You walk around the city. Then a teenager silently sweeps past you, who stands on a crossbar with small wheels on the sides. He does not push off the ground - he just drives. The next minute, when you are standing at a traffic light, a bicycle rides along the road. great speed overtaking cars while its owner sits straight and does not think to press the pedals. Nearby is a girl who, as soon as the green light turns on, gets on her scooter and ... just rides. What's happening?

The point is that the future has already arrived. Human laziness and the desire to make life as comfortable as possible have led to the fact that almost all the usual mechanical means of transportation around the city, such as bicycles and scooters, have already been transferred to an electric drive - they are powered by electric motors. In parallel, civilization has come up with a huge number of new opportunities to move around the city, of course, with the help of electricity.

Electric bike

In principle, we have known about the existence of electric bicycles for a long time. We take an ordinary bicycle, adapt an electric motor to it, which is capable of accelerating our city vehicle without our help, and enjoy life. If you want to - pedal, if you want - you turn on the engine and catch the streams of wind in the face and envious glances of other cyclists.

Today, the electric bike is becoming not a curiosity, but a very fashionable means of transportation. Moreover, in big cities, where from home to work it is necessary to overcome 10-15 kilometers in traffic jams, an electric bike is not a whim and not a tribute to fashion, but a real necessity. This solution is especially relevant for those who do not want to get stuck in a traffic jam in a car, cannot move on a motorcycle, have no place to store a small scooter and live far from the nearest metro station. An electric bike that can hide on your balcony is a real way out of the situation.

Now prices for modern electric bicycles start at 25 thousand rubles and go almost to infinity. Moreover, when we say "practically to infinity", we mean it. Today you can buy an electric bike, the figure on the price tag of which will significantly exceed 500 thousand rubles - the amount for which you can buy a good, albeit a little used, foreign car.

Wheel motor

Do you already own a regular bike, which is already worth a lot, and you don't want to buy another one just because it has an electric motor in it? But sometimes you want to move around the city faster or spend a little less energy on climbing a hill?

There is a way out - a motor-wheel. It can turn a regular bicycle of a standard design into an almost complete e-bike. You are buying a wheel that already has an integrated electric motor that drives it. Then you just need to install such a wheel on your bike so that it turns into an electric bike. Count it - you are reinventing the wheel.

But these wheels will cost only slightly less than full-fledged electric bicycles. The price tag for them starts from 19 thousand. More advanced models can be bought for 26-30 thousand rubles.

Electric scooter

Remember, at the beginning we mentioned a girl who, having got on a scooter, went from a traffic light by herself, without pushing off the ground? She used an electric scooter.

Its essence is almost the same as that of an electric bike: an electric motor is built into the scooter, which is located under the footrest. It drives the rear wheel, which pushes the entire structure forward with you on it. To start the movement, it is only enough to transfer the weight to back scooter - in this way you press the pedal, which will set the vehicle in motion.

On such a scooter it is very convenient to move from home to the metro and from the metro to the place of work. It is not prohibited to carry scooters into the subway, so you will not have any problems with the electric scooter. The main thing is not to ride it inside the stations. This is not only prohibited, but also unsafe.

Prices for adult electric scooters start at 15 thousand and end at about 100. By the way, you can buy an electric scooter with large wheels, like a bicycle. But this luxury will cost you no less than 200 thousand rubles.

Electro skate

The next means of transportation in the city on our list is very similar to an electric scooter, only it has twice as many wheels, and there is no steering rack - an electric skate.

We are already used to ordinary skateboards and longboards on city streets. It's time to get used to the fact that skaters will rush past us, who do not need to push off with their feet to move - he pressed on the back of the skate and drove off.

The essence is the same as in a scooter - an electric motor built into the structure, which drives the wheels.

The cost of this miracle of technology starts at 23 thousand rubles. True, an assortment of similar Vehicle in our market is still scarce. But electric skateboards have only just begun to gain popularity.

One-wheel electric skate

Yes, there is such a curiosity - a one-wheeled electric skate. Based on their names, we understand that this is a kind of electric skateboard described above, but with one wheel instead of four. But how is this possible?

One-wheeled electric skate. Photo: Frame youtube.com

It's simple - the only wheel, large enough in size, is located in the slot - along the board. The upper part sticks out of the board, and the lower part touches the ground. A low center of gravity helps maintain balance. Such a vehicle looks cosmic in truth. Immediately you begin to believe that the future has already come.

Prices for these unusual means movement starts from about 30 thousand rubles.

Unicycle

Much like a one-wheeled electric skate, a monowheel is another futuristic means of getting around the city. The only difference from a skateboard is that a board from a skateboard is not attached to the wheel. A person moves while standing on one wheel.

