Tryptych Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 (edited) Has anyone added any padding to their V8/V10? I am determined to add some but I'm not sure where.... or how.... or when.... Is your V8/V10 padded? Show us a picture! Edited June 24, 2020 by Tryptych 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glitched Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 Really hope this thread gets a few responses! I have some DIY padding material, just waiting for some inspiration! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tryptych Posted June 30, 2020 Author Share Posted June 30, 2020 (edited) Hmmm I'll respond to myself since I tried it last night for the first time... it took 2+ hours and didn't quite go as planned.... Here's what I learned... I started with some 1/4" neoprene and some double sided tape, some gorilla glue, some industrial strength velcro: Because the V8 has this bump at the top it makes power pads tricky. I decided to make "Mini Power Pads" on that bump. I started with a strip of industrial strength velcro: I did two layers of neoprene in a crescent shape, with two legs on each end using four layers: It aint pretty... the neoprene gets damaged very easily, but I just wanted the job done and too wasn't worried about looks: I mostly used double sided tape on the neoprene, but on the edges I did a few drops of gorilla glue, unfortunately the gorilla glue looks pretty ugly when it dries: I tried riding it with just these new power pads, initially it felt pretty good for stability and control, it was great for jumping off curbs, and safer for hitting bumps. But I soon learned that when I hit max speed I was prone to wobbles that didn't used to be there - I never had that problem before when I was cruising just using my feet. The pads had definitely changed the way I ride, and not necessarily for the better, suddenly my legs were touching the EUC whereas before I purely used my pedals (upgraded V10 pedals). This leg hugging was causing wobbles at 28 KM/h (my max speed). Not sure if more practice would resolve that issue or not... But I decided to put on the ankle pads that came with the machine for some more support, hoping it would give me more control to stop the wobbles: It worked: with two points of contact on the wheel the wobbles were gone. I feel a lot more control now, and a lot safer when I hit a bump. But... I'm not sure if I like the new way I am riding with two points of contact on my legs. Before I had zero contact with my legs and only used my feet. It will definitely take a few days to get use to this new way of riding but I think eventually the extra control and the safety factor will out weigh the weirdness that I am feeling. I think the main thing missing from my little experiment is some cloth or leather to cover up and protect the fragile neoprene and make it look much better. I have a ton of neoprene left and will make a second attempt at some point focusing more on looks. Lastly - I learned that I don't want to make my own pads for my pre-ordered V11. For that C$3000 purchase I want something a bit more professional, I am reluctantly going to pay $80 USD (even though I think that price is ridiculous and they should be about $40 USD) for Powerpads from eWheels or AliExpress, I will hope they fit the V11 somehow (anyone know?) Hopefully this all helps someone! Edited June 30, 2020 by Tryptych 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..... Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 (edited) Im still messing around with pads, but Im a stickler and mine have to fit under a cover(another test fail today in the rain matter of fact). I use two points of contact on my 18L/mten on the stock pads. Usually when cruising, I am using mostly my feet, and my need for 'power pads' are simply that: a place to push against for more power (front of knee/shin). At one point I had some on that were ALMOST right for improved power and stopping, while NOT interfering with my ability to ride loose unless at the far extremes of braking/speed. When Im not pushing hard or breaking hard, I ride loose. When I enter turns or start wobble, my stance switches to a twist that locks my legs into the top and my ankles into the bottom. Anyhow, I like your idea and it seems VERY similar to what I'm trying. I'm currently using little half circle disks and no middle section. I WISH I could buy the 'perfect' preformed pads, but I fear it is all so rider dependent. So far its been a LOT of trial and error for me, as location and angle of both front and rear pad, is defined by how far forward I stand and how much lean I want BEFORE engaging with the pads. Getting the perfect setup will be bliss I'm sure, as for that brief moment that mine were just right, I felt a LOT safer in both maintained high speed AND braking. I've been a little lax on finishing the idea, but you remind me to not quit. Fwiw, I purchased 1.5" neoprene type foam at a ridiculous expensive price. I think 3/4" is the way to go. I wouldnt count on power pads working out very easily on the v11, just look at where the points of motion are. Fwiw, perhaps wait until you have it, before you waste too much time or money on upgrades for it? We have a member here that makes em, and boy does he create quality, none of that molded chinese fluff. That 3m shit is a staple around here. Mostly for music endeavors, I use it for everything. Priced like its got gold in it tho... Edited June 30, 2020 by ShanesPlanet 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tryptych Posted June 30, 2020 Author Share Posted June 30, 2020 55 minutes ago, ShanesPlanet said: We have a member here that makes em Who is this member? What do they charge? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..... Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 @buell47 is making custom pads. I'm not sure his selection, but i do know that he takes great care in doing the best he can with good materials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tryptych Posted July 3, 2020 Author Share Posted July 3, 2020 (edited) An update: after riding with my new pads for a while they are a definite improvement over riding with no pads. It really takes some getting used to, but I think it really makes you safer from hitting bumps and pot holes and improves your skills - I can now ride with one leg whereas without pads I couldn't. However, neoprene is pretty fragile and it requires some kind of covering or it starts falling apart pretty quickly: So I was sent back to the drawing board... I grabbed this thing at the dollar store, I think it is some kind of nylon: Cut it in half: Made rectangular neoprene pads, same as before, 2 layers with 2 extra layers at the ends. Wrapped em up, glued em good, added industrial strength velcro (or you can use Dual Lock but this industrial stuff is strong enough): They look a bit better then the old ones: We'll see how long they last! I hope this saves someone time. Happy riding! Edit: after testing the vinyl surface has some pros and some cons. Pro: its good for hot sweaty days and feels pretty good to touch. Con: it is slippery compared to naked neoprene. I think that on my next pair I will use a leather-like material for the exterior. Edit #2: I cut up an old mouse pad, it is stronger then the neoprene, and added a strip on each side for extra grip: Powerpads v2.1 are complete and work decently. Edited July 10, 2020 by Tryptych 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tryptych Posted July 10, 2020 Author Share Posted July 10, 2020 Check out these bad boys I found online: I wish I had found these before I made my own, they are seeexy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EUC Custom Power-Pads Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 These pads are a must have for a V8. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tryptych Posted July 12, 2020 Author Share Posted July 12, 2020 On 7/10/2020 at 4:22 AM, buell47 said: These pads are a must have for a V8. Did you make those? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Wood Posted July 12, 2020 Share Posted July 12, 2020 just cut up some gym pads/mats they are much more durable and extremely comfortable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glitched Posted July 16, 2020 Share Posted July 16, 2020 Would it be weird to stick these pads to the V10F cover/protector? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tryptych Posted July 16, 2020 Author Share Posted July 16, 2020 5 hours ago, Glitched said: Would it be weird to stick these pads to the V10F cover/protector? No, I thought of doing that too. I think the cover could use some kind of reinforcement (add some industrial strength velcro somewhere to keep it tighter on the wheel) but it would work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tryptych Posted July 24, 2020 Author Share Posted July 24, 2020 (edited) As ugly as my pads are: after using them for a few weeks tonight I tried to ride without them, thinking I wouldn't really miss them. Wrong! I had to cancel a long ride I had planned to come back and get them, riding without them felt really awkward and I hated it. Apparently I am totally addicted to having that extra grip on the top of the wheel. So ya, I came back to say: get some pads, even for just a V8 they are extremely valuable. Tomorrow I will start working on v3.0! ....anyone else got homemade pads on their V8/V10?? I need more ideas - show us! PS: I've also ordered custom made pads for my V11 from bruell47 Edited July 24, 2020 by Tryptych 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtlasP Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 (edited) On 7/3/2020 at 12:05 PM, Tryptych said: An update: after riding with my new pads for a while they are a definite improvement over riding with no pads. It really takes some getting used to, but I think it really makes you safer from hitting bumps and pot holes and improves your skills A bit of a pedantic note, but no gear can "improve your skills"--at best it can only improve your capabilities at your existing level of skill. -- Overall these kinds of pads on a wheel with such a tiny motor & batteries is pretty silly. I see how such pads could make it easier for a newer rider to get started or achieve a little more control of the wheel in the beginning, but ultimately those small wheels should be mostly controlled by the pedals without needing to 'grip' the wheel with your legs at all. (Attempting to grip such a wheel with one's legs is considered a beginner mistake that you outgrow.) Conversely the reason advanced riders use such pads is mostly for more aggressive acceleration/braking on much more powerful wheels (at a level which the tiny motor & batteries of the V8 can't achieve anyway; you can meet/exceed the V8's acceleration potential on its pedals alone without needing the extra grip) and to help sometimes deal with wobbles due to extremely high speeds (over 30-40+ mph) coupled with hitting a bump/pothole/etc. Ultimately neither of these scenarios apply to the V8, and so it's a bit like putting a spoiler wing on the back of a SmartCar or Geo Metro. Edited July 31, 2020 by AtlasP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tryptych Posted July 31, 2020 Author Share Posted July 31, 2020 (edited) 7 hours ago, AtlasP said: A bit of a pedantic note, but no gear can "improve your skills"--at best it can only improve your capabilities at your existing level of skill. Of course gear can 'improve your skills', it makes you more comfortable with taking risk. It makes you go faster and learn more. 7 hours ago, AtlasP said: Overall these kinds of pads on a wheel with such a tiny motor & batteries is pretty silly Disagree, strongly. It makes a huge difference, and quit dissing the V8, it's an awesome wheel that can maneuver the shit out of other wheels and is a blast to ride, like a little sports car. Of course pads can benefit V8 riders - having some grip at the top for acceleration/decelerating simply makes things better. Having more grip and control if you hit a pothole at 30 kmh is obviously extremely valuable, it's a scenario that absolutely applies to the V8 (and every other wheel) and could save your ass. Edited July 31, 2020 by Tryptych Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtlasP Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 (edited) 13 hours ago, Tryptych said: quit dissing the V8 I'm not dissing the V8. You'll find I'm a very vocal advocate/supporter/defender of the V8 here compared to many other enthusiasts. It's a great little wheel which I absolutely love riding to this day. It's still got a relatively tiny motor and batteries though, which corresponds to the