I decided to purchase an electric unicycle after learning they existed about two weeks ago. I've since learned a lot about them and I've come to the conclusion that they are probably a really great way to get around for someone like me.

I'm really excited about it and I want to explain why I think it's a smart choice of electric vehicle. I've never seen one in real life, so I think there might be more people out there like me who have no idea what an electric unicycle is, or why it might be a good thing to have.

The one I'm buying can go over 20mph (32 km/h) and has a range of a little over 20 miles. It weighs about 50 pounds, (23 kilograms) is the size of a suitcase, and can be rolled around with the use of an attached "trolley handle."

What this means to me is that I can easily keep this thing in my bedroom and I can hop on it and get anywhere in the town I live in within like 40 minutes. I could toss it in the trunk of a car, I could take it on a bus or a train.

Obviously, it being a one wheeled vehicle, and being called a unicycle probably makes it seem as if it's not really something for an average person to use. But I don't think that's true. It's a self balancing vehicle, like a segway, so you don't have to be a circus performer to ride one. Will it be easy to learn? No it won't. I expect to feel frustrated for a while trying to learn, but I am confident I will be able to ride it around eventually.

I rode roller blades and skateboards in the past, I ride an ebike now, and I'm going to be riding this thing in the near future. I can't wait to get this big ebike out of my apartment.

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[–] 3 points 3 weeks ago* (2 children)

There's a guy who has one near me who prints out a lot of custom 3D printed things for it -- most recently, TPU soft cushion things for his legs to press against for better steering.

It seems like fun, but for me I'm not sure what benefit it would have over the electric kick-scooter for my needs.

  • Scooter is lighter (~30 lbs) which makes it easier to carry up stairs
  • Small enough when folded to fit in a trunk or under a bus seat
  • Enough range for a full day of commuting a few miles / up and down hills*
  • Very economical
  • No modifications needed

*I wish it had enough for two full days. Range is my biggest issue with the scooter.

What puts the electric unicycle higher up in the rankings for you?

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  • [–] [S] 4 points 3 weeks ago (1 child)

    Honestly you make good points. I think there are some nuances to it and I've never rode either an EUC or an electric kick scooter so I'm not the most informed.

    But I'll give you some of the things that went through my head, because I have actually been considering a scooter for a while but never decided to buy one. The reason I was considering a scooter is to replace my ebike. The problem with the ebike is it doesn't fit in a car and it just barely fits in my apartment. Getting the bike in and out of my apartment is a big chore.

    The EUC is extremely portable while also having big wheel and suspension which makes it seem like it probably has a nice comfortable ride.

    The way it rides seems like it will be similar to rollerblading which I really enjoyed a lot until I outgrew my skates. Something about only using your lower body to move makes it feel special, it's like an extension of your body rather than a vehicle.

    The way I see it the only downsides are that it's going to take time to learn, and if the battery dies it's a useless heavy piece of baggage. There are probably other things about it that are worse too but I'm not sure.

    When I was looking at scooters it seemed like the smaller scooters tended to sacrifice in ride quality.

    I guess what it comes down to for me is I never ended up buying a scooter because I didn't want one that bad. The EUC changed that.

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