Pushing 60 and against my families wishes - I just ordered my first EUC!

[Grandpa_Jay]

Hello All - 
New here - new to EUC's in general and feeling a bit overwhelmed - but still excited!  It seems the closer I get to 60 - the further I want to be from feeling and looking 60. It all started when I had to support my son having surgery at UCLA ( I live in New Mexico, USA) I started using the Bird scooters to go from the VA to UCLA and really enjoyed this more than a bus or Uber. When I got home, I started really looking and kept seeing EUC's - THAT's what I wanted to do - but, all of my family was pretty firm with their opinions that I have no business being on a Unicycle! I have had several major spine surgeries and am held together with titanium screws and cages from T2 down. SO, as a compromise, I bought a Vsett 8 two wheel scooter - in September.  The scooter is OK, sorta fun - BUT unfortunately, it has NOT scratched this itch!  I do not like the tiny little plastic wheels that could fall in a big crack in the road & it seems to cause my elbow to hurt every time I ride it (for those that do not know, you CAN NOT let go of the handlebars on a scooter).  ANYWAY - It is too cold for my wife to make me sleep in the dog house, but I think she may be trying to make my honey do list so long I won't have time to ride!  (just kidding) but she is very concerned!  

I guess we are about to find out!  I do not think I will have much trouble learning to ride.  I also ride a Segway S.  I have been watching videos and reading all I can. I know myself (and my limitations) I know that suspension is required for me. Without suspension it would cause pain and discomfort and I would be selling it by spring. So, that narrowed things down for me real quick. Kingsong S18 or Inmotion V11 or Begode T4 - after many days of searching, videos, etc. I found a good deal on a NEW KS S18 and am anxiously awaiting the tracking number to show that it is on its way.  

I wasn't sure where to post as I didn't really find an 'Intro' area, hope this is acceptable.  I do have a couple of questions for those with S18 experience.  What accessories will I need to start saving for?  I  am thinking those leather (or fake leather) pads look really sharp, but are the good? are they necessary?  What about the protective cover?  Finally, I have read a lot about people upgrading their pedals. I found a set of 'slim' pedals for a great price at FreeMotion,  what are your thoughts on these pedals for it? 

TIA All & Stay Safe Out There

[Punxatawneyjoe]

Hi Jay, welcome to the EUC forums. I'm a bit of a newbie myself and only have experience with the v-11. I do know that power pads make a huge difference on the v-11 but i don't know if the ks s18 comes with decent pads already or not. Also people seem to like the spiked pedals of which i do not own at the moment. Hope you get your ride soon. I'm sure the fam will get over it when they see how much joy riding an EUC brings you.

[Daley1]

First things first!. Get ur safety gear so when u do fall(and u will fall many times) nothing gets busted up too bad! The family will see that safety is utmost in your mind !Lots of good ideas on the forum and dont skimp on the cheap crap.Buy decent stuff and when u kiss the dirt for the first time ,u can put it down to young love and move on! 

[Big Bad Ron]

I have some thoughts for you! 
I started after 60 by a few years and still love it.

find a shopping cart from the homeless camp and get the feel of it than move to the tennis court .do not put big pads on or spiked pedals on until you can get on and off safety,pads and spikes will keep you from getting off when you are not in full control. I’ve been riding a few years now and still don’t need them.

cheers and never give up!

ps my wive wasn’t happy up front either, I now have 5 wheels ( grandkids)

[Roadpower]

I'm curious about something, but first, hello! Welcome to the forum. So the question comes to mind is if you are able to do lets say a pratfall on a lawn.  Like when you were a kid you could fall forward and roll and not have a single issue with that. If you can do that even gingerly you may be okay to ride. If not I think it understandably difficult to recommend riding. Also a small wheel scooter is indeed dangerous because the wheels get caught in ruts easy. This danger can be mitigated by very careful observation of the roadway but one little slip will get you.

Obviously the much larger wheel on a EUC largely removes this issue, but not completely. You still need to develop reflexes for irregular pavement issues but it is no where near as bad as the scooter is.

