Category: Product Reviews

Posted on by Paxson Lim

Ownboard AT 1W Review – Good Evolve clone?

The Ownboard AT1W is a board that hasn’t been talked about much, beyond how it stole its graphic design from the Evolve GTR. If you look past the design shenanigans, the Ownboard AT1W is actually a pretty beefy board worthy of some attention!

Ownboard AT-1W Review

  • Deck Size: 39-inch (99cm)
  • Top Speed: 25mph (45kmh)
  • Range: 24miles (40km)
  • Battery Pack: 432Wh (Sanyo GA in a 10s4p, 14Ah)
  • Weight: 27.5lbs/ 12.5kg
  • Motor: 2 x 1200W hub motors.
  • Wheels: 105mm rubber wheels
  • Price: 799 USD
  • Features:
    • Remote with Telemetry,
    • Swappable Wheel Sleeves

Beyond just copying the grip tape design, Ownboard also kept most of the Evolve formula – using a double kingpin truck, Double drop deck, and a 10s4p battery configuration.  The battery cells on this one, however, are Sanyo GA, and the total pack is 432wh in size.

And the ESC it uses is the widely popular Hobbywing ESC.

The Ownboard AT1W uses 105mm rubber wheels and powers itself with two 1200W hub motors. This yields a top speed of 25mph (45kmh) and a range of 24miles (40km).

In short, you can think of the AT1W is as an Evolve Bamboo GTR with 105mm rubber wheels and hub motors. Obviously, as the AT1W uses hub motors, there is no way to convert it to pneumatic AT wheels.

So you might be thinking: there are many many Evolve clones out there, so why should someone care about this one in particular? Well, the Ownboard AT1W is definitely one of the more affordable Evolve clone, and $799 is a good price for any eskate with 10s4p battery. What I meant to say is that Ownboard AT1W looks good on paper, and what we are trying to know is if it is also good to ride.

First, let’s talk about the numbers.

Numbers & Performance:

Range:

The 10s4p 432wh Sanyo GA batteries did hit the full range of 24miles or 40km it promised. However, we can’t verify the marketed top speed, which is 25mph(45kmh), as the board was too wobbly for us to comfortably reach that speed. That’s is even after tightening the Double kingpin trucks all the way down.

Top Speed:

We aborted our test at 21mph (35kmh) and called it a day. The board definitely can hit the marketed top-speed 25mph (45kmh), it just that we as the rider couldn’t. We will talk more about the truck letter,

Riding Experience

Speed Control – Buttery Smooth

So, let’s talk about the riding experience. First, let’s talk about speed control. The Ownboard AT1W uses a customized Hobbywing ESC, similar to their other products. That means buttery smooth speed change with fairly good strength in the brakes. Unlike the Exway and Wowgo boards, there is no smart-power-on for this one, which is too bad.

Torque – Sufficient but not very powerful

Many of us love to hate the 10s set-up as it bottlenecks the torque, especially when combined with hub motors and big wheels. As that is exactly what the AT1W is, it’s no surprise that the torque on this one isn’t amazing. While going uphill wasn’t an issue for us, we had issues when trying to ride it off roads. For example, when we are riding it on thick grass, the board was unable to start from a standstill due to the lack of torque. This will probably be a dealbreaker for those who really love torque.

Manoeuvrability – Twitchy trucks

As I mentioned just now, this pair of double kingpin truck Ownboard uses is not great. You see, when it comes to double kingpin trucks on an eskate; some brands did get it right, but many didn’t, and those who didn’t get it right usually end up with wobbly trucks. Ownboard’s double kingpin trucks are obviously the latter, and in our opinion, this is the most significant weakness of the AT1W. It has poor return to center, so when you make a turn, it doesn’t rebound back and help you recenter. The lack of rebound also means it doesn’t help to stay centered. Of course, the double kingpin trucks do allow a small turning radius for tight turns – so there’s that.

The flaw with the truck is such a shame, as the rest of the board is very likable.

Vs Road vibration – great

Underneath the pretty grip tape, there is a wide deck with moderate flex and a comfortable concave. Our feet felt pretty comfortable on the deck. The flex of the deck, the drop through set-up, and big 105mm wheels also means that road vibration is pretty well absorbed, and riding on the rough road is actually alright.

The 105mm rubber wheels did their job well and will roll over most terrain, but all-terrain they are not. They can do grass, sand, and rough road; but gravel and stones are definitely off-limits. The accurate name for this board should be Ownboard Semi-AT1W, but I guess this doesn’t have the same ring to it.

