The Essential Onewheel GT Guide
The Onewheel GT launch is one of the most eagerly anticipated electric rideable releases in 2022. This guide will give you all the information you need to know about the Onewheel GT including all the GT stats, model comparison reviews, and initial feedback from riders and the community in the best run-down out there.
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Guide Contents:
Top 15 Onewheel GT Specs FAQs Onewheel GT Review (including CBXR comparison and issues such as D.O.A and Ghosting) GT vs. Pint X vs. XR Onewheel GT summary
Hello GT
So. The good people at Future Motion decided to further pursue the evolution of the Onewheel and came up with a new upgrade named the Onewheel GT.
Everyone is talking about the new kick-ass core power station, rounded tire, brighter front and taillights, and a whole bunch of other rad enhancements. But what are the specs saying?
FAQs
Let’s get straight down to the questions everyone wants answers to:
What is the Onewheel GT Release Date?
The original release date for Onewheel GT was January 2022 for estimated shipping dates later that month. The emphasis here is on the estimated bit.
But many of these early orders have been pushed back to March due to component/supply chain issues. As of mid-March, the boards have started to trickle in.
What is the Onewheel GT’s weight limit?
The weight limit for the GT is 275 lbs or 125kg.
What is the Onewheel GT’s battery life?
The GT’s Maximum Range Battery 21700 battery system provides up to 32 miles per charge.
What is the Onewheel GT’s range?
The GT has a 20 to 32-mile range.
What is the Onewheel GT’s price?
The GT costs $2,200 before tax and add ons.
What is the Onewheel GT’s top speed?
The GT’s advertised top speed is 20 MPH. Although speed demon Bart Miller got it up to a whopping 33.8 MPH!!
What is the Onewheel GT’s charging time?
The GT’s charging time is 200 minutes when using the standard charger included with your purchase. Although the Hypercharger can charge in as little as 90 minutes.
What is the Onewheel GT’s tire pressure?
The GT’s tire pressure comes out the box at 20 PSI. Some riders have mentioned it’s a little much and reduce it down to 15 PSI.
Is the Onewheel GT waterproof?
Nope! Following on from previous models, the Onewheel GT is not waterproof.
What comes with the Onewheel GT when you order it?
When opening the GT box you’ll find a Onewheel GT board, GT Home Charger & Black Maghandle Pro.
How can I track my Onewheel GT Shipment?
If you’ve already ordered you can check out the aptly named Dude Where’s My Board? page to catch up on etas with your fingers crossed.
Additionally, this very useful GT Beta Tracker has been managing the data of 420 Onewheel community members who have shared their shipping information for their GT order. By compiling and analyzing the data, the site is able to deliver some info that is otherwise hard to come by.
Onewheel GT Review
Price
$2,200 before add ons and tax. We know. It’s expensive. And pulling the trigger on a Onewheel GT requires really considering that price point. But whilst it is one of the most commonly talked about purchase considerations, those that have their GTs and have had successful rides on them don’t actually mention the cost as a drawback.
When you’re buying more machine, more technology, features, and power, chances are you’ll be laying down more cash for them. Just like a car.
Hey, good looking
First of all, the community is liking the look of the Onewheel GT. Its palette is fresh. When you opt for The GT Freeride Bundle or the GT Elite Bundle you can choose the colorway of the GT Fender, GT Bumpers, and GT Rail Guards from this neat little color palette below. Sweet.
Each of the colors pop and look slick on the board in their own way.
A shredding machine
Of course, the GT is larger than previous models and closer to the tank-like reference FM claim. The guys from Carve Creative state in their Youtube review that it feels super stable from the outset and it takes off straight away and maintains an awesome power and torque.
The deck measures a bulky 29.5” x 9.5”. A little too large for many who are so adept at riding lighter, smaller models. And kinda sizable to lug around.
That’s 3cm longer and 5mm thicker than the XR.
It seems that what you gain in board size you lose in portability. And at 15.8 kg in weight, it’s not the lightest to take on the bus with you.
Light up your night ride
The headlights not only look awesome on the GT but they are 300% stronger than the XR. A feature that looks super cool at night as you eat up the road with your own personal spotlight.
Riding a ball not a board?
A GT tire comes fresh out of the box at 20 PSI. Because the slick tire is highly inflated some riders have reported feeling a little too high off the ground and yearn for an easier carve (like they are used to with their trusty XRs for example).
Cue playing around with the PSI and decreasing it for that closer feeling to the pow.
The treaded tire offers an optional upgrade on off-road riding with a strong grip on loose terrain.
There is the choice of a fender bundle or not, but it’s always worth getting a Onewheel fender to protect your board (and pants) from loose debris and the elements.
Aggressive pushback
The 750W Hypercore® hub motor plows through off-road terrain in a gnarly way. It handles trails and loose terrain with ease. But regardless of the terrain, hit that 19 mph apex and some serious pushback kicks in that isn’t always well received.
It’s a safety feature and safety always comes first. BUT many riders love to push their board to the max.
Pushback doesn’t mean anything to them. It’s more a nudge to lean in and go faster. So having a very distinct inbuilt pushback on the GT feels like an unwelcome limitation for many.
A few riders are pushing past the pushback sensation and have reached top speeds of 30+ mph! We’re not recommending going this fast but for some riders this decreased top speed was a dealbreaker.
Ironically, people are finding the 19 mph pushback wobbly sensation quite dangerous as they lose their footing a little.
Gripping acceleration
Let’s talk about the footpads. With the new grippier grip tape. These have received rave reviews from the community in the forums because many modified their past XRs to have the concave footpads the GT now rolls with.
The rider's foot slots in and stays in.
GT Range
A reported 20 - 32 mile range. Onewheel rider Jake Leary posted in his video review of the GT that the range FM has stated for the board is pretty realistic after he observed his buddy ride the GT for 10 miles and still have a 60% charge.
Power
The stable cruising at normal speeds despite low battery levels is a huge improvement over the XR. Right from the outset, the motor kicks into action, and the ride is powerful and steady - even on an incline.
That 50% extra torque really does the talking; shredding hills without any problem and it's the same for carving up sidewalks. Transitions in an off-road and urban setting are seamless with that grippy, churning torque never hesitating.
Additionally, the GT can be at a standstill, say at an intersection, then with Footpad engagement it speeds up rapidly and smoothly, getting you up to your desired speed fast.
Stunts
Stunts need to be relearned on the GT. Its bulkier frame and higher weight make for a less agile board. And when the weight is heavier, the landing is heavier too.
Early feedback on stunts such as the bonk is that the rear side may slam down hard on the ground and make the landing a little messy.
Surprisingly the fingerflip with the bigger board may actually make it a tad easier than even the Pint.
It’s been mentioned that messing around with stunts with air can be a little painful for the rider as their foot rubs against the concave angle of the board on the front pad.
Shape up
The Digital Shaping 3.0 now has six riding styles and even has a custom setting that riders can play around with for a bespoke ride.
Totally new features
The GT presents some cool new features such as the 90% charge limit which means you can charge your board to only 90% - helping out those that ride downhill and adding a valuable increase to the battery pack. Thumbs up.
Next is the Safety Beep which is a beep sound that occurs when the rider is close to hitting the board’s limits.
We’ve talked about the lights but not only are the headlights superior in lumens to the XR but they also can be adjusted to the environment the rider is in.
CBXR Comparison
The CBXR is a popular XR battery upgrade that riders opt for from Chibatterysystems.
Not only is it possible for riders to double their range on their XR boards, but the upgrade also increases torque and control. It’s the most compact battery upgrade out there (only weighs 1.5 lbs) and functions well in both cold and warm temperatures, making it a popular choice in the community.
This increased range for XR boards makes some hesitant to make the swap for a GT. Is it worth it?
For range, the CBXR doubles the standard range of the XR from 12 -18 miles to 24 -36 miles versus the GTs 32 miles. Both are massive distances but the CBXR has been specifically designed specifically to push out superior ranges.
This video from The Float Life shows a Onewheel GT Range Test vs CBXR.
