Was the Begode Hero just released at a bad time?

[onewheelkoregro]

 I am looking to upgrade to a suspension EUC shortly after the holiday season and I don't want to get a brand new unproven wheel, so it looks like it is going to be between a Begode Master or a Begode Hero depending on which one is cheaper by the time I am ready to purchase. Kind of leaning toward the master because of parts availability and popularity but I like the look of the Hero NGL.

[Hellkitten]

The hero is more or less an RS with some suspension. It’s not bad wheel, but personally if you are only looking at those two wheels I’d go for a master. You can get them at a decent price and still get parts. All the new begode wheels look the same to me, I’d try a few and see what kind of ride you prefer over looks. IMO. 

[Rawnei]

The Hero was released at a time when people were tired of plastic wheels with wooden screws and were awaiting some higher quality suspension wheels, the Hero didn't really bring all that much to the table, it was a bulky plastic wheel with sub-par suspension and not much else, it doesn't really excel at anything.

Master doesn't have great suspension and many people have had many problems with it, they remade so many parts of this wheel (like 5-6 different motherboards) so nothing about the current generation of Master is really "proven" as you say yourself.

There are many proven suspension wheels by now why are you limiting yourself to these two? If you're going to upgrade why not just go for a wheel that people are super happy with? Sherman S, Patton, EX30, S22 Pro (this wheel is in a really good spot now), Commander Mini (I hear owners are happy with it).

[onewheelkoregro]

13 hours ago, Rawnei said:

The Hero was released at a time when people were tired of plastic wheels with wooden screws and were awaiting some higher quality suspension wheels, the Hero didn't really bring all that much to the table, it was a bulky plastic wheel with sub-par suspension and not much else, it doesn't really excel at anything.

Master doesn't have great suspension and many people have had many problems with it, they remade so many parts of this wheel (like 5-6 different motherboards) so nothing about the current generation of Master is really "proven" as you say yourself.

There are many proven suspension wheels by now why are you limiting yourself to these two? If you're going to upgrade why not just go for a wheel that people are super happy with? Sherman S, Patton, EX30, S22 Pro (this wheel is in a really good spot now), Commander Mini (I hear owners are happy with it).

I am looking at an EX30. I am a bigger guy 6'0 220 lbs before gear. It would be nice to have a beefy wheel like myself. Hopefully the price of the EX30 goes down with the release of its replacement

 

[techyiam]

26 minutes ago, onewheelkoregro said:

I am looking at an EX30. I am a bigger guy 6'0 220 lbs before gear. It would be nice to have a beefy wheel like myself. Hopefully the price of the EX30 goes down with the release of its replacement

 

Are you looking for a lot more range, and a lot higher top speed than your V12 (HS)?

[onewheelkoregro]

3 hours ago, techyiam said:

Are you looking for a lot more range, and a lot higher top speed than your V12 (HS)?

Range mostly. I mostly hover around 35-40 mph but it would be nice to be able to use the main road in my city. The speed limit is 45 so the EX30 fits the bill perfectly! I already generally only charge once a week (at my job), I don't like to let it drop below 50% because it affects my top speed.

[techyiam]

33 minutes ago, onewheelkoregro said:

Range mostly. I mostly hover around 35-40 mph but it would be nice to be able to use the main road in my city. The speed limit is 45 so the EX30 fits the bill perfectly! I already generally only charge once a week (at my job), I don't like to let it drop below 50% because it affects my top speed.

You're a fast commuter. I am surprised that you can commute that fast on a V12 since the battery drains super fast at 35-40 mph. 

A bit confused regarding your range requirement.

On your V12 (HS), how much range is it lacking in your use case, including your requirement that you don't want to ride below 50% battery? Are you saying that if you don't want to ride below 50% battery on your V12, you would need to charge it up at work?

 V12 - 1760 Wh

Master - 2400 Wh

EX30 3600 Wh

The EX30 has about twice the range of the V12.

[onewheelkoregro]

2 minutes ago, techyiam said:

You're a fast commuter. I am surprised that you can commute that fast on a V12 since the battery drains super fast at 35-40 mph. 

A bit confused regarding your range requirement.

On your V12 (HS), how much range is it lacking in your use case, including your requirement that you don't want to ride below 50% battery? Are you saying that if you don't want to ride below 50% battery on your V12, you would need to charge it up at work?

 V12 - 1760 Wh

Master - 2400 Wh

EX30 3600 Wh

The EX30 has about twice the range of the V12.

