Introduction
Scooters and electric bikes are fantastic transportation devices, but if you’re looking for something a bit more compact and potentially a bit more fun or eccentric, an electric unicycle might just do the trick, and out of those I’d start with this one – the Swagtron SwagRoller Electric Unicycle.
It’s a decent performer with all of the features for a much more affordable price tag than the alternatives.
If you can’t wait already – here is where you can get it right now.
Handling
It handles very well, lean front to accelerate and back to break and turn your upper body to whatever side you want to go.
It’s quite nimble in most situations with its 2 parallel wheels, but it will have a slightly longer learning curve that riding an electric kick scooter.
You should probably not wear a heavy backpack on this device, as it can easily make you lose your balance, but having said that, it can be truly fun riding this thing.
Portability
Arguably the best feature of electric unicycles is the form factor. This unicycle comes with a handle that you can just roll up and pull it like a bag.
It can easily fit in the trunk of a car, under your desk or anywhere you have room for a backpack-sized object and the battery charges fully in about 3 hours.
On the negative side, although it is quite small, you won’t be able to take in on an airplane due to the large battery capacity of 192 watt-hours (not even on the checked-in baggage) and weighing 30 lbs (13kg), it certainly isn’t the lightest thing to carry around all day.
Speed and range
The 450w motor offers a top speed of 9.5 miles per hour (about 15 km per hour) and a top range of 12.4 miles (approx 20 km) per single charge. It should be able to handle 15-degree hills but not more than that.
Wheels
It comes with 2 large 14″ air-filled wheels, and that means the ride will be very smooth, you won’t feel the bumps that easily, which is pretty good considering the position you’re riding in.
Look and feel
The build quality is very nice, it only comes in white, which sadly will show scratches quickly enough, but it is nonetheless a very sleek looking device.
It takes a while getting used to keeping your balance, I suggest starting with very basic one leg at a time and the second leg hopping on and off till you’re comfortable and make sure your posture is perfectly upright.
Other goodies
It comes with integrated speakers, allowing you to listen to your favorite tune while you ride. It also has an integrated front and back led lights, which you can customize using the dedicated app.
The app allows you to monitor the speed, power output, temperature and even your route on the map.
Conclusions
The Swagtron SwagRoller is a very good choice if you’re interested in an Electric Unicycle – it’s on the cheap side (about $400), it’s definitely fun, and it comes with customizable LED lights, integrated speakers and plenty of thrills to get you excited about your next commute.
Its design is well thought, its 14″ air-filled wheels are large enough to give you a smooth ride, and it’s 12 miles range is very much what you get from the majority of electric scooters out there, with the added advantage of the form factor and pretty futuristic look.
You can check out more user reviews here.