RS HT/HS, Nikola AR +, KS S18, or V12 HS/HT for first EUC?

[cheese_bored]

Me: 5'9" 170 lbs. EUC newbie. Lives in busy downtown urban area with few bike lanes. 

Looking to buy my first EUC. I currently have a Mantis 8 scooter and have been wanting to upgrade to a Blade X Pro/10 Evo Pro/GT or Vsett 10+ but I've realized I could get an EUC for around the same price and get better range, hill-climbing, and portability. Those scooters are about as heavy but they take up way more space and are way more unwieldly to move around. 

I've never ridden an EUC before, but I've been obsessed ever since I got smoked by a guy on an EUC when I was burying the throttle on my scooter. Been doing lots of research and watched many reviews. Here's what I'm looking for

1. Stability/Safety- Lots and lots of potholes and imperfections in the roads in my area, including train rails. I wanna be able to speed past them smoothly and safely, which is why I'm considering the S18 for the suspension. Would you recommend a suspension wheel as my first?

Also, I'm worried about the current state of cutouts for the V12 which is why it's my last choice really. Looks great on paper but I want to feel safe on my wheel. My gf won't even let me buy one cause she thinks they're too dangerous. But i'm gonna anyway  but i'd like to get one that would put her mind at ease. And all the reports of cutouts on the V12 probably won't put her at ease. 

2. Hill-climbing - I wanna speed up steep hills which are plenty in my neighborhood. Hills are around 20-40% grade in area and my scooter creeps up some of them.  

3. Acceleration - I wanna be able to keep up with cars on the main roads. And also I want to be able to beat red lights, and get a head start over cars during green lights. There are very few bike lanes in my area, I take my scooter on the street alongside cars and I'm too slow. 

4. Speed - I want to be able to keep up with cars going 30-45mph, so I'll need max speed to be around that so I can use it in short bursts. Would probably cruise at 25-30mph. But will definitely take it slow my first 100 miles or so. 

5. Features - Bluetooth speakers would be nice but not necessary. Also I will be doing some night driving so I'll need good lighting. 

6. Portability - As long as it has a trolley handle and is more portable than a scooter then I'm good

7.  Water resistance- I'm a little worried about this with the RS since I've heard it's "as waterproof as a sock." It doesn't rain often in my area but it is a factor, and there is also ample fog. I'm worried about fog getting the RS (or whatever wheel I choose) wet and inoperable. Would I be ok if I just kept the bag on?

8. Range - pretty much any EUC is gonna have better range than my scooter so I don't need the most range. My work commute is 6 miles with steep hills. Occasionally, I'll need 10-20 miles for a day. So I think I'll be good with any of these EUCs. 

Main Uses - Work commuting downtown, lots of stop-and-go traffic. Lots of pedestrians and speeding cars, motorcycles, mopeds etc. Might occasionally take it on public transit.  I might want to off-road sometime for fun, but this won't be my main reason for buying a wheel. 

Budget; $1500-2600

I'm considering renting one of these wheels to see which I like. My local PEV shop has the Nikola AR + and RS (not sure if it's HS or HT), available for rent. So I might rent each one of those for a day and see which I like. I'm not sure if I'll like a 16" wheel more for the mobility, or the 19" RS for the stability. But then again, it's $100 a day so I maybe I should just bite the bullet and buy one 

EDIT:

I've realized I overestimated how much speed I need and underestimated how long it'll take me to learn to ride at high speed on the main roads. I assumed my EUC will replace my scooter riding habits quickly after purchasing but I know now I won't be able to do that for a while. 

I will most likely be buying a cheap light wheel that I can learn on and also keep for short trips, last-mile-solutions, and riding to my car when I park it far away. I'll stick to sidewalks and bike lanes for the first few hundred miles. Then once I've mastered riding at slow speeds, I'll buy a more expensive  and more powerful wheel as a daily driver. 

Right now, I'm considering KS 14D, V8f, or 16S as my first wheel. Then maybe a V12 HT, RS, or V13 in the future 

 

EDIT:

TLDR: As you can see by my profile, I went with a used Nik AR + and I love it! Took me about 3 or 4 days to be able to ride confidently. Currently working on increasing max speed (30mph right now) and fixing wobbles at high speed, braking, and going downhill. 

Edited August 14, 2022 by cheese_bored
input from others

[LanghamP]

I would recommend seeing if you can rent from your local PEV shop for at least a few days, in order to learn how to ride a wheel. You'll need to tell them that. Wheels are like golf clubs; after you figure out your usage case then the correct wheel presents itself. Most of us have at least two wheels because we have different use cases.

