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


Grandpa_Jay

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Kiwi mark, we both have very similar learning curves. Unfortunately at 2 months in now I’m sidelined due to a recent fall on ice at work, my right ribs still hurt like hell (as it’s 2:30am and can’t sleep) an it’s gonna be a while before I feel safe getting back on …

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17 hours ago, Rich_D said:

I have been eyeing the inmotion V12 as it was recommended as a good starter wheel that I can grow into with experience. 

Something to consider when choosing a wheel. The impact on your Knee's is a lot greater on a non suspension wheel. If you are fit and have good knees then its probably all good. 

 Wrongway says that now he has experienced suspension wheels that he likes he doesn't want to go back. I learned on the S18 and am grateful for the suspension. I've ridden non suspension wheels and experienced how quickly it hurts the knees and wears you down. [I imagine with experience you get used to it though]

The riding style of a suspension wheel is very different. You don't need to worry about the potholes and uneven surface or the potential to be bounced or thrown off.

You don't have to keep scanning the road surface in front of you all the time. This means you can focus on situational awareness more. Plus experienced users can go faster on a suspension wheel compared to the non suspension equivalent.

Pedal height is not an issue if you don't know any different. Weight certainly is though. I found 25Kg hard to learn on and know a lighter wheel would have been easier. But I wasn't in a race, had plenty of time to learn it and enjoyed the additional challenge.

Non suspension does have its advantages though. The lower pedal height does make accelerating more responsive and easier and you do have more stability. Plus they do tend to be lighter.

I agree with what has been said earlier the V12 probably has the right amount of speed, power and range for later on. The S18 probably not, but that depends on your requirements and expectations too. I live in a small town so 20 miles is a long trip for me. Probably average 8-12miles, but I know if I lived in a bigger place or less remote then I would want to travel much further. Just food for thought. Getting a non suspension wheel that ticks the right boxes and is at the right price is better than no wheel at all.

 

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2 hours ago, The Brahan Seer said:

The impact on your knees is a lot greater on a non-suspension wheel.

And your back ! I used to have fairly chronic backache riding my MS3, which has all but disappeared with the advent of the Master. Suspension FTW ! :)

 

 

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I still would choose non-suspension wheel. Simply for more reliability. (Viewpoint from someone who uses euc as means of transport, not as a hobby.)

So suspension - no problems, nothing to break.

I'm 280lbs and i don't feel any pains. -Then again i'm not glued to wheel whole day, riding around meaninglessly.. Most have done ~2hrs.

Edited by Funky
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13 hours ago, Cerbera said:

...(falls happen for a plethora of reasons)...

I can imagine any number of non-wheel-related disasters that could befall me during any given day.

Just because I can imagine them doesn't mean they are inevitably going to happen.

 

 

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15 hours ago, Crab said:

Kiwi mark, we both have very similar learning curves. Unfortunately at 2 months in now I’m sidelined due to a recent fall on ice at work, my right ribs still hurt like hell (as it’s 2:30am and can’t sleep) an it’s gonna be a while before I feel safe getting back on …

That sucks, hope you heal up well and are back riding as soon as you are OK to do so.

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I believe you are more advanced than you think.

What you can do is to accelerate quicker, and then brake harder to the next pole. You need to cruise at a slightly higher speed. Once you are comfortable, then try to make U-turns. After that, try riding in a larger space where you can ride and ride.

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3 hours ago, Grandpa_Jay said:

I SUCK at taking video of myself!!

Not at all, the video was great! It provided us a lot of information.

 Like @techyiam said, you are more advanced than you think. Your posture is great, your speed is good, and you even follow a direct line.

 What I might concentrate next is two things:

- Open it up! You need much longer distances so you have time to learn to relax on the wheel.

- Turning. Going just from pole to pole you aren’t learning how to turn. In order to turn in a tighter radius you need to tilt the wheel a lot between your legs. The top of the S18 is pretty wide, so it requires more effort to turn tightly. You need to make sure that your feet aren’t tightly hugging the shell, and spread your knees wide open while turning so the wheel has room to tilt. And I’m talking about a pretty radical tilting here: (Old video of mine:)

 

You should also consider starting to practice free mounting. Hop forward with one foot on the wheel, and just make the hop longer and longer, and that’s it!

Edited by mrelwood
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3 hours ago, Grandpa_Jay said:

But... Drumroll please - I am close! I

 

You are damn close.  Just get in some practice of free-mounting and dismounting and practice your turning and you are all go!  I don't think it would take very long at all to go from where you are right now to being able to ride around enjoying yourself.

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After watching your video, you need a larger area to practice in, such as a long outdoor parking lot, with something you can use for supported mount and launch (like your car). This will allow you to ride at a bit faster speed (6 to 8 mph should be enough) where the EUC will become stable, and you won't have to focus on balance. Once at a stable speed, you can learn to tilt steer (inner foot down, outer foot up), doing small tilts at first to see how the EUC reacts, then mild weave side to side, and finally large radius turns (assuming there's enough room). 

Tilt steering is complicated because the amount you tilt the EUC depends on tire and turning radius, and is mostly independent of speed, while how much you lean depends on speed and turning radius (lateral acceleration = speed squared / radius). You'll need to learn to coordinate how much to tilt the EUC and how much to lean. In my case, I did practice drills where I would lean a bit, then tilt my EUC inwards enough to straighten me back up, for balance correction, doing a weave pattern on a long and wide straight. I gradually extended the weave by at first tilting only enough to hold the lean angle somewhat steady, before tilting inwards more to return to vertical.

