arthuritus Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Hi all, I am moving to the city-center soon and I'm looking to buy a low cost commuter Electric Unicycle. This post is a request for buying advice but it will hopefully serve other potential EUers in a similar situation. Budget: ~$500 USD shipped, less if possible. Country: Australia (NSW) and New Zealand (road rules / import advice anyone?) Intended Use: Commuting in the CBD - pretty flat, decent road / footpath surface, high foot traffic. About Me: 75kg, can ride regular unicycles and could potentially be interested in learning tricks etc Things I value: maneouverability, easiness to carry (size, weight and form factor), ergonomics (objective), style (subjective), practical range up to ~15km, reliability / not suddenly cutting out while I'm riding, not having annoying speed warnings / restrictions. Things I don't value / can't afford: practical range beyond ~15km, easiness to learn, off-road ability, features, moddability, speed beyond 20km/h. The budget constraint means that build quality and customer service probably have to go here too unfortunately. The budget obviously narrows down the selection significantly. The candidates that I've identified are some of the cheaper Airwheel, IPS, TG and Gotway models and the cheapest Firewheel and Ninebot models. Some quick pros and cons of specific models I'm considering: these are not reviews, but rather opinions I've formed from reading other posts on this forum so please don't rely on them! Instead, could experienced users please chip in to validate / correct / expand on my list? Remember that the pros and cons are relative to other EUs in this budget and in the context of the things I do and don't value. TG-F3: (difference between T3 and F3 anybody?) Pros: cheap: 280-350 USD exc. shipping for the 264Wh TG F3 version from tinydeal. ~$120-150 shipping to Australasia. Cons: "Speed, battery capacity, tilt back at speed, power" - see Grinchy's TG T3 first day review. Gotway 14 260Wh: Pros: well-favoured brand on this forum (^tom^, Grinchy etc are in favour of it as a street / commuter EU), range, speed, can apparently do something about alarm noises, steel frame Cons: ergonomics (compared to Solowheel, see GQS' review), well outside the $500 budget once shipping is included, heavy at ~13kg Gotway 10 260Wh: Pros: as above, but more maneouverable and lighter / easier to carry? Cons: as above, but less comfortable and very sensitive to small bumps. Probably not suitable for commuting. Airwheels Pros: Readily available in Australasia - presumably come with return policies and actual customer service. Cons: In terms of price / performance characteristics the Airwheel models seem to be dominated by Gotway - comments on this anyone? IPS I130 800W: Pros: The brand gets good reviews on this forum (Tim Duffet, Gimlet), cheap ($420 USD inc. shipping), reliable, small and light, relatively high rated power Cons: Range (rated as about 15km for this model, $200 more to upgrade to 30km) Ninebot One C+: Pros: Reputable brand, ergonomic, I like the look, lots of features, modular Cons: heavy (13.8kg!), large, just outside the budget Firewheel F132: Pros: Visual appeal, ergonomic design / comfort (dmethin's review), customer support, overall potential to be awesome Cons: Reviews on this forum and elsewhere are generally mixed at best although people like antberz have had no problems and hobby16 reports a very positive experience. It seems that reliability is a major issue for some users (ie the thing simply doesn't work). Relatively low torque is reported by some (demethvin, Austin Marhold, antberz), but the opposite was found by hobby16. The actual range for the F132 might not be enough for me. Also quite heavy at almost 13kg. iEZway 400S Pros: Batteries are from reputable brands (Sony or Samsung), decent range and performance for price (~$400USD) Cons: Heavy (13kg), ? It seems like the consensus is that the Gotway 14 is an excellent conservative choice for an entry level commuter EU and overall this is looking like a good option. The Gotway 10 also intrigues me - does anybody have any experiences to share on the 10 vs 14 for inner city use? I do like how small it is and I also like the idea of zipping around pedestrians like a boss. The Firewheel would probably win out over the others on this list if not for the terrible experience some users have had! Are there any others out there with positive experiences? Once I have settled on a model I will no doubt have more questions regarding how to actually buy it! All advice and comments appreciated. Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gimlet Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 My IPS132's are great commuting vehicles, very stable, good on rough surfaces with 16" wheels, comfortable to ride, good range 260wh batteries and as yet very reliable. Only issue I've had is the wheel nut torque seems to be fairly critical to the ride quality and they have loosened off a couple of times, but that is easily fixed. They're a little slow but when ridden side by side with the Gotways the speed difference isn't that huge. The Gotway M10 is a very different animal, I still have to wear shin pads for comfortable mounting/dismounting it goes quite fast at 23kph but is very twitchy at these speeds and you have to be very alert to imperfections in the road surface as it really doesn't like even very small obstacles. Having said all that the manoeuvrability and sheer fun factor still brings a huge grin to my face and makes me forget the minor problems it has. I have also had loose wheel nut problems with it so I advise everyone to check them and if possible refit them with Locktite thread locker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuts Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 IPS is a good mid range EU website : http://en.iamips.com/index.html retailer: http://www.electricunicycleonline.