If in the case of a skateboard you are standing along a wheel on a board, then the unicycle is equipped with two small footrests that are located on the sides of this wheel. You need to get up on them in such a way that the body is located across the wheel - crosswise. You get up and go.

Prices for monowheels start from 22-24 thousand rubles and run into an amount of about 75-80 thousand rubles.

Hoverboard

One of the most popular toys among urban youth today is a hoverboard. In some ways, it resembles a monowheel. The difference is that the wheels are twice as large, and the legroom is not on the sides of the wheels, but between them there is a small area, like on a skateboard, just not along, but across with small wheels on the sides.

The movement must be controlled by tilting the feet forward and backward. Lightly pressed on the "board" with his socks - went faster. I put an emphasis on the heels - slowed down. In principle, there is nothing difficult in driving - even small children, after a few minutes of experiments, begin to drive through the streets at a speed of 15-20 kilometers per hour.

This miracle of technology costs from 15 thousand rubles and more. A huge number of offers have already appeared on the market. The only drawback is the small size of the wheels, for which even a small obstacle on the street, a pothole or a ledge will be insurmountable. The price can increase up to 60 thousand rubles. There are also versions with large wheels.

Segway

One of the most familiar types of urban transport in the future, which has already become our present, is segway. Russians have long amused themselves by renting it in parks. It looks exactly like a gyro scooter, only with a handle, a steering wheel, which you can hold on to with your hands and control the movement.

Instead of pushing with your toes to increase speed and braking with your heels, in a segway, you only need to tilt your body forward slightly, pushing on the steering wheel to go forward, and shift your weight a little back to slow down.

Despite the slight difference in design, segways are much more expensive than hoverboards. The fact is that they are really considered a means of transportation, and not just another toy and have wheels. bigger size and a battery with a large power reserve.

Prices for full-fledged segways start from 50-60 thousand rubles and practically do not have an upper bar, going beyond the horizon of 300 thousand rubles.

The unicycle is a versatile exercise machine that allows the rider to develop a sense of balance and coordination of movements. People who prefer to ride a unicycle find it much easier to learn skiing, tightrope walking, snowboarding, and also learn to ride faster rear wheel an ordinary bicycle or motorcycle.

Unicycle - what is the name of such a means of transportation?

The correct name for a unicycle is unicycle. When a person hears this definition for the first time, some incredibly complex means of transportation usually appears in his imagination. Although each of us has repeatedly seen the "younger brothers" of modern unicycles during circus performances. Bicycles, which consist of a seat, a pair of pedals, and a single wheel, are, by definition, unicycles.

How difficult is it to ride a unicycle?

Mastering a unicycle is not much more difficult than a regular one, especially if a seasoned cyclist takes up the task. And here only a little depends on the correct balancing. To move, the rider needs to timely fend off recurring deviations by performing micromovements with the seat, which acts here as a kind of steering wheel. Pedal controls also play a role in changing position and direction of travel.

Security issue

Looking at the device of a unicycle, you might think that it is extremely unsafe to ride such a vehicle. However, in reality, riding a unicycle is several times safer than riding two-wheeled bicycles.

What usually happens during a front wheel hit two-wheeled bicycle into the groove when driving at high speed? Often, the rider flies over the handlebars, after which the weight of the bike falls on him with all his might. Once in such a situation, the unicycle rider has the ability to simply jump off the seat forward, thus continuing the inertial movement. And this happens automatically, in a natural way. Therefore, only extreme lovers get injuries while riding unicycle.

Unicycle advantages

A unicycle can become not only a godsend for experienced cycling enthusiasts who no longer have enough adrenaline. This option can be used for convenient movement in a populous city with busy traffic.

Among other things, modern unicycles have the following advantages:

• such bicycles are as compact as possible, which allows them to be conveniently placed in any free corner;
• if necessary, an impromptu one-wheeled one can be made from a unicycle, securely attaching it to a two-wheeled model with the help of improvised means;
• with a unicycle, you can easily visit, visit shops, cafes, entertainment establishments, office premises, not only take it with you, but also use it in the metro, bring it into public transport (and you do not need to pay for travel with a unicycle, as it can be used as a separate part of a full-fledged bike);
• a unicycle is absolutely safe for its owner, you need to try hard to get damaged or injured even at the stage of learning to ride a unicycle;
• due to the highest maneuverability and low weight, unicycle models are safe for pedestrians;
• if desired, you can make a one-wheeled one using old spare parts from a conventional two-wheeled one.

Where is the unicycle allowed?

Traffic police classify unicycle as a cross between an ordinary pedestrian and Officially unicycles do not belong to transport and therefore should not move on roads common use obeying the traffic rules established for cars.

It is advisable to ride a unicycle in urban areas on the sidewalks, making a careful movement and performing maneuvers that are safe for others.

How to learn to ride a unicycle?

