Begode A2

[Phonoman]

13 hours ago, Jamez said:

I’m on the fence about buying an A2. I’m a new rider about 3-4 hours of experience.  I have an Mten4 getting use to it but feel a larger wheel would be more stable for longer rides. I don’t want to spend much for a second wheel and don’t feel suspension ie necessary for the type of riding I’m interested In. Mostly riding around the neighbourhood.  Would you recommend the A2?    

Unless you're thinking about getting 3 wheels, I'd say definitely not. You already have a small, light wheel. A better performance one (in all regards) will be much better as you will soon outgrow the mten4 and A2, if you bought it - and would be on the lookout again. You'll be happy for that decision in the longterm.  

[Funky]

1 hour ago, Phonoman said:

Unless you're thinking about getting 3 wheels, I'd say definitely not. You already have a small, light wheel. A better performance one (in all regards) will be much better as you will soon outgrow the mten4 and A2, if you bought it - and would be on the lookout again. You'll be happy for that decision in the longterm.  

Hey Country brother.  

Not everyone needs/wants a big wheel.. (I'm personally looking for something lighter than my 18xl - for my next wheel. No way in hell i'm going bigger and heavier.) Also Mten4 is a "joke" of a wheel. You can't really compare it to anything else. A2 being very close to 16" wheel - it's night and day difference. The wheel size alone are worth getting. Because ride will be more comfortable.

Mten4 was what 6.5" rim? And tire diameter being right on mark 10"? Tire diameter 10" vs 16" quit a difference. (25Cm vs 40Cm)

1 hour ago, Cerbera said:

You should mention that more often  lols...

Yes i will - till they stop making shit heavy turds and start making 20xx-2018 year last mileage wheels again.  Around ~2018 was when actually good wheels where released. Anything past that was more or less in motorcycle territory. Nothing wrong with that.. IF they didn't stop making lightweight altogether.

Just for you. <3

2 hours ago, Funky said:

(All new wheels are simply 2 big.. And 2 heavy..)

 

Edited October 5, 2023 by Funky

[Phonoman]

13 minutes ago, Funky said:

Hey Country brother.  

Not everyone needs/wants a big wheel.. (I'm personally looking for something lighter than my 18xl - for my next wheel. No way in hell i'm going bigger and heavier.) Also Mten4 is a "joke" of a wheel. You can't really compare it to anything else. A2 being very close to 16" wheel - it's night and day difference. The wheel size alone are worth getting. Because ride will be more comfortable.

 

Labvakar.

Sure thing, to each to their own.  He didn't specify if small/big wheel is a big factor, tho, and I might be projecting , but seemed like he could be walking in my shoes - I also started on a small one and outgrew it real quick. He's 3 hours in and also thinking about upgrading..  

Edited October 5, 2023 by Phonoman

[Funky]

57 minutes ago, Phonoman said:

Labvakar.

Sure thing, to each to their own.  He didn't specify if small/big wheel is a big factor, tho, and I might be projecting , but seemed like he could be walking in my shoes - I also started on a small one and outgrew it real quick. He's 3 hours in and also thinking about upgrading..  

He also said "riding around the neighborhood". I personally would not even wanna buy Mten4 - simply because it's a kid EUC at best. Or adult "trick" wheel. Not meant really for riding. You know what i mean...

His mistake was buying Mten4. And not buying a "real" euc.  

Anyways he needs to know what speeds he really wanna ride and what weight he wanna carry around, if he has to carry his wheel. I personally would love to own Sherman Max, or now Inmotion V14. But real world use case - those wheels would be wasted on me. As my commute is only ~5km daily, riding around ~25Km/h speeds not geared. And the weight is simply a deal breaker for me.. If only i didn't need to carry my wheel. I would have bought some big ass monster EUC and ride same speeds/distances. But with very big smile/grin on my face, as everyone would look at my sweet ride.  

Edited October 5, 2023 by Funky

[Phonoman]

Btw, @mrelwood or any other mod, can you change the topic title from "A2" to "Begode A2"? Otherwise the search doesn't return anything for those interested (me included before seeing this in recent posts) - probably because the title is less than 3 characters long. 

