MeepoBoard Archives - Electric Skateboard HQ

October 25, 2023October 25, 2023 by Amirah Rashidi

Meepo Aurora Review

For $799 Meepo Aurora has all the same parts as the $649 Meepo NLS 3, but adds the green deck lights and comes with a fast charger. Maybe Meepo was envious of all the eyeballs Backfire got for the Zealot series and decided to follow suit.

The Meepo Aurora’s built-in lights are also very bright, and an added bonus is that they blink when you press the brake. For those who want to turn off the lights, you can do so by double-tapping the power button on the remote.

Meepo Aurora Specifications

Photo of Meepo Aurora in its packaging box

Photo of Meepo AUrora in the dark with lights

Price	$799
Battery	12s2p Molicel P42A 362Wh
Controller	12s Hobbywing ESC
Top Speed	32 Mph / 52 Kph
Range	24 Miles / 38Km
Deck	Bamboo and fibreglass with side inlaid COB light
Motor	2519 W x 2 Belt Drive Motors
Net Weight	22.1 lbs/ 10 kg

Deck: Bamboo and Fibreglass

Close up on silicone tail guard of Meepo Aurora

The deck is the exact same one as the Meepo NLS 3, AKA Meepo Envy. The deck is made of bamboo and fibreglass, and it has a good concave and is extremely flexible. It’s a very good deck. It also features a gorgeous Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis print, hence its name. The mix of greens really compliments its wheels and LED light feature, making for a really cohesive design overall. It also has a clear silicone tail guard, which is great for two reasons: one, it prevents scratches on the nose and tail, and two, since it’s clear instead of black like on the Meepo Envy, the LED lights go around the entire deck.

Photo of Meepo Aurora LED lights in the dark

Photo of Meepo Aurora underside LED lights in the dark

ESC: 12s Hobbywing ESC

Close up photo of 12s Hobbywing ESC on Meepo Aurora

Close up photo of Meepo Aurora remote control

Meepo Aurora, Envy, and Flow are the three boards in Meepo’s current lineup that uses 12S Hobbywing ESC. These are the boards that prioritised smoothness of control and ease of use over thrilling and aggressive accelerations, though having reviewed the Vader, which uses LingYi ESC, the difference in smoothness has almost completely closed.

The 12S Hobbywing ESC comes with four-speed modes and the “smart turn-on” feature, which means the board powers on automatically when the remote is turned on. This ESC pairs with the Meepo M5S remote control, which has a screen for telemetry display.

Battery: 12s2p Molicel P42A 362Wh

Meepo Aurora and Envy came with a Molicel P42A in a 12s2p setup. That’s 362.8 Wh.

Both have a marketed range of 24 miles (38 km), but our testing resulted in a range of 16.5 miles (26.5 km) with a 155 lbs (70 kg) rider riding fast.

While we really wish the Meepo Aurora had more range, it’s quite hard to complain. After all, the current benchmark for boards around $700 is a 12s2p arrangement with 21700 cells. Since the Aurora doesn’t have an extended model, Meepo was basically urging you to upgrade to the $999 Voyager X and its 12s3p 544Wh battery if you need additional range.

The fast charger of the Meepo Aurora is Gan 50.4V 6A, while the one on the Meepo NLS 3 was 4A. You can fully charge the Meepo Aurora in about 1.5 hours, 30 minutes quicker now.

It’s also worth noting that Meepo sealed both the ESC and battery very well. Both the ESC and battery enclosures are in their own sealed boxes, so while the Aurora has no official waterproof rating, it should be very water-resistant.

Motor: 2519 Watts x 2 Belt Drive

Close up photo of Meepo Aurora tail guard and belt motors

Close up photo of Meepo Aurora belt motors underside

Close up photo of Meepo Aurora belt motors and trucks

Aurora uses the same motors as the Meepo Envy. They are 2519 Watts each, larger than most boards at this price. They have an outstanding top speed. The marketed top speed is 32 mph (52 kph), which we had no problem reaching.

Truck and Wheels: Reverse Kingpin Trucks

Close up photo of Meepo Aurora Reverse Kingpin truck

Close up photo of Meepo Aurora truck and wheel

Meepo uses unbranded 8” 50° reverse kingpin trucks. For heavier riders who like harder bushings, Meepo also included a set of 100A bushings in the box along with the standard 96A double barrel bushings. The wheels are 90MM and 78A with a 65mm contact patch. Compared to other brands, we notice these stock wheels are pretty soft.

