Last Tuesday (18th April 2018) Boosted sent a shockwave through the eskate world by announcing not one, not two, but 4 new products.
Boosted Mini S
Boosted Plus
Boosted Stealth
Boosted Mini X
They are:
Boosted Stealth – $1599
Boosted Plus – $1399
Boosted Mini X – $999
Boosted Mini S – $749
A keen eye can tell that the Boosted Plus looks exactly like the old Boosted board and the Boosted Stealth is nothing more than a grayscale version of it, but there are definitely some changes from the old 2nd Gen Boosted to the Boosted Plus and the Boosted Board is still selling the old 2nd Gen Boosted Dual+ XR at $1399.
As a dedicated follower of the eskate scene, there is only a small chance that you have not read hundreds of articles on the new Boosted boards, so I will just briefly go through the changes Boosted made and then will talk about how the new Boosted lineup relates to other existing boards on the market.
As the Boosted Plus is going to be the new default Boosted Board, we will begin there.
Boosted Plus
Introducing the new Boosted Plus.
As you can see from the stat chart that they are exactly the same board, for the most part.
There are a few changes on the material used:
a) Deck: Flexible Bamboo -> Super Flex Composite Deck
b) Wheels: Orangatang 85mm -> Boosted Stratus 85mm
c) Trucks: Composite Steel -> 190mm CNC Precision Machined
Are these changes upgrades or a move to streamline production to cut down cost? or perhaps a little of both?
We can’t know how these changes impact riding experience at this point and we will be waiting for early adopter’s feedback to know for sure.
But in short, Boosted Plus is basically the old Gen 2 Boosted Board Dual+ with the extended battery.
Boosted Stealth
Snap a photo of the Boosted Plus with a black and white filter and you get the Boosted Stealth.
Jokes aside, the Boosted Stealth gives you an extra 2mph (3kmh) higher top speed than the Boosted Plus.
It also comes with 5 riding modes as compared to Plus’s 4 riding modes, and that’s about it.
The significance of the Boosted Plus and the Boosted Stealth
The Boosted Plus and Boosted Stealth are just refreshes of the old Boosted Boards.
Those who are going to buy Boosted Boards will still have the latest version of Boosted Board to buy and for those who have never considered Boosted Boards as an option, will still be able to buy the same overpriced fancy board with weak specs.
Basically, these 2 boards have not changed the buying decision for consumers however, the next 2 might…
Boosted Mini S
The Boosted Mini S is almost the same exact classic Boosted Board but in a smaller package.
“Almost” because it uses a 1000W motor instead of the 2000W motor on the regular Boosted, and has a smaller air-travel friendly 99wh battery with a measly 7miles (11.3km) range.
From tester'[s early impression, the dual belt motor Boosted Mini has enough torque to meet most needs, but the main drawback is the Boosted Mini is as heavy as some its larger cousins at 15lbs(6.8kg)! Some airlines almost wouldn’t allow it as a standard carry-on just for that weight!
Frankly speaking, the Mini S is so bad on paper that it wouldn’t be competitive in the current market if it didn’t promise the refinement and brand name that comes with a Boosted product.
Boosted Mini X
The Boosted Mini X is the grayscale version of the Mini S.
With $250 extra, you get a tiny bit higher top-speed and 2 times the range.
It is also heavier at 16.8lbs (7.6kg) and like I said, some airlined won’t let you carry on anything with that weight – even if you manage to get the non-airline compatible 199wh battery on-board.
The significance of the Boosted Mini S & X
All of the sudden, we have two sub $1000 Boosted Boards that challenge the mid-range market.
Before this, those who are on a budget would have look elsewhere for a board. Now with the industry king Boosted offering its cheapest Mini S at $749, many will consider getting a Boosted Mini S instead.
I did a comparison of the Boosted Mini with some of the brands that I think worth considering, and to the relief of Boosted competitors, it wasn’t a clear-cut Boosted domination.
In fact, when compared, the recurring theme is that the Boosted Mini S is too weak in range and too heavy in weight to compare to boards of the same range, and at $999, the Boosted Mini X is up against boards that outperform it while also being on-par in quality and customer service.
For example, the Meepo 30″ at $399 is nearly half of the price of the Mini S yet outperforms it in range and top-speed. Of course, it definitely is not in the same league in terms of refinement and looks.
To put it simply, they serve different needs.
On the other hand, Riptide might be in real trouble as it’s lineup doesn’t differentiate themselves enough from the Mini S besides being a tad bit lighter.
The $999 price bracket is a crowded space and the Boosted Mini X will go head to head with the likes of Arc Aileron, Predator Banshee, Pulse Echo, Evolve One, and 29″ Metroboard Micro slim.
