What is the Weight Limit of an Electric Skateboard

If you are thinking of owning a skateboard, electric ones any are among the coolest that you could ever own. Still, before you decide to get one, it is important that you have a good idea of the specifics that you should be looking for, so you are sure that you will have a board that is going to really work best for you.

People need to remember that there is a diverse number of choices as far as these boards go as far as the market goes. This is especially true when it comes to their weights. They can range from 5 to 17 lbs. these boards can differ in power. The less heavy of these boards tend to be treated as toys because they tend to have way too little power in them- usually, around 250w. If you want to go for the more serious ones, you will want to go for the heavier units as they tend to have an output of around 2000w. In many cases, a lot of companies will opt for the addition of more than the just single motor to their products.electric skateboard

Among the many important factors that one has to consider when buying a board are its length and its weight. A board that is both heavy and big is only likely to end up being a cumbersome tool to play with. It is important for one to remember that too much weight on boards only likely going to end up backfiring due to the fact that it is only likely going to become cumbersome, hard to move around, and less portable.

Stability

Stability is another factor that should be considered when buying a board and often, it is going to be dictated by how much the board weighs. It is a fact that the heavier the boards, the more stable they tend to be. It is very important to remember that the amount of features and accessories that are mounted on the skateboard is going to affect its overall stability as well.

The best boards are often those that are built with a perfect ratio between how much it weighs and its performance. This is something that should be calculated by the markets using precise formulas. One needs to remember that the weight of the rider is going to determine the acceleration, the top speed, as well as the amount of power that is going to be needed.

There will be limitations to the amount of weighing that these skateboards can hold and it is important that one will follow these limitations or the performance of the board is going to be duly affected along the way. The maximum weight that these boards can hold would be 220lb. Anything more than that and one can expect that the unit is no longer able to function the way it is expected to at its peak.

How much the board weights can be determined by the materials used to make it as well. But it is important to remember that reducing how much the board weight can improve performance but this would often be at the cost of its stability.

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Skateboarding Safety Tips for Kids

When your child is in a rush to get out on their board to start learning how to grind and flip, it can be really easy to totally forget about the fact that once they’re on the move, a slight miscalculation can cause the sort of injury that means they won’t be back on their deck anytime soon. Sure, they aren’t going to be running like Kyle Wester and bombing down a hill at nearly 90MPH, but the simple fact is that even the most innocuous of tumbles can end up causing catastrophic injury if they aren’t adequately protected.

Skateboards can slip out from under your feet. When that happens, there’s nothing between the skater and the ground other than air. Oh, and gravity is rapidly going to take that air out of the equation, meaning a hard bump on the ground and potentially a visit to the ER.

With this in mind, no matter how confident your kid is about their skating ability, you have to take preventative measures and to try to keep them as safe as possible, so they can carry on skating long into the future.

A Skateboard Helmet is Essential

The first and most important thing that needs to be protected is the head. Above and beyond all other safety equipment, a helmet is an absolute requirement. They probably won’t like it, but just ask them when they last saw a professional boarder skating without headgear.

Deciding to get a lid is only part of it, though. You need to make sure that the helmet fits correctly. The video below will give you an idea of how to take your measurements to ensure that you get the right helmet for the job.

They aren’t all the same, and there’s barely any point in putting a helmet on if it’s going to slip off when your kid busts their first 360 kickflip off the front porch steps.

Run through the following safety checklist each and every time your child puts their helmet on. It won’t take long for it to become second nature and they’ll be doing it themselves!

Checking the Fit of a Skateboard Helmet

1. A skateboard helmet should sit on top of the skater’s head and it should be level, rather than pointing up or back.
2. A helmet that rocks back, forward, or side-to-side is not good. It goes without saying that the chinstrap shouldn’t be buckled too tightly but if the helmet is shifting all over the place, it’s either too big, or not strapped tightly enough.
3. When correctly fitted, the child should be able to see the bottom rim of the helmet when they look up. It should be roughly one to two finger-widths above their eyebrows.
4. The helmet straps should form a “V” shape under the ears.
5. When the child opens their mouth wide, they should be able to feel the helmet hug the top of their head. If it doesn’t, it’s too loose.

Other Safety Equipment

While skateboard helmets are essential, people often overlook the other kinds of protection that are available for young skaters. Wrist guards, knee pads, and elbow pads are a great idea for all skateboarders, but are a definite must for beginners and younger skaters. Not only will they protect against impact injuries, but they’ll also stop minor cuts and prevent painful grazes when the rider falls off, which they undoubtedly will do at least few times when they’re learning.

