Switching from Onewheel - is Kingsong 16s a good place to start?

[mtreload]

As the title says, I am switching over from a Onewheel Pint to EUC and after some internet research it sounds like the one I want to start with is a Kingsong 16s. I'm selling my Pint and should end up with a budget of around $1k so I am probably looking at the used market. Are there any other wheels I should be looking at instead of the 16s? Speed isn't that important to me and the 35-40 mile range of the 16s is more than enough. Other things I liked about it are the handle that pulls up and the safety warning system where it beeps and tilts back. Is that standard in all wheels?

[RockyTop]

The 16s is a good wheel. IMHO It is the best at that size level. The 18XL might be a better choice. I would not believe the 35 mile range on the 16s. My 120 pound daughter might get 35 miles on it. I get about 20 miles. ( 220 pounds at 22mph) If I am riding the 18XL I can get 35-40 miles at about a 25mph average. It can go quite a few miles further at slower speeds. I can’t keep up to my triathlon daughter on a bike at slower speeds so I have to swap it out for a fresh wheel  every 35 miles when my daughter is training. 

[mtreload]

@RockyTopMy Pint only had a 9ish mile range and I found that I never really wanted to ride longer than that so even 20 miles seems like a luxury to me right now haha. If I lower my standards a bit, it looks like I can get a brand new 14D. Would you recommend that one or should I just save up for a few extra months? A few months ago my Pint threw me off and I ended up breaking my elbow and I've had a hard time trusting that thing since then, so I'm excited to dip into the EUC world!

[stephen]

A kingsong 16x would  probably be a good wheel that would last you for a while ,more stable and more range and would see you though many years without  upgrading later on 

[mtreload]

@stephenI didn't account stability into this. I take it the smaller the wheel the lest stable? I had thoughts about a 14D as well because it was cheaper but might cross that off my list knowing this.

[pkinpdx]

Stability is more connected to tire width and shape.  Mten3 is an incredibly stable wheel at ten inches because its tire is three inches wide.  16x is stable because it is also 3 inches wide.  14D is a narrower tire so it tends to turn easier and feel less stable.

[mtreload]

@pkinpdxThat makes a lot of sense! How do you like your Mten3? I like the price range for it and have noticed more than a few people around here own one.

[pkinpdx]

I love it.  I learned to ride on it but I now realize that it isn't the best for learning.  I still use it every day for all my short trips (less than 2 miles or so)  It is also amazing for learning various skills like stalling, spins, and riding backwards.  It is not a wheel you should routinely ride at 20 mph plus.  I try not to take it above 15 because an unseen bump will send that little 10 inch wheel to the moon or just stop it outright.  Its sort of the EUC version of the onewheel where you need to be ready to run out at all times.

[Chriull]

1 hour ago, mtreload said:

@RockyTopMy Pint only had a 9ish mile range and I found that I never really wanted to ride longer than that so even 20 miles seems like a luxury to me right now haha.

Used range increases with availabilty. And battery capacity not only gives range but also safety - less left capacity is lower battery voltage equals lower max speed equals less torque == less safety margin at the same speed.

1 hour ago, mtreload said:

If I lower my standards a bit, it looks like I can get a brand new 14D. Would you recommend that one or should I just save up for a few extra months?

With it's 420Wh (just 2 cells in parallel) it's absolutely not recommendable nowadays.

Only reasons for it would be if one needs the low weight and is willing to resrrict ob speed/acceleration.

But still one should look for the 14s which is the successor, which is available with 840Wh (4 cells in parallel!) too.

But for not much more the bigger diameter ks16s is the better buy...

Next step power value wise could be a begode(gotway) tesla? 

1 hour ago, mtreload said:

A few months ago my Pint threw me off and I ended up breaking my elbow and I've had a hard time trusting that thing since then, so I'm excited to dip into the EUC world!

So remember no higher accelerations at higher speeds, or you'll experience the same at higher speeds

And one should not eally consider wheels with less than 4 cells in parallel. Some 3 cell in parallel excepted, if one knows the limitations.

[RockyTop]

No, I would not get the 14D. It has its purpose if you like to dance or perform tricks on a stage. Trust me If you are a OW person the 14D is going to get small really quick. My first wheel was the 16S and I out grew it in a month. At first 22mph is really fast then it is kinda slow.  I still have it and use it to do tricks or toss it in the back seat as a rescue wheel. 
 

[mtreload]

@ChriullYou've definitely given me a lot to think about. It sounds like I want to stay away from the smaller wheel and capacity sizes for safety and I really should stick with a Kingsong 16S or greater. Jimmy Chang did a YouTube video about the 16S a year ago so it's good to know the 16S is still very much relevant and a recommended option. They are not in stock right now on ewheels so I'll have some time to save up a bit more while I wait. Unfortunately, what bucked me off my Onewheel the first time was a small bump. The second time the wheel just slipped and it made me lose my balance...fortunately only got away from that one with a bruised hip and bruised ego lol. I much prefer the straight forward stance of an EUC than the sideways stance of a Onewheel.

