“I got the Glide3 about a week ago. Haven't had a huge amount of time on it yet but I'm finally riding it around the neighborhood about about half speed. Still definitely learning but so far its pretty fun. I will say that I was not prepared for just how quickly this thing would get beat up. Its very sturdy and holding up to the punishment quite well but cosmetically (even with the cover) it got mangled very quick. I've wiped out a few times plus just normal tipovers as I'm learning, the floorboards underneath are scraped to hell and even on top around the handle where the cover doesn't cover has road rash. In my case probably not a bad thing since it'll be less likely to be stolen but worth noting. I don't think any other model/brand would have fared any better, it was just a surprise about how much abuse would occur.
Other than cosmetics though the thing is a lot of fun. Definitely not the easiest skill for me to pick up but its coming along.”
“I love this wheel. I feel like InMotion/SoloWheel got this wheel just right. I had the King Song and compared to that this wheel is light, quick, and very well balanced. I had issues with the KingSong wobbling a lot, not to mention it was heavy and didn't have a kill switch or a very tall handle. Granted, this wheel has a smaller battery but the trade-off is better balance, slimmer build and lighter weight. Perfect wheel, goes far enough to get around NYC.”
“A friend told me he got an electric unicycle wheel and I was like huh? I go “You mean the one with peddles like the circus?” so he ran to his car and got ninebot one and flew down the drive way and back, my jaw dropped. I was amazed at how fast the thing was. The following day I did a quick research and saw the inmotion V8 on amazon for 899 with excellent review. One of the review mentions buying it from ewheels.com and so thats what I did and Gheeze! This was such a crazy impulse buy that I have ever done. To think that I always wanted a road bike but will never pay more than 300 bucks and to dropped 900 dollars without thinking twice, I must be crazy. At first I was little upset because I didn’t know how to ride and I kept dropping and scraping. It took me 1 week learn but after learning how to ride I love it more and more. Best thing is no one in my neighborhood has one so I feel super special. If you’re a first time like I was the solo glide 3 is an excellent choice.”
“Perfect balance of weight and power for a commuter wheel. Fits in the overhead compartment on the train, rolls through the station like luggage, and takes me to work through busy Manhattan streets in style.”
“I used the "contact us" link to ask for advice on what to purchase after reading numerous positive reviews on forum.electricunicycle.org. I'm 5'-8", 155lbs, mid 40s and I've been reading about EUCs ever since I stumbled upon them after initially looking for an adult razor type scooter. Jason got back quickly and recommended the Glide 3 which I bought the next day. I've never even used a segway so I knew it was going to be a learning curve. Over five days, about two hours per day, one or more days off in between, I've logged 40 miles now. First few days were hard, and this experience makes learning to snowboard seem easy. Anyway, I have some sore muscles below the knee that I never even knew existed, but I've gotten pretty good, even at slow speeds. I haven't bumped it above the factory 83% and I'm still trying to understand how the calibration settings work, but overall I love this thing. I've never even seen an EUC in person before but watched a lot of youtube videos over the past year, which probably helps with the learning curve. Anyway, I highly recommend this for a beginner or intermediate. The neoprene cover is nice and kept it from getting scratched the first few days. Yesterday I took the kids to the park and my 6 year old got tired riding her bike up hill on the way home. I grabbed one handle bar and her seat and this thing had enough power to easily push both of us up a nice long hill (ok, my back is a little sore from bending over a little). I almost bought a ninebot C but when I read about people upgrading, I'm glad I spent a little more. eWheels was super convenient and I got a shipping notice about two hours after I placed the order. I highly recommend both eWheels and the Glide 3!”
“Started my electric unicycle journey this year with Ninebot One E+, which I consider a great wheel. I have not ridden any other wheel than that. I wanted to have second wheel, more range, more speed and integrated handle. I also did not want it to emit loud high pitch noise and did not want it to be to heavy.
From my internet research I had zero options... Then I heard about Inmotion V8 several weeks ago. The process of purchase was great. I ordered it one afternoon (4PM), it was sent next day early morning (got email of dispatch at 4AM).
I also recommend getting this particular wheel, yet you have to ask yourself - if you have different expectations, then maybe some other wheel would suit you better. For me - V8 seems like, well, created for me :). I wanted a wheel:
1. For commuting 10-12km one way, without having to recharge at work (to carry less things in backpack). V8 can do that.
2. With more range for more fun and more options. With E+ I sometimes needed to go taxi one way, and unicycle the other way because of not enough range for my needs. Now I'm able to go 34km (did 33.6km once with 5% battery left, going around 23-25kph).