A mouth guard may seem a little like overkill, but there’s no arguing that a good sports mouthguard will help to prevent broken teeth if your child takes a bad spill.

Final Tips

As well as basic safety equipment, there are some simple tips that you can follow to help your child to stay safe as they level up their boarding skills.

• Test Their Skills
  Make sure your little skater knows how to use the equipment that they have. If they’re learning on a streetboard for example, show them how to ensure the foot straps are secured. Make sure they know that the buckle on their chinstrap should be flat to their skin and that the straps themselves shouldn’t be twisted.
• Get The Right Board Size
  There are a range of sizes of skateboard available, from 6.5” wide micro decks for kids aged 5 and under, to 7.5” wide full-size adult boards. A board that’s too big will be harder to control and therefore less safe.
• Only Skate in Safe Areas
  Checking the safety equipment, wearing a helmet, and getting the right-sized board will mean nothing if they’re going to go and skate on uneven paths that contains broken or cracked paving. Well-lit, smooth surfaces that are away from traffic are the way to go.
• Teach Them How To Fall
  When you fall from a skateboard, crouching down as you hit that point when you know you’re going to fall will reduce the distance to the ground. Less distance to the ground means that there’s less chance of injury when you get there. Learning how to fall is an essential part of learning how to skate.
• Equipment Check
  Checking for cracked, loose, or otherwise broken parts when it comes to the trucks, the wheels, or even the board itself, will ensure that accidents are less likely to happen.
• Be There
  It should be obvious, but if your child is very young and is learning to skate, you should pay attention when they’re skating. Put that phone in your pocket and ignore it. You should act as a spare pair of eyes and ears, as opposed to just being the transport that gets them to the skate park.

With these tips in mind, your kid can hit the ramps and start learning the ropes without undue risks. The next thing you know, they’ll be competing in the X-Games!

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The World’s First Skate House: When Skate is Life…Literally

It’s probably fair to say that any die hard skater dreams about turning their home into a skate park, but for skateboarding superstar Pierre Andre Senizergues it wasn’t good enough to settle for dreams. So, he turned to Californian architect Francois Perrin and designer/skater Gil Lebon Delapoint for help to make his dreams come true.

The house is named “PAS” in honor of its future occupant, Pierre-André Senizergue, the owner of the Etnies skateboard company and former professional skater. A longtime LA resident and proponent of skate culture, according to the LA Times, he has hired fellow French expats based in SoCal to help him with his vision.

The concept of the house is a ribbon that creates a continuous surface to be skated from the outside to the inside. Meaning, the house is fully skateable from the walls to the furniture and even the doors. The concrete and glass residence, which is being built at the top of Malibu’s Las Flores Canyon, is split into three sections to accommodate living and dining areas at one end, a bedroom and bathroom in the middle, and a practice area at the far end, of course.

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Featuring virtually no corners, the surfaces in all the rooms are designed to curve to form a continuous tube with a 10ft radius so that people can skate on the ceilings and all the furniture in the 2,200 square-foot house will also be curved, according to the project’s website. The furniture will be integrated with the curve like the sitting area, the kitchen or the bathroom or just as standing object like the dining table, the kitchen island or the bed. Closets and drawers could be integrated into the curve too.

Watch a video of skaters testing out the model, showing exactly what Senizergue will have to look forward to when he moves into his new home.

Other plans for PAS House:

• The project through his design and its location on the site will make the most of the natural elements (sun exposure and natural ventilation) to avoid the use of AC or heating, all the rest of energy consumption will come from solar and wind power.
• Rainwater will be stored and recycled on-site for landscaping.
• The concrete slabs will act as thermal mass and most of the materials, especially the wood, will come from a local source.

As if the design wasn’t cool enough, adding sustainable elements is a nice finishing touch. It’s truly impressive to see such a beautiful dream come to life in our lifetime, and hopefully, PAS House has paved the way for others to come.

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How to Clean Skateboard Bearings

We all know that every time you go out skating, there’s no doubt your skateboard is going to take a beating. Sometimes it’s inevitable to skate right through a puddle, or you may stack it and eat dirt. However, it’s common for riders to forget to maintain their bearings, causing them to get clogged up with dirt and grime. This of course, makes it harder for the wheels to spin, causing the rider to get less glide and them having to kick harder. Not fun times.

