Today, a gyro scooter is as common as a bicycle with a scooter. Many people are fascinated by the unusual vehicle, but refuse to buy it, fearing that managing a segway will be too complicated.
Basic Rules
In fact, learning to ride a gyro scooter is not as difficult as it might seem. The task is simplified if the skater already has skills in skateboard or roller skates. Quite often, a quarter of an hour is enough to learn how to maintain balance, and a couple of hours later a person without any support moves over short distances.
The gyro scooter works thanks to the presence of sensors that respond to changes in body position. In this way, balance is maintained during movement, and a special program synchronizes all ongoing processes.
One of the main rules for using a Segway is compliance with the selected model and roads for movement.
- First-class gyro scooters have small wheels with a diameter of just 4.6 inches. They should only be used on absolutely flat surfaces, as the slightest depression or sharp rise will lead to scratches and even damage to the case.
- Second-class models are equipped with 6.5-inch wheels. They are also used on flat surfaces to avoid shortening the service life. Despite the gap between the device itself and the road, the presence of rubber tubeless wheels creates certain restrictions.
- Third-class segways are equipped with 8-inch tires. This allows you to operate the device not only on asphalt roads, but also on the lawn, land and even in puddles. Nevertheless, on bad roads, it is better not to use the device - the occurrence of strong vibration will lead to a deterioration of the gyroscope.
- Finally, devices of the fourth class with a wheel diameter of 10 inches, as well as an inflatable chamber system can be used on absolutely any surface.
As for the winter season, the use of Segway at this time is not forbidden, but only subject to a number of conditions. It is important to ensure that the platform level is higher than the snow level, otherwise the device will quickly become stuck. The speed of movement will have to withstand moderate and be prepared for the fact that after one and a half hours of operation, the battery will fail.
Plastic models will not be able to stay in the cold for a long time, unlike carbon ones. Operation of the vehicle should always be completed by drying and wiping the hoverboard.
For novice segway owners, it is recommended that you don’t immediately switch to riding without a steering wheel, but first purchase a model equipped with a handle or steering column. Such a device is much easier to manage, in addition there is an opportunity to learn how to maintain balance in more comfortable conditions.
An important question is how long the gyro scooter can move, since the device requires periodic charging. Usually, without stopping, the segway can cover 25 kilometers, but the exact data is always indicated in the vehicle instructions and depends on the model chosen. When the device is discharged, it is better to put it in a special bag for carrying.
When planning a route, you need to remember this aspect. and not stop by where it’s hard to walk back from where. In addition, it is important to remember that the gyro scooter cannot be accelerated by more than 20 kilometers per hour and, of course, at this speed you should not go where there are a lot of people.
How to get up?
A simple instruction allows even a child to quickly learn how to stand on a gyro scooter. The first step is to find a perfectly flat horizontal surface without any dents, drops or damage. If possible, training should even be done at home. A good recommendation is to learn everything either independently or with a professional, as the audience in this situation will be superfluous.
Before you climb onto the hoverboard, you should turn it on and check if the available sensors are in order. The easiest way to do this is to put your hands on the footrests and shake them back and forth.
Then you can climb the segway. The device is installed in front of an assistant or in front of a wall that you can hold onto. The first leg is placed very carefully on the stand, so as not to create a tilt. The device should vibrate in response, giving a signal that it is ready to start. As soon as the balance is felt, you can put the second leg.
The final position should be clear and stable, and the body should be located exactly in the center. The gaze is directed only forward, the eyes do not fall. The knees are slightly bent, and there are no extra movements and waving arms.
Learning to manage
As mentioned above, for beginners it is better to purchase a hoverboard with a handle. Learning to ride it, it will be much easier to use the device without a steering wheel. The ride process begins with the proper installation of your body on the platform. Next, you need to understand the following: if the body leans forward, the segway moves forward, and if the body is tilted back, then the segway either leans back or stops. Turns occur due to a slight tilt to the right or left side.
First of all, a beginner needs to try to tilt his whole body forward, but not too intensely. The vehicle will go, and as soon as the balance is reached, you can try to lean back and stop the device. When such a procedure is carried out for the first time, it is better if someone keeps the person rolling by the hand or just makes sure they are close by. The next step is learning to move back with a neat and quick stop. For the first time, tilting back is best done in a helmet and with additional protection, since it is likely to fall.
It is important to remember that the stronger the slope, the higher the speed. The legs are slightly bent at the knees to maintain balance. Hands can be held either in pockets or on a belt, since they are not involved in movement. If things are taken with them, then their weight should not exceed 5 kilograms.
For braking, it is important not only to lean back, but also try to transfer the weight to the heels. First, of course, the gyro scooter will begin to move backward, but then the device will stop.
How to turn
Turns on the Segway require preliminary training, but in general they also do not cause any special difficulties. When it is necessary to turn to the left side, the weight is transferred to the right leg, and when it is necessary to turn to the right, the weight is transferred to the left leg.
As a rule, confusion arises first, but a few workouts will solve this problem. For a 360-degree turn, you need to do otherwise. The heel of the right foot is pressed against the surface of the gyroscope and leans back slightly, and the toe of the left foot, also pressing against the platform, presses forward.
Various tricks
Before proceeding to the tricks, it is important to memorize safety rules. It is better not to move around without protection, since the device has a speed of up to 25 kilometers per hour, and in an emergency the fall will be very painful. At first, the gyro scooter will obviously crash into the asphalt sides or fall, so you should also take care of the protection made of plastic or silicone.
In no case is it recommended to ride a vehicle after drinking alcohol, and also to allow children to ride on it without additional protection.
One of the simplest tricks is to rotate in one place. If you have to spin to the left side, you need to lean to the left and slightly forward, while the second leg should remain in its original position. The gyro scooter, due to this, will begin to revolve around that leg, which provides pressure. To increase the speed, you need to press harder on the surface in the forward direction.
Another interesting trick is "Snake", which looks extremely impressive. The Segway is located sideways so that the drive wheel looks in the direction of travel. To change the direction, you need to create a leg movement back and forth, which requires a little training.
"Snake" is carried out due to the fact that the center of gravity falls on one leg, and the other leg is responsible for the movement and pressure, just the one that corresponds to the direction of movement. That is, if the gyro scooter goes to the right, then the right foot is responsible for the movement, and if it goes to the left, then, accordingly, the left foot.
Borders are already available for those people who are well trained in simple movement on a Segway and have mastered such qualities as composure and coordination of movements. To begin with, you should only move on wide wheels and master a height not exceeding 3-4 centimeters. In the future, this level is allowed to increase to 5-7 centimeters. There are two ways to learn how to overcome borders. In the first embodiment, sufficient speed is gained to create the momentum necessary to overcome the obstacle.
In the second version, one wheel is brought into the curb with the help of the leg, which is the leading one for the skater. Next, a 180-degree turn is made, as a result of which the second leg, together with the gyro scooter itself, is on the curb.
Having mastered the usual rotation, you can go and to rotation on one leg, carried out by means of balance. To do this, the gyro scooter needs to be pressed solely with its leading foot, which determines which direction the rotation will be carried out. Having reliably settled down on the platform, it is necessary to sit down, lean against the body with the opposite hand, and extend the free leg parallel to it. Next, the working leg initiates movement in the required direction.
Next, watch a video with tips on how to learn how to ride a gyro scooter.