Users of the CBXR claim that it brings some fresh feeling torque that remains even after the battery has drained down to 50% or 40%. Even when reduced, the board still has the pull of 100% battery. But it doesn’t have more torque than the GT.
Users of the GT state that you can feel the strong pull of the torque when you ride the board and it makes for a very stable ride, whatever the speed.
In conclusion, the range of the GT is massive, but it isn’t bigger than the CBXR battery upgrade.
Issues
There are some pretty big issues that are occurring with the initial GT boards. And some of these problems aren’t new. However, they have caused enough concern for some users to put a pause on their boards and FM has even issued a public statement about all the issues.
Manufacturer’s Ultimate Power
Basically, there are a ton of things you can do to your GT board that either void the warranty or cause an error causing you to send it back to FM. Like changing the grip tape. Or battery.
It doesn’t just need to be due to modifications either. The board is built so that if you want to access the battery you need to disconnect the BMS. But doing so brings up an error message telling you to send the board back to FM. And FM has one repair center – in the world.
International customers are going to encounter some eye-watering shipping costs to send their boards back.
Tech Youtuber Louis Rossman summarized the problem nicely in his recent video, stating the infringement of consumer rights by having a product that is only fixable by the manufacturers.
What is Onewheel DOA?
Early reports are saying that out-of-the-box GTs are Dead on Arrival, or die soon after use. Pro rider Bodhi Harrison experienced his GT die after a curb drop during an Insta story.
How is this being fixed? A firmware update seems to do the trick.
There were reports of the same thing happening to both unmodified and modified XRs and some at product launch, So is it specific to the GT?
What is Onewheel ghosting?
Onewheel ghosting is when the front pad sensor becomes activated on the Onewheel board causing it to accelerate forwards with no rider on it - like it is being ridden by a ghost. This can happen even when the rider has already dismounted.
It’s scary stuff, particularly when the safety of pedestrians and vehicles is concerned.
Many riders have reported having ghosting issues with their boards with this video from Float Carve Ride showing it happening in real-time.
Here is another video showing what this 35 lb missile has done to a metal fence!
The problem might be down to the new sensor and concave footpad and its sensitivity.
Riders are saying the front pad’s grip tape is applied too tight and therefore causes the sensor to be activated, potentially further causing problems when it contracts during cold weather.
Is Onewheel ghosting new?
This has occurred on previous OW models. However, the cases were scattered and few and far between. But with the increased weight (35lb), top speed (35mph), and rate of cases, the destruction and likelihood of a serious accident to an innocent bystander are far more severe!
Comparison of GT vs. Pint X vs. XR
The irony here is that there is no real comparison between the GT and earlier models because it doesn’t share any similar parts to its predecessors - it is an upgrade on all fronts.
Plus, there are a lot of variables as to how someone might value an OW, whether it’s top speed, weight, miles per charge or rider experience…it’s nearly impossible to ‘compare’ the models from simply one point of view.
Other than the specs. The specs don’t fail us. The specs are concrete.
So we’re going to take a look at the main differences in specs between the Onewheel GT, the well-loved Onewheel XR, and the punchy new kid on the block, the Pint X, then go into a little more detail about the categories.
Price
The Pint X comes in at $1,400 and the XR was $1,800. The GT hits $2,200. It’s a big difference in price between the XR and Pint X vs the GT but with the XR at nearly 4 years old and the GT just launching, a sizable price discrepancy is expected.
The Pint X has just less than half the range of the GT, as well as a smaller motor and less juice. It doesn’t come with the extra torque and horsepower the GT boasts. So whether you like the price or not for the GT, its cost over the other two models isn’t surprising.
Let’s quickly cover the discontinuation of the Onewheel XR.
Is the Onewheel XR discontinued?
Yes. The XR has been officially discontinued. That means no more boards have gone into production and any boards which you want to buy or rent need to be bought through used channels and rented through rental marketplaces.
This is important information because the XR really has been a favorite in the community and many new owners of the GT also own an XR. It has a firm place as the most popular Onewheel board, particularly for off-roaders.
