What’s up riders. Today, we’ll talk about the various ways to stop and get off a Onewheel without faceplanting. Read on!
Disclaimer
The content provided on this website reflects my personal experience, circumstances and budget. All advice and information are offered “as is” and are not intended as professional guidance. I assume no liability for any actions taken based on the information shared here.
Readers should always conduct their own research and consult with qualified professionals before making decisions or attempting anything based on advice or information shared here!
Wait, what’s SimpleStop?
Before we talk about going beyond SimpleStop, let’s talk about what it actually is:
- SimpleStop is a feature included on boards released after the Onewheel XR.
- SimpleStop gently rolls back and puts down the tail down after you slow down. The idea is to allow new riders to focus on balancing and moving.
- SimpleStop can be activated and deactivated with the shaka button in the Onewheel app.
- That’s it!
It takes a little getting used to but it gets the job done. I struggle to keep my balance when SimpleStop engages. Since I don’t have good control of my board riding backwards yet, SimpleStop saves me from unexpected results and that’s why I keep it on. But I still prefer the next method!
The Pop Off
The Pop Off is my favorite way to stop on the Onewheel. You could argue it’s one of the safest ways to stop:
- It completely removes the rider.
- It lands you nice and stable on the road.
- Unless your board starts to ghost, there’s no risk of it going out of control with you on it.
Practice the Pop Off the way Rachael Cecil demonstrates it in the video! First with the board off, then after engaging the board. This is one of the first things I teach someone learning how to ride a Onewheel.
I even used to do five Pop Offs with the board off before every ride! That was just after I hurt myself during my first rides. I haven’t done it in a while now, but the Pop Off remains my go-to stopping method!
The Quick Stop
The Quick Stop is pretty much your emergency brake. You might not need it often, but you better be able to count on it when you need it! It’s the second technique demonstrated by Racheal Cecil in the video. Practice as demonstrated in a safe environment with no surprise parameters….Then slowly introduce more speed! This is especially important as Quick Stop needs some speed to get a solid feel for it.
Quick Stop can be especially difficult to attempt at first. We are told over and over not to leave just the one foot on the board to avoid splits. It’s completely normal to struggle – just take it easy and practice at your own pace!
The Heel Lift
The heel-lift was the method of choice for stopping a Onewheel before SimpleStop came out. It relies on two things happening together:
- your Onewheel is going under a certain speed.
- Only one half of the front footpad sensor is engaged.
Think of it as the inspiration for the SimpleStop. And because it’s so much like the SimpleStop, it has the same advantages and limitations!
Did you know?
Future Motion has a whole series of videos dedicated to learning to ride, customize and maintain your Onewheel. You can find them in the support section of the website or in the Academy section of the app.
My main struggle with heel-lift stops comes from balance. Lifting your heel off the board means a shift in balance between your toes-and-heel line. You will need to compensate to maintain balance! Riders with larger feet or on smaller boards should adjust their their toes on the front footpad! This will help make sure they can easily lift their heel.
I like to practice heel lift near a chair or something I can hold onto first. Then, I can slowly work my way to heel life without support, then heel lift after braking. Again – watch the video, take it slowly, take it safely!
Time to practice!
You now have everything you need to practice the most important ways to stop on a Onewheel. Take it at your own pace, wear your safety gear, ride on!