Help a 61 year old with a choice of his 1st EUC

[Paulo Mesquita]

Hello all,

Im a 61 year old newbie that just ordered a Gotway Tesla V3 from the MyEWheel store. Unfortunately they V3 isn’t ready for shipping and I’ll probably only get it at the end of February. I’ve been talking with the very nice Sandra lady from MyEWheels and she’s been helping me very much.

however I have been struggling with one simple decision: upgrade to the Gotway RS and not wait for the Tesla V3.

now here is my need for your more experienced help:

if I decide to dish out an  extra 400€ and go for the Gotway RS ( I’ll get it sooner than the Tesla V3)...how will I do with balance during my learning curve? Immmainly worried about balance comparisons with the Tesla V3 and the RS. I know the RS is an 18” while the Tesla is a 16”... 

bear in mid that:

- I don’t care about speed.

-Im 61 years old (I still remember how to rollerblade)

-I’m 89kg and my area has a few ups and downs. Some of the roads might be a bit steep, maybe over the 35 degrees that are recommended for the Tesla

...so, can anyone with a good experience with these two wheels, or with the difference between balancing 16” and 18” wheels...help me decide if I upgrade to the RS?

thank you for your time.

best regards,

Paulo Mesquita

Sintra, Portugal

[Scottie888]

Hello Paulo, welcome to the forum. I'm sure you're going to enjoy this phase of your life on Wheels👍. For me, it's a great antidote to all this lockdown madness & where you are, the year round sun & warmth makes EUCs a very easy choice. As to which is best, the answer mainly comes from your personal needs, wants & pocketbook.

Having owned a Tesla V2 1480 for 8mths, I can honestly say its the best bang for the buck in terms of power ie.acceleration, speed & range. On bike paths, I easily cruise at 30-40+kph & get 80+kms with 20+% battery showing. Its a very good city wheel & great on smooth pavement/asphalt. It's also relatively light which makes it easier to handle & the well designed trolley makes it easy to wheel around if that matters. However the thinner tires are not so good on the rougher stuff & the low pedals makes it non optimum for very tight turns & offroading. 

On paper, the RS is great allround wheel for power, handling, topspeed for both street & offroad trail riding. It's likely the better as a last wheel option if you don't plan to upgrade in the foreseeable future. However, the trolley isn't close to as good as on the Tesla & it's significantly bulkier & heavier which makes it more of a challenge as a 1st wheel for a newbie. On top of all that & the extra expense, the RS is facing some teething issues with its new hollow bore bearings failing, rusting & ghostly noises. That doesn't mean its not a good choice but it does mean that its possible you may need to get your hands dirty with diy repairs. Unless ofcos you have a local physical store to buy from that will provide full warranty services.

On the other hand, based on what I know now, I would have started off with the cheaper MCM5 V2 as its the best value wheel that will literally do most anything & everything well (if the range fits the needs ofcos). After getting my feet wet on it, I can then decide which direction I want to upgrade to fulfil my needs & more importantly, my wants. 

As usual YMMV ofcos

[Chriull]

58 minutes ago, Paulo Mesquita said:

Hello all,

Welcome!

Imho the beginning will be hard anyway - no real matter if 16 or 18 inch. Just don't overdo teaining session and give your "muscle memory" enough time to adopt and learn.

From what i read here, the Tesla has a great performance to price ratio, "case stability" shall be quite humble/low?

In regard to RS you should inform yourself about the "hollow motor"/nearimg issues.

Otherwise it seems to.be a great wheel.

[Paulo Mesquita]

Hi Scottie, 

Thanks for warm welcome, warmer than sunny Portugal right now. You make a very strong argument in favor of the Tesla V3. Your insights are clearly helping my with my decision making. 

Sandra from MyE Wheels also pointed out the fact that the Tesla V3 version is carrying as stronger motor than the V2. This with will, hopefully, make it safe for the up roads and my 89kg :-) 

[Paulo Mesquita]

Just now, Chriull said:

Welcome!

Imho the beginning will be hard anyway - no real matter if 16 or 18 inch. Just don't overdo teaining session and give your "muscle memory" enough time to adopt and learn.

From what i read here, the Tesla has a great performance to price ratio, "case stability" shall be quite humble/low?

In regard to RS you should inform yourself about the "hollow motor"/nearimg issues.

Otherwise it seems to.be a great wheel.

Thanks mate. Scottie also mentioned the issues with the RS. I'm tending to stay with my order... And patiently wait for the V3 to arrive. 

Cheers

 

[Scottie888]

15 minutes ago, Paulo Mesquita said:

Hi Scottie, 

Thanks for warm welcome, warmer than sunny Portugal right now. You make a very strong argument in favor of the Tesla V3. Your insights are clearly helping my with my decision making. 