This time, to my surprise, Boosted Mini X doesn’t slack too much in specs, but the brand name itself doesn’t lend Boosted that much favor, as all of these boards are either made by well-loved brands, eg: Metroboard, Evolve and Arc or popular start-ups such as Predator and Pulse.
At the end of the day, the crowded mid-tier market definitely welcomes Boosted Mini X as one of the many good choices for an electric shortboard.
Summary
At the end of the day, the new line-up put forward by the Apple(r) of the electric skateboarding world is less impactful than the initial hubbub would have you believe.
3 out of 4 of the new lineup- the Boosted Plus, Stealth and Mini S continue to be products that charge above-average for their specs due to the refinement, brand name, and customer service the Boosted brand is famous for.
The Boosted Mini X however, landed right in the crowded mid-tier market and is actually competitive enough in specs that it should be considered by those who are otherwise jaded by the magic of the Boosted brand.
That’s something refreshing from the Boosted, isn’t it?
New Boosted in the grand scheme of things. Click to enlarge.
The Spectra Mini is special, for it is among the first electric skateboards that can fit into a backpack.
On top of that, it was only the second posture controlled electric skateboard on the market when it was announced. (with the first being Zboard.)
So after riding this board for a few weeks and trying my best to incorporate it into my life, is the Spectra Mini able to fulfill its role as the most portable last mile solution?
This is the question I tried to answer.
Introduction of WALNUTT
Walnut Technology Limited
WALNUTT stands for Walnut Technology Limited.
The company first arrived at the scene in January 2017, when they showcased the Walnutt Spectra in CES 2017. However, it was only when they launched their Spectra Indiegogo campaign in May 2017 that the world got its first proper look at them.
Walnutt is by no means a small startup. It is a full-fledged company with 30 plus employees.
“Based in San Francisco and Hong Kong, Walnut Tech is advised by DJI, with its core members from University of California, Berkeley and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology”,
Walnutt is not so much an electric skateboard company but an electric vehicle company.
With that in mind, it is easy to understand the design choices they made with the Spectra Series – Aiming to get you from point A to point B but not for “a skateboard-like experience”.
Without a previous track record, it is very difficult to tell what kind of company Walnutt will turn out to be:
Are they a one-and-done company which will disappear after the Indiegogo Campaign? or will they stay in the community and continue to serve their customers with updates, improvements and perhaps new products?
From my email interaction with their team, Walnutt reassured me that they are building a brand and are here to stay. As a paying customer, I certainly hope so.
It is a reassuring sign that, although their Indiegogo campaign for the Spectra is not without faults (needing to pay extra for delivery and delays), team Walnutt is always on point in communicating with the backers and providing updates. This alone makes them a better company than 80% of other Eskate crowdfunding startups.
Long story short, although Walnutt is still yet to prove themselves, though they are doing well so far.
By the way, Walnutt also hasSwagtron as their exclusive distributor in Amazon. This explains all theSwagtron Spectra Ads we see.
The Walnutt Quartet
Spectra Mini
Spectra Advance
Spectra Pro
Spectra Silver
Ambitious as they were, Walnutt launched their Indiegogo campaign with the announcement of 4 boards – Spectra Mini, Spectra Advance, Spectra Pro and Spectra Silver.
With the smallest Spectra Mini measuring at just 17 inches ( 43.2cm) and the longest Spectra Silver measuring at 23 inches (58.4cm), the Spectras is a fleet of “shorter than penny” boards.
They are all posture controlled with the option of controlling them with the smartphone app via Bluetooth – a great way to break your expensive phones if you ask me.
Among the Spectras, the most popular would be the Spectra Mini.
I guess it makes sense as one won’t be buying a Spectra if it wasn’t for the small size; and if a small size is what one is after, one might as well as choose the tiniest Spectra Mini. And being cheapest at $299 Indiegogo price certainly helps.
Spectra Mini is not meant to be a powerful board and the specs showed that.
Top Speed: 9.3mph (15kmh)
Range: 5.6mil (9km)
Weight: 9.26lbs (4.2kg)
Charge Time: 45min
Features: Weatherproof, Regenerative Braking, Phone App, LED lights and flight compatible battery.
Price: less than 400 USD.
Build Quality
Walnutt is a big company and their product reflected that – tidy, clean and fleckless.
It is difficult to judge the quality of the internal parts but everything looks good from the outside.
The trucks are thick the decks are pretty. Wheels, bushing all looks good.
The finishing of this thing is tip top.
The switch is here
A few weeks of abusing the board with lots of flipping, and crashing into walls, Spectra Mini holds up without a problem besides the grip tape peeling away a tiny bit in the corner.
The fact that there is barely any failure reported from the early backers is another good indicator that Walnutt maintains a certain level of quality control for the Spectras.
In short, the Walnutt Spectra Mini is built well and packaged well.