Issue – 1) Poor bottom clearance

105mm wheels on a double drop deck also mean that the bottom of the deck has very little clearance. I promise that you will rub the bottom of the deck on every single speed bump out there. This again is a point against off-road uses.

Issue – 2) Rubber wheels aren’t durable

Another thing that many people love to hate about rubber wheels is that they tend to wear fast. Well, they do, but at least the rubber sleeve is replaceable.

Verdict:

Should wobbly trucks and poor ground clearance stop you from considering this $799 board?

Let’s look at it this way: the AT1W is not for someone who is looking for an All-Terrain board, I hope that’s pretty clear by now. It’s also not for those who like to ride really fast, as the trucks are pretty wobbly.

Who is the Ownboard AT1W good for?

Perhaps someone who needs the range, who needs the safety provided by relatively large 105mm wheels, and who doesn’t typically ride fast and really likes the maneuverability of a double kingpin truck; but someone who, at the same time, doesn’t like the maintenance of a belt-drive and prefers the hassle-free hub drive.

I don’t think this description matches a lot of riders out there, but if that description fits you, then consider Ownboard AT1W.

So, what do you think? Do you like the look of this AT1W, and what do you think about it? Let us know in the comment section.

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

Posted on by Paxson Lim

Raldey AT-V3s Review – The best affordable AT?

Previously, we have reviewed the Raldey MT-V3, and concluded that it is the best option for someone who is looking to buy an affordable Eskate for commutes (you can read it here).

This time, we are reviewing the Raldey Bamboo V3S-AT, a board that was designed to be the most affordable AT option. 

At $899, the Raldey Bamboo V3S-AT has all the assets to be a great AT board…. Or does it?

Raldey AT-V3s Review

  • Deck Size: 40-inch x 13-inch (96.5cm x 23cm)
  • Top Speed: 28.5mph (46kmh)
  • Range: 19miles (30km)
  • Battery Pack: 504Wh (Sanyo GA in a 10s4p, 14Ah)
  • Weight: 23.6lbs/ 10.7kg
  • Motor: 2 x 1500W belt motors.
  • Wheels: 165mm/ 195mm airless
  • Price: 899 USD
  • Features:
    • Remote with Telemetry,
    • Push to power-on,
    • IP 55 weatherproof.

Let’s look at the parts.

Deck – Bamboo???

Raldey Bamboo AT-V3s’ product page listed the deck material as “8-Layer Canadian Maple deck”. Meaning, it has absolutely nothing to do with Bamboo. I reach out to Raldey and they told me it’s actually Bamboo plies mixed with Maple plies. I don’t care. The deck has no flex and calling it bamboo deck brings no meaning, so let’s just not call it Raldey Bamboo from now on.

However, despite being a little bit shady on the marketing side, the deck is fine. It’s almost the same as the one used on the Raldey MT-V3. It’s wide and has a mild concave, which makes it comfortable for foot placement. But it’s definitely not flexible, thanks to the full-length plastic enclosure screwed to the deck. 

Wheels – Airless rubber wheels

There are 2 wheel options available, 165mm and 195mm. That’s around 6.5 inches and 7.6 inches. The review unit we get is rocking the 165mm wheels. These are airless rubber wheels, and we will talk a little bit more about the ride feel later. 

Trucks – Wide Double Kingpin

The trucks are 14-inch double kingpin trucks, which makes them slightly wider than the typical 12-inch truck found on competing AT boards, like the Wowgo AT 2 and Ownboard Bamboo AT.

We will talk about how well these double kingpin trucks fare later.

Electronic Speed Controller – Customised LingYi ESC

On the electronics side, Raldey is using a customised LingYi ESC featuring push to power-on.

Veteran Eskater would already know how the board rides just by knowing the ESC it uses, but we will talk more about it later.

Battery – 10s4p Sanyo GA

In the battery department, it is equipped with a Sanyo GA battery in 10s4p configuration, making a pack of 504wh batteries. Sanyo GA is a pretty competent cell for Eskate.

10s4p is also the typical size for most AT boards.

Motors – 6368 belt motor

The pair of 6368 belt motors are rated as 1500W each. They are top-mounted and allows the board to have more ground clearance. However, it does make the board more difficult to stand leaning to the wall.

Numbers for Raldey AT-V3s: Top speed and Range

Raldey did not put out a marketed top speed and range for the 165mm configuration, but for us, all these parts come together to give the Raldey AT-V3 a top speed of 23mph (37kmh) and a range of 20miles (33km), when riding fast on the pro and high modes. 

