Though it might be tempting to stump up serious cash for a crazy powerful electric unicycle, learning on such a beast is probably the wrong move. InMotion's beginner-friendly E20 promises to have you gliding in minutes, and won't cost a packet.
There's something oddly appealing about gliding along on an electric unicycle. It's like having a kind of superpower – as you seemingly float inches above the ground while rolling gently past slack-jawed onlookers. Unlike traditional unicycles, you're standing astride the thing rather than sitting, and you let the motor do all of the work instead of having to pedal.
I've been fascinated by this unusual form of personal transportation for what seems like an absolute age, but like any new skill, learning to ride one takes time and effort. Let's face it, you're probably going to fall off more than you'll remain standing at the beginning of your journey, so you don't really want to be riding a bonkers powerful beast like InMotion's V13 or its torque-tastic Adventure model. And that's before you even factor in the ticket price.
The entry-level E20 is a much more attractive proposition, and I've spent the last wee while with my learner plates pinned to my back to see if I can succeed where I've comically failed in the past. For reference, I've succumbed to the captivating draw of these things at a number of trade shows and tech events over the years, and found that as soon as the safety blanket of the company rep holding me up is withdrawn, so is my ability to stay on the thing.
Let's get to it
Before your first glide, the electric unicycle will need to be taken out of the transport mode it's shipped in, and this can only be achieved by using the companion mobile app for iOS/Android. If you have an older iPhone or Android handset – like myself – it might be wise to contact support to confirm compatibility before you stump up cash for the E20.
With the transport mode deactivated, the app offers key ride stats when your phone and the E20 are paired over Bluetooth, as well as controls for sound and light, battery status info and more. There are also three ride modes to choose from.
The default Beginner setting has a top speed to 7 km/h (4.35 mph). The Normal model rolls up to 15 km/h (9.3 mph) and the Sport level unlocks 20 km/h (12.4 mph) – which probably looks fairly pedestrian on paper but actually feels pretty zippy when you're a newbie gripping each side of the housing with your legs. As such, I started with the Beginner mode and worked up from there – a good helmet and safety pads are highly recommended.
The E20 can be used independent of the InMotion app, but you won't be able to adjust key settings. One thing you can do on the vehicle itself is to temporarily disable wheel spin. If you pick up a powered-on unit, the double-tire wheel will spin. And the spin speed increases if you happen to tilt the thing during the heft. Lights flash and alarms sound to drive home your error.
A double-press of the power button will put the system into a kind of sleep mode so you can lift and carry safely. Another double-press returns the unit to active mode. Similarly, a single-press will power on/off the front and rear lights. The tail-light also flashes during braking.
What do I mean by a double-tire wheel? The E20 features one centrally mounted 450-W (900-W peak) hub motor sprouting two 14-inch pneumatic tires positioned side by side (with a 55-mm/2.2-in gap between them). On either side of the housing is a sturdy looking fold-up platform with rubber bumpers for stepping on to glide.
Time to step up
In my very limited experience, the most challenging aspect of a single wheel/tire electric unicycle has got to be getting on the thing without immediately falling off again. The single-wheel, dual-tire setup plus a proprietary self-balancing algorithm – that "maintains both front and rear balance" – are designed to help here.
However, whether haunted by my previous failed attempts or just over-cautious, I started slow and easy by supporting myself with one hand on a wall or fence – or you could ask a handy friend if you're lucky enough to have one of those – to build confidence.
In the section on riding the E20, the user manual clearly shows a rider-shaped figure stepping on while standing upright, but everyone who has been faced with this thing during this review – myself included – initially approaches stepping up onto the platforms by adopting a lean-over/crouch position, steadying themselves by laying hands on the upper body.
This can result in the wheels moving off before you're ready, so standing straight up with one foot already on a platform and then quickly bringing up the other foot and planting it on the other platform is the key to success here. Lesson learned, after only a few attempts with the assistance of wall or friend, I found myself able to do without these safety nets, step onto the platforms and move off.
My cautious approach did mean that it took longer for me to start my first tentative glide than the 3 minutes promised by InMotion, but every new thing has a learning curve – and the E20 certainly has a much less steep one than a single-wheel equivalent.
Moving and grooving
So the idea here is to lean forward to speed up, back to slow down and adjust your lean angle for the turns – like a Segway or hoverboard, but with the tires between your legs instead of to the outer edges. Once I was up and rolling, the ride experience was pretty intuitive. And a whole lot of fun.
The E20 isn't as maneuverable as a regular single-wheeler. The double tires seemed to have a preference for straight lines or gentle arcs but as confidence and skills build you can (apparently) try sharper turns by raising one tire/wheel off the ground to improve maneuverability. Sadly I never attained such levels of skill during my short time with this beginner-friendly electric glide machine.
