Solowheel Xtreme help appreciated

[Speedie]

Hi,

i have owned and ridden an Airwheel X8 for the past 7 years. It is well past it’s use by date. It struggles on inclines and has lost a significant amount of power delivery or acceleration. I have used the X8 primarily for last mile commutes doing on average 4 to 5 kilometres in total for a day. All riding is on bitumen or concrete pathways. I Don’t need range but would like a more powerful wheel as I live in a hilly area. I am interested in the Solowheel Xtreme as a potential replacement, in that it is light in weight, and from the specifications has a strong motor. Is the Solowheel now a rebadged machine? I haven’t kept up with the latest in EUCs, so am not familiar with brands etc. A few years ago when I was looking, Solowheel seemed a quality product, is that still the case?

i am 85kg, 6’3” and 16 or so km/h top speed is more than enough for me. Safety, build quality and comfortable ride are my priorities.

thank you.

[meepmeepmayer]

Hi.

3 hours ago, Speedie said:

I am interested in the Solowheel Xtreme as a potential replacement

I don't know where you would even get one.

3 hours ago, Speedie said:

A few years ago when I was looking, Solowheel seemed a quality product, is that still the case?

Solowheel has been effectively dead since whenever the first Ninebot came out. 2015? Solowheels are from the stone age of EUCs.

Even their attempt to salvage something and rebrand some Inmotions (V5->Glide2, V8->Glide3) didn't work out and is over.

3 hours ago, Speedie said:

and from the specifications has a strong motor

This wheel is laughably weak. A neat motor doesn't help because the battery is still a joke. And if you can get one, it will be absurdly overpriced beyond imagination.

Current wheels are lightyears ahead of anything Solowheel. You're essentially asking to buy a Ford Model T as a 2020 car buyer

-

If you want a light (or cheaper) wheel, get an Inmotion V5F or V8/V8F, Kingsong 14D/14S, IPS i5, Gotway mten3, or one of the old Ninebots (E+, S2, the ones that killed Solowheel by being much much better, but these are ancient and outdated themselves now, I would not recommend them).

If you want safety for your size and weight (unless you go really slow), you need to get a "real" wheel. Kingsong 14S or 16S, Gotway Tesla, Gotway MCM5, or maybe an mten3. The MCM5 in particular seems to be a great commuter, and will be incredibly powerful compared to your Airwheel or any Solowheel (real or just rebranded Inmotion).

What's your target speed, and your budget? We can help you find a wheel that fits you The good news is, there is a ton of improvement waiting for you.

Anyways, stay away from Solowheel. They're dead. For good reason, they had nothing competitive to offer even years ago.

Edited February 8, 2020 by meepmeepmayer

[tenofnine]

I'm probably wrong but I thought Solowheel owned all the patents for EUCs in America so effectively Inmotion HAD to re-brand or come to an agreement if they wanted to operate in the US.

I always wondered what happened with the V10 and how it was allowed to be solely an Inmotion product (based out of China now?) or maybe the patent rolled over and Solowheel stopped pursuing legal recourse.

Either way I really like the look of the Solowheel Xtreme, always have. It looks like a "lite" version of the z6/z10, just a shame the specs are so pitiful.

Edited February 8, 2020 by tenofnine

[Kens]

I never heard of Solowheel Xtreme before and I'm lurking this forum pretty often.. 

Here's for some of you that never seen one.. Upload date: Sep 4, 2015

 

 

[Speedie]

Thanks for the feedback meepmeepmayer.

It looks as though they are still for sale, so it’s quite confusing to be honest. See https://store.inventist.com/products/solowheel-xtreme

I don’t need to go quicker than 16km/h (sounds quite slow I know). I don’t like going faster than I can run. I find that a good safety rule should I come off. Gives me a good chance to stay on my feet. Safety and quality (build, materials and software logic) and comfort with enough power for hilly terrain are my priorities. I have been reviewing videos on the inMotion v10. The weight and height of the pedals have been putting me off though.

any recommendations most welcome.

thank you once again.

[Speedie]

Apologies, budget is maximum 2,000USD

[tenofnine]

If you are concerned with safety and limiting the speed I'd go with a Kingsong, specifically a KS 16s.

The Solowheel Xtreme is very overpriced for what little it can do while the Kingsong 16s is a steal for it's safety, range, built in trolley handle, etc.

