Learning the Ninebot E+

[aalenkin]

Hello everyone!

So, just got a shipping update, I am to expect my Ninebot E+ next monday! Must say I am super excited....I got to thinking after reading and watching some EUC training videos, a majority of the time in the beginning stages the EUC takes quite a beating!

I saw one video where the battery ejected out of the EUC! after a small tumble in the parking lot.  I was wondering what people here do to "protect" their investment while they are learning, and by protect meaning try to prevent it from getting beat up in the first few weeks of training.

I do understand a tumble here, a dent there and scuffs and scratches but I would like to minimize that during my first few weeks until I get somewhat of a hold on what im doing! lol

I was thinking maybe duct tape? draping an old sweater/jacket over the thing? cutting out an insulated shopping bag and taping it over the wheel....any thoughts??

[Hunka Hunka Burning Love]

I used a couple of pieces of foam carpet underlay cut to wrap around my generic wheel.  One side was foam and the other a denser material.  I grabbed some packing tape and did a few rounds to secure it.  Looked very funky, but in reality trying to learn to ride a one wheeled vehicle is far more bizarre.  It really helped protect things so it still looked new when I took it off.

I didn't protect the pedals, but you might want to as they really take a beating.  Maybe duct taping some leather or denim pieces underneath might be an idea?  I have automotive trim strips now protecting the bottom edges from pedal scrape.  Maybe @novazeus can offer some tips as he's the EUC wrapping master!

[aalenkin]

8 hours ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said:

I used a couple of pieces of foam carpet underlay cut to wrap around my generic wheel.  One side was foam and the other a denser material.  I grabbed some packing tape and did a few rounds to secure it.  Looked very funky, but in reality trying to learn to ride a one wheeled vehicle is far more bizarre.  It really helped protect things so it still looked new when I took it off.

I didn't protect the pedals, but you might want to as they really take a beating.  Maybe duct taping some leather or denim pieces underneath might be an idea?  I have automotive trim strips now protecting the bottom edges from pedal scrape.  Maybe @novazeus can offer some tips as he's the EUC wrapping master!

Nice, thank you for the help! You dont happen to have a pic of what it looked like?  I am thinking along the same lines for the pedals as well, especially the edge...

[Hunka Hunka Burning Love]

I never did do any padding on my second wheel, the Ninebot, as most of my learning was on my generic wheel.  The heavier Ninebot likely will be a lot easier to learn on, but it's wise to pad it up if you want to keep it nice looking during the learning phase.  Some people learn really quickly while others like me take a lot longer.  I think it took me weeks and weeks with one or two days per week of practice for 30 minutes at a time whenever I could.  I almost gave up as it seemed impossible at the time.  Luckily I persisted!

[aalenkin]

1 hour ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said:

I never did do any padding on my second wheel, the Ninebot, as most of my learning was on my generic wheel.  The heavier Ninebot likely will be a lot easier to learn on, but it's wise to pad it up if you want to keep it nice looking during the learning phase.  Some people learn really quickly while others like me take a lot longer.  I think it took me weeks and weeks with one or two days per week of practice for 30 minutes at a time whenever I could.  I almost gave up as it seemed impossible at the time.  Luckily I persisted!

I hear you, I definitely see a trend of sticking through it as much as possible.  I actually have no choice lol, ill be using it as a form of commuting through the City I live in.  Trial by fire I guess, no better way to learn!

[Hunka Hunka Burning Love]

I wonder whether some of the LA regulars might be interested in getting together with you for a lesson?  Sometimes with a little bit of guidance and help during the learning process, things might go easier?  I never had any help, but I think it probably would have been much better to get some tips from veteran riders.   Or do you think you'd prefer facing the wheel on your own?

[aalenkin]

1 minute ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said:

I wonder whether some of the LA regulars might be interested in getting together with you for a lesson?  Sometimes with a little bit of guidance and help during the learning process, things might go easier?  I never had any help, but I think it probably would have been much better to get some tips from veteran riders.   Or do you think you'd prefer facing the wheel on your own?