Cleaning the bearings will decrease normal wear-and-tear on your board, increase its speed, and prevent the wheels from seizing up. Luckily the process is easy enough for anybody to do at home so, we thought we would give you guys an easy break down on how to clean your bearings so that you never have to feel like a mouse in a spinning wheel every again.

But first, here’s a little list of the things you should have to give those bearings a proper clean:

What You Will Need

•    Your dirty skateboard bearings (duh)

•    Acetone or another solvent (97% isopropyl alcohol is good too)

•    A bowl or cup to put it in

•    A small pin or straightened staple to remove the bearing shields

•    A ratchet or socket wrench might come in handy

Step 1: Pop the Wheel Off

First things first, you need to take your wheel off to get to your bearings. To do this, you can use a socket wrench, ratchet or skate tool to loosen the nuts holding the wheels in place. You may need to hold your board steady and apply firm pressure to break the bolts loose.

Step 2: Remove the Bearings

There are two kinds of seals that are common on skateboard bearings: rubber seals and metal shields. The seals can be popped out from the other side with a small pin or straightened-out staple. Stick your pin between the ball cage and the outside bearing race and press the seal out. Aim for the center of the seal, because it is made of metal and you wont purchase it.

Step 3: Soak and Clean

Fill up your bowl with 1/2″ of acetone and put the bearings (balls down) in the solution and let them sit for a minute. Alternately tap them on the bottom of the bowl and spin the bearings in your hand until they feel grit-free. Once you get a bearing cleaned, spin it dry and place it on a clean paper towel (balls down) to dry. Repeat for the other seven bearings.

Step 4: Remove and Dry the Bearings

Before removing the bearings, prepare a level, safe place where these can dry. Lay down a paper towel or a rag, remove the bearings, and allow enough time to pass until completely dry.

Step 5: Grease and Re-seal

Add grease to the little pockets in-between the balls. Most people use just enough to fill three pockets barely. You don’t want them packed, but you want all the balls lubricated. You can use any grease that is lying around the house. Spread the grease around with your finger and roll the bearing back and forth until you can see all the balls adequately covered.

First snap the plastic spacer, followed by the shields and then just pop them back in your wheels. Since you completely un-lubed it, run your greasy finger around the outside of the rubber seal just enough to keep it moistened. Also get some grease on the metal surfaces to help keep the rust away.

You should also note that you can use healthy oils instead of a grease. Healthy oils are Bones Speed Cream, Tri-flow, and other similar lubricating oils. Motor oil will work too. Bad oils include WD-40 and 3-in-1 (too light).

And that’s it you’re ready to roll out.

Final Summary

It’s an awesome feeling cleaning your bearings for the first time because you can really feel the impact of the difference, which is why it’s important not to forget that feeling and to remember that this is something you need to do on a regular basis if you want to have good rides.

But how often should you clean them exactly? It depends on how much you ride, and how often in crappy conditions, or how often you feel stuck. For greased bearings, try once every month at first or more often if you’re in the wet a lot.

Oiled bearings need maintenance every couple weeks if you ride every day. I tend to clean them out right after a rain ride; the oil just doesn’t provide as much rust protection.

Now go and clean so you can feel the glide of your freshly cleaned bearings.

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Hackers Hijacking Electric Skateboards is Now a Thing

As technology is advancing, we’re seeing smarter devices being developed to make our lives more streamlined and efficient. Whether it’s your laptop, mobile phone, TV, even cars are now designed to be self-run. However, with technology comes hackers and it’s now been discovered that your skateboard ride to work can be sabotaged if you ride an electric skateboard. Not to freak anybody out, but it’s something we feel everybody should be aware of.

When two security experts discovered a massive flaw in electric skateboard technology, it opened the door to hackers making it an unsafe ride for these types of commuters. The potential for this problem first occurred to Richo Healey, who works on security for payments company Stripe, when he was riding his electric skateboard.

Healey’s board suddenly stopped working when he reached an intersection, ceasing to receive orders from his remote control. As it turns out, the high volume of Bluetooth traffic surrounding the intersection interfered with his remote’s connection to his board.

Recognizing this defect, Healey figured it would be easy to hack a Bluetooth-enabled electric skateboard. He teamed up with Mike Ryan, who works on security for eBay, to develop an exploit which they’ve called FacePlant. They describe FacePlant as “a synthetic version of the same [radio frequency] noise” that Healey experienced at the intersection.

