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How long did you keep on using the belt?


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On 12/3/2018 at 3:10 PM, Alex_from_NZ said:

Kill switch isnt going to take you down with the wheel.  Its going to kill power to the wheel when your already on your way down.

Sounds Scary!

I have been hit in the  shin many times before and would have loved for the wheel to have had a kill switch. I am just not sure how well it would have worked. I would never want it to cut out at speed. Seems that a software solution would also be required. If you are going less than 5 mph and if one foot is off pedal and if pin is pulled then shut down. 

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10 minutes ago, RockyTop said:

Sounds Scary!

I have been hit in the shin many times before and would have loved for the wheel to have had a kill switch. I am just not sure how well it would have worked. I would never want it to cut out at speed. Seems that a software solution would also be required. If you are going less than 5 mph and if one foot is off pedal and if pin is pulled then shut down. 

I would want it to kill power at any speed i think.  Slow speeds im not worried about, its the runaway wheel in congested settings that would worry me.  Having a 2m long curled leash would give enough room for it to not be pulled while your riding it.  Only if it gets more than 2 meters away from you would it be pulled and kill power is my thinking.

 

I use these kill switches all the time in the marine industry, never had an issue with them tbh.

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1 minute ago, Alex_from_NZ said:

runaway wheel in congested settings that would worry me. 

I agree. My wife was riding back to the car when she started to loose control going down a hill. She jumped off fine but the wheel gathered speed, traveled 50 meters and hit a parked car at 20 kph.  KS16s hit a Honda Civic rear bumper. No visible damage to either. 

The kill switch would be best in the programming.  You would not want to kill the power directly. This would just add another thing to go wrong in the circuit.  I would also want another fail safe. The pin switch seems too easy to pull out. Proximity switches are always flawed. 

I see it as pulling a pin on a grenade. (instant face plant) I think the solution is many combined things before turning off. pin + tire pressure drop + pedal weight drop + lack of human feedback. In the end it would take programming. 

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14 hours ago, RockyTop said:

My wife was riding back to the car when she started to loose control going down a hill. She jumped off fine but the wheel gathered speed, traveled 50 meters and hit a parked car at 20 kph.  KS16s hit a Honda Civic rear bumper. No visible damage to either. 

Hit a toddler or a frail-boned 85-year-old, and it would have been a whole different story...

I still think there's value (even if it increases the rider's risk of injury) in using a leash of some sort. A runaway wheel strolling into the middle of a busy intersection could wreak all kinds of havoc....

At the same time, I feel strongly that manufacturers should be developing safety mechanisms to solve these potential risks, so we riders don't have to experiment with DIY kill-switches and leashes dragging us down or getting caught on our legs in the event of a fall. I've long been opposed animal testing in the medical and cosmetic industry...but I never would have imagined I'd find myself advocating against human testing (or voluntarily signing up to become a guinea pig! AND paying for the privilege! In pharma development, test subjects get paid, not the other way 'round, right? The infamous "rat wheel" experiment has suddenly taken on a whole new meaning) :efee612b4b:

In any case, we pay good money to be guinea pigs! I demand our safety needs become a higher priority! (Or at least, give us bigger wheels & cages, and better food) :efee612b4b:

Same goes for safety redundancy in terms of the gyroscope (a separate, backup battery pack for the gyroscope that gives us at least a few seconds to jump off before things go pear-shaped? I don't have the slightest clue how/if that could be implemented, so don't pay much attention to my "wannabe inventor" proposals) :efee612b4b:

 

 

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Using a leash is the responsible thing to do. Im now approaching 3 years of wheel addiction and still use it every time. Over here in the UK where wheels are technically illegal but the police look the other way, all its going to take is one incidence of a wheel injuring a pedestrian after the rider has bailed and it will be in the scandal rag news papers. 

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On ‎12‎/‎4‎/‎2018 at 4:58 PM, Rehab1 said:

Are you installing these on the wheels you sell?:blink1:

Gosh, that was so last year! I don't even remember posting it (but then that may be because of the "Christmas joy").

