The Commander by an Extreme Bull, an off shoot company of Gotway (aka Begode, yes I know it’s confusing) is an electric unicycle with big batteries, a big motor, high speed, and long range that will appeal to street and trail riders who love to go big and go fast, but does the Commander deserve the big price tag?
The Commander looks awfully like the wildly popular Veteran Sherman EUC, the EUC that captured the attention of the EUC community when it was first announced and then captured the hearts with its stability, durability, range and speed.
But perhaps a better name for the Commander should be the “CopyCat” because Begode, or Gotway, or Extreme Bull, or whatever the company calls themselves right now, obviously came up with the designs for the Commander after studying and taking apart a Veteran Sherman.
There’s nothing wrong with taking inspiration from industry leading designs and concepts as long as the new product gets improved upon. That is how products become better over time and in the end, the consumers are the beneficiaries.
What did Gotway do to improve upon the Veteran Sherman design?
First report, “A+” man, I’m loving the ride on this. It’s a true contender for the Sherman.
Marty Backe
Extreme Bull Commander vs Veteran Sherman
| Commander | Sherman | |
|---|---|---|
| Battery | 3600 Wh Samsung 21700 50E cells | 3200 Wh Panasonic NCR18650GA |
| Motor | 2800 W | 2500 W |
| Weight | 80 lbs | 77 lbs |
| Height | 23.6″ | 23.4″ |
| Charger | 3A | 5A |
| Range | TBD | >100 miles |
| Top “Safe” Speed | 40 mph (HT) | 45mph |
| Military themed name | Yes | Yes |
Check out current pricing and availability for the Commander EUCo.
Looking at the specs, the Commander outdoes the Sherman in many categories which EUC enthusiasts will get excited about.
However, missing from the Commander is the most distinctive feature of the Veteran Sherman: the roll cage.
The Sherman roll cage looked great and offered great functionality as a handle, protection to the body during a fall, and attachment points for various accessories.
Note to companies: if you are going to copy something, be sure to take the best features of whatever you are copying.
Regardless of how much copying is going on, the question is: Can the Sherman clone succeed despite being manufactured by a company who seems to be more focused on changing its name than improving its quality control?
Can Gotway (or Extreme Bull or Begode… whatever you want to call them) regain the EUC community’s trust by delivering a solid and reliable electric unicycle that won’t randomly cut out or burst into flames?
Initial reports are mixed
Those who have received early models of the Commander speak glowingly of the improved materials, construction, and fit and finish of the Commander, much improved over the usual low quality we have come to expect from Gotway in the past.
YouTube Marty Backe gives the Commander an A+ grade on his initial ride video, taking the EUC up to 30 mph.
The popular EUC rider Kuji from the YouTube channel Kuji Rolls suffered a cutout while testing the Commander, a bad sign that maybe things have not changed.
But, the cutout is reported to be from hardware failure due to a manufacturing defect which is more acceptable than a cutout for no apparent reason or from an inherent design flaw.
We can only hope that Begode will learn from its checkered past and try to improve their products. If the sport and hobby of electric unicycling is to succeed, it needs to grow past its history of battery fires and random cut outs.
Why we need a Veteran Sherman clone
The Veteran Sherman was the first EUC attempt by the company LeaperKim, founded by former Gotway employees. The Sherman was wildly successful, in part because of the unique appearance, quality build, and impressive capabilities.
We need a Veteran Sherman clone because we need the largest EUC company, Gotway (aka Begode), to wake up and realize that in addition to power and speed, EUC riders demand quality, reliability and durability.
We know Gotway can copy the design of another company’s EUC, but can they copy the quality?
Yes!
My Commander Experience
The Commander comes with a knobby tire but the Commander that I rode and reviewed had a street tire that the folks at EUCo put on and it felt very comfortable and natural.
At first glance, the Commander looks like a clone of the popular Veteran Sherman, and even tear downs have shown Veteran inspiration on the inside. But upon closer inspection, the Commander has Gotway fingerprints all over it, some good, and some bad.
While the Commander won’t win any beauty contests, the ride feel, power, and range will definitely win over long distance enthusiasts.
The Commander rides like a high end Gotway: balanced and powerful.
The huge 3600 Wh battery paired with the 2800 W motor driving a 20 in tire, gives the Commander incredible speed and range.
