Rehab1´s accident(s)

[Scatcat]

11 hours ago, Rehab1 said:

There currently is no vaccine. The drug manufacturer pull it due to low sales. 

 

Many physicians around the Northeast treat a tick bite prophylactically. Luckly no raised area yet but lyme disease runs rampant in my area as we live adjacent to the woods with deer infestation. I’ll need to begin a regimen of probiotics to restore my good intestinal bacteria. 

 

 

Here we have a vaccine against TBE, which is way scarier than lyme’s decease.

[Rehab1]

2 hours ago, Scatcat said:

Here we have a vaccine against TBE, which is way scarier than lyme’s decease.

Hopefully I’ll be fine. If the ticks weren't engorged with my blood when I plucked them off I won’t have went this route. I saw a 13 year old girl patient the other day that was bitten by a tick 18 months ago and unfortunately was not treated until 1 month later. There were no initial signs she was bitten. Now every joint in her little body is sore to the point she has trouble walking. She went through the entire antibiotic regimen. Now she is headed to Cleveland Clinic for more tests. I feel bad for her. 

[Scatcat]

3 hours ago, Rehab1 said:

Hopefully I’ll be fine. If the ticks weren't engorged with my blood when I plucked them off I won’t have went this route. I saw a 13 year old girl patient the other day that was bitten by a tick 18 months ago and unfortunately was not treated until 1 month later. There were no initial signs she was bitten. Now every joint in her little body is sore to the point she has trouble walking. She went through the entire antibiotic regimen. Now she is headed to Cleveland Clinic for more tests. I feel bad for her. 

TBE (Tick Borne Encephalitis) is caused by a virus and can cause encephalitis, meningitis, or meningoencephalitis. Lethality is relatively low for the European variant, but effects on the central nervous system with possible complications like paresis, ataxia and so on. Borrelia/Lyme's is pretty bad news too, especially if gotten to too late.

[Shad0z]

GRRR im done with the hard mode on my tesla... its so nice powerfull and feels like a granit rock.. but a little too much so... Every little obstacle makes the whole "granit rock" jump. And i usually ride with soft mode. No issues.

I tried hard mode for 3 days and also a lot more before hand. I had my first fall in hard mode about 2 weeks after i started riding. Today i decided to try the hardmode on my usual forest track with tree roots and steep hills. making it important to absorb the shocks. I felt off my tesla 3 times trying to go through that track with hard mode. and used double the battery...

im done with hard mode... but this is just my opinion... I just wanted to share it to avoid another rehab.  

i think the hardmode is not for everyone. But i still think it does pose some risks. Even for experienced riders. 

Edited June 1, 2018 by Shad0z

[Scatcat]

56 minutes ago, Shad0z said:

GRRR im done with the hard mode on my tesla... its so nice powerfull and feels like a granit rock.. but a little too much so... Every little obstacle makes the whole "granit rock" jump. And i usually ride with soft mode. No issues.

I tried hard mode for 3 days and also a lot more before hand. I had my first fall in hard mode about 2 weeks after i started riding. Today i decided to try the hardmode on my usual forest track with tree roots and steep hills. making it important to absorb the shocks. I felt off my tesla 3 times trying to go through that track with hard mode. and used double the battery...

im done with hard mode... but this is just my opinion... I just wanted to share it to avoid another rehab.  

i think the hardmode is not for everyone. But i still think it does pose some risks. Even for experienced riders. 

Soft mode, hard mode, I'd say it is a matter of acclimatization. Don’t go forest riding in hard mode until you’re really comfortable with it. My guess is that if you’re used to softer modes, you need a bit more than 3 days before you take on that kind of challenge.

I say this as someone using gt16 hard mode exclusively, and that is even harder than the tesla hard mode according to @Marty Backe.

Edited June 1, 2018 by Scatcat

[kasenutty]

Sometimes I like it hard, but sometimes I just need the tender sensitivity of soft. Even the careful yet firm caress of medium can get my juices pumping on occasion. 

