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U.S. i5 retailer?


WCSdancer

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Could anyone tell me if there are any companies in the U.S. that still sell the IPS i5?   Do you know if IPS still produces the i5?  I kind of have my heart set on getting one, but am hesitant to order direct from China.  Thanks!

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So I read a response from that company stating if bought directly from them (iamips.com) they would help you more better, this is where having someone that knows chinese will need to step in lololol.  I suspect the aliexpress/alibaba 3rd party resellers might be selling refurbed/problematic units they can get for the cheap, hoping this aint  just alias company just to dump and claim zero warranty by saying they are not affliated to the unsuspecting buyer.

I'm waiting to get an S5 or i5 down the road eventually.

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I looked at these IPS i5 wheels, and it seems like a really cool idea, super light weight.  But after riding the 14" MCM5 I just got, I think the only reason to buy a wheel like the i5 is if you really have a hard limit on weight / thickness, and you're truly married to lugging it around all day.  Problem is that even the largest 245 Wh battery won't get very far at all (no range margin / immediate range anxiety / range decreases with life of wheel).  It seems like a 3rd or 4th kind of wheel someone would buy as a novelty for its low weight and thinness.  The 340Wh KS14D has a 40% larger battery, USA support, and is only $50 more.

Edited by xorbe
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3 hours ago, xorbe said:

I think the only reason to buy a wheel like the i5 is if you really have a hard limit on weight / thickness, and you're truly married to lugging it around all day.

That's exactly what the i5 is for.

I sometimes find myself wanting one because it's the only wheel you could pack into a regular backpack (or just carry like a bag) and not be bothered by the weight and size of it. So you can just take it with you without second thoughts where you would usually never take a EUC.

It's hard to describe how nice and pleasant it is to simply carry the i5 by its handle, as opposed to the bulky and heavy (but the wide shape is the real problem) other wheels. It's just like a little briefcase - so sweet and feels weightless, despite the non-neglegible 8kg of weight.

And 245Wh still gives you an easy 10km of range. It's perfect for getting to a train station, having the wheel with you the entire day while barely noticing it, and then getting back home, for example.

Yes, it's a niche wheel and certainly not an allrounder standard wheel, but it really is so enjoyable to carry. I wasn't too convinced by the concept other than "hehe, cool" until I got to try one. Somehow it's just nice. Usually, you judge wheels by how nice they are to ride, but this one really shines by how nice it is while not riding it. And the ride itself is good enough for a few fun and surprisingly useful kilometers of getting from A to B.

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For 11-12km you need a fast wheel, otherwise the commute will be frustratingly long and you will feel inhibited after a few days of repeating the route. I'd go for an MCM5 at least, but really for a "full" 16 or 18 incher. So I don't think there's a good carryable wheel for that kind of longer commute, just get a regular EUC and take it with you on the train, with helmet and gear and all.

The i5 is perfect if you can replace a 30 minute walk or 20 minute bus ride (waiting time included) with an 8-10 minute relaxing and fun, fresh air, instant EUC ride. So maybe 3km at most I'd say (that's already pushing it). Longer and you want more speed. 10 km is looooooooooooong!

Edited by meepmeepmayer
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2 hours ago, /Dev/Null said:

I kind of want an mten3 for the same reason.  At 95kg with gear on I wonder if I'm too heavy.  Being able to toss the mten3 into a backpack is attractive.  The i5 looks good for this too, but my commute to the train station is about 11-12km one way, so I kind of need more range.

You should be ok at 95kg on the mten3. I've done 90kg. Carrying the mten3 in a backpack is doable. Where it gets dicey is carrying the mten3 in a backpack while riding an euc. 

I recent got a cargo backpack to transport the mten3. It's uncomfortable riding with 24lbs of awkward bulk on your back. The weight balance shifts to the rear. I find hand carrying the mten3 to be more stable. But that only work for short rides. The i5 might be better for backpack carry. Its flatter and will sit closer to the body in a backpack. But it's probably underpowered for your combined weight. 

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Yeah I'm doing 2.1 km twice a day with an MTen3 right now.  Not sure I'd recommend it for 12 km one way!  I think you'd need to charge it twice a day.  Mine started beeping after 17 km with 2-3 bars left (of 6) so I had to slow down.  MTen3 is not light weight for carrying, and the handle sucks as it's squared off.  (Marty has a YT how-to for adding a trolley handle.)  You require more hardware than an IPS i5 or MTen3 for 22-24 km/day.

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1 hour ago, /Dev/Null said:

Not to take this thread off topic, but I currently have a inmotion V10 that can do this easily.  Should I just stick with that?

Sounds like the perfect wheel for this. Not too bulky, and most importantly fast enough so you won't get annoyed by the speed (and comfort) limitation like you would with a slower, smaller wheel.

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For a full 16 incher you could probably take a look at the Rockwheel GT16 if you manage to get a good price on one. Its about the same size as an mcm5, but has a 1036wh battery. Swap the tyre to a 2.5 and it will keep up with any 84v wheel on the market especially on offroad terrain.

I still love mine and even take it to the movies as it's small enough to stow under my seat. Only problem is that it is pretty loud compared to modern wheels. 

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9 minutes ago, /Dev/Null said:

It's funny you mention this -- I have an quick ride (10 min or so) to the movies, so I asked the theatre & they have banned all pevs :(  Still driving for me there...However no such issue going to the dentist or library.

Shame.. I never ask first but when told that i'm not allowed to ride my wheel, I always politely oblige. Really only have been stopped twice, once in the open-air lobby of an office building and once on the public pathway near a hospital. In both cases the staff were fine with it as long as I dismounted and pushed my wheel instead.

Most places still do not have any rules or have any idea how to respond when asked about our extremely niche mode of transport so they'd rather give the safest answer if you ask them for one.

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25 minutes ago, /Dev/Null said:

It's funny you mention this -- I have an quick ride (10 min or so) to the movies, so I asked the theatre & they have banned all pevs :(  Still driving for me there...However no such issue going to the dentist or library.

Why not get a bike lock and lock the EUC around the handle to a bike rack outside the theater?

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I'm using i5 as my backup wheel in my car, when i need to commute in city while I parked my car far away from the point of interest. It does great. also I had fun riding it for a long distances. However it's not lightning fast. Im 85kg atm, all good.

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