Can Vietnam save the much-delayed Jyroball?
What Are Alt-Wheels?
Alternative Wheels.
Alt-Wheels are:
– Made for a single rider
– Smaller than bicycles
– Affordable
– Portable
Electric skateboards, electric scooters, electric unicycles, the Onewheel, the Jyroball.
Alt-Wheels differs from “micromobility.” That’s all in this post.
The Jyroball team posted a December 3, 2019 update to their Indiegogo campaign that reveals they have shifted factory production from China to Vietnam:
Two hours from Hanoi, it was established and is run by Rick, who spent over 20 years with Samsung. We’ve being working closely with Rick and his team over the past two months and on our visit there last week. We are fully confident in their expertise and commitment to JYROBALL. A move, that while painful in causing a serious delay, will prove right in the end with higher production standards.
Also at Indiegogo, the also-delayed (and questionable) Falcon mini-eScooter announces in a December 5, 2019 update the first shipment is due to be dispatched this month:
As promised, our first 500 backers will get their hands on MiniFalcon in December.
We’ve experienced just a little delay in shipping, but all 500 e-scooters in the batch will be delivered by the end of the month. The other 1,000 MiniFalcons will be shipped in January and the rest will follow soon in February.
In both campaigns, there are people screaming for refunds. Anyone opting to back a crowdfunding campaign should go in expecting delays and stick for the long haul.
Alt-Wheels veteran Pirate announces free plans for DIY 3D-printing a rear disc protector for Xiaomi M365 eScooter models (it might also fit clones):
FREE Disc Protector for XIaomi M365 Works and Looks Insane Must Have
Project link in the YouTube Description.
Alt-Wheels veteran Sonny Wheels shows off his latest creation, slider wheels that prevent faceplanting and enable trolleying a larger (non-Pint) Onewheel:
Alt-Wheels veteran Pavel Garmas — who creates seriously-muscular DIY eSkateboards for himself — reviews a … shirt? Yes. A shirt:
NEW safety shirt by Merlin. ESK8 safety and style!
The usefulness of that shirt will depend on what’s being ridden. Best for non-muscular eSkateboard and eScooter riders who care about fashion. For eUnicycle riders, I recommend getting safety gear from a mountain bike or motorcycle brick-and-mortar store (where it can be touched and tried on in person). That shirt poses an interesting question, however: How long before actual fashion brands enter the market? Tommy Hilfiger and FUBU seem like natural matches. Beware!
YouTuber Wheel With Me has begun a 12-day series about Onewheel accessories:
And I can’t resist a video that illustrates another reason to skip the subway with Alt-Wheels:
Going underground: how commuting is bad for your health | FT
That’s the London Underground. And the air is filthy. The NYC subway system is even worse. Free yourself with Alt-Wheels!
Previously here: