Learning to EUC on Vancouver Island...

[VikB]

Not me ^^^. Yet!

Day 0 - Tracking and Waiting

Like a lot of people, staying close to home due to COVID has meant looking for some new things to do. I've seen a few EUCs around town when I've been riding my pedal bikes and non-electric longboard skateboards. Honestly, watching people stand bolt upright and cruise around looking like a robocop didn't seem all that interesting at first...well I guess I still doesn't, but somehow I ended up down the Youtube EUC rabbithole and I realized there was a lot more potential to EUCs than what I initially understood.

Along the way I got a One Wheel Pint, which has been fun to learn. As a longboard rider/snowboarder/kiteboarder the sideways stance is familiar. The big fat tire lets me ride it places where my skateboards would grind to a halt [grass, gravel, dirt, etc..] Although it was easy to learn to ride the Pint it's got lots of long-term skill development potential and the range is sufficient to explore a pretty decent area around my house. I've been amused by the OW vs. EUC debate I've run into online. They just seem like two totally different activities so my brain doesn't even bother thinking which one is "better" than the other. I'm semi/mostly retired so I have time to do both as well as ride my pedal bikes and push/pump my longboards around town. So I plan to ride both PEVs depending how I am feeling and what I want to do. The OW seems like the obvious choice for just goofing off near home and the EUC [with its longer range/higher speed] seems like the obvious choice to explore further afield. 

When it came to ordering an EUC I settled on 3 possible models:

1. Gotway Mten3

2. IM V10F

3. KS 16x

I watched all the reviews and went back and forth on this a million times. The Mten3 was small and seemed like the initial learning steps might be easier. It also sounded like it would be a fun wheel to keep around even when I got something bigger. Plus it also seemed like a good buddy to the Pint if my GF wanted to ride with me. I liked the 16x's 3" tire, higher speed and big battery/range. The cost, concern around weatherproofing [it's wet a lot here] and the fact I'd drop it a lot learning made me hesitant. The V10F seemed like the middle ground between a learner EUC that I'd want to upgrade in a month and a long-term EUC I'd be happy on for years. Decent range/speed and reasonable price. The V10F also seemed small/cheap enough that when I moved on to something else it would be worth keeping around as a backup and an EUC I'd be willing to let my GF/friends learn on.

I had a Mten3 ordered for mid-April delivery, but changed my mind to the V10F, which was in stock. I do some contract work from time to time to fund my hobbies and it was looking like I'd have nothing going on at all for a few months. So I thought I'd outgrow the Mten3 too fast. Whereas the V10F has enough speed/range I expect/hope it will keep me entertained through the summer. Tracking info says the V10F is in town at 5am this morning, but ETD is tomorrow by end of day. Hopefully that means I'll get it today.

In anticipation of dropping the V10F a lot initially I got the In Motion cover and a bunch of that foam baby protection padding. I'll do my best to keep the shell in decent shape during the learning process. I am a lifelong mountain biker so I've got elbow/knee pads I'll wear while I learn to EUC as well as a bike helmet [half-shell]. I did get some combined gloves/wrist guards I'll wear as well and high top skateboard shoes for some ankle protection.

I'm also a life long motorcyclist so I have a moto helmet/jacket/pants/etc... I got rid of my last motorcycle when I was saving for retirement, but kept the gear and I'm sort of looking at EUCs as a low powered/cost motorcycle replacement in a way. To start anyways I don't think wearing moto gear makes sense. I ride my bicycles and longboards around town at 15-30kph with brief downhills to 50kph with just a half-shell helmet and gloves. I don't want to go full robocop just to cruise down the bikepath on the V10F, but I'll take things one day at a time and assess my risk as I go. Having done lots of risky sports since I was a kid I've never had a serious injury or broken a bone and I'm 52. So my sense of self-preservation is reasonably high! I also have a long history of not being a speed demon when driving or riding motorcycles. I like to cruise and get into a nice flow vs. hammering the gas pedal/throttle. Hopefully that carries over to riding EUCs.

I've scoped out a large empty parking lot and a rarely used basketball court near my house that should be good for practice. They both have some poles/fences/walls to help me start out and should be safe areas I can go for learning without needing to travel far. That way I can do a bunch of shorter sessions whenever I am feeling it and I don't have to force things. I can cruise down a shallow hill at 20kph on my longboard balancing on one foot while doing a yoga pose so I hope I'll get the hang of riding an EUC without too much trouble, but I am mentally ready for it to take a long time and be really hard. Part of the purpose of getting he V10F is just to spend time learning something new while I can't go too far from home due to COVID so I guess I am not really in any rush.