Where can I buy a used Onewheel XR?
There are a lot of channels to buy a used Onewheel XR through, in various conditions. OneRadWheel has a super useful post here: How to Buy a Used Onewheel: Finding a Great Deal which can point you in the right direction with actionable advice.
OfferUp, Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace are also places to buy used.
GT Performance
Charging and range
Let’s start with range. The Pint X hits 12-18 miles on a single charge of the standard charger (225 mins). The XR hits a 2-18 mile range too with a single charge of the standard charger (120 mins), which is a considerably quicker charge than the Pint X.
If you’re a grab-and-go kind of rider who likes to limit charge stops, the Pint X will slow you down. Off-road riders love their XRs for the very reason they can charge pretty quickly when their battery drains or opt for the CBXR.
The GT pushes out a huge 32-mile range using the standard charger (200 mins - 90 mins on the Hypercharger). Again this is kind of a long charge time, but the range is huge so the charge doesn’t seem unreasonable.
Of course, if charge time is a big issue for you, you can upgrade your charger for the Hyper/Ultra charger versions which will make a big difference.
Ports and bearings
Let’s get technical for a second.
The XR is an XLR port and the pint X is GX12. The GT has a 3 pin connector to handle the additional current of the fast charging. They all have different voltage batteries, ports and chargers so don’t think you can interchange them.
Those that love to mod their board and change their bearings won’t be able to have that joy with the GT.
Riders swap from their stock bearings to improve the smoothness of their ride and make a big upgrade to ride quality display the compatibility issue they have with the GT.
This seems to be a running theme with the GT -it is engineered to not be modified with third-party products. We’re guessing it’s for liability reasons but it comes across as very non-rider friendly. Think Apple, except a large % of riders actually need to make updates to avoid hefty fees.
Motors, Horsepower and Batteries
Let’s talk about the motor, batteries, and cells in relation to the GT’s superior range.
All the models have a powerful 750W Hypercore® hub motor but the GT boasts a superior 3 Max Horsepower and that 35 MPH top speed (20 advertised).
When comparing the batteries between the XR and GT/Pint X. The GT/Pint X is superior. GT/Pint X shares a 21700 battery with a 5000mAh rating and 3.7 volts.
You then wonder how the GT has a higher top speed than the Pint X even if they have the same model of both motor and batteries. Well, it all boils down to the quantity and orientation of the 21700 lithium-ion batteries, which equates to some current Tesla vehicles in cell size.
Quantity of batteries affects both the output voltage and capacity depending on the batteries’ orientation. When you connect them in series, you’re able to increase the voltage. And when you connect them in parallel, you’re able to increase both the available current and capacity or mAh, which is the basic unit of battery life.
Generally speaking, if you increase the voltage you will increase the pressure in a circuit and a motor will speed up. If you increase the amps available you increase the amount that can flow.
What does this mean for the GT? In the GT, the larger dimension allows more cells to be utilized and achieve a higher top speed as well as a longer ride time.
Cue more torque, power getting going off the blocks, and being able to tackle inclines without loss of speed or control.
Lights
The GT and Pint X have the headlight upgrade where the LEDs are 300% brighter than the XR. The GT and Pint X also share the front and back LED lights that intuitively switch direction when the rider does and their brightness can be controlled via the app.
Like the original Pint and Pint X, the GT has an LED bar that indicates warnings and battery levels. A quick check of the board and you can find out. With the XR it’s getting the App out.
Portability
The GT has a cool Aluminum Maghandle Pro carrying handle with a rubber grip. It snaps back into place when not used. And while it is kinda heavy to carry, when you do need to do it, a nice centrally aligned handle will do the job. Just as well as the GT weighs 35lbs.
The Pint X also has an inbuilt Maghandle. The XR doesn’t have a handle and riders tend to modify their board with one. Both weigh 27lbs which is an okay weight to carry short distances.
Size
Pint X = 8.75 x 10.5 x 27 (IN)
XR = 9 ×11.5 × 30 (IN)
GT = 9.5 x 11.5 x 29 (IN)
There isn’t a huge variation in size between all three models, but the Pint X is the most compact. It’s marketed to those that live in an urban setting so is designed for portability.
