A Guide to Maintaining Your Electric Unicycle (EUC)

What is an EUC? The Electric Unicycle (or EUC for short) is arguably the ultimate in futuristic electric transport. Portable, stylish, easy to use and massively eco-friendly, it is a popular choice among electric vehicle enthusiasts with so much going for it that it’s a wonder why everyone doesn’t own one! The EUC community is growing fast as the go to choice of electric rideable (e-RIDES), ones the initail steep learning curve is conquered.

Amongst the many great advantages of the EUC and its super-clever design is low maintenance costs. An electric unicycle consists of only a few parts – a wheel, axle, motor, battery and motherboard. Compare this to electric scooters, which also features additional wheel assembly, chains/belts and more and you can see that less parts equals less to maintain – and subsequently, less cost to do so!

That being said, the EUC is a sophisticated vehicle that still depends on both mechanical and technical parts working in good order to get the best performance and longevity out of it. 

This guide is aimed at presenting a simple and effective overview of how to ensure that your EUC is maintained to the highest standard at all times, in turn providing you with the longest possible lifespan and the best possible experience every time!

How to Disassemble Your EUC (and Replace the Tyre / Bearings)

VITAL SAFETY NOTES:

Before disassembling your EUC for maintenance, ALWAYS disconnect the battery power cables once the case is open and hold the power button to discharge all remaining power! 

This is a very simplified overview of the steps involved in disassembling your EUC. At all times, refer to your manufacturer manual for precise information on how to disassemble your particular model as this can vary. Never disassemble your EUC without following the manufacturer guide, as this could put both your health and your warranty at risk!

  1. Remove the outer case – always follow manufacturer instructions on how to do this.
  1. Disconnect the power cables carefully from the battery terminals – you may want to apply a little electrical tape to the end of each cable for extra protection whilst working. Once this is done, hold the power button to discharge all remaining power before continuing.
  1. Remove motor and hall sensor cables from the motherboard by pulling gently and slowly with pliers. Be aware that some cables may be held in place with adhesive, which will need to be very sensitively removed to fully disconnect the motor. Always take your time and work carefully – you don’t want to damage any of the cables!
  1. Loosen the bolts holding one side of the motor in place – once both sides have been loosened, the bolts and motor can be removed. This is attached to the wheel assembly, so removing the motor also frees up the wheel to be removed.
  1. Unscrew and gently lift the heatsink. Note the rubberised seal that holds it in place – you may consider adding silicon paste around the perimeter of the seal for extra protection. Lightly tighten the heatsink back into place to allow the silicon to bond with it – wait about an hour before fully screwing the heatsink back into place to allow adequate time for the silicon to take hold.
  1. Replacing the tyre – Use a plastic tyre lever to gently and slowly separate the tyre from the wheel. Locate the valve underneath the tyre and pull it out, in turn allowing you to fully remove the tyre.
  1. Coat a cloth in a natural oil (coconut oil works well) and wipe all around the rim of the wheel. This will help significantly with refitting the tyre, which you should do now. TIP: Keep wires to the right when looking for the rotation of the tyre to keep it forward. Put half of the tyre on the rim using the tyre levers, fit the inner tube and then put on the other half of the tyre until it pops into place and is secure.
  1. Remove the bolts and hangers from the pedal arm of the motor. Apply a layer of grease around the circumference of the hollow motor socket in the centre of the wheel. Apply Teflon spray (dry lubricant) around the bearings to help reduce friction and seat them into each side of the hollow motor socket. 
  1. Screw the pedal hanger to the motor so that it is firmly in place while still being able to rotate. 
  1. Slide the wheel and motor assembly back into the main body, making sure that all of the wires on the wheel re-enter the appropriate slot in the housing.
  1. Reconnect hall sensor cable very carefully. Apply a small layer of silicon to the connector when fixing the cable to prevent it coming loose during use. 
  1. Reattach the motor cables (Remember: Yellow is left, Blue is middle, Green is right). Ensure they are tightly in place. Re-cover the wire connectors with heatproof sleeves. Use a cable tie to hold the tables together.
  1. Carefully reconnect the power cables to the battery terminals. Note that a little spark is completely normal when reconnecting the battery. 
  1. Replace the outer casing, reattaching all screws securely into place.
  1. Test that everything is connected properly by pressing the power button and moving the wheel across a flat surface to ensure that everything is moving correctly. 

