How long to ride on the rear wheel. Modern vehicles: gyroscooters, unicycles, segways

You walk around the city. Then a teenager silently rushes past you, standing on a crossbar with small wheels on the sides. He does not push off the ground - he just rides. The next minute, when you are standing at a traffic light, a bicycle passes along the road at great speed, overtaking cars, while its owner sits upright and does not think to press the pedals. Nearby is a girl who, as soon as the green light turns on, gets on her scooter and ... just rides. What's happening?

The thing is, the future is already here. Human laziness and the desire to make life as comfortable as possible have led to the fact that almost all the mechanical means of transportation around the city that we are used to, such as bicycles and scooters, have already been transferred to an electric drive - they are powered by electric motors. In parallel, civilization came up with a huge number of new opportunities to move around the city, of course, with the help of electricity.

Electric bike

In principle, we have known about the existence of electric bicycles for a long time. We take regular bike, we adapt an electric motor to it, which is able to accelerate our city vehicle without our help, and enjoy life. If you want, pedal, if you want, you turn on the engine and catch the wind in your face and the envious glances of other cyclists.

Today, the electric bike is becoming not some kind of curiosity, but a very fashionable means of transportation. And in big cities, where from home to work it is necessary to overcome 10-15 kilometers in traffic jams, an electric bike is not a whim or a tribute to fashion, but a real necessity. This solution is especially relevant for those who do not want to be stuck in a traffic jam in a car, cannot ride a motorcycle, do not have a place to store a small scooter and live far from the nearest metro station. An e-bike that can hide on your balcony is a real way out.

Now the prices for modern electric bicycles start from 25 thousand rubles and go almost to infinity. And when we say "almost to infinity", we mean it. Today you can buy an electric bike, the figure on the price tag of which will significantly exceed 500 thousand rubles - the amount for which you can buy a good, albeit slightly used, foreign car.

motor wheel

Do you already have a regular bike that costs a lot and you don't want to buy another one just because it has an electric motor? But sometimes you want to move around the city faster or spend a little less energy on going uphill?

There is a way out - the motor-wheel. It is able to turn an ordinary bicycle of a standard design into an almost full-fledged electric bicycle. You buy a wheel that already has an electric motor built into it that drives it. Then it remains only to install such a wheel on your bike so that it turns into an electric bike. Consider reinventing the wheel.

That's just the cost of such wheels will be only a little less than full-fledged electric bikes. The price tag on them starts from 19 thousand. More advanced models can be bought for 26-30 thousand rubles.

Electric scooter

Remember, at the beginning we mentioned the girl who, having got on the scooter, went from the traffic light herself, without starting from the ground? She used an electric scooter.

Its essence is almost the same as that of an electric bicycle: an electric motor is built into the scooter, which is located under the footwell. It sets the rear wheel in motion, which pushes the entire structure with you on it forward. To start the movement, it is enough to transfer the weight to the back of the scooter - in this way you will press the pedal, which will set the vehicle in motion.

On such a scooter it is very convenient to move from home to the subway and from the subway to the place of work. Scooters are not prohibited from being brought into the subway, so you will not have problems with an electric scooter. The main thing is not to ride it inside the stations. This is not only prohibited, but also unsafe.

Prices for adult electric scooters start at 15 thousand and end at about 100. By the way, you can buy an electric scooter with big wheels like a bicycle. But such a luxury will cost you no less than 200 thousand rubles.

electric skateboard

The next urban vehicle on our list is very similar to an electric scooter, only it has twice as many wheels, and there is no steering rack - an electric skateboard.

We are already accustomed to the usual skateboards and longboards on the city streets. It's time to get used to the fact that skaters will rush past us, who do not need to push off with their feet to move - I clicked on the back of the skate and went.

The essence is the same as in the scooter - an electric motor built into the design, which sets the wheels in motion.

The cost of this miracle of technology starts from 23 thousand rubles. True, the range of such vehicles on our market is still scarce. But electric skateboards have only just begun to gain popularity.

Single wheel electric skateboard

Yes, there is such a curiosity - a one-wheeled electric skateboard. Based on their name, we understand that this is a kind of electric skateboard described above, but with one wheel instead of four. But how is this possible?

Single wheel electric skateboard. Photo: Frame youtube.com

It's simple - the only wheel, large enough in size, is located in the slot - along the board. Its upper part sticks out of the board, and the lower part touches the ground. A low center of gravity helps maintain balance. Such a vehicle looks truly cosmic. You immediately begin to believe that the future has already come.

