OK, so you’ve come to the conclusion that you should get an electric skateboard. Congrats on getting on board. But now comes the confusing part. There are a lot of (perceived) options out there. You’ve seen all sorts of them cruising around town. Some look like they’ve arrived from the future (where SkyNet rules). Others look like they were made in your local middle school shop class. Before you can decide which way to go, you need to know more about the different types of e-skates available to you.
What You Need to Know About the Different Types of Electric Skateboard Options on the Market
The DIY (Do It Yourself) Build
One of the scariest online searches at the moment is “how to make an electric skateboard cheap“. Unless you’re a descendant of Edison, what you end up with is an electric skateboard that may or may not burst into flames on your first ride. There are plenty of DIY sites that attempt to guide you in the process. They pitch the use of a single or dual motor mechanical kit that depend upon an exposed belt and pulley drive wheel system. The exposed belt and pulley leave you, well, exposed. A lot can go wrong here, and don’t even think about trying this type of system out in the rain, or on any surface where there is moisture and/or debris.
Can DIY be done successfully? Sure. Boarder Labs plans to bring the DIY community to the LABS. We will be stocking many hard to get DIY E-Board parts for the adventurous skate geek. Call us to request your DIY e-board parts!
The Hybrid DIY
There is a right way to do-it-yourself, especially if you have a favorite deck that you simply can’t part with. This hybrid method let’s DIY pundits get their hands dirty, while incorporating patented technology. A protected motorized drive system can be affixed to your deck, converting it into an e-skate with a little bit of handy work. All that is required, is to unscrew your rear trucks and replace it with the drive system. This patented advancement in electric skateboards comes courtesy of Mellow Electric. If you’re looking for more power, you can replace both the front and rear trucks and install a 4 x 4 drive. If you love this DIY hybrid concept, but prefer to leave the “yourself” portion out of the equation, for now, you can opt for a complete Mellow set-up and switch-up motors (between two skateboards w/an additional remote) on your own in the future, should inspiration strike.
The Electric Street – Complete
An electric street accommodates both smooth and hard surfaces such as tarmac, bitumen, and concrete . This “off the shelf” option allows you to start riding your urban landscape right away. A complete e-skate is one that includes a fully functional motorized system. It comes with a remote and software that allows you to customize power, speed, and range. Common set-ups are 15 pounds and under. We won’t go into the history of e-skates here, but if you can dive into the evolution in this article. For a great street model example, look to Evolve. You have the option between the Bamboo series and the Carbon series.
The Bamboo series GT Street marks what a street complete should be. The board is built with 3000 watt high-performance sensored dual brush out-runner motors and can handle up to a 25% gradient. The battery is a 42 Volt 6.5Ah Lithium Ion with a custom Battery Management System (BMS), allowing up to 19 miles with an estimated recharge of 3.5 hours (or much less if you opt for the Fast Charger).
The Carbon GT Street marks everything that a street complete can be. What’s the difference between this and the Bamboo? The Carbon is more for the extremist, enthusiast, and core electric longboarder. The motor set-up is the same, but the deck, wheelbase, and battery is more robust, keeping you on the road for up to 31 miles. The Carbon GT Street battery is incorporated into the deck, which is notably different from traditional electric skateboard completes. You’re looking at a 4 to 5 hour charge on this model (without the optional Fast Charger).
The Electric All Terrain – Complete
The e-skating evolution has redefined what is considered a ridable surface. Even purists have to admit that an e-skate can tackle something no other board can – all-terrain! Let’s return to Evolve to note what is possible with an electric all-terrain complete system. Their Bamboo GT All Terrain incorporates 7” pneumatic hubs and tires, 3000 watts of twin brushless sensored motor power, and a powerful lithium battery. This provides four-driving modes (SLOW, ECO, FAST, and GT, if you dare) that can navigate over sandy beach paths, gravel roads, grass fields, and steep (25%) hills. The Carbon GT All Terrain allows all of the same, and also includes super-carve trucks, regenerative ABS braking and greater wheel option versatility.
We’ve put a bit of a conundrum to you here, haven’t we? We understand that it might be hard to decide between the GT Street and GT All Terrain. No worries! You can now switch between setups, more efficiently than ever with the Evolve GT Bamboo 2 in 1.
With the electric skateboarding industry evolving year in and out, this breakdown will be updated as we progress through the future. But for now, you have everything you need to know. Ready to flip the switch and start riding an e-skate? Visit our electric skate shop or contact us anytime with any questions whatsoever.
