Unicycle for ground transportation?

Self-balancing ground transportation?

On my recent flight cross the country ending in San Francisco, I saw some people there while in the city riding some electric skateboards which got me thinking that they might be good ground transportation vehicles. Granted I never learned to ride a skateboard only a bicycle. I went online and started researching electric scooters and skateboards and came across a line of products called self balancing unicycles.

There seem to be three or four major brands of these unicycles ranging in cost from 400 to nearly $2000. From what I can tell the cost difference is mostly based on the size of the battery and claimed quality of the software which is important to how the unit accelerates and stops on command.

I have an -4, so a folding bicycle will never fit inside; seems like a viable alternative? the range is up to 25 km depending on weight and terrain. charging times range from an hour to an hour and a half depending on unit. I'm just looking to see if anybody has had any experience with these types of devices and can elaborate on them or perhaps the difference between the models.

I learned to ride a unicycle as a kid, and can still ride one . Self-balancing??? HA! Ride it the old-fashioned way!

I loved my unicycle...rode it all over town.

RV7A Flyer said:

I learned to ride a unicycle as a kid, and can still ride one . Self-balancing??? HA! Ride it the old-fashioned way!

I loved my unicycle...rode it all over town.

Click to expand...

Me too, but riding one is exhausting. You've gotta keep pressure on both pedals all of the time for balance, and you can't coast. They stink as transportation, but excel at drawing attention.

It fits without folding !


Learned to ride it 45 yrs. ago. Still do on occasion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2PATMZFEJo

Take a look, I guess I may have not explained the device very well. It has one wheel but it's more of a Segway than an actual unicycle.

Useful

In quickly retrieving the rental car.

Very impressive, especially on grass.
Wonder if it could double as a nosewheel.

Thats pretty cool. Looks like it uses the same logic as the Segway to keep the thing under you... Personally, I could see using one of those, or even the electric skateboard. Both fun ideas...
You gonna hook it up to charge while your flying?

dennis

Your title is misleading. I only looked to see what crazy person thought a unicycle was a good thing to get around town on.

The scooter and this solowheel both are great ideas. I would favor the scooter only because it is more familiar to me but I love seeing new ideas.

Thanks for posting the link to the video. That was a big help!