How to Buy a Used Onewheel – [Guide]

Smell a scammer? Need help spotting the sketchy Onewheel for sale? In this guide, we’ll discuss how to buy a used Onewheel, what to ask the owner about the onewheel and how to negotiate the price. We’ll cover what to look for when inspecting a used Onewheel, where to find good deals on used Onewheels, and how to negotiate the price. By the end of this guide, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge you need to buy a used Onewheel with confidence. Let’s get started!

Why Buy a Used Onewheel Instead of a New One?

If you’re looking to get into the Onewheel world, the price points for a new board can be intimidating especially if your not sure if its even for you. New Onewheels start at $1,050 USD and can cost up to $2,500 with accessories. Before you spend that kind of dough you need to make sure its for you.

A good way to get into this cult (yes the Onewheel community is a cult that we love) is to try a friend’s board out or even rent a Onewheel. This way you know you can make a better informed choice. Now that you know you want a board, its time to check the used markets. The best places to find used Onewheels are going to be on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or Ebay. Each market has their disadvantages and potential scammers that we will review but nevertheless, you will find good deals.

How to Find a Used Onewheel For Sale

For your first Onewheel, I would focus on Facebook marketplace or Craigslist as with these two places, you are able to actually physically inspect the board. Offerup and Ebay ha ve great deals and even a buyer’s guarantee program (2 day protection with Offerup) but its not fool proof. Its still worth checking ebay for deals as well as Offerup listings. On Facebook marketplace, there is a Onewheel marketplace that is focused on selling Onewheels. What I like about this group is that veteran riders are within the group and they commonly comment on a post which can sometimes help validate a sale. Reading the comments is a good way to gauge the seller’s price.

We will get into how to spot a deal but before you spot a deal, you need to know which Onewheel is the right one for you. Check out that post if you do not know which one to buy. I would personally avoid a V1 or Plus model unless you are planning to make a VESC board and need some donor parts.

12 Point Used Onewheel Inspection Checklist

Here is a checklist of what to look for when inspecting a used Onewheel. Bring a phone and have the latest version of the Onewheel app on your phone so that you can verify information. At the very least make sure the owner has this ability as we will need to check this.

1. Make sure the Onewheel pairs with a Onewheel app (android, iphone) and check the mileage at this time and confirm its the same or close to what it was advertised as.
2. Confirm the serial number on the Onewheel matches the serial number on the rails (assuming the rails are stock). If they do not match, ask the buyer what work as been done to the Onewheel.
   • If the rails were changed, inspect all screw holes for screws. Modified onewheels may often have a stripped screw hole. If there are a couple screws missing, its recommended to get another set of rails so that your board is solid. Standard rails start at around $200 or so.
   • If the rails are the same, still inspect for missing screws. Missing screws are a sign of modifications and potentially the integrity of the board is compromised as all screws really should be intact. As stated above, new rails would be recommended. Likely if the serial numbers do not match then the controller has been swapped. If you do not know the seller, I would pass.
3. Make sure the board powers on with no error codes or issues. Pass on any board with issues. You want to start Onewheeling with a good experience.
4. Inspect the hub and axel area. If there is excessive rust, likely the board has been through water – I would not purchase.
5. Make sure both headlights and taillights are completely operable. If they are damaged, it is only cosmetic however I would not buy unless it was a better deal for the board (saving $100 to $200) compared to another used board with similar miles.
6. Does the board comes with power button (XR only) and charger port covers? If it does, likely the owner has taken care of the board as these little rubber covers provide protection to these vulnerable areas of the board.
   • If no charger port is included, inspect the charging port, make sure there isn’t any rust or debris within the port.
   • If the board is an XR, make sure the power button has a very notable clicking sound when powering it on and off. If the clicking is not noticeable, the power button has likely debris within it and or its near replacement time.
7. Ask the seller what charger comes with the Onewheel.
   • If the stock charger comes with the board, great!
   • If no charger or only a hyper-charger comes with the board, this could be a sign that the board was stolen. Be wary. You also do not want a Onewheel that has been solely charged with a hyper-charger as these (when used regularly) cause premature wear to the battery life.
8. Ask the seller how it was maintained over the winter or off season. Check our post on battery maintenance. Proper battery maintenance will give max range from a used board.
9. Check the hub edge (rim) for any major dings or dents.
   • If any dents look like they are close to the tire seal, do not buy as you may have air loss issues you will not be able to fix without replacing a major component – the hub!
   • Any aesthetic dings should be a bargaining chip in your favor.
10. Inspect the outer hub bearings for rust.
    • Zero rust is obviously ideal.
    • Light rust may be ok. (riding home once or twice in the rain).
    • Serious rust would depend on the Onewheel for me.
      • Pre-4209 XR board, Plus, or V1 I would pass unless the price was extremely low
      • Post-4209 XR, Pints, Pint X and GT’s have better water resistance so use this to your bargaining advantage.
11. Aftermarket components are usually visible however you should ask if any work has been completed to the board that may not be visible (battery mod, hub bearing replacement, bagering or waterproofing of the board). Be more cautious with boards with these modifications.
12. Finally check the front sensor engagement. On your knees, test the sensor by placing one hand on the tail (side that is on the ground) and another hand on the nose side. The nose side, use your hand so that your thumb and index fingers are on different sides of the sensor. When both fingers are on the sensor, the motor should engage. Check it in several areas. If you have experience riding Onewheels, mount and dismount several times to check sensor engagement.

Negotiations and Considerations

Negotiating the price of a used Onewheel should be high priority. Many used boards can be wildly overpriced. Its always a good idea to get several listings of the model you like to confirm that the price of the board you are interested in makes sense. Here are some considerations when purchasing that may help with your price negotiations:

1. Stock (unmodified) Onewheels are the best used boards. Especially low mileage boards. These are common with riders who had a fall and decided against the Onewheel. You should be able to find a board with under 50 miles. These have minimal wear and are good to go for a thousand miles before anything would be needed.
2. Within the XR model class, Onewheels with firmware pre-4210 have more value as they can be modified with larger batteries with ease [no chip]). You can find the firmware within the diagnostic page in the app when paired to the onewheel. These boards typically render $100-$200 more than a similar XR with post-4210 firmware.
3. XR Onewheels have a large array of aftermarket parts. Do not be turned off by scuffed rails or footpads. These are replaceable. You can essentially refresh a used XR to look new with a couple hundred dollars. Keen sellers know this and typically light wear, will not impact value much.
4. If the Onewheel does not come with a charger, it likely is stolen. Every rider needs a charger and every rider knows they are essential. Be very suspect if it the board does not come with the charger. Ideally, the owner should still have the original box or packaging. Ask if they do. You never know and its super handy to have. Does the seller have proof of purchase? Would they be willing to share their email’ed receipt or physical copy. If they provide this then likely the charger is actually lost.
5. Do not value accessories for much. Some may render 50% of their original price but most don’t add value. Fenders, footpads, rail covers / rail guards generally do not add any value. These are jut customization preferences. Personally I give them $0 of added value.
6. Avoid boards over 800 miles unless you plan on swapping out components or the deal is less than 60% of the cost of a new board. Note: If the board is an XR pre-4210 firmware, this is a great affordable CBXR/JWXR build.
7. If a battery mod has already been completed on the Onewheel, pass on the board if its a Onewheel XR with firmware 4210 or later. These boards require an additional chip (FFM chip) that requires soldering. If done by an amateur, the solder joints may not last or have already been compromised. You are better off buying a higher mileage XR and having the battery mod completed by a repair shop. Issues with battery mods often result in an error 16 code. Just keep looking for a better deal.
8. If a rail modification has been done, this is fine. Custom rails can cost anywhere from $300 to $800. This does not mean however the used board is instantly worth an additional $300 to $800. Used rails can render 50% of their cost typically (condition matters). Rails do have a value add. consider a +/-10% value adjustment on the rails if they are in great or inferior condition.
9. Tires are a personal preference. Do not be scared if a tire is balding or showing wear. Tires usually run bald in about 500-1000 miles. Take it as a bargaining chip and plan on purchasing a new tire of your choosing for your board. (Great opportunity to personalize your board).
10. Used Onewheels with over 800 miles can be completely functional and perfectly fine to purchase. I just do not recommend purchasing a high mileage board unless you know specifically what maintenance was done on the board. Preferably, Id wait to find a board with lower miles (something under 300 miles or so).