I went out for a nice pre-dawn Pint cruise this morning. The bikepath/streets in my neighbourhood are really peaceful before folks start commuting into work. The frosty ground was nice and crunchy. I got a new flashlight that I am testing for use to supplement my helmet lights so I have something I can move around in my hand. It works well at Pint/longboard speeds. I figure it will come in handy for riding the V10F at night as well.

Time to settle in at home, watch YT EUC videos and obsessively refresh the tracking info page. ;-)

Edited March 18, 2021 by VikB

[Scottie888]

Awesome! Learning EUCs would likely be a very weird experience as your feet are locked to the pedals & might even make you feel helpless when you 1st hop on. At least it did for me. Learning to ride beside a long wall or railing helped the most. 2nd was learning mount/dismount. After that, tis all about riding time & getting used to the concept of EUCs.

While street riding is fun, I discovered I had the best times on dirt. I'm sure you've easy access to lots of trails where you are so thats another avenue to explore. Perhaps this might help determine which wheel you would move up to once the V10's outgrown. That said, its a good wheel for the gf to learn on & join in for rides.

Congrats & welcome to the club

[Tawpie]

Sounds like you're pretty much set! Welcome to the loonie bin. Know that it can get to be rather expensive because, you know, it's an addiction.

Get yourself some ankle protection. You only use it while you're learning, but one of the things that happens during unplanned dismounts is the EUC will want to smack you with its pedals. They're programmed to do that. Once you've demonstrated some level of mastery, they stop going for the ankles and you can ditch the shin guards. Cheap soccer gear works well enough.

Be sure to start slowly... an hour a day is usually good. This activity uses lots of muscles you don't use for anything else (especially in your feet and calves) and they need to rest and develop their memory.

And remember to wipe that goofy grin off your face every now and again. It bothers bystanders to see you having so much fun.

(Robocop/power ranger is a good look BTW, don't count it out. There is a reason for it beyond looking mysterious)

[VikB]

13 minutes ago, Scottie888 said:

Awesome! Learning EUCs would likely be a very weird experience as your feet are locked to the pedals & might even make you feel helpless when you 1st hop on. At least it did for me. Learning to ride beside a long wall or railing helped the most. 2nd was learning mount/dismount. After that, tis all about riding time & getting used to the concept of EUCs.

While street riding is fun, I discovered I had the best times on dirt. I'm sure you've easy access to lots of trails where you are so thats another avenue to explore. Perhaps this might help determine which wheel you would move up to once the V10's outgrown. That said, its a good wheel for the gf to learn on & join in for rides.

Congrats & welcome to the club

Ya I'm keeping an open mind and not trying to build too much expectation as to what the learning process will be like. I have time so there is no particular rush to get to any level of skill. I'm a morning person so once I feel like leaving the parking lot I can do it when there is minimal traffic on the road/bikepath to contend with.

Close to home it's mostly paved streets and bikepaths with some short stretches of dirt to ride. We have great MTB trails, but they are off limits to EUCs. If I were to drive out of town there are tons of fireroads to ride. To start with EUCing will be an urban adventure for me. We'll see what happens once I get a feel for riding a wheel. I figure the V10F covers all the bases I need initially and it's versatile enough to keep around. 

[VikB]

6 minutes ago, Tawpie said:

Sounds like you're pretty much set! Welcome to the loonie bin. Know that it can get to be rather expensive because, you know, it's an addiction.

Get yourself some ankle protection. You only use it while you're learning, but one of the things that happens during unplanned dismounts is the EUC will want to smack you with its pedals. They're programmed to do that. Once you've demonstrated some level of mastery, they stop going for the ankles and you can ditch the shin guards. Cheap soccer gear works well enough.

Be sure to start slowly... an hour a day is usually good. This activity uses lots of muscles you don't use for anything else (especially in your feet and calves) and they need to rest and develop their memory.

And remember to wipe that goofy grin off your face every now and again. It bothers bystanders to see you having so much fun.

(Robocop/power ranger is a good look BTW, don't count it out. There is a reason for it beyond looking mysterious)

If I love doing it throwing some money at a bigger wheel is fine. Hopefully the V10F keeps me entertained for the warm part of 2021. I'd be fine shopping for another wheel next winter. It sounds like there will some nice new EUCs unleashed in 2021. I'll start saving $$$. ;-)

I have some high top skateboard shoes that I plan to use to learn riding in. They are well padded around the ankle. Not armoured or anything like that, but they'd be better than a normal shoe if the foot plate hits me. Doing frequent shorter sessions works for me. I'm not in a rush and that approach has worked well for other activities.