I tend to battle my own demons lol; I recently took up golf haha.  But ya if there is a local ride or someplace people are meeting thats not a bad idea either.  I think my EUC is coming in on Monday I see now.

[guyr]

There's some advice floating around to keep the tyres low pressure while you learn. Despite this, with the Ninebot, you need to pump the tyres BEFORE riding it at all. You can use the lower PSI in the range given on the tyres/manual, but do make sure you pump it up before riding at all. 

I made the mistake of not pumping it up before riding/learning (following the advice, thinking this would make it easier to learn). Within 2 hours of trying to get on it, the inner tube was punctured near the valve, due to the low pressure. I had to wait for a replacement part, open it up, and replace the inner tube before I could get back on it.

[aalenkin]

22 minutes ago, guyr said:

There's some advice floating around to keep the tyres low pressure while you learn. Despite this, with the Ninebot, you need to pump the tyres BEFORE riding it at all. You can use the lower PSI in the range given on the tyres/manual, but do make sure you pump it up before riding at all. 

I made the mistake of not pumping it up before riding/learning (following the advice, thinking this would make it easier to learn). Within 2 hours of trying to get on it, the inner tube was punctured near the valve, due to the low pressure. I had to wait for a replacement part, open it up, and replace the inner tube before I could get back on it.

Oh boy..... thanks for this! how much PSI normally?

[steve454]

27 minutes ago, aalenkin said:

Oh boy..... thanks for this! how much PSI normally?

I start at 50PSI, over a period of 2-3 weeks it slowly drops down and starts to feel a little too soft.  That is 40PSI.  Mine came new with only 20PSI, which is way too low.  For starting out try 40, the tire will be soft enough for learning I think.  At 50PSI it feels very firm, you can feel all the bumps more and the wheel reacts faster, which you don't need when learning.  Do you have a bicycle pump?  Check the tire when you first get it out of the box, there should be a brass extension in the box.  Lay the wheel on it's side, rotate the tire until the valve stem is visible under the pedal at the bottom of the shell.  The power button is at the front of the wheel.  The tire valve is on the right side.  You might have to move the valve stem a little to get the extension on.  I leave the valve cap off, not much clearance to get it back on.

You really can't tell by squeezing the tire how much pressure is in it.  It might seem like the pressure is high enough, then you put the gauge on and it is at 20-25PSI. 

Oh, when you charge it, plug the charger in to the wall first, then in to the wheel, or you will get a spark.  The charger plug has a ridge on the top that fits in to a groove in the charge port so you can't plug it in wrong.  Line up the ridge and push in fully.  Also, if your charger is like mine, it uses a detachable power cord from the charger to the wall socket, make sure it is fully inserted or it won't charge.  If you plug everything in and the light on the charger doesn't go from green to red (indicating charging) it's probably going to be that detachable power cord.

I think you will have fun with the E+ once you get used to it.

[aalenkin]

45 minutes ago, steve454 said:

I start at 50PSI, over a period of 2-3 weeks it slowly drops down and starts to feel a little too soft.  That is 40PSI.  Mine came new with only 20PSI, which is way too low.  For starting out try 40, the tire will be soft enough for learning I think.  At 50PSI it feels very firm, you can feel all the bumps more and the wheel reacts faster, which you don't need when learning.  Do you have a bicycle pump?  Check the tire when you first get it out of the box, there should be a brass extension in the box.  Lay the wheel on it's side, rotate the tire until the valve stem is visible under the pedal at the bottom of the shell.  The power button is at the front of the wheel.  The tire valve is on the right side.  You might have to move the valve stem a little to get the extension on.  I leave the valve cap off, not much clearance to get it back on.

You really can't tell by squeezing the tire how much pressure is in it.  It might seem like the pressure is high enough, then you put the gauge on and it is at 20-25PSI. 

