2-in-1 Archives - Electric Skateboard HQ

September 10, 2025October 8, 2025 by Paxson Lim

Evolve Fusion Review – An Honest Look

I still remember back in 2017, when I first got into electric skateboards, it was basically Boosted vs. Evolve.

Boosted vs Evolve reddit post — Back in those days, they were the only game in town.

Boosted was seen as overpriced but carried by slick marketing and design. Meanwhile, Evolve, with its powerful 2-in-1 setup, offered more substance for your money.

Ironically, times have changed. With the rise of Chinese brands pushing insane specs-per-dollar and Boosted long gone, what used to be Evolve’s strength has slowly become its weakness. These days, the same criticisms once aimed at Boosted are now aimed at Evolve — a beautiful product, great marketing, but overpriced.

And the brand has always been polarizing. Everybody has a strong opinion on them; you either love them or detest them. On one hand, Evolve is praised for having the most consistent customer service. On the other hand, it’s had its controversies — board lockups, remote disconnections — issues that were much less heard of since the GTR lineup, but not everyone forgave how they were handled.

Price & Unboxing of Evolve Fusion

Evolve is still very much a premium brand with a premium price. Depending on where you live and import taxes, that price can shift, but we’re reviewing it as a $1,599 board for the All-Terrain setup in the US.

And even at that price, nobody provides an unboxing experience like Evolve. They really know how to remind you that this is a premium product.

Evolve Fusion – Specs:

Price	$1599
Deck	38” Drop-through deck, 3-Ply Bamboo, 2-Ply Fibreglass
Trucks	Evolve Supercarve 2 – Forged/CNC
Wheels	7” Pneumatic (Compatible: 85mm – 105mm street wheels)
Motors	Dual 6368 3000w – Belt-drive system
ESC	Evolve Custom 50V + App
Battery	12S3P 50.4v 648Wh 15AH Samsung 50S
Range	25 miles (40 km)
Top Speed	26 mph (42 km/h)
Weight	27.5 lbs (12.5 kg)
Lighting	Front and rear LED lights

Deck

The Fusion uses a 38” drop-through deck made of 3-ply bamboo and 2-ply fiberglass. Unlike many modern all-terrain boards copying Evolve’s formula, this one doesn’t drop aggressively, so you stand a little higher off the ground.

I usually prefer a lower ride height for stability, but this design makes sense — you don’t have to worry about bottoming out, especially when running smaller street wheels down to 85mm. The deck also has a nice concave and a healthy amount of flex, making it comfortable to ride.

Enclosure & Battery

Inside the flexible enclosure is a 12S3P 50.4V 648Wh (15Ah) Samsung 50S pack. There’s also a lighter 12S2P variant available for $1,399 if you prefer.

The battery case feels very solid — the lid has a lip that wraps around and a proper seal. While Evolve doesn’t advertise waterproofing, it’s clearly well-sealed.

Range (12S3P): 25 miles / 40km (AT), 37 miles / 60km (Street)
Range (12S2P): 16 miles / 25km (AT), 31 miles / 50km (Street)

In our tests, we managed to go 25 miles (40km) on AT wheels, which was surprising since even bigger 12S4P packs sometimes struggle to match that. Somehow, Evolve squeezes more out of a smaller pack. Maybe it’s their BMS, maybe just efficiency.

So, while the Fusion has about 30% less battery for the price, the real-world range makes the criticism less harsh than we expected.

All Terrain Electric Skateboard, Price vs Battery size

Our test riders weigh around 165 lbs (75kg), riding in hot weather. If you’re heavier or ride in colder climates, expect less range.

ESC & Remote

Evolve uses its own custom ESC. I used to remember Evolve ESCs as janky and worse than even older LingYi generations. So I was pleasantly surprised to find that today’s Evolve ESC is perfectly smooth and intuitive — acceleration and braking both feel refined and natural.

The board comes with Evolve’s Phaze Remote, which is unique compared to most remotes. Instead of a single dial, it has separate triggers for acceleration and braking, plus a deadman switch for safety (which can be disabled).

The remote also gives you a lot of info, such as component temperatures and individual battery cell levels. It takes a bit of getting used to if you’re coming from dial remotes, but once you adapt, it’s one of the better remotes out there.

