2024 Begode Falcon - 14", Suspension, 100 V, 900 Wh, 1000 W Motor

[Funky]

8 hours ago, the_deeb said:

I was thinking about wiring a new lift switch onto the top cover of the EUC. Was thinking of a larger latching push button switch or mechanical flip switch for better tactile sensation and easier one handed operation than the current tiny button.

However, the original lift switch and power button have a bunch of silicone caulked over the connections so I can’t really tell how they’re wired or how easy it would be to do this. 

Anyone have any insights?

Cut in middle of wire and simply pigtail wiring of them. That way you will have working original button and the new one.

I personally thought about welding new centered handle and run wires true inner frame and have A2 type of button - easy to pres with thumb. Or weld one bar top of the orange trolley and run wire by side of original trolley handle, wires going in wheel true small drilled hole at side of euc steel body. (Siliconed afterwards.)

Edited August 7 by Funky

[Skampster]

Here’s a problem im having with my falcon. I’ve got my suspension set up on the light springs about half dialed which is fine for me, the problem I’m having is that at certain times the suspension is so stiff that the wheel is constantly topping out (as opposed to bottoming out) as i ride and when you push on the suspension, it’s very stiff, but then half an hour later the suspension is really plush and squishy like it should be, with no topping out at all. And by topping out everywhere, as you ride every bump you hit the top of the suspension is always hitting. The only theory that I have is that when the wheel is stored at home, it’s vertical on one of those EUC stands, but for example, after work yesterday when I ride home I had the wheel stored on its own kickstand, which is basically storing the wheel horizontally and when I rode home, it was very stiff. Maybe there’s an issue with how the suspension oil is sitting in the suspension and at times it might be inhibiting the suspension from working properly. But this is a theory I’m still working on, but nevertheless there is something fishy going on with the back-and-forth between soft and has suspension.

mind you, after the stiff ride home, 45min later I went to the shop and the suspension was perfect  

Anyone else notice this?

[Funky]

10 hours ago, Skampster said:

Here’s a problem im having with my falcon. I’ve got my suspension set up on the light springs about half dialed which is fine for me, the problem I’m having is that at certain times the suspension is so stiff that the wheel is constantly topping out (as opposed to bottoming out) as i ride and when you push on the suspension, it’s very stiff, but then half an hour later the suspension is really plush and squishy like it should be, with no topping out at all. And by topping out everywhere, as you ride every bump you hit the top of the suspension is always hitting. The only theory that I have is that when the wheel is stored at home, it’s vertical on one of those EUC stands, but for example, after work yesterday when I ride home I had the wheel stored on its own kickstand, which is basically storing the wheel horizontally and when I rode home, it was very stiff. Maybe there’s an issue with how the suspension oil is sitting in the suspension and at times it might be inhibiting the suspension from working properly. But this is a theory I’m still working on, but nevertheless there is something fishy going on with the back-and-forth between soft and has suspension.

mind you, after the stiff ride home, 45min later I went to the shop and the suspension was perfect  

Anyone else notice this?

You should check - if that happen only after it has been sitting on the "kickstand". Maybe leave it on kickstand over night, before riding to job to see if it's really the case and it ONLY happens when it has been siting on kickstand.

Oil should quickly level out in the suspension. It should not be so thick that it doesn't move around. Even after being on kickstand - it should level out quickly. Most likely it's the EUC WEIGHT. That has been leaning against kickstand and somehow it messes up the suspension? Doh on "stand" springs are also on some load. But then weight is evenly distributed on suspension i imagine.

Edited August 8 by Funky

[the_deeb]

@Skampster How do you find the Falcon compares to your KS16X on streets? I find that I’m typically cruising at higher speeds on my KS16X because of relative wheel stability (with the Falcon feeling more squirrelly over ~25mph). Not sure if that’s just a matter of my relative familiarity and experience with the two wheels that will improve as I get more miles under my belt with the Falcon.

I should note that on off-road trails I find Falcon is a huge improvement over the KS16X.