To acquire the skills to ride a unicycle confidently, training is required. It is desirable to start with the most simple exercises, not forgetting the need to use protective equipment: helmet, knee pads, gloves, elbow pads, etc.

You can learn to ride a unicycle through regular training, which consists of several stages:

1. First you need to learn how to keep your balance. You can use both a modern and an old unicycle circus bicycle for this. A friend can help keep the body upright. Alternatively, you can lean against a wall or secure supports. The main task at the same time, the acquisition becomes the maximum stable position while in the seat without moving back and forth.
2. As soon as a confident stance has been developed, you can proceed to the next stage of training - movement. To start moving on a unicycle, a slight, almost imperceptible tilt in the required direction is enough. At the same time, start pedaling in the same direction. Travel speed can be adjusted by touching the tire with the sole of your foot.
3. The third step is learning to accelerate, maintain speed, and brake. The more the unicycle rider tilts own body forward, the more speed he will have to pedal to maintain balance. Tilting the body backwards will help to slightly reduce the speed of movement. In general, you need to be able to find a balance between body movements and movement of the unicycle.

Naturally, for confident and even masterly control unicycle a lot of persistence is required, good strength will and, of course, practice. Indeed, without the presence of special enthusiasm, consistent attempts and significant efforts, not everyone can even learn to roller-skate.

Sooner or later, every bicycle lover gets the idea that it would be nice to learn how to perform some tricks. The newcomer bravely takes on the task, but after each painful fall, his ardor fades more and more rapidly. In the end, he comes to the conclusion that cycling is not for him, and switches to something else. However, learning many of the basic extreme bike riding techniques does not require any supernatural ability. They are based on the simplest principles known to any of the school physics course, and when the right approach mastering them will not be difficult.

Rear Wheel Riding Techniques

First you need to learn to ride the rear wheel. After mastering this trick, one might wonder how to lift the rear wheel on a bike to do it.

There are two main options for rearing up:

• Willie(from English name"Wheelie"), in which movement on one is carried out by pedaling.
• Surf. In this case, you have to drive without pedaling, but only at the expense of the pre-set speed.

Choosing a place to study

A suitable place should be chosen for training, and for each of the techniques diametrically opposite conditions are required. Willie is much easier to do uphill, and for mastering surfing, a site with a slight smooth slope downhill is suitable. In both cases, the road on which to ride must be flat, long and smooth.

Wheelie performance on a bicycle

Before training, you should take care of protection, because falls on initial stage are inevitable.

The saddle must be lowered, otherwise it will be difficult to maintain balance. It is necessary to select such a height so that when the cranks are parallel to the road surface, the knees are bent at an angle of about 90 °. The arms should not be bent, they should be straight.

We get on the back wheel. Most common mistakes

It is difficult to determine the optimal speed at which to learn to ride on the rear wheel, and it is not that important. The faster, the easier it is to keep your balance. Usually the middle sprocket on both wheels is chosen.

Having accelerated to 12-15 km / h, you can begin to pull the steering wheel up and raise front wheel, having previously transferred the weight of the body back. This is where the main difference between wheelie and surf comes in. When performing a wheelie, the rider remains in the saddle, abruptly scrolling the pedals during the jerk. In order to surf, you need to stand on the pedals. All other points are the same in both cases. Keep your arms straight at all times. Trying to pull the front wheel towards you bent arms Is one of the main mistakes beginners make. You may be able to ride a few extra meters, but the bike will be impossible to control.

Another common mistake beginners make when trying to stand on one wheel is excessive or insufficient force applied to the handlebars when pulling out. In the first case, the bike starts to fall back, and you have to press the brake. In the second, he does not have time to reach the balance point and goes down. It is necessary to find something in between, and then access to the rear wheel will not create any problems.

How to keep your balance

After the bike has reared up and the balance is caught, the main thing is to learn how to maintain balance. When performing a wheelie, the bike is controlled by moving the center of gravity and changing its speed. If it falls forward, then you need to pedal faster and tilt the body back. If it falls back, slow down gently and smoothly, while moving forward. When tilted to the right, the left knee is extended to the side, and the right knee is pressed against the frame. When leaning to the left, the opposite is true. Controlling the bike while surfing requires the same actions, but without pedaling.

With the right approach, learning to ride one wheel of a bicycle will be easy and quick, and you can move on to learning more complex techniques. You just need to practice more often and avoid mistakes, and sooner or later your efforts will bring desired result... Remember that all the pros have gone through setbacks, and the main thing that sets you apart from them is the experience gained from long hours of grueling training.

Moving without visible support is always surprising. At one time, the appearance of a two-wheeled scooter Segway made a lot of noise. Many simply did not understand how such a seemingly unstable device could serve as a means of movement. However, now this device is actively used in sporting events on golf, on the set and even for patrolling the streets. Therefore, it is not surprising that other similar developments are gradually appearing in the world. One such innovative solution is the one-wheeled scooter Solowheel from American company Inventist.