Riding Experience on the Meepo Aurora

The riding experience on the Aurora is, obviously, the exact same as the one on NLS 3.

Ditching LingYi ESC and going with Hobbywing ESC is a sign that Meepo Aurora and the NLS 3 were made to be as comfortable of a ride as possible. And the board is indeed buttery smooth in all aspects. The board accelerates and brakes very smoothly thanks to the 12s Hobbywing ESC. The 12s system combined with two powerful motors means the board is also powerful. Not quite at the level of the high-end powerhouses like the $999 Voyager X or the $1200 Zealot X, but it’s definitely on par with some more expensive boards, such as the Zealot S2, which costs $200 more.

And, unlike Zealot S2, the Aurora deck is really comfortable. It has a really good concave, which helps with controlling the board and gauging where our feet are, and the flex of the deck and the soft grippy wheels make carving on the Aurora a very, very enjoyable experience.

And the trucks that Meepo Aurora uses helped, too. The trucks on the Aurora are Meepo’s Shredder trucks, and they ride pretty well, too. They feel like tightened Paris trucks, a bit more stable with good responsiveness. When first testing top speed, there was a bit of a wobble at 27 mph. After a little tightening, we were able to reach top speed without any wobble.

The Aurora also does a good job of damping road vibration. It should come as no surprise that the belt drive, soft wheels, and flexible deck work well together to reduce road vibration.

Verdict – Meepo Aurora

The Meepo Aurora, just like the NLS 3, is a very well-rounded board. It’s built well, has perfect speed control, and has a buttery smooth ride profile thanks to its amazing deck. While it did not have over-the-top power, its power, and top speed is still top-tier for board at this price. It also did not overdeliver on battery size and range as some other less premium budget brands do.

We noticed that the Meepo NLS 3 wasn’t as talked about as the Backfire Zealot S2 despite being a very similar board in the same price categories. Compared to the NLS 3, the Zealot S2 is $200 pricier, a tad bit more powerful, and has a slightly bigger battery, while the NLS 3 and the have better decks. And we think the extra buzz Zealot S2 made came from having the lights; it just looks better on the Facebook feed. So, with Meepo Aurora getting the inlaid LED lights, maybe the NLS 3 will finally, too, get the attention it deserves.

All in all, Meepo Aurora and its green light get a green light from us. It is $150 pricier than the $649 Meepo NLS 3, and that extra $150 went into a fast charger and the lights. Considering faster chargers are expensive, and aftermarket solutions for board lights can also be expensive, Paying $150 extra for them is a reasonable deal if you like the lights.

If you are interested in buying the Meepo be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and use code: “ESKATEHQ” to receive $5 off during checkout.
It will help you get a small monetary discount and help us out too. On top of that, you’ll be tagged as an Electric Skateboard HQ customer and probably be treated better. Cheers!

October 14, 2023October 17, 2023 by Paxson Lim

Meepo Hurricane Vader Review- Gear Drive FTW!

In late 2021, Meepo launched the $1699 Meepo Hurricane to great acclaim. It was much more powerful and had a significantly larger battery than the similarly priced Exway Atlas, which was the board to beat in the carbon fiber all-terrain category.

Fast-forward to 2023, and the field has become much more competitive. In response, the Hurricane has been upgraded to the Hurricane Vader. Besides boasting a slightly lower price of $1599, it also features several changes from the previous version of the Hurricane.

Meepo Hurricane Vader Specifications

Price	$1599
Battery	12s4p Molicel P42A (725.8WH / 16.8AH)
Controller	12s Lingyi ESC
Top Speed	32 mph / 52 kph
Range	31 miles / 50 km
Deck	Carbon fiber, Double-drop deck
Motor	3500W x 2 Gear Drive Motors (Gear Ratio = 1:4.4)
Net Weight	38.8 lbs/ 17.6kg

Deck – Same Great Material, Sleeker Design:

This deck is identical to the one on the original Hurricane but with a modified grip tape print design. It has a more subdued design and a smaller logo, which, to us, looks more sleek and contemporary.