What your use case suggests is several wheels. You cannot easily ride a road-going wheel around pedestrian areas especially if there's places you have to lift the wheel. Once wheels get beyond 50 pounds it becomes a lot more difficult to use them as personal transportation; they're more akin to small motorcycles.

[Tawpie]

On 7/15/2022 at 1:57 PM, cheese_bored said:

keep up with cars going 30-45mph

Probably a Nik AR (but routinely getting to 45 isn't a very good idea), def not an S18 (top safe speed is 28 mph, hard limit at 31, generally considered very unwise to push it past 28). To be safe at 45 you need a bigger, more expensive wheel. Master, Sherman, SherMax, MonsterPro, Challenger.

Suspension isn't bad to learn on per se, but because you can get away with 'lazier' riding (more zombie than is recommended), some feel it teaches habits that will surely come back to bite you. Training your legs to 'be the suspension' is important—at some point you'll bottom out a suspension and if you don't automatically take the hit with your knees you're likely to get launched. This is especially true at high speed.

Edited July 17, 2022 by Tawpie

[Chillay123]

Given your use case, I'd opt to get the V12 high torque. I own a high speed V12 and like the bells and whistles it has to offer. I recommend the torque version because it has better acceleration than the high speed variant and has improvements done on it that makes it a better EUC over the HS version. However, if you do plan to cruise at speeds greater than 30mph, I'd opt into getting an EUC with a  larger diameter.  I bought the V12 thinking that I'll cruise at speeds greater than 30mph but in reality I cruise mostly at 25-30mph in my city because of the imperfections in the roads in my area. Given my use case, the HT V12 seems a better fit for me over the high speed. 
 

[cheese_bored]

13 hours ago, LanghamP said:

I would recommend seeing if you can rent from your local PEV shop for at least a few days, in order to learn how to ride a wheel. You'll need to tell them that. Wheels are like golf clubs; after you figure out your usage case then the correct wheel presents itself. Most of us have at least two wheels because we have different use cases.

What your use case suggests is several wheels. You cannot easily ride a road-going wheel around pedestrian areas especially if there's places you have to lift the wheel. Once wheels get beyond 50 pounds it becomes a lot more difficult to use them as personal transportation; they're more akin to small motorcycles.

I will most likely be renting one from a shop. Probably the RS HS or AR +

My scooter is 50 pounds and , as unwieldly as it is, I can still carry it around and up stairs and whatnot. Once an EUC gets to 65 pounds I imagine it'll be more difficult but the handle and smaller form factor of any EUC compared to my scooter will still be so much better. 

11 hours ago, Tawpie said:

Probably a Nik AR (but routinely getting to 45 isn't a very good idea), def not an S18 (top safe speed is 28 mph, hard limit at 31, generally considered very unwise to push it past 28). To be safe at 45 you need a bigger, more expensive wheel. Master, Sherman, SherMax, MonsterPro, Challenger.

Suspension isn't bad to learn on per se, but because you can get away with 'lazier' riding (more zombie than is recommended), some feel it teaches habits that will surely come back to bite you. Training your legs to 'be the suspension' is important—at some point you'll bottom out a suspension and if you don't automatically take the hit with your knees you're likely to get launched. This is especially true at high speed.

I will mostly be cruising at around 25-30 and occasionally boosting 35-40 in short bursts. Nik AR+ does seem good for this. I think I would be good with the RS as well. S18 might be too slow for me, I just considered it for the suspension. 

 

10 hours ago, Chillay123 said:

Given your use case, I'd opt to get the V12 high torque. I own a high speed V12 and like the bells and whistles it has to offer. I recommend the torque version because it has better acceleration than the high speed variant and has improvements done on it that makes it a better EUC over the HS version. However, if you do plan to cruise at speeds greater than 30mph, I'd opt into getting an EUC with a  larger diameter.  I bought the V12 thinking that I'll cruise at speeds greater than 30mph but in reality I cruise mostly at 25-30mph in my city because of the imperfections in the roads in my area. Given my use case, the HT V12 seems a better fit for me over the high speed. 
 

I'm a little worried about the V12, especially HT version. Isn't it still Batch 1 for these? I think I'd rather go with something more tried and tested like the RS or AR+

[Magman116]

I was in the same boat as you not long ago. I bought a KS16X and quickly reached the limits of this wheel.  I needed to be able to hit 40 - 45 mph in short bursts in traffic, but wanted something still small and manageable for commuting to work and running around town.