Edited October 6, 2023 by Phonoman

[OldSolo]

5 hours ago, Phonoman said:

Btw, @mrelwood or any other mod, can you change the topic title from "A2" to "Begode A2"? Otherwise the search doesn't return anything for those interested (me included before seeing this in recent posts) - probably because the title is less than 3 letters long. 

Agreed!  I find the same problem with searches like this.

[mrelwood]

On 10/6/2023 at 12:54 PM, Phonoman said:

Btw, @mrelwood or any other mod, can you change the topic title from "A2" to "Begode A2"?

Good idea, done.

[OldSolo]

I picked up a Pirelli Angel 3.0-10 tire for this wheel.  As a beginning rider I find slow speed tight turns and such to feel sketchy.  From the first video Marty posted, several riders commented on the tire (hence his riding the 'assasin' wheel w/ street tire) and so this seemed a good move.  What I did NOT realize is that changing a tire on this thing is a RATHER INVOLVED process!  I started removing side panels & pedal-related hardware - finally realize that there is no connector except directly to the control board.  So I have moved on to other projects for the moment, coming back to this tomorrow.

It is a good opportunity to examine the structure of the wheel.  The weight that SOMEONE around here constantly complains about seems to be due to structure.  There are small ribs added to the aluminum side panels to add structural strength.  But there is simply no way for a "light" and strong wheel without changing materials.  Go with a bunch of titanium or perhaps aeromet steel (having been somewhat of a weight-weenie in my MTB racing days, I have weighed MANY parts over the years!), remove the additional pads they have added to the sides (thin plastic of the past looked stupid & served no purpose), and remove some of the seals, etc.  No - it appears to me that improving durability necessitates weight BEFORE even thinking of suspension. 

I have had two little threaded inserts in the aluminum side panels (this is where the pads are screwed down) that had sheared from the surrounding plate.  I will likely add a bit of JB Weld to reattach them, but I will send pictures to Begode.  I will document the specifics when I have things together, a few labeled photos & instructions, to help others who may follow along this path.  I really detest having to watch & listen to YT videos for 15 minutes to learn something that a paragraph & a diagram or two would cover.  Sadly, manuals seem to be 'old0-fashioned' in this present age.

It is a shame that there is no easy way around this involved process, it would be good to be able to swap tires more easily.  When some wheels have been reviewed & this process has been 'easy' I was encouraged ... but alas it is not to be!  Somehow a high current carrying sealed connector, readily accessible from the outside, is needed but I don't know of anything like that.

[RetroThruster]

1 hour ago, OldSolo said:

I picked up a Pirelli Angel 3.0-10 tire for this wheel.  As a beginning rider I find slow speed tight turns and such to feel sketchy.  From the first video Marty posted, several riders commented on the tire (hence his riding the 'assasin' wheel w/ street tire) and so this seemed a good move.  What I did NOT realize is that changing a tire on this thing is a RATHER INVOLVED process!  I started removing side panels & pedal-related hardware - finally realize that there is no connector except directly to the control board.  So I have moved on to other projects for the moment, coming back to this tomorrow.

It is a good opportunity to examine the structure of the wheel.  The weight that SOMEONE around here constantly complains about seems to be due to structure.  There are small ribs added to the aluminum side panels to add structural strength.  But there is simply no way for a "light" and strong wheel without changing materials.  Go with a bunch of titanium or perhaps aeromet steel (having been somewhat of a weight-weenie in my MTB racing days, I have weighed MANY parts over the years!), remove the additional pads they have added to the sides (thin plastic of the past looked stupid & served no purpose), and remove some of the seals, etc.  No - it appears to me that improving durability necessitates weight BEFORE even thinking of suspension. 

