The Onewheel is not built to tackle the steepest of hills, the specifications state no higher than 15%. Still, with the launch of the Onewheel GT the added power definitely helps the board to tackle the incline. Down in the article, there are some tips for riding up a hill.
There is some downside of riding up hill, it will put way more stress on the motor and consciously climbing at high-temperature might risk the motor or battery to overheat. (Onewheel hill grade specification <15%)
“Never ride your Onewheel GT on inclines or declines with grades steeper than 15%. This may cause the motor and battery to overheat and will also void your warranty.”
Tips for riding a Onewheel up a hill
There are some tips and tricks for anyone who wants to tackle the hills and push their board to the limit. (Keep an eye on the temperature and ride at your own risk)
- Don’t go straight up, go up it diagonally. Riding diagonally reduces the slope of the hill during most of the climb. Ride from side to side and slowly climb up the hill.
- Changing the direction, when you are cutting back to the other side, is the most difficult part. This is because you are getting the full effect of the slope.
- Tips: Lower your center of gravity by bending both of your knees during the turn, also try and stay center above the wheel, both these tips will help and reduce the stress of the board.
These tips are increasingly more difficult to do the greater the slope, and sometimes some hills just aren’t wide enough. For these, the shown technique is your best bet, which is try to be as even with the board as possible, and avoid hitting any bumps.
Risk of riding a Onewheel up a steep hill
There are two common risks when riding a Onewheel up a steep hill for a long period of time. Riding upwards puts a lot of stress on the board, if it’s pushed to the limit of what the motor can deliver it will dip the nose down into the ground, nosedive. Also, the ground is much closer to the front of the board just because of the geometry of the slope itself, increasing the risk.
The second is the risk of overheating the board. The Onewheel is specified to ride hills with a grade of below 15%. The added stress of running the motor at the limit will risk the board overheating, in case of an overheating the motor will shut down.
Can the Onewheel go uphill?
Yes, the Onewheel can go uphill as long as the grade is less than 15%. Anything above might overstress the motor or battery resulting in either overheating or overpowering the board resulting in a nosedive.
