phatmike Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 I'm a totally newbie and I really want an electric unicycle. I'm very attracted by the possibility of going offroad so it comes natural thinking of models like the Kingsong 18 or the Gotway msuper 18. The question is: can a beginner like me learn how to ride an electric unicycle directly on a 18 wheel? Do I have to necessarly buy a smaller/cheap one to learn? I'm a good skier and I (was) a decent skater (skateboard and rollerblades) but I'm not shure if this is going to help me on a EU. Thanks for help. I really love this forum, two weeks of reading and now I' m buyng an EU. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mono Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 I don't see any reason why you couldn't learn riding on an 18" model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoyRide Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 6 hours ago, phatmike said: I'm a totally newbie and I really want an electric unicycle. I'm very attracted by the possibility of going offroad so it comes natural thinking of models like the Kingsong 18 or the Gotway msuper 18. The question is: can a beginner like me learn how to ride an electric unicycle directly on a 18 wheel? Do I have to necessarly buy a smaller/cheap one to learn? I'm a good skier and I (was) a decent skater (skateboard and rollerblades) but I'm not shure if this is going to help me on a EU. Thanks for help. I really love this forum, two weeks of reading and now I' m buyng an EU. Well, my first wheel was one of the cheap ones and I do no regret. I fell many times and the wheel as well before I was able to ride longer distances. The wheel got scratched and even the plastic was braking. I am happy that this was happening to a cheap, not very nice wheel which I eventually put away and not to my current EUC which I purchased, besides other things, because of it's nice design. Re wheel size, my fisrt one was 14. Now, I have 16. Have no experience with 18 but I can confirm what everyone here says: the bigger the wheel the better one can ride any obstacles be it cobblestones, roots etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Questor Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 I have no doubt you can learn on a 18" wheel, but your first wheel WILL get pretty beat up as you learn. I would suggest you get a sub $300 wheel and learn on that and then upgrade. You never know, you might find that EUCs aren't what you thought they are or don't work for you. It's easier to sell a used $250 wheel than a $1250 used wheel. Q~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mono Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 Given you want to go offroad anyways, I wouldn't worry much about "beating up" the wheel during learning. I have no regrets to never have bought a cheap wheel to begin with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 @phatmike, all 3 of the posters above me make very good points, bottom line is it depends how committed you are that you are definitely going to stick with it. if you do go straight to a good quality, expensive wheel of any size you can always protect it at first, even wrapping it in old carpet would do to stop it getting messed up or, of course the adhesive bumper strip that is readily available. however there is one angle that hasn't been discussed: What do you intend doing with the EUC when you are not on it? The 18" wheels are perfect for off road use but not ideal for carrying on public transport or (say) carrying around the supermarket, storing at work, etc,etc. Indeed anything that involves having to carry it then the 18" wheels are damned big and heavy. They are also less than ideal in heavily populated streets. If you will be mostly using it off road and getting there on it or in your car, 18" will be fine. The bigger heavier 18" wheels may be a little more difficult to learn on but not hugely so. If you need to also use in town, on public transport, etc, etc, then 16" wheel may be a much better compromise As to a skiing, skating, skateboarding past then, yes, it should definitely be a positive help as it means you already have a good, and well trained sense of balance. I put my fairly quick (for a 60 year old) learning down to windsurfing and skiing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Citi Wheel Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 12 hours ago, phatmike said: I'm a totally newbie and I really want an electric unicycle. I'm very attracted by the possibility of going offroad so it comes natural thinking of models like the Kingsong 18 or the Gotway msuper 18. The question is: can a beginner like me learn how to ride an electric unicycle directly on a 18 wheel? Do I have to necessarly buy a smaller/cheap one to learn? I'm a good skier and I (was) a decent skater (skateboard and rollerblades) but I'm not shure if this is going to help me on a EU. Thanks for help. I really love this forum, two weeks of reading and now I' m buyng an EU. I taught people on 14" 16" and 18" inch wheels and in my experience the 18" wheels are definitely the easiest to learn to ride. The issue is that 18" wheels typically go a lot faster than the 14"/16 EUCs, so if you take it up to those speed before you're experienced enough, you could get seriously hurt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurgen Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 It will take some time before you can go offroad, and the wheel will take some beating the first couple of months, the bigger the better for offroad. A IPS Lhotz 340 is a good compromise: 16", wider/higher/softer tire, solid build (14kg), powerfull; take a look at the reviews here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddylaz Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 12 hours ago, phatmike said: Do I have to necessarly buy a smaller/cheap one to learn? If you're confident you're going to really like this hobby and you're