I don't mind looking like robocop if I am going out for a performance ride at higher speeds. It would be a drag to feel the need to wear all that gear to go for a relaxing cruise 5kms away for a coffee. I'm hoping I'll end up with say 3 different levels of protective gear depending on what kind of riding I am doing. I'm pretty good at evaluating my risk for sports and wear gear/behaving appropriately. I figure that approach should carry over to EUCs.

[Scottie888]

2 hours ago, VikB said:

We have great MTB trails, but they are off limits to EUCs.

That sucks! Its a pity for sure. Thankfully, AB or at least Cowtown & surrounding, have no such restrictions that I know of. Infact I get to have a giant dirt playground a few miles down the road from me. Hope you get a chance to experience offroad wheeling. Not quite as fast nor as big air stylin as on MTBs but still fun nonetheless.

[VikB]

2 hours ago, Scottie888 said:

That sucks! Its a pity for sure. Thankfully, AB or at least Cowtown & surrounding, have no such restrictions that I know of. Infact I get to have a giant dirt playground a few miles down the road from me. Hope you get a chance to experience offroad wheeling. Not quite as fast nor as big air stylin as on MTBs but still fun nonetheless.

All our parks ban motorized vehicles from trails. I mountain bike those trails a lot so I am okay with not riding my EUC there. We've got so much great stuff to explore on pavement I won't run out of places to explore anytime soon.

[VikB]

My office/man cave is in a separate building at the back of our house so I don't hear the front bell. I got a text from my GF saying something was delivered. I'm thinking maybe it's the EUC? Then she texts the box is too heavy for her to bring to me and I know it's the EUC. Exciting! 

[Tawpie]

and.........??? (don’t say: darn, false alarm. just another box of gold coins. boring)

[Scottie888]

and....I bet he still outside riding or learning to ride til the wee hours. I can certainly feel his excitement in the OP, can't you😋

I just hope he remembers to wrap it up real good or otherwise, it won't be so new anymore.

[.....]

another victim has been claimed.... I can feel the ankle bites, the eagerness and the sense of awe and wonder. I bet that poor pint will be WISHING it could go for a ride soon. So, who's tallying the bets as to how soon until he gets another euc? I'll drop some coin on him eyeballing another within the month. I bet he finances another by selling a kidney (doesnt have to be his own), within 4 months...

Congrats man, you're gna love the euc. Yes, its tough to learn but worth it. Don't listen to those people who say everyone can do it and its easy. They are fooling themselves or just wicked good at shit. Us mere mortals have to work at it! Don't worry too much, enforcement is more important than legalities. Just enjoy the ride, spread some infectious happiness and worry about shit like laws and injuries, IF your adventure includes them. Embrace the freedom of the euc while you can. Time is a wasting and nothing better than to catch what you can while you can!

"quick tip" euc is an oddity like the OW. A lot of accidents are hardware induced or simply limtations of hardware being crossed. Be aware that you could find yourself w/o power from a myriad of reasons at any time. Unlike a lot of the other 'vehicles' we enjoy, we have to factor in this unique trait, into our risk acceptance strategy. As long as you are aware that you could face plant at any speed at any time, you'll not be in danger from ignorance, but from (my personal favorite).... CHOICE! Just like riding my mten in the living room... dangerous choice, totally worth it! No jar with my nutz in it, to knock off these shelves!

Fwiw, I have a robocop suit, but I also prefer to only gear up as little as I can get away with. Its a risk for sure, but lazily strolling in the sunshine and letting people see a smile, sometimes makes for much better rides. Less intimidation the better! Hard to pretend something isnt seriously dangerous, when you're geared for battle anytime you ride it. I'd say 'stay safe', but who the hell are we kidding? If oyu wanted safe, you wouldnt have spent the $$ already. SO I'll do you better. HAVE A F**KN BLAST!!! Embrace the journey of learning. Even the minor bruises, soreness, bumps, are part of the joy. Before too long, you'll find another joy, then another. Eventually it will read your mind and serenity becomes available on the menu...

Edited March 17, 2021 by ShanesPlanet

[Scottie888]

16 minutes ago, ShanesPlanet said:

So, who's tallying the bets as to how soon until he gets another euc? I'll drop some coin on him eyeballing another within the month. I bet he finances another by selling a kidney (doesnt have to be his own), within 4 months...

