this post was submitted on 27 Oct 2023
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micromobility - Ebikes, scooters, longboards: Whatever floats your goat, this is micromobility

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Ebikes, bicycles, scooters, skateboards, longboards, eboards, motorcycles, skates, unicycles: Whatever floats your goat, this is all things micromobility!

"Transportation using lightweight vehicles such as bicycles or scooters, especially electric ones that may be borrowed as part of a self-service rental program in which people rent vehicles for short-term use within a town or city.

micromobility is seen as a potential solution to moving people more efficiently around cities"

Feel free to also check out

!utilitycycling@slrpnk.net

!bikewrench@lemmy.world

!bikecommuting@lemmy.world

!bikepacking@lemmy.world

!electricbikes@lemmy.world

!bicycle_touring@lemmy.world

!notjustbikes@feddit.nl

!longboard@lemmy.world

It's a little sad that we need to actually say this, but:

Don't be an asshole or you will be permanently banned.

Respectful debate is totally OK, criticizing a product is fine, but being verbally abusive will not be tolerated.

Focus on discussing the idea, not attacking the person.

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[–] litchralee@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

After settling down from the surprise of this headline, assuming that they're remaining faithful to the idea of walking -- where both feet remain in contact with the ground; see running, where they don't -- then perhaps this product is best understood as motorized skates that reuse the same interface as walking.

As in, the foot's heel-then-toe contact speed is proportional to forward speed, and sudden flattening of the foot with high toe pressure means an emergency stop.

It's clever and I'd like to see how this goes, although it might be ineffective on stairs -- few micromobility devices ever are -- and might require fairly smooth surfaces due to the small wheels.

EDIT: oh dear, the actual product implementation seems pretty poor, after watching a YouTube video of them in action. Noise, weight, and an apparent lack of substantial speed increase. Maybe not quite prime time yet.

[–] FARTYSHARTBLAST@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yeah, kinda seems like you'd be better off with roller skates, roller blade, or even heelies

[–] litchralee@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

So many Heelies could be had for the same money as this product, and still trounce it in the downhills haha

[–] LowtierComputer@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I've never used Heelies before, but was fascinated as a kid. Where would one try Heelies or buy them nowadays?

[–] litchralee@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 year ago

I've also never used them, but fondly recall the sight of fellow middle school students dashing down a hall. It looks like the Heelys website sells them, but it may be difficult to find the shoes in a brick-and-mortar shoe store, if those stores even exist still.