No I was just simply stating that because I ride close to the limit of the wheel I don't like to ride when it is at 50% or below because it will not allow me to hit the speeds that I am used to. I don't really need the range but it would be nice to have it. I charge it work on Sunday and it usually lasts gets to around 50% on Weds. My city is really small as well

[onewheelkoregro]

@techyiam I forgot to mention that my commute is 3 miles one way so 6 miles total daily (if I don't make any stops)

[techyiam]

19 minutes ago, onewheelkoregro said:

@techyiam I forgot to mention that my commute is 3 miles one way so 6 miles total daily (if I don't make any stops)

In that case, any fast wheel would do.

But for someone upgrading from a V12 (HS), I would recommend to consider other wheels than just the EX30.

Even if you a big guy, riding the EX30 may at first feel foreign. It will take some time to move to a bigger wheel, and a little more to adapt to a wheel that has ride characteristics that are dissimilar to your current ride. Mind you, it is hard to say until you actually tried it.

I think the Patton is definitely an upgrade over the V12, and it should be straight forward to acclimate to. Additionally, most people should find the Patton easy and fun to ride.

Another wheel that people are talking about is the Extreme. The price is also attractive. And by the time you are ready to buy, the suspension issue may have gotten sorted out too.

If you get a chance, see the Extreme in person. It is way more impressive in person. After handling the Extreme and the EX30, my hunch is that most people would choose the Extreme over the EX30, unless one needs range and the very high speeds.

 

I just picked up a discounted S22. The price was right, and I really like the ride characteristics of the wheel I borrowed, despite all the known issues, frustration, and drama. with the S22.

As it turned out, my out of the box S22 doesn't ride like the S22 I rode, which had a non-stock tire, pads, and I don't know what else.

So now I am in the process of setting it up my S22, and learning to ride a 20" wheel. The weird part is that I went from a V12 to an Abrams then to a S22. That threw everything off for me, since the S22 rides much closer to a V12, then to an Abrams.

But in any case, the S22 is getting closer to my liking. The most impressive part of my S22 is how a 300 lbs spring and long suspension travel transform the suspension to a great urban run-about. It just eats up road imperfections and big speed bumps. The cool thing is that I did it with a grossly under sprung spring. It still handle fines. Unlike a car with weak springs, the car will wallow. Not so for the S22.

So far, I would say the S22 is definitely an upgrade to my V12 (HS). The S22 has better build quality (generally, minus the screwups) and better ride qualities than the V12.

But I am not ready to ride my S22 in traffic yet. On my Abrams, I feel pretty confident. Even so, it can be better. I will spend the time to learn to ride the S22 well, and then decide which class of wheels would be a better fit for my use-case.

 

[Hellkitten]

43 minutes ago, techyiam said:

my hunch is that most people would choose the Extreme over the EX30, unless one needs range and the very high speeds.

I’d 100% get either a patton or extreme over an ex30. 
 

@onewheelkoregro what’s your ideal use case? Your commute is fairly short. You could do that on almost any wheel. What kind of other riding do you do or are interested in? Is it the looks that are making you consider only those begodes, or are you open to other options? I’d get a wheel that you’ll want to ride all the time and also use it for your ride to work. 

[woke rider]

12 hours ago, onewheelkoregro said:

Range mostly. I mostly hover around 35-40 mph but it would be nice to be able to use the main road in my city.

I shudder to think of you riding that fast everyday on an electric unicycle. Stay safe. If you crashed at such a high speed...

[alcatraz]

If you want to save money maybe a Master, if you want something that you'll keep longer and fit more situations maybe these 16in ones. Commander Mini, Patton, Extreme, V14.

I haven't tested any but they really seem like they can do (almost) everything.

If you carry the wheel I'd even consider the T4 at only 29kg.

[alcatraz]

If you're afraid to hear beeps maybe stick with 18in. Master or similar.

With all the crap the Master has gone through I'd much rather pick one up that has doene a few thousand km. Even if you get the version that has the best track record you can't be sure YOURS won't have some freak issue. This applies to any wheel really. What good is great support if you're all bruised up and recovering?

[onewheelkoregro]

On 10/9/2023 at 8:59 PM, Hellkitten said:

I’d 100% get either a patton or extreme over an ex30. 
 

@onewheelkoregro what’s your ideal use case? Your commute is fairly short. You could do that on almost any wheel. What kind of other riding do you do or are interested in? Is it the looks that are making you consider only those begodes, or are you open to other options? I’d get a wheel that you’ll want to ride all the time and also use it for your ride to work. 

I am starting to hit the trails in my city there are some really nice ones and there are a lot of dirt roads on the rez near me, it would be nice to be able to explore these places without needing a car though. That's why I was thinking ex30 because of the range. I don't purchase out of impulse anymore so it will probably be around this time next year when I finally make a purchase.

[onewheelkoregro]

23 hours ago, earthtwin said:

I shudder to think of you riding that fast everyday on an electric unicycle. Stay safe. If you crashed at such a high speed...

