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How fast did you guys learn?


EoZ

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I learned to ride 9 months or so ago on a 16" Ninebot One E+. It took a few hours to learn to get on and off travelling straight. The a few hours practising turning. Initially I could turn one direction quite easily (not sure which) but struggled with the other. After a few hours riding up and down a quiet road on a nearby industrial estate I found a gravel path and rode around that for a bit.

The next day I practised riding up and down the quite road again then charged the Ninebot up full and did an 11 mile cruise up and down subways (the first time I rode down it felt weird lol), over cobbles, up and down long hills, over a dirt track and basically anywhere I found to get used to riding on different terrains.

When I recently got my ACM it was like having to learn to ride again, just without the balancing, because it reacts very differently to the Ninebot but, after getting more used to it, in a good way! :)

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8 minutes ago, egiljo said:

In what way where they different to ride?

Initially the ACM felt a little weird. The pedals seem to sway slightly (softer ride - even in sports mode) under foot and it didn't seem as responsive as the Ninebot. Also the body is wider at the top and slightly bigger so it felt different as I tried to tilt it into turns.

Cornering on the ACM has also been weird. Even though the peddles are slightly higher the softer ride and slight sway in the pedals made me feel uneasy turning as sharp as I did on the Ninebot. Also as I came out of the turn acceleration seemed quite slow

Breaking also doesn't seem as quick.

BUT!

After a few days I have adjusted my ride style to better suit the ACM. I am able to accelerate quicker out of turns and I have got used to the softness of the ride where it doesn't bother me now. In fact I prefer how smooth it accelerates and how smooth the ride is at higher speeds (fastest I have travelled in 19.5mph).

Going up hills is amazing. The ACM accelerates up them smoothly and easily whereas my Ninebot got up the same hills but slower with less power so less acceleration.

So initially, coming from the Ninebot, it was a very different ride and feel but after a few days (and a pair of sturdy boots) I am used to it and the ACM is a BEAST! :D 

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Thanks for your good feedback TremF, 

I just purchased the 9bot e+

But since finding out I love to go offroad i was thinking to complement with a MSuper also. 

So good to hear about the differences since I probably would keep the 9bot for every day riding.

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8 minutes ago, egiljo said:

Thanks for your good feedback TremF, 

I just purchased the 9bot e+

But since finding out I love to go offroad i was thinking to complement with a MSuper also. 

So good to hear about the differences since I probably would keep the 9bot for every day riding.

Depending on the terrain you are going off road on the Ninebot E+ will do ok. I went over cobbles, gravel, grass, dirt tracks, rough and smooth pavements and roads with my Ninebot and it managed well but if you're going over really tough terrain then the 18" more open MSuper would be better.

The MSuper V3 is due for release soon so it maybe an idea to give your Ninebot a try to see how it goes then decide if you want the MSuper when it's released. The MSuper will also enable you to travel further :)

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34 minutes ago, egiljo said:

Thanks for your good feedback TremF, 

I just purchased the 9bot e+

But since finding out I love to go offroad i was thinking to complement with a MSuper also. 

So good to hear about the differences since I probably would keep the 9bot for every day riding.

Im no expert, but wouldnt switching the tire on 9BE+ make it a little more viable during off roads? Stronger motor would of course be more optimal, but as a middle way of doing it if thats what you want? :)

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The reason for thinking of Msuper is steep climbes on gravel to get to the offroad places near me. Also to ride into the forest with big roots and no or little real track.

The 9bot struggel with climbes up to these places (I'm around 93 kg). It's about 30-35 degree climbes up these gravel roads. 

Maybe wait for v3 of Msuper?..

 

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1 hour ago, egiljo said:

The reason for thinking of Msuper is steep climbes on gravel to get to the offroad places near me. Also to ride into the forest with big roots and no or little real track.

The 9bot struggel with climbes up to these places (I'm around 93 kg). It's about 30-35 degree climbes up these gravel roads. 