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My friend you are ready to go! Find a good big empty parking lot and just a tad more speed and enjoy, relax and have some fun. (With helmet and gear of course)

when I started seat riding I was going about that same speed, it wasn’t until I went a bit faster that it got way easier.

Edited by Crab
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10 hours ago, Grandpa_Jay said:

but then I can't turn

 

Maybe this video will help. 

Gradual curves first, but at a lower speed.

 

EUC - Cornering Practice Session

gm2Y9OUP_9pPDyF64ASWGdeuRimK2gTRKQ9XGELO
Dec 5, 2022
 
An afternoon of practicing those corners!
We are starting to get a bit better at leaning in, getting lower and taking corners at speed.
Man it is fun.
 
 
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11 hours ago, Grandpa_Jay said:

 I might get those studded pedals for Christmas after all.

I found that regular pedal studs way to "grippy". And they would mess up bottoms of my shoes. (I like to move my feet around while riding..)

I replaced regular studs with stainless "hex socket screws". The screw heads are big enough to give plenty grip. And sametime no sharp edges that would destroy my shoes.

 

Just wanted to mention that.

 

Ps - Stop using poles.. Free mount the thing. :D Simply jump on and do hard lean forwards, so wheel starts take up speed.. Do the "trust fall" forwards. (Doh i didn't have any problems riding. So i can't really speak about that.) -First ever ride i free mounted (I learned to free mount first, before even attempting to ride.) And i went forwards without any problems, 5 mins later i was turning left/right and going in circles. 

The first 3 days i simply stood in place, jumping on/off the pedals. :D (I wasn't leaning forwards enough - so wheel wasn't going forwards.) If only i had leaned harder right from the beginning. I think i would have been riding the same day i started. 4th day i had enough and i did "superman lean" forwards. Wheel took up speed and i went forwards. Riding came very easy to me. Mounting i had problems. :D

 Now i don't even look at euc while mounting, simply push of with one leg, start riding and after 2-3 sec place my feet on pedal. And move it into position, if i misplace it.

Edited by Funky
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17 hours ago, mrelwood said:

video was great!

This one is!  Sadly the other 20 attempts would give 3 seconds of my ass and then stop! LOL  Funny story - just outside view of the camera is the parking lot - BIG, empty, just what I need - except it is gravel.  One day while getting close to done, I rode from the end of the pavillion, to the other end turned right, down the sidewalk to where you must turn or jump the curb to the parking lot.  I decided to be brave - walked the wheel to the car to get on the wheel and give the parking lot a try.  Fell hard I did!  ONE tiny little puddle, about the size of my foot - freaked me out I guess? I saw it, the wheel hit it and I was on the ground.  I haven't tried the gravel again.  

I know I am about ready for a bigger area.  We have a high of 41 tomorrow - my titanium spine and I just don't get along with the cold!

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7 minutes ago, Grandpa_Jay said:

I know I am about ready for a bigger area

I agree, you will be able to make minor corrections and learn some memory muscle if you go on an extended ride. I think you have the basics down pat now you just need to get some time in riding the wheel. Good luck and thanks again for the update.

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All my early falls were in my gravel driveway, now at 25psi I’m fine. My one short ride on the s18 like yours was GREAT on pavement,  on gravel with tire pressure probably 35 I did not enjoy it at all!

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22 minutes ago, Grandpa_Jay said:

This one is!  Sadly the other 20 attempts would give 3 seconds of my ass and then stop! LOL  Funny story - just outside view of the camera is the parking lot - BIG, empty, just what I need - except it is gravel.  One day while getting close to done, I rode from the end of the pavillion, to the other end turned right, down the sidewalk to where you must turn or jump the curb to the parking lot.  I decided to be brave - walked the wheel to the car to get on the wheel and give the parking lot a try.  Fell hard I did!  ONE tiny little puddle, about the size of my foot - freaked me out I guess? I saw it, the wheel hit it and I was on the ground.  I haven't tried the gravel again.  

I know I am about ready for a bigger area.  We have a high of 41 tomorrow - my titanium spine and I just don't get along with the cold!

Remind my first time riding on my 18xl. (I learned on ks16s, when i could ride it ~6hrs "learning". I bought my personal 18xl.)

The very first time i rode it, i went on gravel road. Not packed down.. I rode it didn't see apple size rock and rode over it, going ~10km/h speed. Whole wheel went sideways. My legs went like this-image, luckily i didn't fall. :D My very first ride and o-shit moment. :D 

 

1604889_925c8.gif 

I also did a belly flop when i was "learning" on ks16s. Knees wasn't bent and drove in ground hole/divet. Learned from that time always keep bent legs at off-road.. :D  As saying goes at learning stage. 1 hr off-road = 12 hrs on smooth ground riding.

Edited by Funky
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2 hours ago, Grandpa_Jay said:

I have successfully free mounted a few times.

There's no point in free mounting before you learn to ride first using support to mount and launch, and as you've discovered, it is much more tiring for some riders. Learn to ride before free mount is what Kuji Rolls and Wrong Way state in their how to ride videos. Once you have learned to ride, free mounting won't be an issue. 

Normally when learning, extend your arms for balance and get up to a stable speed, where you'll no longer need to use extended arms for balance. I did start off at 3 to 5 mph in a tennis court, arm flailing: flail left to twist EUC right and vice versa (yaw steering), able to do laps around a tennis court on my first attempt at arm flailing, but it was a step I could have saved for later. I moved to a long outdoor parking lot where at 6 to 8 mph, my V8F became stable and I could relax my arms, and as I posted before, I learned to tilt steer. I waited until day 5 after I could basically ride and was able to free mount on my third try after compensating for my only time on a grassy field.

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