Beyond aesthetics, this is the same double-drop deck constructed from T700 3k Carbon Fibers. It’s worth noting this material since it’s used in manufacturing professional drones.

It is stiff with no flex, and It is wide with a pronounced concave.

ESC and Remote – 12s LingYi ESC and M4s Remote

For its ESC, the Meepo Hurricane Vader has once again chosen the 12s LingYi ESC. This ESC features a push-to-turn-on function and offers four speed modes as well as four brake modes. By 2023, Meepo had begun integrating the Hobbywing ESC into some of its boards. Therefore, it appears intentional that Meepo chose LingYi for this model, suggesting that Meepo wants this board to have a more aggressive speed control. .

The ESC is paired with the standard M4s Meepo remote, which is the same one used for the previous Meepo Hurricane. This remote includes a display that shows speed, battery status, and other useful information.

Battery – 12S4P Molicel P42A:

The Meepo Hurricane Vader’s battery remains unchanged. It continues to be powered by a big 12S4P battery using Molicel P42A, and provides a total of up to 725.8WH or 16.8AH. By 2023, this no longer outshines the competition, but it remains competitive for its price point.

Meepo advertises a range of 31 miles (50km). In our tests, we achieved up to 22 miles (35 km) while riding in the highest speed mode. This is a significant improvement over the 18.5 miles (30 km) range of the previous Hurricane. We believe this increased efficiency is due to the gear-drive being more energy-efficient than the belt.

Motor – 3500W X 2 6374 motor with Gear Drive System 4.0:

So, let’s talk about the gear drive. These are a pair of 3500W, 6374 motors. Meepo refers to this as the Gear Drive System 4.0, a name that doesn’t mean much to us other than the fact that it is not the planetary gear drive used on the previous City Rider 2 and Ecomobl boards. Gear drives are always exciting because while keeping the smooth ride that results from not having a hard hub core inside the wheels, they offer better battery efficiency than belt-drive. These gear drives are generally more expensive; for example, Meepo allows customization of the Hurricane via the Hurricane Ultra product page, and the gear drive option is priced $100 higher than the belt version. While these drives must still be time-tested for durability, so far, we haven’t heard much about failures related to the gear drive.

The marketed top speed of these motors is 32 mph (52 km/h), which is a little slower than the previous belt-driven Meepo Hurricane. We suspect this difference may be due to gear ratio settings that prioritize torque over speed. (Gear Ratio = 1:4.4)

Additionally, we lacked a long, straight stretch of road during our test, which prevented us from reaching the top speed. The board accelerated powerfully from a standstill, but its acceleration tapered off as it reached higher speeds. As a result, it took some time to reach its maximum speed, and our test ended when we ran out of roads, reaching 28 mph (45 km/h), which we can tell is well below the board’s limit.

Truck and Wheels – Double KingPin and Cyclone 165s Racing Wheels

As for the trucks, Meepo sticks to what works and uses the same double kingpin trucks as on the Hurricane. We already know that they work well and have a good balance between stability and responsiveness.

Meepo still allows customization and the true kingpin option through Meepo Hurricane Ultra X for people who prefer stability.

Check out Meepo’s Hurricane Ultra X customization page here

There have been adjustments to the wheels. The Hurricane Vader uses Meepo’s new Cyclone 165S Racing Wheels with CNC machined rims in place of 155mm pneumatic wheels.

The board weighs a hefty 39 lbs (17.6kg). It’s definitely on the heavy side with this one.

Specification Summary

Overall, the Meepo Hurricane Vader offers great specs for $1599. While I wouldn’t say it’s jaw dropping in terms of value for money, a 12s4p carbon fiber board with gear drives, constructed with such finesse, is about as good as it gets for $1599.

Riding Experience of Meepo Hurricane Vader:

For those who are unfamiliar with the Hurricanes, this stunning carbon fiber deck is nice to ride, too. It’s nice and wide, with enough room for people with larger feet. Given that this is a very, very powerful board, it is crucial that the board remain stable at high speeds, which was made possible by the stiffness of the deck and the pronounced concave.

For Vader, the speed control is better than the previous Hurricane. The speed controls for mode 1 to mode 3 are now perfectly smooth and intuitive, as good as Hobbywing ESC. And as per typical Meepo fashion, Mode 4 is aggressively powerful and has that extra punch, which is often more for the thrill than for any practical reason. It is, however, helpful for uphill hikes. Mode 4 will undoubtedly be too powerful for a beginner because of how quickly the board moves ahead, thanks to its steep acceleration curve. If you like that kind of thrill, it is quite exciting, but for the majority of riders, mode 3 is a lot more comfortable and usable and is already very strong.

Meepo Hurricane Vader has a very distinct riding feel. It uses double kingpin trucks, but the board feels more stable than it is responsive. We believe the 165s Cyclone Wheels, which have large contact patches and are incredibly grippy, are a big factor in this. This means that while we can maneuver the board with ease and carving is fun, the board isn’t nimble, and executing sharp L turns is not easy.

We also blame the grippy-ness of the cyclone wheels for holding back the acceleration. When we test the top speed, it feels like the wheels are too glued to the tarmac, stopping the board from leaping forward. Additionally, the board will abruptly lose speed when the throttle is released, which could cause wobbles for inexperienced riders. This was unexpected because, typically, belt systems provide better free-rolling than gear drives, but the 165S Cyclone wheels appear to offset that advantage.

But it doesn’t mean we don’t like the cyclone wheels. They are quite comfy; there was virtually no road vibration at all. And all the credit has to go to the wheels, as the stiff carbon fiber deck wouldn’t have done anything to help reduce road vibration.

Not sure how important this is to you, but the gear drive is also quieter. It is about as loud as the quietest belt drive.

Verdict – Meepo Hurricane Vader:

Meepo Hurricane Vader is no longer an underdog that dramatically undercuts the competition in terms of price and specs. Instead, it has evolved into an uncompromising premium board featuring quality parts, a refined finish, and an amazing ride. Its ride profile leans more toward torque, power, and stability. It is a complete package at a slightly lower price than its competitors (I’d value it at around $1799), and if you’re in the market for a powerful board with great specs, you can’t do much better than the $1599 Meepo Hurricane Vader.

If you are interested in buying the Meepo be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and use code: “ESKATEHQ23” to receive $5 off during checkout.
It will help you get a small monetary discount and help us out too. On top of that, you’ll be tagged as an Electric Skateboard HQ customer and probably be treated better. Cheers!

October 2, 2023October 7, 2023 by Paxson Lim

Meepo City Rider 3 Review – Big wheels but stay on road!

While Meepo’s original City Rider might have flown under many people’s radar, it was a board that I was really fond of. It was Meepo’s first board with all-terrain wheels, and it was launched with an affordable $749 price tag.

I love that board because I am generally pretty lazy, and when I need an All-terrain wheeled board to get around poorly paved city roads, the City Rider is the easiest board to use and maintain. It has hub drives that don’t require maintenance and airless tires that don’t need to be pumped and won’t get punctured. And while the board wasn’t as powerful as it looks, it stood out as being a hassle-free board to own.

The new Meepo City Rider 3, however, might have a different identity than the original City Rider. By switching to belt-drives, the $899 City Rider 3 actually has more similarities to the Meepo Hurricane Series, the company’s current flagship model, more than it does the earlier City Rider models.

Meepo City Rider 3 Specifications:

Price	$899
Battery	12s3p Molicel P42A 544Wh
Controller	12s Lingyi ESC
Top Speed	29 mph / 48 kph
Range	21miles / 35km
Deck	W Concave Canadian Maple and Bamboo
Motor	3500W x 2 Belt Drive Motors
Net Weight	30.4 lbs/ 13.8kg

Deck: 8 ply Canadian maple + 2 ply bamboo

Starting with the deck, City Rider 3 uses this beautiful minimalistic grip tape design. The transparent grip tapes show off the polished sand-blasted Canadian maple underneath. It’s made of a combination of 10-ply Canadian Maple and Bamboo. However, the board-length aluminum enclosure installed beneath the deck makes the deck extremely stiff.

The deck features a nice W concave. Like most all-terrain boards, this is a double-drop deck that’s good for reducing riding height.

ESC and Remote: 12s Lingyi ESC and Meepo M4s Remote Combo

For the ESC, the Meepo City Rider 3 uses a 12s Lingyi ESC, which has a push-to-turn-on feature and comes with four-speed modes and four brake modes. It’s interesting to see Meepo choose LingYi on this one since, as of 2023, it’s no longer allergic to using Hobbywing ESC on its boards. For those who are new, LingYi ESC is known to have a fourth-highest speed mode that is typically more aggressive and a little less smooth than the Hobbywing ESC. I guess we will know how well it works for City Rider soon.

