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Newb question about wobble king song 16s


Guest d0n

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Hey all, I'm 54 and used to ride a unicycle back in my late 20's. I was looking for a used one on CL and found the king song 16s that and older lady had bought during covid. I thought that would be way more fun than peddling!

She literally rode it once in the carpeted hallway of her condo building and decided to put it back in the box. I think she said she paid $1350 or $1250. It's basically new. Not a scratch on it. Anyway, I bought it and already had most of the protective gear from when I was going to get back into off road motorcycle riding 10 years ago... but never did. LOL

I suited up today and within 3 tries, I rode down my long driveway, down a sidestreet, turned around and came back without stopping. I'm super stoked! I can see this being a lot of fun. 

Anyway... my questions are... what should the tire pressure be at for a 190lb guy? The tire says between 35-45. It was at 10psi. I set it at 40psi. 

And, I noticed the wheel sometimes starts wobbling back and forth (almost in a S pattern) at certain speeds (5-10 mph maybe?). The motion would lessen a little if I gripped the pads tighter between my legs or slowed down. This is scary. What's likely the culprit? 

thanks! 

-d0n near atlanta ga. 

Pic links below. (I couldn't "insert image from URL")

https://imgur.com/a/NL4b85J

https://imgur.com/KwJK0bo

https://imgur.com/yCWfZyL

 

 

 

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Also, how do I know how many miles on the wheel? Is there an app? I looked on playstore but the one app I saw had terrible reviews... many said it bricked their wheel. 

I do hear the wheel tell me its connected to bluetooth. I love the speakers and music feature and will likely use it a lot once I get comfortable riding. 

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Another question that might have something to do with the wobble... where should my feet be on the foot pads? Toes hanging over the front? Heels hanging over the back OR maybe centered? 

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Heya welcome to the hobby. It's great you got your priority right in getting all the protective gear before stepping on the wheel. Obviously you still retained much of the balance of your youth.

As for your twenty questions, let me give it a shot one by one.

1. 40psi is a good starting point. Once you're used to it, deflate it a bit eg. 30-35ps & see how you like it handling characteristics. Ditto for 45psi. As a rule, higher psi means lesser tire2ground friction meaning faster top speeds & longer range. Lower psi provides better comfort & more grip on looser surfaces. Do be aware that too low a psi can lead to bent/damaged rims when scaling curbs & such.

2. Far's wobbles goes, IMO its generally caused by incorrect body position. In general, it usually happens during braking when the legs/body isn't in the optimum position...surprise surprise. Try shift your knees slightly more towards the center, body more upright & squeeze the wheel a bit. Some says turning helps to alleviate it. Wobbles are part & parcel of an independent mono wheel so learn to ride it out & try different body movements to alleviated it without panicking is the key.

O & check to see if your tire is aligned as a misaligned tire can also cause wobbles esp at specific speeds.

3. Depending on your phone's OS, use there's EUC World for android or Darkness Bot for iOS. Ditch the mfgrs app/s. Since I only have android phones, I use either EUC.Word or Wheellog. In EucW, once its booted up & paired with your wheel, the total mileage should be in the 2nd page of app. 2nd page shows a long list of wheel, battery, etc specs & somewhere in that is the total mileage of wheel.

I'm sure others will chime in with more info for you as well. Goodluck & safe riding👍

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eucw for android or darkenssbot for ios are the app. The Kingsong app is horrid, use eucw. Feet typically go where the balls are near the front. Toes off the front for some with short pedals.  It varies by rider, but if you look at your foot and where the center of gravity is, THATS about where center of the wheel is typically during a ride. tire pressure, probably 30-40psi, youll just have to try to see which you like best.  Wobbling is common, it will go away the more you ride. SOmetimes lightly carving mitigates it. Fight the urge to grab the wheel with with the legs when wobbling, it typically makes it worse, especially at speed.

SOunds to me like you ae figuring ti out REALLY fast. In the end, you just do what you gota do to stay on it. Style comes with time...