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobby16 Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Hi all, The Firewheel would probably win out over the others on this list if not for the terrible experience some users have had! Are there any others out there with positive experiences? I and several French users have a very positive experience with Firewheel 260 (BTW, see vee73's signature). I agree with the reliability problem (easily solvable if you know how to fix things) but I totally disagree it's a "low torque" wheel. On the contrary, I would say it's a very powerfull wheel, with tremendous acceleration (less with a FW132 certainly because of voltage sag). For your budget & range consider an "iezway" (see on Alibaba), it's a powerfull wheel with many options, one of the highest quality/price ratio (about same ratio than TG but definitively with higher performance than TG). I've recommanded to several wheelers and they are happy with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planetpapi Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Gimlet, Just curious to know at what speed your IPS 132 starts to tilt back? Is it possible to "ignore" tilt back and keep going to reach max speed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gimlet Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 That is slightly dependant on how much you torque up the wheel nuts. Normally it starts about 16 kph but if you over torque the nuts it seems to start a little higher and it can disappear altogether so you only get beeps before failure. At least that's how both of mine react. Jason tells me he can get 18kph by pushing through the tilt but I find it uncomfortable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthuritus Posted April 23, 2015 Author Share Posted April 23, 2015 My IPS132's are great commuting vehicles, very stable, good on rough surfaces with 16" wheels, comfortable to ride, good range 260wh batteries and as yet very reliable. Only issue I've had is the wheel nut torque seems to be fairly critical to the ride quality and they have loosened off a couple of times, but that is easily fixed. They're a little slow but when ridden side by side with the Gotways the speed difference isn't that huge. The Gotway M10 is a very different animal, I still have to wear shin pads for comfortable mounting/dismounting it goes quite fast at 23kph but is very twitchy at these speeds and you have to be very alert to imperfections in the road surface as it really doesn't like even very small obstacles. Having said all that the manoeuvrability and sheer fun factor still brings a huge grin to my face and makes me forget the minor problems it has. I have also had loose wheel nut problems with it so I advise everyone to check them and if possible refit them with Locktite thread locker. Thanks for the micro-review on the IPS, I will definitely consider these in more detail. The IPS I130 looks pretty promising actually.... Ok good to know re 10 inch, I don't want to faceplant from very small obstacles so I will mostly consider the bigger Gotway for now. IPS is a good mid range EU website : http://en.iamips.com/index.html retailer: http://www.electricunicycleonline.com/ Thanks for the info on the IPS range Chuts - updated original post. The IPS I130 14" for $299 seems like a good deal - presumably this is an older model but that's fine with me as its smaller, lighter, cheaper and still meets my range (just) and speed targets. Hopefully the small mudguards won't be an issue in the wet. I quite like the look of it too. I and several French users have a very positive experience with Firewheel 260 (BTW, see vee73's signature). I agree with the reliability problem (easily solvable if you know how to fix things) but I totally disagree it's a "low torque" wheel. On the contrary, I would say it's a very powerfull wheel, with tremendous acceleration (less with a FW132 certainly because of voltage sag). For your budget & range consider an "iezway" (see on Alibaba), it's a powerfull wheel with many options, one of the highest quality/price ratio (about same ratio than TG but definitively with higher performance than TG). I've recommanded to several wheelers and they are happy with it. Good to hear regarding the Firewheel, thanks hobby16. I will update my original post. I looked into the iezway and the only prices I could find were 225 yuan (~35 USD) or $400 USD. At $400 it looks pretty promising so I'll add it to my list of EUs to consider. I'm seriously considering buying the IPS I130 now - at only $300 USD exc shipping this seems like a good deal, although shipping is estimated to be > $130 USD for Australia and Canada. This seems like a lot? What have other people paid in the past for shipping? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shady Tools Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 I paid £96.47 (900 CNY) for delivery of an 18" to the UK from Jane in China. Am waiting for arrival :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmethvin Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 My concern with the I130 (and any 132Wh battery) is that it won't be enough range for you. In warm weather and flat terrain I wouldn't expect more than 10km at best. In cold weather or if it's more uphill in one direction of your commute, it will be less. If your commute is consistently something like 6km one way and you can always recharge before making the return trip, you should be okay though. I did the same as you and got the cheapest possible wheel I could find as my first one, it was $315 USD with free shipping back in December and turned out to be okay. The same vendor is selling them for $287 with free shipping now. I will say that the one I got was *not* like the ones pictured though, it had a different case style like this one (in blue in the video). It works fine and I haven't had any problems with the mechanicals or electronics. The case is painted white plastic so it does tend to show scars. Someone pointed out this tinydeal for the TG F3 with the 264Wh battery that looks like a better deal if you want the bigger battery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gimlet Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 The IPS132 has a 260Wh battery, I wouldn't recommend going with smaller batteries. It is also a 16" wheel model with a 1300W motor which is why it climbs so well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmethvin Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 