Is your Onewheel sitting in the corner somewhere collecting dust because you’ve lost interest? Are you considering selling your Onewheel because you never ride it?
Recently I was saddened to hear from a long time follower of my blog and YouTube channel that they were selling their Onewheel because they just didn’t ride it as much as they thought they would. In this article I want to talk about why people fail, particularly at the Onewheel, and how you can vastly improve your Onewheel experience.
There are lots of reasons why people fail at things. Take the Onewheel for example. Some people just never give it a chance before giving up on it. Others disregard the limitations of the Onewheel and the limitations of their skills and they end up getting injured. One of the big reasons why I see people giving up on the Onewheel is because they lack a support network or community.
I love how people use the word “stoked” when referring to the feelings elicited by the Onewheel. The definition of stoked when used in this context is to be excited or euphoric. But the word also means to add fuel to keep a fire burning.
I remember when I first started riding the Onewheel. I loved the freedom it gave me to explore. I was on fire and the Onewheel stoked feelings in me that I had not experienced since I was a kid.
But after a while I found myself longing for companionship during my rides but I didn’t know anyone around me that rode, nor did I know how to find anyone with a Onewheel to ride with.
I remember one day I was riding in a local park and I saw another person on a Onewheel. I tried to catch up to him but I could not. I still remember that as he disappeared off into the distance I wanted to shout out, “Friend! Please ride with me!” I know it’s sad, but that’s truly how I felt.
There is an innate desire in people to want to congregate with like minded people who share the same interests. Because the Onewheel is so new, depending on where you live, to randomly come across another Onewheeler out in the wild is like stumbling across a unicorn while on a picnic.
If you are feeling like the Onewheel is not for you or if you find yourself getting bored riding the same old streets or trails on the Onewheel, then your dying Onewheel fire needs to be stoked. The best way to improve your Onewheel experience and stoke your Onewheel fire is to join a Onewheel community!
How to Find a Community
The internet is a wonderful place. It seems like not too long ago that I would never have considered ever meeting up in person with strangers that I had met online. But now this is commonplace and I just did it today for a Onewheel group ride.
How do you find these Onewheel communities? Find like minded people who share common interests on sites such as Onewheel Facebook Groups, Onewheel Reddit, Instagram and YouTube. You can instantly communicate with other Onewheelers from around the world or from your own town. Let’s talk about these different forms of social media:
Facebook:
There are very active and devout Onewheel groups on Facebook. Get a Facebook account, search for these groups and apply to join. They are free. I recommend you first join the Facebook Owners Group. Then see if you have a local Onewheel group you can join. Here in Denver we have a very active Onewheel Group called the Denver/Rocky Mountain Onewheel Mob. This is how I find out about local group rides and other Onewheel related events. If there is no local group near you, then make one! Maybe you’ll be able to grow something fantastic near you.
Reddit:
The “Front page of the internet” is a huge collection of forums. In the United States, Reddit is one of the most visited sites on the internet. Just like the Facebook groups, it’s a great way to get answers to your questions. Check out the Reddit Onewheel specific forum to see the experiences of others.
Instagram:
Instagram is a great way to get inspiration through pictures and videos. Follow me @oneradwheel. There are some great active Instagram accounts that regularly post to help stoke your Onewheel flames.
YouTube:
YouTube is a great way to search Onewheel related material to keep your stoke alive. There are some great established YouTube Channels to learn from and to be inspired from such as Slydogstroh, the Official Onewheel Channel, and The Float Life. This is my favorite way to get inspired to ride and I love creating Onewheel related content for my channel.
Official Onewheel Forum:
While this may seem the natural place to go and virtually congregate with other Onewheel enthusiasts, it is not. This discussion forum is dead, largely due to past mismanagement which drove away much of the community.
Benefits of a Community
There are huge advantages to being part of a community. Here are 5 reasons a supportive community will help bring back your Onewheel stoke.
Motivation:
If you have not been on your Onewheel in a while or it’s one of those days when you just don’t feel like doing anything, find motivating Facebook or Instagram posts. Look around your community, find inspiration encouragement, and get your groove back!
Support:
People outside the Onewheel community just don’t understand the Onewheel culture. Whether it be support on your daily rides or support for a new product, business, or YouTube channel, you can look to the Onewheel community for support. On those days that you want to give up, lean on your community for support.
Collective Experience:
Lean on the experiences and expertise of others. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel, or in this case the Onewheel, all over again. No single person has all the answers, but you can ask an entire community for help with a single post. But before you post your questions, you should use the search function to find answers to your questions that have likely already been answered.
Pushing Limits:
It’s oftentimes easy to get stuck in a rut when operating on your own. Group rides are especially helpful to ride with others of all skill levels. Learn from them. I often find that I push myself outside my comfort zone when I’m with others, trying things I otherwise would not do on my own. By participating in group rides you will meet new people, try new terrain and experience new neighborhoods. All this will help you get out of your comfort zone and rut and reinvigorate your stoke.
New Ideas:
Communicating, collaborating, and associating with others of a like mind can result in new ideas. I love how innovative and creative the Onewheel community can be. It has resulted in some great products and modifications for the Onewheel.
Being part of a healthy and supportive community is a key to long term success in anything in life. It is a big part of why people join clubs, church congregations, fraternities/sororities, go to the gym, and take part in online groups and discussions. We want to feel like we are part of something bigger than ourselves.
If you feel like you’ve lost your Onewheel fire or if you are feeling down with any other facet of your life, I recommend you find a healthy community to be a part of to help stoke some inspiration and motivation in your life. Go to this community for support and help.