Edited by ShanesPlanet
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Thanks for your answers and time. I'll have to video myself riding to see my body position and try to correct it. 

So the wheels itself (not an app?) holds the info of how many miles it's travelled and to access that info within the wheel by using an app you suggested?

 

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9 minutes ago, d0n said:

Thanks for your answers and time. I'll have to video myself riding to see my body position and try to correct it. 

So the wheels itself (not an app?) holds the info of how many miles it's travelled and to access that info within the wheel by using an app you suggested?

 

The wheel holds that information and reports it to the app. Well, it retains SOME information like total miles and battery. A lot of the information is realitime and the apps simply read the bluetooth and report or calculates things via what s reported. Eucw is VERY fancy really. Youll have to give a try, as its a great resource and I bet youll find it simply marveloues. I have eucw tours in my signature link along with crap videos for vieweing displeasure.

If you managed to ride more than 10' within a couple hours of trying, you are coming right along. Try not to ruin the fun of learning by OVER thinking it. Kind of like riding a bicycle. You cant explain it as well as it jus seems to happen. Just take your time, look up and enjoy your new activity. Oh yeah, and don't ride with legs straight. Always keep those knees a little bent. You know, like they told us as kids. DOnt lock your knees when you stand there! Trying to stay upriight when barely moving is tough. It was MANY miles before slow speed agility becomes easier. Keep it moving in the beginning and dont put your fingers thru a chain fence if you use one to help. Short sessions with sleep between REALLY do make a difference. A lot of what you are learning, is on a deeper level that seems to develop as we sleep.

Edited by ShanesPlanet
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Looks like you're ready to battle! Swipe to the left on eucw and youll see total miles of the wheel. You are probably looking at the tour screen and havent traveled any since turning eucw on. Its a detailed prgram. Tinker a bit, and read around here, youll figure it out.

Edited by ShanesPlanet
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And yes I rode it about 10' the first time I tried it! I was kind of surprised that riding a real unicycle 30 years ago helps ride an EUC so much now. :clap3: I think that's why I am catching on so quick? I was riding to the end of the street within the first 10 mins. It was too hot with all the gear on so I stopped. I'll try again tonight. Super excited. I needed something new and fun in my life to do. 

Edited by d0n
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48 minutes ago, d0n said:

And yes I rode it about 10' the first time I tried it! I was kind of surprised that riding a real unicycle helps ride an EUC so much. I think that's why I am catching on so quick? I was riding to the end of the street within the first 10 mins. It was too hot with all the gear on so I stopped. I'll try again tonight. Super excited. I needed something new and fun in my life to do. 

Well, you found it! Now you ride what feels like a magic carpet. Lucky find too, probably got it at a steal. Heres the bad news...  You will more than likely get the euc virus. You will want more wheels. It happens to most of us. The only cure is to empty pockets and bitch about how long it takes for a new wheel to finally arrive. We've a few unicyclists here. You can tell who they are because they have super human wheel powers.

Take some time to make sure your tire is centered on your wheel. Smoetimes the beads arent centered and youll feel a bobble. Its also good to calibrate the wheel. Youll need the app and a bubble level or something similar. I use a round buble level on top of mine. Youll want to hold it level on all axis and follow the screen prompts in the apps.

Atlanta huh? Smokin hot and crowded. Not so far from me, but far enough :)

Edited by ShanesPlanet
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Found it thanks! .98 miles. I think I did pretty good for $600?! :) 

https://imgur.com/Z6T8qVq

If euc's are anything like pinball games then I am in trouble! I started with one and have 25 now. And 21 arcade games. LOL! I'm sure I'll end up catching the euc fever too. 

www.oasisarcadeairbnb.com 

Edited by d0n
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Phew this is like work! I'm getting all sweaty and out of breath! I've been able to start without holding anything but the damn wobbles are killing me. The wobble gets worse and worse until I have to jump off and my wheel goes skidding down the tar :( . I hopped off once and it didn't stop. It kept going pretty fast ...straight into a brick wall... a hard hit! Surprisingly nothing broke. :o 

If I can't get rid of the severe wobbles I'm probably going to have to sell this thing. More practice tomorrow. 

