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Learning to EUC on Vancouver Island...


VikB

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@VikB  The Mten3 is small and light, thus lacks leverage to counter mounting. Same as putting a narrow handlebar on your mtb. It'll be responsive and nimble on tight areas but unstable and requires lotsa attention at high speeds. It's in the trunk if I'm driving out somewhere.

Lol, I had those DCs, too (and Circas) but low tops.The hi-top should provide enough for the ankle. If that's your Nike air, they're cushy as well as Adidas boost. Nike is coming out with a lot of chunky soled offerings lately. 

If you're looking at EUC stands. This is DIY pvc pipe is prolly the easiest way. About $12 total at Home Depot with minimal effort required.

EUC stand.JPG

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48 minutes ago, Surfling said:

@VikB  The Mten3 is small and light, thus lacks leverage to counter mounting. Same as putting a narrow handlebar on your mtb. It'll be responsive and nimble on tight areas but unstable and requires lotsa attention at high speeds. It's in the trunk if I'm driving out somewhere.

Lol, I had those DCs, too (and Circas) but low tops.The hi-top should provide enough for the ankle. If that's your Nike air, they're cushy as well as Adidas boost. Nike is coming out with a lot of chunky soled offerings lately. 

If you're looking at EUC stands. This is DIY pvc pipe is prolly the easiest way. About $12 total at Home Depot with minimal effort required.

EUC stand.JPG

Yes! I totally need a an EUC stand. I am already getting tired of balancing the V10F against a table just right with the power off. That's a great rain day project! :thumbup:

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I wasn't planning on it, but I decided to shoot a couple videos to show my GF and my mother where I am at after 3hrs of practice. I figured I might as well show you. Feel free to be critical. I just did figure 8's to prove I am an ambi-turner. Next time I won't wear camo! :P

Edited by VikB
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inmotion-v10f-second.jpg

Day 2 - Morning Practice

I got out this morning right after dawn and hit up the basketball court. I warmed up with a few runs along the fence then I did some of those half-moon/circle moves to give my control leg a chance to get a good feel for the EUC. Then I rode loops and figure 8's again. I also tried riding the edge of the court...so more a square with sharp turns at the corners. All that went pretty well. 

I experimented with different foot positions. It's amazing how a small difference of position makes a huge change to how I am riding. 

I tried some half-hearted free mounting, but I wasn't stoked for this and after dropping my EUC a few times [first scratches achieved!] I decided to save that for another time.

After an hour I got hungry and needed to use the bathroom so I headed home. I felt pretty good about the session. I can ride for as long as I want now. I can turn okay and follow a plan I set for myself. I can speed up/slow down and stop okay. :)

I'm going to have breakfast and if it's not raining I'll do another session.

Edited by VikB
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2 hours ago, VikB said:

I wasn't planning on it, but I decided to shoot a couple videos to show my GF and my mother where I am at after 3hrs of practice. I figured I might as well show you. Feel free to be critical. I just did figure 8's to prove I am an ambi-turner. Next time I won't wear camo! :P

Mate...you're a natural!!!

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Looking good on that practice, man and sounds like the birds agree.

......and well, it's just like riding on a new frame with that "first scratch" anxiety. You know the rest. 

Again, tinker with tire pressure and then with the ride settings. Most will have a "soft" to "hard". The latter being more responsive. Then just find your comfort zone. The mtb know-how gets handy here.

 

 

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1 hour ago, Surfling said:

Looking good on that practice, man and sounds like the birds agree.

......and well, it's just like riding on a new frame with that "first scratch" anxiety. You know the rest. 

Again, tinker with tire pressure and then with the ride settings. Most will have a "soft" to "hard". The latter being more responsive. Then just find your comfort zone. The mtb know-how gets handy here.

 

 

Yes. In some ways I am glad to have that first real scratch on the EUC. Now I can relax.

I have the pedals set to 100% hard. No idea if that's good or bad, but since it's working for me I'll leave that alone until I am cruising 5-10kms at a go and I'll be settled down enough in my riding style to pick up on small details.

