard for the back they could then have something to clip onto. After watching a few Gotway Mten videos where a guy has taken a couple of belts to attach some cut up pool noodles onto for cushioning - why don't they make a easily replaceable side cushion for users rather than needing all that home made stuff? I've had to cut pieces of foam carpet underlay and tape it ghetto style around my EUC to save my shins and also to protect the EUC. A simple slide on cushion attachment that clips on or off depending on what the rider wants would make for a cleaner look.I wonder if placing some anti-fatigue mat material over the aluminum pedals would make them a little more cushioned for longer trips. Maybe someone can make some EUC accessories that clip on and are removable.http://www.uline.ca/BL_1751/Anti-Fatigue-MatsHow about making the EUC completely waterproof? If the motor is pretty well sealed up, it's just the electronics, battery, and buttons that need waterproofing. These could be housed in waterproof compartments allowing the EUC to be completely submersible in water up to a point.If anyone else has any suggestions or items on a "wish list" please add to the list! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zlymex Posted October 18, 2015 Share Posted October 18, 2015 There is this PinWheel brand with swappable battery pack. I don't think they are selling very well. The battery of King Song's low-end model 14B also swappable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esaj Posted October 18, 2015 Share Posted October 18, 2015 I think some Huanxi models also had swappable batteries, but not sure... it seems it's usually just one pack (maybe for safety reasons, so no-one inserts a full and an empty pack simultaneously, which could cause very high current rush between the packs as they level each other out?), which is a turn-off for me, never going to get another wheel with less than 4 packs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daan Posted October 18, 2015 Share Posted October 18, 2015 To me, this is what I would like to see:Much more light weight (sub 8kg) -- perhaps through a redesigned BLDC motor; @Jason McNeil weighed an IPS components recently and found for example that just the protective shell on the motor is more than 1kg. I am sure it can be done Nice modern look but with swapable batteries with each one up to 160Wh so we can easily take it on a plane. Actually, say, 4 under 100Wh packs would be just perfect!! We can get range, power, portablility and plane carryability in one go!Of course, a clear manufacturer statement about the safety mechanisms of the wheel with clear technical explanations of the limits. If you use your wheel seriously every day, safety and being able to trust the wheel is just very important! The current state of affairs is not good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Citi Wheel Posted October 19, 2015 Share Posted October 19, 2015 To me, this is what I would like to see:Much more light weight (sub 8kg) -- perhaps through a redesigned BLDC motor; @Jason McNeil weighed an IPS components recently and found for example that just the protective shell on the motor is more than 1kg. I am sure it can be done Nice modern look but with swapable batteries with each one up to 160Wh so we can easily take it on a plane. Actually, say, 4 under 100Wh packs would be just perfect!! We can get range, power, portablility and plane carryability in one go!Of course, a clear manufacturer statement about the safety mechanisms of the wheel with clear technical explanations of the limits. If you use your wheel seriously every day, safety and being able to trust the wheel is just very important! The current state of affairs is not good.if the solowheel orbit had swappable batteries that would fit that criteria perfectly. If it ever comes out, I'm sure you could mod it for easily swapping battery. I did that with my ninebot and it great having the extra range and going from 20 percent to 100 right away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisxr2 Posted October 19, 2015 Share Posted October 19, 2015 if we could just improve what we have that would be great, maybe lighter materials, super quick charging like tesla cars have, removable batteries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daan Posted October 19, 2015 Share Posted October 19, 2015 if the solowheel orbit had swappable batteries that would fit that criteria perfectly. If it ever comes out, I'm sure you could mod it for easily swapping battery. I did that with my ninebot and it great having the extra range and going from 20 percent to 100 right away In theory yes! However, personally I am a bit skeptical with regard to the new 'open' wheel designs; it is critical for a wheel to be very safe and robust. However, current designs use a friction wheel inside to drive the outer wheel. But what happens now if you go through a puddle or if a little rock finds its way in between the friction wheel and the outer wheel? Bad things will happen. I believe that this is the main reason that the Orbit is delayed. It is not obvious how to engineer a solution that ensures the drive mechanism is completely shielded from outside influences. This is a great thing about the current BLDC drives that are completely shielded and maintenance free (and highly thrustworthy) -- just too heavy, sigh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ConjurMan Posted October 19, 2015 Share Posted October 19, 2015 Just ordered a Huanxi H1 which has a swapable battery pack. Extra pack means longer rides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunka Hunka Burning Love Posted October 20, 2015 Author Share Posted October 20, 2015 How much was the Huanxi H1, and what do battery packs run at in cost?You would think they would all come with easy to swap battery packs, but I guess that will come eventually as the EUC matures. We're like in the age where the bicycle was first invented. Ever Google photos of the first bicycle? That was almost 200 years ago, and it didn't even have pedals! I'm sure we'll see more exciting developments as newer generations of EUC's come out. I would