I have had two little threaded inserts in the aluminum side panels (this is where the pads are screwed down) that had sheared from the surrounding plate.  I will likely add a bit of JB Weld to reattach them, but I will send pictures to Begode.  I will document the specifics when I have things together, a few labeled photos & instructions, to help others who may follow along this path.  I really detest having to watch & listen to YT videos for 15 minutes to learn something that a paragraph & a diagram or two would cover.  Sadly, manuals seem to be 'old0-fashioned' in this present age.

It is a shame that there is no easy way around this involved process, it would be good to be able to swap tires more easily.  When some wheels have been reviewed & this process has been 'easy' I was encouraged ... but alas it is not to be!  Somehow a high current carrying sealed connector, readily accessible from the outside, is needed but I don't know of anything like that.

Thanks for the insight, mine is still solid as a rock but I've not done any removing of parts, I'm sure I'll find something but so far, so good.  I agree about the tire on road but mine sees more grassy/gravel riding so it's not bad, I'll live with my stocker for a while, mostly because I'm lazy:)  Look forward to your thoughts on the teardown!

Edited October 12, 2023 by RetroThruster

[OldSolo]

So I installed the Pirelli Angel 3.0-10

 

and just rode for a few minutes.  BIG difference turning, much easier to feel in control.  Now the disassembly required to change a tire is a bit annoying - the problem is the cable to the wheel.  I took more apart than needed before I understood how the wheel separated.  Begode's solution to waterproofing is similar to their suspension design => somebody just throwing something together & moving forward.  The redesign of the Extreme linkage as noted HERE is an elegant solution (thanks @Vince.Fab - will it require a firstborn child to obtain a set of your links?) to something poorly done.  Well, the sealing of the control board box is similarly poorly thought out.  There are grommets cast into the rubber seal around the box, the cabling goes through this. 

 

 

Edited October 16, 2023 by OldSolo

[OldSolo]

Easier to break this up!  Okay, another photo:

The RED arrow again shows the grommet on the front of the box where the 3 phase cables + small controller wires come through the gasket.  I have also added an arrow (cyan?) pointing to the small purple connector.  This goes to the 'lift-wheelspin' botton in the top.  This photo is a little strange as the top half is a REFLECTION in the underside of the plexiglass top cover!  Actually the photo in the previous post also has an odd reflection from the same cause.  Anyway, this little purple plug was completely encased in black rubber (I had torn off some before this shot).  This is a rather SILLY approach to waterproofing - it is a 'one-shot- solution that is destroyed as soon as one wants to unplug this to remove the top panel!

To remove the cables proved ridiculous.  I sprayed silicone on the cables, used two pairs of hemostats to spread the grommet ... and STILL couldn't see that I could disassemble & then reassemble in any reasonable amount of time.  So I cut the base of the grommet to remove.  Even reassembling & getting the lid on tightly was challenging, there is just too much rubber!  Actually the seal wasn't fully seated as it won't fit even before disassembly.  I'm sure water would not get in without a serious submerging, but its a lousy design.  The red arrows show the 'slice of the circle' cut out from the bottom.

 

[OldSolo]

Finally I will note one other SMALL defect.  Reviewers of the wheel have noted that Begode made the decision to attach the side pads with small screws rather than adhesive, and this is a good idea.  However the execution pointed out a problem.  To remove the wheel requires the cable taken from the control board, and to access the cable the pad must be removed from the right side of the wheel.  As I removed the screws (actually took both sides off before I realized it wasn't necessary), the front would not release.  Couldn't figure out what was hanging it up, until I removed the headlight and found that the tiny threaded inserts put into the aluminum side panel had come loose.

 

Here is what it looks like, the red arrows show where the two inserts broke loose.  Once identified I simply held it with needlenosed pliers.  In reassembling I simply put a nut & washer on the inside, as I know JB Weld will hold, but thought I would likely get some on the threads & end up having to clean that out.

 

This is what the screw & insert look like - this is notebook paper to give an idea of scale:

I will take a photo of the tire on the wheel, but it sits virtually the same as the stock tire.  The size is the same.  It stands about 15.5" tall IIRC.  The unmounted comparison is a good depiction.  The tire is currently on sale on Revzilla for $40 (it's about $50 everywhere else) and I ordered a new rear for my Yamaha to meet the free shipping threshold.  I'll need it within a year, and the tire was actually on sale as well... don't know about you, but I do not expect ANYTHING to cost less next year!