So, here comes the $899 dollar question – how well does the Raldey AT-V3 ride?

Speed control

First, let’s talk about speed control.

Raldey uses a customized LingYi ESC which has 4 acceleration modes and 4 brakes modes that can be adjusted independently from each other. We said this before and we will say it again, when it comes to acceleration. Ling Yi ESCs are meant to be ridden in the 3rd(High mode), but not the 4th(‘Pro’ Mode).

Pro modes have super strong acceleration with a less smooth curve, and the result is a jolty feel. In high mode, acceleration is smooth enough, while still being strong. No reason to go to the 4th mode unless you enjoy peeing your pants a little bit from time to time.

The braking is great, smooth, and has 4 different strength that cater to everyone’s individual tastes.

Ride feel

Next, let’s talk about the ride feel.

The stiff deck, plus airless rubber wheels that are super thin on the motor side, means the board felt rough on gravel and trails. Don’t get me wrong, the wheels are big enough to roll over these surfaces, the experience just isn’t fun, as the wheels and deck do little to cushion the vibrations. Obviously, it would be better if you are riding on the 195mm wheels, but we have no way of telling how much better. I am guessing not by much.

Regarding the torque, I know many of you aren’t a fan of 10s batteries, but for us, Raldey AT-V3s is plenty powerful. Good enough power for whatever hills we encountered during our ride.

The general riding experience on regular roads is fine, but we can’t help but notice some flaws in it. The trucks, though wide, are the type of double kingpin trucks that are on the twitchy and wobbly side. We are still able to get to top speed and live to tell about it, but it’s a bit sketchy. 

Although the Double Kingpin trucks allow a small turning radius, they, unfortunately, have a poor return to the center. Combining that with a stiff deck and hard wheels make carving less fun. Upgrading to a better set of bushings would probably solve this complaint though. 

Final Verdict: Best Budget AT Option?

With all that said, the final question to be asked is this: how is the Raldey AT-V3S as a budget AT option?

Here is my answer: The over-arching theme of the Raldey AT-V3S can be summarized as capable but not comfortable.

Yes, the wheels are big enough for all-terrain, but it’s not comfortable.

Yes, double kingpin trucks allows better carving, but the bushings and the rough wheels mean that it wasn’t the buttery smooth carving experience we would have loved to have.

Yes, the individual parts are great, and the board is IP 55 waterproof, but the over-all polish of the product is lacking, and this Raldey is not as pretty as some other brands.

In short, the Raldey AT V3S is a perfectly capable ride for any situation, and any terrain, but it’s not a refined one. For many, it would be worth spending a couple hundred dollars more for something pricier, but for those who want to pay the absolute minimum for an AT, this is a solid choice.

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

Posted on by Paxson Lim

Wowgo Knight (hub) Review – Now it’s the best.

In September 2020, Wowgo released a new product into its lineup – the Wowgo Knight.

Wowgo obviously didn’t think through the sales plan of the product. When we received the board, we weren’t immediately informed of the specs and price, that came later. This gives us a chance to form our opinion of the board without being sway by what’s on paper.

And from the outset, everything we see suggested to us that this is gonna be an entry-level board replacing the 2-year-old Wowgo 2s (our review here).

The board has a handle cut out that is sort of a tradition for entry-level boards; The board uses a 5AH battery, which is at the ballpark of most entry-level boards; also, non-branded truck, you get my point.

To our surprise, Wowgo launched the Knight at $499 for the hub variant, and $549 for the belt variant – $100 pricier than your typical budget board. This is even more surprising considering it was priced higher than the heavily discounted Wowgo 3 !

I teased Wowgo that they are stupid with the pricing (but politely of course), and much to my surprise, they dropped the price immediately to the current $429 (hub) and $489 (belt) [after discount].

I love this current pricing for the Wowgo Knight, even though I don’t love that I have to come back and update this review heavily in response to the price drop.

With the old price, it is difficult to explain what Wowgo Knights are good for: “A mid-tier board that is a bit weaker in performance, look budget-ish but is actually very high in quality and polish, especially for the internals components.”

With the new $429 price tag, it is now simple to talk about Wowgo Knight: “The best entry-level board for most people”.

Now, let me show you why.

Wowgo Knight (hub) (Standard) review

As usual, let’s start by taking a look at the specs.

As mentioned, Wowgo Knight (hub) has the spec that similar to most $400 boards. or maybe 10% better.