The fundamental operating principle of the new device is the same as that of its predecessor. This is the same indicator stabilization system, consisting of a complex of liquid and gyroscopic sensors. Inside the scooter, all information is continuously read, allowing you to accurately determine the location of the device and its driver in space. The pulses processed by the microprocessor are sent to the electric motor, which drives the drive of a single wheel.

The device appears to have been designed with a focus on compactness. The one-wheel scooter weighs only 10 kg and consists of a wheel and a control unit. No handlebars or retaining bars are provided. To prepare for movement, the user only needs to place the foot platform in a horizontal position. When transported manually, this platform is spring-locked along the casing of a single wheel.

Despite the seeming simplicity, it is not so easy for an unprepared person to manage a novelty. To ride confidently, you need to complete a short introductory course, which includes teaching the rules of balancing and movement on the device.

To start moving, you just need to lean forward slightly. The speed of movement, like that of the Segway, is regulated by the angle of inclination of the body in relation to the vertical plane. Lean more forward - go faster, lean back - slow down and start moving in reverse.

The first owners of a scooter note a psychological barrier that prevents confident handling. At first, it is difficult to find the right body balance required for smooth acceleration or deceleration. Since the device is minimalistic, the only control system responsible for performing all the movement functions is the user's own body. However, it should be said that the feeling of insecurity quickly passes, and after several trips, the novelty begins to give an unforgettable sensation of movement. And from the outside it looks very impressive.

The device uses several lithium-ion batteries as a power source, a full charge of which is enough for about 20 kilometers on an asphalt surface. It should be noted that the current modification of the Solowheel is intended only for movement on a solid and level surface. Unlike the Segway, which has special versions for grass and soil, the one-wheeled scooter is a city dweller who only feels confident in his native conditions.

The built-in batteries can be charged using an ordinary city power supply. The complete recharging process takes about 6 hours. It is clear that this will be mainly at night. In order to maintain the required level of battery charge, the new product uses an energy recovery system, similar to those used in modern electric vehicles. So, when descending from a hill or during braking, a small recharge of the battery will occur.

The maximum speed of the vehicle is limited to 20 kilometers per hour, which should be enough for comfortable and safe movement on the sidewalks of the city. A separate parking space for the scooter is not required, you can always grab it by the handle and simply take it with you indoors.

It is clear that such a technological novelty is unlikely to find its admirers in Russian conditions. This way of moving is too unusual for us, and the price is not too affordable. However, in some countries, such as Japan or the United States, such devices are very popular, as they allow you to unload highways and speed up movement on pedestrian paths.

Mar 15, 2012 by the author in the heading

Of course, many have seen entertaining video clips in which professional riders effectively and effectively ride the rear wheel, performing various tricks. The spectacle, it must be admitted, is very exciting. In general, surfing - riding on the rear wheel - is gaining more and more popularity. No type of extreme skiing can do without this element. Therefore, there is no doubt that almost every teenager would like to learn to ride on the rear wheel in order to surprise their beautiful girlfriends.

And you can be sure that almost everyone with a bicycle has made an independent attempt to learn how to ride the surf. Naturally, in most cases these attempts ended in failure. However, there is no need to despair, because riding on the rear wheel is quite an achievable goal. It is difficult to study, but nobody promised an easy life.

The first lesson is to pull out the steering wheel correctly.

Let's start learning. It must be learned that to ride on the rear wheel, the rider must never sit - he must be on the pedals. While driving, you need to gradually transfer your body weight to the rear wheel. At the same time, along with this, it is necessary with straight arms (only straight, in no case bent) to slowly pull the steering wheel behind you. The legs also work - they bend smoothly to right angle at 90 degrees.

Thus, the most important thing that any novice surfer should understand is straight arms and legs bent at the knees. Otherwise, nothing will work.

Lesson two - bike control

What speed should you drive? It only depends on the rider. For example, if the bicycles are traveling at a very low speed, then it is very difficult to pull the handlebars. But there is less chance of falling off the bike and filling yourself with bumps. In short, you found the optimal speed, smoothly pulled the steering wheel. It remains only to catch the balance point. The easiest part of the path has been passed. Now you need to learn how to maintain balance. And to do this, honey by the way, is not so easy. You need to balance with the movements of the handlebars, as well as the arms and legs. You will have to spend a lot of time trying to keep your balance while riding on the rear wheel.

The third lesson - improving our skills

In general, that's all. You now know the basics of surfing. It remains only to re-read everything again and start training. To be successful, you need to train constantly, not from time to time. Only then can you surprise those around you by riding on the rear wheel.