The top speed is 22 mph (35 km/h) but that can be limited much lower easily in app (by default Kingsong's are limited to half their actual top speed until about 500 kms are reached) and Kingsong's have the power and capacity to safely give you a safe stable EUC down to really low battery percentages.

 

You can get one for as low as $1149 in the US with 840Wh which is about 4x the range of an Xtreme. I know Australia is more expensive, but I can't imagine it's over your 2000 USD budget.

[meepmeepmayer]

35 minutes ago, Speedie said:

It looks as though they are still for sale, so it’s quite confusing to be honest. See https://store.inventist.com/products/solowheel-xtreme

Now I'm confused too. I wonder what would happen if one tries to order. And it's cheaper than seen in other places ($2500!). Anyways... no!

33 minutes ago, Speedie said:

Apologies, budget is maximum 2,000USD

You can get pretty much every wheel with this kind of money, except the highest cost performance wheels.

The stronger and faster (mostly the same thing) a EUC is, the safer it is. You can go slow with a fast wheel, too. All wheels support speed warnings.

Do you have any weight requirements or other wishes? Need to carry or trolley the thing? Since you have essentially no requirements that aren't fulfilled by every current wheel, you have the free choice of where to go. Go by looks or just what appears good for you.

Check out these links for an overview of models:

https://www.ewheels.com/shop

https://www.speedyfeet.co.uk/collections/electric-unicycle-one-wheel-segway

Bigger (and wider) tire means more riding comfort. All wheels are safe (otherwise people would abandon them), especially in comparison to your weak ass Airwheel.

43 minutes ago, Speedie said:

I have been reviewing videos on the inMotion v10. The weight and height of the pedals have been putting me off though.

The V10 is (literally) oversized and heavy for your meek requirements. But you would certainly enjoy it if you got one (like any modern wheel). And it looks great with nice build quality.

46 minutes ago, Speedie said:

I don’t need to go quicker than 16km/h (sounds quite slow I know). I don’t like going faster than I can run. I find that a good safety rule should I come off. Gives me a good chance to stay on my feet.

I hope (for your sake) that, once you get your non-stone age wheel (sorry), you will discover the joys of utilizing what the current wheels have to offer. But even if you keep riding that awfully (sorry) slow, you'll be in a new world of power delivery and riding joy.

[lirva]

I almost thought this solowheel was the new inmotion wheel. 

inmotion V8f,  kingsong ks16s, gotway tesla is good choices in 16" wheels with trolleys.

[Espen R]

@Speedie I'm 6"2.5, and wouldn't really recommend a Kingsong 16S to tall people. Pedals are to small and the padding, which is very hard, hits you in the leg bone, and that becomes increasingly more and more unpleasant as your leg bone becomes oversensitive. I thought the pain would go away over time, but it didn't, it just got worse. It's a great wheel, I still use mine for tricks, but daily use or long rides doesn't work for me.

Considering your height, weight and budget, I would go for the Inmotion V10F. Even though you don't need the extra range of the F model for your commute, I consider the chance of you realizing a wider use scenario with a modern wheel like this as greater than the price difference between the V10 and V10F, and if you plan to keep your new wheel for as long as your X8, the battery degradation of the F version is more likely to keep you safe than what the smaller battery pack of the V10 would.

The wheel is not as light as you X8, but if you can use the trolley handle in your commute it won’t be a hassle, but if you have to carry the wheel for long stretches, then perhaps the Gotway Mten3 is the best choice for you.

Edited February 8, 2020 by Espen R

[meepmeepmayer]

The V10F weighs the same as the V10, so the only downside is the higher price. If you will want a bit more than you do now with the Airwheel, it's a good choice.

[mike_bike_kite]

1 hour ago, Espen R said:

@Speedie I'm 6"2.5, and wouldn't really recommend a Kingsong 16S to tall people. Pedals are to small and the padding, which is very hard, hits you in the leg bone, and that becomes increasingly more and more unpleasant as your leg bone becomes oversensitive. I thought the pain would go away over time, but it didn't, it just got worse. It's a great wheel, I still use mine for tricks, but daily use or long rides doesn't work for me.

I'm a fairly well built 6'3" and I find my 16S quite comfortable though I did fit the large pedals from the 18XL. I'm 96Kg  and it seems pretty quick up hills. It's got a decent handle and, at 17Kg, it's fairly light to carry up stairs or navigate through a crowded cafe. Like shoes, I suspect different wheels suit different people.

