Stupid question : how do you handle heavy wheels ??

[LeKeiser]

Hello everyone,

I'm still a beginner eventhough I've had my 16s for 3 years... Didn't have time to use it, didn't have time to practise enough to get better, broke a shoulder and my hands, Covid, ... I have tons of lame excuses
I bought a KS S16 Pro and decided to ride it yesterday. I do love it, but the thing that really puzzles me is : how do you manage heavy wheels?? I mean, more than 30kg. The 16s is around 17 if I'm not mistaken. The S16 Pro is 33kg give or take. When I first mounted my S16, I tried spinning with it. You know, one foot on the ground, and you turn around with the wheel. Well, I almost lost the wheel at the first attempt. It started to escape my leg because it's much heavier than my 16s...
I tried to ride one foot one the wheel and the other pushing and then jumping on the pedal, but again, I felt the wheel was too heavy and had to rely on a nearby wall to stabilize myself.

The S16 is a heavy wheel, compared to the 16s. But I know there are many heaving wheels. So how to you handle them ?? I see videos with guys like move the wheel back and forth as if it didn't weight anything.
I thought I had strong legs, I ride my bike to work all the time. But it seems I'm not at strong as I thought

Thanx for your comments

[padluka]

Practice. Practice. And a little bit more practice.

Also being heavy helps:)

[UniVehje]

You’ll get used to it. I’ve had to buy heavier wheels because there’s nothing else new on the market (with right features). Recently I rode a V11 which I used to own and it felt so small after S22 and Lynx. Like a toy. A heavier wheel is not a problem while riding except for light city commuting. 

[bpong]

lekeiser,

firstly, no need to apologize about anything on this forum.  and dont trivialize what has happened to you in the past... its all important and plays a role in how you are now !!!

every one who responded with 'practice' is 110% correct.  im coming from a tesla V2 to a lynx and the first week i almost was thinking i bought the wrong euc.  now, after 9 weeks, i can ride it seated and standing and its not as intimidating as it was the first week.  i estimate it will take the rest of this season, and half of next season to finally get comfortable with the ride height and weight.  you have to stick with it and you will 'get' it.  thats all there is to it...  if you have a busy schedule,  you will have to set some time aside every day to ride it abit - otherwise your muscle memory will suffer because you are not experiencing enough of the physical requirements of riding your euc.  i have read the 16 pro is a great wheel so its about you putting in the time.  good luck and im sure you will be totally shocked once you have that moment of enlightenment when you realize the euc is quite rideable indeed !!!

[Skampster]

I went from my first wheel the 16x to a Sherman Max after 5 weeks. It was tough, but just jump on and before you know it……………

 

Funny thing is, once you get used to heavy wheels, the light ones become tricky. 

Edited August 26 by Skampster

[Robse]

No matter when I take a little ride on my Ninebot One S2, I just have to spend 3-5 minutes getting used to how lightning fast that wheel reacts to even the smallest movements.  Here there is no mercy, every movement is rewarded with a prompt reaction, and although the motor is only 500 watts, the weight is low and the diameter of the wheel is so small that the power and reaction time with which this happens can get even the most seasoned big wheel knightrider to fail...  yes!

[bpong]

4 hours ago, Skampster said:

... Funny thing is, once you get used to heavy wheels, the light ones become tricky. 

Damn right about that !!! i tried riding my tesla a few weeks ago and i was so timid and wobbly... i was abit shocked to say the least...

[Aztek]

😂 hardly...

Heavy wheels are, well, heavy. I can't get used to my master yet. Knees suffer, if has to be dragged upstairs it is a nightmare etc. etc.

Honestly, I dream of a wheel of max 30 kgs.

[Scubadragonsan]

On 8/26/2024 at 5:47 AM, LeKeiser said:

The S16 is a heavy wheel, compared to the 16s. But I know there are many heaving wheels. So how to you handle them ??

What is your weight/height, mind ask?

A technique I called "blocking" that is very useful to build up your leg muscles. Blocking is using your leg to stop any size wheels from tilting or leaning toward where your body weight is mostly lean toward. It's like your leg has become a stick planted into the ground to stop the wheel from leaning; in this case, planting is down the center of the wheel. Together used, another technique is called "grabbing." Grabbing feels like you are wrapping your arms around an object; in this case, using your leg to wrap around the wheel. Blocking helps stablizing and grabbing helps controlling, esp. during mounting and unmounting. Anyone riding the wheels, I am sure consciously or unconsciously applying these techniques, they're nothing new, simple mechanics.

I'm 140 lbs. 5'7" have been riding Veteran Sherman S for a years now. In the beginning, going from KS16S to Sherman S was a challenge. I know Sherman S is more than twice the weight of KS16S. I'll need more skills and leg muscles to maneuver this heavy wheel. So I keep practicing tricks on a lighter wheel in order to build up my leg muscles. After several months, riding Sherman S has become much easier and manageable. I can definitely feel my stronger legs can take control of the wheel. Not only feel, but I can actually see more muscle definitions that were not there on my thighs and calves from practicing difficult maneuver on KS16S. Could I have eventually ride the Sherman S without using a small wheel to build up muscles? Probably. But using the smaller wheel to build up my leg muscles was definitely a solid way to move toward riding the Sherman S. 

As far as going into my house with 10 steps of stairs and loading it into my SUV, I don't want to strain my back, so I have ramps for that.

Edited August 27 by Scubadragonsan

[Setonix]

On 8/26/2024 at 2:47 PM, LeKeiser said:

Hello everyone,

I'm still a beginner eventhough I've had my 16s for 3 years... Didn't have time to use it, didn't have time to practise enough to get better, broke a shoulder and my hands, Covid, ... I have tons of lame excuses
I bought a KS S16 Pro and decided to ride it yesterday. I do love it, but the thing that really puzzles me is : how do you manage heavy wheels?? I mean, more than 30kg. The 16s is around 17 if I'm not mistaken. The S16 Pro is 33kg give or take. When I first mounted my S16, I tried spinning with it. You know, one foot on the ground, and you turn around with the wheel. Well, I almost lost the wheel at the first attempt. It started to escape my leg because it's much heavier than my 16s...
I tried to ride one foot one the wheel and the other pushing and then jumping on the pedal, but again, I felt the wheel was too heavy and had to rely on a nearby wall to stabilize myself.

The S16 is a heavy wheel, compared to the 16s. But I know there are many heaving wheels. So how to you handle them ?? I see videos with guys like move the wheel back and forth as if it didn't weight anything.
I thought I had strong legs, I ride my bike to work all the time. But it seems I'm not at strong as I thought

Thanx for your comments

I happened to have done the same, though this is my very first EUC. I got it last Friday, then testerday practised in the kitchen, holding on to the wall and trying to step along with one foot on it. Then two times I managed to freemount and ride off, though the kitchen is only 3 metres or so long. Then today I took the KS S16 Pro to a playground to practice on grass and it somehow click as I managed to ride 20 or so metres with flailing hands. 
i’ve been riding non-electric unicycles for 9 years and even though the balance point on an EUC is much lower I actually made a lot of progress this weekend. All in all maybe max 4 hours.