Riding Experience:
Overall
The riding experience of the Spectra Mini depends on two factors- how stable the small board is and how well the posture control works.
Stability
Walnutt Spectra Mini scores an A+ in this department.
It is surprisingly stable and comfortable to maneuver for its tiny size.
Carving with this Mini board is fun, and rarely do I lose balance on it.
This is the result of designing the front truck to be wider than the rear while also using wider wheels for the front wheels.
In fact, the Spectra Mini feels a lot more stable and easier to ride if compares to a regular penny board; even though Mini is both shorter and higher off the ground.
Smaller deck, bigger wheels, higher off the ground, yet more stable.
Spectra Mini is also rocking surprisingly big 80mm wheels that can safely roll over most cracks and bumps.
I am guessing the compact weight (9.26lbs in 17inch body) also helps in keeping the board stable during rides.
I really don’t mind if more eskates copies a setup like this.
Posture control – Acceleration and Deceleration
Now, let us get to the meat of this review, the posture control.
This is the foot position to get the board going. Most of the people that couldn’t get the board to work, didn’t read the manual.
Despite most of us seeing Caisey Neistat struggling to get a Spectra Pro moving, the posture control isn’t really that hard to learn.
I had 4 different friends try out the Spectra Mini and all of them got it on the first or second try.
With the correct foot placement, the board will start moving once you stand up on it. Easy.
Lean forward, the board will start accelerating.
To brake, one can either lean backward or lift the heel of the leading foot.
Lean forward to accelerate
Lean backward or raise the heel to brake.
Pretty straightforward huh?
HOWEVER, there is a huge difference between learning it and mastering it.
Let’s talks about deceleration and braking first, since these are the factors that really annoyed me because braking with posture control on the Spectra Mini is very unreliable.
Let’s just say, I manage to successfully execute braking only about 40% of the time.
The other 60% of the time I couldn’t get the board to brake or even slow down no matter how much I leaned backward. I end up just running off the board and rely on the board to “smart brake” by itself.
If braking to stop is already such a big challenge, imagine trying to slow down but not to stop to a halt. It is damn difficult to tell if the brake is already engaged if the braking is gentle, and braking too much is as often a problem as braking too little.
It is also quite scary to lean back when you couldn’t trust the brake.
Leaning backward while the board continues to accelerate is a recipe to wipe out – Thankfully the Mini isn’t fast enough to be dangerous.
And although the acceleration is easier to execute, it is also in no-way reliable.
At times, I couldn’t get the board to accelerate and it just rolled forward slowly no matter how hard I leaned forward.
Other times, it slowed down without me doing anything and wouldn’t accelerate anymore until I stepped off and remounted the board.
All these factors make it impossible to control the speed while using the posture control.
Slowing down without stopping or cruising below top speed on the Spectra Mini are achievements worthy of medals.
Stopping at an exact point is another skill that is so impossible to master that Walnutt should make a sporting event out of it.
Use foot-braking you say?
Sorry to break it to you but if you keep your front leg on the board and tried to foot brake with your back leg, the board will accelerate to top speed as you are putting your weight directly on the front sensor. Argh.
Also, not all footwear plays well with the sensor, this one doesn’t.
Bad enough?
Just remember that all this problem is further magnified when riding in uneven terrain, as your body weight is thrown around sending mix signal to the sensor.
What compounded the problem is there is no way to tell why the posture control is not working as you intended.
Is it the foot placement? Is it because I didn’t lean hard enough? Is it a problem with the sensor?
Team Walnutt did try to alleviate some of the problems by allowing the user to tweak the acceleration and deceleration profile through their mobile app.
By using the app and the 3 riding modes available, there is quite a lot of tweaking one could do to make sure the board rides the way you like.
While this did help solve the problem for some users, it did not for me.
Also, adjusting the setting wasn’t the most intuitive experience.
It is very hard to tell which slider does what, and the effects are not easily demonstrable as the same “posture” doesn’t always detect the same way.
Remote Control
For those who choose to op out from the posture control, there is an option to control the Spectra with its smartphone app.
It’s probably kph, not mph.
And I would like to go on record to say this-
A smartphone is definitely the worst possible remote control for an electric skateboard. Because:
It is difficult to control the dial with one hand on a big phone ( I am using Galaxy Note 8)
It wasn’t as responsive.
It takes a minute to set up, and that is if your phone could detect your board.
It is a great way to shatter your expensive phone if you either fall or drop your phone.
I was very resistant to using the smartphone remote for the above reasons but I eventually gave in as this was the only way for me to ride the board comfortably.
Not surprisingly, when you take the posture control out of the equation, Spectra Mini is actually really fun to ride.
It is gentle with speed change, it is stable and maneuverable, and it’s fun to carve around on.