If it were a V5, he be done in a coupla months. V8f, I'd say by summer somewhere. Since its a V10f with decent range with ok..ish speeds &Victoria while very nice, is not a big city by any means (there's a reason why its called the retirement capital of Canada) so 50-60kms will get one pretty far. 

He should be alright for this year with the new wheel + OW for company. My coin's on spring '22 before the big 'un.

[.....]

@Scottie888 You could be right. But this is the EUC virus we are talking about here. Your bet is making too much sense. We all know that you gotta feed the virus, even if its redundant.

[Scottie888]

@ShanesPlanet Shane, you're a very bad evil man! Not only are you trying to corrupt the young, you're getting him into debt as well.

Maybe you're right afterall. I'm the perfect case study starting with 1 in spring last year & ending with 4 by late fall. Sigh.....! Luckily the wifey believes me when I say its cheap chinese toys so how can expensive can it be😳

[.....]

Young is relative. I said SELL a kidney, not borrow one. No debt, just dont offer a warranty, cash only. Our new Rider @Paulo Mesquita is a good case study. It all begins with... "hmm, those look like fun". Quickly becomes... how many can I have before its a problem? 

[Scottie888]

Ya its pretty funny. I remember when I started researching this EUC thangy last year & came to this forum. Then I noticed the Vets like Marty B with a fleet of wheels! WTF??!! Man's only got a pair of legs so how many can he ride🤔

And then I realized, a man needs a wheel for going to the corner store, supermart, mailbox & such. Then another for the longer leisurely group rides. Then one for ultimate performance. Then another for those offroad scenarios. & one for doing skatepark tricks. & & &....

I now understand that Marty was right after all. A man can never have to many women wheels🥰

Edited March 17, 2021 by Scottie888

[Paulo Mesquita]

@VicB, listen attentively to @ShanesPlanet, @Tawpie and @Scottie888...they'll help you a lot with all your doubts. They helped me tons of times. Btw, I went for the KS16X for my 1st wheel and the Inmotion V11 for my 2nd. And that was a long time ago when i started EUC riding....about 48 day ago!!!! 

You should see me in my 1st days. This  61 year old f*rt was quite happy to ride 5 meters holding onto a wall. Now I'm doing between 22 and 25km a day!!!

I was hesitant about the 1st wheel but decided to dish out an extra €300 and go for the KS 16x instead of the new Tesla V3.

The pros: sturdier wheel, great handle, and mainly the 3" tire width. That was important to me since I'm not as flexible and nimble like some of the young guns here, and I'm 89kg (NOT FAT!!! Bloody heavy bones!!!) and 1.76mt tall.

The cons: only one and a scary one at 1st...the pedals are 18cm from the ground. Well that has long gone because the V11 with it's suspension system has actually higher pedals; from 19,5cm to 22cm!!!! We get used to a lot of things, faster than we initially expect.

One piece of advice: Use the EUC World App and register your tours. Then if you like the app donate something to the creator @Seba. He did a hell of a job with this app and he deserves all the recognition we can give him.... and when you donate you become a Premium User and have your latest tour automatically updated here on your sig. You just need to program it.

i HOPE YOU HAVE VOLTAREN, YOUR INNER SHINS AND CALVES ARE GOING TO NEED SOME MASSAGE 

MAN RIDING EUC'S IS SO MUCH FUN!!!!

...I've added photos of some of my protective gear...in the meantime I've evolved a bit. The last pic, the gel insoles, I got yesterday and they improved my foot pain quite a bit. It was very good advice from the members here. Btw I started with motorcycle boots (photo 2) for protection but now am using big basketball sneakers (photo 9)with gel insoles. we need to move our toes and foot palms to increase blood circulation after riding quite a few kms....

Hold tight with your legs against that wheel... and go for it!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 30, 2021 by Paulo Mesquita

[VikB]

This ^^^ is not me, but I feel pretty confident before the day is done that I will be able to stand majestically next to my EUC with one foot on it and look confident. As long as I don't do anything else I might even convince a passing stranger that I know what I am doing. ;-)

Thanks for the comments guys. I'll circle back around to specific posts later today. EUC did arrive, but I didn't get a chance to do anything with it yesterday since it came late in the day. My GF has to work FT for 6 more years before she can get her pension and since I just do some PT contract work here and there I make sure when she's free I do what she wants to do. I need to keep her happy so I can do my fun stuff without too much jealousy! Yesterday that was go for a walk to the coffee shop after her work day ended and then I cooked dinner and watched a movie with her. Being a morning person by 9pm I'm in bed.