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2 minutes ago, VikB said:

Yes. In some ways I am glad to have that first real scratch on the EUC. Now I can relax.

I have the pedals set to 100% hard. No idea if that's good or bad, but since it's working for me I'll leave that alone until I am cruising 5-10kms at a go and I'll be settled down enough in my riding style to pick up on small details.

Ya the virgin territory is no more so what's a few more scratches. I don't think there's a pristine untouched wheel that's been used....wait, that's an oxymoron isn't it😋

Far's ride modes go, its really a personally thing & the effects also varies btwn different wheels & makes. On my S18 & Mten3, I like it hard. On my Tesla, I like medium & on the MCM5v2, I like it soft. Kinda like how I like my women or isit how she likes me🤔🤩! Kiddin' ofcos

Only way to know is to spend sometime on all 3 modes.

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Day 2 - Afternoon Practice

It looked dry for a bit so I headed out to the basketball court and wanted to practice free mounting and stopping so I could head out onto the bike path [not right away]. It went pretty well. I did short runs along the fence first. I forced myself to try and stay in control even if I didn't like my foot position. If it really sucked I slowed down, stopped and stepped off so I could try again. Once I felt solid I moved away from the fence and did runs across the court to two specific points. It seems to take me about two seconds after getting on to adjust to the position and move my mounting foot slightly. After that I feel pretty stable. I did 20 start/stops in a row with no issues before the rain started and I went home.

Today went well. I had the agony of dropping the EUC twice and scratching a pedal. I also had the thrill of victory when I could mount away from the fence/pole. :thumbup:

I think I am done with the basketball court. Tomorrow I'll trolley over to the school parking lot. It's spring break so there's only a few cars there now and it's a big lot. I'll explore that and enjoy some fresh terrain that's still pretty safe. If that goes well I think a dawn patrol on the bikepath Saturday when everyone is still asleep is in order. :w00t2:

Edited by VikB
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I think its imperative that new riders with new wheels, drop the SHIT out of the wheel asap. Worrying about it, only mitigates the joy. As brand new riders, there are FAR more important things to worry about, than mere scratches. I used to repaint my pedals black regularly, as alum would shine thru easily. Now I scrape and ride those pedals to the ground in turns with pride. My wife hates the sound of pedals scraping, I quite enjoy it. Purposely scratching a brand new wheel, is MUCH easier said than done. My Sherm has yet to be dropped. I fear the day, but also welcome it. Theres something liberating about 'knocking the new' off of a vehicle for sure!

Looks like you're figuring it out! I still stand behind my bet of you eyeballing another wheel within the month and owning at least two within 4 mos. The virus is real, and the summer weather only makes it worse... It aint that you wont still love your first wheel, but "tasting the flavors of another" isnt a sin that costs you half your stuff. They will learn to get along and share your time:clap3:. Yup, the clock is ticking. Well done and thanks for sharing with us.

Edited by ShanesPlanet
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ok. I officially hate you now, along with all of your naturally gifted and athletic brethren. You're progressing way too quickly, look way too stable, your arms aren't flapping at all, you're not out of breath, you're not even thinking "oy, this might have been a mistake", and you haven't been whacked in the ankle. There is no justice in the world I tell ya.

I'll take solace in the smug knowledge that Mr. Visa will soon be informing you that you own him for a Sherman, a V12, the mTen, that Aerostars suit, and the remodel of the house because there just isn't enough room anymore. 

 

Edited by Tawpie
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14 hours ago, ShanesPlanet said:

I think its imperative that new riders with new wheels, drop the SHIT out of the wheel asap. Worrying about it, only mitigates the joy. As brand new riders, there are FAR more important things to worry about, than mere scratches. I used to repaint my pedals black regularly, as alum would shine thru easily. Now I scrape and ride those pedals to the ground in turns with pride. My wife hates the sound of pedals scraping, I quite enjoy it. Purposely scratching a brand new wheel, is MUCH easier said than done. My Sherm has yet to be dropped. I fear the day, but also welcome it. Theres something liberating about 'knocking the new' off of a vehicle for sure!

