Solowheel Unicycles Are Now Cheaper And Lighter, But Still Hard To Tame

I’m not going to lie: Various parts of my physique are still in agony as I’m typing up this text. Yesterday, I attended Inventist’s Beijing event where it launched 4 new Solowheel electric skateboard unicycles, as well as the 2-wheeled Hovertrax. And in case you didn’t get my trace, sure, I had the fortune of test riding some of these human transporters afterwards. For individuals who aren’t familiar with the Solowheel, think about this: it’s like a Segway however sans handle and only with one wheel between your legs, so you’d must work tougher to tame the self-balancing mechanism. If you’re already a unicyclist then this should not be a problem at all.

Gallery: Solowheel Orbit | eleven Photos

The new range of Solowheels begin from a much lower price level than the original $1,995 model. First, we’ve the Spirit, which is actually the original version modernized with a more fashionable look, a more powerful 1,500W motor (instead of 1,000W) and better battery cells. It also packs new options like headlights, tail lights plus Bluetooth connectivity for tracking its speed, mileage and battery status in its upcoming mobile app and devoted wearable machine. Surprisingly, the special Chinese edition Spirit only prices $1,199, however it will not be accessible outdoors China.

Then we have the $1,499 Cruise (also China only), which is actually only a prettier model of the Spirit with colour customization choice. Next up is the $2,199 Xtreme ($2,295 in the US, due in August), which is a ruggedized mannequin with a bigger 18-inch wheel plus a sturdier 1,800W motor, but missing headlights and a kickstand. All three models can reach a top speed of 16km/h and may go as far as 25km after a full two-hour cost (or just one hour with the elective speedy charger). On a related notice, the Solowheels have regenerative braking and gliding with as much as 70 p.c effectivity.

The $2,599 Orbit (bought because the Lite in the US for $2,995, due in early September) is the odd one out of the four Solowheels, and it may be considered as the company’s new flagship product. While the opposite three models weigh between 11kg and 12kg, this one is simply 6kg thanks to its hollow heart, but it packs a whopping 2,000W motor and nonetheless manages the identical top speed of 16km/h. Its smaller battery is actually tucked underneath the mounted pedals (the other fashions have foldable pedals), and while it gives a shorter 12km range, it takes half the time to charge up totally, plus it nonetheless helps energy regeneration. Other tradeoffs embody the lack of lights, waterproofing, kickstand, battery indicator and double-layered casing; but in any other case, the Orbit should suffice as an everyday short commute automobile. The high price also displays the not-so-apparent technological challenges Inventist confronted throughout the 2 years spent creating the Orbit.

Last but not least, there’s the $1,199 Hovertrax which breaks away from the Solowheel collection. In actual fact, Inventist already unveiled this in May final 12 months for its Kickstarter marketing campaign, though it has yet to start delivery to backers. You may consider this two-wheeled machine as a mini handle-less Segway which you could store in a backpack. Unlike the Solowheels, there is not any steep studying curve here: You control the pace by again leaning ahead or backward, and you change the course by merely twisting the Hovertrax with your feet. With a full half-hour speedy charge, this automobile can cowl as much as 15km but with a high pace of just 8km/h — which, as I came upon throughout my take a look at trip, is a crucial velocity cap because of the sharp turns it can make.

Gallery: Solowheel Hovertrax | 12 Photos

Inventist claims that most people will get the cling of its Solowheels in 15 to 20 minutes, however I used to be struggling so much even virtually 20 minutes later, as you’ll be able to see within the above video. At the start, I used to be told to start out by pushing the Solowheel with one of my legs, as if I was on a mini scooter. But my legs and waist rapidly grew drained as I struggled to remain balanced whereas pushing at the same time. It was a similar painful sensation I felt in my early days of studying ice skating. Without any handles to hold onto, my arms were in every single place which in all probability did not assist, either; though I solely realized this when watching my arms-on video clips. Eventually, I gave up. My muscles had been aching and that i had a flight to catch, but I would not thoughts giving it a go once more with proper footwear as a substitute of sandals.

Washington-primarily based Inventist instructed us that we will count on these devices to hit the Chinese market in about two months’ time, and curiously, South Korea is the subsequent Asian country to prep a major launch. If you have any queries relating to exactly where and how to use e kick scooter review, you can speak to us at our web site. Shane Chen, the company’s founder and chief inventor, added that the Solowheel has a strong following in both the US and e skateboard China, so it shouldn’t be lengthy before these new unicycles present up stateside as well.

Update: Inventist reached out to let us know that the US can be getting an updated version of the traditional Solowheel some time this winter. It’ll function a trendy look, lights plus Bluetooth capabilities, and it’s going to retail for roughly $2,000.