On top of that, the Evolve app lets you tune acceleration/braking curves, adjust power output, and even customize lights with different colors and animations. If you’re not into apps, you can still switch light modes directly from the remote.

Motors

The Fusion runs on dual 3000W belt-driven 6368 motors.

I’ve kind of forgotten just how powerful Evolve boards actually are — the Fusion does pack a punch, and acceleration feels strong, right on par with other boards in this $1,599 range. Torque is not the issue here.

The top speed, however, is awkward. On the 7” AT wheels, the Fusion maxes out at just 26 mph (42 km/h), and with street wheels it climbs to 31 mph (50 km/h). By today’s standards, that’s slow. Most boards at this price point hit at least 37 mph (60 km/h).

So while the Fusion’s acceleration is satisfying, the relatively low top speed is hard to ignore. Riders who want to comfortably push past 30 mph will likely feel underwhelmed.

Trucks

The Fusion uses Evolve SuperCarve 2 forged/CNC trucks with a 12” hanger and double kingpin design, finished in gold.

They’re legendary. Silky smooth for carving, yet stable enough for high speed. Plus, you can adjust the wheelbase — shorter for nimble carving, longer for more stability.

Evolve fusion adjusting the wheelbase — Three sets of predrilled holes for you to adjust the wheelbase

Out of the box, it comes in the short setting, which felt agile but awkward for my stance. Switching to the longer wheelbase fixed that and felt more natural.

Wheels

Evolve offers a wide selection, from 85mm street wheels up to 105mm, plus the 7” AT wheels that come stock.

Evolve Fusion has a lot of wheel options

What disappointed us was the plastic wheel hubs. At this price point, most competitors ship CNC hubs. Plastic hubs feel a little wobbly at higher speeds, so upgrading to CNC hubs is a must if you’re picky about ride feel.

Specs Summary of the Evolve Fusion

In a vacuum, the Fusion is a fantastic board. It’s got great power, smooth controls, legendary trucks, and that versatile 2-in-1 design. Honestly, it’s hard to imagine any rider not enjoying it.

But when you start looking at value for money, things get trickier. At $1,599, most boards come with a 12S4P battery pack — the Fusion only gives you a 12S3P.

Specification	Evolve Fusion	Acedeck Nomad N3 (Gear-Drive)	OMW Calvary	Meepo Hurricane Vader
Price (USD)	$1,599	$1,699	$1,389	$1,599
Deck Material	Bamboo + Fiberglass	Multi-layer composite (split-angle)	Carbon Fiber + Fiberglass	3K Carbon Fiber
Drive & Motor	Duel belt 6368 • 3,000W each	Gear Drive 6384 • 3,500W each	Duel belt 6374 • 3,500 W each	Gear Drive 6384 • 3,700W each
Top Speed	AT: 26 mph Street: 31 mph	37 mph (60kph)	37 mph (60kph)	32 mph (52kph)
Battery	12S3P (648 Wh) Samsung 50S	14S6P (1305 Wh) Molicel P42A	12S4P (864 Wh) Samsung 50S	12S4P (864 Wh) Samsung 50S
Range	AT: 25 miles (40km) Street: 37 miles (60km)	49 mi (80km)	AT: 34 miles (55km) Street: 50 miles (88km)	31 mi (50km)

At this price, we also often see gear drives or carbon decks… but the Fusion has neither.

And then there’s the wheels. For a premium board, CNC hubs should’ve been standard.

So, when you line it up against boards like the Acedeck Nomad N3, OMW Calvary, or Meepo Hurricane Vader, the Fusion looks about two steps behind in raw specs.

But here’s the real question: do you judge Evolve as being two or even three steps ahead when it comes to customer service, reliability, and post-sales support?
The answer to that will likely decide whether the Fusion is the right board for you.

Ride Feel of the Evolve Fusion

By now, as we’ve gone through the specs, we’ve already alluded to a lot of the Fusion’s strengths and also some of its shortcomings. But how does all of that actually come together on the road?

First, the deck and trucks. The bamboo-fiberglass deck is comfortable to stand on, the length feels just right, and the concave locks your feet in place. Paired with Evolve’s SuperCarve trucks, the board is precise and stable at speed, yet silky smooth for carving with one of the tightest turning radius you can get. Honestly, the deck and truck combo is what really carries the Fusion’s ride.