I was up at 3am and almost headed to my office to open the EUC box, but forced myself back to sleep until 6am so I wouldn't be tired today. I'm just drinking some tea now and then I'm going to skateboard over to Walmart to buy some double sided tape so I can pad up the V10F. I've read on these forums that the tape they provide with the baby padding is super aggressive and hard to clean off the unit when you want to remove it. So I'll see if I can find something less sticky.

I'll put the EUC on charge and take my time padding it up then we'll head over to the basketball court around the corner from my place to do some easy drills. I'll just take it slow and steady and see what happens. I am not in a mad rush to progress. I've learnt over the years pushing harder and harder at something usually means it goes slower than just rolling with it at a natural unforced pace.

I also plan to ride my longboard to the grocery store and do a One Wheel session today so I'll keep mixing it up and having fun.

 

[VikB]

9 hours ago, Scottie888 said:

and....I bet he still outside riding or learning to ride til the wee hours. I can certainly feel his excitement in the OP, can't you😋

I just hope he remembers to wrap it up real good or otherwise, it won't be so new anymore.

Ha no. I didn't open the box yesterday. I annoy my friends a lot with stuff like this. I'll get a new mountain bike and I'll put the frame in my workstand and just enjoy it for a couple days before I build up the parts and get it into the dirt. They just can't understand why I am not in a rush to ride immediately. 

I will definitely pad it up before the first practice session. I just need to track down some double sided tape. I'll head out shortly on that mission. 

[VikB]

9 hours ago, ShanesPlanet said:

another victim has been claimed.... I can feel the ankle bites, the eagerness and the sense of awe and wonder. I bet that poor pint will be WISHING it could go for a ride soon. So, who's tallying the bets as to how soon until he gets another euc? I'll drop some coin on him eyeballing another within the month. I bet he finances another by selling a kidney (doesnt have to be his own), within 4 months...

Congrats man, you're gna love the euc. Yes, its tough to learn but worth it. Don't listen to those people who say everyone can do it and its easy. They are fooling themselves or just wicked good at shit. Us mere mortals have to work at it! Don't worry too much, enforcement is more important than legalities. Just enjoy the ride, spread some infectious happiness and worry about shit like laws and injuries, IF your adventure includes them. Embrace the freedom of the euc while you can. Time is a wasting and nothing better than to catch what you can while you can!

"quick tip" euc is an oddity like the OW. A lot of accidents are hardware induced or simply limtations of hardware being crossed. Be aware that you could find yourself w/o power from a myriad of reasons at any time. Unlike a lot of the other 'vehicles' we enjoy, we have to factor in this unique trait, into our risk acceptance strategy. As long as you are aware that you could face plant at any speed at any time, you'll not be in danger from ignorance, but from (my personal favorite).... CHOICE! Just like riding my mten in the living room... dangerous choice, totally worth it! No jar with my nutz in it, to knock off these shelves!

Fwiw, I have a robocop suit, but I also prefer to only gear up as little as I can get away with. Its a risk for sure, but lazily strolling in the sunshine and letting people see a smile, sometimes makes for much better rides. Less intimidation the better! Hard to pretend something isnt seriously dangerous, when you're geared for battle anytime you ride it. I'd say 'stay safe', but who the hell are we kidding? If oyu wanted safe, you wouldnt have spent the $$ already. SO I'll do you better. HAVE A F**KN BLAST!!! Embrace the journey of learning. Even the minor bruises, soreness, bumps, are part of the joy. Before too long, you'll find another joy, then another. Eventually it will read your mind and serenity becomes available on the menu...

I fully expect to buy another EUC at some point. I'm hoping I ride the V10F happily through this summer. When the wet season hits in the fall it's a great time to research a new wheel and buy it for the start of the good weather in 2022. With the Mten3 I started to think I'd be ordering a new EUC in a month. Hopefully the V10F keeps me entertained longer. My many years of riding motorcycles has taught me that I am not a speed freak. I like to cruise and explore so my main limitation with a smaller EUC will be the range. I'll look into a faster charger for the V10F for times when 8hrs of charging is too long. 

Anyways no point getting ahead of myself. I can't ride the EUC across the room yet so I've got plenty of range with the InMotion for now!