Prices for these unusual vehicles start at about 30 thousand rubles.

Monowheel

Very similar to a one-wheeled electric skateboard, the monowheel is another futuristic means of transportation around the city. The only difference from a skateboard is that the board from the skateboard is not attached to the wheel. A person moves, standing on one wheel.

If in the case of a skateboard you stand along the wheel on the board, then the unicycle is equipped with two small footrests, which are located on the sides of this wheel. It is necessary to stand on them in such a way that the body is located across the wheel - crosswise. Get up and go.

Prices for monowheels start from 22-24 thousand rubles and rest on the amount of about 75-80 thousand rubles.

Gyroscooter

One of the most popular toys among urban youth today is the gyro scooter. In some ways, it resembles a unicycle. The difference is that there are twice as many wheels, and the legroom is not on the sides of the wheels, but between them is a small platform, like on a skateboard, only not along, but across with small wheels on the sides.

The movement must be controlled by tilting the feet forward and backward. Slightly pressed on the "board" with socks - I went faster. Focused on the heels - slowed down. In principle, there is nothing complicated in driving - even small children, after a few minutes of experiments, begin to drive through the streets at a speed of 15-20 kilometers per hour.

This miracle of technology costs from 15 thousand rubles and more. There are already a huge number of offers on the market. The only negative is the small size of the wheels, for which even a small obstacle on the street, a pothole or a ledge will be insurmountable. The price can increase up to 60 thousand rubles. There are also versions with large wheels.

Segway

One of the most familiar types of urban transport of the future, which has already become our present, is the Segway. Russians have long been amused by the fact that they rent it in parks. It looks exactly the same as a gyro scooter, only with a handle, a steering wheel, which you can hold on to with your hands and control the movement.

Instead of pushing with your toes to increase speed and braking with your heels, in a Segway you only need to tilt your body forward slightly, pressing the handlebars to go forward, and shifting your weight back a little to slow down.

Despite not a small difference in design, segways are noticeably more expensive than hoverboards. The fact is that they are really considered a means of transportation, and not just another toy and have larger wheels and a battery with a large power reserve.

Prices for full-fledged segways start from 50-60 thousand rubles and have practically no upper bar, going beyond the horizon of 300 thousand rubles.

Sooner or later, every bike lover comes up with the idea that it would be nice to learn how to perform some tricks. The newcomer bravely takes on the task, but after each painful fall, his ardor fades more and more rapidly. In the end, he comes to the conclusion that bike tricks are not for him, and switches to something else. However, learning many of the basic techniques of extreme cycling does not require any supernatural ability. They are based on the simplest principles known to any school physics course, and with the right approach, mastering them will not be difficult.

Rear wheel drive

First you need to learn how to ride on the rear wheel. After mastering this technique, you may wonder how to raise the rear wheel on a bicycle to do.

There are two main options for riding "on the hind legs":

Willie(from English name"wheelie"), in which movement on one is carried out by pedaling.
Surf. In this case, you have to ride without the participation of the pedals, but only due to the previously gained speed.

Choosing a place to study

For training, you should choose a suitable place, and each of the techniques requires diametrically opposite conditions. Wheely is much easier to do uphill, and for mastering surfing, a platform with a slight smooth slope downhill is suitable. In both cases, the road on which to ride should be flat, long and smooth.

Wheely performance on a bike

Before training, you should take care of protection, because falling on initial stage inevitable.

The saddle must be lowered, otherwise it will be difficult to maintain balance. It is necessary to choose such a height that at the moment when the connecting rods are parallel to the road surface, the knees are bent at an angle of about 90 °. Arms should not be bent, they should be straight.

We get on the back wheel. The most common mistakes

It is difficult to determine the optimal speed at which one should learn to ride on the rear wheel, but this is not so important. The faster, the easier it is to keep the balance. Usually the middle sprocket on both wheels is selected.

Having accelerated to 12–15 km / h, you can begin to pull the steering wheel up and lift the front wheel, after transferring the body weight back. This is where the main difference between wheelies and surfers comes into play. When performed by a wheelie, the rider remains seated in the saddle, pedaling sharply during the dash. In order to surf, you need to stand on the pedals. All other moments are the same in both cases. The arms should always be straight. Trying to pull the front wheel towards you with bent arms is one of the main mistakes of beginners. You may be able to ride a few extra meters, but the bike will be uncontrollable.