  • Deck Size: 38-inch x 9-inch (96.5cm x 23cm)
  • Top Speed: 24mph (39kmh)
  • Range: 12miles (20km)
  • Battery Pack: 180Wh (Samsung 25R in a 10s2p, 5Ah)
  • Weight: 16.7lbs/ 7.6kg
  • Motor: 2 x 560W hub motors.
  • Wheels: 90mm 78A
  • Price: 429 USD (after discount code)
  • Features:
    • Remote with Telemetry,
    • Smart power-on,
    • IP 53 weatherproof,
    • swappable PU sleeves.

Let’s take a look at the electronic components on the Wowgo Knight:

Motors – Tied as the best

Wowgo Knight (hub) uses a set of 540W hub motor. What does 540W means? The market standard for entry-level boards is to use 400W hubs, Backfire G2 Black 2020 for instance, has a pair of 400W hubs.

Meepo V3, which has been the most powerful budget board all this while has 540W motors too. Obviously having the most wattage in motor doesn’t automatically means the board is gonna be powerful, but not having a good motor obviously means the board won’t be powerful.

In real world riding, the acceleration of Wowgo didn’t blow us away. It’s not thrilling, its competent. It has no trouble going uphill and hitting it’s marketed top speed of 24mph (39kmh).

Battery – Samsung 25R

In the range department, the Wowgo Knight uses Samsung 25R batteries, in a 10s2p setting, that’s 5AH or 180wh and has a marketed range of 12miles (20kmh), which we managed to surpass in our range test.

Most budget board this day uses Samsung 20R in 10s2p configuration, making them a smaller 4AH and 144WH pack. Just like everything else, Wowgo Knights are better, slightly better.

ESC and Remote – All hail smart power-on!

Wowgo Knight comes with customised Hobbywing ESC, with smart power-on feature, which means the board will power-on automatically as you turn on the remote. I see this as the most important feature any board can have, just to quantify it in monetary terms – I’m willing to pay $50 extra for this feature alone.

It seems to me that Wowgo have some special relationship with Hobbywing, as so far this feature is only available for Exway and Wowgo.

Customized Hobbywing ESC on Wowgo also means perfect smoothness in both acceleration and braking. Perfect strength in both braking and acceleration too. Not a surprise, we already come to expect that from this new generation of Hobbywing ESC.

Also, this ESC has a smart feature that allows you to switch between belt drive and hub drive. This feature was first seen on the Exway Flex, and I consider this a gimmick more than anything. Most of us have already made up our minds on what drive train we like, and the ability to switch drive trains is a feature that most people wouldn’t use.

The only scenario where I see this being useful is for someone who is new to the sport, and who bought the hub variant and later down the line is convinced that belt is the way to go. This way they have the option of just buying a belt-drive instead of an entirely new board.

Enclosure – Same as always.

Like every other brand, Wowgo Knight reuses the same enclosure for most of their board. Nice or not, you be the judge.

Oh, the board is IP 53 waterproof, which is pretty sweet.

Now let’s look at the skate parts of the Wowgo Knight

Deck – mild flex with handle cut out.

The Wowgo Knight uses a 38-inch deck made out of 8 ply real Canadian Maple. It has only a bit of flex to it and a mild concave, but my feet still feel comfortable on it.

The handle cut out is handy, but it does take some point away from the overall aesthetic of the board. Simply put, it makes the board look cheap.

The graphic of the grip tape is… again, subjective. I’m not a fan of it.

Truck – Paris clone

The trucks are not genuine Paris, but a Wowgo Paris clone. These Paris clones are good, but of course, not as good as the real Paris Truck.

It’s easy to carve and easy to turn with, but not as silky smooth as a genuine Paris Truck.

Let me illustrate it this way:

I went from Backfire G2 Black’s Caliber clone truck to the Wowgo Knight’s Paris Clone truck and I thought: “Wow, this one is so much better than the last one!”

Then I went from Wowgo Knights Paris Clone truck to Meepo’s NLS Boosted truck and I thought: “Wow, this one is so much better than the last one!”

(Note: My Paris Truck is not with me at the moment to do side by side comparison, but I remember Paris Truck to be as smooth as the Boosted Truck.)

Wheels – It’s fine.

The wheels are 78a 90mm. They are fine.

Riding Experience on the Knight

So, this is how I feel when riding the Wowgo Knight.

Speed control – Perfect

As mentioned, the speed control is perfect as expected from the latest customized Hobbywing ESC. Perfectly smooth acceleration and braking, good strength in both as well.

The stronger than average 540W dual hub certainly plays its role here.

Ride comfort – Almost great but..

