18" wheels too big for lighter riders?

[jancellor]

Hello great resource of EUC people! I will soon buy my first wheel and have read/watched loads. It's going to be either the KS16S, KS18L or KS18XL.

I think I have been persuaded by this thread that I will outgrow the KS16S (and maybe KS18L) too quickly. And I'm fairly sure I would go 100km in a day if possible.

I'm only about 60kg. Any chance the KS18(X)L will feel monstrously big for me? Any of you guys try a 18" wheel and then "downgrade"? Should I be worried about the handling of the KS18(X)L as a light rider (1.77m/5'10")?

Thanks for any help.

James

(Edited to remove misleading comments about the KS16X.)

Edited March 29, 2020 by jancellor

[johnyz89]

KS18XL and 16x are almost the same weight. If you plan to make longer distances you should take wheel with biggest battery you can afford. As long distance cruiser I recommend 18XL because its more comfortable.

In answer to your question, I dont think weigh of wheel will be an issues for you. Only thing to consider is how much do you plan to carry it by handle. 24 kg of XL will be hard to carry over long distances and/or staircases.

If you think you will outgrow 16S Im damn sure You will regret buing it very fast.

Have you considered MSX or MSP ?

Edited March 9, 2020 by johnyz89

[null]

I'm 70Kg and while the 18XL is on the heavier side I sure wouldn't trade it for an 18L.
The 16S is fun and handier for the city but if I could have only one it would be the beefiest.

Edited March 9, 2020 by null

[UniVehje]

Don’t worry about it. Just get the biggest battery you can afford. 18” wheel will feel perfectly fine. Remember to ask for the bigger pedals. 

[Gaz Bon]

The lighter u are the more responsive ,faster ,and further you will be able to travel 

18" wheels rock 

 

[Ben Kim]

I’d recommend an 18” wheel for those who can only have one wheel. I know of a 100 lb (45 kg) teenager riding a Gotway MSX 100V and he can really tear into that wheel with more safety margin than a heavier rider. Unless you have noodle arms that can’t carry a 50 lb EUC, there is absolutely no reason to get a smaller wheel, aside from them being more nimble and lighter. 

[.....]

Simple answer... NO its not to heavy too ride, id bet even a small child (or chinese adult) can put one in the wind. Im 135lbs and its not a problem. LOVE my 18:, rides like a cadillac. I also agree that on a cruiser, get the biggest battery you can afford. I didnt get the 18xl, ONLY because I found a smokin' deal on the slightly lesser range 18L.  At the other end of the spectrum, Ive seen 200lb men ride an mten. The real question is... can you carry it and how far do you plan to? Anything over 45lbs or so and I cant comfortably CARRY one. Fwiw, the upgraded xl trolley is marvelous in function and use. It seems a small detail, but it isnt.

Edited March 10, 2020 by ShanesPlanet

[bigwave]

10 hours ago, jancellor said:

Any chance the KS18(X)L will feel monstrously big for me?

I recently purchased a KS18XL . I'm  95 kg, 6'0. Having never seen an EUC in person before my purchase and fully knowing the weight of the 18XL from the specs, I was shocked how heavy it was!!! I'm not talking just picking it up, it felt heavy on my leg in the riding position. But a couple practice sessions into i that all went away(well still heavy to pick up). Feels totally"normal" now, I don't even think about it.

So I say yes, you will be able to and enjoy riding it. But ,as @ShanesPlanet says, carrying could be a challenge. 

[Rywokast]

im 53 kg.. the 18XL is my favourite wheel... i ride my 16S the most only because my riding is predominately in the city around my house.. but i go for long rides on the 18XL every other day or more and i absolutely love it.. its not big or cumbersome at all its the most nimble 18" wheel in existence, most will describe it as feeling very similar to a 16" wheel which i agree with, can very easily use it as a daily driver if i didnt have so many other wheels

 

ps. the 16x and nikola while technically smaller wheels are physically the same or larger, they just have a smaller tire diameter... having owned a nikola i can say the 18XL is far more nimble and feels lighter just due to its higher centre of gravity and thinner tire, it rides more like a 16" than a 1600+ wh 16x3 wheel does lol

Edited March 10, 2020 by Rywokast

[Sebrios]

I'm 5.7" and weight 58kg. I run an msx with no issues at all. Buy something you know you won't outgrow.

