Learning to Ride on a Gotway RS HS

[Simply_Striking]

Just a little rant about my 1st day on a got way RS.

 

As soon as it was delivered I was probably too excited. Ripped the box open, and powered on the wheel.... and it would not balance it self. Searched the manual, nothing. After searching the to forum a bit figured out how to take it out of transportation mode. Threw it in the trunk, along with my helmet put on some sneakers, and went to a local park to practice.

Went to a under a pavilion that had smooth concrete, and had been cleared out of all chairs and tables, thanks Covid.  1st hour was horrible, did not get anywhere, due to my own stupidity. The wheels hard to grip with my legs it kept sliding, and my ankle bones hurt from coming in contact with wheel. One shin is bleeding after a failed mount attempt. Went home seriously considering if i just made a $2000 mistake.

After getting home I proceeded to finish opening the box, found the charger, tested and it worked, then i discovered the pads, after figuring out what they were for i decided they were still too slippery. Decided to use some yoga pads instead it's ugly but it works, also decided to pick up some high top shoes to save me ankles some pain. Went back to the park, and boy those 2 changes made a world of a difference.

Practiced doing half moons, then took a short break. Practiced half mount where I push off and then to touch the second foot plate before stopping, toke a break. Realized that this wheel was really heavy, my quads on my dominant foot is starting to cramp so a took a longer break.

Then I decided its time to roll some actually distance. Realized that i needed some speed to mount so i would hop hop and then get on. At first I would get maybe a few feet, before feel unstable to the point where the wheel was about to fall over, and i had to reach over to catch it. Did i mention this really freaking heavy?!?! Feeling better I took another break.

Decided to take my brave pills, take it to the parking lot, and boy what a difference did the change in surface from concrete to pavement make. I was able to ride even further than on the concrete, I was riding easily 20+ feet easily. Concentrated on learing the center of balance on the wheel. During the entire period, the wheel was going where ever the hell it wanted to I had no control. I tired turning and the second i started to think about how to do it I dropped it for the first time. It now had some battle scars. along the front :(. Got  a little upset with my self and decide to go kick a foot ball around for a little bit.

When I got back to it i was much better, and started to use a lil hip twist, and some weird shoulder movement to execute turns. and it's working. Was able to ride around for a good half mile, while looking like a complete novice i had a huge grin on my face. Eventually i was doing about a mile or so without stopping turning is still a bit weird tho, and i find it way easier to turn left than right. When trying to turn right and shifting the weight of the wheel onto my right foot it just feels weird, I'm thinking my right leg is just weaker than my left maybe. At the end of the day I stopped having successfully getting the battery down to 97%. My leg muscles were soar, and i needed them to recover.

Today will be day 2, and I hopefully will become competent enough to take on some sidewalks. Hopefully the skywater will stop and dry up to give me a chance....

Just a few comments on the wheel it self.

The gotway app is trash, might as well not exist.

Wheel feels powerful, but then again this is my first.

It looks like a freaking soap dish....

It is starting to get fun

 

[meepmeepmayer]

On 10/25/2020 at 5:55 PM, Simply_Striking said:

Today will be day 2, and I hopefully will become competent enough to take on some sidewalks. Hopefully the skywater will stop and dry up to give me a chance....

Make sure you know how to brake instead of (slight) panic. Otherwise it's "Oh shit... hmm... what now? I really wish I knew how to stop..." when a sudden obstacle appears, and your shins will pay the price (you'll try to stop the wheel with our leg after you jump off, at least that's happened to me).

On 10/25/2020 at 5:55 PM, Simply_Striking said:

It is starting to get fun

It will only get better. Though learning is great fun, too.

[Scottie]

You are doing very well for the time you've been at it, much better than me. Getting up and going is the hardest part and you've done that already. It only gets easier now, and it sounds like it will get easy for you pretty quickly. Just don't leave your quiet practice areas until you mastered directional control, stopping where and when you want to, and can free mount reliably (doesn't have to be pretty ... just reliable).

Congrats ... lots and lots of fun are not that far away.

[Simply_Striking]

2 hours ago, Scottie said:

Getting up and going is the hardest part and you've done that already. It only gets easier now, and it sounds like it will get easy for you pretty quickly. Just don't leave your quiet practice areas until you mastered directional control, stopping where and when you want to, and can free mount reliably (doesn't have to be pretty ... just reliable).

 

Yea for sure, will stick to the empty side of the park, just looking at cars and people on bicycles go by make me nervous, if they get close I hop off and move out of the way.