[Shad0z]

9 minutes ago, Scatcat said:

Soft mode, hard mode, I'd say it is a matter of acclimatization. Don’t go forest riding in hard mode until you’re really comfortable with it. My guess is that if you’re used to softer modes, you need a bit more than 3 days before you take on that kind of challenge.

I say this as someone using gt16 hard mode exclusively, and that is even harder than the tesla hard mode according to @Marty Backe.

im not sure its "harder" but maybe

but i think he only breifly tried a gt16

its not like 3 days is the only time i have used hard mode. i used it for almost 3 weeks straight in the beginning. and tried it again and again days at a time. and this time i decided to try it out again. but its like it feels nice. but then after riding for a little time fidning out all the reasons i didnt just keep using it

but its preference

 

[WARPed1701D]

12 hours ago, Rehab1 said:

Hopefully I’ll be fine. If the ticks weren't engorged with my blood when I plucked them off I won’t have went this route. I saw a 13 year old girl patient the other day that was bitten by a tick 18 months ago and unfortunately was not treated until 1 month later. There were no initial signs she was bitten. Now every joint in her little body is sore to the point she has trouble walking. She went through the entire antibiotic regimen. Now she is headed to Cleveland Clinic for more tests. I feel bad for her. 

I did quite a bit of research on this after finding one chomping on my arse. i HATE ticks!

Generally you are OK if the tick has been attached for less than 12 hours as they are usually not even close to full until after that time. This is when the problems start because once the stomach is full (no need to be visibly engorged at this point) the little bastards start being sick while attached to your blood stream. The virus lives in their guts so when they puke in you they essentially inject the virus into you blood stream. Evil little bastards! HATE! HATE! Gollum! Gollum! Not all ticks have disease and different ticks carry different ones. Deer ticks are the worst though with Lymes. The target shaped rash around the bite from Lymes disease, while common, is not always present after transmission and can't be relied upon as an indicator. A swift course of antibiotics is recommended if a tick is found and has been present for an unknown amount of time that may exceed 12 hours.

Side note. As the disease is spread by them being sick it is highly advised that old school tick removal methods are NOT used. This includes burning them with a cigarette or other hot item (causing them to withdraw), coating them with nail polish (suffocation and eventual death) or pulling them with tweezers (unless they are high precision tweezers and you can get them between the head and your skin). Burning, suffocation, and crushing the abdomen are sure fire ways to entice the little shit to puke in you as a final hurrah. Using a purpose made Tick Twister is best as it can get between the head and the skin and usually results in clean removal before the tick knows what is going on and gets distressed enough to vomit. They are only a few bucks and worth carrying whenever you venture off the beaten path.

Edited June 1, 2018 by WARPed1701D

[esaj]

I don't remember ever having had a tick (to my knowledge), but the dog gets them from time to time. The best removal tool so far has been a "tick bar", always got the little bastards out fast and intact:

[Shad0z]

i got a tick. once ever not more just 1 time. under my knee. i used tweezers. easy but a tick removal tool would be nice. especially if you live in the jungle. i dont

[WARPed1701D]

5 minutes ago, esaj said:

I don't remember ever having had a tick (to my knowledge), but the dog gets them from time to time. The best removal tool so far has been a "tick bar", always got the little bastards out fast and intact:

Looks similar. Be careful not to leave mouth parts behind though with this "lever" method:

https://www.ticktwister.co.uk/why-is-it-safe-to-twist-with-this-tool-2/

Of course this link is from the Tick Twister's website so their comment that levering the tick can cause mouth parts to break off could just be marketing lies.

[esaj]

4 minutes ago, WARPed1701D said:

Looks similar. Be careful not to leave mouth parts behind though with this "lever" method:

https://www.ticktwister.co.uk/why-is-it-safe-to-twist-with-this-tool-2/

Of course this link is from the Tick Twister's website so their comment that levering the tick can cause mouth parts to break off could just be marketing lies.

I've just used it like the images show, place the bar around the tick and pull it straight out... don't know if that can leave the mouth parts in, never tried twisting or levering.

As the bar is metal, I've just used a lighter to disinfect it, burn it for about half a minute and then rinse it and clean with a piece of toilet paper.