On poor roads, the flex in the deck and the AT wheels take away most of the harsh vibrations. The setup gives you solid ground clearance for obstacles and makes light off-roading easy. That said, the plastic hubs do make the ride feel a bit wobbly at higher speeds — disappointing on a premium board. Switching to CNC hubs would improve things significantly.

We’re still getting used to the Phaze remote, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying the smooth speed control. Once you adapt, it delivers acceleration and braking that feel precise, predictable, and natural.

And finally, power delivery. After having so many Chinese brands push the limits on torque and top speeds, we were reminded that Evolve was the OG powerful electric longboard back in the Boosted vs. Evolve era. While the Fusion isn’t S-tier in torque and the 26 mph top speed is “meh” by today’s standards, it still lands solidly in A-tier. Acceleration is satisfying and even thrilling in Sport and Corsa modes. Beginners will be sufficiently cradled by the Eco mode, while advanced riders still get enough punch to enjoy.

Verdict of the Evolve Fusion

We’ve talked a lot of smack about Evolve on this channel over the years, and the Fusion gave us a chance to see if that was still fair. And honestly? It changed our perspective — at least somewhat.

The usual “small battery pack” criticism doesn’t sting as much this time, because the Fusion manages to squeeze out range that competes with larger 12S4P setups. The deck and truck combo is outstanding, and the ESC tuning with the Phaze remote is as refined as it’s ever been. In short, the ride quality is significantly improved from the old Evolves, with very little to nitpick.

That said, the capped top speed of 26 to 31 mph is hard to ignore. For riders chasing adrenaline, the Fusion just won’t cut it.

So who is this board for? If you’re a rider who values price-to-performance above all else, the Fusion won’t be the board you pick — there are better spec sheets for the money. But if you want an electric skateboard that does everyday riding extremely well, with premium build quality and one of the best after-sales services in the business, the Fusion makes a strong case for itself.

After all, when you’re spending over a thousand dollars, those intangibles can matter.

If you are interested in buying an Evolve, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and use code: “ESKATEHQ” to receive $50 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!

August 31, 2022January 21, 2025 by Ziyad Khairi

Wowgo AT2 Plus Review – Cheaper than Exway Atlas and Meepo Hurricane, but better?

When Wowgo launched the old AT2 in 2020, we knew right away that it was going to be popular. At $1099, the board wears the Evolve formula very well (Evolve formula: flexible drop deck + 7-inch pneumatic wheels that could be converted into street wheels + Double Kingpin Trucks—a recipe for a really smooth ride).

This year, Wowgo is giving us the AT2 Plus. It’s a sequel to the AT2 that came just at the right time. The competition shouts “stiff” with boards like Exway Atlas and Meepo Hurricane. The Wowgo AT2 Plus is definitely meant to challenge Meepo and Exway.

Compared to the Meepo Hurricane and Exway Atlas which are priced at around $1599, Wowgo AT2 Plus is selling at just $1229 for the all-terrain version and $1349 for the 2-in-1 package which includes 120mm Cloudwheels. Pretty cheap in comparison, eh?

So, is being one of the most affordable 2-in-1 boards the only thing the Wowgo AT2 Plus is good for? Or will the board outperform the pricier duo? Let’s find out in this Wowgo AT2 Plus review!

Wowgo AT2 Plus Build and Specs

Deck: double drop with subtle wide concave; fiberglass, bamboo, and Canadian maple
Electronic Speed Controller: 12s Hobbywing ESC
Motors: 2 x 2100W belt motors
Marketed top speed: 31 mph / 50 kp/h
Batteries: 43.2 V, 14 Ah, 604 Wh, 12S4P configuration
Marketed range: 18 miles or 30 km
Trucks: 12-inch Front and Rear Double Kingpin Truck
Wheels: 2 in 1 (175 mm Pneumatic Wheels + 120 mm CloudWheels)

Wowgo AT2 Plus uses a double drop deck made of fiberglass, bamboo, and Canadian maple. It has a subtle wide concave that doesn’t feel significant but has a nice flex to it.

This time around, Wowgo gave the board a fresh grip tape design which we really like. It looks pretty futuristic!

Beneath the deck, we have a flexible enclosure that contains a 12s4p 604 Wh battery pack made out of Panasonic cells. Although it’s an upgrade from the previous 10s4p 504Wh pack on the AT2, this battery configuration offers the same modest marketed range of 18 miles or 30 km when using the AT wheels and 27 miles or 45 km on the Cloudwheels configuration.