Was it all plain sailing (gliding)? Well, no. I did perhaps get the teeniest bit overconfident on a couple of occasions and had to employ a complicated but visually impressive ballet-inspired maneuver to gracefully dismount (ahem, not really). Fortunately, neither the E20 or myself were worse for the wobbles, and the ever-present smartphone cameras were pointing the other way. However, this does seem to be another opportune moment to mention the importance of wearing protective gear.
Though relatively low powered compared to other models in the InMotion stable, the motor is reported capable of tackling inclines of up to 15 degrees. During my test rides I did indeed manage to climb a fairly steep hill with ease, but when I moved from smooth pathway to grass the motor struggled such that I had to dismount.
In addition to a small headlight and braking tail-light, the E20 sports RGB ambient lighting around the body edge on each side – which nicely breaks up the overall white/black aesthetic for a more playful personality. Different colors for this strip can be selected through the app, together with a choice of static or dynamic modes – with the latter's pulse increasing in speed as you do. In bright sunlight, these lighting effects were hardly visible to observers but certainly added a certain something in shaded areas or as daylight began to fade.
InMotion has also included a Bluetooth speaker to play music from a smartphone while you're out and about. But I tried this once and only once, deciding that the sounds of nature around me were preferable. The mono speaker is small and tinny, and didn't do my music any favors so I left it to sound chirps and system alarms rather than entertain. A good decision for me, I believe, but others may feel differently.
The unit's 240-Wh (48-V) battery is reckoned good for per-charge travel of up to 30 km (18.6 miles), depending on terrain encountered, ride style and speed, and so on. Top-up time is between 3 and 4 hours using the supplied charger.
The E20 can accommodate a rider up to 100 kg (220 lb), and is quite a hefty beast in its own right – tipping the scales at 13.5 kg (30 lb). With this in mind, InMotion has mounted a lift-up arm to the carry handle at the top, which can help with the push-along between rides. An IPX5 rating means that the e-uni will survive brief downpours but is best suited to fair-weather gliding. And if you prefer floating along while sitting (which could help build confidence prior to attempting stand-up riding), the company told us that seating accessories for this model will be available from August.
Another thing worth mentioning is pumping the tires. Attaching a nozzle from a foot pump may prove challenging to folks with larger fingers as the gap between the bottom of the housing and the curved valve is quite tight. Also, should you wear down the tread and need to install new rubber, the company told us that a video will shortly appear on its YouTube channel on how to change a tire – which likely involves removing the plastic body panels to get access to the inner workings.
The bottom line
There were a few blips that temporarily roadblocked my utter enjoyment of the E20, which were more to do with me and my location than the electric unicycle itself.
I live in a part of the world where riding personal electric transporters like this in public spaces, bike lanes or even parks is not allowed. So I had to rely on the generosity of a friend to test ride on private property, as well as another for transport. My sincere thanks to them both.
I also discovered that my older-model Android smartphone wasn't compatible with the companion mobile app, so had to acquire a model that was. And, the user manual advises against charging the battery indoors, so I needed to wait for breaks in the typical summer downpours to plug in.
There's nothing we can do about the weather, but I would advise potential buyers to check with local regulators on legality of use in their region, and check the app page for phone compatibility (or reach out to the company's support staff if in doubt).
However, all those niggles were quickly forgotten when I managed to get up and glide. The motor here isn't the monster hiding under the hood of higher-spec (and higher-priced) models elsewhere in InMotion's family, but I consider this a good thing for learners like me. The lean-forward acceleration and lean-back braking proved smooth and gentle. The single-wheel, double-tire format offered more stability in the straights than a single-tire setup would have provided, though turning circles are not as tight.
Battery life seems pretty decent, with potential for hours of fun per charge. The app's interface is clear and well laid out, with the chance to customize the information displayed on the dashboard. The poor-quality Bluetooth speaker didn't appeal to me at all, though others may find it useful. And the RGB side lighting isn't just for added cool factor, it could help riders be seen – along with the front and rear lights – during the day or after dark.
Perhaps most importantly, the E20 did get me up and riding where previous attempts with single-tire models have ended in at least a red face and a sore backside. If you're interested in learning to ride an electric unicycle, this is a good place to start. Particularly as it rolls for a relatively inexpensive US$399.
The E20 was officially launched on June 13, and is recommended for users aged eight years and up. InMotion encourages personalization via the application of colorful stickers to the expansive white canvas on each side of the unit (sample stickers are not supplied though). The video below shows riders more capable than I having a great time.
Product page: InMotion E20