Looks like you're figuring it out! I still stand behind my bet of you eyeballing another wheel within the month and owning at least two within 4 mos. The virus is real, and the summer weather only makes it worse... It aint that you wont still love your first wheel, but "tasting the flavors of another" isnt a sin that costs you half your stuff. They will learn to get along and share your time:clap3:. Yup, the clock is ticking. Well done and thanks for sharing with us.

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Well I've been eyeballing lots of wheels so you are right about that, but I am pretty sure I won't own another wheel before 15 July 2021. I could be wrong, but I think there is a lot of potential in the V10F that should keep me entertained for longer than that. There is also not an obvious wheel I want next available yet. There are a few that could be good with one more product cycle. So I could see ordering something in the fall/winter this year for delivery early 2022.

One of the reasons I got the V10F was the better design and mature build quality at the expense of speed. So I am not sure I want to jump on any first generation EUC at this point. So even if I considered a Sherman, S18, V11, V12, etc... I'd want to wait a moment to let them dial those EUCs in more. But, for sure I can see that come 2022 I'll want something with more performance than the V10F.

nylonove-for-inmotion-v8-v10-v10f-nylon-

Although I was thinking of getting a set of these ^^^ foot plates when they are in stock again. I like grub screws to secure my feet and pedals that self-clean. I may not get a new EUC right away, but I'll pimp out my gear a little bit. 

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12 hours ago, Tawpie said:

ok. I officially hate you now, along with all of your naturally gifted and athletic brethren. You're progressing way too quickly, look way too stable, your arms aren't flapping at all, you're not out of breath, you're not even thinking "oy, this might have been a mistake", and you haven't been whacked in the ankle. There is no justice in the world I tell ya.

I'll take solace in the smug knowledge that Mr. Visa will soon be informing you that you own him for a Sherman, a V12, the mTen, that Aerostars suit, and the remodel of the house because there just isn't enough room anymore. 

 

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Well to be fair I put 2,000kms on my push longboards in the last 7 months and most of the time that means balancing on one foot as the board rolls up/down hills and over rough pavement. Before that I snowboarded, kiteboarded, rock/ice climbed, did some surfing, yoga, etc...  So I have paid my dues in balance sports with lots of stupid falls over the last 35 years. 

I also found watching so many [there were SO MANY!] YT videos on how to learn to ride EUCs really helped. I had a few key things in mind right from the start that I think helped me a lot:

1. Look up not at the wheel.

2. Stand straight up don't hunch over.

3. Use the fence/post to mount, but get away from it as fast as possible and ride.

4. Get up some speed. It's impossible to balance without moving.

5. Foot placement at the EUC's axis of rotation for easy one foot control.

6. Half-moon & step-glide to get feel for controlling wheel.

7. Triangle method for mounting.

I mean without knowing all this ^^^^ I'd still be holding to the fence trying not to fall over!

If it does make you feel any better if you listed all the stuff I owned if would be a computer, phone, a bed, some clothes and a long list of sports gear that fills up the garage and my office/man cave. My GF owns all the furniture, dishes, house wares we have/use.  She joked at one point what would I do if she left me [I own the house!] and took her stuff with her? I seriously replied...I'd go to the garage and get all the camping tables, chairs and cooking stuff and use it. 

I'm sure there will be one more EUC. I can see having two at a time, but like I posted above in response to SP there isn't another wheel I am really keen on throwing my money at at the moment. When they update the Sherman, S18, V11, V12, etc... I'll be more interested in them and hopefully that will coincide with getting bored with the V10F. I'd prefer buying a second/third generation product that is a bit more mature and refined. I'm okay with that meaning I can't have the latest greatest just dropped wheel. I'll let other people beta test them and I'll buy one a year or two later.

