Some fake “knock-off” Solowheels have appeared for sale online in the last few months. Make sure you don’t get tricked into buying a product that is not The Solowheel! They look similar, but they’re illegal and made to lower standards. We’re in the process of taking legal action to stop the knockoffs. (We’ve been very successful with shutting down copiers of our other products in the past.) In the meantime, here’s some information to help you protect yourself from deception:
- Safety: Knockoff manufacturers don’t use the right battery. They do this to cut prices, but it makes their units less safe to ride. The cheaper batteries will often fail to provide enough current during acceleration. If you ride a counterfeit model, you’re more likely to fall. (See video below.)
- Liability insurance: Counterfeiters don’t carry liability insurance. Inventist does.
The unit used in this video is a knockoff with an inferior battery:
How to Identify Fakes
The most obvious indicator of a fake is an improbably low price, which copiers achieve by cutting corners. Fake units may also look different in some of these ways:
- Slightly different shape of casing, especially in the handle.
- Chinese text on the tire.
- Variant (or completely different) name and/or logo.
This photo shows a common knockoff model (left) next to a real Solowheel (right).
Here is a comparison by Vincent Bourdeau of The Solowheel VS the IPS 101:
As you can see from the chart, the most noticeable differences between the Solowheel and the IPS 101 is that the IPS 101 cannot handle the power requirements for quick acceleration and reliable power when accelerating or coming to a stop. The IPS comes in 3 ranges, and the one tested against The Solowheel in the chart above is a class 3, the highest “most-powerful” IPS available.
If you’re ever uncertain about the authenticity of a unit, you can ask us at (360) 833-2357 or customerservice@inventist.com.