Future is now concept. Ecological transport. Black modern futuristic electric unicycle, unicycle scooter or balancing electric wheel compare with fuel gasoline diesel cars. Eco planet concept

Tips on Maintaining Your Electric Unicycle

One question that gets asked frequently – especially from those who have entered the EUC world from the perspective of being cyclists – is whether the axle and bearings need to be greased in the same way that a bicycle’s would.

In short, the answer is no.

Some advise that, due to the construction of the EUC, greasing or lubricating these parts is not advisable if you want to preserve the life of your ride. Doing so may attract unwanted debris from the road which may result in potentially hazardous mechanical failures.

However, other users routinely apply grease without any noticeable problems.  

Instead, consider using compressed air to blow away any light to moderate dirt around the axle. If you are faced with a particularly clogged axle, consider disassembling the motor body and lightly wiping with a cloth instead.

Should you find during disassembly that that any small parts have rusted, the best and safest option would be to simply replace them.  

Maintaining Air Pressure

As the wheel is more integral to an EUC than it is to most other vehicles, keeping an eye on air pressure is arguably even more important. 

Air pressure is particularly affected by temperature – during hot weather, heat allows the inner-tube to expand, in turn filling the wheel with air. By contrast, cold winter weather can result in a less inflated, flatter tyre.  

Keep the tire pressure around 10 p.s.i below the recommended limit to prevent the inner-tube from ballooning, especially during hotter weather. Ballooning can have a detrimental effect on  balance and traction, so helping to prevent it is never a bad idea.

Waterproofing your EUC

EUCs are generally not waterproof and don’t respond well to extreme temperatures. Avoid using them in the rain, and never use them in snow or ice.

You can improve the water resistance of your EUC by using duct tape to seal the points where the case connects, using foam and tape to cover the large holes above the motor assembly (when the EUC is disassembled) and by sealing the motherboard. These are quite tricky measures that are generally not advisable unless you are extremely technically competent. For the most part, accepting that electric rideables are not designed to be waterproof is a fact of life for most users.

It is advisable to always travel with a cover or large bag of some sort to hand in case you get caught off-guard by a downpour of rain whilst in the middle of a ride. It may not be a perfect solution, but it’s better than leaving your EUC fully exposed to the elements!

Alternatively, you could use our electric unicycle waterproofing service to add the necessary protection to your rideable.

Electric Unicycle battery life

Maintaining battery life

Here is a key tip which can double or even triple the number of charging cycles that you get from your EUC battery!

Charge your battery so that it stays below 80% charge and ensure that your monitor your ride time so that you discharge no more than 50% of the battery. Keeping the battery within this happy place prevents it from becoming over-or-under-charged, which reduces the amount of stress placed on the battery, ensuring a long and happy life!

Another tip – if using your electric unicycle in exceptionally cold and icy weather is unavoidable, consider looking into using a neoprene cover for your EUC. Naturally weather-resistant, a neoprene cover can massively reduce the impact of freezing temperatures and wind, as well as maintaining the heat generated by the battery and keeping it healthy. An absolute must if you live in a country that is known for extremely cold weather conditions!

Electric Scooter Tyre

Keeping the body and tyres looking good

Apply liquid wax (the stuff you can buy for cars is fine) to the outer shell of your EUC using a microfibre cloth to give it a whole new level of shine. 

Meanwhile, a tire wetter/shiner can keep your tyres looking like new. Simply clean the tyre with a wet towel and apply the shiner.

Electric Scooter motherboard

Motherboard Maintenance

If you are having technical issues that involve the motherboard, we would always recommend getting this checked out by a professional or reporting it to the manufacturer as appropriate. Unless you have the deep technical know-how to operate on the motherboard of an EUC, it is generally safer not to touch it as these parts are obviously highly complex.

We hope that you have found this guide to disassembling and maintaining your electric unicycle useful. Remember that this is just a basic overview from e-RIDES. We always advise that you refer to your EUC manufacturer service manual before disassembling your ride and to consult an experienced engineer or technician when performing repairs or maintenance yourself. 

If you need further assistance, you are welcome to contact e-RIDES on 0203 633 9748 or email us at info@e-rides.com. 

You can come and Test Ride an EUC or buy and pic up same day at our shop in the Greenwich, Unit 21, Greenwich Centre Business Park,

53 Norman Road London, SE10 9QF