Some questions that I have in regards to buying my first wheel

[WakefulTraveller]

Hi, I'm new here, and  I'm thinking of getting one of these vehicles to potentially commute as far as 9 miles (~15km) to work with, and I'm wondering how long a person can ride one of these comfortably before becoming tired and sore.

1. Can you ride one of these for an hour or more easy without it being punishment?

2. Would the difference between a 14" inch wheel and a 16" wheel be significant when it comes to comfort and stability during long distance travel over all terrain?

3. Are there any notable advantages to a high capacity battery pack besides increased range?

4. If you were in my position and given the choice between the MCM 4, ACM 16", and KS 16, which would you choose and why? Or is there another model that you would choose instead? And what battery capacity would you choose?

I'm looking forward to reading all of the answers you guys have to give me.

[US69]

Welcome!

1. you get used to riding...in The beginning your Feet get tired...and hurt...but it's better than

2. The bigger The wheel...The more stability...16 is a good Medium!

3. there Are advatages! Bigger Batterie means more Reserves on climbing...fast runs...emergency brakes!! It's just safer ...

4. for me ks16 would now be First Choice!

kingsong has Most safety features over gotway...

680wh i would take ...340 is a Little bit to low for 9 plus 9 miles...i think!

look at 

electricunicycleReview.com website...he explain why Kingsong is best Choice in The moment 

 

i have a KS 14 340wh and i am happy As hell!

[Sweet M]

Let me start out by stating that there are a KAJILLION (hyperbole) more members on here that are more technically minded than I.  

First, there are many, many, many (not a hyperbole) things to consider when factoring in the "right" wheel (your height, weight, hill/flat/rough/smooth/...terrain, distance one way, ability to charge after the one way distance, want music, want lights, how soon you want it, how much $ to spend, etc...)  The brains on here will want that info and will likely have other factors to add.  :-)

Here are some initial things to consider........................

*A 14" is more agile and maneuverable, but a 16" wheel is very agile and maneuverable as well.  Both weigh "relatively" (within a few pounds) the same

*A 16" is a little more comfy for riding long distances and traveling over rough spots, but the 14" isn't bad at all. (similar to differences felt in small vs larger cars)

*Battery power not only provides more range, but also more available power, therefore and more importantly, more safety.

*You can probably depend on ~ 70% of your available battery to be plenty stable.  After that, it's best to be in what I call "controlled moderation mode" where you can still ride  along plenty further but I wouldn't test the limits in this range or ya might get a close up of the ground texture.

If needing to pick from the choices you listed, I'd agree with the KS 16.  However, I'd strongly consider (again depending on your stature and where ya live) the KS 14D Ultra from ewheels.com.  Get in touch with @Jason McNeil and you won't be sorry!  His customer service is 2nd to none! 

Also, I've noticed that his KS 14 Ultras have gone on sale so NOW would be a great time to get one of those!  The Ultra is an 840 Wh battery (gives you full power throughout your commute without need to charge) with hard to beat specs!  Mine will take me ~ 40 miles on a single charge and can cruise ~ 19 mph.  I realize you're not concerned about speed at this point, but you will be!  If nothing else, the speed helps with negotiating around traffic at times, such as getting across the intersection, etc.....

If time is a factor you're considering and you live in the US, you could order it today and have it likely by April 1st and that's "NO FOOLING"!!! 

The KS 16" is gonna take a while to get to your front door.

Will at elctricunicyclereviews.com is great too, just not sure if he has the Ultras which will give you a few additional benefits vs the KS 14C

I have an IPS T350+, a KS 18A, and the KS 14D Ultra, (owned, but sold an  Airwheel X8 170 Wh) so glad to assist with any questions related to any those....

 

Good Luck.....................  :-)

 

 

[WakefulTraveller]

Hi, Sweet M, thanks for the help. I think that a 16 or an 18 inch wheel would the thing for me to get, especially after considering my 6'4" height and how fast I want to go. So I'm now thinking a 14 inch is out of the question. 

I'm also looking into the KS 18a; it looks like a tank on a wheel almost. What I'm primarily looking for is the best value for the money. I'm not looking to spend more than $1,000 on a wheel unless it's absolutely worth it.