No, we aren't selling our wheels with a kill switch. Though we have just announced the "EUC Bodyguard" - which won't stop s*%t happening, but might at least soften the blow.

I am just trying to finish a promo video to explain what it is and will be posting it to the appropriate forum section once it is ready.

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  • 2 weeks later...

In my search for the perfect tether, I checked out a retractable option like the T-reign tether, as suggested by....someone, I can't recall who. But where I live, a decent one costs around 30€. The larger models can supposedly stand a force of up to 25kg+ (55 lb +), but at a fall at speed, they'd surely snap (whether it's the internal mechanism, the 1mm-thick cord--regardless of whether it's kevlar--, the heat created by the friction, you name it). But that's pretty much what we should be aiming for anyway: something that doesn't bind the rider to the wheel, but is still able to apply enough momentary resistance to tip it on its side an prevent it from "continuing its journey without the rider". It's also a very discreet and unobtrusive option...but if one thinks of it as a single use item (as in single fall), it ain't cheap. In my opinion, it's definitely worth paying 30€ to prevent a runaway wheel from hitting a person, vehicle, or rolling into the middle of a busy intersection, and perhaps it'll only be put to use once in a blue moon, but all the same, I decided to investigate cheaper options (a consequence of buying a brand-new V8, and upgrading to a KS18XL 400 km later...at this rate, I can easily see myself eating my dog's food a month from now) :efee612b4b:

After much pondering and research, I (not-so-proudly) present you the poor man's retractable tether:

2l7687.png

 

Strap the smaller end (meant for the toddler) to your wheel, and the other end (meant for the parent) to your belt. I personally wouldn't attach it to my wrist or ankle...too high a risk of it getting in your way or getting caught on something. When coiled, it's little over 30 cm (1 ft) long, so if you attach it to your belt, it goes from your wheel's handle to your waist, in a straight line, doesn't get in your way, and doesn't pose any kind of risk of getting caught on anything. It extends 1.5m (5 ft), so it's not a nuisance when dismounting or pushing the wheel with the trolley handle either. For extra convenience, I've attached a carabiner to the belt end, so that unhooking it and re-attaching it (enter shop, exit shop, etc.) isn't too tedious (the straps are cumbersome to unattach, by design, to prevent toddlers from unleashing themselves during a momentary parental distraction).

Used as a wheel tether, it's definitely not the most elegant option in the world, but it seems effective. If I fall at speed, the attachment (where the coiled cord links to the velcro "wrist strap") clearly isn't strong enough to hold the wheel: it'll snap, so the wheel won't be dragging me along with it, but the initial tug should be enough to tip the wheel on its side and prevent it from effing off without me.

So far, I've used it on a couple of rides, and don't even notice (physically) that I'm wearing it; mentally, I'll admit I do feel a bit self-conscious about how it looks, but safety before ego, right? You can get two for about $10 , so it seems like a reasonable price to pay (1 leash = $5 = 1 prevention of a runaway wheel). For now, I'm using the more discreet blue tether (I'd like to retain at least SOME dignity); the bright orange one is in a drawer, as backup for when the blue one snaps :efee612b4b:

Will update when I've done more miles using it (any cons that may arise), and when I can provide real-use info (as opposed to mere speculation) on how well it works if (or rather WHEN) I fall.

Safe and happy riding to all!

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I only use my modified "dog leash" when I fear that my wheel could drive itself into the ocean or off a cliff. Prevented a 150 ft tumble down a ravine.  I cut off the clip on the end and attached a carabiner on both ends.

 

 

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On 12/8/2018 at 4:59 PM, The Fat Unicyclist said:

No, we aren't selling our wheels with a kill switch. Though we have just announced the "EUC Bodyguard" -

man I love the EUC Bodyguard.  I have been contemplating something like this too..  I would order one but $120  USD +  tax might be a bit much for a cover like this. ( not taking anything away from  your R&D or Cost of development.)  Also, whats your shipping rate to the USA?  

