8 ms·

How to stay safe and happy on an electric unicycle

40 points by behnamoh 3y ago

insickness 3y ago
I think the biggest factor is how fast you go. I no longer go faster than 15 mph and usually ride around 10 mph.
- parl_match 3y ago
  Most people are going faster than they think. 20MPH slide is enough to occasionally put people in the hospital a "sudden dismount" at 15 mph can annihilate your teeth, or cause severe TBI. Even tripping while walking in the wrong way and hitting your head can lead to death. If you're going slow, you can maybe skimp on some of the abrasive protection, but you should still have something on your skull and joints.
  - hinkley 3y ago
    And then as speeds go up, your cervical spine and then your spine in general.
- Fricken 3y ago
  I think the biggest factor is knowing how to fall, and I'm glad they included it, although I wish it was at the top because in my experience it's so important, and potentially applies to any situation in life where accidents can happen, not just when you're padded up for action sports. Of course, knowing how fall comes with a strong intuition about when you're going too fast to manage a fall without serious injury. How fast is too fast is particular to the individual and their experience.
falcolas 3y ago
I have to say, that's a surprisingly well maintained and curated site. As a former motorcyclist, I also personally approve of their comments regarding safety gear rating and finding good vendors.
the_fury 3y ago
Dress for the slide, not for the ride.
- eschneider 3y ago
  Always this.
Vecr 3y ago
https://wmay.github.io/euc-safety/guides/helmets.html https://wmay.github.io/euc-safety/guides/helmets.html Linked from here, talks about full face helmets.
grogenaut 3y ago
My problem on a EUC, and why I sold it immediately, is that my foot did not slide and instead stuck, buckling my knee. I've done better dropping bikes and motorcycles than an EUC. I was wearing all the recommended gear. I also found the EUC quite uncomfortable due to the small pegs and standing right on my arches. You need shoes with a shank in them to be comfortable. TL;DR Not a fan.
dheera 3y ago
Personally I just don't get the appeal of electric unicycles. Bicycles are far more stable and harder to fall off on. Even then I usually wear long sleeves and long pants just in case, and gloves for longer rides if it isn't too hot. I like my skin intact.
- floren 3y ago
  Living in the SF area, I'm still considering one because you can bring it inside a lot easier than a bicycle and theft is a huge concern here. It would be a good compliment to BART, I think.
  - dheera 3y ago
    We really need more products like this https://www.skunklock.com/ https://www.skunklock.com/
    - kmoser 3y ago
      Looks like an interesting idea but wouldn't an attempted theft render your bike horribly noxious smelling? Assuming the thief wasn't high enough to not care, or wore a respirator.
      - epiccoleman 3y ago
        > wouldn't an attempted theft render your bike horribly noxious smelling? I imagine it would, although it's probably easier to wash whatever stink sauce is inside off your bike than off your clothing (if you're the thief). It seems like the idea is that the thief gets halfway through cutting the lock and then gets the hell out of dodge - although i guess maybe if they're thinking straight, they might realize the cost of stank is already sunk, and just finish the job. > respirator I would think that any thief who knows enough about these locks to come prepared would rather not walk around smelling like skunk. But I guess just like any lock, it's easily defeated if the thief is sufficiently prepared. The idea is to make the theft such a pain in the ass that they choose a different target.
      - 3y ago
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
AlbertCory 3y ago
I'm having a hard time understanding why you'd ride an EUC when you can get an electric scooter. Or bicycle. Other than to show off, of course, not that there's anything wrong with that.
- fuoqi 3y ago
  My reasons for preferring EUCs: - It can be easily combined with public transit. Its much smaller footprint causes less trouble for you and those around you. You can place it behind your legs while sitting and keep between legs while staying. - Absolutely no issues with stairs and escalators (at least with the models on the lighter side). - You can get it with yourself into office. In many places you can not bring your bicycle or scooter into a desk space or it will be strongly frowned upon. - It does not take much space when stored at home. - Because of the smaller footprint and lack of protruding parts like handlebars, it's much safer and easier to move in a relatively dense pedestrian traffic. - It easily fits into a car's trunk.
  - AlbertCory 3y ago
    in case this wasn't clear, "fun" is a perfectly good reason IMHO. However, is it actually true that people would frown on an electric scooter but not an EUC? They seem to have a pretty similar footprint. I see people zipping around on models that don't have any handlebars.
    - fuoqi 3y ago
