Begode MTen4 Electric Unicycle (EUC) Review

Are you looking for more information about the Begode MTEN4 Electric Unicycle (EUC)? The MTen4 EUC is a compact and powerful device, known for its agility and portability. Featuring a smaller wheel size, the MTen4 EUC delivers impressive acceleration and handling, making it a popular choice quick urban commuting, leisure rides, and even performing stunts. Its lightweight design and compact size allow for easy storage and transportation, while its robust build ensures reliability and durability.

In this article, I give you my full review of the MTen4 EUC. When I had the opportunity to buy an MTen4 from a friend, I jumped at the chance. It was in great conditions and I knew after my first ride that I had to own one!

Although I own larger electric unicycles, e.g., Sherman Max, KS S22, I was curious about the smaller guy and the specific role of the MTen4 in my stable of EUCs. After many, many miles on the MTen4, here’s my experience and what I thought! Read on for the details!

Don’t Forget Your Helmet

At a minimum, I highly recommend you wear a helmet like this full-face bike helmet and other EUC safety gear. Even though the MTen4 is a very small EUC, it still packs enough punch to go faster than you expect

Who is the MTen 4 EUC designed for?

I’ve had a lot of fun on the MTen 4. From my experience, though, I think the MTen 4 electric unicycle is best suited for intermediate to advanced riders who are experienced with balancing and maneuvering a unicycle. It is also ideal for riders who prioritize agility, control, and stability in their riding experience and are looking for a compact and powerful mode of transportation.

While this may be controversial, I don’t think the MTen4 is a good starter wheel for beginners or riders who are not comfortable with balancing and maneuvering a unicycle, as it requires a certain level of skill and confidence to operate. Its small size belies simplicity and easy of use. But, it’s a highly agile machine that takes experience and practice to use well. A more stable EUC like the KS 14D, or the more powerful 16x may be a better option for beginner riders.

No matter your skill level, however, if you’re in the market for an efficient mode of transportation and you don’t mind a bit of a learning curve, then the MTen 4 EUC is definitely worth considering.

Let’s Get this out of the way: The MTen 4 Looks Cool

When the Mten4 was first revealed, I imagined something from a cyberpunk circus. It’s got that anime/manga feel without the cute, stylized cel shading you may have seen from the Borderland’s video game franchise.

From what I’ve seen online, the MTen4 design could be described as both scrappy and sleek. It manages to be fun and whimsical, without sacrificing its performance capabilities. Some might even say that it has the aura of a futuristic android.

The rear taillight uses large “pixel” LED dots to show your direction (when leaning the wheel), braking/stopping, and cruising. There are firmware updates that will allow you to change the lights to display different designs and patterns, including text, but I have not tested this myself.

From my vantage, I love how the MTen4 looks. What is lacks in overall power (due to its small compact size) it makes up for in industrial design and style. It’s made to draw attention even when you’re not riding it! I know from experience that it’s definitely a conversation starter when you’re taking the wheel about town.

While I can’t put my finger on it, the MTen4 has an endearing quality to it that I just can’t ignore.

Is this a Fun Wheel? The #1 Reason to Get an MTEN4 EUC

I’ve ridden a lot of EUCs. But, the Mten4 is easily the most “fun” in the smallest package. While I don’t recommend this wheel for beginners (more about this below), it’s a fantastic device for those who want to go for a quick ride without the hassle of working with a massive performance EUC–sometimes, you just want to spin around on your driveway or in a small parking lot space.

The small size does make the Mten4 wiggle under you, which at first glance does make it annoying to start on. But, this quickness is what puts that smile on your face once you gain control.

Earn those smiles

Indeed, if you would ask me “Is it hard to ride?”: Yes, at first, it was a little tricky to get the hang of balancing on this single small wheel; but once I did, the feeling of accomplishment was incredibly rewarding. It has been a great way for me to improve my balance, coordination, and focus while having fun at the same time. Whether I’m cruising around town, exploring new paths, or simply riding to kill some time, the Mten4 is that perfect companion.