[Mike Roe]

Loved my 16s.  

I have a 16x now, but kept the 16s for my son, and buddies to ride.   Get about 40-55km range on a ride(175pds) but not going max speed the whole time. Cruising at 20km/hr on average.  Pretty durable, and cheap enough you don’t mind the buddy dropping it here and there. If you learn on a 16s, every other upgraded unit seems pretty smooth after.    A good value machine in my opinion. 

 

(Put about 2000km on it before upgrading)

-I’m 245pds, buddy is 175 and my mileage estimate is what he gets. I never got more then 45km, with 20% left.

Edited July 22, 2021 by Mike Roe
Forgot to add info

[EUC Sharkman]

Another wheel to consider is the MCM5v2. Has a smaller wheel diameter, but is a tried and true model that has a powerful motor for torque and decent range as well while maintaining that light wheel feel.

 

I used to also recommend the Tesla v2 which was my first wheel after my cheaper learning wheel, but I feel that the successor T3 is heavier and more expensive and places it out of the category of wheels (lightweight commuter but still peppy) like the Tesla v2, 16S or MCM5V2.

[RockyTop]

48 minutes ago, Mike Roe said:

 16s ..... Pretty durable, and cheap enough you don’t mind the buddy dropping it here and there.

+1   It is very durable. My wife jumped off of hers and it rear ended a car. The wheel got wedged upright under the car bumper. The wheel was fine. 

Edited July 22, 2021 by RockyTop

[mrelwood]

My personal take on the natural and comfortable riding distances for various wheels. I’m 193cm tall and weigh 102kg, so I’m sure I view things in a different light than more petite adults:

Mten3: Parks and parking lots. Maybe a few miles if one is adventurous.

14” (except MCM5 V2): Under 10 miles with a break or a few.

16” (and MCM5 V2): Under 25 miles, depending a bit on the model and especially pedal length.

18” without suspension: Under 35 miles on good roads.

18” with (working) suspension: 50+ miles, full day tours no problem.

 

 The 16S is a good buy, but the V10F is much more comfortable, powerful, and faster. I’d personally pay a lot more for the V10F, but if it’s definitely out of your price class, the 16S is still a good wheel. I rode 9000km with my 16S, though it required battery repairs at 4K and 8K, and new pedal hanger bolts at 8K. But that was all.

Edited July 23, 2021 by mrelwood

[OldFartRides]

I just ordered an mcm5v2 for someone. They are in stock and $1200. Shipped.

I’ll let you know of my impressions compared to the 16s when it comes if you like.

Owners here seem to like them for trail riding !

Hope this helps.

[mtreload]

11 minutes ago, OldFartRides said:

I just ordered an mcm5v2 for someone. They are in stock and $1200. Shipped.

I’ll let you know of my impressions compared to the 16s when it comes if you like.

Owners here seem to like them for trail riding !

Hope this helps.

For sure! I'd be interested to know how it fares on trail riding and how the 14" wheel is. Right now I've got the MCM5V2, 16S, and 14S all as contenders with 16S still leading based on everyone's positive opinions about it.

 

6 hours ago, mrelwood said:

My personal take on the natural and comfortable riding distances for various wheels. I’m 193cm tall and weigh 102kg, so I’m sure I view things in a different light than more petite adults:

Mten3: Parks and parking lots. Maybe a few miles if one is adventurous.

14” (except MCM5 V2): Under 10 miles with a break or a few.

16” (and MCM5 V2): Under 25 miles, depending a bit on the model and especially pedal length.

18” without suspension: Under 35 miles on good roads.

18” with (working) suspension: 50+ miles, full day tours no problem.

 

 The 16S is a good buy, but the V10F is much more comfortable, powerful, and faster. I’d personally pay a lot more for the V10F, but if it’s definitely out of your price class, the 16S is still a good wheel. I rode 9000km with my 16S, though it required battery repairs at 4K and 8K, and new pedal hanger bolts at 8K. But that was all.

Would you still recommend the 650w version of the V10F?

[mrelwood]

1 hour ago, mtreload said:

Would you still recommend the 650w version of the V10F?

650Wh battery capacity you mean? It’s the V10, without F. Both have a motor rated for 2000W.

 Hard to say. It comes down to one’s needs. The V10 is more comfortable, more stable, faster and slimmer than the 16S. If those are more important aspects than range, slightly lighter weight, and smaller size, then the V10 would be better suited. As long as one finds it for a good enough price of course.