have thought the Ninebot would have removable "cartridges" where those grey pads are to easily swap batteries packs out. It just looks so modular from a design standpoint, but gosh you have to unscrew a bunch of things to get at it.How hard would it have been to design a pad casing that unclips to get out the battery pack, pop a new one in, and clip the pad back on without needing a screwdriver? I think we've all owned a camcorder or cell phone with a removable battery pack. Some wider packs you can get with extended capacity.It would be good to see some sort of portable emergency power pack with a long enough wire or clip on ability to the EUC handle or something for some extra power if you get stranded far away. I think I've seen someone on Youtube make a homemade battery pack that does this, but how about a commercial product?Another feature I wouldn't mind seeing is some sort of physical key lock that prevents the power button from activating so you can lock the EUC at a bike rack while shopping without fearing someone will mess around with it. Maybe another idea would be to incorporate a keychain ring camera like the 808 into the housing for back and forwards recording of trips. I wonder if it would be too bumpy though...Puncture proof tires would be interesting.Standard headlights, side running lights, and tail lights would be nice as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunka Hunka Burning Love Posted April 4, 2018 Author Share Posted April 4, 2018 Reviving this thread from the dead - I would also like to see built in reflectors on the rear, front, and sides of these wheels for visibility. Maybe the front/rear/side edges of the pedals? Often we see a single red rear light (if even that) plus a front light on these wheels. Side running lights and even ground effect lights would be cool. I've seen people install an under-casing glow light which adds a neat effect. I think the main thing is visibility. Even during the day our wheels don't seem to register with drivers and pedestrians. At night we should be pretty easy to spot to avoid accidents. What seems to be universally lacking (except for some homemade and Ninebot's) are built-in stands that are elegantly integrated. How often have you had to find a wall to lean your wheel against or had to lay it flat on the ground? No one does that with motorcycles or mopeds. There should be a standard deployable kickstand that can be rotated from the shell to allow the wheel to rest on. Or maybe design the shell so the rear fender doubles as a kickstand with side arms that swing out and lock into place. You could swing out the arms and rotate the wheel back a bit to sit it upright. Fenders should be standard or bolt on from the factory if the shell is very open. Why make people 3D print their own when something can be provided from the get go that looks like it fits right in with the design? I don't think people spend $20,000 on a motorcycle and then have to make their own plastic fender? Let's remove the need to ghettofy these wheels and instead make them purpose built from the start. Integrated bumpers would be nice. Instead of needing users to stick on baby bumpers and trim, why not have replaceable firm rubber pads selectively part of the shell? Figure out the common areas where these wheels get scuffed up and place a bumper pad in that spot. Or even design the shell so there are slight extrusions with pads that help protect the wheel in crashes. I think the UniWheel people had something like that on their concept wheels. Or design the shells with outer crash shells attached to underlying firmer plastic casings like the Ninebot One E+ or the InMotion wheels. That way one can "freshen" up a wheel by replacing some cheap outer parts returning it back to new without needing to scrap the entire shell casing. Easy to replace control boards that are sealed up from the elements. IPS got on this early with their aluminum encased boards, but I don't know if they were waterproof. Why not seal the deal and make these modular with waterproof connections? Make it as easy as replacing an SSD drive in a computer. I suppose airflow would be a concern, but if the case had heatsink fins already and everything that was hot made contact with the shell, an external fan could cool it from the outside. In a world that never sees control board failures out in the mountains it's not an issue, but I still think that a modular, easy to replace control board concept could be a game changer making it more convenient and reliable for end users to accomplish. Imagining @Jrkline "Wheel Whisperer" rolling his Monster out of the mountains makes me wonder how he made it. That must not have been yee haw fun! I think a big fear for dealers is selling a wheel to a consumer, having an issue, and then needing the user to safely change parts in the field. If they don't feel competent enough, in comes shipping costs back and forth which cut into the bottom line not to mention downtime. Incorporating anti-spark waterproof connectors and modular plug and play control boards might make it less daunting. Even watching @Marty Backe's control board swap out gave me a bit of the heebie-jeebies. It's almost like heart surgery where you need to remember which plug goes where... Make it foolproof with labelled connectors and unique ones that cannot be accidentally mixed up. Smartly designed, sturdy and integrated trolley handles. With heavier wheels, this should be a standard component. My $99 set of luggage comes with handles. Why not a $1500 wheel? Would you buy a luggage set that didn't have trolley handles or needed some that you had to attach on yourself? It would be nice to see some vibration and crash testing done along with various outside of the range of normal tests to see where the weaknesses are. People are going to be jumping these wheels over ramps (looking at you @Scott Henley ), crashing them during falls, doing pendulums, hard braking, severe hill climbing (don't need to mention names ), riding in snow, etc. These wheels should be thoroughly tested to find problem spots and modified so they can survive almost anything thrown at them. I wonder