I prefer speed over distance, so I sold an msx84V/1600W and just bought the 100V but small battery to help with weight a bit (longest trip I did with the 84V was 12miles)

but as you can see, I kept in the msx line 

[alcatraz]

A gw monster to a 100kg rider is like an msx to an 80kg rider is like a tesla to a 65kg rider. Don't take me literally here, I just pulled some arbitrary numbers but it's the idea I'm trying to convey.

Sure a 50kg rider on an msx 100V is going to feel an acceleration few others are going to feel. But it's also going to be a harder wheel to navigate. I'm sure they can get the hang of it.

When doing tricks I often see the lightest and slightly undersized wheels chosen by the riders. I think that's to maximize control by minimizing the inertia of the wheel. A 50kg rider on an msx/monster would be the exact opposite side of the spectrum.

[jancellor]

Okay this was very convincing. Thank you all. Sounds like I may find an 18 a bit cumbersome to carry but once I'm on the pedals then no issue.

@johnyz89 no, not considering MSX/MSP. I get that they're also great wheels but my gut prefers the KS.

@ShanesPlanet I may be in the same situation as I'm just asking after @Siggy's KS18L in the private sales section. Does seem a real shame to pass on a bigger battery on what is already a big wheel, but the price saving compared to a new KS18XL could make it a tough decision.

 

[Unventor]

Ok so short answer: you will always outgrow or need to change wheel at some point. Nothing last for ever. 

Now with your weight you will get range that others only deam about. Riders weight impact this more than anything else, disregarding if you changee battery WH. Depending on how soon you need the wheel, I would acturly wait a little bit since we are waiting for Inmotion to announce trhe full specs of their new wheel. Sales are expected late May earlyJune.

I would innitially have pointed towards the KS16X, but it isn't without issues. waterproofing being the biggest problem as I see it. As for ride style it is by far the most fun dynamics I have ridden (Z10 like behavior but not as strong) and it is my go to wheel for sub 40kmh. if you want to ride faster than taht the I would not look at KS16x. The reason for why the ride works so fun is it mc style tire compared to a car style tire. U vs i_I shape. 

Yes there are GW options too, but I would personally not look at those. They might be fine wheels the latest models. But I have no use for 45+ kmh speeds. These days I have my warnings set to 35 kmh and tiltback at 40 kmh on all my wheels. The injuries I can get at 40kmh, makes going fast not worth the risk vs what little time I might save. It is my view, others don't share this I am aware. But once you have a midspeed accident you will think back and what if I had been ridding +20kmh faster (the higer speed the more energy does +20kmh hold)?

[mrelwood]

 

Quote

KS16x. The reason for why the ride works so fun is it mc style tire compared to a car style tire. U vs i_I shape.

All EUC tires have a round profile, not sure what you mean.

Quote

Yes there are GW options too, but I would personally not look at those. They might be fine wheels the latest models. But I have no use for 45+ kmh speeds.

Me neither. Speed is not the only reason to ride a Gotway though. The riding behaviour is unique, and has the most stable posture when riding over obstacles. The MSX’s power delivery and feeling of power hasn’t been parallelled by other manufacturers. Different manufacturers have different priorities, which makes some manufacturers fit better and some not as well for each of us.

[EUC Custom Power-Pads]

On 3/10/2020 at 11:49 AM, Unventor said:

The injuries I can get at 40kmh, makes going fast not worth the risk vs what little time I might save.

Seriously? Do you really think that "saving time" is the reason why one prefers a faster wheel? I think the least part of the EUC riders ride EUC just to get from A to B in a certain time. 

If you prefer to ride slower to minimize the risk of injury, that is absolutely ok. It just gets a bit silly when you add statements like that. 

[Unventor]

3 minutes ago, buell47 said:

Seriously? Do you really think that "saving time" is the reason why one prefers a faster wheel? I think the least part of the EUC riders ride EUC just to get from A to B in a certain time. 

If you prefer to ride slower to minimize the risk of injury, that is absolutely ok. It just gets a bit silly when you add statements like that. 

I ride 90% for commuting....and you are entitled to your opinion but that is not the same as I agree with you, at all.

Riding in traffic you need to be able to evaluate everything around you and consider your exit plan in case you overlook something. 5-10 kmh extra speed seriously add to the radius you need to scan. Then adding that more car drivers do not yet look out for EUC at the speeds we can ride, you need to anticipate they are not looking out for you at all. 