The deck that has minor concave makes it comfortable for my feet. Remember the deck is on the stiffer side? Hub board + stiff deck = very uncomfortable ride on poorly paved roads.

There is no way around it, for instance, Meepo V3 has a pretty flex deck and it’s still felt terrible in poorly paved roads due to the thin PU sleeve on the hub wheels. Wowgo Knight doesn’t have the ‘assets’ to be comfortable on poor roads and it’s no surprise that it’s worse.

This is also why, Wowgo 3 felt comfortable and premium as the flex deck compensate for the road vibration coming from stiff hub motors; while Wowgo Knight felt almost ‘cheap’ when you ride it on super rough roads.

I imagine it would be a lot better in this situation for the belt version of Wowgo Knight. 4 real wheels absorb rough road signifcantly better than when you replace 2 of them with stiff hub wheels.

Again, as mentioned, another “weak point” of the Wowgo Knight would be the trucks. Saying them good or bad depends on your reference point. When it’s a $499 board, it’s a weak truck as we are comparing it to other mid-tier board with genuine Paris Truck (Wowgo 3) or genuine Caliber trucks (Backfire G3). When it’s $429, it is a freaking good truck as you are comparing them to other budget boards with much worse generic or clone trucks.

To elaborate further, the rebound of the trucks and the smoothness in turning is good, but still a level below genuine Paris. It’s probably the bushings. Again, if compared to genuine Paris or the Boosted trucks now on the NLS Belt, I would describe the feeling as being more like I’m steering the board instead of surfing on it.

Verdict: I rest my case.

Since 2017, the best budget board of the year would be determined by how this 3 company plays their card. Meepo, Backfire and Wowgo.

For 2020, all the cards has been played.

This year, all Meepo did was improving last year’s model Meepo V3 with an updated ESC and new remote. It is the right board for those who want the highest thrill and highest top speed.

On the other hand, Backfire refreshed its G2 Black and continues to be a beginner-friendly board with bigger 96mm wheels and a good polish.

Wowgo Knight, however, is undoubtedly the best option for most people having almost match the Meepo V3 in raw power, has a ride feel that is better than G2 Black, and a refined control that is as good as any mid-tier board. Plus it has smart power-on.

Well, I supposed it’s not a fair fight. After all, Wowgo Knight was shooting to be a mid-tier board, missed it, and landed amongst the budget boards.

If you are interested in buying a Wowgo, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here during checkout.
It will help you get $5 off and helps us out too. On top of that, you’ll be tagged as an Electric Skateboard HQ customer and probably be treated better. Cheers!

Posted on by Paxson Lim

Meepo NLS Belt Review – So much Boosted in it, yet …

“Meepo should release a belt-driven board.” We hear that quite a lot in the forum. And ta-dah! Here it is.

Much unlike Meepo typical habit of getting product out of the door fast, the Belt Meepo was in the labor room for quite a while. In fact, 8 months ago I had already been shown the photo of the prototype belt Meepo.

Belt Meepo Prototype
The prototype for Belt Meepo.
Pretty different from what we have now.

A lot of things can happen in 8 months, especially when we are in the year 2020. Among the tragedies of 2020 was that Boosted went down.

Well, It’s the ultimate altruistic act to be an organ donor. The idea is, don’t let the most valuable parts of you die with you. So, when Boosted went down, Meepo became the recipient for the organ transplant. Basically, Meepo reached into Boosted’s grave and came out with the drive train system, the trucks, and the 85mm wheels. They transplanted them into a board of their own and creatively named it, the NLS Belt.

Meepo fans should be glad that these proven parts are now part of the new Meepo board, but many were troubled when the specs of the new board were announced.

Meepo NLS Belt Review

See, priced at $699, The NLS Pro Belt was right in what we call the mid-tier price segment and a direct competitor to the Exway Flex and also the Backfire Zealot. This is not a great place to be for Team Meepo. In terms of customer service and delivery, these 2 competing brands are performing better than the Meepo, at least recently.

We thought the specs of the NLS Belt are worse than the competitors as well, but after a closer look, they actually weren’t. In reality, it’s only the top speed that’s lower.

  • Deck Size: 38-inch x 9-inch (96.5cm x 22.8cm)
  • Top Speed: 22.5mph (36km)
  • Range: 18miles (30km)
  • Battery Pack: 288Wh (Samsung 40T in a 10s2p, 8Ah)
  • Weight: 18lbs/ 8.2kg
  • Motor: 2 x 900W belt motors.
  • Wheels: 85mm 78A
  • Price: 699 USD

Let’s take a look at the electronic components:

Motors – Why so slow?