[US69]

16 minutes ago, WakefulTraveller said:

Hi, Sweet M, thanks for the help. I think that a 16 or an 18 inch wheel would the thing for me to get, especially after considering my 6'4" height and how fast I want to go. So I'm now thinking a 14 inch is out of the question. 

I'm also looking into the KS 18a; it looks like a tank on a wheel almost. What I'm primarily looking for is the best value for the money. I'm not looking to spend more than $1,000 on a wheel unless it's absolutely worth it.

That will be Hard....1000 Bucks for a reliable 16 or 18 is A Little bit to low for a good new One!

have you Look in The "to Sale" section???

i think there is a 18 KS 680 for 900 or so....nearly new! That would be a Great Opportunity for you...

[WakefulTraveller]

@KingSong69, thanks for pointing out that listing. It's only an hour and half drive from where I live, and I would get to see the coast while I'm out there. I will certainly consider it, but it's unlikely that I will be in a position to go out there and buy it any time soon.

Also, I'm okay spending at max $1,300 for this model if it's absolutely worth it.

[Tilmann]

Hi @WakefulTraveller, welcome to the club!

Re. 1.: As @KingSong69 already said, aching muscles and sore feet may hit you for the first 300km at most. Once you're confident enough with your balance to change your foot position on the pedal while riding, that will go away and a one hour ride won't be much of a strain anymore.

Re. 2: There's another point to consider: as you observed, the KS18 looks like a tank and I would expect it to move like one, i.e. it's not easily thrown off its chosen path (judging from my experience with an 18" GotWay). The smaller the wheel, the larger and more effective is any obstacle in your way. Bottom line: of course you can master a 15km ride with a 14" wheel, but it takes quite a bit more concentration and effort to keep the right side up. An 18" wheel is notably more comfy and forgiving in case you fail to notice that 2" stone, which wasn't there yesterday. So, to some extend, you have to choose, whether you want to add 2 hours of concentration to your workday (14") or sacrifice that agility to spin on a dime in favor of peace of mind while making miles (18"). Naturally, a 16" wheel is somewhere in between.

Re. 3: Add my vote to "get the biggest battery you can afford".

Re. 4: When I bought my GW Msuper18 almost a year ago, it was pretty much the only contender in the >30km/h class. While I have to agree, that more safety features (like pedal tilt back, which mine doesn't have) are better, I didn't experience a single faceplant or cut out in more than 2100km - most of them commuting (6km one way) in all kinds of weather and often enough with my mind preparing for a business meeting or digesting the aftermath. Typically, I cover the 6km trip through the center of Berlin with a handful of red light stops in 20-25 minutes. I didn't regret my choice ever, but eventually added a 10-incher just to enjoy the other extreme when I'm out to play. 

Good luck with your purchase & happy commuting .

[WakefulTraveller]

Okay, so I think that I'm set on going with the KS 16 (waiting for its release) unless I can be given reason to with something else. The ACM 16 remains a close second.

I think that the 16" wheel will be a great compromise between the two other wheel sizes, with it offering the best of both without the limitations of either.

At least I hope so.

-edit-

So after comparing the specs, I found that the KS 16 is lighter than the ACM 16, but it is also significantly slower. Unless the price goes down, it's very tempting to buy the lower costing MCM 4 with either the 260 or 340 battery packs to get the light weight and high speed.

[Keith]

8 hours ago, WakefulTraveller said:

So after comparing the specs, I found that the KS 16 is lighter than the ACM 16, but it is also significantly slower. Unless the price goes down, it's very tempting to buy the lower costing MCM 4 with either the 260 or 340 battery packs to get the light weight and high speed.

I would warn that even 340Wh is getting close to the limit to do 9 miles from my experience, regardless of the specs. I weigh 170lb clothed and have the 340Wh KS-14C. Last weekend two of us joined an 8 mile roller skate through London, fairly flat terrain, but there was quite a lot of stopping and starting at traffic lights. By the end of the 8 mile ride which took 90 minutes, my wheel was down to two bars and it was beeping at less than 10MPH. My wheel is only 5 months old so batteries should still be very good. Temperature was around 10 degrees C so that would have reduced range a bit.