With the same battery size as the Monster Pro at 3600 Wh, but in a smaller package, the Commander is fast and agile while able to travel longer than any other EUC that has ever come before it.
The huge battery and powerful motor makes the Commander a force to be reckoned with but there are some disappointing design choices I just can’t wrap my brain around.
The Problems with the Commander EUC
And because some have accused of complaining too much in my reviews, I’ll offer a solution to go along with each of these 10 critiques:
- The headlight and taillight are embarrassingly weak. (Solution: get a third party light)
- No USB to charge my peripherals (Solution: carry a portable charger for your stuff)
- Speakers are facing the wrong direction (Solution: get a portable speaker)
- Sharp handles (Solution: wear gloves)
- Crappy display screen (Solution: don’t look down)
- Bland look (I personally like the blank slate, for me to accessorize how I like. If the bland look bothers you, put some stickers on it)
- Pedals get slippery when wet (Solution: put some grip tape on them or replace them)
- Too heavy. (Solution: get a gym membership) Because of the weight and traditional single axel motor, the Commander is probably not for high flying jumps and stunts, but I’m sure someone will try
- Internal fan is loud (Solution: turn up the music)
- Small charger (Solution: get a fast charger)
- Expensive (Solution: sell all your Crypto)
The Best Things About the Commander EUC
The list for the things I love about this wheel is shorter, but possibly of more importance, because after all, the most important thing about an EUC is the ride quality, something you can’t easily change or upgrade:
- Great torque. Accelerating and stopping needs torque and this is one of the easier wheels to pendulum after the Mten 3, another extremely torquey wheel.
- Great range. I’m not a marathon rider, but for those of you who are, there is no other wheel on the market right now that will go farther than the Commander. I say right now because it seems like a new EUC gets announced ever few weeks…
- Great balance and stability. This balanced wheel allowed me to go fast without even knowing it and without any troubles from wobbles.
- Traditional motor. Proven tech. Hopefully better water resistance. But will the combination of a heavier wheel on a single axle cause problems down the road, especially if folks are trying to jump the Commander? Only time will tell.
Is the Commander EUC Worth It?
While the Commander ride quality is excellent, I do not think the Commander is worth it for me because I am not a marathon rider and will never need the range packed into this EUC and also because of some of the strange design choices described earlier
Commander commands a steep price tag and it targets a select group of people.
The extreme EUC enthusiast who loves to go fast and far and who could care less what the outside of the wheel looks like because he or she will be covering it up with velcro, tape, and pads anyway, that is the person who will love the Commander and find that this EUC is worth it.
It’s expensive, it’s not pretty, it has flaws, but the Commander excels in what matters most to some riders: ride quality and range, so if that’s what you are looking for, check this wheel out.
Notes about the Extreme Bull Commander Electric Unicycle
The Commander is made to ride fast and far on the streets. Like the Veteran Sherman it is not designed for high flying jumps or technical trail riding.
While the Commander comes with a 20 inch CST knobby-186 tire which sports an aggressive tread that looks like it’s meant for the trails, I really loved the feel of this EUC equipped a street tire.
- 3600 Wh Samsung 21700 50E cells
- 20 inch CST knobby-186 tire
- 80 lbs, compared to the Veteran Sherman at 77 lbs
- 2800 W motor available in high speed (HS) or high torque (HT)
- No lift switch
- Mud guard made of stiff plastic
- Charger is a measly 3A
- Power pads
- LED display has too much information and is difficult to read in sunlight
- Charge ports on top, covered by a rubber cover
- Sherman inspired lift handles but the handles are angled and uncomfortable
- Trolly handle is also similar to Sherman
- Single axle traditional motor, not a hollow bore motor
- Flat side panels, void of design, good for mounting power pads
- Plastic feels more durable than typical Gotway wheels
- Pedals: Solid, spiked, hex type but gets kind of slippery when wet.
- Loud fan
Check out current pricing and availability for the Commander at EUCo. Purchases made through my links help to support the website at no additional cost to you. I appreciate your support!
EUC Comparison Tool
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the EUC options, so we made an interactive EUC Comparison Tool. You can sort, filter, and include or exclude data as you see fit. I hope you find this tool helpful!