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!