This ESC pairs with the standard M4s Meepo remote, which is the same remote used with the Meepo Hurricane. It has a display to show the speed, battery life and other data.

Battery: 12s3p Molicel P42A 544Wh

The Meepo City Rider 3 uses a 12s3p Molicel P42A 544Wh, which is a step down from the Hurricane’s 12s4p configuration in terms of battery capacity. It’s advertised to run for 21 miles(r35 km), but in our tests, we managed to hit 16 mile(25 km) range riding fast. This is about what we’ve expected from the 12s3p 544wh battery, so we can’t say we were disappointed.

Motor: 3500W x 2 Belt Drive

For the motors, Meepo decided to shake it up by switching to the tried and true belt drive motors. In previous installments, the City Rider 2 used a planetary gear drive, while the first City Rider went with hub drives. I’m not sure what is the rationale behind switching over to belt drive; perhaps it is to streamline the productions as Meepo also has stopped using gear-drive in its other products for now. These are the same exact motors as the one on Meepo Hurricane, and they are huge, 3500W a piece. The top speed is 30 mph(48 kmh), which is similar to the Hurricane.

Trucks And Wheels: Double Kingpin And 150x150mm Honeycomb Rubber Airless Wheels

For wheels, these are 150x50mm Honeycomb rubber airless wheels. Airless wheels are great for the lazy, as you don’t have to worry about tire pressures, and it won’t get flat tyred. The ride feel is still as good as traditional pneumatic tires, but I’m sure AT-purists will hate to not be able to play around with the tire pressure.

The board weighs 30.4lbs (13.8 kg), It is heavy, and the handlebar that was on previous city Riders is sorely missed.

Riding Experience of City Rider 3

The first thing we wanted to test was the speed control. LingYi ESC is just like a box of chocolate sometimes; you never know what you’re going to get. Some versions of it were perfectly smooth and indistinguishable from the perfect standard set by Hobbywing ESC, while the other versions were rough like it was 2017 again. Fortunately, this time, it is a good one. The City Rider 3’s speed control is flawlessly smooth and virtually identical to the Hobbywing ESC.

We are comfortable with staying on 4th-speed mode all of the time and prefer to keep our brakes mode on 3rd-brake mode.

While the City Rider 3’s speed control is great, the power is not. The City Rider 3 doesn’t have the insane power and torque that can take the board off-road while going uphill, so we could be wrong, but we’re starting to assume that it was designed to be ridden in the city. It’s a bit of a bummer; I suppose, we’re just accustomed to Meepo packing insane power onto all of their boards.

The board can get to top speed, but it takes a while to get there. It is obviously strong enough to climb any regular hill, but it certainly doesn’t blast through them like a Hurricane. For comparison, the Propel Pivot S felt 10% stronger than the City Rider 3, and Meepo Hurricane Vader felt twice as powerful.

It turns out that while City Rider 3 has the same motors as the Hurricane, it is significantly less powerful than the Hurricane since its ESC has a lower output. Yet another good example is that motor wattage only paints a partial picture of a board’s power.

While City Rider 3 wasn’t powerful, it certainly was comfortable. It starts with the deck. The deck is undoubtedly the highlight of the board, and we especially love the W-Concave this deck has. It is super comfortable to stand on. It is easy to tell where our feet are and keep them secure at high speed. It feels like Meepo and Exway are two of the Chinese brands that have the best decks on their boards.

Another big part that helped with ride comfort was certainly the big 150mm wheels. They are less cushy than pneumatic wheels and absorb less vibration but work well enough to smooth out vibration on rough roads. For us, riding pneumatics is clearly preferable, but owning one? That is up for debate. Going airless eliminates the inconvenience of maintaining pneumatic AT tyres, which include checking tyre pressure and replacing them when they get punctured.

And going double kingpin also helped with ride comfort. The board is fun for carving and super easy to turn thanks to the double kingpin trucks. It allows for a tight turning radius and makes U-turns possible. Similar to the Meepo Hurricane, the City Rider is also pretty stable at high speed; it just takes a while to get to the top speed.