Oh, when you charge it, plug the charger in to the wall first, then in to the wheel, or you will get a spark.  The charger plug has a ridge on the top that fits in to a groove in the charge port so you can't plug it in wrong.  Line up the ridge and push in fully.  Also, if your charger is like mine, it uses a detachable power cord from the charger to the wall socket, make sure it is fully inserted or it won't charge.  If you plug everything in and the light on the charger doesn't go from green to red (indicating charging) it's probably going to be that detachable power cord.

I think you will have fun with the E+ once you get used to it.

Thank you so much! I just emailed myself all these tips! Cant wait to get on the thing!!  Gotta figure out how to cover the thing from dents and dings as well.  Thinking old holiday sweaters!!! lol

[eddiemoy]

a lot of people use this to wrap their new wheels so it doesn't get scratched up from all the crashes...  My c+ came with two rolls.  I must say, I've never used it, but I see plenty of people using it.

http://amzn.to/2i2buCF

[litewave]

On 11/28/2017 at 11:38 AM, aalenkin said:

Hello everyone!

So, just got a shipping update, I am to expect my Ninebot E+ next monday! Must say I am super excited....I got to thinking after reading and watching some EUC training videos, a majority of the time in the beginning stages the EUC takes quite a beating!

I saw one video where the battery ejected out of the EUC! after a small tumble in the parking lot.  I was wondering what people here do to "protect" their investment while they are learning, and by protect meaning try to prevent it from getting beat up in the first few weeks of training.

I do understand a tumble here, a dent there and scuffs and scratches but I would like to minimize that during my first few weeks until I get somewhat of a hold on what im doing! lol

I was thinking maybe duct tape? draping an old sweater/jacket over the thing? cutting out an insulated shopping bag and taping it over the wheel....any thoughts??

I used only the one (two?) roll(s) of foam padding that came with the wheel, and that was plenty. Cut two strips 40" long. Split each so that you have two pieces that are 5 "fingers" wide. Place two strips of the double-stick tape on the outer ring at the upper and lower edges. Using the outer edge closest to the light ring as a guide, attach the two foam strips. Trim the foam strips along the inside edge to be flush to allow unobstructed acess to the handle, accessory channel, and charge port.

I think padding the underside of the pedals is a waste of time: the petals are going to get nicked and scratched, so don't bother. You can cover them later with vinyl wrap if you wish, to make them look new again. The side covers are also going to suffer some wear and tear, but are surprisingly tough. They are inexpensive (£12.46 or $16.78 + roughly $15 shipping from speedyfeet.co.uk), but you probably won't need to replace them.

What you really should do is apply skateboard grip tape to the top plates within the first weeks after you learn to ride. One piece should be all that you need; it costs less than $7.00 from Amazon. You should also plan to pad your ankles with a 4x6-8" piece of foam, or consider buying ankle stabilisers - they will help you learn to ride more quickly and protect your ankles from sprain at the same time. I still wear mine all the time.

You can try to learn in a field where the grass is short and the surface smooth. A manicured sports field with natural grass is ideal if you have access to such a place. Be wary of  bumps, holes and other surface imperfections.

Don't sweat it: the Ninebot One E+ is tough. You got a great deal on (one of) the best wheel(s) to learn to ride. Enjoy the magical feeling of freedom and sheer joy - the initial pain, discomfort and frustration are worth it. Welcome to the community. 

Edit: One more thing - be sure to push the handle all the way down before mounting the wheel. I broke mine when learning to ride because it tumbled sideways for 3-4 metres with the handle protruding. They are not cheap and are getting hard to find. Luckily, my seller @FORWARD california replaced mine for free. Those guys were awesome.

Edit 2: Keep the wheel inflated at 45-50psi - check the tyre pressure every 2-3 days, as it looses air quickly.

 

 

 

[The Fat Unicyclist]

No matter what you do, you will eventually scuff your wheel! It's a unicycle, how can you not? 