Maybe wait for v3 of Msuper?..

 

If you can wait for the MSuper V3 then do so! :) It has built in lights and trolley handle and looks better than the V2 for a start. There's bound to be other enhancements but we won't know for sure until closer to the release date.

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  • 1 year later...

I just got my KS14D today and I'm in love with it :wub:

My notion of time is probably a bit off because, you know, time flies when you're having fun and you don't even notice it :P But I think it took me about 1h to be able to step on it and ride without leaning on to anything. Then another 30mins practicing turning right and left (for some reason I found it much harder to turn right than left). Kept practicing for +2h, then it got late.

While I might not be the fastest learner, I'm pretty happy with my accomplishments so far ahah BUT I feel like I've been cheating because I've been using a strap attached to the handle :P It made the first learning steps a lot easier (for me anyways). Now I don't use it for balance though, just to save the wheel from getting all beaten up whenever I lose balance and have to step off it. I think it also prevented me from actually falling to the ground a couple times. Hopefully by the end of the weekend I'll feel ready to let go of the strap :)

Anyway, I can't wait for tomorrow! :laughbounce2:

Edit: Oh I'm sorry, I didn't notice this was an old thread...

Edited by e.motion
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Like within 15 or less minutes to go forward and slow turns. I recall being up on the 4th try, and it was fairly easy. In contrast, getting on was something else entirely. Three weeks before I could semi-reliably do it on my own, and even today I have difficulty mounting from both sides.

I believe the biggest help was having a hover board in my office for months; since hover boards and EUCs use the same technology, by learning one you don't have to learn the forward-back behavior of your wheel while also learning the side to side balance.

Edited by LanghamP
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I started in my tiny backyard and just tried to go really short distances, like less than 15'. Couldn't feel any progress after a week. Went to an empty parking lot, and in about 30 minutes i was cruising through, and 2 days later, I was in the streets. Started hitting up a park and testing out max speeds and hill climbing techniques after a month of street cruising. I still get a mental barrier like right before doing a set of weight lifting when I mount though. Like I have to tell myself, "Let's go, you gotta do this."

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it took me about a month and a half before i was comfortable riding around in pedestrian-filled areas; that was on the msuper. then, after having ridden the msuper for about six months i got an acm 1600, and that took me about two weeks to get used to... on the acm i still have that sort of 'mental barrier' @BUSTANUTELLA mentions when i'm mounting it - also doing turns... i've scraped my shoes a few times turning around.

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I suppose everyone has a different definition of "learn" but I would say it took me about 5 hours. After those 5 hours I was comfortable enough to ride on hilly streets with cars and in areas with some pedestrian traffic. I was also able to mount successfully pretty much everytime and able to tight U turn (a bit wobbly tho) in about a parking space's width.

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4 hours ago, BUSTANUTELLA said:

I started in my tiny backyard and just tried to go really short distances, like less than 15'. Couldn't feel any progress after a week. Went to an empty parking lot, and in about 30 minutes i was cruising through, and 2 days later, I was in the streets. Started hitting up a park and testing out max speeds and hill climbing techniques after a month of street cruising. I still get a mental barrier like right before doing a set of weight lifting when I mount though. Like I have to tell myself, "Let's go, you gotta do this."

 

Yeah, that was my experience, too.  Luckily, I didn't hang around my poor learning environment too long and found a good place to practice.  I really believe that finding the right environment, in my case a "fenced corridor", is the key to learning to ride.  

I think most of us fall in the normal range on the EUC learning curve.  The people that can step on an ride in under a half hour are the exceptions.  I view two hours as the average minimum time someone would need to be able to do basics. 

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Slightly off topic, but if you want to learn or teach someone very quickly with no drama, the way to do it is to use two unicycle, and handhold them while riding slowly next to you (on an EUC) around a parking lot type area. They quickly get the seat time required to control an EUCs instead of the slow "hop on and fall off within a few feet" method.

