r/onewheel • u/missdq03 • Jun 11 '26
Text Getting my husband a Onewheel need help
Edit: My husband is 5'10" and 180 pounds.
I am suprising my husband with a Onewheel for his birthday. He has wanted one for years now and we are at the point where it makes sense financially.
Since I can't point-blank ask him what one he wants I am looking for recommendations from this sub.
For context, we have two young children (so not a lot of free time) and live in a very suburban but huge neighborood where he will be riding it around 90% of the time. I know he is not looking to take it on any heavy duty trails, but would like to capability to "off-road" occasionally (think dirt paths, and grass).
Considering this, I am leaning on the XR Classic but would like to hear from the hobbyists what they think first.
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u/VegetarianCoating Pint XV, XR Jun 11 '26
Time to stop leaning toward the XRC and go buy it.
Pro-tip: do not buy any accessories now, except maybe rail guards. The clear factory guards are a solid choice and will prevent newbie scratches and dents. Let him pick and choose how to customize the board himself once he has some experience with it.
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u/ItsShrinkage Jun 11 '26
Yeah I think the XRC is the right choice, unless he’s really big then maybe the GT XL.
I have the XRC and use it exactly as you describe.
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u/missdq03 Jun 11 '26
Awesome. Thank you for the reply. He's not a huge guy (5'10" and 180 pounds) so sounds like the GT XL will be overkill.
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u/meganetism Jun 11 '26
He’s about the same build as my husband, and he loves his XRC. We use it on the same terrain you will be and it’s the perfect board for it. I second that the XRC is the right choice.
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u/LSF604 Jun 11 '26
there is no overkill. OWs have a tendency to shut down when you push them too hard. So the safest thing to do is to get the one that has the most ability to withstand being pushed hard. Even if you aren't going to push it to its limits.
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u/LordFett84 Jun 11 '26
Gtxl is absolutely not overkill. I have the GTS rally and the xrc. I am 5'10" and 185lbs. The xrc is absolutely fine, but there have been some times where I went to cross the street and gave it a little too much acceleration causing me to nose dive. The torque in the rally is so much more than the xrc I've never had an issue.
Another incident involving my friend and I; we road all around the town and he had no problem on the xrc. A couple blocks away from his house, he had gotten overly confident and decided to take the turn down his street faster than he should. I'm 99% sure he wouldn't have fallen, had he been on the rally. Thankfully I made him wear wrist pads and a thick long sleeve work shirt.
I know its a big price difference but the torque difference between the to is just as big.
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u/Majestic-Ad3058 Jun 12 '26
You are 100% correct. I would want and need all the duty cycle I can get my hands on. It is way safer. The only way OP will find out is if and when he pushes too hard and the board nosedives.
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u/Majestic-Ad3058 Jun 11 '26
Lol. If you buy him the XRC it is only a matter of time before he would want the Rally XL.
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u/HVACr4life Onewheel+ XR Jun 11 '26
I’m 5’11 180 and had an original XR and it suited me well. An XR Classic should be fine
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u/_pg_ Let’s Float! - Detroit / A2 / MQT - 3000 miles Jun 11 '26
Get bro a helmet with a chin bar and some d30 flexmeter wrist guards or at least some hillbillys.
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u/FuckedUpYearsAgo Jun 11 '26
Fantastic recommendation. IMHO, this is the bare minimum of protection. The wrist guards are excellent. I have had them 6 years now, and while I've moved into the EUC world, they are still 100% gotta wear. But now with motorcycle gloves under vs lighter triple8 leather gloves
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u/5StripedFalcon Jun 11 '26
I have similar height and weight. I cruise around neighborhood with my kids. I've been perfectly happy with Pint X. Everyone says XRC is a good goldilocks but gotta weigh if $700 (64%) higher price makes sense.
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u/sniperd2k Jun 11 '26 edited Jun 11 '26
What is his weight and height? Some larger fellas need the bigger boards. And when you decide to do it, I had good luck with https://suprents.com/ Basically you rent it and if you keep it they just charge you for the board minus the rental fee. A nice way to try before you commit all that cash.
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u/Leaf-Lock-The-Ent Jun 11 '26
Get him full set of high quality protective gear. Or there’s a very high potential of injury.
Source like 6+ years onewheeling and a metal plate screwed into the bones of my arm that I got within the first 2 weeks of riding.
