How to choose an electric unicycle

Three questions to answer first

Before you open a single spec sheet, write down three things. Between them they rule out most of the range, and what is left is a short list worth comparing.

1. Where will you ride?The distance on a normal day, and the surface: smooth asphalt, broken streets and curbs, or gravel and trails. Distance points to battery size, surface to suspension and tire.
2. Where will the wheel live?A third-floor apartment without an elevator, a car trunk, a train, a garage. This decides how much weight you can live with, and weight runs from 11.8 kg to 57 kg in our range.
3. How much have you ridden?Never, a season on a small wheel, or years on fast ones. Most wheels above 30 kg are built for riders who already have the balance and the habits.

The six kinds of wheel

Group the wheels by what they are built for and the range falls into six families. The chart places every wheel by weight and by battery size. Within a family, the spread tells you how far one wheel can differ from its neighbor.

First wheels

6 wheels · 11.8–23 kg · 240–750 Wh

Wheels built for the first months. They are light, mostly without suspension, and slow on purpose: the V8S leaves the factory capped at 25 km/h until you raise the limit in the app, and the two-tire E20 starts in a 7 km/h Beginner mode. Two of them tackle the first-day wobble in their own way: the E20 with two tires side by side, the BEGODE Future with a fat 3.50-8 tire that stays steady at walking pace. The V9 adds 60 mm of air suspension for cobbles and cracked crossings.

• Good for: learning to ride, short trips on smooth paths, a wheel you can carry upstairs every day.
• Think twice if: your commute is long or rough. Many riders move up to a bigger wheel once riding feels natural, although the V8S and V9 also settle into easy city commuters.

INMOTION V5F

A featherweight 11.8 kg wheel for learning to ride and short hops across town.

• 320 Wh
• 11.8 kg
• No suspension

INMOTION E20

A two-tire trainer that holds you steady while balance comes.

• 240 Wh
• 13.6 kg
• No suspension

INMOTION V9

A wheel to learn on, with suspension that keeps the first kilometers calm.

• 750 Wh
• 23 kg
• 60 mm travel

Also in this family: KingSong 14D PRO, INMOTION V8S, BEGODE Future. All of them side by side in Electric unicycles compared.

City commuters

7 wheels · 16.2–31.4 kg · 840–1,750 Wh

Daily wheels for riding across town. The KingSong 14S PRO and 16S PRO are rigid, carry 840 Wh and top out at 30 and 35 km/h. The KingSong 16X PRO and INMOTION V12 PRO are rigid too, with 1,554 and 1,750 Wh for fewer stops at the charger. The NOSFET Aero, BEGODE Falcon and KingSong S18 PRO+ add 60 to 100 mm of suspension at about 25 kg.

• Good for: daily commutes, including stairs, elevators or a train for the lighter ones, and riders in their first or second season.
• Think twice if: you plan whole-day rides. These are city wheels: the Aero's range suits city days more than long tours, and the rigid ones send potholes straight through.

KingSong 16S PRO

A light 16-inch KingSong with a strong motor, for learning and then commuting.

• 840 Wh
• 17.4 kg
• No suspension

NOSFET Aero

Small-wheel size, with the suspension and pace a small wheel never had.

• 1,110 Wh
• 24.5 kg
• 70 mm travel

KingSong S18 PRO+

Soft, tunable air suspension in a commuter that stays easy to handle.

• 1,110 Wh
• 25 kg
• 100 mm travel

Also in this family: KingSong 14S PRO, KingSong 16X PRO, BEGODE Falcon, INMOTION V12 PRO. All of them side by side in Electric unicycles compared.

City wheels with suspension

10 wheels · 28–36 kg · 1,300–2,220 Wh

The comfortable everyday wheels: 28 to 36 kg with 70 to 100 mm of suspension, so potholes, curb edges and patched asphalt lose their sting. The family runs from tall 18-inch commuters such as the INMOTION V11Y and KingSong S19 PRO to compact high-voltage wheels such as the NOSFET AEON and Extreme Bull Rocket, and to tunable all-rounders for asphalt and gravel, the LeaperKim Patton S and NOSFET XENO.