The exploit allows the researchers to gain complete control over someone’s electric skateboard, letting them either stop the board completely or send it in reverse at full speed. In either scenario, the rider is put at a risk of being physically harmed.

Many electric skateboards, such as the Altered Phantom, operate off of commands transmitted to them wirelessly (and unencrypted) by a Bluetooth remote control held by the rider. The skater controls the acceleration and braking of the board with this remote.By disrupting the Bluetooth connection, the hack, allows hackers to take control of someone else’s electric skateboard and do anything from overriding the speed limits set on the board to stop the board completely.

Healey and fellow hacker Mike Ryan went to work testing the Bluetooth security of a Boosted Board as well as of an electric skateboard from Australian manufacturer Revo and one from the Chinese manufacturer E-Go.They found flaws in the security of all three boards. But ultimately, they aren’t hoping to cause transit pandemonium with their hack; rather, they are hoping to force electronic-skateboard manufacturers to make their devices safer.“The point of the research is to remind vendors that they do have a burden to users to make safe products,” Healey said.

Healy and Ryan tell Wired that the board slows briefly before it begins to roll backward, so if you’re alert enough, you can prepare yourself. But if not, you’ll likely end up eating asphalt. They presented their findings at the Def Con, an annual Las Vegas hacker conference.

Here’s How the Face Plant Hack Works

According to the exclusive interview that the boys did on Wired, the Boosted Board works with an app, which controls two 1,000-watt electric motors. There is a small handheld remote, which the rider uses to adjust speed using Bluetooth Low Energy wireless technology, and a battery that allows the board to operate for about six miles on a single charge. A “dead man’s switch,” which the rider holds down to stay in motion, cuts the motor if the rider releases the switch.

Because the Bluetooth communication is not encrypted or authenticated, a nearby attacker can easily insert himself between the remote and the app, forcing the board to connect to his laptop. Once he achieves this, he can stop the skateboard abruptly, ejecting the rider, send a malicious exploit that causes the wheels to suddenly alter direction and go in reverse at top speed, or disable the brakes. An attacker can also simply jam the communication between the remote and the board while a driver is on a steep hill, causing the brakes to disengage.

Final Thoughts

Obviously, the dangers of somebody hacking your board can be a little scary. Even if you’re riding at 20 miles an hour, a sudden stop can cause havoc for you and the surrounding traffic around you. Does this mean we should burn every electric skateboard in the market? Of course not, but it’s good to be aware of these occurrences happening. We recommend doing your research before purchasing your next electric skateboard, and you should be okay.

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Are Motorized Skateboards Waterproof and Safe to Ride in the Rain?

Electric skateboards have been around for a while now, even before the year 2012. However, motorized skateboards were not very good back then. This is because they were heavy owing to their bulky designs, had poor performance and were fitted with massive batteries. These are just but a few reasons as to why the motorized board industry never received significant attention from technology enthusiasts on a global scale.

However, the situation has since changed for the better as the market is now filled with electric products with impressive features and excellent performance. Regardless of all the amazing features incorporated in modern day products, consumers still have a strong focus and interest in skateboards with a water-resistant build.

Can you Ride your Board in the Rain?

As mentioned above, most enthusiasts all over the world are usually very interested in but a single aspect of electric skateboards – their waterproof property. Rain is unpredictable, and this is why technologically-oriented consumers are interested in buying products that are waterproof. The last thing anyone would want is to be caught out in rainy weather or even to go through an unexpected puddle with an electric skateboard that is not waterproof.

The motorized skateboard industry fully recognizes the fact that water and electronics simply do not mix from time immemorial. Since they design them, they also know that there are components that do not respond well to being in contact with water. The following are some parts should not get wet:

• Bearings.
• Belt and pulley drive train system.

A majority of products utilize belt and pulley drive trains which have teeth that get clogged up with grit and dirt when the user is riding on surfaces that are wet. The ultimate result is that the amount of torque transferred to the wheels is significantly reduced. The effect of clogged teeth is mostly realized during braking because the brake force is instantaneously applied with a much greater force compared to the forces during acceleration.

Furthermore, teeth may skip when clogged up. This directly translates to a shorter life expectancy for the belts and the user may have to invest in new ones. Regular maintenance is also necessary for individuals who ride their boards (that have a belt drive) on wet surfaces. This ensures that any debris which is lodged in the teeth gets completely cleaned out.