When you ride in the forest, you don't have cars coming at you, but you can get animals crossing your path. Yes, this has happened to me too. 

I am very much aware how far my reaction and then braking range is at 20, 25,30,35,40 kmh....I might be silly. I just do not agree. When you have dislocated your shoulder once, it doesn’t handle your next impact as well. And I am not getting younger either.

[Unventor]

49 minutes ago, mrelwood said:

 

All EUC tires have a round profile, not sure what you mean.

Me neither. Speed is not the only reason to ride a Gotway though. The riding behaviour is unique, and has the most stable posture when riding over obstacles. The MSX’s power delivery and feeling of power hasn’t been parallelled by other manufacturers. Different manufacturers have different priorities, which makes some manufacturers fit better and some not as well for each of us.

What I mean is the 1st batch tire on my KS16X is a rounded profile. so the patch that touch the ground looks more like a U ( the Z10 have similar curved tire but it shows much more) where my tire on any other wheel I had have more of a car touching patch on the asphalt, slightly curved. 

It makes leans at higher speeds easier, and verly low speed easier too. But being nimble can come with a trafe off on stability sensation. Since my KS16x act so different I had to relearn my riding styles, and the first 5 min I have to keep focus on this, then it settles in as natural. When I don't eide other wheels it isn't any issue, but with winter season, get back on, that is when I need to readjust.  

It is the following contures/lines that is the biggest issue.

[EUC Custom Power-Pads]

37 minutes ago, Unventor said:

I ride 90% for commuting

Wow, really?

Then I have to agree with you, at least in your case, that a few kmh faster really makes no sense.

 

[Unventor]

6 hours ago, buell47 said:

Wow, really?

Then I have to agree with you, at least in your case, that a few kmh faster really makes no sense.

 

We all use our wheels different. Today it was mostly pleasure riding yet, went shopping on my way home and just checking out out temporarily swimming facilities as the old please is being deconstructed and a new swim stadium is being build on its location.

https://euc.world/tour/584822183695055

https://www.relive.cc/view/v8qkNmGR936

Could trip be done as a light weight rider on a 18". Sure it could, but I do think my KS16X is easier to take up on those steap park areas. There are asph6trails that are old with tree roots making the asphalt break either bulking up or creating pot hole.

But climbing up is a matter of technique and not as much as leaning forward. Same thing going down. I am impressed with the KS16X climbing abilities at no point it was complaining any bit. 

 

[Roadpower]

I'm 5' 10" 180lbs. I bought a KS18XL last spring to commute on. The problem however is that my research wasn't thorough enough. The KS18XL is really a massive wheel, it's big and it is heavy. For a new rider it was a bit more than I could handle for learning the ways of a EUC. I think in my case this was due to my age and that I have been wearing boots for decades (I didn't realize that wearing boots actually allows for muscle atrophy despite doing a lot of walking).

So I bought a Mten3 a month ago to learn on and I can feel the burn in my feet. I literally have to build my feet muscles back up so that I can be a capable rider. But the joy of finally being able to roll around on a wheel is quite the thrill.  I converted kg to lbs and I see that you are good bit lighter than I am. This may or may not be an issue depending on your strength and over all physical prowess, however I think (suspect) at your weight a lighter wheel is going to work out better for you and you may not lose as much range as you think you might think considering that you weigh less than perhaps a 18XL was ultimately designed for.

I am in no way planning on giving up on the 18XL, in fact I want to be riding it in about six to eight weeks. I already tried it last night and already made a big improvement but I want to master the Mten3 before moving on, the 18XL for me is a commute wheel anyway.

[Unventor]

5 minutes ago, Roadpower said:

I'm 5' 10" 180lbs. I bought a KS18XL last spring to commute on. The problem however is that my research wasn't thorough enough. The KS18XL is really a massive wheel, it's big and it is heavy. For a new rider it was a bit more than I could handle for learning the ways of a EUC. I think in my case this was due to my age and that I have been wearing boots for decades (I didn't realize that wearing boots actually allows for muscle atrophy despite doing a lot of walking).

So I bought a Mten3 a month ago to learn on and I can feel the burn in my feet. I literally have to build my feet muscles back up so that I can be a capable rider. But the joy of finally being able to roll around on a wheel is quite the thrill.  I converted kg to lbs and I see that you are good bit lighter than I am. This may or may not be an issue depending on your strength and over all physical prowess, however I think (suspect) at your weight a lighter wheel is going to work out better for you and you may not lose as much range as you think you might think considering that you weigh less than perhaps a 18XL was ultimately designed for.

