Video Content

Written Content

Two Major Flaws That Could Wreck Your Antic Experience (And Your Tailbone)

The Onewheel Antic is marketed as a "mischief machine" designed to make wheelies effortless. But as we recently discovered, that very technology can become a liability when the terrain gets steep or the rider gets comfortable.

1. The Hill Climb Paradox: When Tech Fails on Incline

The Antic is surprisingly zippy on moderate grades, but it completely falls apart when you hit the real steep stuff. During our 21-degree slope test—the ultimate stress test for any e-bike—we hit a major software wall.

• The Issue: On extreme inclines, the bike's gyroscopic sensors get confused. Because the bike is tilted so far back due to the hill's grade, the software automatically assumes you are trying to wheelie and switches into "Onewheel Mode" [01:42].
• The Consequence: Once the light turns purple and the bike enters wheelie mode, the twist throttle stops working because the bike is now looking for "lean-to-go" input [02:11]. This effectively kills your momentum mid-climb.
• The Verdict: If you live in a city like San Francisco or deal with 20%+ grades, the Antic’s "smart" tech actually makes it a poor hill climber unless you manually disable the very features you bought the bike for [02:33].

2. The "Safety Mode" Trap: User Error or Design Flaw?

The second issue is much more dangerous and resulted in a nasty loop-out crash that nailed Jimmy's tailbone and head against the pavement [04:09].

• The Issue: To conquer the steep hills mentioned above, you have to turn off the wheelie function in the app (the light changes from blue to white). The problem? The bike looks and feels exactly the same when you're cruising home [03:20].
• The Consequence: Because this is a "wheelie bike," your muscle memory tells you to yank back on the bars to pop the front end up. If you forget that you disabled the software safety net, the bike will not catch you.
• The Comparison: This is where the Wheelie Fun Bike (WFB) has a clear advantage. The WFB uses a dedicated physical button to engage the wheelie [05:10]. If that button isn't pressed, you aren't in "stunt mode." On the Antic, relying on a software toggle that stays off until you remember to go back into the app might be sketchy for some riders.

The Freshly Charged Pro-Tip: PSI Matters

On a lighter note, we did find a fix for the "oscillation" and "sketchy" high-speed handling Andrew mentioned in our first look.

• The Fix: Out of the box, the tires were at a rock-hard 35 PSI [00:36]. By airing them down, the ride becomes significantly more plush and stable over cracks and crevices [00:43]. Just be aware that the tires list their recommendations in "Bar," so keep your converter app handy [00:23].

The Bottom Line

The Antic is a blast when it works, but these two issues—the hill-climb sensor confusion and the lack of a physical engagement button—are serious drawbacks. If you’re riding an Antic, never turn off the blue light unless absolutely necessary, and if you do, make it your #1 priority to turn it back on before you "feel the stoke" on your way home.