I ended up getting the Begode RS HS C30 with the Molicel P42A batteries. I was told this would meet my needs. I do not have many hills in my area, but do go off road from time to time.  I am 6ft tall and 180lbs. I was really considering the V12 HS, but after speaking with Jason at eWheels, he recommended the new RS HS P42a. The RS HS with the P42A's does meet and exceed my needs.  If you haven't been 40+ Mph on a wheel, it will seem way faster than you think it will. I was out for a ride yesterday and was feeling like I was going about 40 mph and when I checked I was only doing about 33.  I then leaned into it and until I was at 43mph then put my phone away and leaned in a little more.  After my ride, I checked and hit a top speed of 48.7mph.  I am using FreeStyler's Dynamic PWM Tiltback firmware so I had confidence I would not experience a cutout.  I did hit the PWN tiltback %.  On the RS, I like cruising in the 31 - 38mph range and know I have the headroom to push it another 10mph without cutout.   At those speeds you are not as affected by wind or surprise road conditions.

I like the larger tire on the RS over the 16X and really seems to smooth out the bumps in the road or off road. The knobby tire really grabs off road and is not bad on the streets either. Spike pedals, high output cells (less likely to catch fire) with low voltage drop (sag), top speeds near 50mph, and 18in wheel (the knobby tire is close to 19.5"). It does what I need.  I would like it if it could accelerate as quickly as the 16X, but it isn't too far off.  I suspect the RS HT with the P42A cells would be very comparable to the 16X in acceleration, but with a high top end.  I have taken the 16X up to 33.7mph, riding the tiltback, but just wanted more.  The RS C30 P42A gets me just that.  The RS is also a tried and trued design that has been improved on over the years. I wrecked for the 1st time on the RS yesterday jumping a curb when the wheel freespun when I popped off the ground and when it hit, it quickly jumped to the side, threw me off and hit a concrete pillar close by.  All it got was a couple of small scratches.  The new reinforced shell didn't crack and it knocked off a piece of cement from the pillar.  Granted I wasn't goin 20mph when it happened and I believe the pedal is what took out the chunk of cement. I really thought it would have been more severely damaged based on previous reports.

Oh, the RS does have a trolley handle, but it is a poor design and location. It will work as needed, but is nowhere near as nice as the KS16X trolley handle.

While riding yesterday, it did start raining and by the time I made it home, both the wheel and I was drenched.  I wiped down the wheel and left it on the stand to dry just encase there was any water inside.

Get what you feel will satisfy your need with the expectation you will be getting another wheel in the future. 

[mike_bike_kite]

@cheese_bored I think you under estimate how difficult EUC's are to ride and how safe they are on the road. If you hire a wheel for a day then, at the end of the day, you might be able to ride around a tennis court waving your arms around and feeling like 5mph is terrifying. You certainly won't get any idea of whether the wheel is suitable for you or not. Maybe ask them if they have a battered wheel you can borrow at a reduced rate to learn on then go back to try out the other wheels.

I have a Nikola+ but I cruise at 20-25mph, mostly in traffic and on roads that can occasionally be quite poorly surfaced. The wheel is apparently capable of doing 40mph but the risks are just too high and I just wouldn't enjoy the ride. Instead I pick routes that allow me to ride at a pace more suited to an EUC. If you're wanting to ride at 45mph then I'm not sure an EUC is even the ride mode of transport for you.

[yoos]

Welcome @cheese_bored!

With your requirements the RS HS seems best. The P42a version discussed by @Magman116 looks attractive.

The S18 is too slow (it's generally also considered too weak due to meagre batteries, but there is a Molicel version from ewheels that eliminates this problem) with ~30mph max, though it would be the best option for potholes etc due to suspension.

The V12 is indeed scary due to unresolved issues. It also has 16" tyres which gives a bit less comfort and stability on a bad road. Same tyre size problem with the Nikola. This leaves the RS, and you should take the HS (not the HT) since you need the speed and are not particularly heavy.

As others mention it takes time to learn an EUC, so unless you are a master of mechanical unicycles I wouldn't hope to get any decent feel until at least a week of practice. And to really understand what features are important to you you should clock some 100 hours/500 miles. It is great if you know a shop that offers advanced wheels (the ones you listed) for rent to beginners, I haven't yet seen such an offer anywhere. Even the largest distributer of EUCs in Russia only offers rent to people who can prove their riding ability on the spot.