The Verdict – Meepo City Rider 3 is great, but not for off-roading.

The $899 City Rider 3 can no longer make the claim that it is the most affordable AT board, as its predecessor previously could, because there are so many fantastic options on the market right now. When comparing boards with AT wheels, veteran Eskater would probably scoff at City Rider 3 middle-of-the-road power and go for something more thrilling like the Hurricane or the Propel Pivot.

Beginner or casual riders would, however, appreciate City Rider 3 for how comfortable and relaxing it is to ride. City Rider 3 fits the bill nicely if you don’t want to go off-roading but still need a big-wheeled board to manage tough city streets. Whether you are going uphill or downhill, riding on good roads or over potholes, sticks, and stones, Meepo City Rider 3 will keep you comfortable. After all, why pay more for off-road power if you aren’t doing off-road? At the end of the day, who can not love a $899 12s3p AT board that rides really well?

August 30, 2023August 30, 2023 by Paxson Lim

Meepo Flow Review – Simply The Best Cruiser

Let’s first introduce the elephant in the room: Meepo Flow is the blatant copy of the Evolve Stoke, first released back in 2019. It has the exact look and uses very similar parts – a 35’ cruiser deck paired with double kingpin trucks.

However, a closer look at the specs shows that the $749 Meepo Flow might be quite a lot better than the $999 Evolve Stoke.

Specification – Meepo Flow

Price	$749
Deck	35-inch Bamboo and fibreglass. Stiff, wide concave
Trucks	Double Kingpin Trucks
Wheels	35-inch Bamboo and fiberglass. Stiff, wide concave
ESC	12s Hobbywing ESC
Motors	Dual 2519W belt-drive motors
Battery	12S2P, Molicel P42A, 362.8 Wh, 8.4AH
Top Speed	32mph (52 kph)
Range	24 miles(38 km)
Weight	24.2 lbs/(11 kg)

Deck

The Meepo Flow has the same transparent grip tape as the Evolve Stoke. It has an additional foam grip tape on the kicktail of its slightly longer 35-inch Bamboo and fiberglass composite deck. Similar to the Evolve Stoke, the Meepo deck has a wide concave and is stiff.

Looking at the photo, you might mistake the Flow as a shortboard, but at 35″ by 13.5″, it’s actually a ‘shorter’ longboard with a kicktail or a cruiser board.

Truck: Double Kingpin

The Meepo Flow is equipped with a double-kingpin truck, as per the Evolve Stoke formula. Let’s hope these trucks are good.

Wheels: OEM 105mm wheels

In contrast to the Evolve Stoke’s 85mm wheels, Meepo decided to go big with 105mm wheels. It is good to see these soft 105mm resurfaced to the market. They are the OEM wheels for the late-Boosted 105s, which Boosted previously sold at about $170 a set.

Battery: 12S2P Molicel P42A, 362Wh / 8.4AH

The Meepo Flow, like the NLS 3, has a 12S2P Molicel P42A, 362Wh / 8.4AH battery, which is significantly larger than the Evolve Stoke’s 144Wh battery. The advertised range is 23.6 miles (38km) but in our tests, we got a range of 16 miles (25.4 km) for our 155lb (70kg) rider riding fast. Again, the outcome is similar to that of the NLS 3.

Click here to read our review of the Meepo NLS 3 (AKA Meepo Envy)

ESC (Electronic Speed Controller): 12s Hobbywing ESC

The Meepo Flow uses a 12s Hobbywing ESC, which is smoother than the current-generation LingYi ESC and far superior to any ESC used by Evolve on their boards. This ESC is paired with the Meepo M4s remote, which includes a display which displays your speed and other information.

Motor: Dual 2519W belt-drive motors

This model has the same dual belt system as the NLS 3 and is far more powerful than Evolve Stoke’s dual 1500W motors. The advertised top speed is 32 mph (51.5 km h), and our tests clocked it at 30 mph.

Specs Summary of the Meepo Flow

Meepo Flow is almost the same board as the Meepo NLS 3, just with a new deck and double kingpin trucks. These are good specifications for $749, especially if you put it beside the 10s2p 144wh Evolve Stoke. But, hey, the ride experience is more important than the stats on paper, so let’s get to it.

