All terrain Suspension Board Archives - Electric Skateboard HQ

December 10, 2021January 1, 2022 by Paxson Lim

Propel Endeavor Pro Review — A $2000 all-terrain suspension board

Propel EV is a company that dedicates itself to making off-road suspension boards. Last year (2020), they introduced their brand with Propel X4s ($2299)—a giant heavy-duty monster of a board and then this year (2021) released the Endeavor Series: the Propel Endeavor S at $1199 and Endeavor Pro at $1999.

Compared to the X4s, the Endeavor boards are slightly smaller in size and are two-wheel drives instead of All-Wheel Drives. With that being said, I would still classify every one of them as huge heavy-duty all-terrain vehicles because, well, that’s what they are!

We’ve reviewed the Propel Endeavor S last time. And spoiler alert: despite having some flaws, Endeavor S was still an awesome board for anyone looking for an off-road suspension board without spending two grand.

To check out our review for Endeavor S, click here.

Today, we’re going to focus the spotlight on Endeavor Pro.

We’re pretty excited to try this out for a ride but first things first—let’s take a closer look at the upgrades.

ENDEAVOR PRO VS ENDEAVOR S

Propel Endeavor Pro and Endeavor S — Propel Endeavor Pro(front) and S(back)

Endeavor Pro shares very similar specs with the Endeavor S except for a few upgrades. Here are three main upgrades worth pointing out:

One: instead of a maple composite deck, Endeavor Pro has a carbon fiber deck that’s 10/10 in the design department. The engraved logos are slick! The board is stiff with a wide concave.

Two: Endeavor Pro also has a bigger battery. We’re talking about 12s5p VS 12s3p on the Endeavor S.

And three: from a LingYi ESC in the Endeavor S, Endeavor Pro uses Flipsky VESC paired with a VX2 remote. For those unfamiliar with VESC, this speed controller is commonly used for DIY boards. It’s highly configurable and always silky smooth.

To check out our unboxing for the Propel Endeavor S and Endeavor Pro, click here.

Using VESC would allow the Propel Endeavor Pro to have a higher range, top speed, and a significantly improved riding experience. We will talk about that in detail later.

Now that we have gone through the difference between Endeavor S and Pro, let’s look at Endeavor Pro’s specs alone.

Build and specs

Deck: carbon fiber deck; stiff; wide concave
Board weight: 43 lbs/19.5 kg
Wheels: 200 MM 8-inch rubber pneumatic wheels; two-wheel drive
Shock absorber: adjustable 350lb coil over shocks
Motors: 2 x 6374 belt motors
Batteries: Samsung 25Ah/1110Wh, 12S5p
Hill climb: 38%
Electronic speed controller: 12s Flipsky 4.2 VESC
Marketed top speed: 31 mph or 50 km/h
Tested top speed: 31 mph or 50 km/h
Marketed range: 71 KM for 75kg or 50 km for 100 kg rider
Tested range: 39 miles or 63 km for a 90 kg rider.

First, let’s pick up where we left off and look at the brain of the board, the VESC. Endeavor Pro started by using 12s Flipsky 4.2 with a Flipsky v1x remote. The ongoing chip shortage means VESC is hard to come by, and there was a shortage of Flipsky 4.2 VESC. During the VESC 4.2 shortage, Propel upgraded all the placed orders to VESC 6.6 with no added cost, and decided to keep both VESC options available going forward.

Don’t worry! Since Propel has configured the setting of both VESCs to be the same, both versions with different VESCs are expected to have similar performance, at least this is what we were told. This also means, if both options were available, I would rather choose to save $100 and go for the VESC 4.

With VESC, Propel Endeavor Pro loses the push to turn-on feature that Endeavor S has. It would be a significant drawback if the power button was placed below the deck, but fortunately, Propel has the great design sense to place that button right on top of the deck, saving you the trouble of becoming Elastigirl in The Incredibles.

Propel Endeavor Pro Power button — Power button is on the top

Powerful motors handle heavy-duty off-road riding very well

Speaking of superheroes and superpowers, Endeavor Pro uses 2 x 6374 belt motors. The board’s motors are powerful and not that noisy. This is the same set of motors as the one on Endeavor S, and we already know that they can handle heavy-duty off-roading very well.

Unique suspension system

For the wheels, Endeavor Pro uses 200 MM 8-inch rubber pneumatic wheels. Both Endeavor Pro and S use a suspension system that’s different from the X4s. In both setups, each truck has its own dedicated suspension system and can move up or down independent of the others. It is notable that Endeavor Pro’s “trucks” work better than what Endeavor S has installed. We’ll explain further during the riding experience.