3. With integrated handle, so that I can go inside a shop etc. V8 has it, I like it very much, checked in practice inside shop - it's great. Oh, and also this button which stops the motor when you lift V8 up - I did not realize how much it can simplify my life, very good idea and implementation.
4. With more speed for more fun. I often felt (on E+) that I need just a little bit more speed. V8 has what I need and riding it feels really solid.
5. Not too heavy - V8 is around the same weight as E+. In practice it felt lighter, so I checked on weighing machine and it showed it's really lighter (but I wouldn't trust this machine much).
6. No high-pitch loud noise - V8 sound is really pleasant for my ears. I really appreciate LEDs (for me - the more the better :)). A friend told me the wheel looks like from Tron movie (on the predefined factory settings).
The driving is similar to E+, but pedals are a lot more stiffer (I use riding mode 0 on E+) and they also react totally different on turns. On E+ they dive in (firmware 1.3.5) on turns, here it's the opposite, so I had some small learning to do. I think I prefer the riding mode of V8 and turns of E+, but on the other hand - I'm just accustomed to that feeling so cannot judge as of now.
I have nearly 3000km on E+ and nearly 300km on V8 and I believe that in the end I'll simply like both types of behaviours :).
Oh, and I forgot about look: this wheel is simply beautiful :). After spending some time with V8, commuting, going to shops, having fun - my opinion about it is very very positive.”
“You can get it in any color as long as it's black" and that's about the only likeness the Inmotion V8 has with my old "T-Ford" wheel. I am a beginner to the electric unicycle and I was very hasty in the purchase of my first wheel: a 14-inch, generation 1 electric unicycle from a local shop. After a few hours of riding I realized that I had outgrown this wheel that caused pain to my shins and had limited potential. A brief but informative "Let's Talk" with Jason helped me make up my mind to place a pre-order. It took a few days extra to get the shipment since this was the first batch to Europe from the factory but it was very reassuring to get a notification from eWheels once it reached the continent. Delivery to me came four days later. I have to say that the V8 is a dream to ride and very responsive. It gives me no pain to my legs at all and I haven't even attached the supplied soft-pads. It handles the dirt roads in my training path with ease and the transition to the new wheel was quite a no-brainer. The only down-side I can find is that it is easy to accidentally toggle the power button when grabbing the handle while wearing gloves. OK, so it wouldn't hurt with a good back light either as the dark season is approaching but I found the front light to be very apt for my dark roads. Summary: top-notch wheel, top-notch dealer!”
“Going to a larger EUC
My Impressions on upgrading from a 14" Inmotion V5F to 16" V8
I got my Inmotion V5F , catchy name huh, on March 30th 2017 and it took me 3 months 2 weeks to put 1000 miles on it. It was an upgrade from a Ninebot one A1, which served as my learning machine. So 14" wheels are all I have ever known. I love the portability and toyishness of the 14" under 30lbs wheels. They prepare you to get bounced off by their very lack of mass and weight beneath your feet. I often wonder why I even need them to glide above the ground, and maybe they are just a crutch for this un-noticed skill I have had all along. Then I hit a hidden salad bowl sized pothole and wonder why I am running all of a sudden with my wheel skidding off to the side. They are fun! So when I decided to get more speed and distance I settled in on the 16" Inmotion V8 for looks (really sleek even with the dizzy lights), the name (I am a car guy so V8), and the familiarity with the Inmotion ride.
More on the Inmotion V8 specs and review later. After getting the V8 calibrated with the app to unlock the speed and tweak the lights and warnings it was time to test ride. I had tried the 16" and the 18" wheels at a gas station during a brief meeting with my local EUC club. They were ACM and Kingsong models and really had a vehicle type of ride stability. They felt like firm machinery compared to my nimble V5F lark. The Kingsong 14S and 16S were not available yet to buy, but on another EUC ride I was fortunate enough to try out an 840wh Kingsong 14C from Jeff and found it to be more than capable at getting me up and down the hollywood hills in Griffith Park. It never labored and has great pick up in acceleration. It was a bit more clunky in the corners than my V5F, but that might have been Beginner Wheel Skill Disorder. BWSD is the term I give for the unwieldy feel that a new wheel will have until your body has adjusted to the different mechanics and foot weight distributions that arise from different wheels. This was what I was feeling with the new V8 as I ventured down my hill towards sunset blvd. It would pull to one side or the other in a different way from my old V5F. Perhaps it is learning my style as I learn its. The phenomenon is still the same if not more pronounced with a brand new out of the package wheel. Inmotion has a - SCV forward correction - function in its app that will work after about 10 miles of use. Other models have ride feel adjustments in their Apps, and it is suggested to dial in or use these functions as it will make the break in time more comfortable, and give you more control. This worked for me as well as my body was adjusting to the new geometry of the larger wheel.