You see, the NLS Belt uses the same motors from the Boosted Stealth, rated at 900W each, but it only gives a top speed of 22.5mph (35kmh). This came as a surprise to many, including myself, as Meepo has traditionally been obsessed with speed, sometimes to a fault. But this time, apparently, what bottlenecked the top speed is the LingYi ESC, and also their choice of a larger gear ratio. We will talk more about the speed a bit later.

Battery – Good range with Samsung 40T

In the range department, the NLS Belt uses the same great ER battery, made of Samsung 40T in a 10s2p setting, that’s 288wh and has a marketed range of 18miles (30kmh), which we managed to hit in our range test.

ESC and Remote – Cosmetic upgrade.

The board comes with a LingYi ESC, and hence we get the push to start feature. What’s not typical of the LingYi ESC is the new and much better-looking remote. It’s slightly different than the updated Hobbywing remote but obviously takes some inspiration from the Boosted remote. It goes well with the whole Boosted theme.

Enclosure – Same as always.

The electronics are housed in Meepo’s usual plastic enclosure, which has a digital meter to show the battery percentage; a godsend when trying to know the battery % when charging the board.

Now let’s look at the skate parts of the NLS Belt, or you may say, of Boosted.

Deck – the same deck that was the best feature of NLS.

NLS Belt, of course, uses the same 38” flexy deck as the original NLS and it’s made out of 7 layers of bamboo and 2 layers of fiberglass. It has a mild concave, some camber, and a lot of flex.

Remember back when the original Meepo NLS was released, everybody was amazed by how good it is? Other brands have since caught up but personally, I still think it is one of the best if not THE BEST flexy deck from any Chinese brand.

Yeap, I like it more than Exway Flex’s deck, bite me.

It’s deliciously flexible and the mild concave will help to let you know where your feet are.

Remember the original NLS use to have the electrical cable visible below the grip tape, and the NLS Pro just remedied it by adding a foam layer below the grip tape it? The latest NLS doesn’t have that anymore, everything is smooth now. However, I’m really not a fan of the latest grip-tape design.

Old Original NLS and the cable bump underneath the griptape

Truck- Boosted

The C&C’ed trucks and bushings are also from Boosted, instead of Meepo’s Shredder trucks.

It’s funny how every Chinese Brand seems to use two sets of trucks now: Branded trucks for their premium model and proprietary trucks for the budget model.

  • Wowgo: Paris Trucks & Paris clone
  • Backfire: Caliber II & Caliber clone
  • Exway: Seismic & Exway Triss
  • now, Meepo: Boosted & Meepo Shredder (Bear Kodiak clone)

I like Shredder Trucks, a lot, but Boosted’s are better.

Wheels – Boosted

The Wheels are 85mm 78a, the same as Boosted 3rd gens.

Boosted 85mm wheels are good & comfortable; especially when going head to head with generic wheels from typical Chinese brands; but everybody knows that Caguama is better.

Riding Experience

So, those are the specs, and after going through that a seasoned eskater would probably have been able to predict how the NLS Belt would ride.

Top speed – Might be too slow for you

Let’s start on the weakest point, the top speed. There is no way around it, if you want a board that rides above 22.5mph (35kmh), then this will be a deal-breaker.

As mentioned, the limits on the top speed come from the LingYi ESC, but not from the motors. The choice of going with a larger gear ratio of 17 to 56, or 1:3.3 also means that Meepo prioritized torque over top speed. The NLS Belt will not accelerate past 22.5mph (35kmh), but it sure as hell will get you there fast.

Torque – this is the fun part

Meepo designed the board prioritizing torque over top speed, and this actually makes the NLS Belt very fun to ride.

I love how the board rockets off the starting line and left other riders in the dust (until they caught up eventually due to the higher top-speed). NLS belt would probably be the champion in many drag races. (How I wish @Skatemetric is still around to visualize the drag race.)

Let me put it this way, if you like the thrill of going fast without actually needing to be fast, NLS Belt will be purrrfect.

Speed Control – How’s LingYi ESC now?

Acceleration – good but can be better.

Another nitpick that I have with the NLS Belt would be the speed control on the LingYi ESC. First things first, for those who are uninitiated, LingYi ESC’s have 4 acceleration modes and 4 brake modes, independent of each other.

Everyone by now should know that a LingYi ESC on a Meepo board is meant to be ridden on the 3rd acceleration mode, the perfect balance of smooth and strong. Going over to the highest 4th pro mode means the board is too strong and too raw for comfort; it’s almost only for certain situations and for drag races – where you uncage the beast and don’t mind it being untamed.