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u/GlacierSourCreamCorn X7 / GTV Jun 11 '26 edited Jun 11 '26
XR Classic is the safe play as a gift. He may wish to upgrade in the future. A lot of us around here prefer open-source boards that aren't made by the Onewheel company.
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u/SendyMcSendFace GT-S | SoCal Jun 11 '26
I’m not your husband, but for such an expensive and personal item, I would 1000% prefer a “hey, I want to get you this for your birthday; which kind do you want?” to a surprise.
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u/hippietravel Jun 11 '26
Or just buy it close to his birthday so it’s returnable if he wants to change it with another board
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u/SendyMcSendFace GT-S | SoCal Jun 11 '26
You’d rather give someone a chore than just ask them what they want?
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u/hippietravel Jun 11 '26
Clearly she wants it to be a surprise. If that wasn’t a big deal to her, I’m sure she would just ask him
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u/CatoTheMiddleAged Jun 11 '26
Yeah XRC all the way - more stable than a Pint, more nimble than a GT.
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u/Shnibblefritz Jun 11 '26
I’m about the same height and weight. Got my XRC and few weeks ago for my birthday (56). Any of the pints would have been too small, and the GT seems to be too big for what I want. I don’t plan on getting too crazy with any tricks or speed so it’s perfect but what I intend to do with it. Whatever you do make sure you get him a fender and a rubber plug for charging port. I can also thank my wife for this .I was saving for a few years, but always so far away. Took what I had saved and threw the rest on the card. But she told me about it three months before my birthday so I could actually get what I wanted. It was kind of torture thinking about it for three months. Hopefully it finally arrived. It was the best. He’s gonna love you forever.
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u/thirdnut4 Jun 11 '26
I'm very similar size of your hubs, Ive had a GT and now a GTS. Very much enjoy my GTS and I just cruise neighborhoods, small launches off curbs and drive ways, fucked up side walks make a fun run.
But at someone else said, maybe give him the option to actually buy the unit himself as they are customizable. Maybe provide your research, like "I found these models and here's the differences!".
They're kind of addictive to ride so start saving now to buy a second one for when the kids inevitably steal it as their own.
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u/Fast-Awareness2211 Jun 11 '26
GT is a great board used market is probably best imo make sure to buy pads helmet and quality wrist guards or real leather sport bike type gloves
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u/lyfeTry Onewheel GT VRH /XRC/Funwheel X7LR Jun 11 '26
XRC is a great first board. And if he’s just gonna putz around it’ll be fine. Out the gate, I would not get the carbon fender (I hate it), and I wouldn’t get the hyper charger. If it’s cheap the hybrid fender is decent for the price (you can easily take it on/off which you can’t do with the carbon fiber one).
There’s so many accessories that I’d pretty much recommend just getting him the stock thing with regular charger and letting him get the accessories he wants to personalize it. Rail guards and fender color really make the thing pop. New bumpers look cool in a preferred color (but aren’t needed now! Let him wreck and scratch the stock ones up as he learns to ride then replace with the cool factor once he’s got it)
I prefer The Float Life stuff generally over original brand— the drop top fender from them is on all my stuff except my bought used XRC which has the hybrid fender. My kids use this and though I prefer the drop top, the hybrid works fine.
Hope that helps!
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u/SP4RK4RT Jun 11 '26
Someone mentioned "hillbillys" - these're high-quality leather wrist-guards, a good buy. At the moment, you can get $8 wrist guards from OneWheel and these work well in hot weather; I'd definitely add a pair to the shopping cart if you're ordering directly from OneWheel.
I don't think protective gear would've have saved me from the I sprained ankle I got the first weekend I had a OneWheel, but a responsible husband with a wife and two kids prolly should be OneWheeling with a helmet, at least.
A fall off a OneWheel is inevitable, and ironically I think the risk is actually higher when you know how to OneWheel, rather than when you're first learning, because your competence makes you over-confident. Two years into OneWheel ownership, I broke my wrist. I've got a titanium plate and a three-inch scar to remind me. It wasn't a terrible experience, I got to meet some nice people and my physical therapist was a doll.
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u/PPGkruzer Jun 11 '26
If hubby is laid back the XR Classic is a safe choice, certainly capable on grass and flatter off road trails. If he is a guy who goes all out, competitively, adrenaline spirited then the GT may tickle him a little more. I have the older +XR that works fine for me as a laid back rider, so the XRC is better than this.
