Help choosing 2nd wheel

[mike_bike_kite]

I'm in my mid 50's and only recently taken up riding. I ride in London, mostly in the suburbs, and generally just to shops/friends/coffee houses etc. I weigh 98Kg and am about 192cm tall (216 lbs & 6'3"). I currently ride about on my V5F which I'm really enjoying but my weight, and the hilly area I live in, kind of limits it's range. I got it because I figured it would make learning to ride easy and it's worked great for that. I'm now looking for a more long term wheel and these are my thoughts so far:

• KS16S - I like the matt black version and it ticks most of my boxes. I particularly like the fact that it's rugged and comes with a handle but I'm not at all sure I could put up with the noise it makes.
• Tesla V2 - Love the specs though I probably wouldn't use it's speed that much but I'm put off by the case fragility and the lack of rear lights.
• KS16X - Love the design and love the specs. It's a bit more than I want to spend and it just looks too heavy to lift up stairs (if I ever take a train to central London).
• V10F - I currently have a V5F and I'm happy with it so the 10 seems like a natural progression. I might also be able to smuggle it into the house and just pretend it's the same wheel as before. Weight wise, I suspect it's on the limit of what I want to lift. I'm not so keen on the disco side lighting but that can be turned off.
• V8F - A nice wheel but I somehow think I'll have range issues. The battery is nearly double my V5F but I still don't think that would be enough for me.
• Nikola 1600 - Specs wise it looks great but I think it's just too big for me and that shiny surface will get knackered in my gentle hands.
• KS18L - I actually saw one of these in the flesh when I guy rode past me while I was on my motorbike in Streatham. It was a nice looking wheel but I think 18" is just a bit too much wheel for me and not really suited to where I want to ride.
• MSX - I have no desire to go fast so it's main advantage is wasted on me. I'm not keen on the handle either.

I think I've covered everything. I haven't seen any user reviews on the V8F yet and there's also a new mystery Gotway coming out in a few months but there's no details available as yet. I'm in no great rush to buy but I guess now is a good time for deals. Your thoughts on what I should get and/or when?

 

[null]

The "Light" weight of the 16S combined with decent range and trolley make it a good fit if you stay urban. The noise isn't that bad.
Most recommend their choices though, someone will sell you the Tesla for extra torque etc 

Edited December 17, 2019 by null

[Unventor]

Well I have if the wheels on your list. KS16X, KS18L and V10F. It all depends of what you want to do. 

The "cheap" all around option is the V10F. It was reported it would be prone to overheating in hot heavy load  I am about 80-90kg depending on how much gear I wear and add another 10kg when shopping to that. I have not had any issues yet but we are in cold season now. The trolley works. But I prefer KS approach still.

The KS18L is a good cruising wheel, about same range a little more direction stable due to bigger rim size and different battery/weight distribution compared to V10F. I would not sign this off as current batch is a very solid product. New batch have same lift sensor as KS16X. That has never failed me yet. 

The KS16X is the most fun ride, and more dynamic. It is easy to go super slow, yet more of a mc style ride above 20kmh. It feels like a very rewarding wheel, more advanced ride. It is not for everyone but it is the one I like the most. To me the only downfall is the absence of proper weatherproof. In that regard both other options are a better choice. But the KS16X is a better trolley option and easier to deploy. Have a great head lamp, and of course longer range. Speed is not its main goal. If that regard there is only one choise, Gotway.

Since you come from Inmotion I would think you would find the V10F or KS18L the easiest to ride. 

[meepmeepmayer]

The V10F sound like the ideal compromise. It's clearly better than the 16S/V8F and lighter and sleeker and cheaper than the bigger ones. edit: Forgot the Tesla, it's like the V10F but lighter. Replace V10F by V10F/Tesla in the rest of this post.

The only downside of the V10F is the lower range compare to the 1600Wh+ options. If you have the slightest inclination that you will maybe enjoy longer range tours, which the V5F cannot do at all so this might be a not yet acquired taste for you but one you might have soon, you may regret the V10F range unless you plan to get a third, big-tour wheel later anyways and use this V10F more for power-commuting and the like.

So I say either V10F or a longer range wheel (any of them are great, but probably 16X/Nik make more sense), depending on what your heart says. (Btw the main advantage of the MSX is the super comfortable tire, not only the speed).

Of course, if your intuition has a certain wheel in mind that just seems to say "Buy me!", that overrules all theoretical arguments.

Sorry for the non-answer answer. All wheels are great. Personally, I'd stay away from the 16S or V8F - too limited.

3 hours ago, mike_bike_kite said:

V10F - I currently have a V5F and I'm happy with it so the 10 seems like a natural progression. I might also be able to smuggle it into the house and just pretend it's the same wheel as before. Weight wise, I suspect it's on the limit of what I want to lift. I'm not so keen on the disco side lighting but that can be turned off.

Edited December 17, 2019 by meepmeepmayer

[null]

3 hours ago, meepmeepmayer said:

It's clearly better than the 16S

Well that's just, like, your opinion man. The V10F is larger, heavier and has a lesser trolley.

Edited December 17, 2019 by null

[mike_bike_kite]

I was wondering myself why the you put the V10F so obviously above the KS16S. The problem for folks like me is we never ever see any other EUCs so it's difficult to know what they're really like. The KS16S, V10F and Tesla are probably my main choices and are all roughly the same price. I suspect the V10F is just a bit too big to fit subtly into London life but I might try making a mockup out of cereal boxes  I still find it hard to think of the V10F as cheap though. I also have that gut feeling that I'll end up busting the Tesla - I still crash more than most. While the KS16S seems an almost sensible choice but it's now 3 years old. 

[meepmeepmayer]

To me, the 16S is not a forever wheel due to the 35kph limit (lower in reality because 35 is the absolute max including death-tiltback,  and it sinks with a depleting battery). That's just a notch too slow to be happy with. Neither the Tesla nor V10(F) have that problem.

The 16S has a fantastic form factor, including the comparably low weight (nowadays under 20kg counts a light). But so does the Tesla, and it does not have the 16S's limitations. The V10F is also faster, and super sleek with a thinner form factor, this may balance out its comparably higher weight if you prefer this type of wheel.

So I don't see how the combination V10F/Tesla could ever lose out to a 16S (except possibly price). Just choose the one you like from the V10F or Tesla and you're better off.

My opinion.

Edited December 18, 2019 by meepmeepmayer
spelling

[RockyTop]

The V10F is just slightly faster than the 16s. (22 mph - 25 mph) The V10F has a softer ride because of the fat, slightly taller tire than both 16s and Tessa. The 16s would have to be the most rugged. (Tougher shell and better designed pedals and pedal hangers) 

If you don't care about speed ( 30 mph) I don't see the benefit of the Tesla. ( And I am a GotWay fan boy) The 16s is smaller and more compact while the V10F has a smother ride. 

I think the most important thing is to get you on a better wheel than that V5.