 

[OldSolo]

Just took my first REAL ride around my neighborhood, there is virtually NO flat places.  One road is a grunt simply to walk up, and I got into a bit of wobble going downhill.  Leaning forward & backward is something I have to consciously tell myself to do at this stage, and to grip a little more to stabilize.  The new tire makes me feel much more confident, especially at low speeds/tighter turns.  As I learn to ride it will be interesting to see how much my left ankle fusion limits me.  I feel awkward in that I cannot position both feet the same.  I may try a little bit of 'tilt back' to keep my toes elevated more.  Turning to the left is tricky as I cannot really push that foot down much.  When I decided to buy an EUC, I wanted to stay as inexpensive as possible as I really wasn't sure how much of an issue this ankle would be.  There is a good bit of movement from all of the bones in our feet, so I thought I could probably ride.  What wasn't clear was how much the pedals ACTUALLY move vs simply forces being applied to counter the movement.  IOW, how many degrees of arc is actually needed in normal riding (looking from the side w/ the pedals rotating forward & backwards through the arc)?

 

Anyway, for now each ride is a gift!  People are obviously unsure WHAT the crazy old widowed guy is doing, and what is he doing it on?!  I don't want to PROVE my insanity by crashing in the road, so I am conservative w/ speed - and this little wheel doesn't seem so stable when it goes fast!  Rider error, no doubt.

Finally, here is a pic of the tire mounted.  As noted, it is almost exactly the same size as the stock tire - fits well with no problem.  Oh, one other thing:  I was ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED that I was able to seat & inflate the tire with a little battery powered tire inflator!!!  I was ready to do the ratchet strap + plastic strips to get the tubeless tire seated, as I have to do with my Yamaha.  But just for giggles I grabbed the little inflator to see what happened.  After running for 10 sec I removed the chuck, and air came WHOOSHING out of the valve - oh my, it was HOLDING AIR!  So I put the valve stem back in & it simply inflated & seated without any issue.  I did put a little bit of tire lube on it, but it even went over the rim quite easily.  MUCH BETTER than my motorcycle!

[OldSolo]

On 10/12/2023 at 11:14 PM, RetroThruster said:

Thanks for the insight, mine is still solid as a rock but I've not done any removing of parts, I'm sure I'll find something but so far, so good.  I agree about the tire on road but mine sees more grassy/gravel riding so it's not bad, I'll live with my stocker for a while, mostly because I'm lazy:)  Look forward to your thoughts on the teardown!

Just noticed from your post: you are just two hours away!  I have a place "up on the mountain" a little north of you (primary residence is just outside Bham).  Sometime when I'm headed up we could meet up & terrorize Chatt w/ our A2s!  Outlaw EUCers on underpowered beginner wheels 

Edited October 17, 2023 by OldSolo

[OldSolo]

A quick addendum:  I discovered that '2Cells 1 Pack' has a YT video on the A2 tire change:

  He is using the same tire, and initially he slides the cables down to the grommet & is able to get the wheel separated from the frame.  HOWEVER, when he begins to do the tire change, he realizes he needs more room & decides to fish the cables through the grommet.  Eventually he does get them all out, but tears the seal itself.  When he reassembles the wheel, he puts in a new gasket but also uses an interesting tool I had not seen before.  Basically they are 'spreader pliers' and enable him to open the grommet enough to feed the cables through.  Poking around on Amazon, I found these:

https://www.amazon.com/Minatee-Expansion-Stainless-Activities-Minatee-Pliers-12/dp/B09QFTZCTD

They are under $9, think I will order a pair.  I have had use for such a tool before - apparently they are made for stretching balloons to put things inside.