Our 155 lbs or 70kg test rider put the numbers to the test and got 14 miles or 23 km out of the AT setup. The test ride is pretty aggressive and pushes for top speed multiple times. We believe that with Cloudwheels, you can get up to 25 miles or 40 km of range without a problem.

To read our Wowgo AT2 review, click here.

Upgrades on ESC, motors, wheels, and rear lights?!

Wowgo didn’t stop the upgrades there and improved the electronic speed controller as well. The Wowgo AT2 Plus uses a 12s Hobbywing ESC coming from the 10s Hobbywing ESC on the AT2. The remote remains the same with a smart turn-on feature, and acceleration and braking are still super smooth.

The trucks on Wowgo AT2 Plus use 12-inch Double Kingpin Trucks for easier turning and maneuverability. It comes in 175mm pneumatic wheels by default but you can purchase the 2-in-1 version to get the 120 mm Cloudwheels.

Powering these wheels is a set of 2100W belt motors which are again, an upgrade to the previous 1500W motors on the AT2.

These new motors increase the top speed of the Wowgo AT2 Plus to 31mph or 50km/h after doing some tweaking to the board… We’ll share this tweak with you in a bit!

The board weighs around 30 lbs or 13.6 kg and it comes with rear lights which are pretty nice. The automatic on and off feature is an awesome bonus that night riders will surely enjoy.

As you can see, the Wowgo AT2 Plus specs got a little bit of boost, not to mention a nice design update. The board looks well built and polished but how does everything perform on the streets? Well, it’s time to ride!

Want to learn more about Cloudwheels for your electric skateboard? Click here.

Wowgo AT2 Plus Ride Experience

Hopping onto the board, we can instantly tell that Wowgo is going for a buttery smooth setup. The acceleration is the smoothest that we’ve tried on any eskate. You can fully hit the throttle without getting thrown off the board.

Braking is also very smooth and safe for beginners. You can engage full braking without falling out of balance. Advanced riders will wish it had more punch to it, though. The braking on Meepo Hurricane and Atlas 4WD is still stronger at stopping very quickly.

When it comes to power, the board is deceptively powerful. It is much stronger than the old Wowgo AT2 and can handle any incline with ease. The acceleration ramps up so smoothly, that you can ride fast with comfort. Make no mistake though, the AT2 Plus still can’t compete with the likes of Meepo Hurricane in a drag race but the power is more than enough for riding in the meanest streets.

Interested in Meepo Hurricane, click here to learn more.

Secret tweak for stability at top speed

Next, let’s talk about maneuvering and as it turns out, it’s quite difficult to explain.

You see, the prototype of the AT2 Plus came out to have very loose trucks and soft 90a bushing. This initial setting felt nice to carve around but you really need to be mindful of the limitations. You can unintentionally slide if you aren’t careful.

It’s easy to turn and carve in this configuration, especially for beginners. This stock setting, after all, makes the Wowgo AT2 one of the smoothest boards amongst all AT boards. However, the trade-off comes in the form of speed wobbles, which will be there even at moderate speed.

Alas, after some deliberation, Wowgo decided to replace the soft 90a bushings with something much harder and ended up with 95a bushings on the front and 97a bushings on the back.

When we tried this new configuration, the strengths and weaknesses flipped. The board is super stable now with no problem pushing up to 31 mph but the board is no longer easy to turn for us.

With all that said, we are 150 lbs Asians. So, if you weigh 180 lbs, this new set-up might just be right for you. Otherwise, you might need to take matters into your own hands and experiment with more bushing yourself. Luckily, changing the bushings is neither difficult nor pricey.

Choose your preferred wheels for a different feel

Now, let’s talk about ride comfort. The flexible deck and 175 mm wheels ride smoothly even in harsh road conditions. To put some context, going off-road on the Wowgo AT2 Plus is more comfortable than with the Atlas and Hurricane. The flexible deck acts like a suspension that eases bumpiness from off-road rides.

Swapping to the 120 mm Cloudwheels provides a much different ride feel. Since the board is really low, it almost feels like riding right above the ground thanks to the double-drop deck. This is akin to the feeling of driving a race car, not that we have been in one.

