What enhancements would you like to see in future Electric Unicycles? (Poll)

[KiwiRoller]

Hey guys,

I thought it would be interesting to gather community feedback on what we would like to see in future EUC's.

Not sure if the owners and engineers from the big wheel companies browse these forums, but if they do, it would be helpful for them to think about what we want as riders, so here is a poll with some ideas and stuff that might / might not be cool enhancements to future electric unicycles...

[KiwiRoller]

Bumping to see if we can improve the response rate...

[Blueblade]

I'd like to see a purpose-built offroad model!  Suspension, knobby tire, rugged to take lots of falls, waterproof, footpeg-style pedals , and powerful- eating up roots, rocks, and launching over jumps if you want.-- a one wheeled dirt bike if you will. 

Maybe KTM can do it some day...

[Breadsticks]

Footpeg pedals? What? If anything a purpose built off road would need bigger pedals for better control.

 

and I’m sure ktm will do it first. They’re really pouring tons of money into EuC R&D.

 

I’d like wheels to be refined - replacing a tire shouldn’t require a full take down of the wheel. Also - take away the beeps. Just Make it impossible to fall forward due to cut out. Like a dynamic tilt back.

 

these machines need some major improvements on what we already have before we go 126v. And especially before adding shocks...

[Blueblade]

2 hours ago, Breadsticks said:

Footpeg pedals? What? If anything a purpose built off road would need bigger pedals for better control.

Yeah, i'm not talking small pedals, but a toothed metal grate kind of pedal like those on dirt bikes, that is EUC-sized. Solid footing when wet or muddy, that doesn't wear or clog like sandpaper, and that mud and dirt just falls through. Would just have to be mindful of designing it such that it wouldn't destroy shoe soles and or pose a significant injury risk during crashes.

[ColinOldAndCranky]

The most necessary requirement to my mind is not to do with the hardware at all.

 

EPT's fill a solid niche that deserves to be bigger than just a niche. They should be mainstream.

One of the things that significantly reduces the chance of EPT's becoming mainstream is legal status. Governments need to accept EPT's as a valid and socially desirable option.

Now it could be argued that, in the absence of policing those restrictions by police, people can and do ride them and so the legal restriction have no effect on whether or not EPT's enter into mainstream. However, those restrictions, though not enforced, DO stop active marketing of the products by manufacturers and retailers. And THAT is a substantial brake on whether or not they become ubiquitous.

So my "enhancement"? To change laws.

 

(In Western Australia for example, the use of EPT's is restricted to doing so only with machines supplied by a "commercial operator" under the supervision of that operator in one of that operator's organised tours.)

[LanghamP]

How do we get bigger wheels to accelerate like smaller wheels? I know there's something about the radius of the wheel being long and so that makes it hard to unbalance a wheel the bigger it is, but isn't there some that can be done?

[UniVehje]

I’d like easier tire change. I would probably even buy an extra motor if I could just switch the whole motor+tire assembly for each ride. One motor with off-road tire and another with road tire. Also, I fear the day when I get a flat on a long distance travel and have to open the wheel up on the side of the road just to fix it. 
 

[Myste]

I want a better trolley handle. Trolley handles should be sturdy, adjustable and have convenient quick release option. It should be possible to fix handle in top position and lean on it while walking. So a hybrid between Inmotion V8 and Nikola probably would be best.

I'm also unsure if current wheels are reliable enough in emergency braking mode when 100A+ currents are generated. Is there any possibility to burn motor? If yes, this should be fixed too.

[Unventor]

Well this poll might look like nice features, but something doesn't change. Like removable battery for wheel on the plane option. Airlines or rather most passenger airlines have signed a total ban on hoverboards, eucs, escoother, e-skate boards and similar gadgets. it matters not you can remove the battery. 

They don't dare the risk and they don't want the discussions to slow down check-in and by signing the ban they don't need to made decission with a customer as it is already decided by all (practical) airlines. 

Edited March 7, 2020 by Unventor

[travsformation]

4 hours ago, UniVehje said:

I’d like easier tire change.

AMEN to that!!!

10 hours ago, ColinOldAndCranky said:

So my "enhancement"? To change laws.

A much-needed improvement indeed!

1 hour ago, Myste said:

I want a better trolley handle. Trolley handles should be sturdy, adjustable and have convenient quick release option. It should be possible to fix handle in top position and lean on it while walking. So a hybrid between Inmotion V8 and Nikola probably would be best.

You need a Kingsong then

 

[travsformation]

This subject hadn't been brought up in a while, good to keep the flow of ideas moving @KiwiRoller !

My additions:

• Improved waterproofing
• A factory "kickstand" or support of some type
• Some form of cutout prevention system, even if it involves sacrificing some of the batteries for use only as backup, to keep you upright whnl the main battery is unable to, while it tilts you back

Edited March 7, 2020 by travsformation

[KiwiRoller]

1 minute ago, travsformation said:

subject hadn't been brought up in a while, good to keep the flow

 

2 minutes ago, travsformation said:

This subject hadn't been brought up in a while, good to keep the flow of ideas moving @KiwiRoller !

My additions:

• Improved waterproofing
• A factory "kickstand" or support of some type
• Some form of cutout prevention system, even if it involves sacrificing some of the batteries for use only as backup, to keep you upright whnl the main battery is unable to, while it tilts you back

 

I absolutely agree with some form of cutout prevention.

It seems to me to be completely unacceptable for a professional modern company to make a product that might at some undefined point simply switch off and throw a rider onto their face at 50kms per hour. Imagine trying to explain that to an industry regulator. The only reason these products aren't being regulated up the wazoo is because not many people are using them yet. A system that mitigates shutoff has to be developed in the medium to long term to make these wheels safer.

