Recommendations on second wheel?

[rdalcanto]

I have two teenage boys.  Bought the Ninebot One C+ from Newegg for $399.  If we like it, I plan on buying a second EUC.  Do I get the same one, or something with more speed?  If I go more expensive, I could get the Ninebot E+, or the IPS T350 or the T250.  (I want to stay with a 16 inch wheel).  The Ninebot is more attractive to me, but that is not very important.  Do they all handle similarly?  Ease of jumping up a curb?  Differences in safety?  I'm asking because I doubt I will be able to see them in person or try them out.  Thanks!

[Paddylaz]

V5f+. 

Don't look back my son...

*gives gandalf-esque wise, reassuring nod*

[Mono]

Would need to be a V8 (Inmotion) for a 16". And that should definitely be on the short-list.

See e.g.

 

[rayna903]

hi, I am glad to hear that you are interested in our products. i think t350 is great,  16" ,340wh, and others are good . 

[rdalcanto]

I've now seen the VF5+ recommended several times on this forum.  Is the 14 inch wheel not a problem?  It would seem that a 16 inch wheel would handle little bumps in the road significantly better.  Kind of like 26 and 29 inch mountain bike wheels (I'm never going back to 26).

[Paddylaz]

20 minutes ago, rdalcanto said:

I've now seen the VF5+ recommended several times on this forum.  Is the 14 inch wheel not a problem?  It would seem that a 16 inch wheel would handle little bumps in the road significantly better.  Kind of like 26 and 29 inch mountain bike wheels (I'm never going back to 26).

 My previous wheel was an IPS Lhotz (16inch)

I was worried too but honestly, it FEELS like a 16inch. The tire has a 1.95/2.125inch spine, which is thicker even than the 16inch ninebot tire. Handles bumps/cracks etc just fine.

Best wheel ive ever used, and ive used a few. And certainly the best looking. Seriously i get stopped for questions just CARRYING it. Get it from Jason...he'll look after you.

Only regret is i didnt get black ?

PS. If for whatever reason you HAVE to have a 16inch, then as @Mono said, the V8 is prob what you want.

[US69]

11 minutes ago, rdalcanto said:

I've now seen the VF5+ recommended several times on this forum.  Is the 14 inch wheel not a problem?  It would seem that a 16 inch wheel would handle little bumps in the road significantly better.  Kind of like 26 and 29 inch mountain bike wheels (I'm never going back to 26).

The greater the wheel...as better it reacts to bumps and holes...but you will loose some of the agilty....but 14" is not "a Problem"

All the wheels you mentioned in your first post...Paddylaz said it perfect "Dont look back...."...which means they are all not uptodate....and all at least 2 years old...if not older!

2.nd Generation Wheels like V5f+,V8, KS16, ACM etc etc outperform each of your mentioned wheels....

[Mono]

45 minutes ago, rdalcanto said:

I've now seen the VF5+ recommended several times on this forum.  Is the 14 inch wheel not a problem?  It would seem that a 16 inch wheel would handle little bumps in the road significantly better.  Kind of like 26 and 29 inch mountain bike wheels (I'm never going back to 26).

I have been riding 14" for a few thousand km and it has not been a problem in that it never failed on a bump or a pothole (unless off-road). Yet, I also prefer 16", because it gives some more safety margin on bumps, curbs and potholes.

[rdalcanto]

7 hours ago, KingSong69 said:

The greater the wheel...as better it reacts to bumps and holes...but you will loose some of the agilty....but 14" is not "a Problem"

 

Great comments!

How big is the agility difference between VF5+ and V8?

[Cloud]

3 hours ago, rdalcanto said:

Great comments!

How big is the agility difference between VF5+ and V8?

The difference in agility between the two is what one would expect from a 14" vs 16" wheels. The difference is clearly noticieable but V8 is agile and responsive enough, and more so than its most 16" counterparts. Id say the better handling of the rough terrain by the 16 inches should more than offset any loss in agility. 

Overall 16" seems to be a more universal size and more suited for normal riding overall averaged across most common situations in riding, unless one wants to specialize in tricks, special cases like riding among and around crowds of people, has special requirements for the weight/size, or does short trips only. 

[rayna903]

hi, I think Lhotz is also great that be liked by many people with 16inch, 30km/h 340wh. it is confortable when you ride it.  please ask me if you have any problems. 

[MaxLinux]

1 hour ago, rayna903 said:

I think Lhotz is also great that be liked by many people with 16inch, 30km/h 340wh

The 2.5 inch tire is my favorite feature of the IPS 191 Lhotz. Few (if any) other manufacturers have chosen to use a tire this wide on a 16-inch wheel. If anyone knows another EUC company using a 2.5 inch tire on a 16-inch wheel, let me know. I love the comfort and stability provided by the Lhotz tire. Lhotz is a very capable hill climber too, which is very important to me because I live in a hilly area.