Sandra from MyE Wheels also pointed out the fact that the Tesla V3 version is carrying as stronger motor than the V2. This with will, hopefully, make it safe for the up roads and my 89kg :-) 

You're welcome Paulo. Don't fret, regardless of whether the V3 has more juice the V2, its going to be plenty to haul 89kg almost everywhere you want. If you find it wanting, well then you know which direction you need to upgrade😉.

I envy your location. Where I am, its 5c (right now) but the roads are slick with melting snow & ice. Definitely no fun to ride & I'd much rather be where you are...Sun Sand & Beaches!!!

[Paulo Mesquita]

 

56 minutes ago, Scottie888 said:

You're welcome Paulo. Don't fret, regardless of whether the V3 has more juice the V2, its going to be plenty to haul 89kg almost everywhere you want. If you find it wanting, well then you know which direction you need to upgrade😉.

I envy your location. Where I am, its 5c (right now) but the roads are slick with melting snow & ice. Definitely no fun to ride & I'd much rather be where you are...Sun Sand & Beaches!!!

Haha... It's also 5ºC here too... But sunny as you correctly said. I'm feeling more comfortable with all your reassurance on the Tesla V3. Thanks a lot. 

 

[.....]

Get the tesla. Sucks to have to wait, but if youre in non-optimal riding season atm anyhow....  A few pounds lighter, proven track record, better trolley and cheaper. Yeah, the tesla will do you just fine as a learner and beyond wheel. Save the money for farkels and gear and the next wheel. People seem to look at it wrong in the beginning. Your first wheel isnt your last wheel and you may find you keep it, even after you get more. You  don't need replace a good wheel. You simply add another to the collection. Your Tesla will hold its value even after you buy more, as each flavor can compliment the other(to a certain extend anyhow).

Grats on the new hobby choice! Take your time and enjoy it. You may find that it doesnt take a lot of speed and a ton of range, to do exactly what you want it to.

Edited January 12, 2021 by ShanesPlanet

[Paulo Mesquita]

6 hours ago, ShanesPlanet said:

Get the tesla. Sucks to have to wait, but if youre in non-optimal riding season atm anyhow....  A few pounds lighter, proven track record, better trolley and cheaper. Yeah, the tesla will do you just fine as a learner and beyond wheel. Save the money for farkels and gear and the next wheel. People seem to look at it wrong in the beginning. Your first wheel isnt your last wheel and you may find you keep it, even after you get more. You  don't need replace a good wheel. You simply add another to the collection. Your Tesla will hold its value even after you buy more, as each flavor can compliment the other(to a certain extend anyhow).

Grats on the new hobby choice! Take your time and enjoy it. You may find that it doesnt take a lot of speed and a ton of range, to do exactly what you want it to.

Thanks Shane. I'm convinced now. All the insights I've been having here point in the same direction. No I just need to be patient and wait. I'll watch more learning videos. :-) 

 

[.....]

no worries. Try pacing around on the balls of your feet as you wait... Get that back limbered up too... you'll be floating around in no time!

[fbhb]

My first/learner wheel was the V1 Tesla, which I found to be a fantastic wheel to learn on, so your V3 will suit you perfectly well during your learning phase and beyond. 

I just recently sold my Tesla, but only because a mate of mine desperately wanted to get into EUC's and so offered it to him at an affordable price to help him get started! 

I can personally guarantee the wait for the Tesla V3 will be well worth it and will definitely help you get the most out of this amazing form of transport, welcome to the community.

[Paulo Mesquita]

11 hours ago, ShanesPlanet said:

no worries. Try pacing around on the balls of your feet as you wait... Get that back limbered up too... you'll be floating around in no time!

Well, Shane, It's goin to be quite tough and I'll suffer... I'm not a patience kind of guy!!! hehehehe...

You guys have been fantastic. It's great to feel so welcomed by younger members and have so much help. I feel a lot more confident. 

[Paulo Mesquita]

10 hours ago, fbhb said:

My first/learner wheel was the V1 Tesla, which I found to be a fantastic wheel to learn on, so your V3 will suit you perfectly well during your learning phase and beyond. 

I just recently sold my Tesla, but only because a mate of mine desperately wanted to get into EUC's and so offered it to him at an affordable price to help him get started! 

I can personally guarantee the wait for the Tesla V3 will be well worth it and will definitely help you get the most out of this amazing form of transport, welcome to the community.

Great input, thanks. I f you were so happy with your V1 I can only imagine how happy I'll be with the V3. It's very comforting to see so many satisfied me,bers with the Tesla.

[.....]

4 hours ago, Paulo Mesquita said:

Well, Shane, It's goin to be quite tough and I'll suffer... I'm not a patience kind of guy!!! hehehehe...