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On 12/19/2018 at 2:38 AM, Flyboy10 said:

I only use my modified "dog leash" when I fear that my wheel could drive itself into the ocean or off a cliff. Posted are some pics of what I use and a pic of how my dog leash saved my unicycles life. Prevented a 150 ft tumble down a ravine.  I cut off the clip on the end and attached a carabiner on both ends.

image.png.7e80278b680ac3f28bd774f335c94fc7.png

Good idea. The fact that it's flexible is very important. Out of curiosity, where do you attach the end that's not bound the the EUC, and what do you do with the extra slack? (30 inches from wheel to belt definitely leaves plenty of slack).

IMHO, for cases like the "wheel suicide" prevention you mentioned, I can definitely see the use of being bound to the wheel, but in other scenarios, it could be dangerous: the wheel drags you down the cliff with it, for example. Its weight might not seem like enough to do so, but if you bail at the last moment, land on one foot right next to the edge, and are already struggling to maintain your balance, the wheel's weight could be enough to tip the scale and send you rolling down behind it. Another one of my concerns in terms of being bound to the leash is falling off near an intersection an having the wheel get caught under a car and drag you along... (likelihood unknown, but...worth taking into account).

 For general use, I think something that'll snap is a safer option; otherwise, others have mentioned the use of specific knots that release when a certain amount of tension is applied.

If you only use the leash when riding near places where the wheel risks falling into the water/down a cliff, my suggestion would be to use a retractable dog leash that you carry in your hand.

2dv0jg7.jpg

It'll pick up the slack for you, allow you freedom of movement, and in the event of a fall, you just press the "lock" button with your thumb and can keep the wheel from wandering away without you. In the event the wheel poses a threat to you (that tug that is seriously unhelpful when you've just bailed and are already struggling to maintain your balance or outrun the wheel), you can either let the leash extend fully and lock when it reaches its full extension (most leashes are about 5m / 16ft long), which will give you a good couple of seconds before the tug, or just let go of the leash. This is the option I used until I switched to my poor man's retractable tether, so I can vouch for the fact that it works well (if you don't mind carry a somewhat bulky object while riding). In my experience, the only danger it poses is that it can get caught on skateboard-style knee-pads if you lock it immediately after bailing, which isn't exactly ideal...

 

 

 

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17 hours ago, tscottn said:

man I love the EUC Bodyguard.  I have been contemplating something like this too..  I would order one but $120  USD +  tax might be a bit much for a cover like this. ( not taking anything away from  your R&D or Cost of development.)

Same here, and as you said, I definitely understand the R&D expenses, and the fact that prices can't be reduced until enough units have been sold and initial investment costs have been covered...but with shipping to Europe, it's almost 120€...

I did see an "insert promo code" section on the website, @The Fat Unicyclist. What d'we need to do to get one of those? :)

17 hours ago, tscottn said:

Also, whats your shipping rate to the USA? 

Add the item to your cart, proceed to checkout, put in your address (you don't have to sign up), and you'll get the total price with shipping costs for your region ;)

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19 hours ago, tscottn said:

man I love the EUC Bodyguard.  I have been contemplating something like this too..  I would order one but $120  USD +  tax might be a bit much for a cover like this. ( not taking anything away from  your R&D or Cost of development.)  Also, whats your shipping rate to the USA?  

Hey @tscottn - That price isn't quite right. In New Zealand we are obliged to show all prices as GST (tax) inclusive, however when you buy one from the US that tax is removed. It has been a struggle to get our website to show this correctly (and we are still working on it). 

So using one of today's sales as an example, an 18L Bodyguard shipped to the US was $137 USD. Now we don't know if any taxes are applied when it enters the destination country so can't comment on how that might change things.

As @travsformation suggests, change the currency to USD, chuck what you want into a card and go through to checkout (which you can do as a guest) when you enter a US delivery address the tax should be removed and the relevant delivery costs added.

