BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO ELECTRIC SKATEBOARDING

BEFORE YOU BUY

What is an Electric Skateboard?

An electric skateboard is a type of personal transportation that propels itself using a motor. Its design is an electrified version of a skateboard and the “deck” is not so different than a regular skateboard deck. As with regular skateboarding, the models can be shortboard (30” and under) or longboard (30”+). The design of the electric skateboard features a motor which drives the skateboard forward. In order to communicate with the motor, the rider has a remote control. This remote control sends commands to the ESC (electronic speed controller), which lies on the bottom of the skateboard, which controls both acceleration and braking.

How Does An Electric Skateboard Work?

Electric skateboards work like a skateboard with an engine and remote control. Like any remote-controlled product, electric skateboards have an electric motor that propels the skateboard forward, powered by a battery under the deck and either hub wheel motors or a belt motor. The remote control, which the rider holds, once activated by the user, tells the skateboard what to do in the same way you use a remote control to give orders to a radio-controlled car. Think of an electric skateboard as a very large remote-controlled car. Electric bikes and scooters work differently than an electric skateboard because they are not remote-controlled.

Meepo Board uses regenerative braking. Regenerative braking is a unique way of braking in electric-driven vehicles that recaptures the energy from the momentum of the skateboard. The brakes are electrified and engaged using the remote control. As with any new electric personal transport, you should practice braking in a parking lot or obstacle-free paved surface before going from place to place.

Which Electric Skateboard Should I Buy?

Buying an electric skateboard is an important decision and you’re a smart consumer who knows to research first. Meepo Board is one of the industry leaders in the electric skateboard market because of its quality and price. We offer some of the highest quality electric skateboards, with the least expensive board priced under $300 to most high quality ones under $1000. Check out our article: Which Electric Skateboard Should I Buy?

What Safety Equipment Do I Need for Eskating?

Safety equipment for electric skateboarding is a must. We recommend using a helmet, wrist guards, elbow guards, and knee pads. Electric skateboard riders can choose between a full-face helmet and a regular skateboarding helmet. You can buy protective gear for electric skateboarding here.

BEFORE YOU RIDE

Deck, Trucks, Wheels & Oh My: Eskateboard Parts

The skateboard deck is where you stand. Like a regular skateboard, an electric skateboard deck needs to be slightly flexible, which is why our decks are made from Canadian Maple, bamboo, and/or fiberglass. Decks can come in longboard (30”+) or shortboard size (< 30”). The longer a deck, the easier it is to remain stable. We recommend longboard decks for beginning skaters. Decks can also come in varying degrees of concave (longitudinal curvature of the deck). Our Classic 2 is a high concave double concave deck - it’s designed for new riders to gain proficiency and for all riders to enjoy a long ride with less effort. While it doesn’t have to do with the deck construction, the distance from the deck to the skating surface affects the ease of ride. All of our boards are standard height, with our Classic 2 designed slightly lower as to provide additional stability.

How Does the Skateboard Remote Work?

The skateboard remote works like many other remotes - the long story short is that you click and something happens. The remote holder clicks a button, in this case, it can be accelerating or braking or other settings on our electric skateboard remotes. Once clicked, the remote sends a message to the ESC (electronic speed controller), which sits on the bottom of the board. The ESC, once commanded, will engage the engine to act according to the instructions from the remote control. The ESC controls both acceleration and braking.

Meepo Board chooses only high-quality ESC and remotes because the performance of the skateboard relies so heavily on the performance of the ESC and remote.

Selecting an Ideal Place to Learn How to Ride

The best place to learn to ride an electric skateboard is an empty parking lot. Once you master the starting, stopping, and turning you can upgrade to bike paths and other paved surfaces. For seasoned board sport riders or newbies alike, we recommend you start with the board non-electrified to learn foot pushing and foot braking. Get a feel for the board before you power it up no matter how much experience you have. And don’t start with the Pro Mode right away, but get used to your eskateboard while in Beginner Mode. Don’t even think about “just trying out” your new board in the living room after unboxing it. Put on protective gear and find the closest parking lot to practice. 

Speed Wobbles (Wobbly Trucks)

Losing control on an electric skateboard can be terrifying. The cause? Usually wobbly trucks (speed wobbles). As a beginning skater, you can reduce the chance of wobbles by riding with tighter trucks than usual (have an experienced rider check yours), carving wide on steep declines instead of riding straight down, and gradually increasing your top speed each ride, rather than jumping to the fastest settings. When faced with unknown terrain, even the most experienced riders can get wobbly trucks - always look ahead and be ready to slow down before you get into the wobbly truck zone. 

FIRST STEPS

Non-Electrified Foot Pushing & Foot Braking

Your electric skateboard doesn’t always need electricity. At Meepo Board we recommend all users learn how to do foot pushing starts. This method of starting to skate on an electric skateboard uses your own energy to start from 0, which produces less wear and tear on the engine and is more efficient for your battery. Foot braking is an important skill to learn to ride safely. There’s nothing fancy with foot braking - it’s exactly what it sounds like. Using your pushing foot, you brake (make sure to wear sneakers and not sandals etc.). As you first learn to use your electric skateboard, you should master both non-electrified foot pushing and foot braking.

Drive Your Board - Master the Remote

The remote control on your electric skateboard is something you need to practice once you’ve mastered non-electrified foot pushing and foot braking. We can explain 100 times on the Internet, but until you feel the deck under your feet you won’t be able to feel how the remote control works. It helps you start, it helps you stop, it’s your key to safety. We recommend all skaters, no matter how experienced, find a safe place to familiarize themselves with their remote before hitting top speeds or challenging terrain.

Gaining Speed, Maneuverability, Carving

Hey there! Slow down! Just kidding. We love speed. One of the most exciting parts of learning to ride your electric skateboard is being able to skate faster, maneuver skillfully, and carve with ease. Meepo Boards can go extremely fast - the AWD Pro reaches 34 mph/ 55 kph top speed.  Once you learn to ride the board non-electrified, you can start to practice starting and stopping with the remote. Once you have mastered doing this at low speeds, it’s time to pick up speed. Experienced board sport riders find that this happens quite fast, while those new to board sports can take a month of practice and still not feel comfortable at top speeds. Don’t rush it - you’ll get there. Carving and maneuvering your electric skateboard will get easier with practice.

ADVANCED ELECTRIC SKATEBOARDING

Join Local Riding Clubs

Electric skateboard riding clubs exist all over the world. Once you’re proficient on your board, you can join a club. Meet new friends, learn from experienced riders, drag race your board, go on group rides when you connect with local riders. Make sure to check out the Meepo ride calendar. 

Care and maintenance

Care for an electric skateboard as you would for any other personal transportation vehicle. Inspect it visually before every ride to make sure there’s no physical damage. Clean your skateboard and its parts regularly, depending on how much you use it. Replace parts as they wear out.

Travel with Your Electric Skateboard

Want to fly with an electric skateboard? You’re not the only one. Our electric skateboard fans requested a flight safe battery and we now have it for the Mini 2 Standard Board. Use our flight-safe battery and check with your airline’s regulations before you fly.

Learn Advanced Mechanics of Electric Skateboarding

Want to learn more about the technical side of electric skateboarding? Check the Reddit electric skateboarding community.