The lower center of gravity helps the board to be insanely stable at high speed. However, be careful when you pass speed bumps as the board will often bottom out and get scratches. Or, you can just get used to it like we do… like our poor Meepo Hurricane…

It’s worth noting that you will have to pay an extra $120 for the Cloudwheels, and you should probably go with that option. This is not what we normally recommend, as our personal experience suggested that street wheels don’t usually end up getting too much play time in 2-in-1 boards. In the Wowgo AT2 Plus case, however, you might need the street set-up for the range. As our range test shows, the AT2 Plus has a very average range (14 miles, 23 km), and going with a Cloudwheels setup would be the easiest way to extend the range(25 miles or 40 km).

Well, that’s about everything, so let’s tie it all up.

The VERDICT – one of the best affordable 2-in-1 boards

Wowgo AT2 Plus is a pretty board with all the right ingredients. While the balance between stability and easy turning might require some extra tinkering on your part, and the range is merely average, Wowgo AT2 Plus is built well with good power and great ride comfort.

Is it a better performing board over Meepo Hurricane and Exway Atlas?

Of course not, the other two clearly out-specced the Wowgo AT2 Plus.

However, being $300 cheaper is not nothing either, and there’s no reason to pay for extra range or power that you won’t need. With all things considered, we think Wowgo AT2 Plus is, at the end of the day, one of the best affordable 2-in-1 boards available right now.

If you are interested in buying the Wowgo, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and use code: “ESKATEHQ” to receive a small discount during check out.
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!

April 11, 2022October 17, 2023 by Paxson Lim

Meepo Hurricane Review – Great board, where does it stand?

For the review of the 2023 Meepo Hurricane Vader, click here.

Meepo Board is traditionally known to make powerful boards at the best “price-performance” ratio. The brand is always your go-to choice for eskates in the sub-$500 segment. Although, they’re having less recognition for higher-priced boards. Meepo Board changes the game in 2021 with Meepo Hurricane. This $1699 board has been overwhelmingly popular in the eskate community. So, what sets this all-terrain carbon fiber board apart from its peers? How is it different from other 2-in-1 boards that use the Evolve formula? Let’s find out.

Build and specs of Meepo Hurricane

Deck: T700 carbon fiber, double-drop, wide concave, stiff deck, top-access electronic compartment
ESC: LingYi FOC ESC 70 Belt, 4-speed modes, push-to-start feature
Marketed Top Speed: 35mph or 56km/h
Motors: 3500 W * 2
Batteries: 12s4p Molicel P42A
Marketed Range: 31miles or 50km
Trucks: Double Kingpin Truck
Wheels: 155mm pneumatic wheels; 90mm street wheels
Board Weight: 34 lbs or 15.4 kg
Warranty: 1-year guarantee

Meepo Hurricane uses a T700 Carbon Fiber double-drop deck with a built-in, top-access electronic compartment. We didn’t really know what T700 carbon fiber is until we were researching for this review and apparently, it’s commonly used in drone cameras. This type of carbon fiber reduces the probability of cracks.

The deck is also wide and has a full concave. There’s no flex on the board. The carbon fiber is stiff and it’s designed with wave lines that look sleek yet adds a military theme.

Top-access electronic compartment

Inside the carbon fiber deck, you’ll find a giant battery with a 12s4p configuration using Molicel P42A. This is considered a great cell in the market. It adds up to 725.8 watt-hours, which is the third biggest battery pack you can find on any 2-in-1 board. In terms of specs, it’s behind by only a few watts than the Ownboard Zeus’s 13s4p 899wh and Eovan GTS Carbon’s 12s4p 852Wh pack. Okay maybe not ‘a few’, but you get the point.

Big bubble (high top speed) third highest on the chart

This 725.8wh battery pack gave Meepo a marketed range of 31miles or 50km on all-terrain wheels, and 44 miles or 70km range on street wheels.

Our 210lbs or 95kg test rider put the numbers to the test and got 18.5miles or 30km out of the AT set up. With street wheels, we got 31 miles or 50km.

In our range test, we tried as much as possible to ride. You could probably get the higher advertised range with lighter weight or by riding conservatively.

Electronic Speed control – Hello again, LingYi ESC

For the electronic speed controller, Meepo uses their usual LingYi ESC and they got the latest and greatest version, as always. Hurricane is installed with LingYi FOC 70 Belt with a push-to-start feature. It has 4-speed modes and 4 brake modes that can be set independently of each other.