 

Edited October 18, 2023 by OldSolo

[Phonoman]

5 hours ago, OldSolo said:

Basically they are 'spreader pliers' and enable him to open the grommet enough to feed the cables through.  Poking around on Amazon, I found these:

https://www.amazon.com/Minatee-Expansion-Stainless-Activities-Minatee-Pliers-12/dp/B09QFTZCTD

They are under $9, think I will order a pair.  I have had use for such a tool before - apparently they are made for stretching balloons to put things inside.

 

Looks like a nice find. If I end up buying them - it's definitely gonna be from aliexpress for half the price (at least deliveries to Latvia), tho.

[Funky]

4 hours ago, Phonoman said:

Looks like a nice find. If I end up buying them - it's definitely gonna be from aliexpress for half the price (at least deliveries to Latvia), tho.

Or like he did - simply cut the thing.. And apply some silicone each time you work on the euc. I personally would not trust that "rubber gasket". I would silicone the top shut. (I got a trick that makes silicone not stick to things.. Making my own silicone gasket.)

Edited October 19, 2023 by Funky

[OldSolo]

The gasket itself is a VERY stretchy compound, I have little doubt about the sealing around the cable as it is entirely sheathed where it passes through.  What I have more problem with are the small globs of sealant on the small plugs attached to the board.  Such plugs should not be at risk of detaching, and the consequence of the 'lift-spin' switch unplugging are not particularly threatening.

 

The battery connector itself is quite stout.  In the 'Assassin A2' teardown video RogerEUC performed mentioned that connector loosening on MTen wheels, and showed a 3D printed clip.  It looks like they lengthened the cable slightly in this design and found it took effort to separate the cable, so that doesn't concern me.  Begode did not see the need to apply any additional sealant to that connector, either.

13 hours ago, Phonoman said:

Looks like a nice find. If I end up buying them - it's definitely gonna be from aliexpress for half the price (at least deliveries to Latvia), tho.

The Ali price here in the States (with shipping 2.39) is almost identical to Amazon pricing.  I'm not sure how badly Latvia gets screwed by the EU, but considering the € is currently worth 1.055$, it is shocking how much more expensive EUCs are in the Eurozone.  Damned politicians can NEVER have enough taxation to make them happy!  Of course the endless creation of "$ out of thin air" devalues EVERYBODY's savings.  The saving grace is that the debt in China is far higher than admitted & worse than anywhere in the Western world, so we do still have the flow of goods East => West.  It is GOING to "pop" one day, so enjoy these new toys while still available!  Food prices are the real key ... but I am veering far off topic so I will close for now.  Just woke up & looked at this site to clear my bleary eyes & foggy brain

[Punxatawneyjoe]

6 hours ago, OldSolo said:

Begode did not see the need to apply any additional sealant to that connector, either.

This may be true but the hall sensor clip has no locking mechanism on it so if it were me, i would re-apply the silicone on that clip during re-assembly.

[Funky]

53 minutes ago, Punxatawneyjoe said:

This may be true but the hall sensor clip has no locking mechanism on it so if it were me, i would re-apply the silicone on that clip during re-assembly.

And if it where me - i would put in "line" (middle of wire) locking connector. Glue the motherboard connector to motherboard and be happy.  No need to scrape the silicone off the connector each time you wanna take it apart. Especially near the motherboard itself.

Generally speaking - Any of those connectors could be remade in such way. You got plenty of space in that motherboard apartment, to tuck away some small connector.. 

Edited October 19, 2023 by Funky

[OldSolo]

2 hours ago, Punxatawneyjoe said:

This may be true but the hall sensor clip has no locking mechanism on it so if it were me, i would re-apply the silicone on that clip during re-assembly.

Interesting thought - all of these connectors have a little bit of a lock in them ... although I did not SPECIFICALLY look at this one.  Perhaps you are right.  I would actually look into different sealants to consider what might be good to use.  For example, there is some REALLY stretchy stuff I have used in my home, it allows more movement before breaking while GE silicone sets up pretty tough with less 'stretch'.

 

1 hour ago, Funky said:

And if it where me - i would put in "line" (middle of wire) locking connector. Glue the motherboard connector to motherboard and be happy.  No need to scrape the silicone off the connector each time you wanna take it apart. Especially near the motherboard itself.