Edited June 1, 2018 by esaj

[DaveThomasPilot]

Wow,

I hike 5.5 miles daily in a wooded area.  It's not unusual to pick off two or three ticks.  This time of the year in the Southeast, is really bad for them.    

I'd be on antibiotics all the time if I took some every time I "picked a tick".

I did get a tick born something or other a couple of years ago (not Lyme disease, something else I don't recall).  At least that was doctor's best guess.  Lots of muscle pain, but antibiotic doctor prescribed cleared it up completely in a couple of day.

[Scatcat]

Lyme's can be avoided if you take it off ASAP, it won't transmit until it is close to full. TBE that we have in Europe and Asia transmits with the bite, doesn't matter if you take it out immediately, the damage is done. And there is no cure, only vaccine.

If there's one single insect I could do without, it would be the tic.

Edited June 1, 2018 by Scatcat

[DaveThomasPilot]

Quote

If there's one single insect I could do without, it would be the tic

Can't say that I'm found of them myself, but chiggers are the worst in my book.  Those invisible things bury deep, cause pea size bumps, and itch like crazy for about a week.  And, the scar doesn't go away until the end of summer.

Main reason I'd rather live out west, where it's dry and chiggers aren't a problem.  Any summer time walk in tall grass east of the Mississippi means chiggers, in my experience.

We've come a long way from EUC, though...

[Scatcat]

1 hour ago, Shad0z said:

im not sure its "harder" but maybe

but i think he only breifly tried a gt16

its not like 3 days is the only time i have used hard mode. i used it for almost 3 weeks straight in the beginning. and tried it again and again days at a time. and this time i decided to try it out again. but its like it feels nice. but then after riding for a little time fidning out all the reasons i didnt just keep using it

but its preference

 

Yes. I'm so used to it that softer modes feel "floppy".

[esaj]

56 minutes ago, Scatcat said:

Yes. I'm so used to it that softer modes feel "floppy".

I first rode the KS's with the hardest mode, as I came from a Firewheel which has exactly two modes (hard "sport" and waaaayyy too soft "comfortable"), but then found out that I'm having hard time accelerating uphill with the hard mode. Switching to the "medium"-mode (don't remember the KS-terms for the modes, as I haven't adjusted them in a long while, maybe "riding" -mode?) the problem went away and I also found out that doing hard "power braking" is easier when the pedals give in a bit.

A "long time ago", that is, in the summer of 2015, I tried to explain what I'd like to see when it comes to the riding modes using this picture:

The first picture shows the "usual" upright position you stand in when riding at steady speed. The middle picture shows a "problem" with stiff pedals when braking: you have to bend your ankle, and can't put really a lot pressure on your heel, or lift off your foot a bit to get more pressure, which means less contact with the pedal and risking your foot sliding off. The last picture shows what it's like with a softer mode, you can put pressure on your heel and as the wheel tilts back, you still get a good grip on the pedal.

What I wanted back then was a sort of a "hybrid"-mode, where it stays stiff leaning forwards (not allowing the pedal to tilt forward), but still allowing tilting backwards during braking, so that you get more pressure and stronger braking action, especially during "power braking".

Well, that was with Firewheel, on which, as any owner of Firewheel knows, the "soft" mode was way too soft. I felt like I was going to fall trying to ride with it the first time, as it allowed the pedals to tilt forward what at least felt like a LOT before the wheel reacted. With the KS "medium"-mode, I think that (for me), they've achieved a pretty nice balance, it's not too soft, yet it allows the pedals to tilt backwards during braking, which, I believe, makes for a much better and controlled braking action.

