Assistant training wheels. Do they help?

[cloudust]

Dear all,

When you started learning how to ride a Ninebot One, did you purchase and use the assistant training wheels?

Do they really make it safer and shorten the learning curve?

[TremF]

I think that Ian from Speedyfeet advises against using them as you still need to learn to balance once you take them off so it can take longer to learn plus they hinder turning.

It's probably best finding a wall, bar or person you can hold onto until you can get moving properly.

[HEC]

@cloudust Unless the training wheels are included or you can get them for (almost) free I wouldn't bother. They're only good for initial half to one hour of training to give you a feel of standing on the wheel and controlling the direct line movement / speed / breaking without worrying too much about keeping side to side balance however after that you'd need (should) remove them anyway to be able to steer properly and to keep balance at lower speed by "slaloming".

[Pingouin]

Hi,

I suggest you not to put them on, they don't help at all imo, for me they didn't, and they were dangerous when turning while picking up speed.

[dmethvin]

I agree, leave off the training wheels. Hold onto a rail or fence to get the feel of things when you are starting out. The training strap isn't much better because it makes you use one arm to hold it and that can mess up your balance since you often use your arms to regain balance when you're starting out.

[SuperSport]

If you live near a large parking lot with shopping carts, either hold on to a shopping cart and ride around (I Personally did not like the feel of this), or hold onto the shopping cart rack in the parking lot and just ride around it a few times to gain your balance (No cars late evening).  Before you know it, you'll let go and start riding.  Then, you need to learn to stop!  That's the harder part...

First Ride, First evening, I rode around a Costco Shopping Cart rack twice before I let go and never came back.  Next ride, next day, was almost 10 miles with only 1 stop to turn around.  That was NOT a good choice because when I needed to stop, it was difficult, and then I was unable to start again without holding on to something.  I went home and practiced getting on and off, and it helped immensely.

Practice in a hallway or along a fence or shopping cart rack on how to get on and off the wheel.  Become VERY comfortable with that before entering into crowded areas where there are people or other vehicles.  It can be quite dangerous if you need to stop quickly and there are people or cars around.  Either other pedestrians or yourself can get hurt.

[cloudust]

33 minutes ago, SuperSport said:

If you live near a large parking lot with shopping carts, either hold on to a shopping cart and ride around (I Personally did not like the feel of this), or hold onto the shopping cart rack in the parking lot and just ride around it a few times to gain your balance (No cars late evening).  Before you know it, you'll let go and start riding.  Then, you need to learn to stop!  That's the harder part...

First Ride, First evening, I rode around a Costco Shopping Cart rack twice before I let go and never came back.  Next ride, next day, was almost 10 miles with only 1 stop to turn around.  That was NOT a good choice because when I needed to stop, it was difficult, and then I was unable to start again without holding on to something.  I went home and practiced getting on and off, and it helped immensely.

Practice in a hallway or along a fence or shopping cart rack on how to get on and off the wheel.  Become VERY comfortable with that before entering into crowded areas where there are people or other vehicles.  It can be quite dangerous if you need to stop quickly and there are people or cars around.  Either other pedestrians or yourself can get hurt.

@SuperSport Thank you for the advice. So you don't think a pair of assistant training wheel can do much help and make it safer for a beginner?

[SuperSport]

After learning to ride my first wheel, I tried the training wheels. I found them to be counter productive. If you are going any speed at all, they tend to spin you when you try to turn, thus throwing you off the wheel. They also seem to turn you in the opposite direction of where you are trying to go. 

The very best way to learn is have someone walk next to you while you hold on to them. Of course, you'll need someone willing to get a little tired...  But from my experience showing others to ride, and watching training videos, that seems to be the quickest way to success. 

Two people, one on each side is even better. 

[Rehab1]

@cloudust i totally agree with @SuperSport having one or two prople holding onto you when learning and watching as many training videos you can lay your hands on.

Somatosensory is a weird thing. You probably have never even heard of the term before joining this forum. In short your sematosensory system is a complex team of receptors located all over the skin, bones, joints, skeletal muscles. Unfortunately this team needs some training so all of the players can communicate together. Your constant training connects these exceptionally large expanses of reflex receptors to form a functional network. To increase your somotosensory sensory network you need to train just like any other sport.  

One day you will look back and smile wondering why this eas so hard. Yes there are skills that will require lots and lots of training but one baby step at a time. Good luck!?