The GT is only slightly thicker than the XR due to an increase in battery cells. The dimensions are nearly the same otherwise.
Traction
The GT has concave grippy tape and footpads for the best traction. The Pint X and XR have flat but can be modified using Onetail footpads. They can also be modified with grippier tape so whilst it is at a small cost, the difference in traction can be leveled out.
Tire
There are big variations in tires between the three models.
The XR has the 11.5×6.5-6 Vega tire, the same used in go-kart racing. They can be swapped out for other wheels and brands such as Hoosier and changed for treaded tires for more grip. It is a square profile. There is a really useful Reddit post detailing all of the tire options for the XR.
But what riders love about the tires for the XR is that you can shop around and try out other wheels and don’t need to send your board back to FM to have it fitted.
This is the problem people are facing with the GT 11.5in x 6.5-6.5in custom-made Onewheel tire that comes in slick or treaded (the latter at additional cost). If you buy the slick and get an issue with it you need to send the board back to FM.
Or, if you want to try out the treaded tire you still need to send it back to FM to have it fitted.
The Pint X comes with the custom Onewheel tire too, so the same problem exists with this model as the GT.
The profile of the stock GT tire is round and pumped up to 20 psi. This results in a firm, consistent and secure ride that is smooth. The Pint X also has a similar ride with its round tire profile too.
The XR’s profile is square which gets great traction on looser terrain. This could explain why so many riders love carving on their XRs off-road.
A round wheel is debatably ‘easier to ride’ so it can be argued FM is making some more universally friendly adjustments to the profile to welcome all kinds of riders.
Digital shaping
The GT displays some new technology with an upgrade to Digital Shaping 3.0. It includes the same SimpleStop safety feature that exists on the Pint. This new Digital Shaping comes with new modes. There are 6 riding styles and a customizable setting.
The Pint X also has the SimpleStop feature and has Digital Shaping 2.0 with four modes.
The XR has 6 riding styles including a custom setting and Digital Shaping 2.0.
So it depends on how you want to ride your board as to which one appeals.
Conclusion:
As always, it depends on what kind of rider you are. The kind of rider you are makes the decision on the kind of board you want.
If range and power are your things, you love doing long trail rides, ride regularly, want to hit those top speeds, and are a ‘prosumer’ when it comes to electric rideables, then the GT is the one. Its stability, torque, and range will see you through.
For those that want to get all hands-on and modify their board in terms of range or stunts, a used XR is the one. There are countless mods for the XR which means you can make your board bespoke to your needs plus its variety of riding styles helps personalize both your board and ride.
It can also take a lot of battering through stunts and off-road terrain.
The Pint X is lighter and smaller than the XR and GT, which means there is less board and more portability. For those that want a seamless commute, perhaps beginner riders or riders who have owned the Pint, the Pint X offers a smooth ride with a long urban range, brighter lights, and a neat LED bar for an awesome user experience.
Onewheel maintenance is key to a healthy board and many happy hours riding. We wonder how much of this maintenance can be applied to the GT without voiding the warranty, however?
All in all…
The Onewheel GT is a mixed bag. There’s no doubt it’s a powerful machine that aesthetically looks insanely cool. Its specs display an upgrade on all other models.
Let’s not forgot those awesome new features like the LED Light Bar, MagHandle, and the bright, intuitive LED lights.
However, the early rollout of Onewheel GTs are picking up an undeniable amount of errors in the boards ranging from D.O.A to ghosting. Add to this the engineering of the board so that riders can’t change the battery or any components themselves without sending the board back to Future Motion and it doesn’t look great.
We know FM is a company who makes unique and sleek boards which are a welcome alternative to cars and public transport, particularly for the planet. We have every faith they will overcome these early problems that have arisen.
If you’re unsure whether to take the plunge, then be sure to check out our Onewheel GT rentals before you commit to buying.
Do you have a GT and want to share some stats with us? Did you buy one but cancel your order? We’d love to hear your experiences below.
