Should I get a Onewheel or EUC?(Tips)

Should I get a Onewheel or EUC?

Onewheel and EUC are two different things. These devices are different, and therefore, it might not be fair to compare both directly.

Concerning what you should buy, it will depend on your preference, but there are a few things you might want to consider before committing your money to either of the two.

Onewheel is better in carving corners than EUC. But EUC wins in speed as it can clock a top speed of 30 – 40 mph as opposed to Onewheel that tops at about 22 mph. EUC is your best bet as it can give you 25-30 miles of range.

For instance, if you intend to travel with your device, you can’t think of the EUC due to its larger battery, increasing the impossibility of carrying it with you in an airplane. 

Other things you will want to consider are the range. If you want a longer ride on a single charge, EUC is your best bet as it can give you 25-30 miles of range.

But if you are too preoccupied with the balancing, you better go for the Onewheel, which is more stable and can be learned easily.

On their cost, EUCs are more expensive as they can go as high as $2000. However, you will still get an $800 EUC that will outdo the Onewheel XR in specs.

We had a (not very) #AHPsActive wander round York but the guy on the 9ft unicycle juggling fire was active on our behalf pic.twitter.com/cFIP0XG7n1

— Angela (@AngelaPenny11) August 8, 2021

When it comes to quality, EUC will take it.

Are Electric Unicycles Legal?

Whether EUC is legal or not will depend on your state or country. There are no universal laws that govern EUCs internationally.

In some states, an electric unicycle will go anywhere a bicycle will go. In other places, however, electric unicycles have grey areas.

While there may be several laws that govern personal electric vehicles, your best bet when researching where you can use your EUC will be based on other laws as well.

Some communities have enacted bans on electric scooters and electric skateboards.

However, with the increase of personal vehicles’ popularity, more legislation is being deliberated on.

These will give guidance on where they can be used. In the United Kingdom and Europe, Electric Unicycle Laws vary from one country to another.

Consequently, it’s advisable to research the city you live in to know more about any existing laws and legislation governing the use of EUCs.

In Germany, on the other hand, electric unicycles are illegal. If you are found riding EUCs by the police, they will either ticket you or confiscate it or both.

In Switzerland, electric unicycles are allowed, but they must have a license plate.

Their speeds are regulated, and therefore, you are not allowed to clock any speed beyond 20 km/h.

Additionally, riders are required to purchase public liability insurance. Still, riding age is regulated as riding is for those who attain 16 years and above.

However, if riders have a license, which they obtain at 14 years, they can ride before they attain 16 years. Note that they cannot ride on pedestrian footpaths.

In Hong Kong, you are not allowed to register an electric unicycle. In the United States, EUCs are grouped under laws that govern electric bicycles.

Since electric bicycles are legal in many parts of the US, EUCs are also legal in such places. However, you are required to wear a helmet as you ride them.

Can I Bring A Unicycle On A Plane?

No, Industry manufacturers have not put any reasonable attention on transportation of self-balancing electric unicycles by planes.

Electric unicycles either use a lead-acid battery or a lithium-ion battery. Generally, a lead-acid battery is not allowed in aeroplanes.

On the other hand, lithium-ion batteries are allowed aboard an aeroplane if the civil aviation announcement concerns carrying lithium batteries.

In pursuit of safety enhancement, portable electronic devices with lithium-ion batteries have a capping on weight and watt-hours.

Specifically, it’s impossible to carry a lithium-ion battery aboard an aeroplane if it exceeds 2 kgs and its rated power is not within the range of 100-160 wh.

It’s required that any spare batteries should be dealt with in a manner that ensures protection in case of short-circuiting.

Therefore, they are required to be transported in their original packaging or with insulated terminals.

It’s recommended that adhesive tape be used for this type of insulation. Alternatively, each cell can be put in a separate bag to minimize any chance of a short circuit.

Again, the spare batteries should be carried as hand luggage and approved by the airlines, having met the specifications.

But you can’t carry more than two 100 to 160wh spare lithium batteries.

Therefore, it’s fair to state that the kind of electric unicycle battery will determine whether an electric unicycle(Amazon Link) can be legally carried on the plane or not.

Consequently, if you desire to be traveling with your electric unicycle, I recommend that you first consider the battery configuration and its relevance when it comes to air traveling.

How Can I Make My EUC Faster?

There are several ways you can utilize to make your EUC faster.

But before even attempting to make your EUC faster, it’s critical to understand the laws that govern the EUCs in your state since laws differ from state to state.

Consequently, you will want to know how fast you can legally ride your electric unicycle before thinking of increasing its speed.

Failure to do this might see you trapped on the wrong side of the law. And you don’t want this.

Additionally, it’s important to understand that riding your EUC at faster speeds is more dangerous. As your electric unicycle’s speed increases, so do kinetic energy increase.

On the other hand, reaction time decreases, and therefore, you will need to rude safely at higher speeds.