Going up in wheel size doesn't make you taller, since the pedals are at the same height, but the body of the wheel will rest at different areas of your legs. I have a blister on my right upper ankle and a slight bruise on my left shin as evidence of this. The V8 is only 1" taller than the V5F with a trolley handle. However the top of the body is 2" taller. So for a short guy, the physics of leaning due to the taller y-axis(body) makes the leverage from the x-axis(pedals) less. My body either needs to lean out side to side further or with more force. Its not much more, but there does seem to be a natural learning curve. Combined with the additional weight of the wheel, these are some things to be aware of when upsizing, even within the same company. Obviously since all EUC companies have different designs, this happens when switching Wheel companies as well.
I ride my V5F and V8 along the bike lanes and paths of Los Angeles. The streets in L.A. Bow up to drain water to the gutters and the bike lanes and space next to curbs is on a slight angle. This angle can force the wheel into the curb unless I ride the wheel at a little bit more than a 90° angle, leaning slightly into traffic. This has taken some adjustment and learning, so I have had to be more careful even though I have more than 1000 miles of riding experience. Turning is different, not better or worse as far as tightness of turns and control. The wobbles are back as the placement of my feet is adjusted to the new weight distribution, blabbity blah, blah. Enough of the first impressions, Lets skip 50 miles into the future...
I really enjoy the 3mph extra cruising speed and max speed in the upgrade. I got to work within a few minutes of my car time average. The V8 feels both stable and nimble at cruising speeds of 15-19mph. The other day I rode over a bowl type of pothole that used to shake my 14" wheel, but the 16" took it in stride even while taking me by surprise. This is only day 3, but the wheel is beginning to learn my unorthodox extreme leaning into the curves. I am still getting used to the larger circumference while turning, because I am so used to the smaller wheel. Its getting much more natural with every new trip. Driving over shallow sand and loose dirt is easier with the heavier V8, but still a lot like dry water skiing. The 800 watt motor easily moves me uphills in dirt and asphalt or to maximum speed without laboring. I like to ride my EUC like a leaf balancing on a spinning top, and the V8 has that sort of stable lightness of a ride.
I am only 145 lbs. but the V8 only gets around 21 or 22 miles, with pushing it to the limits and stopping for stop signs, before you reach the dreaded last bar or 20% battery left. The speaker which usually blurts out "be careful" (gotta get it to speak in Chinese) gives you a warning sound that sounds like the warning sound you'd get when a landline telephone used to get knocked off the hook for too long if you start to push it at this point. It limits the speed and gets a little cranky if you jump off a curb or over a large pothole at a fast speed under these battery conditions. All in all it wants the rider to be safe and reminds you of this a lot when the battery gets very low. Although the range is a little lacking, it took me around two hours to drive 22 miles. A 2 min stop to change out a new battery for another 22 miles is no big deal, and probably needed as a rest at that point anyway. Changing the battery in the V5F is a great undertaking requiring great feats of double speed fast motion photography, unscrewing and unhooking for 15 mins just to get to the battery compartment and unhook it. So get the V5F+ if you are thinking of range for that EUC. I have already ordered an extra battery for the V8 and charging port to hook it up to my chargers.
To sum it all up, upgrading to a wheel to match ones skill level and expanded use is something enriching and easy to do. The options are all around and so far seem to be growing in numbers. I stuck with what was familiar but larger and more powerful. If Kingsong had their KS14S or KS16S available I may have gone with them. One thing to remember- you will use the new wheel in much the same way as the old one for the majority of the time. It should make these journeys more useful and enjoyable. If you can say that about your upgrade, you've succeeded. Some other brief thoughts...
- I thought the larger 16" wheel would be more cumbersome- it is actually just as nimble
- I had no idea how the extra speed would be so natural during the proper conditions. You don't miss what you don't experience...
- Upgrading to a new wheel takes time to relearn some basic handling of the new machine.”
