Hub Driven Archives - Page 4 of 5 - Electric Skateboard HQ

July 8, 2023July 8, 2023 by Paxson Lim

Tynee Mini 3 Review: The Compact Powerhouse for City Cruising

Today, we will be looking at Tynee Mini 3, the non-pro & hub version!

Electric shortboards are great for urban commuting, as they are both more portable and more agile to ride around pedestrians on sidewalks. Most major electric skateboard brand has one electric shortboard in their line-up, but Tynee, probably encouraged by how well their Tynee Mini 2 did, launched 2 of them in one go.

In May 2023, Tyneeboard launched two new shortboards: the Tynee Mini 3 Pro and the Tynee Mini 3. While we’ve already reviewed the $899 Pro version here (it’s absurdly strong) ,the focus today is on its sibling, the Tynee Mini 3 – Hub version. Priced at $699 for the hub version and $759 for the belt version, the Mini 3 offers a more affordable alternative to its Pro counterpart.

Tynee Mini 3 (hub) Specifications

Before we delve into the riding experience the Tynee Mini 3 offers, let’s chart out its specifications. It’s very similar to the Tynee Mini 3 PRO, with the only notable difference being the default wheels, the Motors, and the remote.:

Tynee Mini 3 at a glance:

Price: $699
Deck: Canadian Maple, mildly dish-shaped concave
Trucks: Tynee PE reversed kingpin trucks (based on Paris V3 trucks)
Wheels: 90mm PU wheels (with an optional upgrade to 105mm Cloudwheels)
ESC: 13s Hobbywing ESC with smart turn-on and 4-speed modes
Motors: Dual 700W hub motors
Battery: Molicel P42A battery (13S2P configuration, 393.12Wh, 54.6V)
Top Speed: 32mph (52kph)
Range: Up to 26 miles (42km)
Weight: 17.7lbs (8kg)
Additional Features: Integrated brake lights

The Deck and Trucks: Solid Foundation for a Smooth Ride

Similar to the Tynee Mini 3 Pro, the non-pro Mini 3 uses a Canadian Maple deck with a mild concave. This design is widely used on electric shortboards for a reason; it helps with board control, is quite comfortable, and helps to secure footing while riding.

As we complained in our Tynee Mini 3 Pro review, we had wished that Tynee went a little bit more aggressive with the concave, as we still find ourselves needing to look down and check our footing when riding fast. A steeper concave like the one on the Boosted Mini or the Meepo Mini would help us feel more secure here.

The Tynee PE reversed kingpin trucks are Tynee’s proprietary trucks based on Paris V3 trucks. We have ridden them on other Tynee boards and know they are pretty good.

The Wheels: standard 90mm PU wheels.

The standard 90mm PU wheels the Tynee Mini 3 comes with serve well for smooth city roads. Unsurprisingly, riding this hub-driven shortboard on rough roads are terrible. The vibration killed our knees.

The $100 upgrade to 105mm Cloudwheels is a must for those who frequently ride on poor roads, but I doubt its going to help too much. Just get a belt-driven longboard instead if that describes your daily route.

ESC and Motors – Bottle-necked.

Under the hood, the Tynee Mini 3 was powered by a 13s Hobbywing ESC and dual 700W hub motors. Hobbywing ESC comes with the smart turn-on (board automatically powered on upon switching on the remote) and four-speed modes. Compared to the Mini 3 Pro, the non-Pro Mini 3 requires smartphone apps for advanced customization of control settings (Speed, acceleration, top speed, etc.); while for the Mini 3 Pro, you can change the settings straight from the remote.

As for the 2 x 700W hub motors, they obviously did not match the power of the Mini 3 Pro’s 2x 2775W belt motors. A 13s system promised a lot of power, but the 700W motors obviously put caps on the power. Despite having an over-the-top 13s system, Tynee Mini 3 is merely ‘strong.’ But hey, there isn’t any real need for a shortboard to have crazy power, and the Tynee Mini 3 is strong enough that it can bring a heavy rider up any steep hills.

The top speed clocks in at 32mph or 52 kph, although we’ve only had the nerve to hit 28mph(45 kph).

The Battery: Disappointed.

Powering the Tynee Mini 3 is the high-performing Molicel P42A battery, configured as 13S2P. This 393.12Wh, 54.6V battery offers an advertised range of up to 26 miles (42km). However, our range test with a heavier rider (220lbs, 100kg) going at top speed only yielded a range of about 12.5 miles (20km).

This goes to show that rider weight and riding style heavily impact the range you get. A lighter rider or a slower riding style should get a lot more range from this 393.12WH battery. (393.12WH is a pretty good size for a $699 board)

Additional Features:

The Tynee Mini 3 comes with integrated brake lights that light up when the throttle is dialed back. They can also be manually switched on via the remote control.