Then comes the issue with the acceleration, especially uphill. With a skinny skeleton like me (about 60kg with full gear), I need to put a large proportion of my weight on the front of the pedals to cause them to dip forwards. Likely the control mechanism for acceleration (and braking) is some form of a PID-loop (Proportional-Integral-Derivative -control), or it might "just" be a PD-loop (without the integral-part). What those terms stand for is that "proportional" is the momentary offset from the "level"-position (how much front or back the tilt angle is vs. straight), "integral" is the sum of offset over a longer time frame (ie. the output-value of the loop goes up the longer the and more the pedals are offset from zero) and "derivative" is the rate of change (ie. how fast the pedals are dipping or returning to zero). Regardless whether it's PID or PD, the keyword here is the "proportional"; with my low weight, it's hard for me to cause a large offset from the centre with stiff pedals, especially uphill, as I either need to lean very strongly forwards or stand almost tip-toed on the pedals to cause enough downward force on the front of the pedals for the loop to detect "enough" offset to force the wheel to accelerate uphill. A stronger motor can more easily keep the pedals level, and "sees" only a small offset, which it can overcome easily with high torque, not causing a lot of acceleration.  With more "soft" action, it's easier for me to cause enough offset for the wheel to respond with stronger acceleration.

Not sure if I explained it clearly enough, but I hope so... anyway, at least for me, the middle-mode of the KS16's (both B and S) seems a good middle ground of both fast reaction from the wheel and not having to bend my ankles during braking or "stronger" forward lean.

Edited June 1, 2018 by esaj

[Marty Backe]

23 minutes ago, esaj said:

I first rode the KS's with the hardest mode, as I came from a Firewheel which has exactly two modes (hard "sport" and waaaayyy too soft "comfortable"), but then found out that I'm having hard time accelerating uphill with the hard mode. Switching to the "medium"-mode (don't remember the KS-terms for the modes, as I haven't adjusted them in a long while, maybe "riding" -mode?) the problem went away and I also found out that doing hard "power braking" is easier when the pedals give in a bit.

A "long time ago", that is, in the summer of 2015, I tried to explain what I'd like to see when it comes to the riding modes using this picture:

 

The first picture shows the "usual" upright position you stand in when riding at steady speed. The middle picture shows a "problem" with stiff pedals when braking: you have to bend your ankle, and can't put really a lot pressure on your heel, or lift off your foot a bit to get more pressure, which means less contact with the pedal and risking your foot sliding off. The last picture shows what it's like with a softer mode, you can put pressure on your heel and as the wheel tilts back, you still get a good grip on the pedal.

What I wanted back then was a sort of a "hybrid"-mode, where it stays stiff leaning forwards (not allowing the pedal to tilt forward), but still allowing tilting backwards during braking, so that you get more pressure and stronger braking action, especially during "power braking".

Well, that was with Firewheel, on which, as any owner of Firewheel knows, the "soft" mode was way too soft. I felt like I was going to fall trying to ride with it the first time, as it allowed the pedals to tilt forward what at least felt like a LOT before the wheel reacted. With the KS "medium"-mode, I think that (for me), they've achieved a pretty nice balance, it's not too soft, yet it allows the pedals to tilt backwards during braking, which, I believe, makes for a much better and controlled braking action.

Then comes the issue with the acceleration, especially uphill. With a skinny skeleton like me (about 60kg with full gear), I need to put a large proportion of my weight on the front of the pedals to cause them to dip forwards. Likely the control mechanism for acceleration (and braking) is some form of a PID-loop (Proportional-Integral-Derivative -control), or it might "just" be a PD-loop (without the integral-part). What those terms stand for is that "proportional" is the momentary offset from the "level"-position (how much front or back the tilt angle is vs. straight), "integral" is the sum of offset over a longer time frame (ie. the output-value of the loop goes up the longer the and more the pedals are offset from zero) and "derivative" is the rate of change (ie. how fast the pedals are dipping or returning to zero). Regardless whether it's PID or PD, the keyword here is the "proportional"; with my low weight, it's hard for me to cause a large offset from the centre with stiff pedals, especially uphill, as I either need to lean very strongly forwards or stand almost tip-toed on the pedals to cause enough downward force on the front of the pedals for the loop to detect "enough" offset to force the wheel to accelerate uphill. With more "soft" action, it's easier for me to cause enough offset for the wheel to respond.

Not sure if I explained it clearly enough, but I hope so... anyway, at least for me, the middle-mode of the KS16's (both B and S) seems a good middle ground of both fast reaction from the wheel and not having to bend my ankles.

Your hybrid idea is very cool. I totally agree with you regarding breaking in soft mode - it feels really nice.

