Electric skateboards...

MOTO13

Active member
Sep 16, 2020
335
381
Elkhorn, Wi
I know it's a non-emtb topic, but does anyone here ride electric skatboards? I just got a Backfire Zealot X. This thing if frigging amazing. Almost scary fast.

backfire #1.jpg backfire #2.jpg
 

MOTO13

Active member
Sep 16, 2020
335
381
Elkhorn, Wi
I used to skate a lot, just not in the past few years and never rode an electric board until this one came a few days ago. But, these things are absolutely a thrill and actually scary at first. Acceleration just on eco is quick. It''l go 24+ miles on a charge, do almost 35 mph. You have 3 power settings...eco, sport, turbo. Just like an emtb. You use a hand held speed controller with a thumb wheel to vary your speed. It displays power, speed (mph or kph), battery etc...It even has braking. The entire perimeter of the deck lights up for riding at night. I have yet to get it out of eco mode when riding...lol.
 

Shjay

Well-known member
Apr 30, 2019
835
491
Kent
Used to skate with a windsurf sail attached to the front of the skateboard in the 90s was a lot of fun would get speed wobble from the small wheels 😂 these days would feel safer on a scooter, something to hang onto
 

Hobo Mikey

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Subscriber
May 22, 2020
1,024
2,774
Where ever
I used to skate a lot, just not in the past few years and never rode an electric board until this one came a few days ago. But, these things are absolutely a thrill and actually scary at first. Acceleration just on eco is quick. It''l go 24+ miles on a charge, do almost 35 mph. You have 3 power settings...eco, sport, turbo. Just like an emtb. You use a hand held speed controller with a thumb wheel to vary your speed. It displays power, speed (mph or kph), battery etc...It even has braking. The entire perimeter of the deck lights up for riding at night. I have yet to get it out of eco mode when riding...lol.
Do you have a link for these for sale. Maybe I can get one in the U.K. 👍 I hope the wife never joins this forum other wise I will need a good solicitor. 😂
 

MOTO13

Active member
Sep 16, 2020
335
381
Elkhorn, Wi
Do you have a link for these for sale. Maybe I can get one in the U.K. 👍 I hope the wife never joins this forum other wise I will need a good solicitor. 😂
Backfire skateboards Zealot X... google it. or...

 

Stihldog

Handheld Power Tool
Subscriber
Jun 10, 2020
3,578
5,059
Coquitlam, BC
A few months ago seen a guy riding down some of our green/blue trails on one of these…
IMG_6096.jpeg

I saw him later at a coffee shop.
And then I saw two guys on electric unicycles on our access roads. They were too fast to take any pics. Full face helmets and protective gear.
 

Stihldog

Handheld Power Tool
Subscriber
Jun 10, 2020
3,578
5,059
Coquitlam, BC
Yesterday was the beginning of a long weekend With the weather being abnormally nice for February, the trails on this mountain were active with mtb’s , eMTB’s and e-unicycles. (about 8).

This group mostly stayed together and rode the lower MTB trails.
IMG_7438.jpeg
The guys were fully protected and a few carried first aid kits. I had a chance to talk with some of them. One had to leave because of a minor hand injury.

These guys were different sizes (145lbs-200lbs) and so were the unicycles. I don’t know the operation of these units but they were definitely high quality and I understand that they range between $3000-$4000 CDN.
 

ReadyShreddy

Member
Nov 17, 2023
64
31
UK
I had a backfire board a few years ago, when my boys used to ride scooters. Great fun and the look on people's faces when your flying up steep bank's is priceless.
 

Stihldog

Handheld Power Tool
Subscriber
Jun 10, 2020
3,578
5,059
Coquitlam, BC
I was definitely impressed with their ability. They hit most features and landed 3’+ jumps and drops. They offered me a try…”f*** that”!
 

p3eps

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Subscriber
Dec 14, 2019
1,982
2,398
Scotland
A few months ago seen a guy riding down some of our green/blue trails on one of these…
View attachment 122927

I saw him later at a coffee shop.
And then I saw two guys on electric unicycles on our access roads. They were too fast to take any pics. Full face helmets and protective gear.
I’ve had a OneWheel for about 7 years now. I’ve got the original from Kickstarter, which doesn’t look quite as sleek at that one.

Used to go on it quite a lot - it was good for practicing snowboarding when there was no snow! I could carve on the concrete!
Had a few offs from being stupid… but one day it just randomly stopped and threw me off - resulting in some nasty holes in my hands and holes in my trousers.
I used to go on it with my daughter, and cruise back and forth the beach front. That stopped after that accident, as I didn’t want her flying off!

Haven’t used it in anger for a long time. It occasionally comes out and the kids of the neighbourhood have shots of it, but they’re going at low speeds.

I did read something about OneWheel being forced to do a product recall because of danger of death with the older models… but their solution was to offer me something like $50 off a new one.
 

Planemo

E*POWAH Elite
Mar 12, 2021
605
706
Essex UK
55mph! Wow, how do you stop from that speed?
Lean back. Or if more is needed, squat down and lean back. Basically it's all about how much weight you can get behind the CoG.
I have to confess I've never done 55mph though, I think 47 is my max. But I'm in it for the ride, not the speed. Also our ride group is 100% focused on consideration for others and we yield to everyone and everything. The last thing we want to do is tear-arse around and wind people up given what we're doing is illegal. We strive to be positive ambassadors for micro-mobility and not be like the twats who ride like morons and are too thick to understand that they will ruin it for everyone including themselves.
 

Brian VT USA

Member
Oct 2, 2023
94
67
VT, USA
Used to skate with a windsurf sail attached to the front of the skateboard in the 90s was a lot of fun would get speed wobble from the small wheels 😂 these days would feel safer on a scooter, something to hang onto
Me too. Scary fun. And I could jibe so much better on the skateboard than in the water. ;-)
Now I have a wing that I use on my (frozen) lake with either ice skates or snow skis. It's a hoot (and can also be scary at times). :cool:
 

Brian VT USA

Member
Oct 2, 2023
94
67
VT, USA
:cool:
I’ve had a OneWheel for about 7 years now. - it was good for practicing snowboarding when there was no snow! I could carve on the concrete!
Have you tried the new "carving" skateboards? They are amazing. I have a few from different brands.
Not only is the turning ability now what skateboards wanted to be when they were invented, but the turning action actually propels you forward. It's a "pumping" action just like when surfing. I have gone over a mile (on relatively flat roads) without ever touching the ground to push. I can even "pump" uphill to some extent. It's very fluid and fun and probably happens to be good exercise also. Getcha one!
I think Yow surfskates are more common on your side of the pond than here and are highly praised.
1st video is "shortboard". 2nd video is "longboard".




 
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