A few years ago, all Tom Bramble wanted was to solve his Vancouver travel problem.
Cycling to her downtown office made more sense, but the chances that her bike would still be where she was stuck at the end of the workday were not good.
“I was worried about buying a bike and having it stolen after being chained to a streetlight or missing parts,” he said. “So I started exploring options and found electric unicycles.”
Electric unicycles (EUC for short) are compact, rechargeable, single-wheeled devices that are small enough to carry and store on a desk. Unlike an electric scooter or an electric bike, there is no handlebar. The rider gets on the wheel on folding footrests and drives it and steers, subtly changing his body weight, like a Segway.
“It seemed like such an elegant solution to my problem,” Bramble said. “It’s a briefcase that can take you hundreds of miles for just a few cents. And it’s a lot of fun.”
EUCs, short for electric unicycles, are growing in popularity
Tom Bramble and Tony Davies show off their electric unicycles
Tony Davies was also one of the first EU adopters, although at 73 he is not typical of riders who tend to skew younger people. The shipping manager of the retired taxi company bought his first “wheel” six years ago and has since been updated a few times. He says horseback riding feels like freedom.
“I absolutely love it,” Davies said. “I just put it on. I don’t have to pedal. It has a wheel. So if I go to a store or a restaurant, I just carry it with me.”
Traveling by road to Whistler is not recommended
Last fall, Davies took his new EUC to a driving test on the Sea to Sky Highway, covering the 110-mile distance from Horseshoe Bay to Whistler on a single charge. Although he did it unharmed, it is not an adventure that I would recommend to others.
“Halfway through, I thought, that’s very silly,” he laughed. “The scary part was the cars; they’re very close to you. And then you go through the corrugated part that warns drivers about the bike lane, but [the bumps] getting on the bike lane … so it wasn’t too great. “
EUCs are not legal on the street, but Vancouver bicycles are allowed under a provincial pilot program that looks to open up rules for electronic scooters and other micromobility devices.
High-end electric unicycles have a battery life of up to 150 kilometers per charge and can reach a top speed of more than 60 kilometers per hour. The model shown costs $ 4,495. (Gotway Monster Pro / Vancouver Electric Moncycles)
Bramble ended up turning his eureka moment all these years into a secondary commotion, launching the Vancouver Electric Unicycles online store in 2016.
In its first year, it only sold 15 units. Now, with a growing awareness of decarbonisation and e-mobility, it moves “several hundred” EUCs annually.
“My friends laughed at me”
“When I started selling them, most of my friends laughed at me,” he said. “But I think [EUCs] they start to turn the corner. And especially with COVID, people started looking for alternative forms of transportation. They want something greener. ”
Prices range from about $ 600 to several thousand dollars, and a full security team is advised. Battery life is between 50 and 150 kilometers per charge, depending on the model. Some high-end units are capable of exceeding 60 miles per hour.
Of course, it is not recommended to go so fast. Davies says he rarely goes more than 20 miles per hour and always wears protective gear, including a helmet and a rear-view mirror attached to his wrist.
Like any micromobility device, there is a learning curve for mastering an electric unicycle and newcomers should be prepared to practice before venturing into the city streets.
“I’d say most people can learn to ride in two hours, at most half a day. At first it feels precarious, but it gets easier,” Bramble said. “Once you get used to it, walking feels incredibly slow.”