It is everything I hoped it can be, minus a good remote.
I really hope Walnutt offers the option to control the board via a standard remote
because I really like the way Spectra Mini rides, (sans the posture control) but couldn’t stand the smartphone remote.
Summary of Riding Experience
Riding using the posture control of the Walnutt Spectra Mini is really amazing when everything goes right.
When the board behaves as you intended, speeding up and slowing down with just the change of your weight, the feeling is magical.
Sadly, that’s only about 40% of the time.
If you are taking the Spectra on a joyride where you have a long stretch of road that allows you to cruise on top speed, Spectra will feel awesome – as you essentially took out the acceleration and deceleration problem from the equation.
However, why would anyone choose this tiny board to go on a joyride? Longboards are made for that purpose!
The fact is, if I couldn’t control Spectra Mini’s speed in a reliable manner, I couldn’t use it on city sidewalks or crowded places where tight maneuvers are required.
Although the smartphone remote is a viable workaround, it is a poor one.
It really hurt the experience that one can have with this otherwise fun tiny board.
Capability
Range
Spectra Mini has a very small battery at 29.76WH.
This translated to around 5.6 miles or 9km range.
In the range test that I conducted, I get around 4.5miles or 7km before I ran the battery dry.
I weigh 165lbs (75kg) and kept the board at around 13-15kmh with some stopping.
Basically, if you run the motor at top speed (9.3mph/ 15kmh) on flat ground without stopping, you can expect the board to last only around 25 minutes – easiest range test ever.
There is no voltage sag until you reach 20% battery life when the top speed drops to 9mph(14kmh). You will only notice it if you are using the Pro mode.
At 10% battery life, the board will just stop. Basically 10% = 0%.
The board charged up in just 45 minutes or so, which is nice, but the range of the Spectra Mini means it couldn’t do much other than getting you around the block or to the bus station.
Speed
The Spectra Mini is really a slow board made for the sidewalks so don’t expect too much in the speed department.
I get a top speed of 11mph(18kmh) on my Spectra Mini which is above the advertised top speed and more than I need out of it.
It is somewhat comforting to know that the Mini will never be too fast for a running bail, considering the posture control is scary, to say the least.
Torque
The Walnutt Spectra Mini is powered by a single 200W hub motor on its right front wheel.
It is definitely weak.
Could not get up.
At 165lb(75kg), Walnutt Spectra Mini is only strong enough for me on the flat ground. It could not run up any incline at all.
So if you are heavy, or intended to climb any hill, Spectra Mini is definitely not for you.
And, just a friendly reminder, posture control and hills don’t mix well.
Customer Service
Walnutt hasn’t been around long enough to prove its customer service.
So far, however, they have been really prompt in addressing any issue that backers faced, and from the looks of it, they resolved those issues well too.
There also hasn’t been any complaints about the company. So I couldn’t subtract marks there.
I’ve interacted with Walnutt’s post-sales team to track my shipping and PR team for research in writing this post. They replied to me promptly and courteously on both accounts.
So far, so good. Keep up the good work team Walnutt!
Other Features
Portability
same size?
put the “glove” on…
not even tight!
The best thing about Spectra Mini is its portability.
It has such a small body that it could fit into a big backpack.
There is no other board on the market that can do this yet. (Maybe the upcoming Ionpod could?)
Smartphone App
The smartphone app is definitely the most important feature that the Spectra has.
For starters, you need the smartphone app to change between 3 riding modes.
(Beginner, Sport, and Pro mode.)
Acceleration and deceleration can be also tweaked through this app.
Last but not least, it is this app that turns your phone into a remote control.
LED headlights
The switch is here.
Spectra Mini has a pair of LED headlights that is fairly bright. It can be switch on independently with a button at the right side of the board.
…
oh ya,
the magnetic charge port
is pretty fun.
Verdict
I backed the Spectra Mini with the hope that it could be the board to I bring anywhere I go.
It would be nice to ride to the train station/ shopping complex and then store in my backpack.
By abandoning the posture control and sticking with the sub-par smartphone remote, the Spectra Mini can do just that for me. The lack of a proper remote took a lot away from the experience and I am certain some cheap board from Alibaba can serve the same purpose for a lot less money.
Now that I have it, the Spectra Mini is definite the board I bring when I visit an E-vehicle friendly city like Singapore, but I would not recommend for anyone buy it as an everyday commuter.
I gave the Mini a fair shot. It took a lot of abuse and probably has no resale value left.
TL;DR
The Walnutt Spectra Mini is fun to ride, however, the posture control (its biggest weak point), is unfortunately, a dealbreaker. Unless Walnutt can solve the posture control woes miraculously through firmware updates, there isn’t much value in it.
Even if Walnutt can by-pass this problem by making a remote control available, at $399, the board is still overpriced for the little things that it does well.
