Start @ 60 - What could possibly happen??

[Vapco]

When the “Stay Home Stay Safe” stuff hit, I found a local Onewheel dealer and bought the last XR + he had in stock. I’ve never been a skate boarder, or snowboarder. Waterskiing and roller blades are as close as I came. It seemed perfectly logical to start a high likelihood-of-injury activity half way into my 60th year. Yes - I had the black-n-blue thigh when I did the splits during a poor dismount! Yes - I have a road rash knee and elbow! Yes - my back and ankle feel better now. Yes - every bit of it was worth it to be able to gently carve my way down the streets, up and down driveways, and across sidewalks! I’ll never be the wild trail rider, or the dude trying to push 22 MPH, but the enjoyment of being a Smoooooth Rider I hope to continue for years to come! Currently have 91 miles logged and looking forward to the next 1,000.

Here’s the video! https://youtu.be/Gxeyq377BTU

[UTrider]

@Vapco I'm 52, have 130 miles on mine (started in late September when the weather was bad. I'm not speed demon (have a disabled cell phone with a GPS speedometer app that has an alarm that goes off when I go over 10 mph). I ride streets and bike paths. When I started I set what I thought were realistic goals and baby steps. I've reached where I thought I would be by the end of the summer.

This is my kind of riding . . . (It was a short ride, the bike path is a little over a mile long total.)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VSFV7d_brg&t=

[OneDan+]

@Vapco I started almost 3 years ago at 59 and I'm gonna be 62 in August. Had a couple of nosedives, the worst one at the 600 mile mark going 21 mph! I survived and slowed down. Now, I ride with my Android watch connected to my phone connect to my XR and can keep an eye on battery and speed with a quick glance. Haven't had another wipe out since then and am now pushing about 4700 miles combining my original + and my current XR. Same as you, I ride mostly sidewalks and paved paths with about 10% hard packed dirt and gravel. Having snowboarded for the last 20 years, this is the closest thing to that feeling, but no lift lines, cold weather, or lift ticket costs!

I'll be riding until I can no longer balance! Have fun!!!

[Franko]

@Vapco you're in good company! i'll be 53 in a few short weeks, and i recently passed my 100 mile mark. I was one of the early Pint buyers, and i haven't had as much time to ride as i'd like, but boy do i love it. i'm no speed demon, i prefer to ride in the 10-12mph range, and like on my snowboard i like long, easy carving. am trying to learn to ride off curbs -- not sure how i'm going to learn to go UP curbs, but that's also on my list -- and i'm currently trying to learn to ride fakey/backwards. Float on!

[Maverik]

I’m 52 and have 270 miles on my XR. I love every minute on the ride!

[blkwalnutgrwr]

One of the more life-seasoned of this bunch here. Because of falls I gear up. Everyday or nearly so I am out Onewheeling for miles. Pretty much everything shared here and in other groups I have read and dare say even studied. At my own pace I have learned, reflected, and developed as a rider. One of the local riders points to me and says, "See, anybody can do it!"

[stinkyface]

Thanks Everyone here for making me feel young at 47......old mans activity? Or just older persons forum....

[Vapco]

@stinkyface - I’m thinking you are still young at 47! Use every minute of your day because you can never have them back....

[OneDan+]

@stinkyface said in Start @ 60 - What could possibly happen??:

old mans activity? Or just older persons forum

Nope, just an old persons thread! :)

[rnengel85]

So awesome!! I love it. Giving me hope that I can float for a long time to come!

[LidPhones]

I will be 59 in July and started on the first OW back in 2016. The V1 model at 500 watts was fun but you really needed to watch going up hill/ accelerating too fast or down went the nose.... The +, +XR and Pint models with 750 watt motors really made this a trusty and fun to ride sport...

So fun to see all the great people joining the family. We have close to 30 people in the Des Moines, IA area now.

I just got another 20 year old rider started on a Pint about a month ago. So fun now that we can have real group rides In our city.

PSA: Any Current group rides follow local COVID 19 requirements...... ;-)

[Sponge315]

@OneDan said in Start @ 60 - What could possibly happen??:

@stinkyface said in Start @ 60 - What could possibly happen??:

old mans activity? Or just older persons forum

Nope, just an old persons thread! :)

And it is a rather expensive for the average teen.

[rnengel85]

@Sponge315 I had a kid ask me the other day, “Where’d you get that kinda money?!”

“I work.” :-D

[sandtiger]

I turn 52 this Saturday. Just got my XR last week after a life spent NOT skateboarding or snowboarding. So much fun, I think about it when I'm at work. Some of the lessons have been painful, but it's such a wonderful thing to be able to travel on street, sidewalk, grass, trail. I love this thing.