Oh well that's a crazy naming scheme! Never mind, carry on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planetpapi Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 From what I have learned from the past few weeks with Tg-F3, I would recommend to buy a "better wheel" with more money than buying a cheap one now. You will outgrow your "cheap" wheel in a month's time and wanting a better, speedier, longer range wheel. I should say reasonably speedier and longer range ( I understand every one has a different definition for speed and range). If I were to do it again I wouldn't settle for Tg-F3 or similar ones, even though it served me without problems. My next wheel would be a 16 inch Firewheel or a Ninebot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shady Tools Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 From what I have learned from the past few weeks with Tg-F3, I would recommend to buy a "better wheel" with more money than buying a cheap one now. You will outgrow your "cheap" wheel in a month's time and wanting a better, speedier, longer range wheel. I should say reasonably speedier and longer range ( I understand every one has a different definition for speed and range). If I were to do it again I wouldn't settle for Tg-F3 or similar ones, even though it served me without problems. My next wheel would be a 16 inch Firewheel or a Ninebot. I'm interested to know - why not a Gotway? Price? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planetpapi Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 Nothing wrong with Gotway at all. I just liked the designs of Firewheel and Ninebots. I fall for superficial stuff like skin color than the beautiful heart inside . That brings me this question. Gotway is known for taking in user feedback and implement. They have rock solid performance. Why not add some aesthetics instead of "box" designs that is so 1.0? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shady Tools Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 I like to personalise things so after hearing about the paint chipping off, anything aesthetic is a minor consideration. Fair enough though :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baynzmaster Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015   I paid £96.47 (900 CNY) for delivery of an 18" to the UK from Jane in China. Am waiting for arrival :-)  Sorry to hi Jack the thread do you mind if I ask how much import duty you paid on your gotway as that delivery charge really is not too bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmethvin Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 I would recommend to buy a "better wheel" with more money than buying a cheap one now. You will outgrow your "cheap" wheel in a month's time and wanting a better, speedier, longer range wheel. Buying a cheap wheel isn't such a crazy idea though. Four months ago I spent $300 on a wheel that I learned to ride on and still ride on today, especially for learning new moves. I just spent about an hour trying to learn some new tricks like riding backwards, jumping curbs, and riding with one leg. This poor wheel is all banged up! Then I bought a Firewheel and I agree with you PlanetPapi, that's a much nicer wheel to ride. I'm not sure I would have wanted to learn on it though. Plus, my Firewheel is split open on a workbench waiting for spare parts after only two days of riding it. My cheap wheel still works! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shady Tools Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015    Sorry to hi Jack the thread do you mind if I ask how much import duty you paid on your gotway as that delivery charge really is not too bad. I can let you know as soon as I know. Gimlet (from the UK) ordered from her & has good information. I haven't paid any yet but will try to keep you informed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grinchy Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 I'm no expert but for comutting cost should not be your primary concern, right? It should be reliability, range and speed in some order. Miss a couple hours of work or an important meeting and money saved on a cheap wheel will look pretty minor, Consider Gotway , solowheel, maybe Ninebot. Solowheel may not have any models with enough range. Remember that as the battery ages range will decrease, so maybe spec out 25 km range initial, which is probably at least 400 wh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baynzmaster Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 Thanks Shady Tools Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthuritus Posted April 30, 2015 Author Share Posted April 30, 2015 I'm no expert but for comutting cost should not be your primary concern, right? It should be reliability, range and speed in some order. Miss a couple hours of work or an important meeting and money saved on a cheap wheel will look pretty minor, Consider Gotway , solowheel, maybe Ninebot. Solowheel may not have any models with enough range. Remember that as the battery ages range will decrease, so maybe spec out 25 km range initial, which is probably at least 400 wh. Yes, reliability is important, which does kind of rule out the firewheel now I think about it. Buying a cheap wheel isn't such a crazy idea though. Four months ago I spent $300 on a wheel that I learned to ride on and still ride on today, especially for learning new moves. I just spent about an hour trying to learn some new tricks like riding backwards, jumping curbs, and riding with one leg. This poor wheel is all banged up! Then I bought a Firewheel and I agree with you PlanetPapi, that's a much nicer wheel to ride. I'm not sure I would have wanted to learn on it though. Plus, my Firewheel is split open on a workbench waiting for spare parts after only two days of riding it. My cheap wheel still works! I think I might go down this route, as tempting as some of the more expensive wheels are. Cheap, cheerful and reliable is what I'll go for this time round. It's annoying as shipping costs make up such a large percentage of the cheaper wheels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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