You guys have been fantastic. It's great to feel so welcomed by younger members and have so much help. I feel a lot more confident. 

When you were around to share a fish feast with Jesus, EVERYONE else definitely seems young! Keep us posted how you progress. Good to have you aboard, now try not to go too far in debt as you keep collecting miles and wheels!

[Scottie888]

@Paulo Mesquita bud I just found out that the new V3 Tesla has the hollow bore motor & with that, it may also come with the current issues that are in vogue on the RS, EX, V11 & whatever else.

Not saying you should change your order but it is food for thought. 

[drader]

I just bought my first EUC before xmas - a Tesla V2. It was a compromise to get it quickly. I am 250lbs and live in a very hilly area - no problems so far, the torque is impressive compared to my eskates. I think you should stick with the Tesla or something comparable as a learner wheel. I can't imagine having to deal with an additional 20 lbs right now, or having to jump off pedals that are just 1" higher. As for the battery - I keep having a lot of fun for multiple lunch days in a row... and checking the battery expecting it to be around 50-60%... and it reads "93%". The efficiency of this thing is very impressive, especially compared to my other PEVs. Of course I go slow; trying to have fun going slow, rather than deal with road rash and broken collar bones. So far I am having fun, out of all the hobbies I've tried over the years this one is absolutely from the future. The way it delivers power feels so natural. First 2 days was a lot of jumping off; 3rd day it clicked. I'd say less than 2 hours total to being able to ride. Getting fluent is going to take a long time though.

[.....]

3 minutes ago, drader said:

So far I am having fun, out of all the hobbies I've tried over the years this one is absolutely from the future. The way it delivers power feels so natural.

   Next up... teleportation please!

Edited January 13, 2021 by ShanesPlanet

[Paulo Mesquita]

7 hours ago, drader said:

I just bought my first EUC before xmas - a Tesla V2. It was a compromise to get it quickly. I am 250lbs and live in a very hilly area - no problems so far, the torque is impressive compared to my eskates. I think you should stick with the Tesla or something comparable as a learner wheel. I can't imagine having to deal with an additional 20 lbs right now, or having to jump off pedals that are just 1" higher. As for the battery - I keep having a lot of fun for multiple lunch days in a row... and checking the battery expecting it to be around 50-60%... and it reads "93%". The efficiency of this thing is very impressive, especially compared to my other PEVs. Of course I go slow; trying to have fun going slow, rather than deal with road rash and broken collar bones. So far I am having fun, out of all the hobbies I've tried over the years this one is absolutely from the future. The way it delivers power feels so natural. First 2 days was a lot of jumping off; 3rd day it clicked. I'd say less than 2 hours total to being able to ride. Getting fluent is going to take a long time though.

That's good to know. I'm counting on my experience with rollerblading to feel more comfortable with the balance learning curve, mainly with turning, since I've seen on videos that the body language of users, when turning, is very similar. 

[.....]

32 minutes ago, Paulo Mesquita said:

That's good to know. I'm counting on my experience with rollerblading to feel more comfortable with the balance learning curve, mainly with turning, since I've seen on videos that the body language of users, when turning, is very similar. 

I hope it does. I found learning to ride an euc was unlike everything I already knew how to do. Roller Skates, skateboards, rollerblades, unicycle, snowboards, skis, motorcycles, bicycles, and on.. It took me much longer than most others around here it seems. My background didnt seem to help much, but it was fun more than frustrating. I find it similar to some of the others now, but in the beginning it was very unique. Hell, this unique is exactly why it so much fun! Patience and determination with a tiny bit of luck and you're good to go!

Try to find a fence that isnt chain. Its too tempting to put your fingers thru. Do i need to expand on what happens when a pinky is caught in chain and the rest of you tries to leave? Wooden fences or solid walls may prove a little safer. Just dont bind the wheel against anything. I had no fencing so I learned free wheel in the soft yard for 2 days. I had an old pole (sattelite dish)to use for the very first few tries mounting. Looking back, its hard to recall how difficult that seemed.

Edited January 13, 2021 by ShanesPlanet

[Paulo Mesquita]

25 minutes ago, ShanesPlanet said:

I hope it does. I found learning to ride an euc was unlike everything I already knew how to do. Roller Skates, skateboards, rollerblades, unicycle, snowboards, skis, motorcycles, bicycles, and on.. It took me much longer than most others around here it seems. My background didnt seem to help much, but it was fun more than frustrating. I find it similar to some of the others now, but in the beginning it was very unique. Hell, this unique is exactly why it so much fun! Patience and determination with a tiny bit of luck and you're good to go!

