Newbie: In terms of Quality and value, what's the best overall EUC on the market today?

[elmerruffingspoon]

I'm searching for the right first electric unicycle and have done plenty of research so far... Aside from being somewhat dazed by all the options and the limited number of serious thorough reviews in this emerging product category, I'm struck by how much people's expectations grow once they 'master' an EUC; Quality in the ride seemingly becomes very important, over and above a low price.

I'm looking for advice from experienced and knowledgeable EUCers. Thanks in advance!

E.

[Gimlet]

First of all where are you as postage and customs costs can make a huge difference to which wheels might be best value for you. Are you capable of taking it apart to do your own repairs or will you need to return it for repairs? (Postage to China is very expensive)

Then you need to think about what sort of riding you hope to progress to. Are you more interested in tricks and ultra manoeuvrability or speed and off road ability? Or possible a general purpose wheel that is reasonably good at both.

[Luiz]

I have just bought an IPS 121 and it is very stable and powerful compared with my first wheel (airwheel x3) although it is not very fast . It has a good batery and the ride quality is very good . It does not have lights and an app but the price is good compared with other wheel with same wheel size , range and power.

[sickswan]

im with gimlet need to decide what ya want it for if ya want an all round general wheel id go gotway mcm 2 for 14 inch or ninebot for 16 inch altho not had experience of them that's just what id go for for a general do it all wheel.. goyways a bit faster ninebot is a bit bigger and looks comfier.. my personal opinion

[Luiz]

My advice is to buy a cheap unicycle to learn with  and after mastering the wheel you can try other wheels and decide which  riding style you prefer.

[SirGeraint]

Sorry for jumping in here with a similar question but I've been refraining from posting my question because I tend to like to be thorough so I felt I might be too verbose.  But I've seen some recommend buying a cheap EU.  I generally like to do that whenever a new technology comes out to see how much I will like it, want it and need it.  One thing that complicates things, in this case, is my weight.  I currently weigh 104kg.  I was thinking about getting a TG-F3 (for $341 & free shipping).  But some have said it would be a bad choice for a heavy person.  So basically am I too heavy to be cheap?  If I knew I had a need I would probably get a 9B1E+ or Firewheel F-series.

I'm in the U.S.

Thanks for any advice.

[Rick McWilliams]

My first wheel is a TG - F3.  It seems fine for learning. I weigh 205 lbs and have not been limited by power. I have scrtched my wheel rather thoroughly.  Even after you stop falling off, you can step off and the wheel will tumble and beat itself up. i will buy something more. Exotic when I get this one under control.

[mengke]

Ninebot One E+ is probably good in terms of over all performance. Longer range you will have gotway and firewheel but over all performance in terms of speed, travel range design, safety, connectivity, social networking and so on, Ninebot One E+ is the best.

I think my oppinion is fair here. Of course, I am dealing Ninebot One E+ at the best price, I have to say something like that, but they all truth. Lol.

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* A lot of tips and inside news from Ninebot Inc.
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www.urban360.com
 

[bmadonna1401]

I have an Airwheel Q3 and a ninebot E+  If you want something that won't break get an airwheel.  The problem with the airwhheel is lack of speed.  If you want something with distance and performance get the ninebot one E+. I'll admit I haven't had mine long and am still getting use to it not having any balance left to right only forward and backwards.  

[Gimlet]

Cheap wheels to learn on are fine as long as you know their limitations and have someone in mind (preferably lightweight) to pass it on to when you get something better.

For heavy weight individuals the 16" 260wh battery 800w rated + 1300w peak motor IPS132 is just about unbeatable in my opinion because of it's very high sustainable torque.

[bmadonna1401]

Anyone have an opinion on why electric unicycles aren't catching on as much in the USA?

[Gimlet]

Solowheel and their ridiculous pricing structure!

[Luiz]

I am 95 kg and my first wheel was an used airwheel x3 that i bought for 150 £ . It took a lot of beating , wheight was not an issue and still works perfectly (my wife is training with it at the moment) . Before investing in an expensive wheel i wanted to see if i would like the eucs and i did not want to put a 600£ whell to the beating of the learning process. Turns out that i fell in love with the eucs and recently bought an IPS 121 that i am loving and already  thinking to by a gotway  msuper 18 to go faster . 