Suspension is great for potholes but in general it's easier to weave between them on an EUC than on a scooter, the wheel size is also much larger (especially compared to a Mantis 8). Advanced riders can also jump their EUCs to climb curbs without slowing down etc. Riding styles differ between riders much more than on scooters. Suspension wheels take more maintenance and if it doesn't work very well out of the box, it might frustrate you. I also think it's better to learn on a non-suspension wheel: lower pedal clearance (on a V11 you are basically mounting a horse ), fewer parts to break, better feel of the road and it teaches better riding habits and stance (you use bent knees to absorb shocks instead or relying on suspension). 

Whatever you choose, you will be happy  I too moved to EUCs from scooter (but at a lower-performance level: from a m365 scooter to a 16S) and am happy ever since. Still, take some time to learn riding well, including off-road and on-road, slow and fast, learn emergency braking etc, before taking on real traffic at 30+mph. And gear up some if you haven't already.

 

 

[Magman116]

I think had the V12HS come with a 18" wheel with the same performance specs, I would have chosen that over the RS HS. Any wheel that can go 40-45mph should be more than sufficient for just about anyone wanting speed.  Road conditions, wind, and traffic can mess up your day at those speeds. Even with no wind I could not hear the beeps at 40+mph due to wind noise.  That is why I wanted the PWM tiltback FW.

Just use your best judgement and get what you feel will do what you need and learn it.  I started with V10F, learned it well, then needed more.  I went to the KS16X. While I could just jump on it and go, it was so much of a different wheel it still took about a week to get used to it.  Then going to the RS from the 16X was quite the experience and took much more to learn to ride well.  Not having flat pedals and a slightly top heavy wheel made it feel very foreign to me, then the knobby tire on top of that was a new experience.  The tire would get stuck on the side coming out of turns like riding a train track and had to learn to stand it up instead of it gracefully righting itself like the H666 tire on the 16X does.

Each wheel will feel different and take some time to learn its behaviors. Figure how fast you really want to go and get a wheel that will give you that headroom. the 16X even with a 27% safety margin when at 33.7mph tells me it is capable of going faster, but the FW restricts this with a tiltback kicking in around 31mph and it is hard to keep pushing when the pedals keep going back farther. It is done for safety.  Speed can and is additive until you feel the pain.. Begode/Gotway does not restrict like Inmotion or King Song and leave it up to the rider to determine what is safe.  Some like it some don't. I for one would like to define what I feel is safe and not have it dictated to me.

-M

[mike_bike_kite]

42 minutes ago, Magman116 said:

the 16X even with a 27% safety margin when at 33.7mph tells me it is capable of going faster, but the FW restricts this with a tiltback kicking in around 31mph

We've had lots of reports of the 16X cutting out well below 30mph. It obviously depends on your weight and the battery charge etc but you're living on borrowed time riding it at 33mph. It is definitely not a high speed wheel.

[Funky]

1 hour ago, mike_bike_kite said:

We've had lots of reports of the 16X cutting out well below 30mph. It obviously depends on your weight and the battery charge etc but you're living on borrowed time riding it at 33mph. It is definitely not a high speed wheel.

Sooner or later he will know 16X limits. Let's hope he won't break a neck. (Safe "max" speed is 28mph for that wheel.)

 

 

On topic: If you wanna go 30-45mph 16" is to small for sure. Also i would say the real euc range is 60% of so said battery.. Less battery = less power. Also if you wanna go 45mph speeds you need wheel that can do at least 50-55mph top speed. As riding 45of45 speed is bad.. It's the fastest way to get a faceplant/cutout. This isn't line "scooter" If euc passes it's "limits" it will simply power off. So it's better to get something bigger than you really need!

If you wanna go 50 speed - get a 60 speed wheel.

I would say all of your wheels are to small for what you wanna do. You can go max 40mph on most of those wheels. And that would be riding at wheels "limits" - cutout. (S18 is simply no, no here. As he can't do it even..)

Try looking at "bigger" wheels Sherman Max. EX20S. So on.. Bigger diameter wheel - better.

Also renting - good luck if your are "slow" learner you won't be riding so fast.. They all will feel the same, till you are available to ride it. (aka - falling over.)  You will be wasting your money by renting. You have zero skill in riding - you know nothing. 

I hope you won't be riding with cars first 2 weeks at LEAST! You need at least 500-1000 miles to somewhat "master" euc. Some people still learn something new after 5000 miles i bet.  