That is part of the point really, it might well reach a few miles further but once battery voltage has dropped somewhat, power and torque also drop, reducing top speed, hill climbing, and softening the peddles and making it easier to over lean, factor in that cell capacity slowly drops with age/recharging, also factor in that the deeper you discharge the batteries the faster they age. If you need to add hills and cold conditions they will also impact range. Of course the faster you go the more battery you will consume per miles as well. I would say to comfortably go 9 miles regularly at a good speed and with reasonable battery life you are going to need 500Wh as a minimum.

As for your question on comfort, 90 minutes is the longest I have ridden and my calf muscles did feel a bit stiff at then end of it. Stopping occasionally and flexing your legs helps a lot, the more you ride the less I think you will need to do that.

As to speed, 25kph (16MPH) is pretty scary unless you have a clear open road ahead of you, in a built up area where cars or people might pop out of doors, drives, etc, 10MPH is about the safe limit, similarly off road more than 16 MPH is pushing it if you need to spot roots, stones, potholes, etc in good time. Even with a good smooth open road, with hazards visible at a distance, I don't think many people are comfortable pushing more than 20MPH without motorcycle gear.

[Tilmann]

@WakefulTraveller

...one more thing: I'm a mere 5'10" (1,78m) tall and a moderate headwind easily doubles the Wh I need to fight it. Even if you're slim like a catwalk model, your 6'4" (1,93m) are much less aerodynamic than you may think . Strong head wind + 6'4" + 9 miles + 240Wh? You'll love the low weight of your EUC, 'cause you'll be hand-carrying it half of the way...

[Chuts]

I will throw in my thoughts about this... and maybe from a different angle view to some others.

As this purchase will be your first adventure into the magical land of the EU world.  I would advise on a bigger sized wheel.  I'm not as tall as you at 5'10" and I find using a 14" wheel to be very unsafe maybe because I currently ride a 16" and I'm more used to it but with a 14" I always feel like I'm going to fall off it at any moment.  Especially when I am turning and using the leaning method to do the turns.  Although without physical hands the bigger wheels feel like they are holding on to you instead of you holding onto it.  The MCM4 is the only 14" wheel so far that gave a better secure feeling.

Bigger sized wheels also allow you to have a wider stance.  As she said from Pretty Woman "Men have trouble because the pedals are close together".  I find that with the smaller wheels my stance is closer and therefore my junk gets squished more.  Something to consider if you are going to be riding long distance or if you are gifted with a large junk.

In terms of the wheels you have selected.  The KS is more novice friendly with its safety features (some would say limited because of too much hand holding). Gotway is more hardcore and you have to be more mindful of how you handle it.  Gotway is more of a beast in terms of speed and power.

[Nagytoll]

For just 699$ you can get a Ninebot One E+ at forwardca.com

[Pilotguy]

Gotta chime in here .

I got my KS 18 for eating road miles . If I were planning on riding in a crowded urban environment where slow speeds and sharp turns were common, I might consider a smaller diameter .  

I never really took too much notice of road and sidewalk imperfections till I started riding . There are bumps ,cracks, holes ,sticks everywhere! The 18 inch wheel makes a huge difference encountering these obstacles . As a larger person I would not be comfortable in a smaller wheel . 

Its worth the extra money to get a large motor and a large battery capacity. It's not just a range issue . The above mentioned obstacles require a lot of power to overcome smoothly. Conditions are rarely ideal with hills , wind , temperature , weight . The 680 battery would have a nice comfortable reserve that in the long term I guarantee you would appreciate.

Happy trails !!

 

[WakefulTraveller]

Wow! Thank you everyone for being very informative!

I now see that getting a high capacity battery is must, even if they take a lot longer to charge and are significantly more expensive.

Okay, so a 14 inch wheel would be too small for my needs and an 18 inch wheel would be too big to carry around on the bus in addition to being a challenge to control at low speeds.

These are the notable 16 inch models that I'm aware of: KS 16, ACM 16, IPS T350+, Firewheel, and the Ninebot One E+. Am I missing anything?

These two models are out of the question...

Ninebot One E+: Handle not very practical, other reasons.

Firewheel: Low quality build?

What's left...

ACM 16: $1,520.00 (preorder price), 45KM/H max speed, 820 WH, 20 KG, 1500 W motor.