[Chuts]

Sorry for jumping in here with a similar question but I've been refraining from posting my question because I tend to like to be thorough so I felt I might be too verbose.  But I've seen some recommend buying a cheap EU.  I generally like to do that whenever a new technology comes out to see how much I will like it, want it and need it.  One thing that complicates things, in this case, is my weight.  I currently weigh 104kg.  I was thinking about getting a TG-F3 (for $341 & free shipping).  But some have said it would be a bad choice for a heavy person.  So basically am I too heavy to be cheap?  If I knew I had a need I would probably get a 9B1E+ or Firewheel F-series.

I'm in the U.S.

Thanks for any advice.

​I maybe bias because I currently ride an IPS but you should look into these as an option.  As you will be putting more load onto the wheel I recommend a 16" Wheel.  Especially if you are tall too.  More important to you is rated engine power.  All IPS 16" Wheels are currently >=1000w, around 2500w for burst power.  One horse power = 746w.  Meaning most cheaper EU of 14" Wheels might not be very good for you being of 350w rated engine power.

For this mid level EU, price vs performance vs build quality its pretty hard to beat.

[Chuts]

Anyone have an opinion on why electric unicycles aren't catching on as much in the USA?

​Yeah like what @Grimlet said.

I think the patent that Solowheel has for the USA area also stops other companies from setting up shop or to even advertise in the USA and for most people who only have a passing interest won't go online to research further.

[Luiz]

Hi Chuts 

I see that you have an IPS 121 aswell . What are your thoughts about it . I am realy happy with mine . I reckon that 600£ for a 340wh and 1000w  sustained power 16 inch wheel is not bad at all despite the lack of extra features and espartan design . 20 km/h is not bad aswell although i would love  to go a bit faster sometimes.

[Luiz]

Hi Gimlet.

I would like to hear your opinion in this one aswell Chuts.

Is there other advantages of the M super compared with IPS 121 appart from the speed and range. How do they compare in terms of reliability and ride quality. I must tell that i feel very safe and confident riding the 121.

[Gimlet]

It's too early to say about reliability with the M18 yet but all wheels tend to have minor problems. The IPS has a tendency for the wheel nuts to loosen off and have to be retightened to fairly critical torque for the tilt back to work correctly. Locktite thread locker sorts that out.

The IPS is a much better general purpose wheel and is fairly good at most things and is more comfortable to ride due to its narrow width, so much so that i have never felt the need to pad it, but for off road and rough surfaces, potholes etc. the M18 has it beaten hands down. The range on the 850wh model also turns it into a viable long distance transportation system. I can't really talk about speed as I have the low speed high torque model, but even it is quite happy cruising between 20 and 25kph which is fine for me.

[Luiz]

I am 95 kg and i can go over grass and gravel confidently  with the 121 , it also climb hills like a goat. The 18 in wheel must be better on rough terrain i reckon.

[Luiz]

I reckon 850wh is overkill for eucs , i would rather use a car or motorcycle for this sort of distances and this wheel must weight a ton. I have not been able to deplete the batteryes of the 121 in one ride yet. Believe me i have tried. But this is just my humble oppinion.  

[Chuts]

Hi Gimlet.

I would like to hear your opinion in this one aswell Chuts.

Is there other advantages of the M super compared with IPS 121 appart from the speed and range. How do they compare in terms of reliability and ride quality. I must tell that i feel very safe and confident riding the 121.

Not ridden on the MSuper before so can't give you my opinion on it in terms of riding experience, but this is what I think about the M18 in general terms.

With an 18" wheel riding will be smoother because of the larger wheel but the EU is a beast, depending which battery you put into it... even with the lowest option its going to be heavy (17.4kg someone mentioned with 680wh battery) and the bigger you go the heavier its going to be.  Makes me wonder what percentage of battery is used to support the Load of the EU on its own even without a rider.  Shell design has also made it difficult to attach a trolly handle to it as standard ones won't work unless you do a custom job, so not very convenient for riding it to the shops as you can't wheel it very well in shopping centers.  Carrying it in a backpack is out of the question even with one designed to carry EUs.  Side note... a standard USA army backpack, combat ready weighs 20kg.  Unless you are a well built soldier I think you will have problems carrying it for any length of time.

