Mono Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 The training wheels are good for understanding the basics of the wheel but once you start training without its almost as you are starting all over again. The pain you are going to feel in the morning will be glorious but wear it with pride knowing everyone here has gone through the same thing learning to ride an EU.The pain is avoidable. I used hard shin protectors for the first week or so. Anxiety yes, but no pain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuts Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 @Nikolaus Hansen You had no pain at all? No part of your body was in pain? Not even your lower/upper back or shoulders? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriull Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 The pain/sore muscles depend just upon if one had enough of the needed muscles already - and how relaxed/cramped one is... Shin protectors are luckily not needed with the ninebot - there the battery/mainboard compartments are nicely cushioned. I just hurt a little bit the ankles with the pedals - but i see no way of wearing mountain boots in summertime ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mono Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 On 7/25/2015 at 9:17 PM, Chuts said: You had no pain at all? No part of your body was in pain? Not even your lower/upper back or shoulders? The pain I remember is from not using hard shin protectors in the very beginning. All other pains I might have had must have been minor enough to not remember them (I fell once...). Having said that, I now remember to feel my lower back in an unusual way, I wouldn't say that it was really pain though. I guess it might help that I usually just stop when I start to feel uncomfortable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick McWilliams Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 I used training wheels too long. It was very scary when they would touch the ground in a crack in the paving. I turn by putting more weight on the inside foot. I usually make balance corrections by twisting my body. These things are becoming automatic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gimlet Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 A good tip in the beginning is to pad the legs not the wheel. It's a lot less painful that way.Shin pads are easy but any padding will do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esaj Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 I never had any soreness or bruises in my shins, don't know why (I did use long knee/shin pads, but they were pointing to front of my leg, not towards the wheel). My sides did ache during the first few days (using muscles for balancing that I don't normally need), and the bottoms of my feet were aching pretty much every time after riding 10km straight on the 14" generic (uncomfortable pedals).As for falling injuries, they are kicking my toe on my 3rd day crash, that was a bit tender for a while, and when I fell with the Firewheel, I got a small cut in my pinky and a scrape in my elbow... the elbow pad took the worst hit, but then rolled around my arm, and I scraped my elbow on the asphalt a bit and lost some skin there. Nothing serious.Btw, I still ride with full gear, including motorcycle helmet, forearm/elbow pads, knee/shin pads and heavy duty wrist guards & bike bell on the finger, every time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpong Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 Also, notice how Ian at SpeedyFeet starts off by having the wheel tilted towards his foot that is on the ground. If you try to start with the wheel straight up and down, you feel that tremendous pressure on the inside of the leg that is on the device. Tilting, even when mounting assisted, is key to avoiding the worst of that terrible pressure on your leg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bleu9mm Posted July 25, 2015 Author Share Posted July 25, 2015 Wow !!! Thanks for that video. Tomorrow, bye bye little wheels !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mono Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 On 7/25/2015 at 11:52 PM, esaj said: I never had any soreness or bruises in my shins, don't know why My hunch is it's because you are light-weight and maybe even using hiking boots? Besides, the shape/padding of the wheel is also a factor and the technique how out to get on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bleu9mm Posted July 26, 2015 Author Share Posted July 26, 2015 Okay, my little wheels are now retired for good !!! Hope them a very good retirement !!!! This morning, I went back to my garage, removed the wheelies and worked on getting in the beast. First impression: I will have to strengthen my legs before I can travel with my wheel from home to the office. I had to put my right hand on the wall of the garage in order to be able to stand on the wheel and, for now, I can't see how I could jump on the beast without any aid.More tomorowBleu9mm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobby16 Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Okay, my little wheels are now retired for good !!! Hope them a very good retirement !!!!You can keep one learning wheel instead of removing them both. It's a trick I use for those learning on my wheels, friends and family members, it makes the transition less brutal and discouraging. It works well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bleu9mm Posted July 26, 2015 Author Share Posted July 26, 2015 Don't worry, I won't throw them away !! However, my wife is pretty reluctant to try my beast... Bleu9mm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bleu9mm Posted July 27, 2015 Author Share Posted July 27, 2015 First night without the little wheels. Not a big success. I went to my office's parking. The pavent is pretty uneven and rough. I stood by an access ramp in order to start. First try : I started zigzagging and immediately lost control then jumped off the wheel. I tried ten more times before to analyse what was happening. What I realized: My feet position is too forward. I have a big deal of fear to push my body forward to gain speed... so needed for stability. I took ten minutes of brake (my legs were shaky). Then, I went back on the wheel, worked my feet position, while holding the ramp, I've made some back and forth movements. Tried to launch the ramp, same result. Slaloming unable to gain speed.Tomorow, I'll try to find a place with more even pavement. Stay tuned for the next aventure !