Here’s what makes the Mten4 so much fun to ride once you get the hang of it: It’s fast and agile. Step on it, and you’ll quickly get it up to speed. While my recorded top speed isn’t close to the 28mph rated maximum, I’ve been cruising around my street at over 15mph easily–And, on a small wheel like the MTen4, its all thrills. The 1,000W motor has never struggled either, even when I’m climbing the fairly steep hills around my neighborhood.

Go where you want within your skill and experience

While I’m not the most avid off-roader, I wouldn’t hesitate to try and take the MTen4 off the beaten path either. It is fully capable of tackling light off road. Of course, the low pedal clearance, small wheel size, and lack of suspension does limit its ability to comfortably take you on more technical surfaces. For myself, grass, groomed gravel trails, and a bit of badly cracked pavement are challenge enough with the MTen4.

The MTEN4 Electric Unicycle (EUC) Torque or Power Experience

I need to speak to you about the torque. Torque is the power that makes any EUC fun and fast. For its size, the MTen4 has a lot of torque. The power output from this tiny wheel is strong.

Certainly on any EUC, when you’re riding on rough terrain or steep hills, torque really comes into play. It helps you power through obstacles and makes it feel like you’re gliding over any terrain with ease. It’s seriously impressive how much power this thing has packed into its small size.

Although I don’t think the MTen4 is a very good off road wheel, for the reasons mentioned earlier, the knobby tire that mine came with provides excellent grip on all surfaces. I have no concerns with spinning out when I’m “torquing” the wheel over street pavement, packed dirt, or other mildly rough off-road surfaces. Note that I installed EUC power pads and aftermarket spikes on my MTen4 to help me control all that power.

I’m about 175 lbs fully geared up, and using this as a reference, I would say that “a cutout” from overpowering the MTen4 is pretty low. There are some reports of electrical failure in early batches of the MTen4, but I haven’t had a inkling of a problem with my copy. And, I’m sure the version that you can get now of the MTen4 have worked out all the kinks and should provide you with reliable operation.

Notable Limitations of the MTen4: And, a Few Good Points Along the Way

I should note that there are limits to the MTen4. And, many of these are reasons why I would not recommend this wheel as your first purchase.

It’s hard to ride at first. You need to learn how to step on a wheel that doesn’t want to stay upright. You have to be quick on your feet and have fairly good reflexes to hop on the MTen4. The process is a quick two-step: One foot on pedal, lean forward, step up with other foot, and do all of this in a rapid, smooth fashion. You may be flailing your arms the first few times trying to get started on this wheel.

The Agility of a Rabbit

Even with my experience, I know my upper body needs to get into the game to keep proper balance on the MTen4. It takes more out of you than you would expect. For those looking for a good starter wheel, I would direct you to the KS16x or the KS14D. Both of these wheels provide a more tame learning experience.

The lack of suspension obviously is sort of a limitation. You’ll feel every bump in the road, the getting kicked off the pedals but a small crack in the pavement is a real possibility. Gear up when riding the Mten4 in any sort of moderately bumpy terrain. Of course, there are advantages to having a non-suspension wheel, but ultimately the MTen4 will suffer a bit when it comes to that cushy comfort larger wheels with suspension afford you.

About That Fat Tire

Sure the Mten4 comes with a relatively wide rim, almost like a fat bike tire, making it slightly challenging to navigate in confined spaces–in other words, making sharp turns is harder than you would think for a wheel is small. Moreover, although the low pedal height enhances balance and control, it may pose difficulties when attempting to clear larger obstacles.

Oh, and it doesn’t have a rear mudguard. If you ride through a puddle or muddy spot, expect some of that to fly up your rear. You can DIY some type of fender, easily, and I think users of the MTen4 are prepared for that kind of tinkering already. We are an ingenious bunch. Though, I would tell Begode to incorporate a rear fender already.