what a military spec electric unicycle would be like... imagine submerging it in 10 m of water, down a muddy hill, carrying 300 pounds around, and driving a car over the wheel ( @MaxLinux had that happen to his Lhotz) and have the wheel survive. Suspension. Isn't it time to have some sort of practical and reliable suspension system? Not all roads snd sidewalks are smooth out there. Maybe some sort of axle to pedal support independent suspension system design could be developed. Even if it could dampen one inch of movement it likely would be a welcome change. GPS locator and alarm. These wheels are expensive and relatively easy to steal. Why not have an onboard GPS system with app finding ability. Think Apple FindmyiPhone. Also the GPS could help provide trip report data and performance stats. Vibration warning. Adding a case buzzer might help warn users of impending doom when auditory alarms might not be heard. How noisy does it get riding next to trucks, buses, airplanes and on windy days? I figure since some wheel makers are watching and listening to these threads, why not put some of these items on the wish list for future designs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esash Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 I'd like to be able to re-program the firmware for power distribution (or whatever) to change the wheel's emphasis on top speed vs high torque. If they can custom tweak it at the Gotway factory for you, then maybe some day we'll be able to switch from "high speed" to "high torque" in between rides, or even while we're riding, just by clicking a button in the app. Doing some high speed cruising? Climbing some big hills and/or doing trail riding? There's an app for that!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunka Hunka Burning Love Posted April 4, 2018 Author Share Posted April 4, 2018 I think we talked about that before, but my impression was that speed and torque were set characteristics unique to the design of the motor, specifically the number and thickness of the coils so it couldn't be changed without changing the physical design of the motor. I remember Gotway used to sell some versions that were high speed and lower torque or medium speed and higher torque of the same model. @John Eucist bought a set of each if I recall correctly. Let me search that thread up about the motors... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esash Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 GOTWAY MCM4 - HIGH TORQUE VERSION Battery options: 260Wh, 680Wh Range: up to 15, 42 miles Wheel size: 14 inch Motor: 800 Watt specially-designed disc motor Max Speed: 18 mph Max Climbing: 28 degrees Weight: 24, 28lbs Max load: 220lbs. GOTWAY MCM4 HIGH SPEED VERSION Battery options: 260Wh, 340Wh, 680Wh Range: up to 15, 21, 42 miles Wheel size: 14 inch Motor: 800 Watt specially-designed disc motor Max Speed: 21 mph Max Climbing: 25 degrees Weight: 24, 25, 28, 28lbs Max load: 220lbs. https://tec-toyz.com/products/gotway-mcm4-high-speed-version They might have different motors though, now that I think about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cloud Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 @Hunka Hunka Burning Love I love the kick stand idea, or resting on the edge of the casing is even better to minimize weight and get rid of an extra semi loose part ( kickstand). That should come standard like yesterday. Fenders would be nice too but need to be integrated such that they are also aesthetically pleasing and hard to satisfy each persons taste . Probably not on their priority list right now but I believe they will start being incorporated if not to protect from scratching but more for structural reasons, to dampen/ distribute the impact on the most sensitive parts of the shell and transfer less impact in the internal parts. Reflectors are unlikely to be incorporated in my opinion as they will probably mess up the aesthetics / will not be easy to incorporate into the overall looks to each customers satisfaction. I think this could be sold / supplied with the wheel for the user to attach if he wants to How about an integrated glove compartment? Just kidding, a small integrated container for the weed would suffice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esash Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 My big idea is something like this: A frame, seat, and little rear wheel that slides into/onto your EUC with those front forks. So you could ride your EUC without this rear wheel/seat, or you could hook this frame onto your EUC and still control the wheel with your feet from a seated position with two wheel stability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esash Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 I'd also like to see an EUC wit chain sprockets, or an EUC that you could attach a belt drive to, with holes in the top of the EUC that the chain or belt can go through. If your EUC could drive a belt/chain, you could power all kinds of other devices, like a boat propeller or even helicopter blades Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunka Hunka Burning Love Posted April 5, 2018 Author Share Posted April 5, 2018 Maybe a drift trike is what you need? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esash Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 Batec Rapid Electric wheelchair attachment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Henley Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 1 hour ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said: Reviving this thread from the dead - I would also like to see built in reflectors on the rear, front, and sides of these wheels for visibility. Maybe the front/rear/side edges of the pedals? Often we see a single red rear light (if even that) plus a front light on these wheels. Side running lights and even ground effect lights would be cool. I've seen people install an under-casing glow light which adds a neat effect. I think the main thing is visibility. Even during the day our wheels don't seem to register with drivers and pedestrians. At night we should be pretty easy to spot to avoid