Humans are no stranger to eccentric vehicles. If you look at the most distinct modes of transportation, you’ll discover plenty of options for getting from point A to point B. From old US military World War II jeeps turned into minibuses now called ‘jeepneys’ in the Philippines to multi-passenger bikes called ‘party bikes’ rolling down the streets of Amsterdam, there’s more than enough to spare when it comes to transportation.
Dialing it back to the late 1800s, people saw the invention of James Starley referred to as a penny-farthing (or a high wheel bicycle). A penny-farthing has a large front wheel and a smaller rear wheel. It’s hard to imagine yourself riding one today in the streets of New York, isn’t it?
Another eccentric mechanical vehicle that will surely get your attention is a dicycle. Just like a bicycle, a dicycle has two wheels. However, instead of one wheel at the front and one at the back, dicycles have tires that are parallel to each other on both sides. In some ways, a dicycle is similar to a hoverboard.
As unique and culturally significant as these modes of transportations are, one can’t deny that as the years have progressed, new and innovative transport solutions have continued to spring up. For more than 200 years now, people have enjoyed riding in air-conditioned, high-powered vehicles to take them from place to place. Such advancements are especially wonderful when time is of the essence.
However, as another era dawns, so do innovations in our daily commute. Enter the new age of transportation: electric vehicles. If you live in Australia and are in the market for electric transportation, buying a Onewheel in Australia is a quick and easy solution.
The Future Of Transportation
Everyone seems to be wondering whether or not the day will come when internal combustion vehicles will ever be obsolete. The answer is yet to be determined. But there’s evidence that the future of electric cars and other vehicles is bright.
The first evidence is that there’s a great need to reduce our carbon footprint. Global warming and climate change are real and catastrophic phenomena. If people don’t make any changes to their lifestyles, chances are that the world will continue to crumble and fall apart.
Secondly, the year 2020 has taught many individuals that individualized forms of transportation provide more benefits to them and the environment. Due to the restrictions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, many have turned to electric vehicles such as e-bikes and scooters to get around.
Many attest to the usefulness of those machines, and they’re safe enough to use on the road. Riding them is also better than being stuck in the subway and other types of public transportation with plenty of people.
All around the world, many are beginning to see the many benefits of electric vehicles. The first benefit is making the world a better place by reducing carbon dioxide emissions, which come from internal combusting vehicles. Secondly, electric vehicles are more convenient to use, especially in an urban city where traffic jams are an everyday struggle.
Strip It Down To One
Yes, you read it right. Besides the very common electric bicycle, scooters, hoverboards, and every other two-wheeled vehicle, there’s one that’s unconventional for most people: an electric monowheel.
As the name suggests, an electric monowheel is a battery-powered vehicle that uses a single wheel to move around. The most common version looks just like a skateboard, only the wheel is situated between the foot rests. The foot rests act as your acceleration pedals that allow you to move faster as you lean forward and slower when you lean back.
Another type of monowheel looks and works exactly like a unicycle. With this version, the pedals are found on the side of the wheel, which also acts as an accelerator and a decelerator when you lean forward and back respectively.
So to answer the question posed by the title of this article, maybe. The answer is in between because the main selling point of a monowheel—which is the unique riding experience you’ll get from it—is also its own drawback.
Yes, it’s good for the environment, convenient to bring with you wherever you go, and its charge lasts long enough to get you to different places. But the main issue people have with this highly eccentric vehicle is learning how to ride it. It may be slightly more challenging to do so than with a bike, so you have to practice as often as you can. Still, your efforts will surely pay off in the end, especially since learning a new skill is always a good thing.
Keeping The Balance
Before anything else, you have to understand that riding a monowheel is nothing like riding a unicycle. Riding an electric monowheel does not require tricks and circus acrobatics. All you need is to learn how to balance as you’re riding. A word of caution: if you think you’re not well-coordinated enough to balance and get on a monowheel, perhaps you’re better off with an e-bike or a scooter.
But for the adrenaline junkies out there who want to give this kind of ride a shot, consider the following tips for riding a onewheel safely:
- Beware of nosediving. Nosediving is one of the leading causes of injury when riding a monowheel. Nosediving occurs when you accelerate your board too fast and it pushes back. When this occurs, don’t panic. Try to slow down your board and stay within its speed limit.
- Wear protective gear. There’s no better way to be safe when you’re on your monowheel than having adequate safety gear. Make sure to wear a helmet, wrist guards, elbow pads, and knee pads for extra protection. Wear shoes that will stay on your feet and provide grip on the board.
- Avoid crowded places. If you’re just learning how to maintain balance on an electric monowheel, don’t ride it in crowded places. Find areas in your neighborhood that are open and not frequented by people. This will give you a chance to practice without distractions and avoid causing injuries to others in case of an accident.
- Don’t exceed your board’s speed limit. As mentioned earlier, pushing back is the monowheel board’s way of telling you that it’s reaching its maximum capacity. To avoid any accidents, make sure to stay within the speed limit.
Takeaway
Riding an electric monowheel can be a fun and unique riding experience. It’s small enough to carry anywhere and eco-friendly enough that you can ride it all day long guilt-free. If you enjoy trying new things and love a good challenge, electric monowheels are perfect for you.