However, even ignoring the intentionally harsh 4th-speed mode, the Meepo NLS Belt and the current LingYi ESC are still slightly less refined than the Hobbywing ESC. and it is more pronounced during uphill or when turning on rough surfaces. Many riders probably wouldn’t notice the difference, I didn’t, but my friends who also rode the board did notice it.

Brakes – Brakes are perfect.

The brakes are strong and smooth though, even the 1st braking mode is plenty strong, and the strongest 4th braking mode is still plenty smooth. I always set it on the strongest brake mode for myself, and the lightest mode when I let others ride it. Everybody is happy.

Ride feels – Boosted imbued

Now, let’s talk about how well the board controls, and this is where the Boosted parts come in. Carving and, maneuvering on the NLS Belt is as nice as it was on a Boosted board. Of course it is! It’s the same trucks and bushings after all. Read or watch one of the hundreds of Boosted Stealth reviews, and that’s exactly what you get with NLS Belt. In short, it’s very stable, very comfortable, and very smooth for carving.

The wheels are the same. The 78a 85mm wheels are the same set from the Boosted Stealth – and they are known to be soft, comfortable and durable. However, as mentioned, the fact is that the Orangatang Caguama is still better, and many Boosted riders did make the swap, so that’s what we did too on the NLS Belt. It’s an easy swap and makes the ride silky smooth.

For those who hate road vibration. NLS Belt has no trouble on rough pavement. With a Flexy deck and 4 soft wheels, the NLS Belt is one of the most comfortable boards when riding on a poorly paved road.

For those speed zealot – consider Cloudwheels

For diehard Meepo fans who can’t live without a higher top speed, the easy fix is to swap to bigger wheels. (The harder fix is swap the ESC)

This is what you get for switching to Cloudwheels:

  • Top speed increased to 27mph (43kmh)
  • Slightly reduced range: around 15miles (25km) of range [preliminary test]
  • Increase comfort in rough terrain and increase safety from pebbles
  • Less fun when carving.

The switch is super easy, as Cloudwheels’ has the Boosted pulley sets that work seamlessly (obviously) here. It will only take you 10min and … money [$129 (wheels) + $39.9 (Boosted pulleys)].

I’m pretty surprise why Meepo doesn’t just tear a page out of Backfire’s playbook and advertise the NLS Belt with Cloudwheels.

Disclaimer: We are obviously the affiliate partner of Cloudwheels (& almost every other Eskate stuff).

So, if you are interested in buying Cloudwheels, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and uses code: “ESKATEHQ” during check out.
It will help you get a $10 discount and helps us out too.

On top of that, you’ll be tagged as an Electric Skateboard HQ customer and probably be treated better. Cheers!

Boosted successor?

So, is the NLS Belt a good replacement for those who would’ve bought a Boosted?

Nope. People love Boosted not only for the riding experience but also for the brand and everything that comes with it; Meepo and the NLS Belt don’t have all of that yet. When it comes to style, product polish, or customer experience, Meepo isn’t on the same level as what Boosted was. What the NLS Belt is at the end of the day, is a board that’s most physically close to the Boosted, but is not, in any way, the successor of the Boosted experience.

Verdict:

Taking it outside of the Boosted comparison, the NLS Belt is in itself a board that’s great in everything but the top speed. Meepo could’ve reduced the gear ratio, sacrificed some torque, and allowed the board to hit the standard 25mph (40kmh) top speed, but they didn’t.

Trading off thrilling acceleration for a mere 2 mph increase in top speed is certainly a deal that many won’t knowingly make, but unfortunately, most people don’t think past the marketed stats. Or Meepo could, you know, upgrade the ESC, even if it means increasing the selling price.

But it is what it is. The NLS Belt today is not a board for those who can’t look past the lower top speed; but for everyone else, the thrilling acceleration, good range, and the great riding experience made possible by the use of Boosted parts, is indeed thoroughly enjoyable.

Check out NLS Belt product page by clicking here!

Posted on by Ziyad Khairi

Cloudwheels Review – I must break you. Will I?

This content is brought to you by our dear friend from Electric Skateboard Malaysia.

Cloudwheels, are they any good? Do they actually feel like riding on the clouds?

Today we, Electric Skateboard Malaysia, are going to go over the all-new Discovery Cloudwheels, from iWonder, and let you know what we think of them!