So I say, just do it - scratches (and scars) are merely proof of a life lived... 

[aalenkin]

12 hours ago, litewave said:

I used only the one (two?) roll(s) of foam padding that came with the wheel, and that was plenty. Cut two strips 40" long. Split each so that you have two pieces that are 5 "fingers" wide. Place two strips of the double-stick tape on the outer ring at the upper and lower edges. Using the outer edge closest to the light ring as a guide, attach the two foam strips. Trim the foam strips along the inside edge to be flush to allow unobstructed acess to the handle, accessory channel, and charge port.

I think padding the underside of the pedals is a waste of time: the petals are going to get nicked and scratched, so don't bother. You can cover them later with vinyl wrap if you wish, to make them look new again. The side covers are also going to suffer some wear and tear, but are surprisingly tough. They are inexpensive (£12.46 or $16.78 + roughly $15 shipping from speedyfeet.co.uk), but you probably won't need to replace them.

What you really should do is apply skateboard grip tape to the top plates within the first weeks after you learn to ride. One piece should be all that you need; it costs less than $7.00 from Amazon. You should also plan to pad your ankles with a 4x6-8" piece of foam, or consider buying ankle stabilisers - they will help you learn to ride more quickly and protect your ankles from sprain at the same time. I still wear mine all the time.

You can try to learn in a field where the grass is short and the surface smooth. A manicured sports field with natural grass is ideal if you have access to such a place. Be wary of  bumps, holes and other surface imperfections.

Don't sweat it: the Ninebot One E+ is tough. You got a great deal on (one of) the best wheel(s) to learn to ride. Enjoy the magical feeling of freedom and sheer joy - the initial pain, discomfort and frustration are worth it. Welcome to the community. 

Edit: One more thing - be sure to push the handle all the way down before mounting the wheel. I broke mine when learning to ride because it tumbled sideways for 3-4 metres with the handle protruding. They are not cheap and are getting hard to find. Luckily, my seller @FORWARD california replaced mine for free. Those guys were awesome.

Edit 2: Keep the wheel inflated at 45-50psi - check the tyre pressure every 2-3 days, as it looses air quickly.

 

 

oh wow, thank you soooooooooo much for all the information!  I love the visual! do you have a pic of how the wheel looked when finished? I think im getting the big picture now.  I am hoping the wheel does come w foam, not sure if I saw that or not?

[aalenkin]

14 hours ago, eddiemoy said:

a lot of people use this to wrap their new wheels so it doesn't get scratched up from all the crashes...  My c+ came with two rolls.  I must say, I've never used it, but I see plenty of people using it.

http://amzn.to/2i2buCF

Thank you! nice collection of EUC's there!

 

[litewave]

On 11/30/2017 at 11:39 AM, aalenkin said:

oh wow, thank you soooooooooo much for all the information!  I love the visual! do you have a pic of how the wheel looked when finished? I think im getting the big picture now.  I am hoping the wheel does come w foam, not sure if I saw that or not?

I believe the wheel comes with one or two rolls of foam padding. I posted a video in October that shows a top-down view of the wheel. Here is another post with photos of my wheel after a minor makeover.  I bought the "Roman Wheat" model which was on sale for $450 at that time, because I really detested the paint job and knew I would cover it with vinyl wrap after I learned to ride. I did not want to invest a lot of money into my first wheel either, because I knew it would probably take a beating and was unsure if I would stick with it. The first week of practice was hard, including my first and only faceplant. By the second week, I was hooked for life.  

 

[aalenkin]

Literally just plugged in my ninebot..dammm small arrows on the charger!! super stoked! nearly crapped myself when the thing turned on and the wheel was spinning full rev!

 

So thinking about charging it for 4hours, cut up and place my protective foam and start my journey to learn.  Must say didnt know how heavy this thing is, probably going to need to buy a trolley handle, unless there is a homebrew one I can do?