      Personally, I am using EUCs mostly as an urban transport. For recreation I prefer (non-powered) bicycles. >I see people zipping around on models that don't have any handlebars. Do you mean hoverboards? In my understanding, your description does not fall under the definition of "scooter": https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scooter https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scooter
      - AlbertCory 3y ago
        It occurred to me the term was wrong, but I thought "hoverboard" had been thoroughly discredited by now. "Electric skateboard" maybe.
wittenbunk 3y ago
I will never ride an EUC because of a design flaw due to physics: in order to slow down you must first accelerate. The EUC works by tilting you forward to speed up, and tilting you backward to slowdown. So the control system has to always leave a margin in case you need to slow down or if max power is reduced. But if the battery dies faster than expected or you reach a steep downhill while already at top speed...too bad, nothing the system can do to keep you from faceplanting at max speed. No thanks. Wheels are cheap, I'll take at least two.
- jauntywundrkind 3y ago
  I went looking for info on one-wheel vs unicycles, and both good reads I found mentioned there are physical "pushback" & auditory warnings ahead of time in unicycles in particular. I have yet to find a great description of pushback. One-wheels by compare have a "nose up" to warn you, but seem to lack the auditory warning for no apparent reason. https://radicalcommute.com/euc-vs-onewheel/ https://radicalcommute.com/euc-vs-onewheel/
  - fuoqi 3y ago
    EUCs "tilt-back" and One-wheel's "nose up/pushback" is the same thing, but it's much easier for EUCs to do because of the smaller required momentum, thus you need less power margin to ride safely.
  - ama5322 3y ago
    I did absolutely enjoy my time with some onewheels, but I did experience a "sideplant" on a climb when I likely exceeded either the torque of current limit when I absolutely never expected it (and got no warning either). Definitely not fun. I never had issues when playing with it even at top speed and hitting an obstacle, as the extremely low platform and modest top velocity meant I could always recover by scrambling forward and propelling with the front feet. The real problem happens when not expecting it, like when I was slowly climbing, and even at zero speed the fall can be nasty. I never lowered my attention even for a split second on the onewheel after this. I never had a chance to try an EUC, but due to how the legs are used for support, I can't see the same as a recover possibility. If the EUC fails, faceplant seems inevitable. As for the "pushback", the effect on the onewheel is extremely noticeable and didn't feel the need for an additional auditory sound. The problem, as stated by OP, is that you can have failure modes where the motor stops supporting you before "pushback" (or even sound) kicks you in.
jrflowers 3y ago
Another important thing is to not go 87mph on an electric unicycle. https://electrek.co/2022/08/14/inmotion-unveils-fastest-in-the-world-87-mph-v13-challenger-electric-unicycle/ https://electrek.co/2022/08/14/inmotion-unveils-fastest-in-t...
- hinkley 3y ago
  Strictly speaking, you should not ride a vehicle that can fling you off at a speed much faster than you can sprint. They should probably be talking to skateboarders about the fine art of not eating shit. Each person will have a different maximum safe speed. > not go 87mph When this baby gets up to 88mph, you're gonna see some serious shit.
  - pixl97 3y ago
    And by serious I assume you mean meat crayon.
    - hinkley 3y ago
      It’s not the falling that kills you, it’s the sudden stop at the bottom.
  - wink 3y ago
    I'm not sure what your stance on non-electric bicycles is but just a leisurely cruise is faster than I can sprint.
- ursi 3y ago
  That article got the units wrong. It should be KPH.
  - jrflowers 3y ago
    The promotional graphic says 140kph
- telchar 3y ago
rwmj 3y ago
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-66276756 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-66276... In the news today an electric unicycle rider was jailed for killing a pedestrian.
avidphantasm 3y ago
Hot take: people who do needlessly difficult things like riding unicycles are annoying.
lacrimacida 3y ago
Been riding an EUC for the past 7 years. Never had an issue with braking or falls. It's truly a marvelous means of local transportation, you can take it wherever you go, take it inside the house so theft is not an issue. The only brand I had experience was InMotion/solowheel and did not try any other one out there so my experience is limited to his brand only. After riding it for so long it's easier than walking and I could attest to riding it while drunk without any issues you're basically standing on a platform with a wheel in the middle. I've seen a new generation of EUCs that go fast speeds. I will never go even close to that, feels extreme and is likely dangerous. I could go on snow, ice, rain etc but I noticed EUCs don't like carpets and any kind of grooves the wheel can get stuck into.