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpong Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Hey Bleu, I didn't use the training wheels, so when I started I was about where you are now. I held the back of the couch (sofa) for support and practiced going forward and back. Then I would try to ride the length of the couch without holding on. But I still had the couch to catch me if I didn't make it. Then, once improved, I tried going past the couch. In other words, I started where you are with some support. Maybe a wall would be your friend at this stage, or a fence, or something. A hand rail. If you are not going more than 2 or 3 meters on a ride, maybe some more practice, more safely, with support to assist. Eh, just some thoughts. Congratulations on your attempts and progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bleu9mm Posted July 28, 2015 Author Share Posted July 28, 2015 Thanks Dpong !!!! I'm so focused that nothing will put me appart of my baby !!! It's just that now I realize that it's a long way !!!!I keep the spirit !!!Bleu9mm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bleu9mm Posted July 28, 2015 Author Share Posted July 28, 2015 Up until 3:29, that's like me;Me, up until 3:29... Bleu9mm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpong Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 The gentleman in the video in the first 3:29 is doing what I have heard called "over-balancing". Instead of trusting the device to balance him front-to-back, he is over-compensating. The same thing happens with Segways. The training wheels are used to overcome that tendency. The key is to "commit". Decide if you want to go forward or if you want to go backward, and then lean in that direction and *trust* the machine to balance you that way. Understand, I'm not saying "over-commit", but simply commit to going forwards and *trust* that the machine will 'catch' you. I still think the back of the couch, or using some kind of support is very helpful at this stage. He needs to understand that the wheel will try to stay under his center of mass, and to trust that. Lurching backwards and forwards is not making progress. JMHO = Just My Humble Opinion. [After 3:29 he seems to *get* this.]Early on he is leaning forwards at the hips. This is just the mistake that I made and that took me a long time to correct. Stand up straight and push the hips forward. But do not lean forward at the waist. From hips to head, stand up straight. Push the hips forward and stay straight above the hips. JMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmethvin Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 Nice work! Those first three minutes are actually impressive given that you have almost no forward momentum. It's so much easier to balance with a little speed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bleu9mm Posted August 1, 2015 Author Share Posted August 1, 2015 Third session without the training wheels this morning. Unsuccessful. I tried to start without holding anything. I made it a couple of time but lost balance quickly... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirGeraint Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 Third session without the training wheels this morning. Unsuccessful. I tried to start without holding anything. I made it a couple of time but lost balance quickly...I haven't even really tried starting without holding on to anything. (I don't have training wheels.) I know some only recommend launching unassisted but I think I need to be able to balance at speed before I try balancing from a standstill. But I have considered trying it. Maybe today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mono Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 I haven't even really tried starting without holding on to anything. (I don't have training wheels.) I know some only recommend launching unassisted but I think I need to be able to balance at speed before I try balancing from a standstill. But I have considered trying it. Maybe today.Launching assisted isn't that big a deal, but getting used to move "assisted", i.e. with the possibility to holding on to something, is likely to create problems when there is nothing to hold on anymore (as it is usually the case). Launching is the most difficult part of "regular" riding and I don't see a good reason to necessarily learn it first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirGeraint Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 Launching assisted isn't that big a deal, but getting used to move "assisted", i.e. with the possibility to holding on to something, is likely to create problems when there is nothing to hold on anymore (as it is usually the case). Launching is the most difficult part of "regular" riding and I don't see a good reason to necessarily learn it first.If I understand what you are saying I agree. I really haven't felt like I need to launch unassisted if I can't ride well enough once I do. I know I need to learn to launch unassisted... just not necessarily now.Just to explain about where I am in training, once I went about 100 feet, I recovered from a left turn, I wobble whenever I go straight, I was headed for a curb and I successfully stopped and stepped off. The rest of mine have been 70 ft, 60 ft, 30ft. Many times I get in a sharp left turn that I have trouble getting out of, but sometimes I can. But I've only practiced 5 times so far. 3 times at a school parking lot, 2 times in my driveway. Also I can't practice too long because it has been hot, like 97 degrees Fahrenheit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mono Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 sounds good, there are two things which to remember help me most when the going gets tough: (1) relax, i.e. remain upright, i.e. keep the hip under the upper body (or even with the feeling to be in front of it), i.e. don't push/stretch the legs straight out, i.e. don't stiffen your muscles. Relaxing the legs pretty much immediately removes the wobbles for me. (2) balancing works by turning the wheel (around the vertical axis) when moving. I think of pointing the toes of both feet either left or right to control/initiate the little balancing turns (which become almost unrecognizable when going at a little faster speed). Balancing works not so well, if at all, by leaning the wheel or the body, by arm waving... just my 2 cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirGeraint Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 sounds good, there are two things which to remember help me most when the going gets tough:(1) relax, i.e. remain upright, i.e. keep the hip under the upper body (or even with the feeling to be in front of it), i.e. don't push/stretch the legs straight out. Relaxing the legs pretty much immediately removes the wobbles for me. (2) balancing works by turning the wheel (around the vertical axis) when moving. I think of pointing the toes of both feet either left or right to control/initiate the little balancing turns (which become almost unrecognizable when going at a little faster speed). Balancing works not so well, if at all, by leaning the wheel or the body, by arm waving...just my 2 cents.I'm all for any constructive criticism. I'll keep trying things until it works.I agree that I need to relax. I think that's why I can do a little better on my balance board (and I even did better when I was talking with someone). But even though I may try to relax on the EU I think that part of me isn't. I am trying to relax my legs some. But I think in my case it might be that the muscles I need to use for balance are out of shape. They need to get stronger, get more stamina and get more coordination.I did go out for a brief training session this morning and my first run was my longest of all time and it felt the most smooth of all of them. I had some other OK runs but none as long as that first one. That also makes me think it might be a problem with stamina or relaxing. (Not that I am so out of shape that one run tired me but that I was just a little bit worse after that. But I'm not sure.)At one point today I was doing a pivot (like you do with the front wheel of a bicycle when you are balancing at really low speed or like unicyclists do). This is the first time I have done this and it worked for a little while. But I wasn't even doing it on purpose. I don't believe I've heard of anyone recommending this. I did try my arm 'flailing' today but that doesn't really seem to help me. I know it used to for other things.I hope to get time to go out again this evening. I am looking forward to cooler temperatures in a month or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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