going to stick with it, my advice would be to buy the best wheel you can afford. You can always wrap it in so many layers of protection (bubble-wrap, padding, tape etc). It will look ridiculous but will mean that theres no chance of you damaging it as you learn. I don't think Ive ever read a comment on this forum from anyone who has learnt how to ride one who has then got bored/gone off it. The only thing I've heard of is people getting frustrated during the learning period and then giving up. So yeah......if you're going to buy one, buy the best you can afford. I'd recommend a Ninebot or Inmotion. You don't NEED an 18inch wheel to go off-road - I suppose maybe it might help. Either way just don't go cheap because chances are you WILL love it and you'll end up feeling the need to upgrade before long. Like I did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phatmike Posted September 4, 2016 Author Share Posted September 4, 2016 Thank you all. I'm still a little confused but you all expressed good points of view. Buyng a cheap wheel to start can be a good idea. Learning directly with the final wheel is a good idea too. My goal is to be able one day to get off from my house on my eu crossing the city (asphalt 7/8 km) and then some off road (nothing extreme just a couple of hours in the nature) and back. Any suggestion for a cheap wheel good for learning? Thanx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
US69 Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 1 minute ago, phatmike said: Thank you all. I'm still a little confused but you all expressed good points of view. Buyng a cheap wheel to start can be a good idea. Learning directly with the final wheel is a good idea too. My goal is to be able one day to get off from my house on my eu crossing the city (asphalt 7/8 km) and then some off road (nothing extreme just a couple of hours in the nature) and back. Any suggestion for a cheap wheel good for learning? Thanx in my view...first buying a cheap wheel is wasted money! first: cheap wheels are cheap...they have no power...they collapse more easiliy(overlean) and it might be, they give you a feeling of not liking unicycling!! they are also very slow...once you have learned( i needed 2,5 hours) you will def. like to go faster than 15kmh....so a cheap wheel will only help you in the first 1-2 weeks... others have mentioned also that you can protect a better wheel without problems...put it into bumper tape, or so! also you can use a strap around the carry handle to lift it up when you fall-step off- while learning... this "scratch" thing should be nor reason for a cheap wheel! also ...as i in the moment i am teaching my girlfriend to ride..and i have 14 and 18 at home....i can assure you that a 18inch is the easiest!! type to learn on! so i would vote for a good wheel from the beginning....btw. i have done that also ...a KS14, on which i later upgraded batterie! good wheel, biggest batterie is the best to go! i would recommend KS18 or MSuper V2 or V3! V2 we will for shure see a big price drop now, as the new V3 steps in! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZPotato Posted September 5, 2016 Share Posted September 5, 2016 As I see it, if money is no obstacle, by all means buy a cheap wheel to learn on. However, as I learned riding motorcycles, buying a slower vehicle is good for the break in period but you immediately want to upgrade! My advice would be to buy the most appealing wheel you can comfortably afford, assuming you're committed to learning/riding them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddylaz Posted September 5, 2016 Share Posted September 5, 2016 13 hours ago, phatmike said: Any suggestion for a cheap wheel good for learning? Thanx Theres a second hand e+ going for 450 in the private sales section of the forum..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mono Posted September 5, 2016 Share Posted September 5, 2016 9 hours ago, ZPotato said: As I see it, if money is no obstacle, by all means buy a cheap wheel to learn on. If money is no obstacle what's the point to buy a cheap wheel, in particular as they are potentially less safe and less fun and more likely to break when you fall (a quality wheel won't)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vdubers Posted September 6, 2016 Share Posted September 6, 2016 I bought a cheap generic 14" wheel to see if i could actually do it and if i liked it. That was less than a month ago and i have now bought a msuper v3. The cheapo is fine to learn on and i did scratch it up. But after that stage you will want more power and battery. I even take it off road, its only along woodland tracks nothing majour. Tbh its not the 14" thats the issue for me its the poor power and battery meaning im always worried about carrying it back. On the plus side if you get a 14" and like it you can always keep it to get friends to learn on. Im sure i will fall off my msuper v3 and scratch it but id rarther everyone else learn on my cheapo haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbouju Posted September 6, 2016 Share Posted September 6, 2016 I did the same 18 months ago with a TG F3, but " If money is no obstacle...", a wheel a little more safe and performant should have been a better and more durable choice! And now, with models like the MCM3, for example, it is possible to buy cheap & better wheels... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phatmike Posted September 27, 2016 Author Share Posted September 27, 2016 Thank you all for your advices. I decided to buy as first wheel an Inmotion V5F+ (Thanks to @Jason McNeil). The wheel is just arrived in perfect conditions and I almost kill my self trying to test it in my bedroom! I'm very excited ad I will spend on it some hours next saturday. Just a question: it is better to use a belt/rope for practicing or it is better without? Thank you all again. This forum is really great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunka Hunka Burning Love Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 @Rehab1 used a learning belt to secure it loosely to his waist belt if I recall correctly to prevent it crashing to the ground. I'm not sure how well that works as sometimes when you fall off the wheel spins like crazy out of control. Others hold the belt loosely just to be able to catch the wheel. I didn't used one as I had to use both arms to wave around to help balance. I had a cheapo generic wheel that I padded up though. With a nice wheel like a V5F+ I would pad it up on both sides and under the pedals to prevent scratches. If you have some carpet or carpet underlay cut some pieces and wrap tape all around it. Looks dumb, but once it's removed you have a nice pristine wheel still plus it will cushion your legs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 24 minutes ago, phatmike said: Just a question: it is better to use a belt/rope for practicing or it is better without? @HunkaHunkaBurningLove has covered it well, but some people hate the belt, some love it, I'm in the latter camp and believe it is misusing the belt that gives it a bad name. The key thing is not to use it as reins as that really screws your balance up. Holding them losely enough that you can flap your arms about (if necessary ;-)) but keep the wheel upright if you fall of of it is the idea. However if the belt is too long it can get eaten by the wheel so you do need to be careful. I think I would have damaged several parked cars, and my wheel, if I had not had the belt to stop it charging off on its own in those early weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddylaz Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 1 hour ago, phatmike said: Thank you all for your advices. I decided to buy as first wheel an Inmotion V5F+ (Thanks to @Jason McNeil). The wheel is just arrived in perfect conditions and I almost kill my self trying to test it in my bedroom! I'm very excited ad I will spend on it some hours next saturday. Just a question: it is better to use a belt/rope for practicing or it is better without? Thank you all again. This forum is really great! Congrats! So priority 1, pad the hell out of it. I have the v5f+ too but it's my second wheel. It's too nice a wheel to mess up with scratches and dents whilst learning. Secondly, invest in a good track pump. Keep the tire around 38-40psi whilst learning. When confident, ramp it up. I ride on 58psi (4 bar) and it's a dream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KölscheJung Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 Congrats, this wheel is the right decision. A few minutes ago i finished the change of some spare parts, as i was not so smart to protect the wheel from scratches. Now it looks like a new one, big thanks to @Jason McNeil for the perfect service. I would also recommend pad the hell out of it. At the beginning i had no scratches cause i used a belt, but after you are a little experienced you try to do some tricks, jumps etc. Have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudust Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 On 9/4/2016 at 8:56 PM, phatmike said: Learning directly with the final wheel is a good idea too. Ha ha, people will tell you there is no such thing, the final wheel... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason McNeil Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 37 minutes ago, KölscheJung said: A few minutes ago i finished the change of some spare parts, as i was not so smart to protect the wheel from scratches. Now it looks like a new one Now including the protective cover as standard with all V5F+ purchases (there were some supply issues earlier on), this should help keep her looking fresh & young from the early school-of-hard-knocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Spalding Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 2 hours ago, phatmike said: Thank you all for your advices. I decided to buy as first wheel an Inmotion V5F+ (Thanks to @Jason McNeil). The wheel is just arrived in perfect conditions and I almost kill my self trying to test it in my bedroom! I'm very excited ad I will spend on it some hours next saturday. Just a question: it is better to use a belt/rope for practicing or it is better without? Thank you all again. This forum is really great! I am so happy for you and your choice of wheel Jason is awesome and I'm glad you guys were able to do business together I hope you will start a new thread soon in the Inmotion section of the forum detailing your learning process good luck and be safe and enjoy every mile and thanks for being a part of the forum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boxer Rebellion Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 3 hours ago, phatmike said: Thank you all for your advices. I decided to buy as first wheel an Inmotion V5F+ (Thanks to @Jason McNeil). The wheel is just arrived in perfect conditions and I almost kill my self trying to test it in my bedroom! I'm very excited ad I will spend on it some hours next saturday. Just a question: it is better to use a belt/rope for practicing or it is better without? Thank you all again. This forum is really great! @Phatmike...Congrats on your new purchase! I bought the same wheel from Jason a couple months ago and it was my 1st wheel. I can share my boot camp training lessons learned, just asks questions. You may want to use a bicycle inner tube as a sleeve for the handle, see one of my post, it keeps the handle from getting scratched up, and I agree with one of the previous person stating that you should "pad" the heck out of the wheel, it will be scratched up. That is inevitable It is a Fantastic wheel. I am riding roughly 25 miles 3 days a week, to and from work. as you get better, you will crave for more POWER, longer distance...and then the risk level goes up... safe riding, Boxer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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