I have half of an idea... it needs more thought. I have thought of a separate power source designed to give enough power to come to a stop. It's only half an idea...

 

 

 

 

 

[travsformation]

8 hours ago, KiwiRoller said:

It seems to me to be completely unacceptable for a professional modern company to make a product that might at some undefined point simply switch off and throw a rider onto their face at 50kms per hour. Imagine trying to explain that to an industry regulator. The only reason these products aren't being regulated up the wazoo is because not many people are using them yet. A system that mitigates shutoff has to be developed in the medium to long term to make these wheels safer.

I agree. We've all learned to accept the existence of cutouts and are careful to prevent them (some more than others), but it shouldn't be a user-awareness issue. If I hadn't joined this forum, I fear to think of what would have happened when I got excited on my 800 W, 480 Wh Inmotion V8...

It should be impossible to induce a cutout, unintentionally or not...

About regulators...good thing they aren't even aware of cutouts or we'd be really screwed...

Edited March 7, 2020 by travsformation

[ColinOldAndCranky]

3 hours ago, Unventor said:

Well this poll might look like nice features, but something does change. Like removable battery for wheel on the plane option. Airlines or rather most passenger airlines have signed a total ban on hoverboards, eucs, escoother, e-skate boards and similar gadgets. it matters not you can remove the battery. 

They don't dare the risk and they don't want the discussions to slow down check-in and by signing the ban they don't need to made decission with a customer as it is already decided by all (practical) airlines. 

Clearly  the sorts of devices that you list could not be accommodated in over head cabin lockers. So they would need to be placed in the hold.

However the batteries will be LiOn and they are not permitted to be carried in the hold. They have to go on as accompanied cabin luggage.

If the battery can be removed the devices will be allowed in the hold.

However the IATA limits LiOn batteries to a maximum capacity of any single battery to 100Watt Hours. I doubt than any of those devices listed would run on such a low energy. However if the required energy is provided by several physically separable batteries,  each complying with the IATA energy limts and sealed and insulated appropriately, they will probably pass muster at check in.

Clearly what we need are devices being powered by multiple batteries instead of one big battery.

BTW I have, at least a couple of times, carried batteries totalling in excess  of 600 watt hours on QANTAS in the cabin without any hassle.

[Unventor]

@ColinOldAndCranky you are not geeting what I am referring to. Airlines have signed a volunteer ban on all personal electrical vehicles.  It does mean I say if this is wrong. It is signed and the ban is formulated so you can't argue against it. Since 120+ airlines signed it, it is very hard to find a passenger plane to bri g it on. By regulation there are ways to go about this but only for airlines that have not signed the ban.

 

[euccommuter]

Ditto with the redundancy option

In my opinion easier tire change proposed by  @UniVehje should be added to the poll.

Unfortunately @Unventor is right. Even if you send the batteries to your destination ahead of time you may have trouble when trying to board with your EUC because of the airlines' ban. Still I put +1 to removable batteries because this would allow you to carry extra batteries on your bag and exchange them easily on the way, thus not needing expensive, heavier and maybe (more) dangerous batteries like everybody seem to want for their long rides (and maybe not needing fast-chargers anymore)

[Myste]

5 hours ago, travsformation said:

7 hours ago, Myste said:

So a hybrid between Inmotion V8 and Nikola probably would be best.

You need a Kingsong then

There is no dedicated carrying handle on Kingsongs.
So you need to fold telescopic one any time you need to carry EUC over stairs.

[travsformation]

3 hours ago, Myste said:

There is no dedicated carrying handle on Kingsongs.
So you need to fold telescopic one any time you need to carry EUC over stairs.

OK, I see what you mean. So Inmotion V8-style, but sturdy

[GothamMike]

5 digit keypad to unlock the EUC. Unlock the EUC with biometrics on your smartphone. 

[MikieSWE]

Slide out batteries. Wonder why no EUC manufacturer done it. 200 - 500 wh batteries x2 and be able to have 2 in backpack would rock. 

Also what would rock even more.... if they would be interchangeable between different manufaturers. Is that too much to ask for?

 

[Kristof Willen]

I indicated the 'better range' option - however, the most important feature is missing from the poll : completely waterproof EUCs.  

I want this thing to be as waterproof as a car, so I can ride this in the rain without fearing to convert my wheel into a 2K$ brick.

 

[KiwiRoller]

3 minutes ago, Kristof Willen said:

I indicated the 'better range' option - however, the most important feature is missing from the poll : completely waterproof EUCs.  

I want this thing to be as waterproof as a car, so I can ride this in the rain without fearing to convert my wheel into a 2K$ brick.

 

I just tried to edit the options in the poll but it doesn't seem possible to do it...

I'll tell you one thing that has surprised me here though - its how many people want more range out of their EUC. Like I am perfectly happy with the range on my 84v MSX.

I might like an option that charges it faster, but rangewise, I have no complaints...

[ride INMOTION]

On 3/5/2020 at 6:30 AM, KiwiRoller said:

Hey guys,

I thought it would be interesting to gather community feedback on what we would like to see in future EUC's.

Not sure if the owners and engineers from the big wheel companies browse these forums, but if they do, it would be helpful for them to think about what we want as riders, so here is a poll with some ideas and stuff that might / might not be cool enhancements to future electric unicycles...

of course,riders' opinion is most important to product development ,

if you have any ideas to share,pls send us email cs@kingsong.com