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10 minutes ago, d0n said:

Phew this is like work! I'm getting all sweaty and out of breath! I've been able to start without holding anything but the damn wobbles are killing me. The wobble gets worse and worse until I have to jump off and my wheel goes skidding down the tar :( . I hopped off once and it didn't stop. It kept going pretty fast ...straight into a brick wall... a hard hit! Surprisingly nothing broke. :o 

If I can't get rid of the severe wobbles I'm probably going to have to sell this thing. More practice tomorrow. 

Patience, the learning curve is steep at first. Maybe you are going a bit too fast too soon. You have to allow your brain to learn the micro movements. This simply takes time. Its very odd, but 15 minutes a day or less and youll learn as you sleep that night. Next day  you will be way more than 15 minutes better. Its not often you lose any progress. Take it slowly man, I didnt find it nearly as easy to learn, as everyone makes it out to be. Even after nearly 2 years and a few miles, wobbles happen to me when I push my limits.

I started in grass and very slowly. For the first little bit, you really shouldnt be going so fast that wobbles end up in a runaway wheel. Don't give up just yet, your brain and muscles need time. Also, don't wear yourself out. THis aint a job and it gets worse as you tire. Euc olympics arent for a few more months, you got time to practice. Hell, maybe a beer or some easy music is in order?:cheers:

*fwiw, once you have that 'aha' moment, you'll forget how tough it was. Its also very little effort (on street) when you get comfy.

Edited by ShanesPlanet
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Thanks for the reassurance! I'll keep at it.

I need to figure out how to stop it from beeping and talking. I want it to be silent. That's in the app I imagine. 

Edited by d0n
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5 minutes ago, d0n said:

Thanks for the reassurance! I'll keep at it.

I need to figure out how to stop it from beeping and talking. I want it to be silent. That's in the app I imagine. 

is it telling you to slow down? haha, that would be pretty funny. As you relax and recover a bit, just play with the apps. Make sure the wheel is calibrated also. Seriously tho, it gets better and feels like magic once it even barely 'clicks'. It really took me a lot longer than I thought, but i refused to give up. Too many old people and little kids can do it. I was gna figure it out or die tryin'. Don't place too many expectations on yourself. If you can free mount, you are halfway thru the WORST part of the learning curve. I think you are trying too hard and your mental and physical fatigue is making it worse in all possible ways. Again, just step back, relax. Remember we ARE trying to ride around like idiots on a single wheel. Some of the dumbest and coolest shit, isnt easy to do, or everyone could and it wouldnt be cool.B)

Edited by ShanesPlanet
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True! 

I do need to calibrate it. 

It did say to slow down once when it fell on its side and the wheel just kept spinning fast and faster. 

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4 hours ago, d0n said:

True! 

I do need to calibrate it. 

It did say to slow down once when it fell on its side and the wheel just kept spinning fast and faster. 

Thats normal. So is top speed beeps. You can turn off the voice tho. Speed beeps and tiltback are baked into the wheel. You wont need worry of those yet, as you shouldnt be going that fast. You aint gna accidently fly off into the sunset, it takes rider input. The app allows you to set more beeps and raise/lower tilt settings. I find eucw to just be kinda fun to tinker with anyhow. CHeck your tire pressure too. Some people find it easier to learn with a lower pressure. Think of it like a bicycle. Just dont go too low and start hopping curbs or pounding rocks. Does it have speakers? It could simply be that you need some Reggae playing in the area. Music keeps me more relaxed and helps prevent ovethinking it.