You do have the option to go fast, especially on the speed model and this will appeal to a lot of people, you can further adjust the riding style with the smartphone app.  Someone reported that the rated engine power is 1000w.  Don't know what they have done to make their EU faster compared to other EUs on the market which also have 1000w rated engines and more.

EUs originally where designed for short journeys but more and more EU manufacturers did not get this memo and you certainly travel long distances between charges because there is more space to fit bigger batteries on this EU without the need to attach more externally.  Really big advantage if you live in an area with lots of country parks were you can go for miles on dirt paths or simple paved pathways without having to worry about turning back due to low battery levels.  Also good if you live in a hilly area because going up hill uses more battery power.

In terms of price vs performance vs build quality.  Although not been trading for that long so build quality maybe a little fuzzy it seems these 3 points are on par with each other for the moment with regards to this particular unit.

KingSong are also very new but already hot on Gotways heels so you might want to check them out too.

I am happy with my IPS EU although I would like it if it went a little faster, so I would like to see IPS manufacture a faster unit in the future as they have been in the EU game for a long time.

[Luiz]

I agree with you 100%

I do live in a beautiful part of the country with beautiful natural parks and beach fronts . The range of the x3 was limiting my rides but i believe the 121 is a good compromise between weight and range  , very reliable on rough terrain aswell , all in all a very smoth ride . I do not beleive i would like to ride more than 20 km in one go. But again this is just me.

I like very much the build quality of my IPS . I would definetly go for a faster IPS , althogh the 20km/h of the 121 is not bad.

[Gimlet]

For me even the 20km that I rode a few weeks ago to the neighbouring town and back is much better with a larger capacity battery.

When I got within the last 2km of home I still had 3 out of 4 lights glowing but by the time I had climbed the steep hill to my home I was down to 2 lights and one of those was blinking.

The difference in overall weight between the battery sizes is negligible when you consider the overall weight of the wheel and the pleasure of riding on a wheel with plenty of power and range in reserve ifar outweighs the range anxiety and low power failures of riding on a battery that is below half full.

The only downside of a larger battery is the initial cost but even if you never go below half charge it will be better for the battery and it will last through many more charge cycles than one that is run low each time you ride.

[esaj]

Ninebot One E+ is probably good in terms of over all performance. Longer range you will have gotway and firewheel but over all performance in terms of speed, travel range design, safety, connectivity, social networking and so on, Ninebot One E+ is the best.

Firewheel is faster in reality than Ninebot One E+ (the manufacturer/resellers list the top speed of FW at 22, 23 or 25km/h, depending where you look, but in reality it goes over 30km/h, and does not cut out with the bms-mod, way faster than NB E+, which has a top speed around 24km/h). FW has no tilt-back either. Other than the speed and range, I think Ninebot does beat Firewheel (especially on safety). Although I do believe you're honest in your opinions but I'd never take the word of a reseller without the kind of tests/reviews (including tear down) that for example Jason McNeil did on the IPS 121.    I was especially impressed by the internal aluminum housing and number of mosfets to drive high currents of the IPS main board, the electronics and housing design seems solid and the quality very high, while aesthetically it is less pleasing. Ninebot Ones shine in their design and aesthetics too, the modular design with replaceable parts is probably beaten by no other wheel, don't know about the battery- and mainboard-housings (are they really IP65 -enclosed, or is it just a marketing gimmick?). While attaining dust-proofing at level 6 (completely dust-tight) isn't that tricky, probably no-one wants to test the claimed liquid-proofness, IP-code level 5 Liquid Ingress Protection:

5	Water jets	Water projected by a nozzle (6.3 mm) against enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects.	Test duration: at least 3 minutes Water volume: 12.5 litres per minute Pressure: 30 kPa at distance of 3 m

On the other hand, some other manufactures claim their wheels are IP56-enclosed, which is far more unlikely, as the level 6 liquid protection would mean they can take water pressure of 1 Bar from any direction 3 minutes at a time without harmful amounts of water getting inside main board or battery compartment:

6	Powerful water jets	Water projected in powerful jets (12.5 mm nozzle) against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects.	Test duration: at least 3 minutes Water volume: 100 litres per minute Pressure: 100 kPa at distance of 3 m

Water-proofing in Firewheels is also listed as IP65, but in reality it's a joke, there's not much protection even against water splashing from puddles and thrown by the tire in practice, have to seal it yourself.

