What got you started riding EUC's?

[Scottie]

I have a couple of basic questions for everybody. Well several questions divided in categories ... you get the idea.

1st) I'm interested to know what got you started riding. Do you remember that 1st spark of interest? How did you 1st find out about EUCs? What made you take the leap?

2nd) Have you persuaded anyone else that you know to try riding one? Did anyone you know approach you and ask that you teach them from the beginning, from where they could not ride at all? And the same question but for a stranger that possibly saw you riding and got very interested? Did you help anyone choose a wheel? These kinds of questions are related to you helping someone in person, not over the internet.

Anything you can share here could be helpful to someone.

[Phong Vu]

1. Tired of public transit, so I was looking for an alternative.
At first, I searched for a long board (actually bought one) and electric skateboard.
Then Onewheel videos popup on my Youtube, looks so cool, need to get one.
I searched long and hard for a used Onewheel (at the time, Pint was not out yet, and XR just too damn expensive...).
And then, EUC videos start to show up on my youtube.... after a lot of reddit, youtube and debate with myself, I got a V8 while it's on sale.

2. No, I just answer all the questions throw at me, but I'm not encourage anyone to try and learn EUC.
It's dangerous, and it's an expensive hobby (if you don't use it for commuting), so I can see it's not for everyone.
Did offer to all of my colleagues riding it if they want, only one guy tried, the rest refused knowing it's $1000+  

[bigwave]

1. I work in a retail business that sells Kitesurfing/Windsurfing and Bicycles . At my urging we added Onewheel to our product line. While watching videos on Youtube about the Onewheel, Some EUC video's appeared and I was immediately interested in them. What made me purchase the first wheel was, I really wanted to learn how to do it . I thought it would be very challenging to learn . In hindsight, it was not as difficult as I first thought it was going to be. I received excellent information from the forum members here about purchasing all my wheels.

2. The only person I have persuaded to ride is my wife. She has picked it up rather fast and is comfortable on the wheel(18XL). The both of us still have plenty to learn. Almost every ride ,I speak to someone about what an EUC is. The typical questions are, hard to learn, how fast is it and how much is it? I have offered some of my buddies a try but they are very concerned about getting injured. I can completely understand that.

Edited May 8, 2020 by bigwave

[PennBruce]

A guest where I work in the summer was riding one.  It my first sight of an ewheel.  

This winter I found a close out on a Ninebot One E+ for under $300 and I went for it.

Bruce

[Daley1]

I was in Paris ,taking my wife to the Eiffel tower for her birthday at sunset when ,I saw this guy glide uphill effortlessly on some round contraption.I was dumbfounded and confounded and after a bit of Google  action  found out what it was and started my journey from there. Now I remember the night for the new tech that came into my life on that night and not so much for the wifes birthday!

[redsnapper]

1) was travelling and saw several riders in Paris. had to hv one after...

 

2) many hv asked to try and i hv helped maybe 10 people to learn the basics. my learning/teaching approach:

 

Edited June 13, 2020 by amelanso

[stephen]

I was looking at electric bikes on YouTube then in another YouTube box at the end of the video was an electric unicycle ,  watched as many videos as i could find read the forums all in 2 days 5 days later a brand new ks16s arrived at my door , took all day to learn then i was off👍 i now have 4 wheels and don't regret spending thousands in the last 2 years

Best thing i ever bought and still grin to this day when riding 😊😁

[FlyboyEUC]

1) 

2) I've convinced and taught many people to buy EUCs. People typically approach me before they purchase a wheel for some training sessions or a try before you buy type thing.

[mrelwood]

1) A while after purchasing the seated two-wheeler Airwheel A3 I saw YT videos on EUCs, and decided to build a better A3 from two EUCs. Never intended to learn to ride an EUC, but I couldn’t keep myself from trying just for a bit. And therein sold my soul. The two-wheeler  remains unbuilt.

2) Persuaded two brothers, two nephews, two friends. Taught them and a few others as well. Many strangers have also asked, but never made contact afterwards. I have helped several people choose a wheel, and it seems some even just by example.

[Johnny Rocket 98908]

I started with a hoverboard that I got for my birthday, took me 5 min to learn, 1 month later my wife showed me a youtube vid of an EUC, one month later I bought a used one for $180 (14" Freeman). Took me quite a while to learn, 5 weeks and many bruises later I could ride. Then came a V8, Mten3, 16x, and now MSX Pro HS. Hooked for life ...

[.....]