It is for the above reasons that most companies in the industry, design products that are waterproof. Hub motor electric skateboards are such products. They have completely sealed motors which make them totally water resistant and therefore maintenance free.

Conclusion

Are electric skateboards waterproof? Yes, some are but not all. Consumers should do extensive research so as to find products that are durable regardless of the elements of weather they are subjected to. A good product that is water resistant should possess a high ingress protection rating clearly indicated on it. An IP65 rating or greater is recommended and is what should always be aimed at when purchasing electric skateboards that are waterproof.

If you’re looking for a waterproof electric skateboard, you should check out our reviews on the homepage. We have covered all the latest models and best brands helping you make a better choice.

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How Fast and Far Electric Skateboards Can Go and Maintenance Tips

Electric skateboards are skateboards that have been modified in order to enable them to be moved or propelled controlled by an electric motor, which is normally controlled by the person riding it via an RF remote. Similar to standard skateboards, electric skateboards are steered when the rider shifts his or her weight to the left or right. These types of skateboards were originally made as a means of local transport, but now have more advanced Off-Road models, which are becoming a new trend in skating sports. These Off-Road models can be easily ridden on hard sand, dirt, grass, and gravel and are commonly seen at low tides on beaches.

How Far and Fast Can Electric Skateboards Go?

A lot of electric skateboards manufacturers now provide the option of upgrading to the 12 Ah LiFePO4 battery packs over the SLA standard battery packs that come with most electric skateboards, which help to reduce a board’s weight by approximately 10kg as the LiFePO4 battery packs weight 5kg compared to the 15kg of the SLA standard packs resulting in a lighter, faster, and agiler skateboard. An 800-watt electric skateboard with a LiFePO4 battery pack can provide a typical range of 16 – 20 km. Six hundred watt electric skateboards can only achieve 20% less range than the 800-watt units and electric skateboards that use the older, sealed acid batteries can only achieve 30% less range that the LiFePO4 batteries.

The speed of a standard electric skateboard may vary depending on the weight of the rider, terrain, and slope. On a good road or footpath, an electric skateboard is capable of reaching speeds of up to 16 – 25 mph. Additionally, the discharge chemistry of a LiFePO4 battery pack can allow the motor to run at top speeds constantly until the battery is completely exhausted compared to the high current that comes from the SLA standard battery which ends up tapering off quickly during discharge.

Small factor LiFePO4 pouch cells can also be used in order to increase the capacity of the battery to 20 Ah and also achieve a range of 30 km or more when riding the board at constant high speed. A few manufacturing companies have now begun offering electric skateboards with the capability of running over 30 km using only an 8 Ah battery, unlike other companies which offer only up to 25 km and cost almost double when compared to the 30 km electric skateboards.

Electric Skateboard Maintenance Tips

Taking proper care of your electric skateboard is very important in order to enhance the value of your investment. Most of the maintenance that needs to be performed on an electric skateboard is similar to the maintenance of a standard skateboard. Any preventive actions or steps taken in order to extend the life of an electric skateboard will greatly help to extend the value of your investment. Below are some of the main electric skateboard maintenance tips.

• Clean or replace the grip tape. Once the grip tape gets dirty or starts to wear out, it can be very difficult to stay on the board. The best way to take care of a grip tape is to keep it dry and free of debris. The grip tape should also be replaced entirely at least every two months. This replacement process is very simple that it only involves a razor blade and a steady hand.
• Clean the bearings and rotate wheels. If bearings begin to wear out, wheels will not spin as expected. In order to prevent the wearing out of bearings, the wheels should be taken out at least once a month and the bearings removed and cleaned. It is also recommended to add a few drops of lubricant to the bearings during the cleaning process to keep them spinning fast.
• Tighten trucks. When trucks begin to get too loose, it is easy to tell. Loose trucks can make it very hard to steer an electric skateboard or push it in a straightforward direction. Ensure that the big bolts in your trucks are tightened from time to time but be careful not to tighten them too much as this could cause the bushings to crash.
• Avoid running the board through water surfaces. While most electric skateboards are water resistant, it is still advised against getting it soaking wet whenever possible. While the electronic parts of the board are mostly protected, it is still considered bad for the grip tape, bearings, and deck to get too wet.
• Take care of the battery. Never leave the battery in an excessively hot environment such as the back of a car. When not in use, try to keep the battery fully charged and store it at room temperature.

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