 

Thank you for the support everyone!

[litewave]

25 minutes ago, aalenkin said:

Literally just plugged in my ninebot..dammm small arrows on the charger!! super stoked! nearly crapped myself when the thing turned on and the wheel was spinning full rev!

 

So thinking about charging it for 4hours, cut up and place my protective foam and start my journey to learn.  Must say didnt know how heavy this thing is, probably going to need to buy a trolley handle, unless there is a homebrew one I can do?

 

Thank you for the support everyone!

Glad to hear your E+ arrived - an early Christmas present! No one has come up with an elegant substitute for the Ninebot trolley handle that I have heard of. I resisted buying one because I think they are overpriced. I just lift and carry the wheel if needed, or set it into a grocery cart when shopping. When absolutely necessary, I use a luggage cart ($21.00 Amazon.com) at the mall or hospital (on smooth floors), that I carry in a medium backpack while riding.

I also used a personal shopping cart for outdoors on sidewalks, etc. like this one to transport the wheel to practice areas the first couple weeks before I was competent to ride everywhere. It currently costs $33.56 on Walmart.com but is out of stock (click on the green thumbnail image). You can then repurpose the cart or give it to an aging relative, or use it yourself.

edit: the cart solution is not perfect, as the wheel can roll or fall off if not secured tightly.

[aalenkin]

2 minutes ago, litewave said:

Glad to hear your E+ arrived - an early Christmas present! No one has come up with an elegant substitute for the Ninebot trolley handle that I have heard of. I resisted buying one because I think they are overpriced. I just lift and carry the wheel if needed, or set it into a grocery cart when shopping. When absolutely necessary, I use a luggage cart ($21.00 Amazon.com) at the mall or hospital (on smooth floors), that I carry in a medium backpack while riding.

I also used a personal shopping cart for outdoors on sidewalks, etc. like this one to transport the wheel to practice areas the first couple weeks before I was competent to ride everywhere. It currently costs $33.56 on Walmart.com but is out of stock (click on the green thumbnail image). You can then repurpose the cart or give it to an aging relative, or use it yourself.

Interesting, looking at a trolley handle mostly because of taking it on and off the bus.  I also work at a pretty big facility and have a long walk to my office.

So, I plugged in the ninebot and the charger turned red...20mins ago..now its green? does that mean its fully charged?

[litewave]

3 minutes ago, aalenkin said:

Interesting, looking at a trolley handle mostly because of taking it on and off the bus.  I also work at a pretty big facility and have a long walk to my office.

So, I plugged in the ninebot and the charger turned red...20mins ago..now its green? does that mean its fully charged?

yes. When you turn the wheel on after disconnecting the charger, all the LEDs on the side ring should light up, indicating a full charge. As the battery level declines, the number of LEDs that are on (when stationary) decreases. When below 40% the LEDs turn amber, and then red when near 20%.

[aalenkin]

Just now, litewave said:

yes.

wow thats quick!! Man...$70 for a handle, like...really??

[mezzanine]

7 minutes ago, aalenkin said:

wow thats quick!! Man...$70 for a handle, like...really??

The trolley I need for my KS18 is $100.  A trolley.  That I'd have to alter to even make work. 

[aalenkin]

1 minute ago, mezzanine said:

The trolley I need for my KS18 is $100.  A trolley.  That I'd have to alter to even make work. 

this is an untapped market I tell ya!  There HAS to be other options. lol

[litewave]

9 minutes ago, aalenkin said:

wow thats quick!! Man...$70 for a handle, like...really??

Yep, resellers have to make money somehow. Here is another accessory you should consider buying: a wheel stand. This one costs $5.99 w/ free shipping. My first one has held up well for over a year and a half.

I would not get ahead of yourself at this point, like making plans to take the wheel to work or onto the bus. That could be weeks or a month or more away. Take it slow and wait until you have mastered the basics before trying to commute.