Indeed, I don’t think these limitations are dealbreakers–I bought an MTen4 myself! It all depends on your intended use for the unicycle. If your primary purpose for the Mten4 is commuting or gliding on smooth pavement, the absence of suspension and the wider rim might not be problematic. On the other hand, if you plan to venture off-road or traverse rough terrain, it may be wise to explore other options with better suspension and a narrower rim.

A Note About the Headlight

It’s cute and works well enough to give you some visibility when riding slowly at night. I don’t expect people to use the Mten4 for those pitch-black night rides, where dedicated EUC night lighting systems would be needed to warn you and others.

But for slow cruising around the neighborhood, the headlamp gives you that small, diffuse beam to avoid the errant pothole or tree root/branch in your way. This makes the MTen4 a good wheel for those few miles between you and a quick errand destination (and back).

Overall, the lighting system onboard the MTen4 serves some limited utility. But don’t rely on it for anything more other than aesthetics for the most part.

Size Matters: Portability Factor

Are you looking for a last mile solution with a PEV? As a daily driver, few devices can match the convenience of an electric unicycle. Other than the MTen3 or the KS14D class wheels, the MTen4 is tiny. It’s meant to tuck neatly into whatever storage space you could imagine, e.g., a car’s trunk, in the footwell of your car, in a closet, or even a suitcase.

A bigger wheel would require a lot more from you in terms of space and even physical capability to move around and store. Even those EUCs like my favorite Veteran Sherman which have a trolley handle fail to compete when it comes to convenience.

Sure, the MTen4 isn’t lightweight at close to 30 lbs, and doesn’t have the telescoping trolley grip-handle you see on the typical mid-sized or larger EUCs; but it comes with a convenient carry handle, similar to what you’d find on sturdy luggage or suitcase. The handle works well, and if you’re lite off-roading or need to move it over some obstacle, it’s perfect.

There is a kickstand on the Mten4 and that works well, too. Turn off the EUC and rest the MTen4 on the kickstand for an easy, hands-free upright and stable storage solution.

The bottom line is that if portability and size matter to you, the MTen4 should be on your radar of EUC wheels to consider. There are other options out there but most do not beat the performance/portability ratio that the Mten4 offers.

How Does the MTen4 Fair Against Electric Scooters?

I used to ride electric scooters. But, I realized a while back that the advantages in terms of power, size, and fun factor in an EUC made my interest in e-scooters…shall we say, disappear.

That said, I know a few of you may be interested to know if this tiny EUC can replace the convenience of the smaller, less performance-oriented last-mile e-scooters. They all fall in that same sub-$800 category of personal electric vehicles (PEVs) (e.g., micro-mobility devices).

Well, I actually can’t tell you what is better without being disingenuous. I think the EUC is a much superior machine compared to e-bikes, e-scooters, and electric skateboards. The size, simplicity, and sheer thrill of cruising on a single wheel can’t beat.

Yes, you have that steep learning curve to figure out how to ride an EUC. And, it is a bit riskier to ride on a single wheel, as there is no room for mechanical error or defect. It’s why we all gear up with the best EUC safety gear we can afford.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• Is Mten4 waterproof?

No. The Mten4 is not waterproof and you should avoid getting the EUC wet. A ride through a shallow puddle will be okay, as long as you don’t splash the top panel with water (where the electronics are housed).

• What is the most comfortable EUC?

The comfort of any EUC is personal preference. Even a suspension wheel may be considered problematic for some riders, as they tend to be heavier and taller. Three things in my opinion make an EUC comfortable to ride: Good riding footwear (I recommend these motorcycling shoes), spiked pedals, and well-positioned EUC power pads.

• What size is the wheel on the Mten4?

The Begode MTen4 Electric Unicycle (EUC) features an 11-inch wheel. This compact wheel size contributes to the device’s agility, maneuverability, and portability, making it suitable for a variety of environments, from city streets to more challenging terrain.