It makes me laugh - he thinks he will be going 40mph in 100 miles.. You will be lucky if you will be available to hard break then. Try saying more 1000 miles. When you will get your first speed wobble - you will slow down.   Mark my words.

 

Heck before i bought my euc, i rented a scooter to "test" it. I simply could hoop on it and ride - zero skill needed! Now when i tried euc for first time it took me 4 days! Each day i tried 20min riding.. I could not even ride for 1 feet. Only after 4 days i could ride and go in circles.. So be warned. It takes time - renting is pointless.

Edited July 18, 2022 by Funky

[Magman116]

2 hours ago, mike_bike_kite said:

We've had lots of reports of the 16X cutting out well below 30mph. It obviously depends on your weight and the battery charge etc but you're living on borrowed time riding it at 33mph. It is definitely not a high speed wheel.

That is one reason why I bought the RS HS.  I wasn't comfortable running at 30+ on the 16X.  Normal cruising speed on the 16X was like 20-25mph safely.

[Magman116]

The 16X is in the closet now. It is my spare or guest wheel  now.  

When I ride, and pushing it, I watch the Safety Margin graph in EUC World to make sure sure I am not at the cutoff limit regardless of the speed.  I have not been below 20% margin. 

If I do get a cut-out, I make sure to wear my gear which my wife thinks I am going overboard.  Fall once and you will wear your gear.  At least when I fell, I had my wrist guards and helmet on. After the bruised knees, hip, and elbows, and road rash (ouch) I take the time to get geared up.

The RS HS has enough performance where I feel comfortable riding 40mph or under with the occasional burst above 40. With the 16X, I know I was close to cutoff when I was pushing it.

We all learn one way or another.  Whatever the wheel, it is important to know how it will perform in the situations you ride.

[Funky]

Anyways from the given euc's i would go RS HT/HS (Doh i personally hate it, because of none whatsoever water protection..)

I would look at something better.. But most better options are WAY TO heavy. That's the curse of euc. If you want 40mph speed be ready to pay with weight.  

 

I'm happy with mine 30mph/56lbs 18xl.  As i don't ride with cars - i don't need speed. And that wheel is one of lightest 18" wheels in that speed category. 

[Magman116]

After riding the new RS HS for a while, I think the RS HT C38 with the Molicel P42a batteries might have been a better choice just to have more torque.  I figured my next wheel will be for distance and comfort, but for now, I am happy with my arsenal of wheels. I have small nimble wheels for just playing around on, good intermediate wheels for a spare or guest riders and my wheel for commuting to work out in traffic.

Each wheel has their own purpose or role to play in my life.  I don't think there is 1 wheel that does it all. I started out thinking I would need just 1 wheel and I would be fine. I now have 4 wheels and am contemplating another.  It is a very additive hobby / way of life.  Each wheel has been like a step on a staircase. Some you take one step at a time and others you skip steps.   With the EUC world, the staircase never ends and you just have to ask yourself how many steps up the staircase you need to go to make you feel satisfied. 

[Funky]

24 minutes ago, Magman116 said:

After riding the new RS HS for a while, I think the RS HT C38 with the Molicel P42a batteries might have been a better choice just to have more torque.  I figured my next wheel will be for distance and comfort, but for now, I am happy with my arsenal of wheels. I have small nimble wheels for just playing around on, good intermediate wheels for a spare or guest riders and my wheel for commuting to work out in traffic.

Each wheel has their own purpose or role to play in my life.  I don't think there is 1 wheel that does it all. I started out thinking I would need just 1 wheel and I would be fine. I now have 4 wheels and am contemplating another.  It is a very additive hobby / way of life.  Each wheel has been like a step on a staircase. Some you take one step at a time and others you skip steps.   With the EUC world, the staircase never ends and you just have to ask yourself how many steps up the staircase you need to go to make you feel satisfied. 

In my case, i will only buy something new, when solid state batteries become a "thing". And wheels will become lighter. (Duck all the new heavy wheels.)

18xl does it all - only wheel i need. All i wanted was something that can do regular bike speeds and i got ~10mph extra. Also i rarely ride.. So no need for a wheel in general. I simply bought euc, so i don't have to buy "bike ticket" in train.  No need to show ticket..

Ofc HT is better than HS.. How often do you ride wheel max speed? HS that "small" speed increase is simply useless. All wheels should be HT by default.