IPS T350+: $1,226.00, 30 KM/H max speed (maybe higiher?), 350 WH, 13.4 KG, 1000 W motor, not a great looking design, no extra features.

KS 16A: $1,199.00, 25 KM/H max speed, 680 WH, 16.8 KG, 800 W motor

Between these three I am torn... I suppose that I can rule out the T350+ because of the weaker battery. I would go with the ACM 16 if it wasn't for the weight and the price.

 

[MetricUSA]

Seriously, consider spending a little dough, this can and has replaced automobiles...not bikes, that is the backup vehicle...

Foorget peorders...you'll wait forever...narrows choice down....

[Tilmann]

Good analysis. I guess, that's as far as you can get, doing theoretical homework . Of course, it's difficult to decide as you can't really be sure of your riding preferences for lack of practice and there aren't many independent reviews of your prime choices (ACM16 vs. KS16) available yet.

So: either boldly go, where no one has gone before, and make damn sure, you'll tell us all about it.

Or: get the cheapest beat up learner wheel you can find and practice riding first. You will spare "the real thing" some nasty scratches that way and very likely the price of your dream wheel will come down enough to make up for your loss when selling your learner. Contrary to popular belief on this board, I don't think, cheap generic EUCs are out there to kill you. As long as they are slow enough (like 12km/h) and you can find a fire proof place to charge them. Don't get me wrong: those cheap generics have barely enough power to keep you right side up and will fail unpredictably. But one of those will allow you to train the general skills of riding, get over the aching muscles and sore feet stage and keep you occupied for a couple of months . Any decent wheel with comfy pedals will come as a true blessing after that .

Tough choice, huh? While I can't really complain about the equipment I've got, I can't wait for my vacation end of April which will bring me to Shenzhen. Jane Mo accepted my self-invitation to the GotWay factory to try out the latest and greatest (hopefully including the new GotWay 18-incher).

BTW: the very cheapest EUC offerings appear on "wish.com". I tried that twice and neither one delivered. I got a full refund on both, but that can take up to 2 months.

[Sweet M]

I might just add @WakefulTraveller, as I've stated previously in reviews, that even though there's a tendency for decreased agility/maneuverability that inherently comes with a bigger wheel, the KS 18A is still plenty agile/maneuverable for everyday travel.  In fact, it may be easier for you to maneuver (vs the rest of us) since you're taller than most.  I use my 14", 16", and 18" at different times on my same 15 mile route around the city and have no problems at all performing turns and negotiating the terrain with either of the 3. However, they each do have there own subtle "personalities". 

Personally, I favor the KS brand for their safety, dependability, and features.  The KS 14" Ultra will have no problem with your size, but it may appear disproportionate to your 6' 4" frame and due to your ht, it may even be a little dangerous at higher speeds.  The IPS T350+ is a great safe/no frills EU but speculate that it'd "just do ya", and I'd agree that the battery is too small for long term needs.  Also, $1,226 is ~$400 overpriced.  I got my IPS to my door for ~ $820.  The KS 18A, although is taller in stature, would fit you well, speaking from a physics standpoint, in reference again to your ht.  It'll weigh similar to any other 18" wheel re: carrying.  And.......it may be taller, but it's much more slim as compared to the wider/shorter 18"ers and I simply prefer the slim vs bulky (not only during the ride but also while lugging it around). 

Again, the KS 18 is likely attainable soon/now and the 16" is available.....who knows when really??????? 

[WakefulTraveller]

@Sweet M Wow. I did not realize the price was that marked up on the T350+. With its price, speed, range, and weight it seems to be just what I'm looking for.

I agree that the KS 18A would be a good fit for me, as with the GotWay 18 Msuper2, so I will keep those in consideration.

[Sweet M]

24 minutes ago, WakefulTraveller said:

@Sweet M Wow. I did not realize the price was that marked up on the T350+. With its price, speed, range, and weight it seems to be just what I'm looking for.

I agree that the KS 18A would be a good fit for me, as with the GotWay 18 Msuper2, so I will keep those in consideration.

Just FYI........I posted a review on the IPS back in October titled "IPS T350+ Impressions" if ya haven't already read it. Believe it's on page 3 currently towards the bottom.