Tested range meets marketed range

The batteries are 12s5p with 1110 watt-hours and 25 Amp-hours. The tested range is 39 miles (63 km) for a 90 kg rider. This is insane! Propel was true to their marketed range. Even Endeavor S which has a lower price range has a tested range of 26 miles (42 km). Pretty sweet!

The top speed is 31 mph (50 km/h) which the board can hit easily and quickly.

This board is definitely a monster but every monster has a weakness. Endeavor Pro, though rugged, is not waterproof. We, unfortunately, found out about that the hard way.

Before we get into the riding experience, let’s just take a moment to appreciate how beautiful and polished this machine is. The attention to detail is almost unexpected on a board that’s meant to be ridden in very harsh conditions.

Riding experience

Now, on to the abuse!

Our first question when testing this out was, what improvement in the riding experience does the Endeavor Pro make when compared to Endeavor S? The answer is EVERYTHING. Everything’s better, and the reason is obvious. The VESC made a lot of difference.

Flipsky VESC for the smoothest control

Our biggest complaint of the Endeavor S is the rawness of the speed control, and the Endeavor Pro avoided that downfall by using a VESC. “Avoiding the problem” is actually an understatement. The smoothness of control is one of the best qualities of Endeavor Pro.

As often is the case, an ESC upgrade makes a huge difference. There are 3-speed modes on the Endeavor Pro, and all of them are intuitive and smooth.

Endeavor Pro’s smooth control makes the ride supremely enjoyable and more comfortable. Being stronger yet smoother means the Endeavor Pro reaches its top speed fast. Even faster than the already stupidly strong Endeavor S, yet does so in a smoother manner. No more sudden jolts and jerks!

Strong and smooth braking with reverse

The brakes are strong and smooth, too. The braking control is very accurate and strong. It can come to a complete stop and ‘lock’ the wheels when going down a steep incline. On a flat surface, keeping the throttle on full brakes, and the Endeavor Pro will start to reverse at a slow speed after a small pause. This function makes three-point turns easy and is helpful when you slightly overshoot your stop.

The improvement of speed control from upgrading to VESC is easy to explain; what wasn’t easy for us to explain was the smoother turning ability.

Turning the Propel Endeavor Pro should be as hard as the Endeavor S, as they use the same trucks, but that wasn’t the case.

After messing with the truck settings on both boards, the difference is pretty significant. The Endeavor Pro felt much easier to turn. It’s not to say that the Endeavor Pro is an agile board with amazing carving experience, this is just impossible for any all-terrain suspension board; yet somehow, the Endeavor Pro is easier to turn than most suspension boards.

Could it be since Endeavor Pro is slightly heavier than Endeavor S, and the added weight makes the truck easier to turn? We’ve no exact answer but that’s the theory that we are going with.

Better than typical all-terrain off-road suspension boards

Next, let’s talk about how well the Endeavor Pro does in off-road situations. Obviously, being an off-road suspension board means the Endeavor Pro is better than a typical All-Terrain board when it comes to handling road vibration. In off-road and regular road situations, the suspension system will cushion off any road vibration completely. This is what we enjoy most about the board – going full throttle, enjoying the speed, and not be bothered by any road condition.

The motors are plenty strong to challenge any uphill trails, however, you would need to put some thought into it when approaching a bump or crack. You see, while most parts of the board have plenty of clearance, the spot near the back pulleys doesn’t have much ground clearance. If you are not careful while going up a bump, the back pulley might get caught, get stuck, and leave you flying forward. This is obviously a flaw shared by the Propel Endeavor S and a problem that the bigger X4S does not have.

Prople Endeavor Pro back pulley caught the bump — Backwheel pulley may catch a bump

To check out our review for the monsterboard Propel X4s, click here.

We also broke our external antenna on one of our rides, probably after bumping it into something. It left us with a shorter connection range for the remote, which doesn’t actually cause any problem to the riding experience or usability, or board safety.

THE SUMMARY

Now, let’s summarize.

Propel Endeavor Pro is an amazing all-terrain suspension board. If I were to nitpick, I would point out that the board couldn’t handle as harsh terrain as something like the Propel X4S could due to the lower clearance near the back wheels. I’d also warn you to not ride it into a pool as we did.

However, some minor nitpicks wouldn’t be able to shadow just how beautiful and powerful this machine is. It has massive power, amazingly smooth and intuitive control, a massive range, and almost no limits to where you can ride on.

Need I remind you that Propel EV is also a company with a great reputation for taking care of its customers?

THE VERDICT

So, here’s the verdict,

For anyone who wants an electric skateboard for a city commute or carving fun, anything from Propel EV would likely be overkill and a mismatched choice. But, for someone who is looking for an off-road suspension board, the Propel Endeavor Pro is an easy recommendation, if you have the budget.