With my moto gear I can go full robocop anytime I need to. But, like you I don't do the All-The-Gear-All-The-Time thing that some people are into. I'm an engineer so I understand the main failure modes of self-balancing devices. I also know that having a theoretical understanding vs. some real time riding are two different things. So I won't get cocky. I'll basically wear the protective gear I feel okay falling to the ground with at whatever speeds I am riding. Then I'll do my best to use my safety muscle [ie. my brain] to avoid situations where I am likely to fall to the ground...as much as that is possible. I appreciate that an erratic driver/pedestrian/dog/cyclist can do something that leads to a crash with no notice and no time to react so you can only control so much. 

Onwards!

[Tawpie]

 

40 minutes ago, VikB said:

I'll get a new mountain bike and I'll put the frame in my workstand and just enjoy it for a couple days before I build up the parts and get it into the dirt

You are going to drive the people on this forum absolutely bonkers. Good on you.

When they finally get around to opening the border I live just south of you and am aching to swing up and ride the island a bit. We visited a couple of summers ago (whales etc.) and you gots a wonderful locale for wildly diverse riding venues. Daughter lives in Van, so we have plenty of excuses.

My money is on an off road beastie as next for you... MSX, S18. Too much excellent territory to explore. And timing... early summer. You need to raise your hourly rate, the cash spends easy enough but finding the time—when you're expensive you don't have to work as much. Oh, and the SO must learn to ride too so budget for that!

[.....]

1 hour ago, VikB said:

 With the Mten3 I started to think I'd be ordering a new EUC in a month. Hopefully the V10F keeps me entertained longer. My many years of riding motorcycles has taught me that I am not a speed freak. I like to cruise and explore so my main limitation with a smaller EUC will be the range. I'll look into a faster charger for the V10F for times when 8hrs of charging is too long. 

 

Blasphemy! I still ride my mten more often than any other of my wheels

Edited March 17, 2021 by ShanesPlanet

[Scottie]

On 3/16/2021 at 11:31 AM, VikB said:

I'm sort of looking at EUCs as a low powered/cost motorcycle replacement in a way.

I had a Sport Touring Yamaha sitting in the garage waiting for my attention that was stolen from it by a 16X. The poor Yamaha waited and waited ...

 

22 hours ago, Tawpie said:

Get yourself some ankle protection. You only use it while you're learning, but one of the things that happens during unplanned dismounts is the EUC will want to smack you with its pedals. They're programmed to do that.

  Listen to this advice!

 

11 hours ago, ShanesPlanet said:

another victim has been claimed....   Congrats man, you're gna love the euc.

You are now one of us ... one of us ... one of us ....

Seriously though, with your background and risk assessment history, you are a natural for this. You may not have to work as hard at the learning as most of us, but you likely will have to put in some good effort. And you will enjoy the different kinds of freedom these wheels provide.

Welcome to the madness!

[pico]

On 3/16/2021 at 11:31 AM, VikB said:

Not me ^^^. Yet!

You now have a BIG problem. Living up to your avatar! 

Welcome to the madness! 

[VikB]

1 hour ago, Tawpie said:

 

You are going to drive the people on this forum absolutely bonkers. Good on you.

When they finally get around to opening the border I live just south of you and am aching to swing up and ride the island a bit. We visited a couple of summers ago (whales etc.) and you gots a wonderful locale for wildly diverse riding venues. Daughter lives in Van, so we have plenty of excuses.

My money is on an off road beastie as next for you... MSX, S18. Too much excellent territory to explore. And timing... early summer. You need to raise your hourly rate, the cash spends easy enough but finding the time—when you're expensive you don't have to work as much. Oh, and the SO must learn to ride too so budget for that!

Ha! Box still not opened [actually opened now as I forgot about this reply for a while], but I did get some double sided tape that doesn't look too sticky and I skated over to the grocery store while I was out so I don't have any other errands I need to do today. Next up padding the EUC and charging it. I promise she'll be rolling at least somewhat today.

Got the beast out of the box. I mentally knew how much it weighed, but wow it's heavy to move around. It was well packed. No damage in shipment and it's on charge now while I figure out the padding. She looks nice. So far so good.

I don't work much now, I'm semi-retired and I have the money for a new EUC if I really needed one, but I'll be surprised if I can't stay entertained through the summer. Keeping in mind I have 5+ hobbies/sports to take up my free time. I like the look of the S18. Reminds me of a mountain bike a bit. The new leaked IM V12 could be interesting as well.