I am in no way planning on giving up on the 18XL, in fact I want to be riding it in about six to eight weeks. I already tried it last night and already made a big improvement but I want to master the Mten3 before moving on, the 18XL for me is a commute wheel anyway.

I had other medical issues (rheumatism 3 different types). But I managed to learn to ride still. I couldn't stand on one leg (nighter one) to put on a sock or shoe. 

I can recommend buying a balance foam mat. It is like 1-2" thick often squared. The foam is a instable material. It will created micro movement that you have to balance. You start out on both legs. Closing your eyes and you will feel how hard it is. Once you do better you move on to one leg. Or raining yourself on toes. It does take long using this to build up feets, legs, knees and hips. 

It is micro movement compared to the plate with a half ball under it. So it is much more gentle and this helps speeding up the process. To big movements will cause strains and slow the process.

[Roadpower]

12 minutes ago, Unventor said:

I can recommend buying a balance foam mat. It is like 1-2" thick often squared. The foam is a instable material. It will created micro movement that you have to balance.

Not a bad idea, I more or less have this in place already via training on a carpeted hallway and training downstairs in a court yard that has octagon shaped paving that is not in the best of shape. Between the two my feet are getting a good burn.

[Unventor]

1 hour ago, Roadpower said:

Not a bad idea, I more or less have this in place already via training on a carpeted hallway and training downstairs in a court yard that has octagon shaped paving that is not in the best of shape. Between the two my feet are getting a good burn.

Remember you do this with no shoes on. I am not the good looking. But this was a random video I found o  YouTube. 

You can find these at most sports shop. No need to buy the most expensive one. It might look fancier but all do the same more or less.  Mine was about 20-30€.

You just do this for 5-15min and repeat this over the day as much as you find time for. Remember body needs to recover so a break is helpful as you get more advanced to can pick up the pace. 

Since I am on virus recommended lockdown. I am going to pick up this training again as I am to build up my left leg so I can train for ambidextorious mounting and dismounting. 

Next step is lean backwards balance to a sitting like position as post reverse training. 

Now you said you had issues with feets. I had this too at some point. The problem was inflammation of achilles tendon. To fix this you need to stretch this often. Training will not fix it. 

Step away from the wall. Then lean forward putting you hand up near your shoulders(arms bend) the one foot extended backwards with stretch leg and flat footed. The other leg bend a step forward. The put the weight on the rear leg to stretch and hold it like20-40 sec. Increase distance to the wall. (Another random video showing this).

I keep getting this too if I paused my riding for a few weeks and then ride far first off. It can be very annoying but it improves fast with repeated stretching like in the video. Another that helps. Wear shoes that support your angle. 

[bigwave]

2 hours ago, Roadpower said:

I am in no way planning on giving up on the 18XL, in fact I want to be riding it in about six to eight weeks. I already tried it last night and already made a big improvement but I want to master the Mten3 before moving on, the 18XL for me is a commute wheel anyway.

I did it the other way around. I learned on an 18XL and then got a Mten3. The Mten3 is a blast to ride. I found initially mounting the Mten3 was much more difficult but that only lasted a short time. The 18XL basically rides itself! It is so balanced and smooth!

[.....]

I learned as Bigwave did, on an 18, then got an mten. I think the 18 DID take more muscle as I was learning, but i didnt know any differently, so it conditioned me while I learned. I think this is a good thing, IF you meet the basic minimum muscle ability to do it enough to also learn it. I could see that the mten took a LOT less muscle ability to ride it. Not less skill, but actual strength and tone. The mten seems MUCH more likely to bite me when it falls over and spins. The 18 seems to know when its fallen, much more accurately.  Perhaps the mten is a better choice for any of those that suffer from excessively dormant legs. The real key is to get over that first hurdle of conditioning and learning, before you give up. I dont think its a simple matter of 'i weigh this much and THIS wheel fits my weight". I think its more a matter of various conditions, none the least: your mentality. If you THINK a smaller wheel will be easier...... IT WILL BE! A side effect of riding my mten a lot, my 18L feels even better! After maxing out the speed on the twitchy mten, a much larger wheel just seems like cake.

Edited March 23, 2020 by ShanesPlanet