Another common mistake that beginners make when trying to stand on one wheel is too much or too little force that is applied to the steering wheel when it is pulled out. In the first case, the bike starts to fall back, and you have to apply the brakes. In the second, he does not have time to reach the point of balance and falls down. It is necessary to find something in between, and then access to the rear wheel will not create any problems.

How to keep balance

After the bike has reared up and the balance is caught, the main thing is to learn how to maintain balance. When performing a wheelie, the bike is controlled by moving the center of gravity and changing its speed. If it falls forward, then it is necessary to pedal faster, and the body is tilted back. If it falls back, slow down gently and smoothly, while moving forward. When leaning to the right, the left knee is exposed to the side, and the right one is pressed against the frame. When tilted to the left, the opposite is true. Riding a bike while surfing requires the same actions, but without the participation of pedals.

With the right approach, mastering riding on one wheel of a bicycle will be easy and quick, and you can move on to learning more complex techniques. You just need to practice more often and avoid mistakes, and sooner or later your efforts will bring the desired result. Remember that all the pros have experienced failure, and the main thing that distinguishes you from them is the experience gained over long hours. grueling workouts.

Monowheel - it is one wheel with a motor that you can ride. The unicycle is a completely new type of personal vehicle that has a lot of advantages.

Monowheel, what is it?

A unicycle is a motor vehicle with a wheel gyro stabilization system. As a result, the unicycle is very light and is the most compact vehicle in the world. The unicycle can be transported and stored anywhere. It will provide you with a comfortable and interesting driving experience, giving you a strange "like you're sliding on the ground" feeling.

On average, the parameters of the device are as follows -

height - 47cm,
length - 40cm,
width - 18cm,
weight - from 8 to 18 kg.

There are unicycles of various shapes and colors.

The body of the unicycle is made of durable impact-resistant plastic. The body can be of different colors.

So, usually a unicycle outside consists of the following parts:

There is a carry handle on the top of the device.
button for on/off,
charger connector,
charge level indicator,
On the sides of the device are rubber inserts for more comfortable control,
Below are folding metal footrests, often covered with a special material to keep the foot from slipping.
Bottom part unicycles are, in fact, the wheel itself, consisting of an axle, a rim, spokes and a tire, top part wheels are covered by the casing.

Inside the case are batteries, an electric motor, a computer (motherboard).

A so-called safety belt is also often included with a unicycle, which is attached to the handle at the top in order to hold the wheel while learning to ride (if there is no such belt in the kit, it can be purchased as an additional accessory). In addition, training wheels are often included in the kit, which are attached to the footrests and serve to simplify learning to ride the wheel. The package also includes a charger and an extension cord for pumping the wheel.

Monowheels are constantly being developed and refined by manufacturers, respectively, there are more and more different additions. For example, there are more and more unicycles equipped with a speaker for playing music, a USB port, various backlights, etc. And, of course, special applications are being developed for almost all new products, thanks to which you can recognize and change various parameters of the unicycle.

Depending on the wheel model, one charge is enough to drive from 5 to 50 km, at speeds up to 30 km/h. The charge is made from an electrical outlet, the battery is fully charged in about 1.5 - 2 hours.

The balance of the wheel is maintained thanks to the built-in gyroscope, which recognizes the shift in the center of gravity. That is, in order to control the wheel, you need to transfer weight to the heel or to the forefoot. To move forward, you need to press quite a bit with the front of the foot on the footboard, the more you push, the faster you go. When you press the footrest with your heel, braking occurs and then you move back. In order to turn, you need to press your foot on the footboard on the side of the turn.

If you exceed the safe speed while riding the unicycle, the footrests will begin to rise, preventing you from accelerating. If you keep trying to go faster, you will hear first an intermittent and then a solid signal, warning you to slow down.

On a unicycle, you can ride not only on a perfectly flat road, it is suitable for driving on a dirt road and on grass. Those who are confident in themselves and their ability to ride also ride along forest paths, which abound not only with holes and bumps, slopes and climbs, but also with protruding tree roots. On the unicycle, you can ride on an inclined surface both up and down. Depending on the model of the wheel, the angle of inclination of the road that the device can handle can reach 30 °.

The wheel can be ridden in the rain, but there are some precautions we recommend you read.

Engage the correct gear. Most people, when learning to ride on their back wheel, turn on the speed at which it is easiest to pedal. This corresponds to the largest sprocket on the rear wheel and the smallest sprocket on the cranks. This will work for a start, but for a more advanced level, you need to include a second chainring on the front shifter and one of the middle chainrings in the back. You have to maintain a speed of 10-15 km/h, and too low a gear will not allow you to accelerate well and you will lose balance.