[Skampster]

@the_deeb imo the KingSong 16X is worlds above the Falcon. In fact it’s probably the best wheel ever made. I dont off road ever so I can’t give opinions on it. If I had test ride the falcon beforehand I probably wouldn’t have bought it. 

[techyiam]

2 hours ago, Skampster said:

@the_deeb imo the KingSong 16X is worlds above the Falcon. In fact it’s probably the best wheel ever made. I dont off road ever so I can’t give opinions on it. If I had test ride the falcon beforehand I probably wouldn’t have bought it. 

Interesting.

I did consider the Falcon too. But fortunately, I had opportunities to test ride it. It so happens that I didn't gel with it, nor thought that it was the right tool for my use-case. So I bought an S16 Pro.

For me, the S16 Pro is a keeper. 

[kintips]

On 8/5/2024 at 6:53 PM, the_deeb said:

Now that I have a Falcon I’ve actually revised my opinion for the need for a centered carry handle - it’s actually quite convenient and comfortable to carry one handed from the front carry handle. Certainly more comfortable than the MCM5v2, and almost (but not quite) as comfortable as the 16X with it’s centered carry handle (the weight just pendulums down so the handle is effectively centered). The wider body does means you have to hold it a bit further away to avoid it bumping into you leg.
 

However, what I really am missing compared to the 16X is the integrated lift switch. It’s way more inconvenient to have to stop and fiddle around underneath for the switch (the switch is also a bit annoying to engage). I also find that once the lift switch is engaged the wheel no longer rolls smoothly - it’s almost like it engages some internal resistance (it’s more so than when the wheel is off).

I haven’t taken it on my full commute yet, but I envision the lack of an integrated lift switch is going to be a major inconvenience since I routinely have to carry up/down several flights of stairs around crowds of people. 

I'm glad you liked the trolley, can't wait to get mine. Weird about the Spin kill button, usually it should case resistance. i'll have to double check my 16X.

Most companies can't make a good trolley handle anymore its like an after thought. 16X i love that wheel, all the older EUC's have great handles. When they are building EUC's they probably think:

Begode: alright new wheel is ready super fast check, water proof check, super heavy check

QA team: wheres the trolley handle?

Begode: damn forgot it, how about we just stick it at the top?

QA: sounds good

[greekanadian]

21 hours ago, Skampster said:

@the_deeb imo the KingSong 16X is worlds above the Falcon. In fact it’s probably the best wheel ever made. I dont off road ever so I can’t give opinions on it. If I had test ride the falcon beforehand I probably wouldn’t have bought it. 

I mean I think this definitely depends on your use case...

It's like saying a spoon is the best utensil ever made... But then you need to cut something and need a different tool. Sure the 16x may be a great wheel for what you need it for but not for others.

Sure if you don't go off-road then perhaps the falcon is not for you.

I'm still trying to decide what I want to do. I really like the falcon based on everything I'm seeing about it other than it seems a bit expensive for its features and the range seems a bit lacking. For this price I would have expected a smart bms. But with 4 separate packs and certified cells in going the lack of smart bms is not an issue. For me the only other wheel I am considering is the begode extreme which costs $2000 more.... So is it worth $2000 to get more range and speed for me, as a first wheel?? I don't know... I'm leaning No

I want suspension, good water resistance/actual IP rating, off-road knobby... There aren't actually very many wheels with an actual water resistance rating. I might it grow its range capabilities or I will figure out ways to take the train the majority of the way to where I want to ride instead of riding all the way there. I don't know.