[wstuart]

I agree with others who say you are getting ahead of yourself a little.  There is no way you will tell in the first week, which wheel will be best for you at 35-40mph

 

So I was in a similar boat 6 months ago.  I was a hotshot on electric skateboards and I'm 220lbs, so I figured I should skip the baby wheels and jump straight to 30+mph wheels.

I found an MSP HT (very similar to an RS) used locally and almost immediately regretted it.  I spent almost 3 weeks on a grass field trying to get the hang of it.  I could barely get around and mounting it felt impossible.  After a month I caved in and bought a used inmotion v8f to learn on. On the v8f in 3 days I was riding comfortably in a parking lot and 2 weeks later I could start to think about riding slowly with the MSP.  Now 6 months and 1200 miles later and I'm just barely getting comfortable doing 30-35mph and I don't think I'll ever hit 40.  I am a very safe and conservative rider though.

 

I also highly highly reccomend going offroad before you try to ride in the street at high speed.  In the first 2 months of riding, I took my MSP on tight rough single track mountain bike trails.  The first 2 outings I got owned.  After about 4 trips though I learned how to bend my knees, while still keeping my legs loose.  You have to learn to let your legs be the suspension and get comfortable with letting the wheel dance under you as it goes over bumps.

Learning to do this early on has really really helped me ride safely on the street.  I can think of at least 2 times where a pothole surprised me and the offroad training SAVED me.

So my advice.  Start with a learner wheel, then get a wheel you can take offroad ASAP (before you go fast in the street)

 

[cheese_bored]

Thanks for the input everyone!

I'll take all the hints that I'm underestimating this whole process and take it easy.

My local PEV shop offers lessons for first-time users before renting. I might go for that. Or maybe I'll try to find someone willing to let me learn/practice on some old beat-up wheel they have. 

I am tempted to buy some cheap used wheel (like a V8f for 800 on CL right now) but just how I want to upgrade from my current scooter, I know I'm gonna want to to upgrade my EUC so I feel like I want to just spend the money now and get the performance I'll want in the future. 

Also just want to clarify: I don't need to be going 30-45mph. I just need to keep up with speeding cars going that fast so I might need something close to that max speed to keep up with traffic. I'll probably be going 25-30mph. 

[yoos]

1 hour ago, cheese_bored said:

I am tempted to buy some cheap used wheel (like a V8f for 800 on CL right now) but just how I want to upgrade from my current scooter, I know I'm gonna want to to upgrade my EUC so I feel like I want to just spend the money now and get the performance I'll want in the future. 

This is quite a sensible idea: used wheels retain their value well (e.g. if you buy a used V8F at 800 and get 300 miles in a month on it you will be able to sell it for 700-750 easily, that's cheaper than rent I guess). It also means you can get to learning immediately while slowly monitoring deals on your upgrade wheel. Even if you hit max speed on a V8F in a few days that doesn't mean you are ready for a faster one. Leaning forward is easy, it's other skills you should master before exploring higher speeds (emergency braking, looking back while on the wheel, sharp turns, recovering after bumps, curbs, loss of traction etc)

1 hour ago, cheese_bored said:

Also just want to clarify: I don't need to be going 30-45mph. I just need to keep up with speeding cars going that fast so I might need something close to that max speed to keep up with traffic. I'll probably be going 25-30mph. 

Keeping up with cars going up to 45mph should be very-very far in your future. If you plan to go at a particular, very high speed in traffic (even just to "keep up" for a short moment) you must first grow completely comfortable with those speeds elsewhere. In general if you have to decide between slowing down and speeding up to solve a traffic problem then slowing down is the better and safer solution. Particularly true for EUCs where you might find that you just need to go just a bit faster and accelerate to get there and as a result overpower the wheel and faceplant. The max speed on an EUC should be reached in a slow manner because the higher the speed the less torque you have available. And if you demand more torque than you have you overpower the wheel and faceplant. Which is particularly disastrous in traffic (if you need to go fast then you are probably were in an unsafe position to begin with).

[cheese_bored]

Ok ok, I realize I am definitely underestimating learning to ride on an EUC. I've also realized the mistake I was making: I was thinking I'd ride my EUC the same way (and route) that I'm currently riding on my scooter. But I realize how dangerous that would be because I ride alongside cars. But I can do that comfortably on a scooter. I'm betting it'll take a while before I can do the same on an EUC.

So I'm thinking of getting a cheap used wheel that goes around 20-25mph and only ride in bike lanes and on sidewalks. Then once I've mastered everything, I'll get a juicier wheel and ride alongside the big boys. 