Too bad there isn't a reliable way to get ideas such as yours to the designers of our wheels 

Edited June 1, 2018 by Marty Backe

[esaj]

29 minutes ago, Marty Backe said:

Your hybrid idea is very cool. I totally agree with you regarding breaking in soft mode - it feels really nice.

Too bad there isn't a reliable way to get ideas such as yours to the designers of our wheels 

Yeah, well, as I explained, there is also the issue with uphill acceleration with stronger motors for low-weight riders like me if the wheel keeps the pedals "too level" in stiff-mode, that's why I've personally come to prefer the slight tilt-"forwards" of the softer mode. Also, what I found out later on doing a longer trip with the Firewheel "soft-mode" is that they actually did have sort of a hybrid-mode there. Around 26km/h (on a wheel that's officially supposedly 20km/h max, but could be ridden >30km/h with shunted packs ) the pedals "stiffened" and returned to level when riding on straight, but below that, the wheel allowed the pedals to dip forward all the time.    This was clearly a programmed feature, not some "glitch".

The Firewheel was a real mixed bag; the mainboard electrical design (presumably stolen from SBU) was top-notch for the time (not according to me, but Lizard Mech) with proper gate drivers & ferrite beads and fast turn-off diodes, heavy-duty SMD-mosfets (1.8 milliohm!), the software did have some pretty cool stuff (recorded voice messages, digital battery display with percentage value, riding modes) and front- and brake-light, something which other wheels were missing at the time (remember that it came out in the summer of 2014), although others caught up and went past fast after that. On the other hand, the battery setup was a mess (2 x 8S2P -packs in series behind a single BMS for the F260), the claimed IP-rating was a joke (there was a big enough hole to let large pea-sized pebbles to enter the battery compartment, not to speak of water or dust ) and the mainboards had a weak point in the step-down circuitry, which killed a lot of boads (on turn-on or take off, but to my knowledge, never while actually riding). The "killer" -feature (pun intended, could be a software bug, mistake in the BMS or just too high voltage threshold or whatever) was that on a non-shunted battery pack, the wheel would power off if the speed went above about 28km/h...  

 I think the company's either bankrupt or quit, probably faced a few lawsuits as it seems they stole the mainboard and case design   Still, it was a pretty cool wheel...

Edited June 1, 2018 by esaj

[Shad0z]

3 hours ago, Scatcat said:

Yes. I'm so used to it that softer modes feel "floppy".

i dont really know how to soft kmode on the gt16 is. but on the tesla it feels hard still. but it kind of feels like hard mode with shock absorption or something like that. it doesnt tilt that much. and still stays very level. but it kind of feels like some kind of shock absorption or like that

Edited June 1, 2018 by Shad0z

[Rehab1]

6 hours ago, esaj said:

I don't remember ever having had a tick (to my knowledge), but the dog gets them from time to time. The best removal tool so far has been a "tick bar", always got the little bastards out fast and intact:

What a wimpy tool!  Our ticks are much bigger.

 

[Esper]

It took me three hours to read this whole thread. I feel enlightened. I've taken many falls on my wheels throughout the 2 years I've ridden and I never wore any protection. If anything should be gained from reading all these posts is that I should buy some safety gear and that everyone here is really supportive of @Rehab1's recovery.

Though I do have a few questions.

1. What happened to the string protruding from your shoulder? Did you pluck it out with some tweezers?
2. The guess of how many time you needed help to rebuild, I didn't see an actual answer.
3. What was the final cost for your out of pocket medical expenses?
4. Will you mod your Tesla or V10F with the same pedal mod you had when you crashed?
5. How is your rehab coming along, are you able to use full range of motion yet?

I also think that you are a really tough person. You took your crash really well and even got right back up afterwords. The injuries you sustained and the debt incurred is a relief compared to a loss of life. I'm happy that you are recovering. The video detailing the area you crashed at was pretty astonishing. I would not have made it past that first gravel spot let alone stick on it long enough to hit the pothole after it. Personally I think if there had been a sign on the path saying "sidewalk repair ahead" this would have saved you in the end. Good luck on further recovery!

One last thing. I think you should hold off on the tattoo for a while. At least until after your 2 year waiting period.