I'm also wondering how much strength you have in your abdomen because that will need to be strong to support your lower back. If you are weak in that area I think you may want to work on that first. You are going to be twisting your core a lot to control the EUC and to stay balanced. I don't know how much thought you have given to learning but my advice is that a lot of videos are actually wrong on this. Many advocate for holding on to something as a steady guide, that is what I did and it was just the opposite of what I needed to do.

In my experience you want to learn completely free standing. Start with one foot on and just roll back and forth, it's a very small step but that is the beginning of teaching your body. Then you hop a little with the other foot while rolling forward (or backward) a bit. Eventually you progress to bringing your second foot onboard for a moment. This whole thing is teaching you mounting and dismounting which is the foundation of riding. From there you will progress into riding short distances, so on and so forth.

Just trying to get on and ride without having an innate understanding and body memory of mounting/dismounting doesn't work well, especially for a older rider. I'm 60 BTW...

Edited November 17, 2022 by Roadpower

[Tawpie]

Ah, to be "getting closer to 60". Those were the days.

I have an S18 with the mono-customize "Russian" pads and they do look good, but they're more for looks than function. They're definitely comfortable to push against, but like the stock pads they only give you a bit more leverage. However, that's a good thing because while the S18 is a very capable wheel, it has a battery setup that limits its available power so with 'proper' push pads it's fairly easy to overpower. I'm guessing that Clark and Grizzla and Torque and the other big names in pads don't make much for the S18 because they don't sell well. If you want to ride in a way that really needs proper pads, you will graduate from S18 in short order.

I'm a real fan of the Roll.nz, but not for the S18. There isn't that much to cover up, and the shell is pretty tough. I wouldn't bother.

Spiked pedals... after you get pretty comfortable free-mounting, then absolutely get spiked pedals or spiked inserts or spike your own inserts. The downside of spikes is they really do keep your foot in place. During the learning phase it's difficult/impossible to get your second foot placed properly and you need to shift it a little. The sandpaper allows you to scoot your foot around without lifting your foot completely off the pedal (that's also known as riding on 1 leg), so I'd recommend staying with sandpaper until you're fairly far along your learning curve (you can free-mount with confidence and ride several feet on one leg). FWIW, I have Nylonoves on both my 16X and S18… they're very nice.

Huh. I just recommended "no additional stuff to buy". I guess I'm kind of a killjoy.

Do heed @Daley1's advice. When I was learning I got tangled up in the wheel at 0 mph, fell and lightly sprained my ankle and landed pretty hard on my hip. I was wearing basic skater gear and the ankle kept me off the wheel for 3 days. The good thing about the enforced break was it gave time for proper gear to arrive... the Visa card got quite a workout.

I went with level 2 moto gear because as @Paulo Mesquita said: "at our age, what gets broke, stays broke". I have had many a tumble (I prefer off road), and absolutely zero injuries. Granted, I don't go fast and I don't jump, but I do ride technical trails (moto gear is good against sticker bushes BTW) and my MTen3 did dump me on the street. My better half and kids were rather concerned with me riding, but once they realized that objecting was a waste of an argument, I got no objection to buying high quality safety gear.

Welcome to the nuthouse. Start saving for wheels 2 and 3, because it can't be helped.

 

Edited November 17, 2022 by Tawpie

[Cerbera]

Tawpie's answer there is excellent, and I dropped in to say pretty much what he did., so he has saved me the time !

And indeed I would echo his sentiments about what to spend your money on. Not the machine initially. Safety gear, safety gear, safety gear !

When you get to 50+, the falls can really hurt without it, and take a very long time to heal, but if you have that gear from the word go there there will rarely be a crash you can't get straight up and walk away from. And then have a little sit down before getting right back on it and wheeling yourself home ! At our age, you want ALL the joints covered, so that in the inevitable falls to come you can laugh them off and earn your valuable XP without anything hurting too badly  

The chances of falling start to drop off quite dramatically (but never fully disappear of course) once you get 6 months daily experience behind you, which should reassure your family somewhat  And as others have said, they will see how much joy it brings you, and that you are doing it properly by having all the gear.

But what a hobby - hard to find a sense of freedom and a ride feeling like it anywhere else...