Make sure your rear brake is working. The rear brake is a very important part of a long ride on your back wheel, make sure it works well so you don't fall off when you're riding at high speed. If it doesn't work, you'll most likely land softly on the ground. While riding the rear wheel, you should keep one or two fingers on the brake lever.

Lower the seat. You want to be as stable as possible, so the lower the seat is lowered, the easier it will be to keep your balance.

Block the rear shock absorber. Hardtails are much easier to ride on the rear wheel than full suspension. But if you are the owner of the latter, then look to see if it has the ability to block. A playful rear shock will greatly affect your balance.

Find a suitable training ground. Find a long straight and level road with a slight slope. Learning to ride uphill is easier than downhill, so use this in the early stages of learning. Also try to find a place where there will be no wind. Even a light wind will bother you.

Raise the front wheel in the air. Try to steer the bike straight ahead as you prepare to get on the rear wheel. To raise the front wheel, press hard on the pedal and pull the handlebars towards you.

Don't stop pedaling. Pedal evenly and vigorously.

Use the brake. When you feel that you are starting to roll over, apply the rear brake. When pressed, the front wheel will lower to prevent it from touching the ground, start pedaling harder. Riding on the rear wheel requires a good sense of balance, as the point of balance is exactly where you almost fall backwards. With experience, you will find that it is easiest to keep the bike on the rear wheel just when you are at the point of balance. When you find this point, you will have to use the brakes more often and pedal more carefully. If you have to pedal very hard to keep the front wheel in the air, then you need to lean back more and catch the balance point. With experience, you will find the right point and be able to stay there longer and longer. Soon, you will be able to drive around the whole city on the back wheel, catching air kisses from your fans along the way.

Learning to ride a unicycle takes much less time than mastering a familiar bike. This is achieved due to the gyroscope built into the apparatus, which insures the rider against incorrect movements, primarily from sharp torso inclinations.

On average, in order to feel comfortable on a unicycle, it takes only about 1 hour, after which you can already move confidently on a flat surface.

How to control a unicycle

To quickly master the vehicle, you need to know about the basic principles of product control:

To move forward, you just need to move the body a little in the appropriate direction. The speed of the unicycle depends on the angle of inclination relative to the surface. The reverse is done in the same way. To start the movement, it is enough to lean 5-10 degrees;
To stop, you simply need to straighten the body or move it forward / backward, depending on the trajectory of movement;
Turns are made by tilting the body in the right direction, the sharper the slope, the faster the turn will occur.

In order to improve the quality of control and braking efficiency, simultaneously with changing the position of the body in space, the rider presses the pedals of the unicycle. In order to go forward, you need to press on the front of the pedals, and to brake, they are pressed on the back.

Equipment selection

Taking into account the high speed of the vehicle and the need to make fairly sharp body turns while driving, it is advisable, especially at the training stage, to use the following elements protective equipment:

Helmet. Both bicycle and roller options are suitable;
Special training belt;
High shoes, as the bones of the ankle are rubbed during the trip;
Shields designed to protect the lower leg from bruising and chafing.

The process of learning to ride a unicycle

Riders who first get acquainted with modern electric vehicles controlled by changing the angle of the body (gyroscooters, segways, electric scooters) are advised to start riding on a well-paved road. Before "saddle" unicycle, you need to determine the leading leg. To do this, you should slowly lean forward, and when stability is broken, you will inevitably make a lunge with your foot. This foot is the leading one, it is it that must first be placed on the pedals of the vehicle.

At the first stages, you can move on the apparatus with a slight bend in your back and knees, which allows you to better maintain balance. Gradually, the body will feel light, and you will be able to confidently stand on a unicycle in full growth.

During training, the primary attention is paid to the development of stopping and dismounting skills. Jumping off the product is not recommended.

According to the rules, this process takes place in several stages:

Slow down as much as possible;
Remove first one leg, and then the second and at the same time grab the handle of the unicycle.

Models such as the Xiaomi Ninebot One S2 (one of the top best unicycles of 2017) are equipped with a smart on-board computer that accurately tracks the position of the rider and quickly adjusts to it. This allows you to quickly master the vehicle, as well as minimize the likelihood of injury.

How to ride a unicycle correctly

For fast transition to the status of "professionals" it is recommended to pay considerable attention to working out following exercises, which allow you to develop the skill of balancing:

In general, the process of learning to ride a unicycle is quite simple, the main thing is to show a little patience and then you can enjoy vivid emotions from high-speed movement on a modern and stylish vehicle.