It will make existing customers like myself very happy though!
6 months after the original Meepo burst into the scene, the Meepo Board is now the undisputed most popular budget electric skateboard brand on the market.
Meepo 1.51 (aka the Black Meepo) is the latest iteration of this very popular board.
This is my review of the Meepo 1.51, and as per usual, I’ll start by introducing the company which makes the board.
Introduction of Meepo
MeepoBoard- Background
For those who are interested in how MeepoBoard came to be, I wrote a story of how Kieran created the Meepo brand back in August 2017.
MeepoBoard was founded by Kieran, a mechanical engineer who worked in sales for an electric skateboard company. Frustrated by his boss, Kieran started assembling electric skateboards for himself, using his connection in the industry to source quality parts.
After sharing his boards on Youtube and received offers for purchase, Kieran quit his job and started MeepoBoard.
Kieran circa June 2017
When it all started, Meepo was just a 1 man operation with some helpers, selling to international customers through word-of-mouth. Even from the outset, Meepo saw success as customers were impressed by the quality of the boards and could not stop raving about them online.
After some aggressive staffing, the MeepoBoard of today is no longer a small, scrappy team making skateboards on-demand. Selling at least 5 thousand skateboards in the past 6 months, MeepoBoard has grown into a full-fledged company with factory operations and Kieran is still manning the helm.
Meepo Board – Original to 1.51
Meepo original
Meepo 1.5
Meepo 1.51
The original Meepo Board revolutionized the budget electric skateboard world by being the first sub $400 eskate (after shipping) that had great specs, reliable quality and good customer service.
Prior to Meepo, budget electric skateboards cost around $700. Meepo lowered the entry bar and allowed a lot more people to join the eskate community.
On the competition side, the success of the Meepo also attracted many Chinese companies to get into the eskate space.
These companies are now known as the “Meepo-clones,” they go by many names including Wowgo, Ownboard, Ionboard etc.
So the arms race of budget electric skateboard began. With each brand trying to improve their boards in order to to one-up each other.
MeepoBoard kept up.
On December 2017, the Meepo 1.5 was announced, which saw an upgraded deck, battery , and better quality wheels.
On January 2017, Meepo 1.51 changed to a better quality, black deck.
This is the board that I am reviewing today.
Meepo 1.51 Review
Meepo 1.51 Overall specs
There is a reason why I keep referring to the Meepo as the king of budget boards,
The Meepo 1.51 has awesome specs for its price:
Top Speed: 22mph (36kmh)
Range: 11mil (18km)
Weight: 15.2lbs (6.9kg)
Charge Time: 3hrs
Features: 2 hub motors, weatherproof, Regenerative braking, handles up to 30% slope.
Price: less than 450 USD with shipping included.
Build Quality
Right out of the two boxes that Meepo 1.51 comes in, what struck me the most was the quality of the packaging.
Came in 2 boxes
The miscellaneous are in a proper box now
When unboxing the original Meepo, I got the vibe of a scrappy, garage-assembled company.
6 months later, unboxing the Meepo 1.51, I feel like I am opening a product from a top company. It still has a hint of its DIY origin mainly from the lack of sophisticated graphic design on the printed materials, but everything that matters – from padding to accessories is now far and away from the days of the 1 man operation.
I also really like the stealthy black design of the Meepo 1.51.
Stealth black is just better looking in my humble opinion
The deck, the trucks, and the wheels, everything looks nice and feels high-quality, and with a massive community riding their Meepo every day with very few faults reported, you can bet the quality is good.
In short, the Meepo 1.51 today is truly a refined product, both inside and out.
Riding Experience:
Overall
The original Meepo Board provided a decent riding experience with it’s biggest weak point being the weird arching convex deck.
Original Meepo has weird convex Deck
Meepo 1.51 has awesome concave deck
The Meepo-deck-swap became the trendy discussion among the eskate community, and the experiments proved that with an upgraded deck, the Meepo rides like magic. Even Kieran acknowledged that and start sending out extra padding to help buyers to deck swap better.
(Following the trend, now every Chinese Budget skateboard company ships complete boards with extra padding.)
With the Meepo 1.51, Kieran made an investment on a better and longer deck and the riding experience saw huge improvements.
I’ll get more into that, but in short, you don’t need a deck-swap anymore to make the Meepo ride as good as any $1000+ electric skateboard.
Acceleration and Deceleration
With the addition of a third riding mode to cater to beginners, Meepo 1.51 now has 3-speed profiles that should fit new, advanced, and expert riders.
In the slowest mode, the acceleration is so gentle (slow) that experienced riders will get bored. Definitely suitable for the newest riders that are still getting used to electric skateboards.
The medium mode is where I spend most of my time. The acceleration is still fairly gentle, with no jolts.
