In the city of Corona, California, Daniel Scott and his family have embraced a unique mode of transportation that not only offers exciting rides but also fosters family bonding and promotes sustainability. Their journey into the world of Electric Unicycles (EUCs) is one of determination, innovation, and safety, with ShredLights playing a pivotal role in illuminating their path.
We caught up with Daniel for a Q&A to learn more about his story.
Trading the Car for an Electric Unicycle
When did you first start riding Electric Unicycles and how did you get into the sport?
Daniel: "I started in May 2022 because my 3 year old daughter learned to ride a bicycle and was outpacing my running speed for longer distances. I wanted to ride with her, and had seen Kuji-Rolls on YouTube with an EUC in China, but I had never seen one in person.
So, I approached my wife about getting one. I told her since they were so expensive, I couldn’t afford to buy one unless I sold my car and used the money for an EUC. She reluctantly agreed, as long as I promised to stay fully geared up for safety.
Once I received my first EUC, the KingSong S18, it was my first time even seeing one in person."
Do you own a car now? What's the biggest challenge of not having a car?
Daniel: "When car prices increased after COVID, I sold my Hyundai Veloster to capitalize on the gains. Now our family shares a Honda Odyssey Minivan. Since I work remotely now, I was able to do the majority of my daily transportation tasks using the EUC or borrow my wife’s car for family activities.
As I was learning to ride, I signed up for UberEats and immediately began fulfilling missions as a courier. I was able to keep all the income without spending money on gas, so in 6 months I earned enough to completely pay off my EUC and gear expenses + buy my daughter a mini-wheel. The EUC was a tool to make money, and not just a money pit like the car.
Soon after that, I attached a bike trailer to my EUC, and was able to transport my 2 kids with me for fast food runs, or other nearby errands.
After 2 years, I still don’t have a personal car and I’m loving it. The EUC feels like “free” transportation, especially now since I’m hooking up to a solar panel which recharges the batteries.
I personally don’t believe my kids will need a driver license & car when they are older. Because technology will progress so they can hail an autonomous taxi or ride their EUC to get around town."
Teaching the Family to Ride
How did your kids start riding with you?
Daniel: "My daughter was 3 when she started learning (now 5). She had already accomplished riding her bike without training wheels and was watching me ride an EUC everyday. So I asked my wife if we could get my daughter a beginner EUC.
She reluctantly agreed, and the smallest wheel on the market was Begode’s Mten3, a 10” inch wheel that was built for adults but we found she could barely reach the pedals. So we went for it and it took her about 3 months to learn EUC.
After about 6 months, we upgraded her to the latest Mten4 and the InMotion V13 for myself. Next we bought my wife a Segway Lite, and my 1 year old son a Mountain Buggy UniRider that they still use today.
Now my son is 2 years old, and we bought him Begode’s Mten Mini EUC, because it’s even smaller and he can also reach the pedals at a younger age.
That’s the key; Are they tall enough to reach the pedals? haha."
As a parent, were you nervous about the dangers of your kids getting into EUC riding? How did you make it safer?
Daniel: "Finding safety gear was challenging for tiny tots, but that was a huge sigh of relief getting them fully geared up for the inevitable fall. This avoided lots of scrapes and tears which helped give them the confidence to keep learning. I love my kids more than myself, so whatever nice gear I bought and used, I also bought for the kids to ensure they were as well protected as possible.
What’s interesting is that my daughter took harder falls learning to ride a bike than an EUC. The learning curve for bicycles was actually more difficult than the EUC.
EUC’s have better brakes than other rideables, making hills less intimidating when our daughter could easily slow down and stay in control."
Going Viral on Social Media
If you're not familiar with @EUCFAMILY on Instagram already, they have gathered over 40 Million views with 40K followers at the time of this post, making them one of the most popular EUC creators on the platform.
Do you have a strategy on going viral or is it just spontaneous? Why do you think your videos get so much attention?
Daniel: "Going viral was a welcome surprise, but we garner attention wherever we go. I hadn’t seen any other kids riding these EUC’s so it seems worthwhile to share and inspire others.
I think the content is positivity focused. It is helpful + family dynamic + safety first + cute kids = the “feel good” vibes that people want to see.
My wife helps shoot and edit the iPhone footage. With her background of film creation she improves our quality, while I use the insta360 camera. Together we work well as a team.
We are fully committed to seeing this community grow and getting more people into this environmentally positive hobby."
Finding the Right Lights: Choosing "Nice" after "Buying Twice"
How did you find ShredLights and what made you interested in them vs. other lights?
Daniel: "The POP of synced colors caught my eye when I saw underglow ShredLights on instagram from @elunipyscho in Dubai. After browsing, I initially thought ShredLights were too expensive vs Amazon competitors, so I bought around 6 amazon lights. They kept falling off my wheels or breaking due to their limited mounting functions so it was a frustrating experience. Additionally, as the lights multiplied, so did my effort in turning them each on/off individually.
Eventually I chose to buy “nice,” (quality) and stop “buying twice” (low quality) & I now own every bluetooth enabled ShredLight in the product line."
After using ShredLights, what are your favorite features?
Daniel: "These are robust lights that stay put when mounted which makes them amazing. They are super bright and the tiny size can’t be understated. These flashlights are easily controlled and lightweight, allowing my children to use them seamlessly.
But, the WARRANTY is the best part. If I am invested in nice lights, it felt horrible to lose them. But when that occasionally did happen, I was never out the money, because Shredlights consistently came through and replaced any issues I experienced. Customer service exceeds the costs.
I also love the bluetooth connectivity. You can never have too many lights for safety, unless they’re all disconnected and you have to control each one individually. With ShredLights, one button turns them all on/off so I have my kids' helmets synced together, separated from mine. I just ask one kid to turn them on and both kids light up to increase their visibility & safety. This beneficial feature saves time & embarrassment. For instance, I could go grocery shopping and quickly turn them on/off when arriving & leaving the stores."
Riding into the Future
For those considering venturing into the world of EUCs, Daniel's advice is simple yet profound – "Just do it! The learning curve may be tough, but the reward is worth the effort."
Daniel Scott and his family's story exemplify the transformative power of personal electric vehicles and the profound impact they can have on individuals and communities. Through innovation, safety, and a shared passion for exploration, they are not just riding into the future – they are shaping it, one new rider at a time, with ShredLights lighting the way.
