Wobbling on a Onewheel is very common for beginners. After researching and practice, I have found some techniques that can help you to rid yourself of the Onewheel wobbles and keep you safe.

RAD TIP!

The Onewheel’s greatest strength is the ability to go on all sorts of terrain, carve, and make tight turns. It is NOT a speed machine. If you want to go fast get an electric skateboard or motorcycle. Instead of focusing on breaking speed records, take it easy and focus on carving. This will reduce wobble and keep you safe as you learn!

The first time I jumped on a Onewheel I was so worried about nosediving. I had seen several Youtube videos that scared the pants off of me so I make sure to take it slow. But the one thing that I was not prepared for when riding the board was the phenomenon of the wobble.

What is Onewheel Wobble?

Just like the name says, it is when your board rocks back in a lateral direction from side to side. While this can be corrected as slow to moderate speeds, the wobbling just gets worse when you try to fight it at high speeds.

What Causes Onewheel Wobble?

There are many theories for the Onewheel wobble. Here are my thoughts:

Beginner Inexperience: Learning to ride the Onewheel is like learning to ride anything new for the first time. It needs to be learned and practiced. There are so many new muscles movements, even for those experienced in board sports, riding the  Onewheel requires time to gain the muscle memory before you can feel really comfortable on the board.

Foot Fatigue: Also a product of being a beginner Onewheeler, your muscles are not used to being used in this fashion. They will tire out. Even though there is a motor getting from point A to point B, at the beginning it takes a lot of balance and focus to keep the board going. Don’t push it too hard if your feet and legs are aching. Tire legs results in carelessness which leads to wobbling and falls. Take it easy and take frequent breaks.

Stock Vega Tire: Some say that because the stock tire that comes with the Onewheel does not have rounded edges, that makes it more likely to wobble. But before you go swapping out your tire for an option with rounded edges, most will agree that the stock tire is best for beginners because of its flat face. While not have rounded edges may contribute wobble, I think it is less of a factor.

PSI: Tire pressure is a personal preference for many experienced riders. Some say that having too much pressure will cause wobble while others say that having too little pressure will cause it. I recommend just keeping it within the Future Motion recommended limits and you should be fine.

How Do You Stop Wobbling on the Onewheel?

Don’t Go Fast: The need for speed is what gets people in trouble. Besides the dreaded nosedive, at high speeds recovering for little bumps in the road can be difficult for beginners. I know I have been cruising at around 15 mph when I hit a little bump in the road which got me off balance and sent me into a wobble. If you ever find yourself wobbling, don’t fight through it. Instead try to regain control by slowing down. The Onewheel is great for cruising so enjoy the journey!

Take Breaks: The biggest thing you can do to reduce wobble as a beginner is to cruise at a nice comfortable speed and to take frequent breaks when your feet and legs get tired. Foot fatigue is common in beginners who tend to ride too stiff. When the legs get tired, that leads to mistakes and injury. Take frequent breaks and chat with all the people wanting to know more about that board from the future you are riding.

Practice Carving: Every day should be a powder day on the Onewheel. Instead of just going straight, practice bending your knees a bit and rocking back and forth at the hips to get a gentle carving motion going. The bent knees will help absorb the bumps in the road and the carving motion will help beginner riders to loosen up. By carving you distribute the muscles working in your legs which really helps with foot fatigue.

Just Keep Riding: I have seen a lot of people give up on the Onewheel because they felt that it wasn’t for them (it’s the reason why low mileage used Onewheels can be found online). In reality, the Onewheel is for everyone and it’s a matter of whether you are willing to commit the time and effort to learn how to ride. With practice, the foot fatigue and the wobbles will disappear.

Here is a video I made that goes over how I was able to overcome wobbling and foot fatigue: