Zen Lee says criticizing emotion wheels is not hating them

Zen Lee of the Zen Zone says his criticism comes from years of riding and promoting emotion wheels, not hostility toward the company. He traces the relationship through six wheels, arguing that praise should not prevent him from describing flaws that matter to riders.

The V11 was a wheel he loved, but after crashing his, he spent something like 9 months trying to obtain repair parts he was willing to buy; the boards that arrived did not fix it. The V12 disappointed him because he wanted a more powerful evolution of the suspended V11, not another non-suspension wheel after already owning a 16-inch one. He still likes the V13—and says he raced one—but preferred the older V11’s suspension feel. By modern standards, he would score the V13 suspension around a five or six.

He considered the V14 a good, compact performance wheel with striking acceleration and an IP56 waterproof rating. His reservations were aggressive battery use, an enormous charger, and its suspension style. He drove to California at his own expense for the P6 launch, liked its speed and technology, and considered buying one. But the Lynx S better suited his racing: it offered the low-end torque, agility, off-road ability, and lighter feel he wanted on tighter circuits. Most tracks he races do not require 90 miles per hour; many do not even require 70 miles per hour. The P6 can be excellent without being his best choice. Finally, he sees major performance potential in the X1 but thinks its rear linkage suspension design trails newer approaches for a performance EUC.

For Zen Lee, the point is rider safety and candor: these machines cost thousands of dollars and carry their riders’ bodies. He says his emotion affiliate account was closed and the money still shown in it was never paid, reinforcing his preference for retailer relationships that leave room for criticism. His advice to creators working with any manufacturer is to protect their independence, get paid regularly, keep records, avoid letting money accumulate in an account they do not control, and never trade honesty for an affiliate relationship.