[WILSONEUC]

I too thought the shell and included gotway branded pads were slippery . The pads help a little but not for going over bumps. 

[Simply_Striking]

Got to say I am loving this wheel so far. I have put 100+ miles on her already and starting to feel confident maybe too confident, so i Have decided to dial it back a bit. I am starting to prioritize practicing braking quickly, mounting more efficiently, and also maneuvering at slower speeds.
Going at speeds 15+ mph seems a bit easy now, and I can almost do it without much effort, the other things not soo much. My full face helmet an knee guards are also not on hand as yet, so going slower is essential at the moment. I am still to nervous to cross intersections on it. Just a little side note, I rode my one wheel yesterday, and other than the riding style difference, one thing that stood out to me was I pay less attention to the terrain on the EUC compared to the XR.

[DPowell]

I did the same thing you did.  Bought a big honking EUC expecting to get out and ride the first day no problem.  AAANNHH!  Wrong.  Took me three days to do what seemingly took you about a day.  Albeit, I only practiced for about an hour on the first two days.  The third day I put on a few layer of socks for the pain in my ankles and shins.  Helped a lot.   Went from clutch walls, to doing left hand circles, right hand circles, figure 8's and then out onto the low traffic residential streets.

This Gotway RS T is heavy, that's for sure, but I wouldn't have it any other way.  I'm pretty sure, if I had went smaller, i'd be wanting to upgrade within a month.  Plus I'm coming from the electric scooter side of PEV's.    My Turbowheel Phaeton (Zero 11x) is 131lbs.  I really don't like trying to move that one around.

[Simply_Striking]

20 minutes ago, DPowell said:

I did the same thing you did.  Bought a big honking EUC expecting to get out and ride the first day no problem.  AAANNHH!  Wrong.  Took me three days to do what seemingly took you about a day.  Albeit, I only practiced for about an hour on the first two days.  The third day I put on a few layer of socks for the pain in my ankles and shins.  Helped a lot.   Went from clutch walls, to doing left hand circles, right hand circles, figure 8's and then out onto the low traffic residential streets.

This Gotway RS T is heavy, that's for sure, but I wouldn't have it any other way.  I'm pretty sure, if I had went smaller, i'd be wanting to upgrade within a month.  Plus I'm coming from the electric scooter side of PEV's.    My Turbowheel Phaeton (Zero 11x) is 131lbs.  I really don't like trying to move that one around.

You will get it I promise, just stick to it. A am doing reasonably okay now I feel a lot more comfortable on it. Keep at it, you will get there. I have no regrets getting this thing, it is a blast. I have already put 800 miles on mine.

[gPhotoMan]

On 12/7/2020 at 10:50 AM, DPowell said:

I did the same thing you did.  Bought a big honking EUC expecting to get out and ride the first day no problem.  AAANNHH!  Wrong.  Took me three days to do what seemingly took you about a day.  Albeit, I only practiced for about an hour on the first two days.  The third day I put on a few layer of socks for the pain in my ankles and shins.  Helped a lot.   Went from clutch walls, to doing left hand circles, right hand circles, figure 8's and then out onto the low traffic residential streets.

This Gotway RS T is heavy, that's for sure, but I wouldn't have it any other way.  I'm pretty sure, if I had went smaller, i'd be wanting to upgrade within a month.  Plus I'm coming from the electric scooter side of PEV's.    My Turbowheel Phaeton (Zero 11x) is 131lbs.  I really don't like trying to move that one around.

Well I started with what I considered a midsized EUC aka the Tesla in October coming from the Onewheel... loved it so much I did buy the RS-HS... and I found I love the differences in the sizes so much that now I have a mten3 on order!  I’m addicted!  I like the variety. Just saying. ;-) 

[Simply_Striking]

8 hours ago, gPhotoMan said:

Well I started with what I considered a midsized EUC aka the Tesla in October coming from the Onewheel... loved it so much I did buy the RS-HS... and I found I love the differences in the sizes so much that now I have a mten3 on order!  I’m addicted!  I like the variety. Just saying. ;-) 

Ha ha, I am also considering ordering and Mten3, I like it because I can put it in my backpack and sneak it aboard my local busses. I want to sell my xr for this purchase, but I have a soft spot for for it.

[gPhotoMan]

On 1/5/2021 at 4:24 PM, Simply_Striking said:

Ha ha, I am also considering ordering and Mten3, I like it because I can put it in my backpack and sneak it aboard my local busses. I want to sell my xr for this purchase, but I have a soft spot for for it.

Yep I sold my OneWheel Plus!