This ride very similar to the lowest speed profile in the original Meepo.
The fast mode is really fast. The board really takes off and can throw you off the board if you are unprepared, or don’t have a solid stance.
One time I mistakenly switched on to the fast mode thinking I was switching into slow mode and ended up on the ground pretty quickly!
Now, onto the deceleration and braking.
I am always very wary in testing out the brakes on an electric skateboard because trying to answer the question of “what will happen if I brake really hard at speed” often ends up with me lying on the road in a lot of pain.
The braking in Meepo 1.51 is … for lack of a better description… normal.
There are no delays in braking and it is very easy to get used to after a couple of rides.
It also appears that the braking profile is the same in all speed modes.
Just be careful when braking while going fast, as electric skateboards tend to brake harder than expected at higher speeds.
Vibration & Stability
I rode on these on cobblestone to compare the vibration.
The Meepo 1.51’s black deck is a bit stiffer than the original Meepo, which means the deck smooths out less vibration but provides more stable rides at higher speed. A stiffer deck also makes the board feel more responsive.
When compared to the original Meepo, I found the new black maple deck to be more concave and longer. The concave kinda makes me feel lower to the ground and the longer wheelbase makes balancing on it easier. Both of this changes result in a much more stable ride.
Control Options (Remote)
The remote for the Meepo 1.51 is the RC5 2.4Ghz remote that most DIY hobbyist/ budget board use.
There are currently no known disconnect issues, which have plagued other eskate companies, so that’s a plus!
This knob.
As mentioned, the remote has 3-speed modes that are controlled by a little knob on the side.If you are trying to change the speed mode mid-ride and get the wrong gear like I did, you will probably in for a nasty surprise, so I would recommend changing speed-modes while stationary.
There is also a little button on the side for reverse. It has been filed down so that it is hiding a bit inside of the recess; a change resulting from community feedback as too many times the reverse button was accidentally pressed while riding.
Button is now less protruding.
The remote is a tried-and-true model used by many eskates. Nothing much to be said.
Summary of Riding Experience
All-in-all, the riding experience on Meepo 1.51 is as good as any board out there.
The board is stable, responsive and carves really well.
Definitely a huge improvement from the original Meepo.
Capability
Range
The Meepo 1.51 also saw an upgrade to the battery, improving the range by a little and eliminating the voltage sag of past models.
The advertised range of the Meepo is 11miles(18km) but you have to either be very light or ride conservatively to reach that range.
Most people report around 8miles(13km) on a single charge. That is still twice the reported range of a Boosted board!
With the new battery, voltage sag will only start to be felt on the last miles, whereas the old Meepo would start to lose its speed and torque at 2/3 of its range.
There is also a Sanyo battery option at $619 to add another 6miles(10km) to the range.
Speed
Meepo 1.51 can hit it’s advertised top speed at 22mph(36kmh) without issues. That is fast enough to get you in serious trouble or kill you, so I think it is an acceptable speed ceiling.
Torque
Meepo 1.51 has enough torque to get over most of the hills I tested it on.
Stop and go in the middle of the incline is how I test the torque of electric skateboards.
I also did a stop-and-go test on a multistory car-park ramp with a rather steep incline, the board could brake and hold me still at the incline, and can then accelerate from the stop without rolling back down the ramp.
After testing, I would not worry about the torque unless you are very heavy and need to climb insanely steep hills.
Customer Service
There have been a few cheap Chinese boards made before the Meepo, but what allowed the rise of the Meepo Board is that it was the first to provide reliable customer service.
After the frantic expansion to keep up with sales, Kieran is largely able to maintain this high level of customer service. Certainly, there are a few slip-ups that have been reported, but they are exceptions rather than rules.
As I have worked with Kieran regularly since I first interviewed him, when HQ readers have not been able to reach Kieran with their problems, I have helped them to alert Kieran.
Based on this experience, I feel safe vouching for Meepo’s commitment to customer service.
Other Features
Meepo is quite a simple board, so there are not many bells and whistles.
One thing I like about the Meepo is how modular it is, which is why deck-swapping is so popular with these boards in the community.
You don’t need to be mechanically inclined to be able to pull apart the Meepo and put it back together. You can swap out everything and anything.
You can also salvage the Meepo for parts and create your own eskate quite easily.
One time I borrow the Meepos deck to test out Onan X2.
The most important part is that the battery is easily removable. Taking off the <160wh battery requires undoing 4 screws and just unplugged it.
(Buy a <99wh battery and Meepo will suddenly be air-travel compatible.)
The Meepo also came with an LED tail light accessory that you can choose to attach to your Meepo (or on anything for that matters.)
The features it doesn’t have:
Downhill braking with a full battery – Not sure any electric skateboard have solved the problem of downhill braking while holding a full charge. As the energy generated from the regenerative braking has nowhere to go, the braking will not work with a full battery.
