Electric Skating as a Beginner Skater
I have never properly skated on a normal skateboard. My body won’t let me attempt dangerous things where I am not in complete control. That’s where the electric board controller comes in. With this controller, I’ll be able to know the exact speed I am moving at and more importantly, stop when I have to. The only thing I would have to worry about is balance and turning. On the contrary, most skaters would just recommend getting a normal board so you can build confidence, but it wasn’t entirely my goal to be a real skater. I did my research and found an entry level electric board that wasn’t too pricey and didn’t have all the fancy features. I opted for the Backfire G2 Black since it was on sale and looked sleek while being aimed at beginners.
Basic Specs
Range
- 11-12.5 miles/18-20km (80KG rider 30km/h flat road/ 180lbs rider 18.5mph flat road)
Speed
- Top speed: 24 mph / 38 km/h
- 2 Speed Modes (Third Turbo mode enabled with a separate controller)
Weight
- 16.8 lbs / 7.6kg
- Max-load: 265 lbs / 120 kg
Wheels
- 96mm * 55mm 80A
Motors
- 400W * 2 Hobbywing Dual hub motors with replaceable sleeves
Battery
- Charging time: 3.5 hrs
Water Resistance
- IP65
Initial Experience - Sitting and Lying on the Board
Since I did not have any experience properly riding a skateboard, I spent the first day just sitting on my bottom on the board and leaning my entire body whenever I wanted to turn. This turned out to be SUPER FUN. It was like riding a sled on concrete. I did this at my college campus at TCU on a Friday where the academic grounds where mostly empty so I wouldn’t crash into anyone. I did run into a few people and it was funny seeing their reaction whenever I controlled the board remotely and it would move on its own like a ghost.
Actually Standing on the Board
Once I was comfortable controlling the board with the remote, I tried standing up on the board and tried to get used to balancing on it, foot placement, and leaning back and forth. I initially had either knee locked legs or overexaggerated knee bends and nothing in between. I would say now to just relax with a slight bend. Balancing wasn’t too difficult as the board is extremely stable even when moving at high speeds. The problem with this stability is that the board is very stiff at turns. You would have to heavily lean back or press down on one side to make a turn and you would need a lot of space to complete a turn. Curves were the best way to turn but if you had to make a 90 degree angle, just get off and pick up the board. Overtime, the more I used the board it loosened up and I also used the tools provided to loosen up the trucks which would make it less stable but easier to turn.
Charged up and Ready to Roll
Now I was ready to head all over campus with my board. I didn’t have to worry about waking up earlier to make a morning class or be late to a meeting across campus. I could zoom across campus in under 5 minutes! The only problem I had was with some stairs, I would have to pick up the heavy board as it’s not like I can do an ollie with this weight! On a free day I was able to take the board from campus and skate all the way downtown on the main road. I was moving at roughly 20 mph and this felt amazing. The board could go roughly 12 miles without a charge but I often charge my board every 1-2 days to be safe. When I moved off campus into a nearby apartment, this board was super handy as I didn’t want to deal with competing for parking spot with my car but the board was fast enough to get to class without breaking a sweat.
Accidents and Safety
The biggest fear when riding is hitting some rock and be sent flying at 20 miles per hour. Additionally, I never wore any protective gear as I just wanted to look cool without any. Fortunately, I did not have any major accidents. I did fall off one time and scrape my hand as I landed. Riding at night without a phone flash light can be dangerous as the roads could have pot holes or large rocks that completely stop the board from moving. Do not ride in the rain as the board can hydroplane and it’s not good for the electronics if water splashes in. The board also gets dirty faster in the rain. Limit your speed using the different modes based on the scenario. The big wheels do provide some stabilization and you won’t feel every little bump as much.
Remote Controller
The original remote controller is bare bones. A cool perk was that it could control the board very far away. It is operated by pushing the accelerator to move and by pulling it back to brake. You are not able to reverse without double tapping the speed mode button. This means you can’t be accelerating when you want to perform a reverse. Since turning is stiff, reversing is very useful in correcting your position without getting off the board. On other electric boards, pulling back allows you to reverse without the need to switch gears. Additionally, the remote lacks a turbo mode which unlocks the full speed potential of the board (20% more speed). After I broke my original controller, I ordered the Backfire R2 remote controller and connected it with my board. This has a built in index finger hole for a comfortable grip. It came with turbo mode button, and a separate dial for switching in between forward and reverse. The only problem was that these controllers had to be charged with a USB A to C cable (C to C did not work). I highly recommend switching to this controller.
Pros
- Commute on and off campus easily
- Hands-free, you can hold a cup of coffee in one hand and the remote in another
- Badass, zooming on a board will infinitely be cooler than riding a scooter
- Fast and fun, electric vehicles are simply fun to operate
- Beginner friendly, very stable
- Quiet motors, this board does not have belts that can make acceleration noisy
- Design is simple and clean
- Reasonably priced and very reliable (never had to do any repairs or contact warranty)
- Remote can control board from far away
Cons
- Turns are stiff (impossible to do 90 degree turn)
- Original remote controller is not super comfortable, lacks turbo and easy reverse
- No way to turn board on without pressing button under it physically
- No lights to help at night
- Limited speed modes and reversing
- Still somewhat heavy to carry when not riding
Conclusion: One of the Best Purchases Ever Made
Overall, I found that this board was one of the best purchases I ever made! I never had to do any repairs with the board and had no need for more features when I am just computing locally on campus. It made me feel cool, saved my time, and brought lots of fun teaching others how to ride and carrying big objects while moving. I was able to ride with my best friend on campus who also had a board and that experience can’t be replaced! Definitely would recommend getting into electric skateboards even if you don’t know how to skate!