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Buying my first wheel


Gibby

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Hi I’m new to this and looking at buying my first wheel it’s second hand so could anyone give me some information what to look out for and what to ask the seller before buying, would really appreciate the help 

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Welcome @Gibby.

You mention that 'it's' second hand. So you already know which wheel you have your eye on. Could you be more specific? Which wheel is it, what's the mileage, price, what other info does the seller have for you?

Also, what do you want to use it for? And any additional info such as your weight and experience with PEV's could also be relevant. :)

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The v5f will make a great starter wheel. You’ll either buy it, try it and decide that EUC’s are not for you or you’ll be looking to upgrade to an Inmotion V10F within 6 months. Once you get a taste for EUC’s you’ll be hooked, and unless you have a specific need for a smaller wheel (on and off public transport) you’ll be wanting more speed, more range, more stability. Age does not appear to have any bearing on this.

£350 is only 20% off the price of a new wheel. Given that you’re not the one driving it out of the showroom, it would have to be in factory condition to justify the asking price. You’ll most likely be trying to sell it on yourself in the future.

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26 minutes ago, Mortal Coil said:

£350 is only 20% off the price of a new wheel. Given that you’re not the one driving it out of the showroom, it would have to be in factory condition to justify the asking price.

Agreed! You can even get a new one for less money on gearbest (if you're happy with that)

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[Moved the thread to the brand-new, "Which electric unicycle to get?" section :)]

27 minutes ago, Mortal Coil said:

The v5f will make a great starter wheel. You’ll either buy it, try it and decide that EUC’s are not for you or you’ll be looking to upgrade to an Inmotion V10F within 6 months.

If he really likes EUCing, I'd say 6-12 weeks rather than 6 months ;)

@Gibby If you don't want to spend a lot when deciding whether EUCing is for you or not, going for a 2nd hand wheel is a good idea :)

If I understand correctly, what you're asking is what to look out for in terms of the state of the wheel you're buying (possible hidden defects, etc). For the asking price of the wheel you mentioned, it should be in pretty pristine condition and with little mileage. Thing to ask and look out for:

  • Mileage (ask the seller to show you on the app)
  • Cracks in the shell. Look closely all around (for the asking price, there should be none, and very little, if not zero scratches either)
  • Check that the trolley handle extends properly and stays in place, and doesn't have too much play
  • Ask when it was purchased, whether it's still under warranty, what kind of riding it's been used for, etc
  • Check the tire state and rim (make sure there are no dents, nothing bent)
  • Ask for a demonstration so you can see that it works correctly
  • Battery state is one of the most important things to look out for, but hard to verify until you actually own the wheel, so things like how long since it was last used, where it's been stored, what charge % it was stored at are good things to ask
  • Lights (headlight and LEDs)

I'm sure I've left out a few things, I'm sure @Unventor will be able to help you out too and make up for my potential omissions :)

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26 minutes ago, travsformation said:

Battery state is one of the most important things to look out for, but hard to verify until you actually own the wheel, so things like how long since it was last used, where it's been stored, what charge % it was stored at are good things to ask

You should definitely also check if it actually still charges to 100% to see if the battery pack has become unbalanced.

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2 minutes ago, Tazarinho said:

You should definitely also check if it actually still charges to 100% to see if the battery pack has become unbalanced.

Good point!

@Gibby ask the seller to charge the wheel to 100% for when you go check it out :)

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