[DavidB]

On 8/8/2024 at 8:26 AM, Skampster said:

Here’s a problem im having with my falcon. I’ve got my suspension set up on the light springs about half dialed which is fine for me, the problem I’m having is that at certain times the suspension is so stiff that the wheel is constantly topping out (as opposed to bottoming out) as i ride and when you push on the suspension, it’s very stiff, but then half an hour later the suspension is really plush and squishy like it should be, with no topping out at all. And by topping out everywhere, as you ride every bump you hit the top of the suspension is always hitting. The only theory that I have is that when the wheel is stored at home, it’s vertical on one of those EUC stands, but for example, after work yesterday when I ride home I had the wheel stored on its own kickstand, which is basically storing the wheel horizontally and when I rode home, it was very stiff. Maybe there’s an issue with how the suspension oil is sitting in the suspension and at times it might be inhibiting the suspension from working properly. But this is a theory I’m still working on, but nevertheless there is something fishy going on with the back-and-forth between soft and has suspension.

mind you, after the stiff ride home, 45min later I went to the shop and the suspension was perfect  

Anyone else notice this?

I suspect a quality issue. I have noticed over the years on teardowns (ecodrift mostly but even Marty once) a common theme seems to be metal fillings on parts. I can imagine such a filling blocking/restricting a compression valve then after use being forced through allowing the valve to function as normal. Of course this is just a guess.

Edited August 10 by DavidB
Spelling correction

[Ben Kim]

Welp. These stock pedals are hot garbage. The wheel tumbled 18 inches off a ledge and took a direct hit to the front of the pedal. Bent so badly I had to hammer the rod out. 
 

Luckily I have a set of unused stock Master pedals which will crack not bend as spares. 

With stock master pedals. 

[Asphalt]

@Ben Kim how much heavier are the stock Master pedals compared to the Falcon pedals?

Also, with the stock pads removed:

• how does the top edge feel against your calf?
• do you get any spray on your legs when riding over wet surfaces?

[greekanadian]

Well, I got my falcon knobby.

I had one EUC lesson with eevee's a few weeks ago on a v8f which I picked up pretty quickly. I was able to mount, go around a bit, and dismount reasonably smoothly pretty quickly. 

The falcon is definitely a bit more difficult to learn on than a v8f.

I was unable to mount it from the get go without any practice, so I started back at the basics. I was at a school ground so I went over to a fence and started going back and forth to get a feel for the wheel without getting on/off.

Then I started getting on/off with the assistance of the fence until I could kind of do it ok. 

Then I moved over to an area of the school grounds where it was paved, then a reasonably large grassy area, then a paved ~1 meter wide loop running track with a grass field within. 

I started mounting from the paved section into the gray section so when I inevitably dropped the wheel it wouldn't get too banged up. 

Which worked well except for one time when I jumped off the wheel, missed grabbing it due to being off balance, and it kept rolling then crashed itself on the paved running track, scratching up the front and rear handle areas. Not too bad

I ended up banging my shin once on the pedals which drew some blood, and I now have 2 sore red marks on my legs where they meet the top of the "pads" if you can call them pads!!! I also have a "goose egg" like you'd get on your head from bonking or on something on the side of my left leg after a botched mounting attempt and hitting it on the rear part of the pad.

But I went from not being and to ride at all to riding around the school grounds at 15-20kmh and being able to mount and dismount without assistance almost every time, though still awkwardly.

The suspension feels pretty nice on the grass and bumps I was going over on the running path.

Pretty happy with it so far but I'm gonna need to do something about how hard the pads are at the top. They're pretty hard on the legs. Probably get after market pads at some point or print my own cuz I have a 3d printer. Just need to get some TPU filament.

Edit: I did almost tweak my ankle on one occasion where my shoe was caught on both the pad and one of the lugs on the pedal, preventing me from getting my foot loose/out.

Edited August 11 by greekanadian

[Hellkitten]

@greekanadian Congratulations on your new wheel! There’s always going to be a bit of a learning curve when trying different models regardless of riding experience. Most people get banged up a bit at the beginning generally shins and ankles. Sounds like you’re progressing well. Keep at it and enjoy the journey. It’s worth it. 

[greekanadian]

1 hour ago, Hellkitten said:

@greekanadian Congratulations on your new wheel! There’s always going to be a bit of a learning curve when trying different models regardless of riding experience. Most people get banged up a bit at the beginning generally shins and ankles. Sounds like you’re progressing well. Keep at it and enjoy the journey. It’s worth it. 

i was wearing leatt knee/shin pads but they don't cover far enough down or on the side of my leg enough to shield from the edge of the stock pad.