I was told adding a capacitor to it will not solve the problem as the capacitor will overheat, and the board will then fail.
Kieran’s efforts in tinkering the BMS settings did help to make the problem less pronounced, but it’s still there, and we should all be careful.
Waterproof – Kieran decided not to claim the Meepo is waterproof but just weatherproof. If the seals of the board are not compromised, the Meepo is actually fairly resistance to splashes and water, but still, urethane wheels + water = slippery as hell. Trust me, I have fallen because of that.
Swappable PU on hub motor – The PU on the Meepo 1.51 is fairly durable and should be able to last for hundreds of miles before needing a change, but you would have to change the entire hub motor for that, which thankfully, is also not that hard.
Verdict
The Competitors
It’s 2018 and Meepo, though the most popular, is hardly alone in the affordable electric skateboard space.
However, any insider will tell you that, when it comes to electric skateboard parts, sharing the same look doesn’t equate to having the same quality. Most of the budget boards that we see on Alibaba or from lesser-known brands are exactly that, poor-quality products that share the generic look.
So, ignoring other less-trustworthy clones and putting aside Ionboard which isn’t shipping yet, this leaves us with the Wowgo, the Backfire G2, and the Ownboard as the main competition.
These companies offer products similar to the Meepo and both have enough of a track record to warrant consideration.
However, an electric skateboard is more or less a vehicle and similar to a vehicle, it will need to be maintained and serviced. That’s why I give a lot of weight to the proven track record and customer service of a company when recommending any electric skateboard, and that’s why I favor a familiar and proven brand like Meepo over other less-known companies in my reviews.
Summary
TL;DR
At $419, the Meepo 1.51 is definitely my top recommendation for anyone looking for a quality budget electric skateboard or electric skateboard in general.
I like to say, the first question to ask when choosing an electric skateboard is “For what I need, will a Meepo suffice?”
Just as Boosted board is the gold standard for electric skateboards in general; the original Meepo was and now the Meepo 1.51 is – the gold standard for affordable electric skateboards.
For all those Meepo owners out there, if you enjoy this post, please share your experience with Meepo down in the comment section! I really appreciate that!
Back in 2014, two young men, Hung Yi and Yong Sheng were in a coffee shop brainstorming for any possible business venture they could work on. Hung Yi was tired of his hectic corporate job and was yearning for something more. This was around the time Boosted boards was making a huge buzz in the States, so these two young men thought it would be a great idea to bring electric skateboarding over to Singapore.
Circa 2014, was kind of the stone age of electric skateboard. At that time, small-size electric skateboards hadn’t got a lot of love yet. (That was even before Bolt, Indiegogo, and Leafboard had been featured on Kickstarter.)
So Hung and Yong make the business decision to build something smaller – an electric penny board and started building a few prototype which they named Arc Board, by sourcing the parts from the DIY community.
“We had a lot of fun with the board that we built. But it was funny that when we started out, the board will not last the test-drive. Every time we finished a field test, the board will need some fixing or repair.”
That was the time where Hung Yi (an industrial designer), and Yong Sheng (experienced in business administration) decided that they would need some help to piece the board together.
That was when the last of the trio, Wei De (a mechanical engineer) a friend of Yong Sheng was brought on board.
Ho Hung Yi, Toh Wei De, Tan Yong Sheng (Photo credits: Calvin Ho)
With Wei De’s expertise adding to the mix, the prototype’s quality went up significantly.
At the same time, field tests were garnering the attention of many locals.
They were intrigued by the concept and were impressed enough by the Arc Board to express interest in buying the product, even in its early stages of design.
With the product idea validated and pre-orders taken, the trio made their first batch of ten prototypes. Then, following the Plan-Do-Check-Adjust cycle, they collected the feedback from customers and further refined the Arc Board in their following batch. They then repeated the cycle for the next batch and the next batch.
Kickstarter Rise – The Arc Board
On 30th August 2016, Kickstarter announced that they were expanding to Singapore and Hong Kong.
“We have considered Kickstarter from the get-go but it was not available to us at that time.
We were ready to graduate from producing small batches when the Kickstarter announced their launch in Singapore.
It was a perfect timing.”
It was then that they graduated from printing parts with a 3D printer, to actually getting the parts manufactured.
I got to see the original 3D printer on my visit to the “Arc Factory”
“It was the first time any of us did anything like this.
However, we had been making Arc Board for a while by then so we were able to forecast a somewhat reliable timeline – and then we just added 3 months to it as a buffer, just in case some mistakes happened.”
And sure enough, mistakes did happen during the production process. For example, VESCs weren’t manufactured according to the correct specifications and hence couldn’t be fit into the ESC cases, and some parts were found to be faulty during the post-assembly test and needing extra time for exchange and reassembly.