Edited November 17, 2022 by Cerbera

[Carey]

Hi, 

I'm in your same position and have had similar questions as to what should I be looking at after the purchase of my first wheel is complete. When I began watching EUC videos and saw all the folks geared up like motocross, my first thought was I don't need that. But then I kept seeing the falls and near falls, and decided I do need that! I'm still recovering from an elbow injury while monkeying around in some trees almost a year ago. I know I'm going to fall during the learning process and for a period thereafter, so pads will be my "time insurance", as in at my age I don't have the time to be sidelined from my new hobby due to injury. Pad up to be able to get back up! 

Enjoy the ride, 

Carey

[h00ktern]

Closer to sixty than fifty...

1. Helmet, wrist guards.
2. Elbow, knee pads.
3. Hip pads.
4. You should be physically fit and not fragile.
5. You will fall.

If you are confident in your abilty to trip up and tumble from a jog or sprint, then you should be ok. When riding, do not exceed the speed that you can run off - because you will have to do exactly that. I tend to believe in not using any aids when learning. It's better to learn up front, how to step off or run out a fall. Tie a strap to the handle, hold onto it with one hand, and try not to flail the other arm too much. Alternate hands. As you progress (speed is needed for stability,) never forget you might have to run off that speed.

If you can handle that, then you should be fine, and time on the wheel will make you safer - but know that these wheels are not 100% reliable and safe. Accept that you might get hurt and suffer the consequences.

You can trip stepping through your door, or slip in the shower... but you continue to do those things. Does your family worry about you crashing your car? Stuff happens. It's life.

You are most likely to get hurt while learning, followed by speed beyond your experience, then forgetting these things can hurt you.

With that said, you are more likely to survive it.

[LowFlyingSquirrel]

Many great tips here, thanks for all the contributions! I was recently learning to ride on a V8F, I was very worried about damaging it. At first I was practising on the road, and every time I would need to fall, I didn't have the freedom to because I was trying to save the wheel which made the falls harder. Then I practised on dirt / grass, and having the freedom to let the wheel fall while worrying about myself made falls a lot easier. I would consider practising on grass while you're learning the basic techniques. You could have someone help you get on the wheel, but it's better when you're balancing yourself without an aid.

[Paul A]

Welcome Grandpa_Jay

 

Maybe try this.

Custom made to measure.  You need to measure yourself as according to the diagram, and submit with the order.

It is Full Grain leather, the highest quality.

Extremely good value.

Seller has 100% positive feedback, from 186 reviews.

Seller has many other motorcycle suits listed as well.

Seems buyer can choose between a two piece with zipper attaching jacket and pants, or a one piece.

Not sure why it is in French. 

Use Google translate for English.

 

US $270.53

Shipping and handling (approx US $62.42) To United States

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/254753515548?hash=item3b507e281c:g:gFsAAOSwAwtfja~N&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAABIBq3DNa4hcKXeOHWCXazcaCExUJAAj4%2BfG2ViE%2Bilckujy9ZkTcNsbYdQGO0H%2BkP6zx724wiSYk5EU1xxJJY%2BWzEHnPipf2gO6usq25LlctSDfu8%2FzSXft4OBPfJLW%2BdjpnuAc93%2BVB95sgtCRsSSOxAiOVLNuMquVTpH1TyLLuMQrYl2lvC386gLnV6wYB6saqKUPaFZGnV67ONer2MHdhJHv1hUOEJnpP56p3EYiTszMN4YBkMwwUZyIoVEcsffZaUvUOkruXj6ayks7TzYDpzbVBYG4xRZZHnRXcTjGBtjnHLqBB%2FYe0UDfdT3Iiho70lhEwtSr%2BF1TjAha%2FWcQKVERZDp4cPHu6LKssdAostTeQqYGY5QDKQ%2BGlJ%2BQQvVw%3D%3D|tkp%3ABFBMrvbk15Bh

 

Edited December 18, 2022 by Paul A
Full grain leather

[Paul A]

7 hours ago, Cerbera said:

Tawpie's answer there is excellent, and I dropped in to say pretty much what he did., so he has saved me the time !

 

Think Tawpie is a girl. 

