INMOTION V5 Review: Best Affordable Electric Unicycle to Learn On
INMOTION V5 EUC
If you’re after a new riding experience, the INMOTION V5 serves as a well-rounded EUC for short commutes and fun. While it won’t offer the maximum speed or range for those after a more challenging ride, its value lies in its accessibility. From beginner to experienced riders, it’s a worthwhile way to experiment with electric unicycles.
TheInmotion V5 EUCfunctions as an entry point for those seeking a challenging, alternate personal electric vehicle. This self-balancing electric unicycle offers a unique experience. With its focus on the essentials, the question is whether the V5 serves as a great unit for all to learn on.
INMOTION V5 Technical Specifications
When considering an electric unicycle (EUC) for personal transportation, you’ll need to think about your skill level. With the Inmotion V5, beginners have an electric unicycle that focuses on all the essential functions of one-wheeled riding. As a thinner device weighing only around 24 pounds with its 14" pneumatic tire, it’s also entirely portable and much easier to stow.
In terms of other beginner-friendly features, the ability to cap the speed down to 5 km/h (~3 mph) and gradually increase to the maximum of 20 km/h (~12.5 mph) further reduces risk while learning. For short trip-takers, it handles an operating range of between 9.5 to 12.5 miles. Factors like the rider’s weight, road conditions, temperature, and travel speed will still all affect the V5’s operating range.
To power its lone wheel, the 450W Inmotion V5 utilizes a 188 Wh battery capacity. As a result of this, the V5 EUC takes only around 1.5 hours to charge with its single charging port. To further simplify operational fears, the Inmotion V5 also features a variety of protections against the likes of overcharging, over-discharge, and over-current.
When on the go in lower light conditions, there’s a front headlight for night driving along with a red light at the rear. For more adventurous rides, it also tackles slopes up to 18-degreesandfeatures IP55 water resistance. So you’ll still want to avoid any potential submersion of the V5, you’ll be fine to handle some light puddles.
Inmotion V5 Initial Setup
UnlikeInmotion’s S1 e-scooter, there’s no additional assembly out of the box for the V5 EUC. However, the device does arrive inactive. To get started with the scooter, you’ll need to find and press the reset button near the charging port. From there, you’re able to power on the device via its power button.
At this stage, it’s good practice to familiarize yourself with the layout of the handle relative to the power button. When attempting to turn on the front headlights via the same button, users may accidentally end up turning off the device due to some button sensitivity. Once familiarized, this also reduces the chance of unintentionally depowering the device on lift-up with bad hand placement.
Before any practice rides, you’ll also want to inspect the tire’s pressure beneath a largely hidden plastic flap. Similarly, you’ll also want to ensure both pedals have been appropriately tightened.
Learning With the Inmotion V5
When first learning to ride the Inmotion V5, there’s a variety of elements to keep in mind. Free mounting tends to largely be a waste of energy. Instead, it’s much more beneficial to lean against a wall or railing to figure out your initial balance. Moving back-and-forth gives a sense of the wheel and its self-balancing; it’ll also allow you to practice moving forward slowly.
There’s also the option to move with the assistance of another individual; this does require more communication, especially when practicing turns. But if available, it can provide a much faster understanding of the V5’s motor strength and how balancing feels. Riders can also practice placing one foot on the pedal and pivoting in a half-circle.
As you feel more confident, short rides such as wall-to-wall will give you a good chance to test your balance. When first riding, staying upright and looking ahead while avoiding the urge to lean forward may take a while. Overall, the adaptation time for different riders will vary; the learning methods largely stay the same.
The Inmotion V5 includes some optional ankle pads, you may wish to attach these to help protect yourself during balancing mishaps where the pedal may clip them. While it’s not advised to practice riding on a lawn or in the grass, you can utilize this environment for a softer cushion when you first explore the V5.
Using the Inmotion App
For those new to the Inmotion app, you can use Bluetooth to pair the device and register. There’s a variety of social features built-in, but we’ll focus solely on the functional parts.