I tried duct taping some cut up yoga mat onto the stock pad but whatever material the stock pad is made of doesn't like things sticking to it. So other ideas are in order until I come up with some other pads.

I don't dislike the stock pads, but it's just not very soft and that top part really digs into your leg!!

[the_deeb]

Like many others, I also didn’t like the stock pads. I wear a size 9 shoe, so it wasn’t that they didn’t fit, but they were quite hard and uncomfortable, and also unnecessarily heavy. They did also grip my shoe quite tightly, which, together with the studded pedals made me a bit nervous about not being able to easily bail on the wheel if needed, and the risk of twisting an ankle. 

I’m used to riding my KS16X without pads, but riding the Falcon with no pads was also quite uncomfortable, particularly when mounting/dismounting (inside of leg pressing against the hard edges and exposed shocks). 

So I decided to make some custom side pads. My goal was for them to be very lightweight and not interfere with the pedals closing (and to not be unsightly). The Falcon is pretty nimble already and I don’t feel that it needs much encouragement to accelerate/brake, so these are more intended for a bit of added cushion and comfort and to provide slightly improved response (not really intended as true power/jump pads).

I used 1/8 plywood and 1” high density XPS foam board, which I sculpted to fit my shoe/shin/calf.

I then covered the whole thing with neoprene attached with a liberal spread of silicone caulk.

Added 2” velcro strips on the back to attach to the wheel.

Overall really happy with how these turned out. Huge improvement to the comfort of the wheel and they work perfectly for my intended use case.
 

I sized them to fit the velcro area on the wheel, but in retrospect I would probably have made them an inch taller to cover the sides of the top cover too.

[greekanadian]

1 hour ago, the_deeb said:

Like many others, I also didn’t like the stock pads. I wear a size 9 shoe, so it wasn’t that they didn’t fit, but they were quite hard and uncomfortable, and also unnecessarily heavy. They did also grip my shoe quite tightly, which, together with the studded pedals made me a bit nervous about not being able to easily bail on the wheel if needed, and the risk of twisting an ankle. 

I’m used to riding my KS16X without pads, but riding the Falcon with no pads was also quite uncomfortable, particularly when mounting/dismounting (inside of leg pressing against the hard edges and exposed shocks). 

So I decided to make some custom side pads. My goal was for them to be very lightweight and not interfere with the pedals closing (and to not be unsightly). The Falcon is pretty nimble already and I don’t feel that it needs much encouragement to accelerate/brake, so these are more intended for a bit of added cushion and comfort and to provide slightly improved response (not really intended as true power/jump pads).

I used 1/8 plywood and 1” high density XPS foam board, which I sculpted to fit my shoe/shin/calf.

I then covered the whole thing with neoprene attached with a liberal spread of silicone caulk.

Added 2” velcro strips on the back to attach to the wheel.

Overall really happy with how these turned out. Huge improvement to the comfort of the wheel and they work perfectly for my intended use case.
 

I sized them to fit the velcro area on the wheel, but in retrospect I would probably have made them an inch taller to cover the sides of the top cover too.

Nice work. Isn't this still really tough on your shins though? 

My legs are bruised at the point where they contact the upper part of the stock pad where it curves onward a bit at the top.

I can't imagine no padding there being better than the little padding the stock pads provide? Neoprene is soft but it's not thick..?

I was considering getting some EVA foam, forming it to match the surrounding stock pad, cutting a chunk out of the stock pads in that center area and dropping in the EVA foam there...

It blows my mind. Why do these companies choose to make shitty pads that almost everyone dislikes and don't use vs just not including any at all and save some money??? Like... Why???

[the_deeb]

2 hours ago, greekanadian said:

Nice work. Isn't this still really tough on your shins though? 