 

tawpie in British English

(ˈtɔːpɪ )

noun

Scottish

a foolish or maladroit young woman

Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

 

 

Edited November 17, 2022 by Paul A

[Cerbera]

9 minutes ago, Paul A said:

Welcome Grandpa_Jay

 

Maybe try this.

Custom made to measure.  You need to measure yourself as according to the diagram, and submit with the order.

It is Top Grain leather, the highest quality.

Extremely good value.

Seller has 100% positive feedback, from 186 reviews.

Seller has many other motorcycle suits listed as well.

Seems buyer can choose between a two piece with zipper attaching jacket and pants, or a one piece.

Not sure why it is in French. 

Use Google translate for English.

 

US $270.53

Shipping and handling (approx US $62.42) To United States

 

The only thing I don't like about those is the thickened pads to the side of the knees, which might interfere with the pads on your wheel.

[The Brahan Seer]

Everything @Tawpie says is excellent advice. When I first started the sides of my legs against the EUC would get very sore so I put acoustic foam that I had lying around on the sides to alleviate this. After a while I removed them as my technique and muscle strength grew.

Some people like riding locked in, whilst others prefer to be loose without pads or spiked pedals, so it comes down to personal preference.

I started out with triple8 knee and wrist guards and a helmet for the first few months or so. I did also get elbow guards too later on. As you get better, go faster or start going on roads/trails then its time to upgrade gear.

I would strongly suggest hip protection as I also had very old motorcycle jeans that has these. They did save me a few times.

The first few months will be about building up your strength in all your leg and core muscles. 

Although the S18 is now considered a lighter wheel (25Kg) that is still heavy for legs to throw around. When I started folk recommended much lighter wheels to start. This certainly is easier but whats the fun in that. I had and still do have an absolute blast on my S18 . Its a great suspension wheel to learn on. Not too powerful so it keeps you out of mischief.  I think EUC's are much safer than scooters.

The learning curve for me was tough, took me about 5 hours to manage to ride the damn thing and probably 6 months to feel comfortable.

But i loved every moment of it and the first 6 months are the best. Enjoy!

I am in my fifties. 

 

Edited November 17, 2022 by The Brahan Seer
Forgot to add: also wear sturdy boots! Stops ankle injuries.

[Paul A]

32 minutes ago, Cerbera said:

The only thing I don't like about those is the thickened pads to the side of the knees, which might interfere with the pads on your wheel.

 

The knee 'pucks' or sliders, can be detached. 

They are held in place with velcro.

[Paul A]

Level 2 CE knee pads are good for hip protection.

Attach with velcro to inside of pants.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/374096167833?hash=item5719de8399:g:tfIAAOSwnopijoEL&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoMhRYBwuw32%2Fcqiih%2F7Gp62VHVLkWMFx9qFSb%2BfvtJGyBsE11Pn4J4O%2FJeIV%2BwS%2BxyykkIqc0jDds8q7htr80yamIQBgJpMSyIxfBjtcH4BkeyqPr75CrmCD1qRX7%2FrlY44pKebfCAD9XYWXlZgoFckk0vFpNWqotfyh%2BnWkAtYcC2GkcvfS1YWa1mY3zcFJ2J1JO36ASfycREX4X3yFrJE%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR4rL5duQYQ

 

[NewB]

I am 58 and am awaiting the delivery of my first wheel. I am in pretty good shape, but...58. I had disc surgery about 10 years ago, but I am in otherwise in very good health. My Molicel equipped S18 should be shipping at the end of the month (hopefully). I chose the S18 for its suspension, weight, and the fact that it has been through enough iterations that I will (probably) not have to perform major surgery to get it in prime working order. I looked at the V11 but the S18 makes more sense for me from an engineering perspective. Also, if I don't like the shock, I can swap it out for something that better fits my diminutive frame - with gear, I will be lucky to weigh 150...holding a cinderblock. 