Compared to Inmotion’s S1, the main screen showcases a little less information and control options. Besides determining your battery life, current driving info, and estimated remaining range, button functionality is limited to toggling the front light and disconnecting the device.
New riders should first check out the EUC’s settings. Of particular interest is the option to enable the spin-kill safety setting and adjust the maximum allowed speed of the V5.
For those after more personalization, the Inmotion app does attempt to offer sound customization. Unfortunately, it would fail when attempting to download alternative options. As such, you’ll mostly be gated to tweaking the volume of your desired alert sounds and messages.
As with the Inmotion S1, there’s a useful quick diagnostic tool. If you’ve detected any problems with the V5 EUC, it’s a speedy option to check the status of the major components. If you dig deeper within the app, you can also monitor more energy-related statistics and chart your total mileage.
Regardless of your intended use case, there’s value to be found in downloading the Inmotion app. You may find it more limiting for casual application, however, it can provide some useful insight for those looking to monitor their ride statistics closely.
Transporting the Inmotion V5 EUC
One of the major benefits of the Inmotion V5 comes from the compact nature of the device and its lighter weight when compared to the likes of an e-scooter. But with any transportation option, there are a few details to keep in mind regarding safety. After lifting the V5 EUC, the wheel will automatically activate if the kill switch button beneath the handle isn’t pressed.
If you’re dismounting for an obstacle such as stairs, this provides a safe way to briefly pause the EUC’s functionality. If you do happen to miss a timely press, the overall power of the unicycle’s wheel spinning does serve as a quick reminder of why this feature exists.
Riding With the Inmotion V5
After tackling the variable learning curve, riding with the Inmotion V5 strikes a fine balance of challenge and intuitive balancing. The self-balancing mechanism does its best to keep the EUC upright; you’ll still want to invest in some solid protective gear once on your own. While the slower speeds make full-face gear less of a requirement, you’ll still want aprotective helmetin case of a mishap.
When cutting really tight turns, the V5 will exit its self-balancing mode if the V5 is tipped beyond 45° left or right. However, the elevated, wing-like design nature of the pedal handles standard turns without issue. The upward angling also compliments the roughly 11 cm distance of the pedals from the ground.
As one also might expect, heavier riders won’t get as much range or speed out of the 450W V5 EUC. Similarly, the foot pedals did feel a bit too compact for beginner, larger-footed riders looking to get a good sense of footing. While both features can be overcome with more mindfulness, it’s a potential trade-off.
But in terms of acceleration and handling, the Inmotion V5 will respond within expectations for lighter riders. While the V5 benefits the most from stable, flat ground, there weren’t any issues handling small tufts of grass or minor dips. Overall, there’s a smooth ride experience for all riders with some variances to account for.
INMOTION V5 Durability
As Inmotion has targeted newer riders with the V5, you want an EUC device that can take some damage. During initial learning, you can expect the V5 to take some tumbles. While the plastic frame will scratch up, there’s no detriment to functionality.
To better protect your EUC, Inmotion does offer aprotective cover. This will prevent the body from taking any noticeable damage at lower speeds; you’ll still see the pedals take some dents in case of a fall.
As a downside, the protective cover does seem to impact the proper use of the V5’s kickstand and create a degree of unbalance when rested. But the slip-off nature makes it easy to remove for any clean-up or adjustments to the V5. Overall, it’s a small trade-off for keeping your EUC free of preventable scratches.
Should You Buy the Inmotion V5 Electric Unicycle?
For those on the fence regarding the purchase of an EUC, the V5 makes a strong case as an affordable entry point. While it’s not a perfect unit for more advanced riders or those looking for a higher challenge, it’s a tailored option for new riders. Similarly, you’ll need to keep in mind it’s not intended for off-road, so you’ll want to manage your ride expectations appropriately.
With this in mind, if you’re after an exciting, balance-centric mode of transit, it’s one to consider. In addition, the small footprint makes it much easier to store compared to the likes of e-scooters or e-bikes. If you’ve been after a solid entry-tier EUC, the Inmotion V5 is a great option for your next ride.
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