The IOWA Newsletter

Update from the Board

Happy Spring! The main Onewheel riding season is upon us.

The biggest news of the quarter is that Future Motion began shipping GT models in March—but not without big problems. Reviews by the community are quite mixed. In this edition, we’ll dive deep into the myriad of issues with the GT.

Got Trails?

The Board has launched a trail advocacy program with the goal of providing resources to local riding groups. Those resources aim to serve “the greatest good to the greatest number of people for the longest time,” an oft-cited maxim in trail use designations by the National Forest Service.

We believe that misinformation about Onewheels held by other stakeholders and the lack of our own organization as riders are the two greatest challenges to unlocking access issues. To meet these challenges, we have developed a three-phase strategy to include:

1) Partnering with local onewheel groups to forge relationships with other local stakeholders such as trail maintenance and MTB groups;

2) Bringing accurate information to the attention of local legislators; and

3) providing effective materials to inform and empower riders about their rights and how to assert them.

We are thrilled to see that Coler Mountain Bike Preserve, where Floatlife Fest 4 took place, has included Onewheels in their new trail etiquette rules. Let’s facilitate more of this!

JW Batteries Lawsuit Awaits Transfer of Venue

We’ve seen little movement on the legal frontier since December, when JW Batteries (which operates out of Texas) filed a motion to dismiss on the grounds that the lawsuit was mis-filed in the California federal district court.

However, it’s impossible to talk about Onewheel GT safety concerns without mentioning Future Motion’s lawsuit against the aftermarket battery manufacturer. The suit, which we covered extensively in our Winter 2021/22 edition, alleges that allowing customers and third parties to install their own batteries can create “unsafe riding conditions.” However, we have yet to see evidence of JW Batteries products creating riding conditions anywhere near as unsafe as the dozens of new Onewheel GTs that have ghosted, shut off due to motor overheating, or simply would not power on out of the box—begging the question, what does Future Motion really mean by “unsafe?”

If you’re just getting up to speed, this video by Leonard French breaks down the legalese, while right-to-repair activist Louis Rossman recently shared a controversial video explaining why Onewheel customers should report Future Motion to the FTC. Do you agree or disagree?

Let the Races Begin

What role can the IOWA play during the race and event season? For starters, we’re in the process of creating a formal ranking system, but we know we have more to offer and we want to hear from you. The IOWA has been debating multiple roles that align with our mission for the betterment of the riding community when we get together.

Have ideas? Planning an event? Saw something at a Onewheel event that you think should be addressed? Reach out and let us know how we can help you! The IOWA offers consultation and resources for race and event coordinators and directors.

Finally, speaking of the event and race season, we are pleased to announce that the IOWA has begun compilation of a master calendar of PEV events around the world. Subscribe to stay up to date on this and all our projects (and to get first access to our quarterly newsletter!).