I've found a used V8f for 800 and might go for that. I've also found a used "gotway msuper v2 850wh" wheel for 700. But I can't find any information on it. I'll probably go for the V8f. 

Edited July 21, 2022 by cheese_bored

[Tawpie]

1 hour ago, cheese_bored said:

Ok ok, I realize I am definitely underestimating learning to ride on an EUC. I've also realized the mistake I was making: I was thinking I'd ride my EUC the same way (and route) that I'm currently riding on my scooter. But I realize how dangerous that would be because I ride alongside cars. But I can do that comfortably on a scooter. I'm betting it'll take a while before I can do the same on an EUC.

So I'm thinking of getting a cheap used wheel that goes around 20-25mph and only ride in bike lanes and on sidewalks. Then once I've mastered everything, I'll get a juicier wheel and ride alongside the big boys. 

I've found a used V8f for 800 and might go for that. I've also found a used "gotway msuper 67v 850wh" wheel for 700. But I can't find any information on it. I'll probably go for the V8f. 

Wisdom.

Although, you could just get your big boy wheel and not play in traffic until you are confident in your abilities. The larger wheels are more taxing to learn on mostly because they're heavy, but people do it all the time.

That said, I'm a fan of getting a learner wheel. You'll beat the snot out of it, and in the process you'll discover what it is about riding that melts your butter. I prefer off roading (slowly), others love big drops and bigger air. Many riders are into drag racing and raw speed, others like to do tricks. Some like darting in and through cars, I stay as far away from them as I can because I know that in spite of all the gear I've purchased and wear, I will lose any altercation with any motor vehicle.

It's all very personal—a learner will help you discover your passion, and then you can buy the wheel best suited for that. Each model is really good at this or that, but not so great at the other. They all have limits that must be respected.

Edited July 21, 2022 by Tawpie

[LanghamP]

On 7/18/2022 at 11:21 PM, wstuart said:

I spent almost 3 weeks on a grass field trying to get the hang of it.  I could barely get around and mounting it felt impossible.  After a month I caved in and bought a used inmotion v8f to learn on. On the v8f in 3 days I was riding comfortably in a parking lot and 2 weeks later I could start to think about riding slowly with the MSP.  Now 6 months and 1200 miles later and I'm just barely getting comfortable doing 30-35mph and I don't think I'll ever hit 40.  I am a very safe and conservative rider though.

It takes a long time to grow into a new wheel even if you're an experienced rider. My experience is very similar to yours with my new (for me) KS18XL. 3 or 4 months so far, riding it about 20 minutes nearly every day, and just over this week does it not feel so clumsy. My other wheels feel an extension of my body, but I'm not there yet with the 18XL. It takes a long time to get used to a new wheel but I suppose people who ride and sell wheels for a living are much better at this than we are.

Wheels can be ridiculously difficult to ride at speeds above, say, 25 mph, especially under bumps and braking. Man, when those wobbles hit at above 25 mph, there's things you can do but it is still hair-raising to regain control of a wobbling wheel. And they will wobble at those speeds.

[Funky]

6 hours ago, LanghamP said:

It takes a long time to grow into a new wheel even if you're an experienced rider. My experience is very similar to yours with my new (for me) KS18XL. 3 or 4 months so far, riding it about 20 minutes nearly every day, and just over this week does it not feel so clumsy. My other wheels feel an extension of my body, but I'm not there yet with the 18XL. It takes a long time to get used to a new wheel but I suppose people who ride and sell wheels for a living are much better at this than we are.

Wheels can be ridiculously difficult to ride at speeds above, say, 25 mph, especially under bumps and braking. Man, when those wobbles hit at above 25 mph, there's things you can do but it is still hair-raising to regain control of a wobbling wheel. And they will wobble at those speeds.

I didn't have any problems going from 16s to 18xl.. I didn't have any problems riding it the first day. (I learned on 16s and then bought 18xl for myself.) The first day i already was riding in city true people, etc.. (Sure i felt that it was less agile, and "slower") But over time it got "faster" as i got more used to it.

Ohh and before i got 18xl, i was riding what.. ~2 weeks on 16s? (My dads wheel, so i rarely rode it, only learned on..) So that's why i didn't feel much difference maybe.

Some people learn faster, some slower. Same - getting "used" to.

Yeah - i at beginning also where getting wobbles at speed. (The M/C 2x weight tire didn't help.)  But after 500km ridden i don't get any wobbles anymore. And i now normally ride ~20-22mph. On smoother ground i go ~25..