[Keith]

12 hours ago, WakefulTraveller said:

KS 16A: $1,199.00, 25 KM/H max speed, 680 WH, 16.8 KG, 800 W motor

Where did you get 25kph as the KS16 top speed? It is 30kph as confirmed here: 

It is electronically limited to that speed so torque, etc will still be good at maximum speed. You do need to connect the App and enter a code to open up he 30kph top speed.

 

[US69]

@WakefulTraveller

you are very often referring to highspeed....

the KS14,16,18 Are Doing a Safe 30kmh with adjustable tilt back...

the new ks18 with 1200 Watt Motor is Supposed to run 40 kmh with tiltback

the 45kmh from The ACM 16 Are more Theorie!

Nobody has tested that...Perhaps it's just The cut Off speed, where the Wheel goes out-stops! 

Btw.: The "cut Off" Speed from The KS  i higher also...about 38-40...but Nobody reachs that because of The Safe behaviour!

 

then: i can Tell you that you don't want to Drive much faster than 30 kmh...and this 30 kmh is just "possible" with free sight and no big Bumps in sight...it's just Freaking fast on One wheel....i am a really Fun guy and Love Risks ...but driving with 30kmh on The wheel give me a Lot of Respekt!....at all As i just broke 3 rips at about 8 kmh when learning....One! Wrong movement of your feet and you Go flying...

:-) but Incredible Fun!

[WakefulTraveller]

So I decided on going with the late MCM3 model that has the same 800 watt motor as the MCM4. I went with the 260WH battery pack, and if I need to, I can probably add another 32 cell battery pack to the other side. The MCM3 can go around 19MPH / 30KM/H at top speed. Yes, it's only 14" inch, and will be more bumpy as a result, but I'm okay with that. I was able to pick up the MCM3 on sale for $509 at 15% off on eBay, but it goes for $600 regularly. You can make an offer to get a lower price. For $509 I'm essentially saving ~$216 for the early model of the MCM4 without some of the bells and whistles; plus it's going to arrive much sooner. This is the EUC that @myfunwheel speeds around on incredibly haphazardly. Watch his videos, they're intense.

Here is how the MCM3 compares to the MCM4:

+ Same high speed motor.

+ A lot more clearance for the tire.

+ Power level LEDs.

+ Much of the same functionality.

~ Lower foot pedals, so it might grind doing tight turns, but this might be better for someone with a higher center of gravity like me.

- Foot pedals not as comfortable and without as much grip. I might be able to find some grip for them.

- No pretty LED ribbon along the perimeter of the casing.

- Nowhere near as sleek of a design and not as ergonomic.

- Not as easy to disassemble.

- No USB charging port

Am I missing anything?

Once I try it out, I will update you guys on what I think of it.

[US69]

good Device....

260wh is a bit low....but "Perhaps" you can Upgrade later....

hope it doesnot nerve with Beeps at 23 kmh(23app=19real) or that you can get them away

[WakefulTraveller]

@KingSong69 Yep, the alarms can be changed or turned off, except for the final one which is not fixed to speed.

Since this model can fit two 32 cell battery packs, an upgrade is almost certainly possible. I would have considered the 340 WH version, but all they had was the 260 WH.

I bought some grip tape: http://www.banggood.com/Black-Anti-slip-Tape-Non-Slip-Safty-Tape-High-Grip-Adhesive-1-20m-p-963853.html

And some padding: http://www.banggood.com/Airwheel-Electric-Unicycle-Bumper-Strip-Wheelbarrow-Protective-Strip-p-957046.html

And some more padding: http://www.banggood.com/50Pcs-Floor-Furniture-Felt-Pads-Self-Adhesive-Sticky-Protect-Wood-Chairs-Scratch-p-1037532.html

And possibly even more padding... http://www.banggood.com/6pcs-3M-Red-Sticker-Adhesive-Pad-Set-For-Gopro-Hero-Helmet-Mount-Sticky-p-978802.html

[dmethvin]

To me, $500 for a wheel with those specs looks pretty good! As long as the batteries are good quality a 260Wh should deliver at least 10 miles of range and maybe as much as 15 miles. Since batteries are so expensive the "upgrade later" strategy seems like a good one. Where in the world are you located @WakefulTraveller?