[nomad]

Remember 18/16 = 112.5% and 16/14 = 114.3%. Just saying.. the difference from 14" to 16" is bigger than it is from 16" to 18". The V5F+ is an awesome portable wheel highly recommended I have 3000km mileage now on mine! Also take a look at the new 14" KS14D and that 14" Microworks Geekwheel with a 2.5" tire! But yes a 16" should be a little more comfortable...

[rayna903]

that sounds so great.@nomad

[Chuts]

My first wheel is the IPS T260.  Not ridden the Lhotz myself but if IPS have kept the newer versions similar, then it would get my vote.

Instead of echoing what has already been said by others here.  Some features that you might not know about.  Of course you should confirm with a IPS rep to be sure.

In its price range I believe IPS is the only EU that features 6 mosfets on their control board instead of the usual 4.  Which is why it is a decent hill climber as it has more torque.  Makes the wheel safer as it lessens the torque shutdown effect.

The charge port is uni-directional.  Meaning that electricity can only flow one way.  This is great because you have no chance of electrocuting yourself if you stick a finger into the charge socket.  Means also that if you accidentally drop your keys onto the contact points you won't fry the electronics.

[Citi Wheel]

@houseofjob has been riding both the V8 and V5F+ for several months. He prefers the V5F+, but I'll let him talk about the specifics of why. 

[houseofjob]

@rayna903 The Ninebot One series is a great starting out point for EUC riding, especially because of the current low sub-$1K, even sub-$500 price points.

But there is a reason why Ninebot Ones are so under-priced compared to the average $1K or more cutting edge EUC from other top brands: the Segway takeover of Ninebot has diverted their priorities, mainly to the 2-wheeled Mini Pro, and they've neglected to improve upon / update the line going on a good ~2 years now. With other brands offering better performance and better convenience features at relatively similar price points, the Ninebot, for more experienced EUC riders, is really showing its age now.

 

On 12/13/2016 at 5:45 PM, rdalcanto said:

If I go more expensive, I could get the Ninebot E+, or the IPS T350 or the T250.

My brief experience with IPS (Zero 340wH) was largely disappointing. Their wheels are largely underpowered compared to other major brand counterparts (don't be fooled by IPS resorting to old EUC practices of advertising max power, not nominal / average power), and I have yet to be convinced otherwise by an IPS rider who has actual experience riding extensively both IPS and other major brands (the ones that have had such experience have all admitted to the underpowering, in my experiences).

 

On 12/13/2016 at 5:45 PM, rdalcanto said:

Do I get the same one, or something with more speed?

Totally a matter of personal preference, but if Ninebot One is your point of reference, I would say everything the NB1 series can do, the InMotion wheels can do a bit (v5) or a lot (V8) faster and with more features (built-in front light, handle disengage, etc) in a better package (both V5 & V8 are I believe lighter and have higher pedals, good for not scraping pedals on turns).

 

On 12/14/2016 at 8:34 AM, rdalcanto said:

Is the 14 inch wheel not a problem?  It would seem that a 16 inch wheel would handle little bumps in the road significantly better.  Kind of like 26 and 29 inch mountain bike wheels (I'm never going back to 26).

In my experience with the V5 now, I have learned that handling bumps is affected more by choice of tire material / weight than it is actual tire size. The V5F+ model carried by super distributor @Jason McNeil / eWheels.com employs a ChaoYang 14" x 1.95" tire, made of a heavier rubber than most. I would say, as a result, the V5F+ handles bumps better than the V8 or Ninebot One series, which employ the typical Kenda-brand 16" x 2.125" stock tires (more like a cheap afterthought of a tire).

Potholes and divots, on the other hand, are a function of tire size, but I would advise avoiding those, as this increases the chances of flatting the inner tube.

 

On 12/13/2016 at 5:45 PM, rdalcanto said:

Do they all handle similarly?

No. Ninebot and IPS wheels, being older brands, are still motor designs based on re-engineered e-bike motors. The InMotion wheels were built from the ground up and employ a different handling, almost like a turn assist type setup (closest real world comparison I can think of is how the advent of parabolic ski design helped the most challenged of skiiers able to turn more easily. As a result, they are less affected by the popular notion that larger tires are harder to handle than smaller diameter tires on an EUC (I personally think this argument though is largely overstated on these forums, especially the higher your skill level).

 

On 12/13/2016 at 5:45 PM, rdalcanto said:

Ease of jumping up a curb?

Hands down, the Ninebot One series are the best jumpers, simply due to the design of their side pad casings. Their square designs jut out, allowing your legs to hug under the pad and pull up. That is not to say you cannot jump on any of the other makes and models you've listed, but this one Ninebot One physical feature makes the Ninebot One the clear winner here.

 

On 12/13/2016 at 5:45 PM, rdalcanto said:

Differences in safety?

Safety-wise, I wouldn't worry too much so long as you realize the limitations of EUC riding (overspeed cutouts, overlean / over-current cutouts, etc... well covered on many forum posts here).