In fact, we’d recommend Endeavor Pro over the Endeavor S because it is just so much more fun to ride with, the VESC alone would’ve made the upgrade worth it, and maximized the enjoyment you can get out of these powerful machines.

If you are interested in buying the Propel, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and use code: “ESKATEHQ” to receive 3% off 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 20, 2021April 21, 2021 by Paxson Lim

Propel X4s Review – Unlock all path

Today, we will be reviewing the Propel X4S, a heavy-duty all-terrain electric skateboard by Propel EV.

Propel EV is not a new company; it’s one that was previously named Cycleagle and has been making prototype all-terrain electric skateboards for more than 5 years now. From what I know, they have a solid founding team, and what I have heard about them from others is not much different from what they write about themselves on their own website.

Propel EV makes heavy-duty all-terrain electric skateboards, or put simply, Baja-clones. They are trying to break into the market with the Propel X4S which is selling for $2650 now with 2 batteries. While this is a hefty price, Propel X4s is still more than $1000 cheaper when compared to a Bajaboard; and if it can sing “everything you can be I can be better” to the Bajaboard, then it deserves some serious attention.

So, is Propel X4s a good enough heavy duty all terrain machine? Let’s find out.

Propel X4S Specs and Built

Let’s talk about build details and specs. What are we really getting for Propel X4S nearly 3 grand price tag?

Carbon Fiber Deck: 46.4 inches (1180mm) long & 22 inches (560mm) wide
Electronic Speed Controller: Customized LingYi ESC
Belt Motors: four 1500W, size 6374
Top Speed: 27mph (45kmh).
Battery: 10s6p Samsung 35E (came with 2)
Range: 17 miles (27km) x 2 batteries
Wheels: 10-inch pneumatic tires
Suspension System: Vertical Shock Absorption
Weight: 60lb/27kg
Price: $2650 (extra battery included)

I have to emphasize that this board is HUGE.

It weighs 60lb (27kg), and its carbon fiber deck is 46.4 inches (1180mm) long and 22 inches (560mm) wide. If you’re driving a hatchback (I am), this board might not fit in your trunk (it almost doesn’t!).

Deck

It also has a gorgeous carbon fiber deck with a very aggressive concave to give you better control.

Wheels

For the monster wheels, it uses giant 10-inch pneumatic tires. You can rollover just about anything! Propel X4S will let you traverse nearly any terrain.

Suspension Systems

Next, let’s focus on the suspension system.

For the Propel, or any Baja clone, the ultimate battle is obviously their ability to handle shocks and bumps from very rough terrain.

Propel X4S’ suspension has been built to handle vertical shock absorption.

The vertical shock absorption can be adjusted if desired. All you have to do is adjust the spring load on the coils. These coils will control how much vertical bounce you have on the deck.

Think of it as a replacement for the deck flexibility in any regular longboard deck.

SPOILER ALERT: this kind of suspension system is really awesome! We can officially state that there is ZERO vibration, no matter how crazy the terrain is!

There is another set of springs that controls the turning of the board.

These springs are the ones below the board which can be easily tightened and compressed.

Like the bushings on a truck hanger, the more you tighten these springs, the stiffer your board will be.

Having tight springs on the Propel X4S means less turning radius for you, but will surely make the ride feel more solid at top speed.

If you loosen the turning springs, your ride will be more carvey. Depending on what you prefer, adjust the springs according to your weight and particular needs.

It’s advised to adjust them a couple turns down from stock, but ultimately this is a matter of rider preference.

4 WD & huge Battery

The Propel wants to equip you with enough power to cross through the harshest terrain.

The X4S uses four 1500W belt motors with the size of 6374, combined with the 10s6p Samsung 35E battery. This power gives the board enough torque to pick up the steepest incline I can find on a mountain trail at a top speed of 27mph (45kmh).

The standard price of $2650 comes with 2 battery packs, and each will last you 17 miles (27km) in range.

In our range test, we managed to get 2 more miles out of each battery, putting the total range of both packs at 37 miles(60km). Pretty solid!

Electronic Speed Control (ESC)

Last but not least, the electronic speed controller of this board uses a Customized LingYi ESC.

Well, good to see a familiar part in a machine that’s anything but familiar to us, and the only part that we have criticism for.

First, on the remote. Propel uses the generic LingYi ESC remote with telemetry on it – that generic LingYi Remote that has mislabelled the speed-mode button as “reverse” button, but everyone was so used to it at this point that it no longer bothers us.

While the remote is 100% in functionality—comfortable in hand and doesn’t disconnect; given the price though, we expected something classier to match the rest of this polished board.

Obviously, this was just a small disappointment that Propel EV could easily fix in the future. Next, let’s talk about the riding experience and speed control with LingYi ESC.

Riding Experience – Speed control

The Ling Yi ESC has its usual 4 acceleration modes and 4 brakes modes, independent of each other.