How to negotiate the price of a used Onewheel

Negotiating the price of a used Onewheel XR, Pint, or GT can be fun and challenging. You just need to o your research and look at all the features of the board in order to determine what a fair price would be. Ideally, when you show up to purchase the board, if you cannot properly mount or ride the board, you are at the mercy of the seller’s word. Because sellers can sense you are new to Onewheeling, just come clean but be well equipped with the checklist above and the considerations below.

The considerations below are for you to get a loose idea of what the board could be worth as a starting price. You will want to move this value up or down depending on condition and accessories. Lets review each model.

Buying a Used Onewheel Pint

If you are considering buying a Pint for a child and it’s their first Onewheel, perhaps buying one isn’t bad. The perk about a used Pint is that they are allowed on airplanes (their battery is under the watt hour threshold) and if that isn’t a perk for you, then the other perk to consider is these boards can be modified to take a battery upgrade (commonly called a “Quart”. Pint upgraded to a Quart, get it?).

From Chibatteries or JWBatteries, you can pick up a brand new battery for about $400. If the Pint has firmware Gemini 5050 or after, you will also need an FFM chip which runs about $50. So for potentially $450, you have a battery that will give an incredible range boost on a Pint. The original Pint can only go up to 8 miles. A quart pushes it up to 15 miles. You are still limited to the speed limit of 16 mph but if that doesn’t bother you then consider the following:

A good Onewheel Pint value is:

• If you pay 75% or less the cost of a new Pint for a board with mileage under 300 miles and its in good shape.
• 40%-50% or less the cost of a new Pint if the board is in good shape with mileage between 300 and 800 miles
• Consider -5% to -10% adjustments for lower condition (dented footpads, soiled or worn grip tape or a worn tire).

Remember that you can still buy a new Pint so factor your cost of the used board and the mods you plan on doing. If you are going to stuff a quart battery in it, perhaps a Pint X is the way to go. With a Pint X, you get the same range but a slightly higher top speed. This is why I personally do not recommend purchasing a Pint Onewheel.

Buying a used Onewheel XR

Sadly, the XR model is no longer produced by Future Motion. The XR is the predecessor flagship Onewheel prior to the GT. It is one of the most versatile platforms Future Motion had. The XR is commonly used in the VESC market for parts or for conversion. For this reason, XR’s tend to hold a decent value. Certain firmware models (anything pre-4210) allow for battery modifications without any soldering. These boards can take a larger battery than what is in the latest Onewheel GT and have superior range (up to 40 miles). These are known as CBXR or JWXR Onewheels. Depending on what battery you purchase is how CB or JW are decided (CB is Chi batteries and JW is JW Batteries).

A good Onewheel XR value is:

• For firmware 4210 or higher, if you pay 50% or less the cost of a new GT (XR’s cannot be purchased new) for a board with mileage under 300 miles and in good shape.
• For firmware 4209 or lower, if you pay 60% or less the cost of a new GT (XR’s cannot be purchased new) for a board with mileage under 300 miles and in good shape.
• For firmware 4210 or higher, if you pay 40-50% or less the cost of a new GT (XR’s cannot be purchased new) for a board with mileage 300 to 800 miles.
• For firmware 4209 or lower, if you pay 50-60% or less the cost of a new GT (XR’s cannot be purchased new) for a board with mileage 300 to 800 miles.
• Consider -5% to -10% adjustments for lower condition (dented footpads, soiled or worn grip tape or a worn tire).