We tested the 105mm Cloudwheels on an Exway Riot Flex over the course of about 187 miles, or 300 Kilometres. Since iWonder markets these as ‘All Terrain’ wheels, I tested them on just about every terrain possible. After all that testing, today I’m going to tell you all about the strengths and weaknesses of the Cloudwheels.

Let’s get started!

Discovery Cloudwheels – The Pros and Cons

The Cloudwheels really excel on rough roads. Riding them on those conditions you can feel the difference compared to normal street wheels. They absorb road vibrations very well and had no problem going through cracks and potholes. They call this cushioning effect ‘damping core technology’. I have no idea what that means, but it looks like they put some kind of cushion or foam inside the wheels, to absorb road vibrations.

I would say that they successfully reduce around 60% of road vibrations. But you shouldn’t expect them to be as comfortable as an All-terrain pneumatic tire, those are a night and day difference.

Cloudwheels help to reduce a portion of the road vibrations, making riding on rough roads bearable. Pneumatic wheels, on the other hand, basically cancel out all road vibrations and are way more comfortable.

Testing Various Surfaces

On sand, Cloudwheels just roll and do their job without a problem. They grip more, so they spin well on sand compared to street wheels. But I wouldn’t try to carve on sand, it’s still slippery and you will probably fall down. 

On Grass it will spin well, if your motors have the power and torque to do so.

On small pebbles, the Cloudwheels perform okay. I would not call them comfortable, but it’s not that bad.

On rocks and small stones, it’s a different story.  You’ll end up with a headache because the vibrations are too strong.

It’s just not meant for riding on that type of material. It would be terrible for beginners especially, but I wouldn’t recommend it at all since you could fall down.

So, naming the Cloudwheels ‘all-terrain’ is a bit of an exaggeration. Instead of calling them ‘All Terrain’, I would have called them ‘Hybrid wheels’, meaning that they are between street and all-terrain wheels.

What makes Cloudwheels unique

To understand why Cloudwheels are special, you need to understand the difference between street wheels and all terrain wheels.

Street wheels are fun to ride because they free roll very well without resistance. They give you the most torque and highest top speed. They are also lightweight, so you’ll achieve maximum range, but they suffer on rough roads.

AT, or all terrain wheels, on the other hand, are very comfortable, but they will effectively cut your maximum range in half. If your board is able to go 30 miles (50 km), you’re only going to get about a 15 mile (25 km) range. AT Wheels also grip more, so they free roll less, meaning that they are slow. Another problem is that AT wheels are very large, and can only be used on giant boards, like the Ownboard Bamboo, WowGo at2, and evolve GTR series.

This is where Cloudwheels come in. They sit between street and AT wheels. They are more comfortable than street wheels, but not as comfortable as AT wheels. But the best part is that you can use them on almost all boards that use a belt-drive setup.

They also don’t add much weight, so your range will only be reduced by a small amount.

Here is an example of the Exway Flex Riot. You can see that they can’t use AT wheels because they simply will not fit.

For boards like this, using cloudwheels is the best option if you are looking to reduce road vibrations while riding.

The original cloudwheels that I have were not very durable and chipped easily. However, after testing these I can say that this new version survived my tests.

I tried to destroy them by riding off-road, but surprisingly there was no chipping at all. 187 miles (300km) on rough roads and they still look brand new.

So, are cloudwheels perfect?

The answer is no, and here is a quick list of the small sacrifices that you will have to make.

First, due to the tread pattern on the wheels, Cloudwheels free roll less than street wheels, and because they roll less, you will lose a bit of range

Second, on wet roads, just like any other PU wheels, they are slippery. The best wheels for wet roads are rubber.

Third, you will lose a little bit of torque when you switch from street wheels to cloudwheels. It’s not really noticeable in a daily-use scenario, but it is most noticeable when going uphill.

So, what’s the verdict?

The new Discovery Cloudwheels by iWonder are great, and I consider that the sacrifices are pretty small.

They fit most boards. They Look good. They come in different colors to match your board and enhance the aesthetics.

The Cloudwheels give you a slight increase in top speed, and most importantly they perform great on rough roads, especially on boards that can’t use the full-size all terrain wheels. This is the best choice currently available. They aren’t true all-terrain wheels, but if you are skilled you can make them work.

By the way, the Cloudwheels come in two sizes: 105mm and 120mm. Choose the 105mm for boards like the Exway Flex, Backfire Zealot and WowGo 3x. Pick up the 120mm for big boards like the Evolve GTR.

And if you are from Malaysia, be sure to check out our online store @ https://electricskateboardmalaysia.com/ when you want to grab something! Cheers!

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

That’s all for this review! If u have any questions, please leave a comment below!