[Espen R]

4 minutes ago, mike_bike_kite said:

I'm a fairly well built 6'3" and I find my 16S quite comfortable though I did fit the large pedals from the 18XL. I'm 96Kg  and it seems pretty quick up hills. It's got a decent handle and, at 17Kg, it's fairly light to carry up stairs or navigate through a crowded cafe. Like shoes, I suspect different wheels suit different people.

Been thinking about doing the large 18XL pedal switch, but as a trick/loaner wheel I'm not sure it is worth it for me. Absolutely love the pedals on my 18XL, comfort level on long trips is like day and night. When I used the 16S as my daily, I mainly rode on rough surfaces, like gravel and light off-road, and the 16S continuously slammed into the same spot on my leg bones. Even today, 1.5 years since the wheel was in daily use, I still feel pain when I mount the wheel. I do regard the 16S as a great wheel though, so if the half inch you and @Speedie are taller than me prevents the padding from hitting the leg bone, it might be closer to an equal choice to the V10F. Trolley handle and weight is in favour of the 16S, and pedal size, pedal height, general ergonomics and lift cut off button is in favour of the V10F.

[mrelwood]

@Espen R, I completely share your pain on my leg bone when mounting an unmodified 16S. Hence I made XXL foot plates and EVA foam supports that essentially extend the side pads upward. I still wouldn’t ride it one-legged for very long, but mounting no longer hurts!

[Espen R]

Thank you @mrelwood, that’s such a relief to hear. I’ve felt like such a lonely wimp complaining about this. I had a stress fracture in one of the toe bones on my right foot for about 8 months, but that didn’t stop me from riding, but after the first days with an EUC on the 16S, I couldn’t order the 18XL fast enough. My girlfriend and other people that have tried or borrowed the 16S have had no issues with this, but they are all below 175 cm (5”7), so the padding hit the leg muscle, not the bone.

I tried to tape on some extra padding when I started practicing one-footing, but it didn’t help much:) 9700+ km on a 16S!!! Respect!

Edited February 8, 2020 by Espen R

[tenofnine]

10 minutes ago, Espen R said:

Thank you @mrelwood, that’s such a relief to hear. I’ve felt like such a lonely wimp complaining about this. I had a stress fracture in one of the toe bones on my right foot for about 8 months, but that didn’t stop me from riding, but after the first days with an EUC on the 16S, I couldn’t order the 18XL fast enough. My girlfriend and other people that have tried or borrowed the 16S have had no issues with this, but they are all below 175 cm (5”7), so the padding hit the leg muscle, not the bone.

I tried to tape on some extra padding when I started practicing one-footing, but it didn’t help much:) 9700+ km on a 16S!!! Respect!

Why didn't you just turn a shin guard sideways inward or a soft/hard knee pad? Wouldn't that have solved the problem? Or heck even just wrap a shirt around your leg where it hits.

For once in my life I'm glad I'm short (5'8"), I don't have to worry about any of these tall people EUC problems *phew* (now if I can just lose a bit of weight and become powered up on my wheels)

[Espen R]

10 minutes ago, tenofnine said:

Why didn't you just turn a shin guard sideways inward or a soft/hard knee pad? Wouldn't that have solved the problem? Or heck even just wrap a shirt around your leg where it hits.

For once in my life I'm glad I'm short (5'8"), I don't have to worry about any of these tall people EUC problems *phew* (now if I can just lose a bit of weight and become powered up on my wheels)

Well, I did use my knee pads to protect the leg bone spot sometimes, but I couldn't have fitted shin guards that would protect the spots and knee pads at the same time, and since I was learning, knee protection had a higher priority than the leg bone pain.

I envy your height sometimes. Being tall has some advantages, but everything is made to fit people around your size. Plane seats, bus seats, cars seats, motorcycles, jackets, gloves, helmets and a lot of other stuff are a total PITA for me. So, enjoy your comfortable world while I sit in discomfort and are comforted by a long line (gross exaggeration) of very beautiful and empathetic women;)

[mike_bike_kite]

1 hour ago, Espen R said:

So, enjoy your comfortable world while I sit in discomfort and are comforted by a long line (gross exaggeration) of very beautiful and empathetic women;)