V10F vs KS 18L comparison

[Circuitmage]

 

About 2 weeks into my ownership of a new V10F and loving it. Even though this wheel is several years old, it fills a great spot in the speed/weight class it has and there is not much else around the 18L and V10F.

I had my 18L since release and was looking for another wheel. Honestly, I had my eye on the V10F when it came out, but I opted for the KS 18L. I even sold my KS 16S after getting the 18L thinking I did not want to have 2 wheels. 

Now, wanting another similar wheel, the V10F is pretty close. I did not want a heavier or faster wheel, as I am a daily short commuter (9 or 10 miles a day).

Some observations and comparisons;

• The KS 18L is a bit faster. Not much. I am pleasantly surprised at the smoothness of the V10F and on a fresh charge how it ramps up to 25 mph. The sweet spot is around 23 mph cruising, so if you want more out of a wheel this one is not for you. But IMHO anything over 20mph will get you where you need to be.
• The V10F feels more nimble. With a 1" higher pedal height and slightly thinner body, what the V10F lacks in top end speed it makes up for in agility. It is a fun ride.
• The battery indicators are different. On the V10F, when the display on the wheel gets down to 1 bar (red) or 2 bars (yellow), I still have a good 5-10 mile range and it keeps up a good pace (~18mph?). I have not run it below 30% though  and that is a 1 Red bar on the V10F. On the KS 18L, when I hit about 30-40% man I really feel the slow down. I got used to the that on the KS so it is nice to know that the yellow 2 bar on the V10F does not mean I'm walking home.
• After several recharges on the V10F I would say the range is comparable to the KS18L for me. I'm no light weight, at 5'11" 205# I get about 20 miles out of each hitting about 30% battery left. Maybe just a bit more out of the KS, but probably only by a few miles.
• The 2 speakers on the V10F sound about the same to me as the 4 speakers on the 18L. Both are great.
• The aesthetic design of the V10F is very nice. I dig the clam shell design of the KS's , I don't care for the blocky style of most of the new wheels. I did have both sides of the red stripe come apart out of the box on the V10F, so after about a week I added some super glue and that seems to have fixed it. Getting lots of comments on the V10F but since it is a glossy new shell, that is expected. I also had to tighten the center screw on one of the footpads that was getting loose, so the pedal was falling down for a few days. No big deal there, fixed.
• The trolly on the V10F took a minute to get used to , but I really really like it. My KS 18L extendable handle has been very sticky the past 2 years. I even tried to repair it once or twice when I had my shells off, but could not improve things. It seems the internal mechanism of the 18L just wears out over time. The single handle on the V10F does the job. I do also have a little glitch in the button that releases the trolley on the V10F when it is extended, but it is not as bad as the 18L. The button just does not seem to be centered or something, takes a couple pushes to release the lever.
  
  Ahh well, good to have another wheel to ride and try something different.
   

Edited April 4, 2023 by Circuitmage

[slippyfeet]

Nice, I regularly rotate between my 18XL and T3, the latter giving me 3-5mph higher top speed (31 vs 35).  Both give me around 40 miles of hard riding from 90% to 40% battery. T3 just needs to have a shell that doesn't sound like a takeout container every time I step onto it, and probably a more robust tire size as my CST is extra sketchy on damp roads now after 2k mi. Performance wise I've been satisfied, both machines do what they're intended to and have been rock solid. 

[rcgldr]

There may be a difference in peak power. 18L uses two 30 amp fuses for a total of 60 amps. I read V10F has a single 40 amp fuse. V10F external trolley handle can get damaged if the V10F is dropped. There is still debate if V8 | V10 have passive cell balancing.

 

 

Edited April 5, 2023 by rcgldr

[Circuitmage]

@rcgldr Yes, the trolley handle does stick out a bit too. When I am on the train I learned I need to rotate it forward a bit so the handle does not get pushed sideways by the seat. But then that also gives me more room for my feet. I also really like the cut off switch under the handle. The KS 18L cut off never was very reliable for me, so I am happy this one does.

[Scubadragonsan]

Both have seats. V10F is my short errand wheel to the store and KS18XL is my long distance wheel, much more stable at higher speed. 

[Circuitmage]

So, it took me a couple weeks I guess but I DID hit the hard tilt back on the V10F. Man, that thing goes wayyy back. You have to get off, power off and on, then you are good. 

I really don't mind it, as it is a fairly slow tilt back, but it goes waaaay back.

 

Overall, still having fun.