After reviewing a few boards that feature LingYi ESCs, we noticed that this speed controller’s ‘roughness’ increases as the board includes bigger motors.

A LingYi ESC will maneuver with near-perfect smoothness in both acceleration and deceleration for your usual dual hub electric skateboard; but since Propel X4s has more and bigger motors, the board speed control is 3rd and 4th speed modes are anything but silky smooth. There is a rawness in it, those who like it describe it as punchy and powerful; those who don’t like it will describe it as jerky. With that said, it honestly isn’t a big deal. Smoothness comes second to power for boards that specialize in all-terrain uses, and the 1st and 2nd-speed modes are gentle enough for even the very beginners.

Initially, I was a little bit bothered by the rawness of the control, you see, I knew LingYi ESC was always gonna be raw and punchy on the Pro-mode, and I for one never ride LingYi on Pro mode, I usually stick to 3rd speed mode (High mode). However, with the Propel X4s I was forced to ride on Pro mode, or so I thought, as I was climbing pretty steep inclines on mud and rock trails, and I thought I need all the power I could get.

towing Trampa uphill, on mere 2nd speed mode? Easy.

Then, somewhere in the middle of the ride, I realized that to have enough power to climb a 30% incline, from a standstill, staying on 2nd speed mode (medium speed mode) would be more than enough for Propel X4s. The same is true for braking while going downhill. 2nd braking mode is strong enough to slowly brakes to a complete stop. That’s a game-changer for me!

Now, when I am running on a challenging trail, I would just put on Medium speed mode. Control smoothness is no longer a problem! With the power of 4 wheel drives, Propel X4s can climb up an incline, merely using the 2nd-speed mode, from a standstill, and doesn’t even feel like it’s trying. It’s an amazing feeling!

Turning and Carving

Stepping on the board, you will immediately feel its height off the ground. The deck is wide, and the concave locks your feet in place.

Turning on the board is easy and feels tight. Propel X4s actually turns easier for me than Trampa or Lacroix. I can carve on it, better than when I was on Trampa or Lacroix, but obviously still a lot less fun than carving on a regular skate truck. Interestingly, despite looking completely different than a regular longboard, a heavy-duty all-terrain board like the Propel actually rides and controls exactly the same as a regular eskate.

Returning to the center is great as well, and that adds to stability on high speed, not that it was a concern in the first place. Heavy board tends to feel stable for me, and Propel X4s was 3 time heavier than a regular eskate..

Road vibration

The suspension system works really well, as expected.

10-inch pneumatic wheels plus vertical suspension system work together and took away all the vibration you can feel from the road. The feeling is very similar to riding in a car. You won’t feel any gravel, and you can’t tell how poorly the road was paved. When you run into a bump or hole, the entire platform absorbs the shock and bounces up and down. You won’t feel the shock, but you would still need to be careful not to be bumped off the deck, especially when you hit something with just one of the wheels and the board tilts a little bit.

When encountering obstacles like curbs, you can just ride over them without second thoughts. The clearance of the board is also designed to be high enough without having curbs bumping the bottom of the deck.

When running on off-road trails, a heavy-duty all-terrain board such as this will truly shine. The different between this, and the other all-terrain board be it Evolve, Trampa or Ecomobl ET, is that with this, you stop avoiding obstacles. The board can and will roll over anything, and will climb anything.

As the shock absorbers in each wheel are independent of each other, all 4 wheels will still be in contact with the ground (or try their best) even when riding on uneven terrain.

As mentioned, even with just the 2nd speed mode, you can start from a complete stop when riding up a steep hill. Going down the hill, the super-strong brakes will allow the board to stop completely. The board can do anything, and the only limit will be your ability to stay on the board and not falling off. By the way, Propel team, if you are reading this, please build in foot bindings, please.

With that said, on a regular road, you can throttle up and let your mind wander. Nothing on the road can threaten you. Even a reckless driver would have their eyeballs stuck on this extraordinary monster under your feet.

(Disclaimer: Please do still pay attention to your safety while riding, you might still hit a dog or something.)

THE VERDICT

All build, specs, and perks considered, should you get a Propel X4S?

I guess at this point, you already know the answer.

If you are in the market for a heavy-duty all-terrain vehicle, the Propel X4s is going to be great for you. It has everything that you need to help you enjoy yourselves on mountain trails; it’s well built by a legit company and has a good price. However, if you’re looking for a regular longboard ride for flat surface roads, then Propel X4s is obviously a little too much.

The experience would be like choosing to drive a tank just because the road has some potholes along the way. The thing is 60lb after all!

If you are interested in buying a Propel, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and uses code: “ESKATEHQ” during checkout.
It will help you get a 3% 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!