Future Motion, founded in 2013, manufactures and sells motorized, self-balancing skateboards called “Onewheels.” The “Onewheel Pint X” is sold for approximately $1,400. OneWheel skateboard owners report that the company’s Pint Maghandles are defective and pose a safety risk. 

A Maghandle is a component that allows users to carry their Onewheels like a briefcase. The standard Maghandle is made of plastic, while the Maghandle Pro is made of rubberized aluminum. The OneWheel Pint X comes with a standard Maghandle. 

One user reported that the Maghandle on their Onewheel Pint broke after 420 miles of use, despite a warranty of up to 1,200 miles. Another user reported that their Maghandle snapped while they were carrying their OneWheel, causing it to fall and breaking the $300 battery management system. Another user’s Maghandle broke after 3 months. Users say that this is a “common problem” and that Future Motion knows about it (Future Motion has actually changed their design), but that the company’s response has been that customers should purchase the Maghandle Pro.

In addition to the lost value customers experience due to the product defect and breach of warranty, the product defect also raises safety concerns: riding a damaged OneWheel can be dangerous and the breakage can cause injuries if the product falls on a person’s foot. 

Future Motion, the manufacturer of Onewheel, has already been sued for personal injury and wrongful death based on a product defect causing OneWheels to abruptly shut off and making users nosedive.