They aren't really balancing themselves at first. If you look down at your own wheel you'll see it flopping back and forth at an insane lean and speed as the new rider puts their imbalances into you.

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3 minutes ago, LanghamP said:

Slightly off topic, but if you want to learn or teach someone very quickly with no drama, the way to do it is to use two unicycle, and handhold them while riding slowly next to you (on an EUC) around a parking lot type area. They quickly get the seat time required to control an EUCs instead of the slow "hop on and fall off within a few feet" method.

They aren't really balancing themselves at first. If you look down at your own wheel you'll see it flopping back and forth at an insane lean and speed as the new rider puts their imbalances into you.

 

Yeah, that seems to be the ideal way to learn.  Most of the really quick learning cases are usually a result of that recipe.  I notice some of the bigger sellers are aware of this and will offer that help to local buyers.  Probably helps to disarm the possible "steep learning curve" buying objection. 

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  • 2 years later...

longer than I thought it would take. I'm old 68 and I have balance issues already. The great thing is I got better with practice. It is fun so practicing isn't hard. I go out for short periods and when I'm tired I stop. I use no pads or helmet but I keep my speed slow. I can go forward and turn right, haven't mastered turning left. I could turn left 90 degrees but can't go in a circle smoothly. It took me weeks to get where I am. It's more fun than a one wheel which I also have. This is harder but I like that it's harder. I hope to get a faster bigger one when I master this ninebot C plus.  If I can do it anyone can. 

C

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For me it was about 1 hr. I brought unit to school where I teach - nothing like smooth commercial grade floor and endless hallways! I did spook a few other teachers as I zoomed passed their doors then went careening into lockers as I failed to make the right angle turn at the end of the hallway. Euc feels so much faster in an enclosed space like a school. I was riding around the school for several weeks (after kids left) and nobody gave me any guff until one day I came around a corner and almost ran over the principal. That put an end to my hallway electroglide :-( Sure was fun while it lasted...

I have seen people within 10 mins able to mount/dismount unassisted and get around independently turning in both directions. But for many I think it is a few hours for decent independence. The process can be greatly sped up with an experienced rider/spotter who can guide and assist during the initial attempts. But like learning an instrument ( or anything else for that matter), the process is highly individualised with immense variability from person to person. IMO the learning process should be approached in the spirit of fun with no pressure or timetable for progress. For those fearful or concerned about falling, open grassy flat areas (soccer/football fields) can be a great place to practice without fear of injury or scraping the EUC; grass is however more resistant than pave and therefore can be more difficult to learn on. Spotter must be very careful or disastrous results may follow as per - 

 

Edited by amelanso
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On 12/1/2017 at 4:00 PM, LanghamP said:

Slightly off topic, but if you want to learn or teach someone very quickly with no drama, the way to do it is to use two unicycle, and handhold them while riding slowly next to you (on an EUC) around a parking lot type area. They quickly get the seat time required to control an EUCs instead of the slow "hop on and fall off within a few feet" method.

They aren't really balancing themselves at first. If you look down at your own wheel you'll see it flopping back and forth at an insane lean and speed as the new rider puts their imbalances into you.

imo an experienced rider on foot as the spotter will be more effective than when on EUC ( simply for the  ability to react more effectively to the person trying to learn ). This has its limits since as the learner increases speed it becomes more taxing to keep pace with them while on foot (which can also lead to spotter interruptis & a much feared case of simmering spousal rage...). once learner is getting  it a little then riding in parallel is a good way to increase comfort level while still giving an assist. Grass is great as avoids scratching up wheel and scratching up learner!

Edited by amelanso
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Im at 4 months, 400 miles and still pretty bad at it. I think it took about 2 hours to be able to somewhat ride in the street straight. Mine was broken up in 20 minutes a day with a break after 3 days. Freaking shins were turning yellow and the weather was wretched.

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