[RUSH]

I'm happy to see I'm not the only one in "our" age group about 4 months ago I walked out of a Sixbucks coffee store and there was a guy standing right outside the door with a "skateboard" that had LED headlight and one go-kart wheel I wondered what the heck it was and strangely enough I walked to my rig and on a motorcycle forum page was an add for that darn cylcops skateboard so I clicked on it and read for a few hours and knew I had to have one lol !

4 months searching and watching CL , forums and ebay I finally bought my first OW XR with 178 miles from a young lady in Sherman Oaks Cali she had learned to ride on a Pint so the XR was pristine condition and came loaded with about $500 in options I wanted. This was 2 days ago and last night I found a deal on a new in box Pint with fender also in SoCal there isn't much for sale yet in Phoenix AZ my closest big city

I have a huge Triple 8 safety gear order on its way to me I bought two of everything they had I hope it helps lol

I tried to step on my XR and it didn't activate or turn on or whatever its called and I death wobbled see saw style for 6 rotations then bashed my ankle enough to bleed trying to step off and I moved a total of ZERO inches

This made me realize I just turned 59 years old and I don't want to end up in any ER during covid-mania

I know I'm going to ride OW's but I admit I'm scared to get messed up I have the most expensive insurance money can buy - as in no insurance - president osama made sure I lost my health care plan and my doctors in Seattle I really liked both retired once osamacare started

I was an avid skate boarder from 12 to 43 years old I used run 7 to 10 miles a night and carried my skateboard in case I was too tired to run home but never once used the board and finally stopped carrying it now I have no idea how I carried that board thousands of miles while running !

I like to design custom parts for motorcycles and I have some ideas for better, tougher and more versatile OW fangs / bumpers / float plates / rail mounts all in one bulletproof package but I hope FM will make all those things standard equipment on future OW's

I'm looking for a grassy field where the soil is not to soft so I can get my first rides in this weekend my Triple 8 gear is due Friday!

[Vapco]

Hi Rush - I loved your stories and writing style. I went for a nice 8.5 mile ride today in the old neighborhood where i grew up. Full of hills and uneven semi-crappy blacktop. Had a wonderful time without any mishaps. According to the app, at some point I went 12.5 MPH! Plenty fast for me and very enjoyable. I was wearing my Triple 8 gear as well.

Trying to just stand on the board is (in my opinion) not a good test of ability. It’s probably the hardest thing to do on a onewheel that is turned off. Turn it on and with someone sturdy in front of you hold arms and activate the board. It will help you balance front to back. Bend your front knee to shut the board off and the tail will drop. Do this several times with a partner. Watch the video’s in the app several times. Knowing the machine and how it behaves is huge!

Last little tidbit is if it is not rolling (even slowly) it will never feel stable. Creeping along on a flat hard surface is the only way to get a feel for the board. Practice the 2 food jump off (lots). When balance goes bad, don’t try to save things. Jump off quickly and let the board go belly up, then try again. Better the Onewheel gets a bit beat up than you. Never try to stop the board by taking your back foot off - The board will teach you how to do the splits, and believe me - NOT FUN!

Always remember - Old Guys Rule!

[RUSH]

Great to hear @Vapco thanks for the info ! I have no doubt I'll love the thing and my idea of fun riding is slow meandering around abandoned complexes I have plenty of fast scary things so going fast on a footboard is not my idea of fun I loved all forms of boarding except downhill like the Signal Hill Boys used to love lol !!! I had many years on standard skate boards and really only crashed half a dozen times. My Triple 8 Crate of gear arrives tomorrow so I expect by Sunday I'll have a first ride report and after all I'm not getting any younger ;-)

[SixFootFiveGuy]

This... this is pretty brilliant... what app is this? I'll look for one that does the same! I really like the idea!
@UTrider
(/post/57889):

I'm not speed demon (have a disabled cell phone with a GPS speedometer app that has an alarm that goes off when I go over 10 mph).

[UTrider]

@SixFootFiveGuy said in Start @ 60 - What could possibly happen??:

This... this is pretty brilliant... what app is this? I'll look for one that does the same! I really like the idea!
@UTrider
(/post/57889):

I'm not speed demon (have a disabled cell phone with a GPS speedometer app that has an alarm that goes off when I go over 10 mph).

I have an android phone. In the google play store search speedometer and look for this icon.

You can set what speed you want the alarm to go off at. I use a joggers cell phone holder that straps on my arm. (you can see it in this pic)

[RUSH]

@SixFootFiveGuy very cool idea I want lol