accidents. What seems to be universally lacking (except for some homemade and Ninebot's) are built-in stands that are elegantly integrated. How often have you had to find a wall to lean your wheel against or had to lay it flat on the ground? No one does that with motorcycles or mopeds. There should be a standard deployable kickstand that can be rotated from the shell to allow the wheel to rest on. Or maybe design the shell so the rear fender doubles as a kickstand with side arms that swing out and lock into place. You could swing out the arms and rotate the wheel back a bit to sit it upright. Fenders should be standard or bolt on from the factory if the shell is very open. Why make people 3D print their own when something can be provided from the get go that looks like it fits right in with the design? I don't think people spend $20,000 on a motorcycle and then have to make their own plastic fender? Let's remove the need to ghettofy these wheels and instead make them purpose built from the start. Integrated bumpers would be nice. Instead of needing users to stick on baby bumpers and trim, why not have replaceable firm rubber pads selectively part of the shell? Figure out the common areas where these wheels get scuffed up and place a bumper pad in that spot. Or even design the shell so there are slight extrusions with pads that help protect the wheel in crashes. I think the UniWheel people had something like that on their concept wheels. Or design the shells with outer crash shells attached to underlying firmer plastic casings like the Ninebot One E+ or the InMotion wheels. That way one can "freshen" up a wheel by replacing some cheap outer parts returning it back to new without needing to scrap the entire shell casing. Easy to replace control boards that are sealed up from the elements. IPS got on this early with their aluminum encased boards, but I don't know if they were waterproof. Why not seal the deal and make these modular with waterproof connections? Make it as easy as replacing an SSD drive in a computer. I suppose airflow would be a concern, but if the case had heatsink fins already and everything that was hot made contact with the shell, an external fan could cool it from the outside. In a world that never sees control board failures out in the mountains it's not an issue, but I still think that a modular, easy to replace control board concept could be a game changer making it more convenient and reliable for end users to accomplish. Imagining @Jrkline "Wheel Whisperer" rolling his Monster out of the mountains makes me wonder how he made it. That must not have been yee haw fun! I think a big fear for dealers is selling a wheel to a consumer, having an issue, and then needing the user to safely change parts in the field. If they don't feel competent enough, in comes shipping costs back and forth which cut into the bottom line not to mention downtime. Incorporating anti-spark waterproof connectors and modular plug and play control boards might make it less daunting. Even watching @Marty Backe's control board swap out gave me a bit of the heebie-jeebies. It's almost like heart surgery where you need to remember which plug goes where... Make it foolproof with labelled connectors and unique ones that cannot be accidentally mixed up. Smartly designed, sturdy and integrated trolley handles. With heavier wheels, this should be a standard component. My $99 set of luggage comes with handles. Why not a $1500 wheel? Would you buy a luggage set that didn't have trolley handles or needed some that you had to attach on yourself? It would nice to see some vibration and crash testing done along with various outside of the range of normal tests to see where the weaknesses are. People are going to be jumping these wheels over ramps (looking at you @Scott Henley ), crashing them during falls, doing pendulums, hard braking, severe hill climbing (don't need to mention names ), riding in snow, etc. These wheels should be thoroughly tested to find problem spots and modified so they can survive almost anything thrown at them. I wonder what a military spec electric unicycle would be like... imagine submerging it in 10 m of water, down a muddy hill, carrying 300 pounds around, and driving a car over the wheel ( @MaxLinux had that happen to his Lhotz) and have the wheel survive. I figure since some wheel makers are watching and listening to these threads, why not put some of these items on the wish list for future designs? These are all really solid ideas @Hunka Hunka Burning Love. Unfortunately I’m currently in the hospital . And I think my EUC jumping career is on an indefinite hiatus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunka Hunka Burning Love Posted April 5, 2018 Author Share Posted April 5, 2018 Yeeks... What happened? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Henley Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 1 hour ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said: Yeeks... What happened? My appendix ruptured. Seems like I can’t get a break this week . Lol just got out of surgery! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunka Hunka Burning Love Posted April 5, 2018 Author Share Posted April 5, 2018 Aw man that sucks! Hope you make a speedy recovery! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Henley Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 32 minutes ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said: Aw man that sucks! Hope you make a speedy recovery! Thank you! I’ll do my best . ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrkline "Wheel Whisperer" Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 20 minutes ago, Scott Henley said: Thank you! I’ll do my best . ? not to worry! The wheel Gods have got your six. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Henley Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 14 hours ago, Jrkline "Wheel Whisperer" said: not to worry! The wheel Gods have got your six. Lol. Good to hear ! I’m in a hell of a lot of pain . Getting ready to be discharged now . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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