In the end, the team did it, successfully delivering Arc Board to their customers at the promised time.
I unashamedly call it the Arc Penny and I don’t care if the Arc team approve.
“Most of the Arc Board buyers use it as a commuting tool. It can be fit into the backpack and you can always just grab it and go.”
“It was to the point that, when we tried to arrange a group ride for Arc Boarders in Singapore, people are just not interested…it is just a commuting tool for them.”
To introduce Arc Penny, I would say it is simply the best premium electric penny board out there.
It is small, incredibly light, and charges surprisingly fast.
Belt motor is ideal to provide enough torque and power without sacrificing on weight.
With that, Arc Penny goes as fast as most people dare to go on a penny board (16mph/25kmh).
I tried an Arc Penny and I have to say that this board is not for everyone.
You have to achieve some level of skateboarding proficiency before you can balance on a penny board comfortably.
The fact that it has such a small wheelbase means you will be directly standing on the truck and will be feeling every bit of vibration from the road.
That plus the fact that it is rocking 70mm wheels means you will be limiting yourself to well-paved roads or on the sidewalks.
On the plus side, with the help of the programmable VESC, the acceleration and deceleration of Arc Penny are as smooth as can be.
I also can’t emphasize enough how light this board is. At 7.7lbs(3.5kg), it is lighter than my old laptop!
All in all, Arc Board, as conceptualized, is perfect as a commuting tool for a modern city like Singapore, where you can ride on a well-maintained sidewalk from point A to point B;
while keeping under a government regulated speed of 9mph/ 15kmh (on sidewalks);
and store it in your backpack when you’ve reached your destination (you’ll need a big bag though).
2nd Kickstarter – The Arc Aileron
“You guys are aiming to make something light and portable, why don’t you check out a company in US call 121c? They make awesome carbon fiber deck.” -Anonymous to Arc Team
Based on a hot tip, team Arc Board contacted the 121C team and the Arc Aileron was born.
Even more surprisingly, they delivered on time, again.
A few words on Arc Aileron:
The Arc Aileron is a premium, belt motor, super-lightweight, speedy electric shorter-board.
My first impression when riding the Arc Aileron was how agile and responsive it was.
The lightness of the board, the well-tuned acceleration & deceleration, and the small 70mm wheels all contributed to a very agile and responsive ride, making carving on the Arc Aileron exceptionally enjoyable.
The only downside would be that the 70mm wheels don’t help to ease out bad roads and didn’t allow rolling over bumps confidently.
The Arc team set out to make a lightweight and portable board by choosing the 121C deck, and they have definitely achieved that vision with Arc Aileron.
In fact, the lightness of the board is what strikes me the most when I handled the Arc Aileron for the first time.
The board is 9.5lbs/ 4.3kg!
When carrying the board around by the front truck, I can barely feel the weight!
My experience riding on the Arc Aileron along the beautiful smooth trail of the scenic Marina Bay Park is one of my all-time most enjoyable Eskate experiences.
Marina Bay Park is a magical place.
With the new surge of shorter electric skateboards arriving on the scene, Arc Aileron still holds the title of the lightest electric short-board by a good margin.
However, with the likes of the Riptide, Pulse Echo, and Predator Banshee encroaching on the short-board niche, the Arc Aileron might only be the best choice for a very selected group. (Singaporean, someone looking for a portable lightweight shortboard and prefers small wheels.)
State of the Arc team
Today, the Arc team still consists of the original trio, who personally assembles every single Arc board with care.
The team is still using the same working space that their manufacturer lent them, where they perform all storage, assembly and repairs.
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Most of the Arc boards were sold to locals, but for international sales, America makes up the largest share.
[At around $80 for international shipping with FedEx, a very good deal if you ask me.]
The team is also doing a lot of custom builds for local skaters, and have gained a lot of experience, giving them plenty of ideas on the way to bring Arc to the next level.
Final Thoughts:
Despite their success, Team Arc is still very true to their small-team spirits.
Their insistence to assemble boards themselves and not outsourcing the works to China is one of the ways that they ensure the quality of their boards.
With more and more electric skateboard crowding the short-board niche, the Arc team will have to continue to innovate or be left behind. Sure enough, the Arc team recently just teased of a new board – the Arc Finix.
The details and specifications of Arc Finix are still unknown to the world, but I will certainly let you guys know once I get to test it =).
But with the current state of the Arc, I can safely say that:
The Arc Penny is still undisputedly the best premium penny electric skateboard out there; and the Arc Aileron is one of the best quality electric short-boards on the market. This is why we rank Arc Board EV as one of the most reliable electric skateboard companies in the industry.
Spectra Mini is not meant to be a powerful board and the specs showed that.