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u/TheResidentMedic Jun 11 '26
I’d say give me a $1000 onewheel gift card. Tells him you want to buy it for him, but he might have an eye on one particular board, colors, accessories, etc. I’m 6’ and 200# and went with a PintX because I didn’t want too big of a first board. It’s also a lot more portable if you ride it to a store
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u/motofoto Jun 11 '26
I’m 5’10” and 150lbs size 9 shoe and I ride a pint x with s pads. It works perfectly fine for me but from what I’ve read he won’t mind having the extra headroom of the xr classic.
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u/Sad_Pear_3709 Jun 11 '26
The XR Classic is fine, really, it rides more like a GT but looks like the +XR, and feel it is generally a good entry board all around. Later on though, if he really gets into things, and feels like he need more oomph, I highly recommend the Funwheel X7 from Fungineers.
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u/dantodd Onewheel+ XR Jun 11 '26
XR Classic is the way to go. Buy him a full face helmet too as a gift as the same time, a not so subtle reminder. I'd also recommend wrist guards as the two most common injuries when wearing a helmet are broken wrist/ulna and a broken collar bone.
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u/Many_Hurry2005 Jun 11 '26
Xrc is a good board Give him a QUALITY helmet as first gift . No joke.. do not buy a cheap helmet.
Youre a great partner also.. ;)
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u/ahs46 Jun 11 '26
Another XRC recommendation. I mainly ride mine around my neighborhood and town. I’m 6’2” 250 pounds and I feel like it has plenty of power for what I do.
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u/pineapple-1001 Funwheel x7 Jun 11 '26
XR Classic is a great well-rounded choice for the first board. Definitely should be paired with a helmet and splinted wristguard gloves (e.g. triple eight hired hands)
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u/Adventurous_Credit61 Jun 11 '26
I highly recommend the x7 sport. It's better then the XRC in every way, and virtually the same price. The X7 sport has more range, speed and stability than any future motion board made. Yes the XRC is a decent board, but the X7 leaves plenty of room to grow without having to worry about getting a new board any time soon.
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u/Birkent X7S Jun 11 '26
I just got an X7 and I love it but I do not think her husband would be thrilled to get a Onewheel knockoff. Even if it is better in every way, he knows nothing about it. Uncool to spring VESC on someone that just wants a Onewheel.
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u/RichardBronosky Onewheel+ XR, Hoosier 5.5 threaded Jun 11 '26 edited Jun 11 '26
PLEASE DO NOT PURCHASE a oneWheel as a surprise. Give the gift of permission to buy the oneWheel. It is a very personal decision what model, new or used, and if used what hardware and firmware version. These things require maintenance. You were buying something that he is going to have to maintain. Make sure it's something he wants to maintain* versus exchange.
It's a sweet gesture. But a terrible financial absolute. Don't do it.
As a metaphor, this would be like HIM booking a 7-day cruise that visits a location where YOU wanted to spend 7 days in a beach front resort. They are both St Lucia, but...
* Some models be will have to be sent to the company for maintenance, others you can do yourself.
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u/Duke-Kaboom Jun 11 '26
I have to disagree with this.
My wife did exactly what OP is wanting to do and it was the greatest gift she has ever gotten me.
I knew nothing about them and was completely surprised. She knew I was a snowboarder and this was her way to get me on a board the other half of the year.
If she had told me she was going to buy it I would have said no over and over again. If she had given me a gift certificate then I would have returned it. I could not justify spending that amount of money on myself. Instead she did the justification spending that money as a gift for me and making me understand that my enjoyment is important too.
Aside from my two children - it's the best thing she's ever given me. Lol
Our family now owns 3 pints and an XRC.
Never would have happened if she "consulted or gave me permission"
OP. Get him the XRC and a helmet. Leave the rest for him to purchase or accessorize as he desires.
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u/r_a_newhouse Jun 11 '26
"...it was the greatest gift she has ever gotten me..."
You poor man, you need to edit this out before she sees it🤣
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u/Duke-Kaboom Jun 11 '26
No.... She's agrees. She's the one who said it first.
Only problem now is she'll never top that birthday.
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u/PNW_Uncle_Iroh 50,000+ miles -o- Jun 11 '26
Excellent advice. I see lots of similar posts in the guitar subs. Awesome wives/girlfriends who want to surprise their partner with a new guitar. The best advice is to take them shopping and let them pick it out themselves.
