Small 'micromobility' vehicles gain traction amid rising car prices
Small 'micromobility' vehicles gain traction amid rising car prices
High car prices have pushed people towards to the micromobility sector, where much smaller vehicles offer greater flexibility for a fraction of the cost.
i stopped commuting to work in my car and switched to a motocompacto + public transit. Probably one of the best decisions ive made this year. while it was a little up front investment, i have since paid it off with no longer having to pay for downtown parking. im also a one car home and i would prefer my wife have some easy access to a vehicle should an emergency happen with me or my kiddo.
love riding the moto every morning to the metro line, packing it up and out of the way of other commuters. anecdotally, it really does seem like more scooters and assisted bikes are on the road in my area. though that could just be due to the season.
the change would not be ideal for many, but it fit my needs perfectly.
https://electrek.co/2022/11/15/inmotion-v5-electric-unicycle-review/
Get the helmet and padding, it's no joke. But from what I've heard, if you have the climate for it and are willing to take responsibility for your own safety on a whole new level, they are the future.
It's interesting, but I prefer my two wheels since, if I'm going somewhere, I'm probably bringing something there and/or back. Also, those wouldn't be legal here (Japan) for a variety of reasons.
why those over a one wheel?
i hate to say it, but I'd be embarrassed to be seen in public on one of these. they just look... dweeby? i think it's the posture you have to take on it. it's so awkward looking. the wider sideways stance of the one wheel skateboard is so much more natural looking. and they're better on harder terrain.
the company itself sucks from what i understand, so tha's a fair argument, but i have a friend that makes them open source/pirated with third party parts. why would i choose one of these over one of those?
IDK about e-unis but I avoided One Wheels because I heard they can catch on the ground and send you flying.
I ride onewheels and EUCs and everything else. Onewheels are fun. A pintx can take you around town for a decent price.
My main issue with my onewheels has been how annoying they are to carry. My EUCs have trolley handles and can be pushed around in shops.
And if you want to go faster than 18mph you have to look to EUCs. For the price of a onewheel GT-S you can get this https://youtu.be/UsQtRVW3hs4?si=ZujSsjm0d7HFTEFw
Or for the price of a pint-s you can get a T4-pro which will cruise at 35mph, have tons of torque, and easily go over 30 miles.
Also EUCs are safer. I can get into why that is if you want.
It's a different type of vehicle. I don't really know why, but the EUC style of wheels lets you go basically as fast as safety concerns will allow. The good ones can go up to 40-50 mph mechanically. You're never going to do that unless you have a death wish, but the point is that if you don't need to get on the interstate or carry large things with you, it's a good distance to being a full replacement for a car, with a lot of advantages over a car.
It's not just one company that makes them. The Veteran models are supposed to be good. I know there are some providers that make ones that are awful and unsafe. It's a little bit of a wild west, but there's also a whole community of people who 3d print parts for them, make modifications, that kind of thing. It's a very dweeby community in general, so maybe that is a deal-breaker. But the reason I say they are the future is that they are fast enough to be largely a replacement for a car, and smaller and handier than a bike or scooter.
Those aren't as practical as bikes or scooters. You have to stand the whole time and your legs are the shock absorbers. Bikes and scooters can have baskets, there's a reason much of Asia uses scooters—they're incredibly practical.
They make a version with two parallel wheels that is supposed to me more stable and easier to ride. I'm pretty curious about it.
But why go from a bike to this?
Because it's 90F and 100% humidity? Walking to work I get sweaty so I want an electric bike not an effortful bike. I hate riding a bike but got a chance to try the e-bikes at a city event. That is like a dream of a bike, you pedal, it moves. No pushing, and no uncomfortable seat, it's comfortable and a joy to ride.
Bike or walk? I'd much rather walk. Electric bike, though? Electric bike is fun.
I love biking, specifically unpowered bikes because they are light and nimble. Heat makes sense though. I was thinking more people who already have a bike or even an e-bike. Scooters need licenses and then you're on the road, which maybe is a good thing if the bike infrastructure sucks.
I'm not going to lie, that thing is ugly. But the concept is sound. And besides that thing looking like something that Elon would think was the coolest thing ever, I do think I like that big ass Light on the front. Driving in the darkest nightmare as it is, especially if you live outside of a well-wit urban or even suburban area.
Some people don't have the stamina... for many various reasons.
Ebikes, especially e cargo bikes, are the absolute bomb.
I can carry my 6 year old on the back while towing 60 lbs of groceries in a trailer and keep a steady 15mph even on hills without breaking a sweat. For my family, e cargo bikes are what will finally make the dream of car replacement a reality.
These other weird scooters seem cool too, maybe if you don't have kids and don't often carry cargo then something more sleek and portable is better.
It's probably gonna be awhile before I actually get one, but if anybody seeing this has thoughts about brands and features, I'd read the shit out of it.
We have a Lectric XP 3.0 that is just... Okay. The features are great, especially the large cargo space, the fact that it folds so you can store it in a small shed, and the odometer/display is good. As far as actual bicycle build quality it's not the best, it's pretty rattly and we've only had it a year but it's already developed an annoying brake alignment issue that I'll need to find time to fix soon. That said, you can't beat the price (<$1,000 if you get it on sale, and they have pretty much constant sales) and it does have the ability to carry a passenger.
I'd say the Lectric is a good bike to get if you are comfortable making your own bike repairs and want something cheap. We got the cargo package and the comfort seat free with our Lectric and we use them both and like them. It's a good little bike and it gets the job done, even if it's not super refined.
For our main cargo bike we have a Flyer folding cargo that's fantastic except that the paint chips easily. But other than that one issue I'm 100% sold on this bike. It folds, it tows, it carries either a kid or a large amount of cargo, and the battery range is really good for the price. The battery assist is really peppy, which I love, and it's got a thumb throttle rather than a twist throttle which I personally think works better on an ebike where you're also keeping your hand on the hand brakes all the time and don't want to take your hand off to grab a twist throttle. It has a lot of other "extra" type features that are nice like a brake light, beefy kickstand, a carry handle on the battery, and a chain guard. Overall the design of the Flyer bike is really nice and it's solidly built. No rattling or brake alignment issues like the Lectric.
I drive my electric moped every day that it's not raining or below 40°F
Is Elon making scooters now? Because these look they were designed by Elon. Though I can't imagine they're made that poorly.
"We were inspired by vehicles like the Delorean and the Cybertruck,” Eddie Cohen, the president of Infinite Machine, said.
Reminds me of when Honda scooters were all the rage in the 80s. And before that, Vespas. Everything old is new again.