 

I reckon 850wh is overkill for eucs , i would rather use a car or motorcycle for this sort of distances and this wheel must weight a ton. I have not been able to deplete the batteryes of the 121 in one ride yet. Believe me i have tried. But this is just my humble oppinion.  

​It depends on what you use it for. For short commuting, no point in getting huge (600+Wh) batteries, but just for fun riding, like I do, bigger batteries are definitely a plus. I almost always ride the 264Wh (20+km) batteries of the Firewheel to almost empty or totally empty, and would like to ride longer trips in one go. Likely will replace the original battery entirely with two new 264Wh for range, power & reliability (even if one battery fails, the wheel won't shutdown, as they're separate units, plus since the current one has already lost some of its charge capacity, I think I better replace it instead of just adding another new one in parallel).

 

Shell design has also made it difficult to attach a trolly handle to it as standard ones won't work unless you do a custom job, so not very convenient for riding it to the shops as you can't wheel it very well in shopping centers.  Carrying it in a backpack is out of the question even with one designed to carry EUs.  Side note... a standard USA army backpack, combat ready weighs 20kg.  Unless you are a well built soldier I think you will have problems carrying it for any length of time.

I think the ones Kevin sells come with trolley handle already fitted, but agree that carrying it around would be a pain.

 

You do have the option to go fast, especially on the speed model and this will appeal to a lot of people, you can further adjust the riding style with the smartphone app.  Someone reported that the rated engine power is 1000w.  Don't know what they have done to make their EU faster compared to other EUs on the market which also have 1000w rated engines and more.

At least from what I've heard, the different MSuper models (high torque / mid / high speed) use different number of windings in the motor coils to control the trade-off between high speed and high torque, so they've put effort into picking the motors for them. Also, other manufacturers probably limit the top speed in software, so although the motors probably could run faster, it's a safety-concern and the manufacturers have opted to limit it lower to prevent accidents. It is unlikely that anyone could go over speed and cause a cutout unintentionally with models having tilt-back, as you're bound to notice the tilt, no matter what, whereas Gotways and Firewheels that don't have tilt-back, this can definitely happen.

​

The difference in overall weight between the battery sizes is negligible when you consider the overall weight of the wheel and the pleasure of riding on a wheel with plenty of power and range in reserve ifar outweighs the range anxiety and low power failures of riding on a battery that is below half full.

Jason McNeil has a blog post about the weight distribution in IPS's in his blog: http://www.wheelgo.com/component-weights/ , the tire + motor + pedal frame alone make up 3/4ths of the weight, while the battery pack is 1/10th, so additional kilo or two when going from 340Wh to 680Wh, or 680Wh to 850Wh for example isn't really that much if the wheel is a larger one (16" or 18"). If looking for a light weight wheel for commuting that you'll be carrying around a lot, the smaller wheels (14" and below) are probably a lot better option.

​

Personally, I believe the IPS and Ninebot would probably have the highest quality vs. price out-of-the-box, but if you're looking for a faster wheel, then probably Gotway(?). I don't have any of these myself, so it's really just and educated guess. In my experience, Firewheel is good after having the sealing and bms-mod done, and fast.

​

[Gimlet]

The trouble with Firewheels and Gotways is that you really do need to be willing and able to strip them down and sort out the relatively minor problems that beset them from time to time.

I would imagine the same would go for KingSong as it's based on Gotway design and software.

It's fairly simple for anyone that is willing to have a go but the idea of sending wheels back to China to be fixed just doesn't work. Two way postage is roughly equal to the price of the wheel.