Bengaluru: Free lessons on riding electric unicycle

Every Sunday, a small group gathers at a park in Basavanagudi to learn how to ride an electric unicycle — a motor-powered wheel used for short commutes and recreation, including offroading.

Two instructors guide participants on how to mount and manoeuvre the device by shifting their body weight. It is positioned between the rider’s legs and is ridden standing upright on foot pedals. Some models also come with a seat. For training, the group uses 20 kg and 25 kg models with a top speed of 25 kmph. While the adoption of electric unicycles has been strong in the USA and Europe for a decade, it remains at a nascent stage in Bengaluru. 

The Rad Unicycle Community has been hosting these free training sessions for the past two years. More than 1,000 Bengalureans, ranging from five-year-olds to senior citizens, have participated so far, says Kiran Makam, founder of Rad Boards, which builds next-generation mobility solutions. He says the initiative emerged purely from public demand.

“My team used to take electric unicycles to Cubbon Park for casual rides, and people would stop us to ask what it was, how much it cost, and if we could teach them,” he says. Since the demand is more than they can meet, they select 10 participants per session via a WhatsApp poll every Wednesday.

Most people join out of curiosity or to learn a new skill, and pick up the basics in about three sessions. A growing number of working professionals are signing up to potentially use it as an alternative mode of commuting. Makam says around 100 participants have gone on to purchase the device, despite its steep cost — prices start at Rs 50,000.

‘Fun way to get around’

Jerome Anand, a 34-year-old animator, received an electric unicycle worth Rs 1.85 lakh as a birthday gift from his wife, six months after training with the group. “I would see people zip past on their unicycles while I was stuck in traffic in my car or two-wheeler. It looked like a fun way to get around,” he recalls.

Today, he rides his electric unicycle to his office and gym, which are 10-15 km away from his home in Nagarbhavi. Two weeks ago, Anand rode it from his home to Kundana Fort, then to a breakfast stop, and on to M G Road before returning home. He covered nearly 100 km. “Namma Metro allows passengers to carry the electric unicycle as luggage in the last coach, so sometimes I carry it and combine it with my commute,” he adds.

For HR professional Mohammad Isaq, the electric unicycle has become his go-to mode of commute for everything from buying groceries to picking up breakfast and getting to his gym, within 8-9 km of his neighbourhood in Hubballi. He bought the device soon after training with the group in Bengaluru and shifted to Hubballi, his hometown, about seven months ago.

“When I first started riding it in Hubballi, everyone, even street dogs, looked confused. People stared at me as if I were an alien,” he says with a laugh. Over time, however, he has grown comfortable with the curious glances. “The device has rear shock absorbers and handles pothole-ridden roads well. I have even taken it off-roading on hilly slopes,” adds Isaq, who is in his 40s.

Opportunities and challenges

For Makam, these weekend classes double up as a platform to create awareness about new mobility solutions for short commutes. “They are portable (equipped with a carrying handle). They require no parking. You can store them under your desk. They are low-maintenance and help reduce congestion,” Makam elaborates. However, he is aware of the challenges.

Electric unicycles are not covered under the Motor Vehicles Act, which regulates two-wheelers and other vehicles. While Makam says these devices can handle “everyday potholes”, their wider adoption would require the development of cycling lanes, the progress of which remains slow. Despite uneven roads in the city, Makam and Anand say they have not suffered falls yet.

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