Riding Experience

Luckily, the Flow did not disappoint. It’s a lot of fun to ride the Meepo Flow.

Speed control on the Meepo Flow is perfect, and that is no surprise at all. After all, it was using the tried and true 12s Hobbywing ESC that delivers perfectly smooth and intuitive controlsWe are also not surprised by the power that the Flow has, since it is using the same exact motors as the NLS 3, which we reviewed a while ago. Much like the NLS 3, Meepo Flow is not insanely powerful, but is powerful and comparable to any board under $900. Accelerating uphill is not gonna be a problem even for the heaviest rider.

The biggest highlight for us is definitely the cruiser deck. We don’t see cruiser boards too often, but more companies ought to make them. The board’s length is somewhere between a shortboard and a longboard. And it offers the best of both worlds; the board is stable at high speeds yet nimble for short turns. Because of the double kingpin trucks and shorter wheelbase, it can make a very tight U-turn.

These double kingpin trucks are also pretty good among the best; they clearly turn very well, as do all double kingpin trucks, but they aren’t too loose and stay stable at high speeds. We feel comfortable riding them at top speed.

Despite the weight of the board, the kicktail is easy to use, too. However, there is a flaw in this design. The motor guards will rub against the ground when you use the kicktail, so you are bound to get scratches on it.

Another highlight of the board is the 105mm wheels; now we know why the Boosted 105s were so talked about.

Amongst oversized street wheels, they’re the best we’ve tried so far at handling bumps, even better than the 105mm cloudwheels. They are also really grippy, giving the ride that nice sticky feel. If you enjoy soft wheels, you will like these 105mm wheels.

Our team generally likes big wheels because we don’t have the smoothest roads where we ride, and 105mm gives us peace of mind when riding because sticks, stones, and potholes won’t catch the wheels and send us flying.

Having 4 meaty yet soft wheels also takes away most of the road vibrations.

One big downside, though, is that the board is bulky and hard to carry around. Unlike most longboards, you can’t pull it like a suitcase, and lifting it can be a real workout. The board might be shaped like a shortboard, but it is certainly far from portable.

The Verdict

For the past 6 years, we’ve been reviewing electric skateboards, and not many have a cruiser deck. The last cruiser we reviewed was, in fact, the Evolve Stoke! It gave a fantastic ride but was overpriced for what it was. The Meepo Flow, on the other hand, is everything that the Evolve Stoke could be at a lower cost. It’s a comfortable cruiser board with 105mm wheels, has 12s Hobbywing ESC for ultra-smooth speed control, double-kingpin trucks for tight bends, and an easy-to-use kicktail.

Coming into the review, we thought the Meepo Flow was merely a cheap knockoff of the Evolve, but it turned out to be an “Evolve Stoke done right” and is now one of our favorite boards.

If you are interested in buying a Meepo, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and use code: “ESKATEHQ” to receive $10 off during checkout.
It will help you get a small monetary discount and help us out too. On top of that, you’ll be tagged as an Electric Skateboard HQ customer and probably be treated better. Cheers!

July 23, 2023July 31, 2023 by Paxson Lim

Meepo Mini 3S Review (Meepo Atom): Powerful and Affordable!

Today we will be reviewing the Meepo Mini 3s, also known as the Meepo Atom.

The Mini 3s, priced at $469, is essentially the do-over of the $429 Meepo Mini 5, a few-month-old predecessor. For those who might be confused about the naming, the Mini 3s and the Meepo V3s were both released as successors to the much-loved 2020 Meepo V3, a board that gained notoriety as the most powerful affordable electric longboard on the market.

Check out our review of the Meepo V3s here!

Meepo Mini 3S Specifications:

Price: $469
Deck: 30″ 8-ply Canadian maple; a comfortable amount of flex, mild concave
Electronic Speed Controller: LingYi ESC; 4-speed modes, push-to-start
Remote: M4s remote with telemetry screen
Battery: 10s2p battery with 21700 cells (Molicel P42A), 216Wh
Marketed Range: Standard – 17 miles (27km)
Motors: Dual 540W Hub
Marketed Top Speed: 29mph (47kph)
Trucks: Meepo Signature Shredder Trucks (7-inch 45°)
Wheels: 90mm PU (Compatible with 105mm donut wheels)
Weight: 18.5 lbs (8.4kg).