• Good for: rough city streets, longer commutes, riders who have outgrown a small wheel.
• Think twice if: the wheel has to climb stairs every day, or it would be your first wheel: KingSong does not recommend the S16 Pro as a complete beginner's first wheel.

NOSFET AEON

Compact enough to live with every day, composed enough to ride hard.

• 1,300 Wh
• 29 kg
• 90 mm travel

INMOTION V11Y

An 18-inch air-sprung commuter for the long ride to work and back.

• 1,500 Wh
• 29.9 kg
• 85 mm travel

LeaperKim Patton S

A lighter, sharper Patton, with suspension you set to your own ride.

• 2,220 Wh
• 36 kg
• 80 mm travel

Also in this family: Extreme Bull Rocket, BEGODE Falcon PRO, BEGODE C8, KingSong S16 Pro, KingSong S19 PRO, NOSFET XENO, INMOTION V12S. All of them side by side in Electric unicycles compared.

Distance wheels

4 wheels · 25.4–57 kg · 1,554–4,700 Wh

Wheels for whole days out, when the charger should not decide where you turn back. The LeaperKim tourers carry the most: the Sherman P and ORYX hold 4,700 Wh and the Sherman L 4,000 Wh, all on suspension and between 46.5 and 57 kg. The KingSong 18XL PRO is the lower-cost way in: 1,554 Wh and about 90 km of real riding in 25.4 kg, on a tall 18-inch tire without suspension.

• Good for: whole-day rides (the LeaperKims) and long, mostly paved routes on a budget (the 18XL PRO).
• Think twice if: the wheel must be lifted often (the tourers weigh as much as a small adult) or your roads are broken (the 18XL PRO is rigid).

LeaperKim Sherman P

A heavy 20-inch distance wheel with 4,700 Wh on 176.4 V, for experienced riders.

• 4,700 Wh
• 52 kg
• 90 mm travel

18XL PRO

KingSong 18XL PRO

KingSong's tall, rigid 18-inch commuter for long, mostly paved routes.

• 1,554 Wh
• 25.4 kg
• No suspension

LeaperKim Sherman L

Built for the long day out, when distance matters more than the sprint.

• 4,000 Wh
• 46.5 kg
• 90 mm travel

Also in this family: LeaperKim ORYX. All of them side by side in Electric unicycles compared.

Trail and off-road wheels

7 wheels · 35–48 kg · 2,100–3,108 Wh

Wheels for gravel, forest tracks and rough ground. They carry 85 to 150 mm of suspension with adjustable damping, knobby or all-terrain tires and motors tuned for pull on loose climbs. The KingSong S22 PRO+ leans toward comfort on broken roads and light trails and is not made for big jumps; the INMOTION V14 PRO, BEGODE Extreme and BEGODE X-Way are trail wheels first; the KingSong F18 and F22 PRO add four-point suspension and deep power reserves. The INMOTION X1 is INMOTION's off-road flagship, with up to 150 mm of travel on a 235.2 V platform.

• Good for: riders with experience on heavy wheels who ride off the asphalt as often as on it.
• Think twice if: you mostly commute in town. At 35 to 48 kg these are not quick city wheels.

KingSong S22 PRO+

KingSong's long-travel wheel, set up for comfort over broken roads and gravel.

• 2,220 Wh
• 35 kg
• 130 mm travel

INMOTION V14 PRO

A trail wheel built around a suspension you set to the ground.

• 2,400 Wh
• 39 kg
• 85 mm travel

KingSong F18

Four-point suspension and deep torque, in a wheel you tune and service yourself.

• 2,664 Wh
• 41 kg
• 100 mm travel

Also in this family: BEGODE Extreme, INMOTION X1, BEGODE X-Way, KingSong F22 PRO. All of them side by side in Electric unicycles compared.

High-voltage flagships

4 wheels · 42–52 kg · 2,700–4,400 Wh

The highest-voltage family in the range, from the 151.2 V Lynx S to the 252 V X-Max. Higher voltage leaves headroom at speed: a pace that keeps smaller wheels near their limit goes by on the INMOTION P6 with power still in hand. The LeaperKim Lynx S pairs that power with long-travel suspension, the BEGODE Blitz Pro is built for long rides on asphalt, and the BEGODE X-Max adds 4,400 Wh and a choice of street or knobby tire.