The first thing you will want to increase your speed is to ensure that your EUC stays charged. When a battery is well charged, it has a high voltage.

It’s this voltage that drives your EUCs motor. Consequently, a higher charge will mean higher speeds.

Therefore, ensuring that your battery stays at high levels of charge will guarantee higher speeds. This calls for regular charging, perhaps after every trip.

Buy an extra charger that you can carry anywhere you go to ensure that you plug it in anytime you have a few moments.

This is the surest way to get back at fast speed. However, remember that you cannot allow your battery to sit for weeks at full charge as this will negatively impact its health.

On the other hand, you can swap your motor. But this will void your warranty. Therefore, if you have any regard for your warranty, don’t go there!

However, if your EUC is not under warranty or you do not think you need the warranty, go ahead and swap that motor with a motor whose RPM rating is higher than what you have in your EUC.

You will not need to do much apart from sourcing for a motor with a higher KV or RPM rating in this venture.

Still, you can ensure that your battery stays cool. Cool batteries have little voltage sag, therefore, higher speeds.

Consequently, ensure that your battery has adequate air that keeps it cool even when in operation.

Is Electric Unicycle Dangerous?

Yes, to a certain extent. Well, electric unicycles are used to get around in a fast, lightweight, and cool way.

Many people wonder if these devices are safe and with a good reason.

How safe an electric unicycle is dependent on how experienced the rider is. Indeed, you might be forgiven to state that their safety is the same as that of an electric scooter.

But let’s keep jokes aside. An electric unicycle is not as stable as an electric scooter. Remember that a EUC is a wheel shorter!

Therefore, wearing a helmet and hand gloves comes in handy in ensuring safety as you ride your EUC. 

The EUC is self-balancing. However, you will still need to practice balancing yourself.

Indeed, you cannot entirely depend on balancing devices to keep you safe from falling. But let’s compare an e-scooter with a EUC.

First, EUCs handle bumps better. Unlike your average scooter, EUC’s are better at going over bumps. However, they are not that cool when it comes to off-road bumps.

Indeed, a scooter’s 10” wheel is greatly disadvantaged compared to the larger EUC wheel when handling dips, gaps, and bumps on the riding surface.

On the other hand, scooters are more stable than EUCs. Indeed, it takes very little time to master a scooter, while it might take months to master a EUC.

Again, you will certainly experience awkward falls while learning the EUC.

But you might want to compare UECs with old-school unicycles. Well, learning the EUC is easier as the traditional unicycles are difficult to ride.

Mastering the traditional unicycles is marred with countless falls, frustrations, and bumps.

Since EUCs can occasion a fall at high speeds, it’s critical to learn safety tricks while handling them. First, you will need the right gear.

You will also need to master the control and ensure that you are riding on a full charge. You will also want to keep off the roads

Are Motorized Unicycle Street Legal?

Yes and No. indeed, whether motorized unicycles are legal or not depends on the particular place in question.

This is because there is much variance regarding laws from different states.

In the United Kingdom, no specific laws are governing the use of EUCs. Therefore, the area is marred with much confusion.

The disadvantage of this confusion is that a police officer can easily take advantage of the gaps in the law to harass you and get away with it.

For instance, it’s not uncommon for police officers to confiscate a EUC and classify it as a motor vehicle since it is technically a motored vehicle.

All the same, you will still find people riding past police officers down the street without any problem.

In California, personal electric vehicles are illegal if they have an e-motor averaging over 1,000 watts. Again, if the max speed can get to 20 mph, such vehicles are illegal.

To fully understand the legality of EUCs in your state, it’s advisable to look at the local laws as they will vary from one place to another.

As long as there is no particular ban on EUCs, riding them in quiet neighborhoods should be fine.

As you ride your EUC, it’s advisable to invest in a good helmet and wear knee pads, wrist guards, elbow pads, and gloves.

It’s also wise to use high-quality batteries as knock-offs may catch fire.

How Much Do Electric Unicycles Cost?

Electric Unicycles are not cheap. If you are wondering how much money you will have to part with to buy an electric unicycle, the price can range from $350 up to $2,200!

Several factors occasion vast differences.

First, the brand name affects the price in a great way. If you go for better-known brands like Airwheel and Ninebot, you will pay more than you would pay for generic models.

It’s critical to note that some generic models are as good as the brand models.

Another factor affecting the cost of a EUC is the design. While the internal structure might be the same, some designs that you might prefer can cost you over $200 more.

Another thing affecting the price is the battery life. Indeed, this is the greatest cost determinant.

While SBU V3 barely rides about 10 miles, the Ninebot One E+ will give you some 22 miles from a single charge.

Conclusion

An electric unicycle is far much better than a Onewheel, although both cannot be fairly compared. The EUC will beat the Onewheel in many areas, including range and speed.

Electric Unicycles are legal in some states, while in other states, they are illegal. The variance of the laws depends on the different states.

Therefore, you will need to establish what laws are in place in your state.