[Rehab1]

 

3 hours ago, Esper said:

It took me three hours to read this whole thread. I feel enlightened. 

 Omg! Sorry to put you through that. Thank you kindly for you concerns. Hopefully you learn from my big mistake!

3 hours ago, Esper said:

Though I do have a few questions.

1. What happened to the string protruding from your shoulder? Did you pluck it out with some tweezers?
2. The guess of how many time you needed help to rebuild, I didn't see an actual answer.
3. What was the final cost for your out of pocket medical expenses?
4. Will you mod your Tesla or V10F with the same pedal mod you had when you crashed?
5. How is your rehab coming along, are you able to use full range of motion yet?

 1) My wife plucked it out with barbecue tongs. ? (You’ll soon realize my wife is diametrically opposed to my hobby).

2) I believe it was 167. 

3) Wow...this is getting serious. Out of pocket $2700 for a $70k surgery. 

4) I did swap out the ACM studded pedals to Tesla for about 5 minutes. The pedals have finally ended up in the trash. 

5) Unfortunately painting high ceilings with my left arm will never come to fruition. There was only 25 % vascularization remaining to the humeral head so the surgeon chose not to realign the shaft and head perfectly to avoid compromising the limited blood flow. That affected my range of motion. 

3 hours ago, Esper said:

I also think that you are a really tough person. You took your crash really well and even got right back up afterwords

Thanks. My wife was extremely supportive and encouraged me to ride again. ?

3 hours ago, Esper said:

One last thing. I think you should hold off on the tattoo for a while. At least until after your 2 year waiting period.

The scar is healing fine but I still might go ahead with a tattoo. Any reputable artist would want me to wait anyway. 

Edited June 2, 2018 by Rehab1

[Scatcat]

13 hours ago, esaj said:

I first rode the KS's with the hardest mode, as I came from a Firewheel which has exactly two modes (hard "sport" and waaaayyy too soft "comfortable"), but then found out that I'm having hard time accelerating uphill with the hard mode. Switching to the "medium"-mode (don't remember the KS-terms for the modes, as I haven't adjusted them in a long while, maybe "riding" -mode?) the problem went away and I also found out that doing hard "power braking" is easier when the pedals give in a bit.

A "long time ago", that is, in the summer of 2015, I tried to explain what I'd like to see when it comes to the riding modes using this picture:

The first picture shows the "usual" upright position you stand in when riding at steady speed. The middle picture shows a "problem" with stiff pedals when braking: you have to bend your ankle, and can't put really a lot pressure on your heel, or lift off your foot a bit to get more pressure, which means less contact with the pedal and risking your foot sliding off. The last picture shows what it's like with a softer mode, you can put pressure on your heel and as the wheel tilts back, you still get a good grip on the pedal.

What I wanted back then was a sort of a "hybrid"-mode, where it stays stiff leaning forwards (not allowing the pedal to tilt forward), but still allowing tilting backwards during braking, so that you get more pressure and stronger braking action, especially during "power braking".

Well, that was with Firewheel, on which, as any owner of Firewheel knows, the "soft" mode was way too soft. I felt like I was going to fall trying to ride with it the first time, as it allowed the pedals to tilt forward what at least felt like a LOT before the wheel reacted. With the KS "medium"-mode, I think that (for me), they've achieved a pretty nice balance, it's not too soft, yet it allows the pedals to tilt backwards during braking, which, I believe, makes for a much better and controlled braking action.

Then comes the issue with the acceleration, especially uphill. With a skinny skeleton like me (about 60kg with full gear), I need to put a large proportion of my weight on the front of the pedals to cause them to dip forwards. Likely the control mechanism for acceleration (and braking) is some form of a PID-loop (Proportional-Integral-Derivative -control), or it might "just" be a PD-loop (without the integral-part). What those terms stand for is that "proportional" is the momentary offset from the "level"-position (how much front or back the tilt angle is vs. straight), "integral" is the sum of offset over a longer time frame (ie. the output-value of the loop goes up the longer the and more the pedals are offset from zero) and "derivative" is the rate of change (ie. how fast the pedals are dipping or returning to zero). Regardless whether it's PID or PD, the keyword here is the "proportional"; with my low weight, it's hard for me to cause a large offset from the centre with stiff pedals, especially uphill, as I either need to lean very strongly forwards or stand almost tip-toed on the pedals to cause enough downward force on the front of the pedals for the loop to detect "enough" offset to force the wheel to accelerate uphill. A stronger motor can more easily keep the pedals level, and "sees" only a small offset, which it can overcome easily with high torque, not causing a lot of acceleration.  With more "soft" action, it's easier for me to cause enough offset for the wheel to respond with stronger acceleration.