Ps: if you do ~~~~ zig-zagging when going at higher speeds - you won't get wobbles. Even little bit going left/right helps a lot. (Swaying the body weight left/right) <<< A little tip. Going in straight line is the fastest way to get wobbles. (Check euc videos. How many people go completely in straight line?)

[NerdLeader]

Hey all!

I'm going to jump on this bandwagon as well, as I'm looking to buy my first EUC, too.

I'm 5'11" and weigh 160 lbs. I'll mostly be using it to have fun riding around town, and to commute to work (about 6 miles). I live in Fargo ND, which is flatter than most kitchen tables so I don't really need to worry about going up/down hill. For the most part I'll be sticking to bike paths/sidewalks, but will occasionally get on the road as well. I'm not planning on doing much off-roading.

My plan is to buy one wheel and stick with it as I don't have the money to buy more than one right now, so a beginner wheel isn't really an option. It should be noted that I won't be taking the wheel on the road till I'm proficient with it. 

I was originally looking to get the Inmotion V12 as it has the speed/range I was looking for (in the long term), along with all the other bells and whistles. However I read the comments here and it sounds like that model still has cutout issues. I also saw people recommending the Begode RS HS as another viable option.

I'm also wondering what everyone's thoughts are of jumping in at $2500 without having tried an EUC before. I'm confident I'll be able to learn to ride fairly quickly and will enjoy it, but with Fargo being a smaller city I don't really have the option of trying one out somewhere.

My last note, I probably won't be able to get a wheel till late August/September, at which point I'll only have about 1 1/2 months of riding time before it snows. Maybe I should wait till next year to buy in?

Thanks for any insights!

[Funky]

57 minutes ago, NerdLeader said:

Hey all!

I'm going to jump on this bandwagon as well, as I'm looking to buy my first EUC, too.

I'm 5'11" and weigh 160 lbs. I'll mostly be using it to have fun riding around town, and to commute to work (about 6 miles). I live in Fargo ND, which is flatter than most kitchen tables so I don't really need to worry about going up/down hill. For the most part I'll be sticking to bike paths/sidewalks, but will occasionally get on the road as well. I'm not planning on doing much off-roading.

My plan is to buy one wheel and stick with it as I don't have the money to buy more than one right now, so a beginner wheel isn't really an option. It should be noted that I won't be taking the wheel on the road till I'm proficient with it. 

I was originally looking to get the Inmotion V12 as it has the speed/range I was looking for (in the long term), along with all the other bells and whistles. However I read the comments here and it sounds like that model still has cutout issues. I also saw people recommending the Begode RS HS as another viable option.

I'm also wondering what everyone's thoughts are of jumping in at $2500 without having tried an EUC before. I'm confident I'll be able to learn to ride fairly quickly and will enjoy it, but with Fargo being a smaller city I don't really have the option of trying one out somewhere.

My last note, I probably won't be able to get a wheel till late August/September, at which point I'll only have about 1 1/2 months of riding time before it snows. Maybe I should wait till next year to buy in?

Thanks for any insights!

How fast you wanna go. Figure that out firstly. (More speed - more weight.. How heavy you want it.)

 

I personally would wait, if you got like 2 months left to ride.. You will save up warranty time. Also you will get more time to find the "RIGHT" wheel. (Also there's possibility they send your wheel even later. You will get it when it's snowing.) I and my dad ride in -20C temps also.  All you need is studded tire.  

 

Yeah 12V is one of the "best" build wise wheels out there. But it still got problems. If it didn't have those problems, it would be very solid wheel.

I personally wanted something that goes regular bike speeds ~22mph. But because of my weight, most 16" wheels where simply to "small" for me. Next step up was 18" inchers. And KS18XL was the lightest. And i got extra speed, as it can go ~31mph. And i'm very happy with it. Because i don't ride with cars - i don't need more speed than 25mph on sidewalks. (Doh thinking now 18x3" tire would have been better option..)

And because it's max speed is 31mph, going ~22-25mph is pretty safe. It still got "headroom" for safety.

I also wasn't planning buying euc. I firstly was looking at e-scooters. But my dad got euc for himself and after i learned to ride - i understood.. Euc offers more speed/range and also is smaller form factor. So buying euc simply where best option. Also it has almost no moving parts.. Meaning no need to repair.

Also it's 5x times more fun, than e-scooters. (I rented them trying out.) There's big difference riding 10" wheels vs 16/18".