Meepo Hurricane also uses Double Kingpin Trucks. In the riding experience, we’ll see if these trucks blend well with 155mm pneumatic wheels. Purchasing Meepo Hurricane also comes with 90mm street wheels if it matches your preferences better. You can also swap these wheels for other semi-AT wheels like Cloudwheels or Meepo’s 110mm Cyclone wheels.

To check out our Meepo NLS Belt Review, click here.

Dual Belt drive – 3500W belt motor

Powering these wheels is a set of 3500W belt motors. Motor wattage means little at this price range, but just for those who are interested, these numbers are the highest out of all belt-driven boards in our database.

With these motors, the Meepo Hurricane has a top speed of 35mph or 56km/h and we managed to only hit 31mph or 50km/h. Although the 35mph was not met, 31mph is still very fast.

The board weighs in at 34 lbs or 15.4 kg and comes with a 1-year warranty.

As you can see, Meepo does what they do best with the Meepo Hurricane – offering beefy specs for its asking price. What’s unexpected for me is how well built and well polished the board is.

If Meepo Hurricane is the first Meepo, you might have no idea that the company has its roots as an affordable brand. While looks can be subjective, I think everyone will agree that this is the best-looking Meepo ever seen.

Riding experience of Meepo Hurricane

Now, let’s move off the specs on paper and onto the road.

The highlight of the Meepo Hurricane is its power. Meepo loves injecting loads of power into their boards and that’s definitely what happened here.

Out of all 2-in-1 boards in the market, the Meepo Hurricane ranks high on the list, beating any other board that isn’t a 4-wheel drive.

Power: Meepo Hurricane VS Exway Atlas

Comparing its acceleration or power against Exway Atlas, Meepo Hurricane is way stronger than the 2-wheel drive version of Atlas and almost as strong as Atlas’ 4-wheel drive.

However, the Atlas 4-wheel drive has better torque than Hurricane and can start from a complete stop even on thick grass. Hurricane struggles with this acceleration feature. The 4-wheel drive Exway Atlas also has more grip in offroading and when going up very steep hills, more so when the roads are slippery.

LingYi catches up with Hobbywing ESC

With all that power on the board, it’s no surprise that the Meepo Hurricane also has good speed control. We can finally say that the control smoothness of the latest LingYi ESC is now indistinguishable from the gold-standard set by Hobbywing ESC.

Meepo Hurricane has 4-speed modes, and all are smooth and intuitive. Mode 1 and 2 are tame, probably intended for casual riding, while mode 3 and mode 4 are thrillingly powerful. Having 4 different modes for braking also allows you to choose between gentler braking to having a very strong brake on the 4th brake mode. Those who love strong brakes would be really happy with the brakes here.

To check out our Meepo V4 Review, click here.

Double Kingpin trucks geared towards stability

Meepo clearly wants Hurricane to be ridden fast, as even the double kingpin truck on Hurricane is geared towards stability rather than for fun carving. The trucks are not the most agile and the board remains comfortably stable at high speed.

However, this also means that the Hurricane is not your best option for carving. Stiff deck, big wheels, and tight trucks are all minus points for fun carving, and we don’t feel much temptation to carve around when we are on the Hurricane.

This is in contrast to the Exway Atlas, which is geared towards responsive trucks that are more fun to carve with, but less stable at high speed.

Built for speed and stability

Besides the trucks, the rest of Hurricane’s built speaks stability, too. The carbon fiber deck is wide and has a nice concave to it. It feels nice and stable underneath the feet. The double-drop deck also allows a low to ground ride feel, further adding to the stability. Stiff decks don’t bounce, which is yet another point for a stable high-speed ride.

With all that said, designing a board this way has a few trade-offs. For starters, a low ride height also means low ground clearance, and your beautiful carbon fiber deck is just one tall bumper away from becoming less beautiful.

The stiff deck and relatively smaller 155mm pneumatic wheels mean going off-road on gravel, and small rocks aren’t as comfortable as other 2-in-1 boards with bigger wheels and flexible decks.

Going with street wheels further exacerbates both of these problems, where the board bottoms out on each bumper and becomes unbearable when riding on poorly paved roads.