Edited by ShanesPlanet
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I was messing around in the app and I think I set the speed alarms too low and added extra voice prompts somehow. I'll mess with it more tomorrow. It does have speakers but I'll wait for music until I get comfortable riding this thing. ;) 

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A couple of notes…

Wobbles are highly correlated to rider experience. A big part of that is your muscles are not used to this and tire easily. As they get in shape and become accustomed to what they’re being asked to do, the wobbles will go away. Slow down, take a break, sleep on it… @ShanesPlanet knows what he’s talking about.

KingSong has a factory speed limit that won’t be released until you’ve gone xx kilometers, I think it’s 10. Until then, it’ll beep or yell at you to slow down. These are safety warnings, heed them! After the 10km requirement is satisfied you can use the apps to reset the alarms to suit yourself.

When you’ve got a couple hundred miles under your belt, you’ll be able go quite quickly with reasonably low risk but if you push it when you’re green—we’ll lose an addict. And I hate it when that happens.

During one of your breaks, take a few to understand what a “cutoff” is and how to not have it happen to you. The 16s is an older design and is an outstanding learner but it is NOT a performance wheel. Mind the beeps.

I really sound like a wet blanket and I apologize. But I have felt your excitement and growing confidence and don’t want you to hurt yourself. Coming back to earth in this endeavor is unfortunately a very very literal thing, and it can land you in hospital.

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A leash will help with the wheel trying to get away from you. Can even save it from going in the drink if you are riding near water.

You mentioned the wheel spun up while on its side. That shouldn’t happen. It should beep and stop when it fall

s over. It should beep and stop when lifted. They don’t always do that right either. Just make sure to get it stopped before setting it back on the ground. I did that once and blew a chip on the board. $200. Oops.

Best,

 

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When I feel the wobbles coming on, I tend to grip the wheel a bit more (with my legs). Maybe that only works for me, I'm a heavy guy with a low center of gravity...

The 16S is a small-ish wheel with less surface area for your legs to apply pressure; but its side pads are grippy enough to maintain a straight-line on paved surfaces. 

In a week, it will feel a lot less tiresome and a lot more awesome.

Edited by RayRay
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Thanks for all your advice folks! I like the leash idea. I'm going to try that while I learn to ride it. I don't want it smashing into a brick wall again. 

I may have figured out the wobble issue. I calibrated the wheel today and found out instead of being level, it was leaning forward a significant amount prior to calibrating. Now, it is level, forward to back. I haven't ridden it yet but think this might make a difference? :smartass:

And yes it does have a factory speed limiter. The alarms are pre-set at 12mph and will not allow me to change them. That's probably a good thing. ;) 

Edited by d0n
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The wobbles go away over time, it's most likely not an issue with the wheel, tire pressure, etc.  I was in the same spot like a couple months ago with my 16S - I bought it used and was wondering if I had bought someone else's headache, as I have done plenty of times with cars and motorcycles.  I was searching forums, youtube, blog posts, looking for any tips or fixes for the wobble.  I changed my tire pressure up and down 20 times.  I also come from pedal unicycles, plus I lift weights, so I had a hard time believing that it was anything to do with my balance or leg strength.  Trust me, it's hard to admit, but it's just you.

Your wobbles probably tend to start at a certain speed.  Just keep it under that speed for the most part.  Keep riding and sooner than later you'll notice that you're going faster without wobbling.  Carving just comes naturally too, once you're really comfortable on the wheel it becomes entirely intuitive, even if it seems difficult now.  Check out some of @GoGeorgeGo's videos on youtube for examples of some drills you can do in a parking lot of basketball court or wherever you have some space.  The important thing is just to keep riding.

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The wobbles are also related to the position of your feet on the pedals. Too far forwards or backwards and you may get wobbles. For most people, the toes hang over the front of the pedal slightly more than the heels hang over the back. Bare in mind that your weight is transmitted to the wheel through the balls of your feet and your heels..not your toes.  Also..Stand tall…Head up, chest out and back straight!  Bending forward at the waist with your ass sticking out causes all sorts of problems and makes life difficult to say the least..  anyway.. good luck and enjoy!

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