Try to find a fence that isnt chain. Its too tempting to put your fingers thru. Do i need to expand on what happens when a pinky is caught in chain and the rest of you tries to leave? Wooden fences or solid walls may prove a little safer. Just dont bind the wheel against anything. I had no fencing so I learned free wheel in the soft yard for 2 days. I had an old pole (sattelite dish)to use for the very first few tries mounting. Looking back, its hard to recall how difficult that seemed.

I have long underground garage wall in my condo, actually close to my storage room where I'm going to keep the EUC. But I plan that to be stage 2. Stage 1 will be on the pateo outsidt is about 8x7meters. Since my muscles and bones are 61 years old, I'm vomit to take baby steps at first. I've read a lot of posts here on how younger guys get muscle tired pretty quick at 1st attempts. So I'm expecting somerton of the sort for me too...and even worse :-D

[Paulo Mesquita]

37 minutes ago, null said:

I have a friend who did rollerblades and he learned fairly quickly. The main difficulty he got from his roller past was that he tried making a front / back balance, which he didn't need. Basically he made the wheel oscillate front / back rapidly because he was compensating like one would to keep rollers from flying front / back. What helped was doing some slow and controlled pendulum while holding a fence (too hard is bad for the EUC) so the muscle memory could accept that it wouldn't just roll off front or back. Anyhow, I'm sue you'll make it, have fun.

Exactly. I've figured that out too. Slow controlled pendulum feels just right for me as a starter. My reference of my rollerblading prior experience is about muscle memory on keeping a constant center of gravity. One's need to feel that "invisible pole" that goes through j the body and keeps one's body perfectly tunned with its center of gravity whole going in every direction. 

[.....]

19 minutes ago, Paulo Mesquita said:

I have long underground garage wall in my condo, actually close to my storage room where I'm going to keep the EUC. But I plan that to be stage 2. Stage 1 will be on the pateo outsidt is about 8x7meters. Since my muscles and bones are 61 years old, I'm vomit to take baby steps at first. I've read a lot of posts here on how younger guys get muscle tired pretty quick at 1st attempts. So I'm expecting somerton of the sort for me too...and even worse :-D

You may find that step 2 is easier than step one. Trying to mount at zero speed with no assistance is REALLY tough. Even something so simple as a broom stick (dont skewer yourself or put it under your damn jaw!) in the yard, will get you step one. For me, step one was too dicey to be near concrete. True, rolling on crete is easier, but i started without even needing much roll. Take your time and dont overdo it. Im a shade younger and not exactly an idle type guy. Even so.. 30 mins a day was enough to keep me bruised and sore for the first 2 weeks. Fun fact... you even learn as you rest... tis a joyous oddity. The wierd thing about an euc is.. you actually DONT keep center of gravity. It takes a while to retrain yourself to lean outside of safe balance zone and trust the wheel. You'd never try this posture on skates or bikes, it would be suicide

Edited January 13, 2021 by ShanesPlanet

[Paulo Mesquita]

3 hours ago, ShanesPlanet said:

You may find that step 2 is easier than step one. Trying to mount at zero speed with no assistance is REALLY tough. Even something so simple as a broom stick (dont skewer yourself or put it under your damn jaw!) in the yard, will get you step one. For me, step one was too dicey to be near concrete. True, rolling on crete is easier, but i started without even needing much roll. Take your time and dont overdo it. Im a shade younger and not exactly an idle type guy. Even so.. 30 mins a day was enough to keep me bruised and sore for the first 2 weeks. Fun fact... you even learn as you rest... tis a joyous oddity. The wierd thing about an euc is.. you actually DONT keep center of gravity. It takes a while to retrain yourself to lean outside of safe balance zone and trust the wheel. You'd never try this posture on skates or bikes, it would be suicide

I assume that you're saying that contrary to rollerblading,with the EUC, one must let go and do "controlable unbalance"? 

[Zopper]

24 minutes ago, Paulo Mesquita said:

I assume that you're saying that contrary to rollerblading,with the EUC, one must let go and do "controlable unbalance"? 

There you have a "completely normal" Kuji trying the acceleration of a new wheel.  Although I suggest you do not try it as ferociously as Kuji does.

Edit: the video from which I took the screen: https://youtu.be/HlPwe7TmsbE?t=248

Edited January 13, 2021 by Zopper

[Paulo Mesquita]

16 minutes ago, Zopper said:

There you have a "completely normal" Kuji trying the acceleration of a new wheel.  Although I suggest you do not try it as ferociously as Kuji does.

Edit: the video from which I took the screen: https://youtu.be/HlPwe7TmsbE?t=248

Yes, I've seen some videos with these speedsters. Impressive!!! I'm sure I'll never get to do that since there's no qhiropractor in the world that could put " me ol'bones togetha again"!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