As you can see, Meepo Atom (Mini 3s) wasn’t trying to be groundbreaking in design. It has the same color scheme as the Meepo V3s, which also was pretty similar to the 2020 Meepo V3. It also uses the same electronic enclosure.

This is obviously how Meepo keeps its cost down. Now, let’s take a deeper look at each of the parts.

Deck: Broad for a shortboard (12.6″)

The deck of the Mini 3S measures 30″ x 12.6″, which is considered wide for a shortboard. It’s a stiff deck made from Canadian Maple and features a dish-shaped concave with a spacious kicktail. Meepo also included a skid plate on the kicktail to allow for worry-free use of the kicktail or tail brakes.

Electronic Speed Controller (ESC) – LingYi ESC

The Mini 3S uses the 10S LingYi ESC, known for its punchy acceleration. There’s also a push-to-start feature, so the board automatically turns on when you start rolling. Additionally, the Mini 3S is paired with the Meepo M4S remote, which comes with a display that shows telemetry. The ESC allows switching between 4 acceleration modes and 4 brake modes, independent of each other.

Battery: 10s2p Molicel P42A

Meepo Mini 3s is equipped with a 10s2p 216Wh battery, using 21700 cells. These cells hold more power than the 18650 cells used in the Meepo Mini 5 and most other entry-level electric skateboards.

Meepo claims the Mini 3S can go 17 miles or 27 km on a single charge. However, in our testing, a 165lbs (75kg) rider achieved 13 miles (21km) on the highest speed mode. This range is slightly better than most entry-level electric skateboards.

Big Motors – Dual 540W Hub

The Mini 3S uses dual 540W hub motors, a step up from the 500W motors found on the Mini 5. Meepo lists the Mini 3S as having a top speed of 29 mph (47 kph).

We did not have the courage to get to that top speed. We got to 22mph (35 kph), and aborted there. .

Shredder Trucks and 90mm Wheels

Just like Meepo Mini 5, the Mini 3s use Meepo’s Shredder trucks, 7” 45° RKP trucks.

The trucks come right out of the box with firm 100A bushings but Meepo also included \a set of 92A bushings for those who prefer softer trucks.

The wheels are standard 90mm street wheels, but these are compatible with 105mm donut wheels.

The Riding Experience of Meepo Mini 3s (Meepo Atom)

First impression of the Mini 3s? This board is powerful.

In recent times, ‘power’ seems to be the aim of brands when designing new electric shortboards. Boards like the $899 Tynee Mini 3 Pro, the $699 Verreal Ace, and the $469 Meepo Mini 3s Atom all embrace this trend. Fortunately, Meepo Mini 3s handles the power with grace.

While the highest speed mode of the LingYi ESC is punchy and thrilling, the board’s wide 7” trucks, stiffer bushing, and wider deck with a comfortable concave all contribute to a stable and smooth ride. The board performs well up to speeds of around 22mph (35 kph), after which the ride might become a bit intimidating for us.

For those who prefer a shortboard for a relaxing commute, the Mini 3s can do that too. The first three speed modes offer gentle and smooth rides, perfect for beginners and for those who enjoy carefree cruising.

It’s great for riding on sidewalks too, The trucks are nimble enough for tight turns, and the kicktail is easy to use for kick turns and tail brakes. (We had come across some other shortboard that kicktail was way too short, making it borderline unusable and was merely ‘decorative’.)

This board is pretty addictive to ride. It’s fun to have this much power on your ‘thumb tips’. Besides that, the board is also fun to just ride around, as it is agile and responsive.

However, as with all hub-driven electric shortboards, Meepo Mini 3s is NOT fun when the roads are rough. The vibration will travel up the trucks, through the stiff deck, and straight into your knee.

Verdict: The Meepo Mini 3s – One of the Best Under $500

All things considered, we think the Meepo Mini 3s Atom is one of the best electric shortboards under $500. It’s not just powerful, but it handles everything else rather well, too. It’s a fun and agile board for sidewalk cruising, a comfortable ride for relaxed carving, and an exhilarating machine to race down straight roads. At this point, the Meepo Mini 5 is completely overshadowed by the Mini 3s. So if you’re in the market for an entry-level electric shortboard that delivers on all fronts, the Meepo Mini 3s should be among your first consideration.