A friend had a one wheel and I stepped on it, thought it could be fun. Went home and watched some vids, had the newest expensive OW in the cart and decided to investigate into the dangers of it. After seeing and reading up on nose dives, I came across Tishawn on an euc on youtube. THEN came the search about the EUC. Of course, the specs floored me, and the safety differences made me change my mind. I ordered an 18L with 3miles on it and after 3 weeks.... hoooked like a catfish on stink bait. For anyone whos had the misfortune of watching me ride and hearing me rant, they should know that safety is NOT a big concern. However, going 30 mph and not slamming my face on pavement from a nosedive, WHILE being able to travel more than 30 miles on a battery... EUC FTW!

[Tazarinho]

1) Saw them lying around in a local store and thought they looked cool. Was looking for a portable solution for last mile commuting, that I could take up in my apartment, as every bicycle I've owned has been stolen. Saw someone gliding by and thought it looked véry cool. Went back to the store, which had V5 and V8. Planned to get a V5, but bought a V8. Never looked back!

2) Many people have asked about the wheels and I always cautiously recommend them.  Don't know if anyone actually ended up buying. Three or four colleagues have tried my wheel, and I have taught my girlfriend, brother-in-law and father how to ride. My girlfriend now rides my original V8.

[Antec]

Watching Kujji got me hooked and i wanted a challenge, came from E-Scooters which i find I find boring now! lol

 

[PLEASE_DELETE]

Deleted.

Edited March 18 by PLEASE_DELETE

[davinche]

CTO at my previous company rode a Glide 2, but I was never intrigued by it when he had it and thought it was "dangerous".

I was a scooter guy first. Owned a Xiaomi M365, then upgraded to  a Mercane WideWheel. I was addicted to scooters, and wanted something even more powerful than the widewheel, so I went down this rabbit hole of researching more powerful scooters. I almost pulled the trigger on the Kaabo Mantis from FluidFreeRides, but then a bunch of YouTubing led me to BenFox/ @Afeez Kay video on Scooter vs EUC. Afeez just had this smile on his face when riding the EUC - how free he looked. Then I believe I watched "TheTophers" video on the V8. And I believe it was @Preston Palmer who said something along the lines of "this is the most fun you'll get for a $1000". And... that was when went and bought a V8. Fast forward now (~7 months now?) I've owned a Nikola and now riding a 16x while my previous CTO still rides his glide 2 haha.

YT Videos Referenced:

 

 

Edited June 16, 2020 by davinche

[RockyTop]

1) I saw a college kid at the local college on the original MSuper. I tried to look them up on the internet and could not find anything. (too early ) Two years later I saw the same kid on his MSuper. I yelled what brand? He said Gotway as he passed by full speed. This time when I looked it up I found Duff on his way to the office. As I watched this video I thought, "This guy is going to get run over in the dark." I then watched the Chooch videos and had to have one.    

2) I tried to convince a few people to learn to ride and failed. So I started going the other way. When people that I knew asked me if it was hard, I told them yes. There is no way that they could possible learn to ride one. It take too much dedication. Just no way you could do it. You would quit on the first day. Oh sure you could do it if you tried but you won't. You just don't have the drive. 

 I have now taught about 6 people from their first day on a wheel.  Once they have started to learn I encourage them. 

Edited June 16, 2020 by RockyTop

[Scottie]

Thanks for the replies. I'm not in marketing or anything. This was just idle curiosity. All I needed was a 20 second live sighting and I was enthralled. We all ride by folks that express amazement or curiosity ... but how many people pursue that, and how may act??

Let me be guilty of stating the obvious. So far everyone here that saw an EUC took matters into their own hands. About 50% had a live sighting and started the search. And the other 50% can hold YouTube responsible!   About 20% of the replies mentioned they were actively seeking a transportation solution when YouTube helped them out with the EUC. I did not see a story where anyone was recruited (if I can use that word). The closest to being recruited were a couple if in-person introductions: @/Dev/Null who was "helping-a-brother-out" and @ShanesPlanet who stepped on a friends wheel, and then both of them took matters into there own hands from there. Just over 33% admitted to convincing, teaching, or helping new riders.

This is a tiny sample of the riding population. I wonder if the real overall numbers would hold close to this ... half live glimpses/sightings and half YouTube intros? My gut feeling is that reality is close to this.

This thread is also curious about total numbers.

    

Edited June 24, 2020 by Scottie

[AngryJackPCB]

I started with a mini Segway. Pretty cool for a little while but it only had a range of 15 miles and a max speed of 10.4 mph. It just started feeling too slow. Then I found out about EUCs! Forgetaboutit. That's all I needed to jump all in.

