Elizabeth Suggs | Staff Writer | elizabethannes.92@gmail.com
An electric unicycle, Ninebot One, distributed locally by Jive Cycle, has come to UVU.
According to Shawn Hinckley, UVU student and seller of Jive Cycle, Ninebot is popular in California, New York, Europe and most of Asia.
The difference between a Segway and a Ninebot One, according to Jive Cycle’s website, is in the wheels. Where Segway has two wheels and can cost thousands of dollars, Ninebot One is one-wheeled, smaller and faster, creating a better overall experience for the user.
“It’s like you’re a Jetson,” McLean Taylor, UVU student and an owner of Ninebot One, said. “I’m in the future I imagined as a kid.”
According to Jive Cycle’s website, the device is called a Ninebot, but according to Hinckley, it’s just called the Jive Cycle.
“Jive Cycle is the Utah name,” Hinckley said. “No one calls it a Ninebot here.”
The Ninebot One’s speed, according to Jive Cycle, can go upwards of 14 miles per hour. On his Ninebot, Hinckley says he rides from the free Summerwoods parking to the WB building in four and a half minutes.
“I have to ride that to get to class on time,” Hinckley said. “Even with walking traffic and crosswalks.”
The closest parking to the school is paid parking. According to UVU Parking Services, a parking permit costs $60 for one semester or $90 for all three semesters. Parking is free on weekends, during the summer, after 5 p.m. on weekdays, on holidays and in the furthest UVU parking lots. Free bus shuttles are available for students, but come at the cost of waiting at a bus stop.
Unlike other personal transports, like a skateboard or an electric bike, the Ninebot One, according to Jive Cycle, can complete a 360-degree rotation and fit in small spaces.
Accessories for the Ninebot will be available in the near future. Jive Cycle plans to include a standby battery, different color frames and new tires for purchase.
“You don’t ‘fall’, you lose your balance and step off,” Taylor said. “It’s really safe in that respect. I’ve lost balance a couple of times when learning to balance, but the jive cycle is designed to turn off at that point and no one walks away injured.”
According to Jive Cycle, it “generally” takes 15 minutes to learn to ride the Ninebot One, but for some may take several days.
For added safety, Jive Cycle’s speed and braking power, according to Taylor, never make it a problem when learning how to ride or when driving through large crowds.
“You can slow down very quickly,” Taylor said. “I have never hit anyone or almost hit anyone. It’s a different psychology for sure around large groups of people, but riding around the mall or university I have never had a problem with people getting in my way.”