Generally speaking - Any of those connectors could be remade in such way. You got plenty of space in that motherboard apartment, to tuck away some small connector.. 

Yes, this is ABSOLUTELY needed.  But NOT in the motherboard compartment itself, it needs to be outside of it to preserve the weather seal.  I appreciate cost-cutting measures, but adding $50 to include some high quality, weatherproof connectors for batteries, wheel power, and hall sensor.  The V14 battery connectors will likely drive others to follow along (to "keep up").  I was rather surprised when I tore this thing down, being a TOTAL newbie, that it was so poorly thought out.  As an engineer I have generally been awed at what I find in, for example, Yamaha motorcycles.  Now I commend these outfits for jumping into this new arena, but they just don't seem to understand a few principles.  It's like the Begode pic of the fat guy jumping the Extreme off a small deck.  That is NOT a suspension test!  Perhaps doing it 100x to assess for fatigue - or perhaps if he had used the 900# spring & bottomed it out, they might have figured out the bent shock mount before shipping!

[Funky]

21 minutes ago, OldSolo said:

Yes, this is ABSOLUTELY needed.  But NOT in the motherboard compartment itself, it needs to be outside of it to preserve the weather seal.  I appreciate cost-cutting measures, but adding $50 to include some high quality, weatherproof connectors for batteries, wheel power, and hall sensor.  The V14 battery connectors will likely drive others to follow along (to "keep up").  I was rather surprised when I tore this thing down, being a TOTAL newbie, that it was so poorly thought out.  As an engineer I have generally been awed at what I find in, for example, Yamaha motorcycles.  Now I commend these outfits for jumping into this new arena, but they just don't seem to understand a few principles.  It's like the Begode pic of the fat guy jumping the Extreme off a small deck.  That is NOT a suspension test!  Perhaps doing it 100x to assess for fatigue - or perhaps if he had used the 900# spring & bottomed it out, they might have figured out the bent shock mount before shipping!

People have said - those "in-line" connectors aren't that good for motor.. To much energy going true them. (If you leave one connector, like motors behind - you still need to open euc..)

But i personally love them! My 18xl have all connectors middle of wire.. No need to open motherboard apartment at all. (Even motor wire.)

As you said - i also would love, if every connector would be outside of motherboard apartment.. No need to go in there. Silicone it shut and never need to open. Heck they can even make small "box" somewhere outside! Where all those connectors would be placed. What? You need ~4 connectors? (Sensor, 1-4x battery, motor.)

 

Every connector can be placed neatly in small sealed box. With rubber seal and 4 screws. Some would say it's the same as motherboard apartment.. Somewhat - yes... But you don't need to mess with motherboard. Have way, way smaller box to deal with, sealing it off, etc.. Someone who rides in very hard rainstorms often - it matters.

Edited October 19, 2023 by Funky

[Fogman]

New member here but not not anymore an EUC beginner… been riding a KS-14D since the end of August (over 300 miles done) and tried KS-16X, V8, V10 and S22. Except the V8, I didn’t like the others (heavy, uncomfortable). What I learned/understood for the EUC community, is that you need in fact 2-3 wheels. One that needs to be relatively light (under 20kg) and with a trolley handle for short commuting (10 miles) or short errands to the grocery store, one for long distance (1500Wh or more - 25 miles +) and one for trail/jumps.

I use my 14D for short errands (it’s perfect) but it has a limited range, it’s an « ankle » wheel which can be nervous (too) over bumps and road cracks, has a limited speed (always tilting back at 19 mph), is tough for the knees (always worried I will break the axle) and water resistance is unknown/low.

I could keep the 14D as my 2nd wheel and get a bigger wheel for long distance, long commuting BUT, geez, I really like the size/design/knobby tire/water resistance elements of the A2. Would it be a crazy decision to pick an A2?

Also, why the majority of A2 reviews on YT are done as first review/unboxing but there are like no long term reviews ?