very limited power & top speed. Ultimately I stand by my analogy: putting power pads on a V8 is like putting a spoiler wing on SmartCar. That doesn't make spoilers or SmartCars bad, just the combination is mismatched (and somewhat comically so). Put another way, if you had two V8s, one with such pads and one without, a skilled rider could match the performance of the former on the latter with no real difference. Conversely if you have two higher-end wheels, one with such pads and one without, a skilled rider on the former would far exceed the performance they could achieve on the latter. (It all comes down to the delta between what the wheel hardware is capable of and what the rider can physically demand from it, and something like power pads only help to the degree that there is such a delta. If a rider can already and easily physically demand more power from a wheel than the hardware is capable of, then there is no performance benefit to be gained from it.) Edited July 31, 2020 by AtlasP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hangman Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 Yes, the V8 is a great wheel & yes, in comparison with the newer, bigger wheels, the V8 has a small motor & battery pack. Still, I'm cruising at 14 mph (22.5km/h) & I hit a gutter trying to transition from street to sidewalk & I get the wobbles. While it does remind me I'm not invincible & I need to keep my head & not do someth'n stupid like try & push the wheel to &/or beyond it's limits, I really don't like those wobbles. I still have the protective cover on my wheel from when I first bought it. That is the extent of my "power pads". From the discussions I've read regarding pads though, I'm getting more & more interested. Perhaps it'll help me get more comfortable, I dunno yet. @buell47, how do we see a cost / purchase pads from you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EUC Custom Power-Pads Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 23 hours ago, Hangman said: how do we see a cost / purchase pads from you? I don't think I quite understand the question. Sorry, I'm pretty bad at English. Are you asking for a price for V8 pads? If so, I have not yet found the time to produce something beautiful for this stupid case that meets my requirements, even though my wife is waiting for it eagerly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tryptych Posted August 6, 2020 Author Share Posted August 6, 2020 On 7/31/2020 at 6:20 PM, AtlasP said: if you had two V8s, one with such pads and one without, a skilled rider could match the performance of the former on the latter with no real difference You're incorrect. Have you tried pads/grip on the V8? If you had you'd know: they are unquestionably useful if you hit a pothole , regardless of skill-level. For the same reasons pads really help on bad terrain, this again is unquestionable. Lastly pads are essential if you want to jump, regardless of skill-level, unquestionable. This is pretty basic stuff dude... Let's drop this conversation pls 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tryptych Posted August 7, 2020 Author Share Posted August 7, 2020 (edited) On 8/2/2020 at 4:45 PM, Hangman said: @buell47, how do we see a cost / purchase pads from you? I bought pads for my V11 from him using Messenger, look him up on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EUCPowerPads/ @buell47 you could definitely make some for the V8 better then what I've done above, you should try some tests (then send them to me for further testing edit: the V11 pads buell47 sent me arrived today, here's a pic: Hopefully they will work on the saddle, I don't forsee a problem. They even almost work on the V8: @buell47 if you made these same ones 20% smaller, and bit more more rounded up top, they would work well on the V8 / V8F I think - I'd buy a pair. You might also consider using industrial strength velcro instead of two sided tape - I am wondering if the velcro would do better on the V8's curve where it wouldn't need to have 100% contact like the tape, and being removable is a nice feature. Edited August 7, 2020 by Tryptych 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EUC Custom Power-Pads Posted August 7, 2020 Share Posted August 7, 2020 EPDM is a great material, but not when it comes to sticking. I am not even 100% satisfied with 3M 300LSE double sided tape, although it is the best for this material. I can't imagine that Velcro will stick better on this stuff. I'm afraid that when you remove the pad, the glue will come off more than the Velcro. It's not that I can't make pads for the V8 that meet my requirements to some extent, but nobody would want to pay for the working time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tryptych Posted August 7, 2020 Author Share Posted August 7, 2020 12 hours ago, buell47 said: EPDM is a great material, but not when it comes to sticking. I am not even 100% satisfied with 3M 300LSE double sided tape, although it is the best for this material. I can't imagine that Velcro will stick better on this stuff. I'm afraid that when you remove the pad, the glue will come off more than the Velcro. It's not that I can't make pads for the V8 that meet my requirements to some extent, but nobody would want to pay for the working time. I ordered a $10 roll of EPDM and will create 'Pads v3.0' for my V8 next week, it seems much better then neoprene. Stay tuned! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zopper Posted August 16, 2020 Share Posted August 16, 2020 I made those today, after some prototyping. It's EVA foam with a bit of the soft corner protection that more people are using. Attached with velcro. The original padding is a bit wider than the foam, so I can still slide back and forth if I don't press my legs tightly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Wood Posted August 16, 2020 Share Posted August 16, 2020 26 minutes ago, Zopper said: I made those today, after some prototyping. It's EVA foam with a bit of the soft corner protection that more people are using. Attached with velcro. The original padding is a bit wider than the foam, so I can still slide back and forth if I don't press my legs tightly. Do you not find the 2 blocks are to far apart? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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