 

1 hour ago, travsformation said:
19 hours ago, tscottn said:

man I love the EUC Bodyguard.  I have been contemplating something like this too..  I would order one but $120  USD +  tax might be a bit much for a cover like this. ( not taking anything away from  your R&D or Cost of development.)

Same here, and as you said, I definitely understand the R&D expenses, and the fact that prices can't be reduced until enough units have been sold and initial investment costs have been covered

We aren't actually adding in anything for the R&D - These were initially developed for our training and demo wheels, with a subsequent realisation that other people might want them too. 

As this isn't a sales thread I probably shouldn't go into it too much here (but as you asked)… It is hard to tell from the photos exactly what goes into these covers, and the retail price reflects the actual cost of manufacturing plus a reasonable retail mark-up only. I am actually just working through the editing of a video that (hopefully) explains what you get for your money.

I should leave it at that for this thread, but I will let you both know when it is available to view.

 

1 hour ago, travsformation said:

I did see an "insert promo code" section on the website, @The Fat Unicyclist. What d'we need to do to get one of those? :)

Make me a case that I can't refuse and we will see what can be done - though I do need approval from the financial side of the business too...

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1 hour ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said:

Forget protecting the wheel, do you make these in a 42 regular, 16” neck, 36 waist size?  :w00t2:

We were going to make an "EUC Body Bodyguard", but these guys beat us to it!

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11 hours ago, travsformation said:

where do you attach the end that's not bound the the EUC, and what do you do with the extra slack? 

It's tied to my belt loop. This removed all slack. I agree that the wheel could take me down with it. But for now a 25 lb wheel won't move me. I've accepted that as soon as my feet touch the EUC I am putting myself in danger. There is no guaranteed safety. I did what I could to feel comfortable. 

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On 12/20/2018 at 1:14 PM, The Fat Unicyclist said:

We aren't actually adding in anything for the R&D - These were initially developed for our training and demo wheels, with a subsequent realisation that other people might want them too. 

As this isn't a sales thread I probably shouldn't go into it too much here (but as you asked)… It is hard to tell from the photos exactly what goes into these covers, and the retail price reflects the actual cost of manufacturing plus a reasonable retail mark-up only. I am actually just working through the editing of a video that (hopefully) explains what you get for your money.

I should leave it at that for this thread, but I will let you both know when it is available to view.

Look forward to the video! And I don't think you're violating any forum rules; someone else posted a link to your product, and others inquired. I don't think it's unreasonable to answer a few questions, and doubt anyone would view that as promotion. In any case, will leave further questions for another thread (do you havve a sales thread for these?)
 

On 12/20/2018 at 1:14 PM, The Fat Unicyclist said:

Make me a case that I can't refuse and we will see what can be done - though I do need approval from the financial side of the business too...

I tried an EUC once, and am now an addict....? EUCs appears to have the same addiction correlation as heroin; I'm just a defenseless victim of the system (or of a global plot by the wheeluminati), indebting himself for more power and more range, and now dirt poor, eating stale bread while I wait for my 18XL to arrive? (at which point I'll be able to zoom past street vendors and steel the occasional lettuce for my pet turtle, who is...an alcoholic and....needs a liver transplant?) Perhaps I ought to further develop my case in a PM...too tragic and painful a story to share here, out in the open... :roflmao:

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On 12/20/2018 at 10:32 PM, Flyboy10 said:

It's tied to my belt loop. This removed all slack. I agree that the wheel could take me down with it. But for now a 25 lb wheel won't move me. I've accepted that as soon as my feet touch the EUC I am putting myself in danger. There is no guaranteed safety. I did what I could to feel comfortable.

As long as there's no slack and no risk of getting it caught on things you ride by (branches, etc.)....

Good point about danger starting the minute you put your foot on the wheel. And as you say, we all do what we can too feel at ease; there's no universal solution that works for everyone. If your solution works for you, that's all that matters :)

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