At first, I was a bit irritated that there would be a three month wait for my wheel, but I think it is for the best. It gave me time to order some really good safety kit. I was able to get a Dianese Linea 01 full face helmet with matching goggles (my eyes tend to water in the wind), Leatt knee pads, Dianese elbow pads, padded underwear (to protect the hips), and I will be getting a jacket very soon (whenever I'm done researching one). The only other thing I am mulling over is a Boblbee backpack (or maybe Velomacchi purely for the sake of vanity - I have been looking for a reason to buy one for years). The awesome thing about the wait was that I wasn't in a hurry to buy gear and was able to shop around, read way too many reviews, and find some killer deals. 

[Steve Evans]

On 11/17/2022 at 8:52 AM, NewB said:

I am 58 and am awaiting the delivery of my first wheel. I am in pretty good shape, but...58. I had disc surgery about 10 years ago, but I am in otherwise in very good health. My Molicel equipped S18 should be shipping at the end of the month (hopefully). I chose the S18 for its suspension, weight, and the fact that it has been through enough iterations that I will (probably) not have to perform major surgery to get it in prime working order. I looked at the V11 but the S18 makes more sense for me from an engineering perspective. Also, if I don't like the shock, I can swap it out for something that better fits my diminutive frame - with gear, I will be lucky to weigh 150...holding a cinderblock. 

At first, I was a bit irritated that there would be a three month wait for my wheel, but I think it is for the best. It gave me time to order some really good safety kit. I was able to get a Dianese Linea 01 full face helmet with matching goggles (my eyes tend to water in the wind), Leatt knee pads, Dianese elbow pads, padded underwear (to protect the hips), and I will be getting a jacket very soon (whenever I'm done researching one). The only other thing I am mulling over is a Boblbee backpack (or maybe Velomacchi purely for the sake of vanity - I have been looking for a reason to buy one for years). The awesome thing about the wait was that I wasn't in a hurry to buy gear and was able to shop around, read way too many reviews, and find some killer deals. 

@NewB i live in raleigh too and have been riding for a little over a year. i ride a v12 and have a sherman s on order. we have a local euc group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/6357266667647101 . i look forward to riding with you. btw, i am 65yo.

steve

[Big Bad Ron]

I still say do not put spikes on until you can ride well, or you will be taking them back off after your first wipe out .

 

[Steve Evans]

1 hour ago, Big Bad Ron said:

I still say do not put spikes on until you can ride well, or you will be taking them back off after your first wipe out .

 

agreed. and no pads either

[Grandpa_Jay]

Wow- Our paths sound so similar!  Only difference is I found an S18 in stock.  It arrived late yesterday!  I got it all unboxed and charged.  I am going to try it soon... 

THANKS to all of you for the replies.  After reading, I have ordered better armor, no pads or pedals for now.  Here goes nothing!

[mangorides]

Welcome to the community, it seems like every day I have been hearing about a new person buying an EUC when others don't think they have much business to ride on at their age and I absolutely love it, I hope we can help you on your journey as well.

Also, I think all of us know what its like to have people tell us we have no way of being on a electric unicycle whether its because of age or lack of experience and other factors but as much as those people are looking out for us whose to say we can't pick up a new skill and hobby and have some fun

I wish you great luck on your journey, theres nothing you can't find out about your wheel or just general tips and tricks that isn't on youtube or the forums, have a great day!

-mango

[Gazza-usa]

I’m 56.  You’ll be fine!  Actually you’ll be better than fine.  Once you get the hang of it you won’t need a mobility device when you hit 80!!  ;-).  Just wear pads and good hand and head protection.

[Gazza-usa]

On 11/16/2022 at 9:27 PM, Roadpower said:

I'm curious about something, but first, hello! Welcome to the forum. So the question comes to mind is if you are able to do lets say a pratfall on a lawn.  Like when you were a kid you could fall forward and roll and not have a single issue with that. If you can do that even gingerly you may be okay to ride. If not I think it understandably difficult to recommend riding. Also a small wheel scooter is indeed dangerous because the wheels get caught in ruts easy. This danger can be mitigated by very careful observation of the roadway but one little slip will get you.

Obviously the much larger wheel on a EUC largely removes this issue, but not completely. You still need to develop reflexes for irregular pavement issues but it is no where near as bad as the scooter is.