Not sure if I explained it clearly enough, but I hope so... anyway, at least for me, the middle-mode of the KS16's (both B and S) seems a good middle ground of both fast reaction from the wheel and not having to bend my ankles during braking or "stronger" forward lean.

 

13 hours ago, Marty Backe said:

Your hybrid idea is very cool. I totally agree with you regarding breaking in soft mode - it feels really nice.

Too bad there isn't a reliable way to get ideas such as yours to the designers of our wheels 

 

13 hours ago, esaj said:

Yeah, well, as I explained, there is also the issue with uphill acceleration with stronger motors for low-weight riders like me if the wheel keeps the pedals "too level" in stiff-mode, that's why I've personally come to prefer the slight tilt-"forwards" of the softer mode. Also, what I found out later on doing a longer trip with the Firewheel "soft-mode" is that they actually did have sort of a hybrid-mode there. Around 26km/h (on a wheel that's officially supposedly 20km/h max, but could be ridden >30km/h with shunted packs ) the pedals "stiffened" and returned to level when riding on straight, but below that, the wheel allowed the pedals to dip forward all the time.    This was clearly a programmed feature, not some "glitch".

The Firewheel was a real mixed bag; the mainboard electrical design (presumably stolen from SBU) was top-notch for the time (not according to me, but Lizard Mech) with proper gate drivers & ferrite beads and fast turn-off diodes, heavy-duty SMD-mosfets (1.8 milliohm!), the software did have some pretty cool stuff (recorded voice messages, digital battery display with percentage value, riding modes) and front- and brake-light, something which other wheels were missing at the time (remember that it came out in the summer of 2014), although others caught up and went past fast after that. On the other hand, the battery setup was a mess (2 x 8S2P -packs in series behind a single BMS for the F260), the claimed IP-rating was a joke (there was a big enough hole to let large pea-sized pebbles to enter the battery compartment, not to speak of water or dust ) and the mainboards had a weak point in the step-down circuitry, which killed a lot of boads (on turn-on or take off, but to my knowledge, never while actually riding). The "killer" -feature (pun intended, could be a software bug, mistake in the BMS or just too high voltage threshold or whatever) was that on a non-shunted battery pack, the wheel would power off if the speed went above about 28km/h...  

 I think the company's either bankrupt or quit, probably faced a few lawsuits as it seems they stole the mainboard and case design   Still, it was a pretty cool wheel...

@Yi Chen if you see this, this is a really good description of what the "walking" mode in the new rockwheels should be like.

@esaj & @Marty Backe, I think we should our best to get @esaj‘s description to the manufacturers. I would ride his "hybrid mode" any day of the week.

My guess is that what we’re after is a firm mode with just enough initial give to allow us to keep the pedal perpedicular to our body at all times. This is a bit weight dependent, as my 87kgs and @esaj‘s 60kgs put entirely different pressures on the pedals. I think the solution is probably to make the "hybrid" mode a bit more logarithmic, so that my weight is caught just fine, while @esaj can still tilt the pedal as much as needed.

Edited June 2, 2018 by Scatcat

[esaj]

5 hours ago, Rehab1 said:

 Omg! Sorry to put you through that. Thank you kindly for you concerns. Hopefully you learn from my big mistake!

Just the fact that you've still continued riding after the accident is something I tip my hat to. I might have thrown in the towel completely after something like that.

 

5 hours ago, Rehab1 said:

Thanks. My wife was extremely supportive and encouraged me to ride again. ?

I smell, whatsitcalled, something to do with a bull... bullshoe?