[OldSolo]

As a TOTAL beginner - in fact the ONLY EUC I have actually seen in person is my A2, having stumbled across a video a few weeks ago - and new to the community, I would make these comments: it seems Gotway/Begode has a sketchy reputation for certain past problems, but has done a remarkable job of upping their game recently.  In changing the tire, again being totally unfamiliar with these devices, their solutions to past issues such as putting small globs of sealant on the main board seem 'stop gap measures' but perhaps different from what an experienced engineer might do.  But the overall constructions seems robust, so what is the issue?

I think that Marty's broken ankle has had a HUGE impact on how this model is viewed.  Despite everything RogerEUC has done going over Marty's wheel, NOTHING has been found.  He went out of his way to go riding it in the aftermath of the storm wearing a bathing suit & flip-flops and NOTHING happened!  Think about this ... I know they are friends & Marty is widely respected in the EUC community.  Roger seems to be a smart guy, and mocked the Begode "explanation" by even removing a diode that they sought to blame (further supporting my sense of their lack of true engineering approach).  What I took from this was that Roger was pointing out either rider error or ["act of God' / freak accident] in Marty's injury.  The irony is he is riding it in the remnant of another "act of God" situation, the hurricane.  Roger trusts that wheel!

I had ordered mine then a few hours later saw the Marty injury video.  I considered cancelling, but didn't.  EUCdeals shipped it quickly ... and thus far I am impressed.  I can now ride a mile or two at time, with STEEP hills in my neighborhod.  No funny behavior seen except that after it lays over & beeps a few times, it occasionally does not reset in proper position.  I shut it off & restart => all is well.  I have a rather unique problem in learning to ride, as I had my left ankle fused 3 yrs ago: Tibia (long structural support bone, 'shin', in lower leg) has three LONG screws connecting it to the Talus (bone in the foot that articulates with the tibia, the calcaneus is heel bone directly under the talus), and a bone graft placed between the two.  It is quite rigid, but I still have the movements within the foot itself.  I also have significant numbness on that side (lumbar disc nerve compression) so I don't have good 'position sense' or pressure sense.  So I don't "feel even" between left & right, slowing the learning process.  I am getting the wobbles at around 15mph - and still learning!

Sorry for boring anyone with this lengthy discourse.  I am actually going to write a thread specifically about learning to ride with ankle fusion, as I was not sure I would be able to ride or not.  I couldn't find ANYTHING addressing this online, so I want to share my own observations for others who may wonder about this.  From my perspective this is a marvelous beginner's wheel.  I do wish it was lighter, but it seems to be fairly robust in construction.  I would certainly change some things were I asked engineering input, but considering where this has come from the old "round plastic suitcases", It is quite cool!  A trolley handle is needed, the design & cost of the factory one put me off.  I am searching luggage & rolling cooler trolley handles for measurements I can work with.  Then I will bend some aluminum (probably 3/4" x 1/8" strap) for mounting brackets.  I cannot ride 'to town' from my neighborhood, the two lane country road is very hilly, no shoulder or bike lane, and 45 mph speed limit => not safe for me on a slow wheel!  But I also am sorting out a way to mount to my Yamaha to carry into town - when I am a better rider I want to ride around downtown Birmingham where people are on scooters e-bikes.  Never seen a 'single' so I want to 'advertise'.  I am already getting interesting looks from the neighbors.

 

[Cerbera]

52 minutes ago, OldSolo said:

Words...

 

An interesting read - thanks for sharing ! There are definitely moments of what I like to describe as 'quantum weirdness' on wheels from time to time and am quite prepared to accept that what happened to Marty and his A2 was one of those. I am surprised someone as rational and XP-laden as him has said he would never trust one again. Sure I get it would be REALLY good to find out why it dropped him, but I can't believe that in his X years of experience not one of his many other wheels has done something similar and then been fine afterwards...

I've had at least 1 cut-out that happened for no appreciable reason, followed by 2 years of equally inexplicable flawless performance after that ! Sometimes you just have to trust it, ATGATT and go !

Edited October 24, 2023 by Cerbera