Protecting my Wheel While Learning to Ride

[nebulabass]

I just got my KS16s. I will be learning to ride it along with my two kids. I already got a Bodyguard cover for it. I am thinking that I need to also protect the pedals and the trolley handle. What would be best to protect those?

[VikB]

You can get a variety of foam from a hardware store to protect the handle. I wouldn't bother trying to protect the foot plates. They are going to get scratched and banged around through normal use. There is no real way around that. 

[Daley1]

No need for anything else if u have the bodyguard. Most of the time the handle is not gonna be the first things that hit because of the round built in design. Pedals are gonna get scraped up but that just adds character.I would add the 18xl footpedals which are larger and stop foot ache and add to the enjoyment of riding. Set the alarms to 30kmh to give urself some ''wriggle room" at the top end. Ride it in the rain with the bodyguard on(is it a roll.nz one?) and realize u have one of the best,robust,commuter pevs out there!

[nebulabass]

Thanks guys. Is it easy to install new pedals? I will probably not care about scratching it later, but it's tough to see it get scratched when it's new. I got the Bodyguard Roll.nz.

[VikB]

12 minutes ago, nebulabass said:

Thanks guys. Is it easy to install new pedals? I will probably not care about scratching it later, but it's tough to see it get scratched when it's new. I got the Bodyguard Roll.nz.

Easier than replacing a tube or tire! Honestly there is no way to ride an EUC and not end up with scratched footplates. It doesn't matter how amazing a rider you are. That's just #EUClife 

Edited November 5, 2021 by VikB

[.....]

2 hours ago, nebulabass said:

Thanks guys. Is it easy to install new pedals? I will probably not care about scratching it later, but it's tough to see it get scratched when it's new. I got the Bodyguard Roll.nz.

Just get over it. I was ocd about my new wheel 18L and even waited for a rollNZ to arrive, before I first tried standing on it as a newbie. For the first month I would use cheap flat black spray paint, to cover the shiny pedal scratches. It was UBER easy and I had cardboard with a cutout for it. Even so, I quit worrying and giving a rats a** about it. The rest of my wheel looks magnificent and I simply dont notice. Even after years of riding, I routinely scratch pedals. Sometimes its just purely on purpose as a matter of reference. As for the handle... if will only scratch if it rolls end over end. Mine did on dirt and some black nail polish fixed it right up. I have a new handle, but it honestly didnt need it and its VERY rare for an end over end. Hell, I have a lemfo watch strapped to mine. Itll explode long before the handle will.

Yes, it is VERY easy to change pedals. If you decide to do so, perhaps lube the main pin with some waterproof grease...lightly. I wouldnt use loctite or over tighten. The grub screws are set in chinesium and merely keep the pin from sliding out. Honestly, that pin aint gna slide out once its corroded or while you have pressure on it. So, gently retighten those end screws as they are almost a formality. If you are REALLY OCD, you can make shims to take up any slack you may feel in the pedal. I do this with all mine, as rattling simply pisses me off.. My trolley handle rattles on bumps and it drives me nuts. I dont open wheels unless theres a GOOD reason. Always be very ginger with screws and do not use threadlocker near plastic, unless designed for it. My KS wheels use a metal tab to hold pedals up. Be mindful of those, if yours is the same.

Edited November 5, 2021 by ShanesPlanet

[nebulabass]

Thanks guys. That's some really good information. I appreciate it.

[Silverfish]

as recommended by someone here I have wrapped my new v12 in armor made of a towel and duct tape while I am learning. I'm curious about how I will know when I am ok to go without the armor (not that I am close to there yet). When I can comfortably mount and dismount am I past the falling stage? Or is there more phases I have to go through? 

[Tawpie]

The next phase is "knock the new off it".

It'll get banged up... try to think of them as battle scars. First and foremost, have fun with it!

Other phases involve learning new things (which means you'll fall off), new terrains (more falling), going backwards (falling backwards), tricks and so on. Then there's the "I need another wheel for ______" phase. That phase seems to go on for quite a while so warn your financial advisor in advance.

Edited November 9, 2021 by Tawpie

[VikB]

9 hours ago, Silverfish said:

as recommended by someone here I have wrapped my new v12 in armor made of a towel and duct tape while I am learning. I'm curious about how I will know when I am ok to go without the armor (not that I am close to there yet). When I can comfortably mount and dismount am I past the falling stage? Or is there more phases I have to go through? 

You'll get to a point where dropping the wheel is super unlikely unless you are working on new skills. You'll know when you get there. So at that point you can cruise town without the towel and put it back on when learning a new skill.

I left my extra padding on for a few days once I was confident with my riding, but it started to bug me because it made a fine wheel look pretty junky so I took it all off.