40 points by behnamoh 3y ago

insickness 3y ago

I think the biggest factor is how fast you go. I no longer go faster than 15 mph and usually ride around 10 mph.

parl_match 3y ago
Most people are going faster than they think. 20MPH slide is enough to occasionally put people in the hospital a "sudden dismount" at 15 mph can annihilate your teeth, or cause severe TBI. Even tripping while walking in the wrong way and hitting your head can lead to death. If you're going slow, you can maybe skimp on some of the abrasive protection, but you should still have something on your skull and joints.
- hinkley 3y ago
  And then as speeds go up, your cervical spine and then your spine in general.
Fricken 3y ago
I think the biggest factor is knowing how to fall, and I'm glad they included it, although I wish it was at the top because in my experience it's so important, and potentially applies to any situation in life where accidents can happen, not just when you're padded up for action sports. Of course, knowing how fall comes with a strong intuition about when you're going too fast to manage a fall without serious injury. How fast is too fast is particular to the individual and their experience.

falcolas 3y ago

I have to say, that's a surprisingly well maintained and curated site. As a former motorcyclist, I also personally approve of their comments regarding safety gear rating and finding good vendors.

the_fury 3y ago

Dress for the slide, not for the ride.

eschneider 3y ago
Always this.

Vecr 3y ago

https://wmay.github.io/euc-safety/guides/helmets.html https://wmay.github.io/euc-safety/guides/helmets.html Linked from here, talks about full face helmets.

grogenaut 3y ago

My problem on a EUC, and why I sold it immediately, is that my foot did not slide and instead stuck, buckling my knee. I've done better dropping bikes and motorcycles than an EUC. I was wearing all the recommended gear. I also found the EUC quite uncomfortable due to the small pegs and standing right on my arches. You need shoes with a shank in them to be comfortable. TL;DR Not a fan.

dheera 3y ago

Personally I just don't get the appeal of electric unicycles. Bicycles are far more stable and harder to fall off on. Even then I usually wear long sleeves and long pants just in case, and gloves for longer rides if it isn't too hot. I like my skin intact.

floren 3y ago
Living in the SF area, I'm still considering one because you can bring it inside a lot easier than a bicycle and theft is a huge concern here. It would be a good compliment to BART, I think.
- dheera 3y ago
  We really need more products like this https://www.skunklock.com/ https://www.skunklock.com/
  - kmoser 3y ago
    Looks like an interesting idea but wouldn't an attempted theft render your bike horribly noxious smelling? Assuming the thief wasn't high enough to not care, or wore a respirator.
    - epiccoleman 3y ago
      > wouldn't an attempted theft render your bike horribly noxious smelling? I imagine it would, although it's probably easier to wash whatever stink sauce is inside off your bike than off your clothing (if you're the thief). It seems like the idea is that the thief gets halfway through cutting the lock and then gets the hell out of dodge - although i guess maybe if they're thinking straight, they might realize the cost of stank is already sunk, and just finish the job. > respirator I would think that any thief who knows enough about these locks to come prepared would rather not walk around smelling like skunk. But I guess just like any lock, it's easily defeated if the thief is sufficiently prepared. The idea is to make the theft such a pain in the ass that they choose a different target.
    - 3y ago

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

AlbertCory 3y ago

I'm having a hard time understanding why you'd ride an EUC when you can get an electric scooter. Or bicycle. Other than to show off, of course, not that there's anything wrong with that.

fuoqi 3y ago
My reasons for preferring EUCs: - It can be easily combined with public transit. Its much smaller footprint causes less trouble for you and those around you. You can place it behind your legs while sitting and keep between legs while staying. - Absolutely no issues with stairs and escalators (at least with the models on the lighter side). - You can get it with yourself into office. In many places you can not bring your bicycle or scooter into a desk space or it will be strongly frowned upon. - It does not take much space when stored at home. - Because of the smaller footprint and lack of protruding parts like handlebars, it's much safer and easier to move in a relatively dense pedestrian traffic. - It easily fits into a car's trunk.
- AlbertCory 3y ago
  in case this wasn't clear, "fun" is a perfectly good reason IMHO. However, is it actually true that people would frown on an electric scooter but not an EUC? They seem to have a pretty similar footprint. I see people zipping around on models that don't have any handlebars.
  - fuoqi 3y ago
    Personally, I am using EUCs mostly as an urban transport. For recreation I prefer (non-powered) bicycles. >I see people zipping around on models that don't have any handlebars. Do you mean hoverboards? In my understanding, your description does not fall under the definition of "scooter": https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scooter https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scooter
    - AlbertCory 3y ago
      It occurred to me the term was wrong, but I thought "hoverboard" had been thoroughly discredited by now. "Electric skateboard" maybe.

wittenbunk 3y ago

I will never ride an EUC because of a design flaw due to physics: in order to slow down you must first accelerate. The EUC works by tilting you forward to speed up, and tilting you backward to slowdown. So the control system has to always leave a margin in case you need to slow down or if max power is reduced. But if the battery dies faster than expected or you reach a steep downhill while already at top speed...too bad, nothing the system can do to keep you from faceplanting at max speed. No thanks. Wheels are cheap, I'll take at least two.

jauntywundrkind 3y ago
I went looking for info on one-wheel vs unicycles, and both good reads I found mentioned there are physical "pushback" & auditory warnings ahead of time in unicycles in particular. I have yet to find a great description of pushback. One-wheels by compare have a "nose up" to warn you, but seem to lack the auditory warning for no apparent reason. https://radicalcommute.com/euc-vs-onewheel/ https://radicalcommute.com/euc-vs-onewheel/
- fuoqi 3y ago
  EUCs "tilt-back" and One-wheel's "nose up/pushback" is the same thing, but it's much easier for EUCs to do because of the smaller required momentum, thus you need less power margin to ride safely.
- ama5322 3y ago
  I did absolutely enjoy my time with some onewheels, but I did experience a "sideplant" on a climb when I likely exceeded either the torque of current limit when I absolutely never expected it (and got no warning either). Definitely not fun. I never had issues when playing with it even at top speed and hitting an obstacle, as the extremely low platform and modest top velocity meant I could always recover by scrambling forward and propelling with the front feet. The real problem happens when not expecting it, like when I was slowly climbing, and even at zero speed the fall can be nasty. I never lowered my attention even for a split second on the onewheel after this. I never had a chance to try an EUC, but due to how the legs are used for support, I can't see the same as a recover possibility. If the EUC fails, faceplant seems inevitable. As for the "pushback", the effect on the onewheel is extremely noticeable and didn't feel the need for an additional auditory sound. The problem, as stated by OP, is that you can have failure modes where the motor stops supporting you before "pushback" (or even sound) kicks you in.

jrflowers 3y ago

Another important thing is to not go 87mph on an electric unicycle. https://electrek.co/2022/08/14/inmotion-unveils-fastest-in-the-world-87-mph-v13-challenger-electric-unicycle/ https://electrek.co/2022/08/14/inmotion-unveils-fastest-in-t...

hinkley 3y ago
Strictly speaking, you should not ride a vehicle that can fling you off at a speed much faster than you can sprint. They should probably be talking to skateboarders about the fine art of not eating shit. Each person will have a different maximum safe speed. > not go 87mph When this baby gets up to 88mph, you're gonna see some serious shit.
- pixl97 3y ago
  And by serious I assume you mean meat crayon.
  - hinkley 3y ago
    It’s not the falling that kills you, it’s the sudden stop at the bottom.
- wink 3y ago
  I'm not sure what your stance on non-electric bicycles is but just a leisurely cruise is faster than I can sprint.
ursi 3y ago
That article got the units wrong. It should be KPH.
- jrflowers 3y ago
  The promotional graphic says 140kph
telchar 3y ago

rwmj 3y ago

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-66276756 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-66276... In the news today an electric unicycle rider was jailed for killing a pedestrian.

avidphantasm 3y ago

Hot take: people who do needlessly difficult things like riding unicycles are annoying.

lacrimacida 3y ago

Been riding an EUC for the past 7 years. Never had an issue with braking or falls. It's truly a marvelous means of local transportation, you can take it wherever you go, take it inside the house so theft is not an issue. The only brand I had experience was InMotion/solowheel and did not try any other one out there so my experience is limited to his brand only. After riding it for so long it's easier than walking and I could attest to riding it while drunk without any issues you're basically standing on a platform with a wheel in the middle. I've seen a new generation of EUCs that go fast speeds. I will never go even close to that, feels extreme and is likely dangerous. I could go on snow, ice, rain etc but I noticed EUCs don't like carpets and any kind of grooves the wheel can get stuck into.