Having integrated light is always nice. (Unlike aftermarket solutions, such as shredlights, you don’t have to charge them separately.)

Riding Experience of the Tynee Mini 3:

Tynee Mini 3 is an easy board to ride.

It’s doesn’t have the exhilarating acceleration of the Mini 3 Pro, but it still took off fast, and it accelerated in perfect smoothness just like any Hobbywing ESC would. The brakes are strong and smooth, too, something that some 10s Hobbywing ESC may lack but 13s Hobbywing ESC wouldn’t.

As a shortboard, the Tynee Mini 3 is considered as stable as the 7” trucks balance stability and ease of turning well. As I mentioned, the board only starts to feel sketchy for us at around 28mph(45kph), which, IMO is wayyy faster than one should go on a shortboard. The kicktail is user-friendly too. Some shortboards we reviewed were prone to accidental wheelies during acceleration, while others have a kicktail so short that it feels more decorative than useful. Tynee Mini 3 doesn’t have that problem; its kicktail is easy to use and doesn’t cause accidental wheelie.

The Verdict: Low-key, a great board.

To wrap it up, while the Tynee Mini 3 hasn’t really broken new ground or wowed us with any groundbreaking features, it’s a solid board. It’s well-built, comes with good power, a decent range, and provides a pleasant ride.

It might live in the shadow of the much more exciting Mini 3 Pro, but it’s still a fantastic option for anyone in the market for a competent, well-rounded electric shortboard for zipping around town.

If you are interested in buying the Tynee be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and use code: “ESKATEHQ” to receive $5 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!

June 8, 2023July 5, 2023 by Paxson Lim

Meepo V3S Review: The Ultimate Budget Electric Skateboard

Meepo, a well-known electric skateboard manufacturer, launched the Meepo V5 in February 2023 as their much-anticipated 2023 edition of the entry-level electric skateboard. However, it wasn’t the adrenaline-pumping speed machine that fans had in mind. In response to angry customer feedback, Meepo went back to the drawing board and, 3 months later, introduced the Meepo V3S.

In this article, we will review the Meepo V3S and see if it lives up to fans’ expectations this time.

**Specifications of Meepo V3S (AKA Meepo Super 😅)**

The Meepo V3S specification is as below:

Price: $469 (ER version = $599)
Deck: 38” 8-ply Canadian maple; a good amount of flex, mild concave
Electronic Speed Controller: LingYi ESC; 4-speed modes, push-to-start
Remote: M4s remote with telemetry screen
Battery: 10s2p battery with 21700 cells (216Wh)
- Meepo V3S ER =10s2p battery with Samsung 40T, 8AH, 288WH
Marketed Range: Standard – 11 miles or 18km; Extended Range – 19.8 miles or 32km
Motors: Dual 540W Hub
Marketed Top Speed: 29mph or 47km/h
Trucks: Meepo Signature Shredder Trucks (7-inch 45°)
Wheels: 90mm Urethane
- V3S ER = 105mm donut wheels

Now, that’s an above-average spec for boards under $500, and it fixed the crowds’ complaints about the power and the remote, but how about the riding experience?

Meepo V3S, flexing with its deck

Meepo has the habit of using good decks for its board, and V3S is no different. The Meepo V3S features an 8-ply Canadian maple deck that provides a decent amount of flex, making it more comfortable to ride on various terrains. The deck is slightly more flexible than the Meepo V5, providing a smoother ride. It also features a mild concave shape, ensuring your feet stay cozy during the ride.

A ‘handy’ addition (see what I did there?) is the handle cut-out on the Meepo V3S, which might interrupt the board’s aesthetics but comes in incredibly useful when you need to carry it by hand. Weighing in at 18.5 lbs or 8.4 kg, the board, thanks to the handle, is not too heavy to lug around.

Meepo V3S Electronic Speed Controller (ESC) and Remote

The Meepo V3S, unsurprisingly, uses the 10s LingYi ESC with 4-speed mode. LingYi ESC was renowned for its punchy acceleration, albeit at the cost of some smoothness in acceleration. This ESC also comes with a smart turn-on, which means the board power-on by itself when the wheels are rolled.

Meepo causes an uproar with the V5 for giving us a remote without a screen for telemetry. Well, they learned their lesson; this time, the ESC pairs with the M4s remote that has a screen that shows telemetry.

As usual, the board allows for separate adjustments of acceleration and braking modes. The four-speed modes offer a range of performance options, from gentle acceleration for beginners to aggressive, powerful acceleration for experienced riders.