Remember these are just guidelines. The Onewheels with over 800 miles can totally be fine. You need to see the above tips and make the decision for yourself. Again, I would personally avoid a high mileage used Onewheel.

Buying a used Onewheel Pint X

Onewheel Pint X was released in October 2021. Certain colors (tennis ball green rails) were the first batch to hit the market. They do not have any more value for this but you can at least somewhat date the board. Pint X have the range of an XR so these are great boards especially if you like the smaller Pint platform

A good Pint X value is:

• If you pay 75% or less the cost of a new Pint X for a board with mileage under 300 miles and its in good shape.
• 50%-75% or less the cost of a new Pint if the board is in good shape with mileage between 300 and 800 miles
• Consider -5% to -10% adjustments for lower condition (dented footpads, soiled or worn grip tape or a worn tire) and how it looks and rides in person.

Buying a used Onewheel GT

Onewheel GT was released in October 2021. There are several firmware releases since then however many boards have updated to Cassiopeia 6.1.00 (6100). If the board is prior to this firmware, you can upgrade the firmware to get a lot of the refinements that improved the GT.

A good GT value is:

• If you pay 80% or less the cost of a new GT for a board with mileage under 300 miles and its in good shape.
• 65%-80% or less the cost of a new GT if the board is in good shape with mileage between 300 and 800 miles.
• Consider -5% to -10% adjustments for lower condition (dented footpads, soiled or worn grip tape or a worn tire) and how it looks and rides in person.

Spotting a Onewheel Scam

These are tips and honestly you should avoid any of the following used purchases.

1. Do not purchase a cheap Onewheel from another country. Often you may see an ebay listing for a Onewheel WAY below market value. Its not worth the stress. Pass on the auction. Returning something this large would be too costly in shipping. Don’t take the chance.
2. Photos with only one image. Ask the seller to send multiple images with a date and name of the seller in the photo. Onewheels are very niche so they tend to stay on the used market for some time. If the seller is interested in making a deal, they should be willing to send multiple images affirming the board is real.
3. Do not overpay for some sort of cash back in person. Any overpayment is usually a scam. (I don’t want to explain the scam, but don’t over pay even if its just to hold the board. A deposit is ok.)
4. Paying friends and family with paypal is very iffy. You have no recourse. I can understand why a seller would choose to do this however you need to proceed with caution. If the sale is in person, go through the checklist and confirm everything is in working order.
5. Never purchase via craigslist or marketplace where the seller has to ship the board. While it may not necessarily be a scam, there is little recourse. Its not worth the stress.
6. If purchasing a remote board, Facetime the seller and get more information on them and the Onewheel.
7. If purchasing online through Facebook or another outlet, send the seller a shipping label. This way you have their name and address and you also have instant tracking of the item. Make sure the payment matches the name on the address.
8. Have the seller Facetime you as they ship the board.

Conclusion

Used one wheels don’t come with a financing option. There isn’t Klarna for used boards either. When it comes to buying a used Onewheel, trust your instincts and do not jump into a purchase due to impulse. It is important to trust that you are making the right decision and researching each onewheel model thoroughly to make sure you’re getting the best one for your needs and budget. At the same time, try not to overspend so that you don’t get buyer’s remorse.

If and when you do buy your first Onewheel, track it. You spent good money on the board, don’t let it get stolen on you. Try not to spend more on onewheel extras that come with the board. Usually the seller will add them in as part of the sale. Save money is the name of the game. Always remember to do your research first before committing to anything, trust yourself, and enjoy your Onewheel!

F.A.Q.’s