I've crashed once on the V12 but I was geared up. Had to remove the kickstand, the mount got damaged in the crash and I am a firm believer in if it ain't broke don't fix it. So I haven't replaced the mount.

[woke rider]

I sort of daydream about getting a Patton or an Inmotion Adventure. I can see myself on the roads riding between 35mph and 45mph like you, then I think to myself, "I know I will crash someday at a high speed" and I realize that my wheel is fast enough for a personal electric vehicle. Stay safe amigo.

[Rawnei]

19 minutes ago, earthtwin said:

I sort of daydream about getting a Patton or an Inmotion Adventure. I can see myself on the roads riding between 35mph and 45mph like you, then I think to myself, "I know I will crash someday at a high speed" and I realize that my wheel is fast enough for a personal electric vehicle. Stay safe amigo.

I see this way of thinking as living inside a bubble, put on some gear and live life, with motorcycle grade gear you have a lot of safety and life is dull if you're not willing to take any risks at all.

If you don't want to sure that's your decision but this type of moralizing is tiredsome to read, let people ride how they want, there are humans making far worse decisions and taking a lot of more risks in day to day life.

[woke rider]

Perhaps, @Rawnei you don't like being reminded of the risks? I'm not "moralizing" though I am bringing reality to your attention. Riding at those high speeds, even with gear, could easily put one of us in a whole different kind of PEV, a speedster wheelchair.

To respect OP, if I had to choose between 2 Begode wheels, I would choose the Master, because once I learned to trust it, I'd really have a blast. But I wouldn't choose Begode because of their track record of fires, faulty parts, and lack of attention to rider safety.

Edited October 11, 2023 by earthtwin
typo

[techyiam]

1 hour ago, earthtwin said:

I sort of daydream about getting a Patton or an Inmotion Adventure. I can see myself on the roads riding between 35mph and 45mph like you, then I think to myself, "I know I will crash someday at a high speed" and I realize that my wheel is fast enough for a personal electric vehicle. Stay safe amigo.

There are euc riders that have ridden safely for decades on motorcycles. They will know when their wheels are good enough and their skill levels are high enough to ride euc's on the road without blindly taking too high risks. To mitigate the risks properly, it can take a very long time to get there.

[woke rider]

Sometimes I consider that my Ninebot Z10 might be the last "frame of a wheel" that I purchase, and that I will upgrade it as time goes on. So my Z10 might end up in the category of Batwheel, yet. I may integrate some of Begode's designs and components.

Edited October 11, 2023 by earthtwin
typo

[meepmeepmayer]

Begode are doing quite the improvements from model to model. I'd always go for their latest wheels (minus the first batch).

Also think about the availability of replacement parts for older wheels.

[onewheelkoregro]

3 hours ago, earthtwin said:

I sort of daydream about getting a Patton or an Inmotion Adventure. I can see myself on the roads riding between 35mph and 45mph like you, then I think to myself, "I know I will crash someday at a high speed" and I realize that my wheel is fast enough for a personal electric vehicle. Stay safe amigo.

I am not a daredevil in any way I just like to be able to keep up with traffic. I used to use a regular pedal bike to commute to and from work but have had 3 totaled so far in car accidents and not one of those times has the car stopped. So that's why I travel with EUC, whenever people see me on it they wonder, "What is that?' and they see me which is the opposite when I'm on a bike.

[woke rider]

I am a daredevil though. It's funny that on this forum I am seen as living in a bubble. I even installed a firmware hack on my Z10. Something that was totally risky. I am not judging anybody. Because I'm the riskiest person.

I want to upgrade my Z10 to a 2400 watt wheel with suspension someday.

I wouldn't really enjoy riding fast all the time because I actually thrive on the human contact while riding. It took a while of riding around my town for people to trust me, some old ladies still give me the evil eye, but elderly men give me a smile and a wink. Cars are insisting on their 'right of way' again instead of acting all skittish when they see me.

Edited October 11, 2023 by earthtwin
one more thing

[onewheelkoregro]

13 minutes ago, earthtwin said:

I am a daredevil though. It's funny that on this forum I am seen as living in a bubble. I even installed a firmware hack on my Z10. Something that was totally risky. I am not judging anybody. Because I'm the riskiest person.

I want to upgrade my Z10 to a 2400 watt wheel with suspension someday.

I wouldn't really enjoy riding fast all the time because I actually thrive on the human contact while riding. It took a while of riding around my town for people to trust me, some old ladies still give me the evil eye, but elderly men give me a smile and a wink. Cars are insisting on their 'right of way' again instead of acting all skittish when they see me.

I, too, enjoy the attention and I gladly pull over when someone has questions! They are always the same though. "How fast does it go?' "How long does it take to charge?" "How often do you have to charge it?" "Is it easy to learn?"