This article was taken from the March 2015 issue of WIRED magazine. Be the first to read WIRED's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
How we tested
WIRED enlisted the services of 23-year-old professional skateboarder Anna Kruse to test prototypes of the OneWheel and Scrooser in an urban environment. Overall handling and ease of use were assessed, as well as battery life and quality of design.
WIRED's product editor, Jeremy White, was also drafted in to take both vehicles out for a test ride, despite his obvious lack of radness.
So wide and stable are those rubber rollers (each an impressive 450mm x 240mm) that WIRED found they are perfect for majestic carving at speeds of up to 25kph. The Scrooser even stays upright after you've dismounted. Front disk-brakes and rear engine-brakes made stopping simple, and the turning circle was smaller than expected, considering the size of the frame. An "impulse-drive" electric motor built in to the back-wheel hub -- which means there are no gear belts or linkages to break -- amplifies the force you generate when pushing off and kicks in automatically once you exceed 3.2kph. You can also run it on its electric motor, which will extend the maximum range the Scrooser can travel from 35km to 55km. WIRED found that standing was very comfortable and allowed a much greater level of control while negotiating small paths or weaving in and out of other pavement users. Acceleration is pleasingly predictable, and at no point did we feel out of control.
Kruse did have one criticism: "You would like to be able to go faster than the maximum of 25kph. But then the Scrooser would fall under the helmet law." 9/10 From €3,336
The OneWheel is effectively a hybrid of a skateboard and Segway.
It uses an on-board gyroscope and motion sensors for dynamic stabilisation, so neither of the two footboards touch the ground once in motion. The electric brushless hub motor is housed in the 29cm-wide tyre, so there is only one moving part, and it can accelerate up to just under 20kph. The liquid battery in the frame lasts for about 45 minutes. On WIRED's first attempts, the sudden forward motion generated by the torque from the motor as you lean in the direction you want to go threw us off immediately. Once prepared for this, the next few rides were slow and ungainly, yet still remarkably intuitive. However, the OneWheel does require more than a little practice to get anywhere near the top speed. Once there, it feels nippy and agile. Stopping with any degree of grace was also an issue, and WIRED resorted to jumping off the board. But it is possible to cruise to a halt with just the right amount of leaning back. "It is more pleasant than a skateboard, because you don't have to push," says Kruse. Significant drawbacks include weight: at 11kg, the OneWheel is unwieldy, and the range on a single charge is just 6.5km to 9.5km. 7/10 $1,500
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