 Personally having owned wheels from both, I find Inmotion’s approach with the pedal sensitivity slider, way more sophisticated app, much more customizable ride feel etc to take it’s place a large step above KS.

[PourUC]

Going to throw the Ninebot Z10 out there. You can get it new for around 1k GBP if you look around because no one buys them due to their less than stellar battery/bms system.

The batteries are daisy chained so the regen from slowing down/breaking will only charge one battery leading to voltage difference. Down the line this is/can cause issues. But people seem to also have had no issues.

I mention it as it has a thicker tyre so would be more comparable to the one wheel (similar to the Mten3 some people have said).

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203454064911?epid=17034975116&hash=item2f5ecea90f:g:eQ4AAOSwSl9goH5v

As example.

[mrelwood]

The Z10 is an oddball, though I must admit that £1K is an attractive price. The reasons I haven’t been able to recommend the Z10 to anyone:

- Tramlines like crazy, and difficult to control at slight track height differences.

- While easier to balance for beginners, it’s overreactions to ground shapes will take especially beginners by a surprise for a long time.

- Reported BMS issues are a bit too common.

- End-Of-Life product, zero manufacturer support, no repair network, very scarce spare parts availability.

- Very low pedal height, not very suitable for off-road.

- Unique riding technique that doesn’t directly translate to other EUCs.

 

 Due to the above, I’d recommend the 16S over the Z10 even for the same price.

[AtlasP]

Pretty much all EUCs in your price range and above have trolley handles and tilt-back alarms.

Around the $1k price point, a used 16S is a fine suggestion that will still blow away a Pint. The rumored/forthcoming V8S would also be an excellent suggestion but which is likely at least several months away from NA availability yet. (The current battery shortage places all such launch timelines in limbo.)

Alternatively if you're willing to bump budget just a few hundred bucks and if you can find such used for under $1200-1300, there are lots of great options one tier up: V10F, 16X, 18XL, etc. That's right on the cusp of what you might find for that budget though, and certainly less common at that price.

To help you keep all these stats straight, check out my comparison table at: https://1drv.ms/x/s!Ag0ky7mWfH9cm9dMfvYothdqZtIsdw .

Edited July 25, 2021 by AtlasP

[mtreload]

Thanks for the suggestions and help guys! What ended up happening was that I was on the cusp of pulling the trigger on an MCM5v2 when I connected with the local EUC group and someone from there gave me a decent deal on his used 18XL!

[mrelwood]

5 hours ago, mtreload said:

Thanks for the suggestions and help guys! What ended up happening was that I was on the cusp of pulling the trigger on an MCM5v2 when I connected with the local EUC group and someone from there gave me a decent deal on his used 18XL!

Wow! Congrats! That’s definitely a next level wheel compared to the smaller ones you considered.

Just check that the battery charges up all the way to 100%, and regularly keep the wheel in the charger for an hour or two after the chargers turn green, and you should have a great wheel for a long time!

[mtreload]

1 minute ago, mrelwood said:

Wow! Congrats! That’s definitely a next level wheel compared to the smaller ones you considered.

Just check that the battery charges up all the way to 100%, and regularly keep the wheel in the charger for an hour or two after the chargers turn green, and you should have a great wheel for a long time!

Yeah, I was all set to start out small and upgrade later but realized that was silly since I could pay a bit more and just have a good wheel for the foreseeable future. It came with some spiked pedals, fast charger, cover, some pads, and a stand. I already picked up some Leatt Dual Axis knee pads and will eventually get a TSG Pass helmet. I'm all good on wrist guards and elbow pads. Good tip on keeping it on the charger for longer to balance the battery cells, I'll def make sure to do that. All that's left is to pick it up and start learning! I've really been very impressed with how cool and welcoming the EUC community is.

[Uniforlife]

On 7/22/2021 at 12:24 PM, RockyTop said:

No, I would not get the 14D. It has its purpose if you like to dance or perform tricks on a stage. Trust me If you are a OW person the 14D is going to get small really quick. My first wheel was the 16S and I out grew it in a month. At first 22mph is really fast then it is kinda slow.  I still have it and use it to do tricks or toss it in the back seat as a rescue wheel. 
 

Hello and congratulations on getting an 18xl, I am a fairly experienced pedal uni rider and my first euc was a Ks 16s

i almost instantly regretted not getting a faster wheel or one with at least a wider tire but I’m handy so I just cut the shell, raised it and mounted a 2.5 tire, and honestly it’s been pretty awesome!!!, it handles the bumps better plus the increased tire diameter makes it just a bit faster, 

My next wheel may be an 18xl 

but I’m also extremely attracted to the 16x which honestly should of been my first wheel, 

I’d like to hear pros and cons of 18xl and 16x from y’all