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7ec12473ff27d45a4b4c96c6fa062dde.jpg

My GF had a shitty day work [from home] yesterday so I suggested she "Try riding the One Wheel." Since she had expressed an interest and getting out and focusing on learning something new would take her mind of work. She replied "No I want to ride the other one." I did show her my EUC videos and I figured she had seen that a bunch so that caught her interest. She came to my office all geared up and I was showing her how to power on the EUC and trolley it when she points to the Pint and says "No that one!" Okay. One Wheel means EUC is GF speak! :w00t2:

Probably a more sensible choice for a short/fun after-work session. She needed 5 mins of coaching/hand holding for balance and then she was riding the Pint all over the basketball court on her own. She had fun. Fell off a couple times, but no injuries. Rather than carry the Pint home or ride ahead of her I let her ride it home and whenever she came upon an obstacle [lumpy grass, pot hole, angled sidewalk, speed bumps, etc..] I just let her hold my hand for balance. She made it back home no problem. Another lady on the street told her she was doing awesome and looked cute riding. I think that sealed the deal.

Then she wanted to try the EUC since she felt like she was crushing it. There is a small parking lot with a railing 5 houses down from ours so I let her trolley the V10F there. She stood on the EUC holding the railing. We tried a few other drills, but she found it so hard she lost interest fast and we went home. I can see how there are no casual EUC riders. :huh:

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I expect she'll own a Pint soon. She was selecting colours of OW accessories that go with her outfits. That's fine. She also got an adult kick scooter so she could come with me on some of my longboard rides without having to master a skateboard. As long as she's having fun I don't care what she's riding. :thumbup:

Edited by VikB
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Outstanding distillation of the must-know items for a quicker learning experience. I like to emphasize #1 with "Don't look down because you will go where you're looking, and getting yourself on the ground is not the actual objective."

I'm with you on (trying to have) patience before springing for another toy. The 16X is my one and only and I picked it hoping it'd be decent off road but started learning right as winter was approaching so only spent a few hours on the dirt trails. I did spend time on snow trails though, and it was completely up to the task and great fun. But it was really really bumpy and that's got me eyeing the S18. Alas, wisdom and desire are fighting it out, the former advises "use the 16X this summer, give the suspensions another couple of batches to iron things out, hope for an S18XL", and the latter whispers "I bet suspension is a game changer, DO IT NOW".

And I'm lusting for the hex pedals too, sadly I found a perfectly functional alternative (studded grip tape) that's hard to justify moving away from. Price aside, I'm able to resist because they're so beautiful that the first crash will really be a sad day. I'm in the abandon-the-wheel-and-save-yourself camp, so my pedals look like this

 

Edited by Tawpie
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On 3/18/2021 at 8:01 AM, Surfling said:

If you're looking at EUC stands. This is DIY pvc pipe is prolly the easiest way. About $12 total at Home Depot with minimal effort required.

EUC stand.JPG

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Thanks for the tip on the stand. It was wet this morning and I had to do a grocery run so I stopped at the hardware store and grabbed some supplies. I haven't glued it together yet. I'll try it like this for a while and see if I want to make any changes first. :)

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4 hours ago, VikB said:

I can see how there are no casual EUC riders. :huh:

Dayaaam, this is one of the most profound statements on EUCs! One has to be totally committed or otherwise, its much easier to go a different direction.

I'm betting one will be hardpressed to find multiple escoot ownership for a single individual but here in these woods, its more the norm than otherwise. Its cos there are no casual riders! 👍

Sadly its likely also the reason why EUCs won't go mainstream for the foreseeable future at least.

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Good luck on the nylonove pedals. I have been in que since last December!

I hear ya on the ;no casual riders' My wife was tehe xact same way. Well, she was that way with a skateboard. She didnt ever have the courage to even step on the euc. FIne by me, range anxiety is worse when you have to share! Ironic how the only people who claim EVERYONE can ride an euc, are people who already know how to do it. Personally, I think it takes a little cookoo for cocoa puffs...

