Tips for Switching to A Powered Skateboard

Electric skateboarding

Skateboarding has always been popular in America, and even now 11 million people skateboard on a regular basis. In fact, America has around 500 skateboarding parks! The hottest current trend in skateboarding, though, is the powered skateboard, or electric longboard. The motorized skateboard is a lot of fun if you know how to ride it; but it is different from riding a regular skateboard. If you?re thinking of making the switch from skateboard to powered skateboard, here?s a head?s up about some things to watch out for:

Starting

Naturally, one great advantage of the powered skateboard is that you don?t need to push or pump to get it rolling. This means your feet never have to leave your new electric skateboard. This will feel different from what you?re used to, but it also offers you a level of control you might just find very enjoyable. Typically, a powered skateboard has a hand control that will allow you to control the speed. This leaves you free to worry about carving and staying on the deck. This might take a bit of getting used to, but just remind yourself that the powered skateboard allows you to concentrate on maneuvers rather than concern yourself with getting up to and maintaining speed.

Stopping

Stopping is where things are particularly different. You won?t be using your foot, turning into a slip, or using pendulars nearly as often as you?re used to. Instead, you?ll be directly braking the electric powered longboard using the motor. You can expect the braking to feel smooth and steady, but it won?t stop dead. The plus side to all this is you?re unlikely to be thrown suddenly from the board! The downside is that it won?t stop quickly for safety reasons. This means you may still need to use your feet at times to get that last bit of stop; and you need to keep your slide in good form so you can execute emergency stops whenever you need.

Speed

If you?re a confirmed downhill long boarder, you might regularly achieve speeds like what your new powered skateboard is capable of reaching. If not, though, be aware that the accelerated speed of the battery skateboard means everything is happening just a bit faster than you?re used to. The higher the speed, the less forgiving the maneuver, so practice to make sure you?re comfortable doing all the maneuvers before you ramp up to full speed.

Weight

This is a fairly straightforward issue you might already have thought of, but the powered skateboard is going to be heavier than your old board. This is something to bear in mind if you?ll be carrying your skateboard around to different places; but it?s also something you need to remember when planning battery life. If you run out of juice unexpectedly, you?ll have a board that?s heavier and less flexible than your old one as you try to manually run it home.

Handling

Your hands play a bigger part with the electric board than with your manual one. Most of them come with a wireless remote that you?ll be using to control speed and braking. Take some time to get used to the new way of doing things before you go rushing out at full speed. Get the feel of the acceleration and the braking, and check what the reverse is like on your board. Some will allow full reverse, giving you more maneuver choices.

Your powered board is going to be a lot of fun, and it should be relaxing and enjoyable in every way. Just give yourself enough time to learn the ropes, and, whatever you do, be safe out there.

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