One thing to note (also well covered on these forums) is that Ninebot One wheels do not have the greatest track record for in-app firmware updates (there are cases of updates bricking wheels, etc), but if you take precaution and only update after confirming on these forums, you will be fine.

 

On 12/13/2016 at 5:45 PM, rdalcanto said:

 I'm asking because I doubt I will be able to see them in person or try them out.

In the case of InMotion, I would contact @Jason McNeil to see if he has a former customer in your area who would let you test ride their wheel. I personally might never have bought my V5F+ or V8 if I wasn't able to do so myself.

 

On 12/14/2016 at 4:44 PM, rdalcanto said:

How big is the agility difference between VF5+ and V8?

This is an interesting question that I am exploring myself. 

Out of the box, hands down this goes to the V5F+, but IMO, this is not due to the smaller tire size, but more due to the crappy stock Kenda tire that the V8 shipped with. But, as I've said, I am still exploring this comparison with procuring replacement tires for my V8.

 

Also of note: AFAIK, InMotion is the only company where their engineers actually know how to ride EUCs and actually have put in countless hours beta testing (see facebook article here), and it shows. Surprisingly, this is not the case with the other major brands (from what I've heard on the forums here).

 

[FYI, it's hard for me not to sound like an InMotion advertisement, but this is simply due to how impressed I have been with these wheels.]

 

[MaxLinux]

On 12/15/2016 at 9:23 AM, Chuts said:

In its price range I believe IPS is the only EU that features 6 mosfets

IPS uses 12 MOSFETs!

 

[HermanTheGerman]

To less Kingsong recommendations here.

I think it is dependent on what you want to do, and what you intend to pay at max.

If you intend to do a lot of tricks and want to have an agile lightweight wheel, an Inmotion V5F+ could be the right wheel.

If you intend to do long cruises and want to drive faster (up to 30 km/h) and also offroad a little bit, a wheel like the Kingsong KS16 could be the right decision.

I decided for the KS16 in June, and didn't regret it, now having more than 1600 km on this very reliable wheel (the only mistake I made is, I decided for the 680 Wh batteries, today I would buy the larger version. I also believe, with the 340 Wh version it is underpowered).

I would strongly recommend to find a shop, where you can try 3 or 4 different wheels to see what you like most.

[rdalcanto]

Day 2, and I'm zipping around the parking lot at work pretty well.  I think it will be a while until I'm doing "tricks".  Idling is my next goal.  I talked to Jason, and the V5f+ won't be available for a while.  He said the V8 is more powerful.  I think I'm leaning toward the V8 at this point.  I'm already getting constant tilt back on my Ninebot because I'm at the speed limit.  The 16 inch wheel on the Ninebot already seems tiny.  I don't want to worry about bumps on a 14 inch wheel....  I'm also a sucker for the LED lights on the V8.  If anyone wants to talk me out of the V8 and into the V5 some more, now is the time....  

 

(sorry for typos, wrote this on my phone in my car.  Trying to warm up before I practice some more )

[Smoother]

24 minutes ago, rdalcanto said:

Idling is my next goal.

That's funny, idling is my next goal too!  Has been for about a month now. ? It's just that I'm having too much fun going forward to hang around in one spot.

[Paddylaz]

2 hours ago, rdalcanto said:

If anyone wants to talk me out of the V8 and into the V5 some more, now is the time....  

Cant go wrong with either of the two inmotions....theyre that good. Id still go with the v5f+ but if you cant wait then you cant wait!

 

Also the V5f+ tops out at 25kph so perhaps the v8 is a better longer term investment if you like your speed....

[rdalcanto]

Well, I'm probably completely nuts.  I've had the Ninebot for a whopping 24 hours, and I've just dropped a grand on a V8!   Riding the Ninebot at 12mph doesn't look fast, but I know that if I hit the ground, it is!  If the V8, with the bigger wheel, reduces my risk of missing 3 months of work with an injury by even 1% over the V5f+, it is worth it to me.  

[Paddylaz]

51 minutes ago, rdalcanto said:

Well, I'm probably completely nuts.  I've had the Ninebot for a whopping 24 hours, and I've just dropped a grand on a V8!   Riding the Ninebot at 12mph doesn't look fast, but I know that if I hit the ground, it is!  If the V8, with the bigger wheel, reduces my risk of missing 3 months of work with an injury by even 1% over the V5f+, it is worth it to me.  

Nice.

When it comes to stability, as well as puncture-suscepitibility, don't forget the importance of tire pressure.

If you don't have one already, invest in a decent track-pump with gauge. You want your wheel between 40-45psi while still learning.....then once you're very confident up that to 50-55.

Also download the inmotion app and familiarise yourself with it......it's a bit clunky but very good once you master it. There is a pedal setting you'll need to experiment with once you're wheel arrives. 

Congrats!

[Chuts]

On 18/12/2016 at 11:37 AM, MaxLinux said:

IPS uses 12 MOSFETs!

Glad someone is keeping me right.  Even better then for those who are considering IPS as a future wheel.