Big motors and aggressive torque

One of the standout features of the Meepo V3S is its dual 540W motors, which provide a top speed of 29mph (47kph). This makes the V3S one of the fastest affordable electric skateboards on the market, outpacing the Meepo V5’s and the arch rival Wowgo 2s Max, which both have a top speed of 28mph (45kph).

Read our review on the Wowgo 2s Max here.

Unfortunately, in our top speed test, we only manage to get 28mph(45kph), which ties with what we get with the Wowgo 2s Max, and nudge faster than the Meepo V5.

Anyways, these motors do offer impressive torque, so heavier rider don’t have to worry when tackling hills with it.

Battery and Range of the Meepo V3S

The Meepo V3S comes with a 216Wh 10s2p 21700 battery, which is larger than most entry-level electric skateboards that typically use a 144Wh battery. This larger battery was marketed to offers a 17 miles (27 km) range.

However, our 100kg test rider managed to get only half the advertised range from a single charge, wrapping up the ride at 10 miles or 16 km. It’s a bit disappointing for a 216Wh battery but does highlight how larger motors are more power-hungry and how rider weight significantly impacts mileage.

However, for a $400 board, it’s within expectations, and if you’re a riding casually and weigh around 155lbs(70kg), you could likely squeeze out a 17-mile range on a single charge.

Trucks and Wheels

The board uses Meepo’s proprietary 7-inch die-cast Shredder trucks, which offer a good balance between maneuverability and stability. The trucks was tuned well right out of the box. We ride it like we stole it, and it was a smooth when carving and remain stable at high speeds.

The Meepo V3S comes with standard 90mm street wheels, providing a smooth ride on various terrains. However, for riders who frequently encounter rough roads, we recommend opting for the 105mm donut wheel upgrade or considering some other belt-driven longboard instead.

Summing up the riding Experience on the Meepo V3S

The Meepo V3S is a solid ride. It did not ‘over-deliver’ on anything, neither did it disappoint.

It has great power, capable of thrilling acceleration, making it the most exciting board under $500. And for beginner who kept away from the crazy 4th speed mode, the board offers a smooth and intuitive riding experience.

Meepo V3S’s moderately flexible deck and decent trucks makes it a fun board to carve around and yet stable enough of a board to bomb a hill.

Road vibrations are still terrible, just like on other hub-driven longboards.

Oh, and ground clearance of the V3S is pretty low and the enclosures would often scrape against speed bumps.

Conclusion

All in all, we are pretty impressed with how swiftly Meepo responded to the critique surrounding the Meepo V5, and how they hit the nail on the head with their changes. Meepo V3S not only brings back the power that Meepoboards is known for, but it also introduces minor enhancements over the V5. This means a larger battery than most of its competitors, a good comfortable deck that we enjoy, and a solid riding experience.

While the tamer, easier and cheaper V5 was what Meepo thought beginner riders would want, the stronger V3S is, in the end, the board that people do wants, and it is going to be a pretty popular board for the years to come.

If you are interested in buying a Meepo be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and use code: “ESKATEHQ” to receive $5 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!

March 23, 2023March 23, 2023 by Paxson Lim

Meepo V5 Review – The OG affordable electric skateboards

Meepo Board is the OG that kickstarted the affordable electric skateboard era in 2017. From Meepo V1 to V4s, each upgraded version the brand makes is always among the best electric skateboards at $400. In February 2023, Meepo released the Meepo V5.

Will Meepo V5 become a worthy successor to the popular Meepo V4s? Let’s run through the specs!

Meepo V5 Build and Specs

Deck: 8-ply Canadian maple; mild flex, deep concave
Electronic Speed Controller: LingYi ESC; 4-speed modes, push-to-start
Battery: Standard 4AH 144Wh or Extended Range Version 288Wh
Marketed Range: Standard – 11 miles or 18km; Extended Range – 19.8 miles or 32km
Motors: Dual 500W Hub
Marketed Top Speed: 27mph or 44km/h
Trucks: Meepo Signature Shredder Trucks (7-inch 45°)
Wheels: 90mm Urethane

Meepo V5 uses an 8-ply Canadian maple deck with a mild flex and deep concave. The concave is subtle, but enough to make our feet feel comfortable and secure.

The Meepo V5 board handle cut-out also makes a comeback, which unfortunately, makes it look less cool. Still, the handle cut-out is always tremendously helpful when carrying this 18.5 lbs or 8.4kg board.

The overall design of the V5 looks polished and premium by going with a simple blue and black color scheme. The board also shows some of the bare maple deck. We like this design better as it is definitely not toy-ish, unlike some older Meepo boards.