To avoid feeling every small crack and bump, we would recommend skipping the 90mm street and going for semi-AT wheels like the 105mm cloud wheels, or anything bigger. The safest bet is to stick to the AT set-up.

THE VERDICT- Should you buy Meepo Hurricane?

You see, it has been more than half a year since the initial launch of the Meepo Hurricane and even as the hype cooled, the board remains wildly popular. We think all this love is well-deserved, as Meepo Hurricane not only hit it out of the park when it comes to delivering maximum value for the price, it also has an amazing look and amazing polish to go with it.

While the similarly priced Exway Atlas 2-wheel-drive is a better carving board and has some fun features such as having a smartphone app, Meepo Hurricane has a much better range and better power. So, whether you are looking for an all-terrain board that speaks power and stability, or simply want a polished AT board that tops the competition with specs, Meepo Hurricane is the board for you. Do look elsewhere, if you want a board that has maximum carving fun, or looking to do hardcore off-roading.

RIDE SAFE, GUYS!

If you are interested in buying the Meepo, be sure to check out our affiliate link here.
You’ll be tagged as an Electric Skateboard HQ customer and probably be treated better. Cheers!

June 20, 2019August 17, 2019 by Paxson Lim

Yecoo GT – Does this budget 2 in 1 worth your time?

Update: Yecoo team reached out and notify that they have taken the feedback to heart, and is in the process of addressing some of the lowlights. For now, the battery has already been upgraded to an even larger 10s5p 36V 11Ah Samsung battery, with a plan to further upgrade to a 15Ah & 17.5Ah option.
The grip tape design was also revised and looks to the better now.

Yecoo, a Chinese brand previously unheard of reached out to us to review one of their product Yecoo GT. I’ve never reviewed a budget 2 in 1 before and enthusiastically agreed to it. Who doesn’t like a good 2 in 1, could Yecoo GT hold a candle to the Evolves?

Yecoo GT Review

Right off the bat, my test show the marketed spec has been slighty inflated. So the chart and below is the tested specs of the Yecoo GT:

Top Speed: 21mph (35kmh)
Range: AT – 6miles (10km)
83mm – 10 miles (16km)
Weight: AT – 19.6lbs (8.9kg)
83mm – 16lbs (7.3kg)
Charge Time: 5hrs
Features: 2 belt motors, regenerative braking, handles up to 20% slope, swappable PU.
Price: 599USD with shipping included.

Build Quality

First thing first, let’s go through the superficial stuff.

Packaging

Everything is pretty rudimentarily packed.
I love how the square foams are cut out and place around the wheels to keep the board in place in the box, I think it’s cute.

The package did come with a full set of 83mm wheels and it’s set of belt and pulley. I am happy that it is included.

Other than that, we have all the usual stuff, T-tool, remote, and chargers.

Update: The packaging has since then received a much needed improvement.

New looks and packaging for Yecoo GT

Deck

Yecoo GT’s deck is a pretty standard generic long board deck with handle cut out. Being generic doesn’t mean it’s bad, it’s pretty comfortable.

It has a little nice concave to it and a tiny bit of flex to it.

Component Enclosures and ESC

Flipping the deck onto it’s back, we see the typical generic 2 enclosure set up. These are the plastic enclosure made famous by the original Meepo board. Inside them, houses the LingYi ESC and a 6s4p battery pack.

Knowing this pairing, some of you should already know what the performance would be like, but please read on!

The new battery enclosure for Yecoo GT is much bigger, due to bigger battery.

Wheels

The AT wheels are a set of 150mm silicon wheels. It’s not pneumatic tires. They are big, heavy, and they actually perform pretty well in rough terrain.

Being a 2 in 1, you can easily switch to the street set-up. The board comes with 83mm street wheels that are pretty meh in quality but of course it is up to you to switch to anything with a flywheel core.

Motor

The motor on the GT is a pair of 1000W 5065 outrunner motor.

Trucks

This is a pair of 250mm trucks that are used in many Chinese budget AT boards, they are okay.

What’s seems to puzzling to me is the use of barrel and cone bushing here. Granted that helps the board to turn more but it felt pretty weird riding tall with an AT set-up, yet the truck is so soft and unsteady. I have to tighten the trucks a bit for the ride to be steadier, that is to the detriment of maneuverability and increasing the turn radius; hard to get it right.