Yes, that top edge is still the most uncomfortable part (and this is where an inch or two of extra height would probably have improved things) but it’s manageable. As your balance on the wheel improves you’ll likely find you don’t have to put as much pressure on it. Adding some EVA foam or baby bumper on there till then is probably not a bad idea.

[Tep]

I did made a few simple accessories like seat and handle grips for the Falcon.

- Seat is mostly for idling around, the wheel is too small to ride seated comfortably.

- The calf savers provide extra padding for that area you guys said is uncomfortable and make it so much more tolerable. Also give an extra area to put velcro on, so you can mount bigger power pads.

- Power pads are also designed by me.

Not sure if advertising my own store is against the rule or not, so I'm not going to do so. I'll upload all the 3D models later on so people can 3D print themselves.

Edited August 12 by Tep

[Hellkitten]

@Tep Looks great! If I end up getting one my setup will be similar I think. How do you find the street tire? 

[Tep]

Just now, Hellkitten said:

@Tep Looks great! If I end up getting one my setup will be similar I think. How do you find the street tire? 

 

Very nimble, almost too nimble, it really just wanted to go left-right all the time. I had a lot of fun carving the wheel, but it likes to follow grooves on the road so it can feel weird at times. I don't recommend it if you plan to ride anywhere that isn't asphalt.

[Asphalt]

12 hours ago, greekanadian said:

The falcon is definitely a bit more difficult to learn on than a v8f.

Pretty happy with it so far but I'm gonna need to do something about how hard the pads are at the top. They're pretty hard on the legs. Probably get after market pads at some point or print my own cuz I have a 3d printer. Just need to get some TPU filament.

Edit: I did almost tweak my ankle on one occasion where my shoe was caught on both the pad and one of the lugs on the pedal, preventing me from getting my foot loose/out.

Your experience shows why the 8-year old V8-series form factor is more ergonomic and arguably a better learning wheel than anything recently released. 

The trend towards wide tires and side-mounted battery packs have made wheels very wide, which pushes your leg further from the wheel's center-of-mass and makes mounting more difficult. The wide, short bodies also sharpen the angle against the calf. Suspension raises the pedal height, which also increases mounting difficulty.
The trend towards spiked pedals and pads to "lock you in", limits your ability to jump off the wheel when you start to lose control.

The Falcon looks like a good wheel, but I would hesitate to recommend it to beginners.

@greekanadian I'm sure you will adapt to the Falcon, given enough time on it.
It's the best wheel in its class.
 

[Tep]

Hey guys, just letting you know that I've uploaded the 3D models of my Falcon accessory kit on Cults3D. (Link here)

I wanted to list them for free, but making these took me a few days, and multiple test prints, so I decided to put a small price tag ($6.25) on it. Think of it as buying me a breakfast 😁

What you're getting:
- Seat
- Calf savers (padding to cover the annoying plastic part that press against your calves)
- Handle grips.

If any of you guys are in the US and want to get these printed for you, please let me know, It would be just $30 + shipping for the whole bundle.

[Skampster]

In regards to the issue I’m having with the suspension on my falcon stiffening while riding, so far to me (not fully conclusive) is that its temperature related. Always before riding the wheel is at room temperature, but after riding in low temps, after about 8 mins it stiffens up, only to go back to normal after its returned to room temp. 
only to be confirmed once the weather here warms up. 
TBC. 

[greekanadian]

Is there a user manual for the falcon? I never got one from eevees where I purchased it from. can't find any manual on the gotway website.

Should I charge it to 100%? How do I ensure the cells get balanced since it's not a smart bms?

I've ridden 27km or so and still just learning but I want to try to ensure optimal battery health.

[Skampster]

6 minutes ago, greekanadian said:

Is there a user manual for the falcon? I never got one from eevees where I purchased it from. can't find any manual on the gotway website.

Should I charge it to 100%? How do I ensure the cells get balanced since it's not a smart bms?

I've ridden 27km or so and still just learning but I want to try to ensure optimal battery health.

Charge to 100% before riding, and when not in use leave it at 60% or 90v.