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NYC creative August Hill shares his POV on the monowheel community and how leather is a part of an eco-friendly future.

Ride with August Hill into a more eco-friendly future.

Have you ever thought of riding on the streets of NYC on one wheel? Although they look as if they came out of sci-fi movies, personal electric vehicles are a reality.

They have been gathering followers for a while now, but it wasn’t until the summer of 2020 that August Hill really dove into the unicycle culture.

METCHA - August Hill - leather outfits - August Hill wearing a leather outfit with his one wheel electric motorcycle

The e-wheels made him, who goes by the name of Black Elroy when the leather helmet is on, face the world differently. He started to advocate for an electric future, raising awareness for the issue through his moves.

Imagine a world without clunky cars and trucks. That's what he stands for.

"A smoother process, a more integrated system where we’d have lanes for personal electric vehicles. We could free up so much time and so much space, and it’s also good for the environment."

While wearing sci-fi-like leather outfits, Elroy pushes for more inclusive legislation and brings to life the inner super- or anti-hero we all have.

According to the creative, a unicycle ride – for those who are brave enough to try it – frees early memories and makes you feel as if anything is possible.

"It doesn’t matter if it is a helmet that looks like Iron Man, or some gear that looks like a Power Ranger, or Batman, or Superman. It's just the freedom, it turns you back into a kid."

That way we can actually be true to ourselves and finally develop our personal styles.

"It is just, you can't go wrong with a leather jacket. You put on a leather jacket and everything just starts to happen. So, leather is definitely a big part of my style. When it comes to leather for functionality, I need all of it."

In addition to providing some extra protection, the safety gear can go under it without cramping our style.

"I do wear gear that can fit under the leather. If you see how I ride, I need every part of my body to move. I can't be constricted in any way."

With passion dripping from his words, Elroy talked a bit to us about the importance of electric rides and how we can do our best to create a better future. Keep reading to know more.

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METCHA - August Hill - leather outfits - August Hill wearing a leather outfit riding his one wheel electric motorcycle

An electric unicycle is all about finding self-balance, right? Thinking about this necessary connection between body, mind, and machine, how would you describe your connection with your EUC?

I've been a good rider for a few years now, but it wasn't until the summer of 2020 that I learned to exclusively trust my instincts on my wheel, and that transcribed into my everyday life. When I ride, I barely turn my head because I shut out the noise, anything that has nothing to do with what I'm doing currently doesn't exist — whether it’s my thoughts or the construction workers drilling on the curb. When that level is reached, you can feel and sense everything around you. So, when I’m going 55mph on one wheel, I can feel the ground vibrate in different ways, telling me how fast a car may be approaching and on what side, I can feel the soft growling of my semi-silent electric motor, and I see things in my peripheral vision like I'm looking straight at them.

"I ride on instinct. My connection comes down to trusting my wheel and my instincts."

In your opinion, what can we expect for the future in terms of EUCs and their lesser impact on the environment?

Any time you see a director give us a glimpse of the future in their films, it always features people getting around on personal electric vehicles, also known as PEVs. So, when I think about the future of transportation, my vision aligns with that imagery. I see dedicated lanes in the streets reserved for PEV riders. Not only does this mean cleaner air and more physical space in our world, but it also means the future will be super cool.

In terms of sustainability, what are your expectations about this organic movement of people thinking more about tomorrow?

I really try to do my best to have people close their eyes and imagine a world where there's clean air, and there's space to move, and space to walk. And you can see around you because it’s not all crowded with these vehicles that just take up space. There are other ways to utilize that space. Because nothing is gonna stay the same.

So, when you think about what the future is gonna look like, does it look like there are lights throughout the streets? Does it look like there will be personal electric vehicles, like a lot of films portray as a future goal?