[ridelondon]

Hey, I started because I got nectar points that I wanted to spend, it's a UK loyalty scheme where you collect points and you can spend it on stuff, I was going to get some e-skates (like segway drift w1)

https://store.segway.com/segway-drift-w1

 

After watching some youtube reviews they all linked to EUCs, then I remember seeing some in London, thought they looked quite cool. I had no idea how hard it would be to learn though, I got an EUC tried it then put it in storage.

It was COVID-19 and going into lockdown that finally convinced me to get the EUC out and give it another go, once it 'clicked' I was hooked!

It's just a shame that my V10 is broken right now and am waiting for it to be fixed...

[Blueblade]

Funny enough, a coworker/friend of mine crashed on a EUC, sustaining a wrist injury.  When inquiring what happened,  he told me he crashed on an electric unicycle. I was like, "on  a what???" He explained it was a powered unicycle and i thought that wow that sounds incredibly dangerous!  Then I got to googling and stumbled across V8/Glide 3 videos mostly from those 2 guys from Minnesota, and thought, wow those things look awesome, so I got to asking him more about them, and he mentioned it was one of the favorite purchases he made.  The more I heard/found/read/watched, the more I wanted one. But also WEAR WRIST GUARDS AND A HELMET!

Then I got that glide 3 and, yes, it was awesome and I am hooked!

[Blueblade]

On 6/16/2020 at 4:15 PM, davinche said:

CTO at my previous company rode a Glide 2, but I was never intrigued by it when he had it and thought it was "dangerous".

I was a scooter guy first. Owned a Xiaomi M365, then upgraded to  a Mercane WideWheel. I was addicted to scooters, and wanted something even more powerful than the widewheel, so I went down this rabbit hole of researching more powerful scooters. I almost pulled the trigger on the Kaabo Mantis from FluidFreeRides, but then a bunch of YouTubing led me to BenFox/ @Afeez Kay video on Scooter vs EUC. Afeez just had this smile on his face when riding the EUC - how free he looked. Then I believe I watched "TheTophers" video on the V8. And I believe it was @Preston Palmer who said something along the lines of "this is the most fun you'll get for a $1000". And... that was when went and bought a V8. Fast forward now (~7 months now?) I've owned a Nikola and now riding a 16x while my previous CTO still rides his glide 2 haha.

YT Videos Referenced:

 

 

Yes, Preston's vids sold me on a glide 3 too! And totally agree, hard pressed to find a funner thing to spend ~$900 on!

[Esbu]

below is my answer why I started riding EUC 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Started conversation: February 16, 2016

Hi mate.

You inspired me to buy GotWay MSuper.

Thanks for posting videos on youtube.

 

---

Link to comment

• Report reply

EUC Extreme 1,092

Replied: February 16, 2016

Okay. Thanks a lot
Safe riding.

Edited June 25, 2020 by Esbu

[BOTW]

EUCs are difficult to spot in my country, but once, years ago, I spotted a guy traveling by one.

I forgot about it until Covid came:

I work for a tv network so I was considered an essential worker and I learnt how nice the city was when the roads were empty so I decided to do my part for my city not to go back to the traffic hellhole it used to be, but I had to take into account that trains, the subway and the buses were going to limit their service... and then I remembered that guy.

Some days later our government legalized road use of EUCs and even decided to help people get PEVs

I did a bit of research about how difficult it was going to be and made up my mind.

[Dash]

I saw some kids at a local park, zipping around on these weird-looking things, and was instantly intrigued.  I’d seen people on e-scooters, skateboards, what have you, but this was new.  Knew I had to have one.  Bought one a couple of weeks later, no regrets.

Haven’t yet talked anyone else into an EUC, but I sure get a lot of people talking to me about it.  

[Kekafuch]

Its Covid19 and distancing is boring. Saw my neighbour on his onewheel just relaxing after work by zipping around the neighborhood. It got me thinking about bicycling. That research got me thinking personal electric vehicles. I was gonna get a one wheel as well but the price is so high and face planting turned me off completely so I decided on escooter. I bought a Ninebot Max and having a blast just exploring my area and its alleys and then to the dykes. I was hooked on minimalist electric motor vehicles. My wife decided that she was gonna ride the scooter on our bike trail ride Which left me on a smaller bicycle. She seemed to enjoy the scooter alot so I thought it would be nice if we can eride around together but instead of another scooter, I would get a different form factor. Was considering a folding ebike but EUC became apparent was the most elemental form of rolling around , although still dangerous to failure and face planting. Watched a bunch of videos and a newer V8F popped up on Craigslist so I went for it. Its been about 100km now and I am still practicing on school properties to get my maneuvering down. It felt exciting to progress each day. Really tempted to get more power but I also think its safer to just stay local on bike lanes with these things. We will see where things go as I get more proficient.