I'm also wondering how much strength you have in your abdomen because that will need to be strong to support your lower back. If you are weak in that area I think you may want to work on that first. You are going to be twisting your core a lot to control the EUC and to stay balanced. I don't know how much thought you have given to learning but my advice is that a lot of videos are actually wrong on this. Many advocate for holding on to something as a steady guide, that is what I did and it was just the opposite of what I needed to do.

In my experience you want to learn completely free standing. Start with one foot on and just roll back and forth, it's a very small step but that is the beginning of teaching your body. Then you hop a little with the other foot while rolling forward (or backward) a bit. Eventually you progress to bringing your second foot onboard for a moment. This whole thing is teaching you mounting and dismounting which is the foundation of riding. From there you will progress into riding short distances, so on and so forth.

Just trying to get on and ride without having an innate understanding and body memory of mounting/dismounting doesn't work well, especially for a older rider. I'm 60 BTW...

My take is that from a musculature point of view, you need reasonable quads.  Other than that it’s like standing up once you’re moving so if you can do that for a few hours you should be fine.  From a hitting bumps and ruts standpoint you bend your knees.  It’s akin to moguls in skiing of you are familiar with that.  Effectively when you approach a bump you slightly bend your knees and take the shock as your torso keeps in a fixed horizontal position.  Then you stand up again.

 

I’ve literally taken mine out today for the first time in 2+ years (I’ve been too involved with other sports) and it came back in an instant.  My mounting still needs work as I couldn’t remember that properly.  Will figure it out soon enough!! 😁

For the record it took me about 4 solid days (with breaks from exhaustion) to figure put the balance part. I used a chain fence to hold on to.  You have to give yourself a vit of time to assimilate the completely alien way balance and moving.  It is very different to any other mode of transport but is so rewarding.  It's akin to levitation once you get it!!  Well worth it!! 

Edited November 20, 2022 by Gazza-usa

[Gazza-usa]

On 11/17/2022 at 4:28 AM, Paul A said:

Welcome Grandpa_Jay

 

Maybe try this.

Custom made to measure.  You need to measure yourself as according to the diagram, and submit with the order.

It is Top Grain leather, the highest quality.

Extremely good value.

Seller has 100% positive feedback, from 186 reviews.

Seller has many other motorcycle suits listed as well.

Seems buyer can choose between a two piece with zipper attaching jacket and pants, or a one piece.

Not sure why it is in French. 

Use Google translate for English.

 

US $270.53

Shipping and handling (approx US $62.42) To United States

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/254753515548?hash=item3b507e281c:g:gFsAAOSwAwtfja~N&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAABIBq3DNa4hcKXeOHWCXazcaCExUJAAj4%2BfG2ViE%2Bilckujy9ZkTcNsbYdQGO0H%2BkP6zx724wiSYk5EU1xxJJY%2BWzEHnPipf2gO6usq25LlctSDfu8%2FzSXft4OBPfJLW%2BdjpnuAc93%2BVB95sgtCRsSSOxAiOVLNuMquVTpH1TyLLuMQrYl2lvC386gLnV6wYB6saqKUPaFZGnV67ONer2MHdhJHv1hUOEJnpP56p3EYiTszMN4YBkMwwUZyIoVEcsffZaUvUOkruXj6ayks7TzYDpzbVBYG4xRZZHnRXcTjGBtjnHLqBB%2FYe0UDfdT3Iiho70lhEwtSr%2BF1TjAha%2FWcQKVERZDp4cPHu6LKssdAostTeQqYGY5QDKQ%2BGlJ%2BQQvVw%3D%3D|tkp%3ABFBMrvbk15Bh

 

IMO a full motorcycle suit is overkill for a beginner.  They’ll be fighting a suit and the balance.  I started with knee + elbow pads, full face trail motorcycle helmet and wrist guards.   I then added a padded vented trail motorcycle jacket (my profile photo).  That way I can add clothing layers as it gets cooler.  I also have some motorcycle jeans which have padded knees and kevlar weave.  Motorcycle jackets are good if you have them but I wouldn’t immediate buy his kind of gear until you know what terrain you’ll be riding on and the weather conditions.

Edited November 20, 2022 by Gazza-usa