On the contrary, I find the truck set-up very comfortable on the street setup. Barrel and cone bushing gives a good amount of lean, wide truck, and low riding height make the board stable.

Remote

Pretty commonly used remote. It has 3 speed modes and 3 brake strength.

You can toggle between the speed mode by using the slides on the side of the remote. Brake mode can be toggled by pressing the power button while holding the throttle all the way back.

My suggestio, just stick with the lowest brake mode.

Capability

Range

While the marketing material rated the board as 6AH, I was dissapointed to learn that it was actually a 6s3p set-up. This means that Yecoo GT has a 144wh battery pack, which is the size of all base version Chinese budget board uses.

The AT wheels set-up got me 6.5miles (10.5km) before the battery ran out.
The Street set-up with 83mm wheels got me 10miles(16km).

I would expect worse from a 144wh battery on a belt drive but I guess limiting the top speed and power does help to get more range out of the Yecoo GT.

*I weigh around 154lbs (70kg) and was riding in a mostly flat area in a warm climate.

Update: With the upgrade to 10s5p 36V 11Ah Samsung battery, the range and torque should see significant improvement.

Speed and Torque

I could only reach 21mph(35kmh) with the street set up.
With the AT-setup, I manage to reach a little bit less than that and hit 20.8mph(33.5km).

While I would like to be able to go faster in the street set-up, I am not looking to push the speed limit in AT, as riding high off the ground with a loose truck feels pretty sketchy!

23% hill, can’t get up

With a 6s4p set up, I’m betting the torque is gonna take a hit, and it did. On the AT set-up, Yecoo GT is unable to climb through a 23% graded hill. It almost can, almost.

Riding Experience:

Acceleration and Deceleration

Yecoo GT uses an older version of LingYi ESC and it has similar behavior. The smoothness of acceleration is pretty fair in street set up but in the AT set up the board seems to have trouble deliveing enough power to the motors, hence a slow throttle push will result in a ‘hesitant start’.

Braking curve is not the most intuitive with low brake strength initially and sudden ramping up of brake strength, when the throttle was pulled further back.

You can choose different brake strength in the setting by pulling the throttle back and pressing the power button, however, I don’t see the need to go beyond the lowest mode, as higher brake strength would just accentuate the problem.

Stability & Maneuverability

On the topic of stability and maneuverability, the nature of 2 in 1 presented Yecoo GT a dilemma.

Generally speaking, AT set-up would have a ‘tighter’ truck set-up to allow more stability, as you know, you will be riding quite high off the ground and in all kinds of terrain. This is why true AT trucks are often so difficult to turn. On the other hand, you will want a street set-up to have a loose truck, that allows you to have plenty of leans so you can have as much fun carving as possible.

In my opinion, Yecoo GT is set-up to be a pretty good longboard. I love wide trucks, and while 250mm trucks on 83mm wheels are a bit of overkill, that is the kind of overkill that I enjoy riding. The street setup is pretty maneuverable and very stable, thanks to the super wide truck. The barrel and cone bushing also allows the board to lean and turn easily.

Going from street setup to AT setup however, the story changed. For me, the AT set-up ride too high for my comfort level; plus a barrel and cone sacrifice stability for more turns and it just made the board unsteady.

Vibration & Terrain

Besides learning that I love wide trucks, the second thing I learned from Yecoo GT is that 6.5″ silicon tires are pretty good. It handles vibration and challenging terrain pretty well, almost as well as the standard pneumatic tires.

If you feel comfortable with the riding high off the ground and the inconsistent control behavior in AT set-up, Yecoo GT actually is pretty good in getting you through places.

Stones
Poor roads

Verdict

Everything about the Yecoo GT is pretty raw. From the packaging to the design to the control.

It is both too underpowered to be good AT board and too uncomfortable for a regular cruise ride. The big 6.5″ wheels are good enough to handle some really treacherous road, as long as you can stay on it.

As a street set-up, GT is a comfortable ride competing well with the most entry-level budget board. It is, however, not priced at the entry level.
Yecoo does have another product, GTS, which address some of the shortcomings of GT by using 10s3p battery pack and double barrel bushings for a more stable ride. So perhaps look that way?

Anyways, you can use our discount code ‘ESKATEHQ’ to receive a free battery upgrade when buying a Yecoo GT.

Visit Yecoo Board by clicking here.