Edited by ShanesPlanet
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Day 3 - Morning Practice

Once things dried out a bit I trolleyed over to a school parking lot a 10min walk from my house. It's 20 times bigger than the basketball court with all sorts of challenges like a strong wind, uneven pavement, cracks, potholes, gravel, pine cones, drains, curbs, small cul de sacs, some cars and some pedestrians. I gotta say it felt totally EPIC riding here compared to the basketball court. Not because it was that hard or unsafe, but that basketball court was so perfect for Day #1 & #2. I could really appreciate it today.

I did one railing mount just to get a feel for riding on more challenging terrain then I switched back to free mounting. The good news is I didn't forget everything overnight! I'm far from feeling totally solid, but at the same time things are starting to feel natural or at least more natural. I steered for all the obstacles I could like patches of gravel, bumps/potholes, sloped sections of pavement, etc... I also made sure to do frequent shoulder checks like I was riding on the road or a bikepath to get used to turning my head while maintaining a straight course or a smooth turn. 

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I think I was feeling some pedal dip since I was able to do some bigger sweeping turns. I'm not 100% about that because my whole riding sensitivity is not great, but there were times when I felt like my pedals were pointed down a little bit and other times when they did not feel like that. I'll have to ride more to see if that was real or just in my head. I know there is some related setting in the IM app that is supposed to reduce pedal dipping so I'll have a look at that. I also have not calibrated my EUC so maybe I need to do that as well? It was bad enough to cause a real problem, but it did catch my attention. 

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Far's settings goes, its likely best to leave everthing stock or neutral & take the time to get used to it. Once you've enough time on that, then its easier to feel the differences with any changes. I'd recco to change one setting at a time. Play with it ride with it & see you like it. 

Its easy for ppl to recco their personal settings but that don't mean it applies to others. To me, riding & mastering an EUC is like a journey with stops, scenic routes & yes, even wipes along the way. But its also fun in each discovery.

Then we get to go thru it again with another wheel. I think that's why some of us get addicted & own more than one.

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Next up... curb hopping. Looks like you've plenty to choose from. I think most eucs have a tiny bit of dip as you exit tight turns. I've noticed it on all of mine, tho it only bothered me in the very beginning. You may also note it reacts a little 'odd' when you turn from one incline onto another. Mine ALL do it, but its something I just don't notice anymore. Of course, the Sherman was wretched on their first release. Much better now.

Theres not much harm to be had by calibrating the wheel. You may as well get out the level and do it, so at least you know how to and that its correct. I'd imagine yours is fine. If its off by much , you'd know without a doubt. Give different ride modes a try. Easy enough to change/compare and switch it back. I dont recall where mine are set. Im one of those... find the settings you like and leave it alone. I found that low tire pressure when traning on slow/no moving balance made it easier. Just dont forget to air back up before you start hitting holes and obstacles or riding at higher speeds.

Edited by ShanesPlanet
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4 hours ago, VikB said:

I haven't glued it together yet.

I didn't glue mines either and no prob so far with the 25-lb wheel. My place has uneven flooring so I made this wooden stand-offs w/ asymmetrical thickness from the center hole (5/8, 1/2, 3/8). Turn-adjust height to level the stand flat - works well.

With your recent posts, very impressive progression and I like the pragmatic approach. Refinements will come along quick with that enthusiasm.

My mten3 has way surpassed it's intended use - replacing my city bikes for work/errands -with the tiniest footprint and just a blast to use. I should be getting my 2nd wheel soon. It's getting warm here now.

EUC Stand 2.jpg

Edited by Surfling
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2 hours ago, Scottie888 said:

Its easy for ppl to recco their personal settings but that don't mean it applies to others. To me, riding & mastering an EUC is like a journey with stops, scenic routes & yes, even wipes along the way. But its also fun in each discovery.

For sure. Although I am glad things are going somewhat smoothly learning to ride an EUC part of the reason I chose now to do it was to have something to spend some mental energy on learning a new skill. COVID and staying local seemed like the perfect time for an adventure close to home! :lol:

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