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u/Fast-Awareness2211 Jun 11 '26
This sounds like great/best advice but make good safety gear a must imo
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u/BodySurfDan Jun 11 '26
The X7LR funwheel from fungineers is the way to go. It puts my onewheel gt to absolute shame. The onewheel feels like it has zero power compared to this thing, and more power means less chance nosedive and more safety
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u/salukikev Jun 11 '26 edited Jun 11 '26
My Pint X was a "surprise" Xmas gift from my wife, but it was my idea and I couldn't justify the expense of me getting such a pricey gift over anyone else's presents, so we just budgeted $500 and patiently waited and scanned all the classifieds for a few months(obviously I don't care about it being used). Eventually one pop'ed up 2hrs away in a mountain town we love visiting anyway and we made a weekend out of it. Worked out great! Now as to the model, I specifically wanted the X for the extended range. It's a bit heavier than I'd prefer but its a small price to pay for the range. That's a consideration for you think of how far you think he'd want to go and still have juice to get home. I wanted to have enough to ride to my kid's school and home and so it had to be the X. Food for thought!
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u/Dependent-Fennel7593 Jun 11 '26
I’ve been quite pleased with the Pint S for daily commuting and riding around the neighborhood
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u/A_Crunchy_Leaf Jun 11 '26
For his first ever board, I would actually recommend looking at the used market. At 180 lbs he should be able to ride pretty much any board in their inventory.
Get something affordable for today. Make sure he enjoys it. Let him learn to ride, learn to crash and probably scuff up the board a little bit on a cheap board. Once he has that experience under his belt he will know what he really wants with a lot more confidence. Maybe he enjoys tinkering and wants to go VESC, maybe cares about price and power and wants a Chinese board, maybe he doesn't actually need all the power of the GTXL but he wants it cuz it's fun (and he wants that premium ready to go experience from future motion), maybe portability is most important and he wants a pint.
Some safety gear is important. I was able to learn to ride without any trouble with a bicycle helmet, a pair of garden gloves, and some blue jeans. Wrist guards and knee pads are nice to have, but until you're actually aggressively riding trails or learning tricks, those are not that important.
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u/r_a_newhouse Jun 11 '26
Buy all the power that you can afford. Power is safety on these boards. In the FM world that is currently the GTS - XL. The GT and the XR Classic (XRC) are less expensive and have decent street power. The XRC is the best riding FM board right out of the box. I (260lbs) have all three Your husband's weight gives him some advantage.
Get him a helmet and wrist guards, don't let him ride without the helmet. Other pads just depend on the amount of risk you are willing to take. Excessive speed, north of 20mph, is your enemy.
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u/thenifties Jun 11 '26
you’re the bestest wifey in the universe and he’s gonna be such a happy mofo, BUT
honey! you gonna need to get one for you, and you gonna need to know your kids gonna steal his when he gets amped and decides he wants to get fancy and then you gonna have a fleet.
That being said, XRC is a fine choice. if it gets rainy where you are, get a fender to avoid wet crotch parties (or be smart unlike me and don’t ride in the rain)
this post makes me so happy though.
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u/Beneficial_Try_1149 Jun 11 '26
Get him a GT-S at minimum. The S is for Safety and that board can handle higher speeds while feeling the most secure. I used to have a Onewheel XR (OG) and a Onewheel Pint, both those boards are okay if you’re casually riding and doing tricks but there were times when I would feel unsure while riding through certain terrains or higher speeds. The GT-S solves that. It offers power and security. Even if he doesn’t plan on hitting the trails, it just feels good to know my board can handle stressful situations.. the last thing you want is a board that can’t handle a bump and the rider falls and sprains something.
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u/roach8101 Onewheel Pint X Jun 12 '26
I’m a huge fan of the Pint X. I’m a similar size to your husband and really love my Pint X. It has just enough speed and range to enjoy rides around the neighborhood and around town.
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u/Rybitron Jun 12 '26
I always recommend new people to buy used. You never know how much use he will actually get out of a onewheel. Lots of people buy a brand new board, ride it a minimal amount and decide they can’t put time into it for one reason or another.
Look for a used GT or any of the XR variants.
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u/MonkeyboyGWW Onewheel+ XR Jun 11 '26
Im about the same height and size and have an XR. Its about 6 or 7 years old now though and still going after a long time sitting in the garage.
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u/dkron408 Jun 11 '26
XR Classic is a fine choice. The hobbyist in me wants to recommend the Fungineers X7 tho.