Amazing EUC Maintenance: an e-RIDES Q&A

We’re delighted to be joined today by Kevin V for a Q&A session on EUC maintenance

Kevin is an engineer at e-RIDES and has some fascinating insights into the world of EUC maintenance.

Hi Kevin – great to meet you. Can you tell us a little about your background please?

Sure! I’ve always been an engineer, originally I worked on radios and TV’s before I moved onto computers. If I can’t fix a computer no-one can! So, by trade I am an electronics engineer. I’m proud to be fully qualified in my role. My nature is that I love taking things apart, seeing what makes them work, and if they can be improved before I put them back together again. This is how I got into EUCs!

I’ve been riding wheels since 2014. The first wheel I got, I deconstructed pretty quickly, and learnt how they worked. Having met the guys at e-RIDES a number of years ago, it made sense to work with them and help out by using my experience.

What is your job at e-RIDES?

I’m in charge of service, repairs and upgrades. Really, my job is to study, take things apart and improve them.

What wheels do you have in your collection?

Ok, I’ll warn you…I’m a bit of an EUC nut!

The first I bought was a Segway Ninebot One E+. I’ve still got it, and it’s still in top condition. I reckon I’ve done a fair few thousand miles on it. I replaced the motor on it recently.

I also have two KingSong S18’s – with suspension they’re a bit better on the knees! I adore the S18 – it’s such a lovely ride.

Then, I have a Begode Mten3, plus a Veteran Abraham, a 22” wheel.

So, a fair selection all in all!

Have you modified any of your wheels yourself?

Yeah – one of the kingsong S18’s. I modified one of these for a longer range, because I was once on a group ride, where I had to stop and charge three times – before having to take the tube home!

It was a fairly easy job – I bought another set of batteries, installed on them top of what we already had, hey presto! I doubled the distance without changing the appearance.

Can you give us an engineer’s insight into the EUCs that we love so much?

EUCs – they are such a great transportation device. EUC maintenance is fairly straightforward as they are relatively simply engineered, which means that they are reliable and fuss-free.

For me, they are a lifestyle product first and foremost. Great for relaxing and relieving stress – after a hard day at work they allow you to forget about all your cares.

Now they are getting faster and faster with more power. They are becoming performance wheels!

The gyroscope is almost the same tech on all the wheels. The gyroscope is basically a sensor that goes on the wheel. The electronics needs to be perfect so that the gyro works correctly.

In terms of electronics, they are pretty simple, mainly just switches. So EUC maintenance doesn’t vary hugely from one wheel to another.

Most wheels tend to have two Printed Circuit Boards, or PCBs – a control board plus a driver board. The driver board drives the power to the motor There’s a chip called a Mosfet that drives the motor. The control board controls voltage and sensors.

Kevin – talk to us about upgrades! Do e-RIDES offer an upgrade service?

Yes they do. We offer service, repair and upgrade in fact.

That’s the thing about EUCs – they are a hobby that most people like to improve upon. And once you get that itch, it’s hard to stop! So there’s a really strong aftermarket when it comes to EUCs.        

The main upgrade we get asked for are tyres. The tyre that comes on your factory spec wheel may not be as high-performance, or suited to the terrain you are going to use your wheel on. Hence, this is a popular request.

Another common request is to get more power from an EUC. On most wheels, we can change the control board in order to improve performance. It sounds basic but this is a change from a blue PCB to a black PCB. We keep these in stock so can offer this service all year round.

Waterproofing is something else that we get asked for a lot. Our service will make your wheel waterproof enough to ride in the rain. The process involves opening up the wheel, and using sealer to seal any gaps and holes. We can also seal the battery so you can literally submerge it in water!

A lot of wheels come with suspension these days, but we do get asked a lot to upgrade the suspension to make them more robust.

Pedals can be either a performance or cosmetic upgrade. We have developed our own unique design at e-RIDES – a two-piece design. We mount the main piece on the wheel, whilst the second piece is removable which allows you to change colour. Here’s a link to our pedals: https://e-rides.com/product/e-rides-pedal-heel-and-toe-ironman/

My favourite upgrade is probably the Lean-Pad. It is so effective in terms of improving acceleration and control. You can get the e-RIDES AGRO pads.

What one thing do you recommend for EUC maintenance?

Best practice for EUC maintenance is to get your wheel serviced typically every 6 months or so if you are riding frequently. Being a rider, you know your wheel, what it feels like. If it doesn’t feel right, get it checked out. Or if you have had an accident. Don’t fix it yourself if you don’t know what you’re doing.

Is there one wheel that you would recommend?

Great question, but a difficult one to answer. Every wheel feels different, and everyone has their own preferences. You need to try and pick up on the differences. Pick the one that suits the way you ride best, which means trying out a few different options.

Personally, the best wheels are the ones you get used to instantly – the ones that are the most intuitive.

How would you sum up e-RIDES in three sentences?

Customer Service

Ride safe

Here for you!

In general, e-RIDES want to be a positive part of the EUC community, and do everything that we can to share our knowledge.