• Good for: riders with plenty of kilometers behind them, usually on a fast wheel of their own.
• Think twice if: this would be your first or second wheel. Every one of them weighs 42 kg or more.

LeaperKim Lynx S

Long-travel suspension and a harder-hitting motor, built for fast roads and rough ground.

• 2,700 Wh
• 42.5 kg
• 90 mm travel

INMOTION P6

INMOTION's 235.2 V flagship, where real speed settles into an easy rhythm.

• 4,200 Wh
• 50.8 kg
• 90 mm travel

BEGODE X-Max

BEGODE's highest-voltage wheel, a heavyweight for experienced riders on road and trail.

• 4,400 Wh
• 52 kg
• 120 mm travel

Also in this family: BEGODE Blitz Pro. All of them side by side in Electric unicycles compared.

Weight decides where the wheel can live

Weight is the specification you live with every day, long after the top speed stops mattering. Every wheel in our range rolls on its tire, and most have a trolley handle, so moving one on the flat is easy. The trouble starts where the wheel has to leave the ground: stairs, a car trunk, a train door.

A practical test: if the wheel has to go up a flight of stairs every day, stay under about 20 kg; up to about 25 kg works if you accept the effort. Above about 45 kg a wheel needs a ground-floor home, an elevator or a garage.

Wheel size: what the inches change

The size in a wheel's name describes the outside diameter of the tire, as a class rather than an exact figure. A smaller wheel turns more quickly and weighs less; a taller one rolls over cracks more calmly and holds a steadier line at speed. Tire width matters as much as height: the wide tires on many 15- and 16-inch wheels trade a little agility in turns for stability.

Suspension or a rigid chassis

Suspension is the biggest change in how a wheel rides. A rigid wheel sends every pothole and curb edge straight into your knees, and only the tire cushions the road. A sprung wheel rounds those hits off, and on most models you can set the spring and damping to your weight. The price is weight, and often battery.

In both pairs the rigid wheel is lighter and carries more battery. If your streets are smooth, that is a good trade. If they are cobbled, cracked or patched, suspension makes the longer ride the more comfortable one. Travel in our range runs from 60 mm on the INMOTION V9 and BEGODE Falcon to 130 mm on the BEGODE Extreme, the KingSong S22 PRO+ and, at its longer setting, the BEGODE Blitz Pro.

Battery and voltage, briefly

Battery capacity in watt-hours (Wh) is stored energy, and it is the best single guide to range. It runs from 240 Wh on the INMOTION E20 to 4,700 Wh on the LeaperKim Sherman P and ORYX. How far that energy takes you depends on your weight, your speed, the hills and the temperature; our range guide shows how to estimate it.

Voltage (we quote the full-charge figure) tells you how much headroom the motor has. Higher voltage keeps more power in reserve at speed and on climbs, which is why the fastest wheels in the range run on 151.2 V to 252 V. It is not something a new rider needs, and it comes with weight.

If you have never ridden

Learning takes a few sessions, not a few minutes, and low-speed balance is the hardest part. That is where the learner wheels help.

Choose one of the first wheels above, or the KingSong 14S PRO or 16S PRO if you want a wheel to keep commuting on. Use the speed limit in the app while you learn, practice in a quiet, open place, and wear protection from the first session. Our safety guide covers the gear and the first rides.

What to budget for besides the wheel

• Protection. A helmet and wrist, knee and elbow guards, bought with the wheel and worn from the first ride. See helmets and body protection.
• Faster charging. Many larger wheels accept 10 to 20 A through a second charge port, with chargers that are not in the box. Our range guide lists charging times; see also chargers.
• Power pads and a seat. Pads give your legs a firm surface to hold, steer and slow with, and a seat helps on long rides. Not every wheel ships with them. See power pads and seats.
• A second tire. Several wheels are offered with a street or a knobby tread, and a spare tire lets one wheel lean toward the road or the trail.