The board also comes with a bash guard for the deck to protect it from collisions. Awesome!

Meepo Designed Controller

As for the electronic speed controller, the V5 uses the LingYi ESC with a push-to-start feature. It has 4-speed modes and 4 braking modes that can be adjusted separately.

What’s new to us is the newly designed controller. Instead of using the typical LingYi ESC remote with a mislabelled reverse button, Meepo created a new LingYi remote. It’s almost identical to the generic Hobbywing ESC remote.

This also means that the Meepo V5 remote does not have a screen showing speed and range. So, if you really want a screen on the remote, you will have to buy the Meepo 5s remote ($69). You can also pair your V5 with another LingYi ESC-compatible remote.

Still The Fastest Board Among Budget Boards

When it comes to the motors, Meepo V5 uses dual 500w hub motors. This is a little surprising since the last generation Meepo V4S used bigger dual 540W hub motors.

We think Meepo designed the V5 for the newcomers, prioritizing battery efficiency instead of over-the-top power. This makes sense as V4 and V4s were crazily powerful. We reviewers love them for that, but it isn’t really ideal for regular users. The V4 and V4S boards are tough for beginner riders to get comfortable with.

Interested in Meepo V4? Read our review on this speed monster here.

Also, Meepo improved the V5 hub motors’ design. It should be better for cooling now and easier to swap up the PU sleeves.

Meepo claims that the motors can deliver us a maximum speed of 28 mph (45 km/h). During our test, we indeed reached a top speed of 27 mph (44 km/h). This means the Meepo V5 is still the fastest board amongst budget boards despite stepping back on motor power.

As for the trucks, Meepo updated their signature Shredder trucks. These are 7-inch trucks angled at 45 degrees made by Meepo. These trucks came out of the box pretty loose and carve-y, which is different from Meepo’s typical style. More on that later.

Range – Well Expected, Nothing Crazy.

Now, let’s go to the batteries. The Meepo V5 has two battery options: a standard 4AH 144Wh battery with a marketed range of 11 miles (18 km) and an extended range version with a 288Wh battery with a marketed range of 19.8 miles (32km).

We received the ER version of the board, and our lightweight 143 lbs (65 kg) rider reached a maximum distance of 18.6 miles (30 km). This hits the marketed range claim.

As we all know, the range is subjective to the rider’s riding speed and weight, so your mileage may vary.

Want to compare this board to Meepo V4S? We got you! Click here to read our review.

Meepo V5 has an IP55 waterproof rating, so riding the board on some puddles wouldn’t be an issue. Do remember to wipe it down as soon as possible. A wet battery will degenerate over a few months.

And, that wraps the specs of the V5! So without further ado, let’s see how all of those turn out in the riding experience.

Meepo V5 Ride Experience

When it comes to speed control, it is unsurprising for the Meepo V5 to retain its signature punchy acceleration and strong brake. The board kicks off aggressively at the highest ride mode. While this is fun for thrill-seekers, beginners should stay within the first 3-speed modes. These modes are much more gentle in acceleration and braking.

With that said, the speed control of the V5 is indeed less aggressive than the V4 and V4s. Again, this may disappoint some riders but will help new riders feel more comfortable while learning how to skate.

The deck is undoubtedly the best part of the V5. It is nice and comfortable to stand on. As we have said, the wide concave deck makes it easy to feel our feet’ position and keeps them secure. Going with a deck that’s on the stiffer side also means that the board feels more stable when riding fast.

The new shredder trucks came out of the box loose, which made the board too easy to turn. While that is fun for carving, it gets a bit sketchy when riding at top speed. So, we tightened it up a little. With the right tightness, the trucks strike a good balance between maneuverability and stability. It carves pretty nicely with good returns to the center and keeps the board steady at high speed. These new Shredder trucks are okay.

When it comes to road vibration, the result should surprise no one. A hub motor board that rolls with thin urethane wheels will always be uncomfortable when riding on rough pavements. It is not worse than any other hub motor board but not better, either. Or, you could get yourself the 105mm Donut wheels from Meepo or Cloudwheels, and that would make riding on rough roads that much better.

Meepo V5 VERDICT – Great For Beginners

So, here comes the final verdict.

If you are in the market for an electric skateboard that offers solid performance without breaking the bank, the Meepo V5 is a great option to consider. Meepo V5 remains a very good entry-level electric skateboard. The board is beginner-friendly and prioritizes range over power. While Meepo cut down on the motor wattage of the board, Meepo V5 is still one of the fastest boards among top-performing budget boards.

Besides the higher-than-typical 28 mph top speed, this 2023 Meepo improved the little things. Better waterproofing, better hub design, truck quality, etc.

So, if you are looking for your first electric skateboard and are not sure what to get, Meepo V5 is a good place to start. We are… just sad that it is no longer a speed monster like the Meepo V4 was.

If you are interested in buying the Meepo, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and use code: “ESKATEHQ” to receive 5% 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!

If you liked this Meepo V5 review, we’ve got more at Electric Skateboard HQ. Read the latest reviews, news, and discussions on everything about electric skateboards!

RIDE SAFE, GUYS.

February 9, 2023February 9, 2023 by Paxson Lim

Backfire Era 2 Review – Most portable

Backfire, one of the most reputable electric skateboard brands, had been struggling to stand out in the entry-level eskate market for a few years now. The Backfire G2 Black, though competent, was overshadowed by the likes of Wowgo 2s Max and Meepo V4s in both ride experience and performance.

So, at the end of 2022, Backfire tried again and released the Backfire Era 2—a $399 entry-level eskate that plays a different game. Instead of trying to compete in power and range, Era 2 was designed to focus on portability, making it a better fit for the urban commute or as a last-mile option.

Backfire Era 2 Build and Specs

Deck: Premium Canadian Maple and Fiberglass
Electronic Speed Controller: 10s Hobbywing ESC
Battery: 42V 180Wh Li-Polymer Battery
Marketed Range: 9 miles / 15 km
Motors: Dual 400W In-Hub Motors
Marketed Top Speed: 23 mph / 38 km/h
Trucks: 50° 8-inch Backfire Proprietary Trucks
Wheels: 90 mm Urethane Wheels

As usual, let’s start with the build and specs. The highlight of the board is undoubtedly the slim and thin build. The deck looks high quality with a stealthy design. It really looks good and going without an electronic enclosure at the bottom of the deck allows maximum ground clearance.

However, this design also comes with a tradeoff which is a very stiff deck. In fact, the 38” maple and fiberglass deck has zero flex in it which impacts the ride experience. Let’s talk about that later!

Lighter Than a Shortboard

On another note, the Backfire Era 2 deck does have a mild concave which secures your feet in place. We also noticed that instead of the usual 9.5-inch width, Backfire slimmed down the deck to make it 8.85 inches wide, further reducing its footprint.

Thanks partly to that, the board is very lightweight at 16 lbs or 7.25kg. This is even lighter compared to some shortboards like the Tynee Mini 2.

Interested to learn more about Tynee Mini 2? Check out our review here.

Inside the deck is a 5.0ah, 180 wh LiPo battery pack that’s hidden underneath the grip tape. This provides the board with a moderate range claim of 9 miles or 15km. During our test, our 150 lbs rider managed to get 7 miles or 12 km when riding fast. This is nowhere impressive and is considered low range on today’s standard but hey, let’s not forget that this is a $399 board with a sleek design.

Better With 10s Hobbywing ESC

As for the ESC, Backfire Era 2 uses a 10s Hobbywing ESC with a smart turn-on feature which we really appreciate. Perhaps, Backfire decided to go for 10s ESC and battery to save some cost since the motor they went with wasn’t going to be able to capitalize on the 12s system anyways. The remote offers only 2-speed modes which are ECO and SPEED. It also comes with one turbo mode.

Speaking of motors, Backfire ERA 2 uses dual 400w hub motors which are good enough for daily rides but don’t scream power. Even the ‘turbo mode’, is honestly just a fancy name for 4th and highest-speed mode. Overall, the power is just modest.

Want to explore other eskates under $500? We got you! Check out our list here.

During our top speed test, we managed to hit exactly what Backfire advertised, which is 23 mph and 38 km/h. As we all know, that’s about the standard top speed for entry-level eskates.

The board also comes with standard 90MM Urethane wheels which aren’t particularly interesting. Although, they’re still a decent pair of wheels made of good quality and high rebound Urethane.

Last but not the least, Backfire ERA 2 went with the brand’s proprietary 50-degree trucks which are 8 inches in length.

So, that pretty much wraps up the specs of the board.

As you can see, the Backfire ERA 2 did not try to outperform any board in specs. Does this also mean the board rides poorly? Let’s get on the road and put Era 2 to the test!

Backfire Era 2 Riding Experience

As is the case with all Backfire boards, the acceleration of the Backfire ERA 2 is very smooth. Going with 10s instead of 12s Hobbywing ESC also goes to show that power is not a priority here. The acceleration and braking are equally gentle and smooth.

For context, most really strong hub boards use 500w motors. So, while wattage alone doesn’t tell a full story, the ERA 2 felt a little bit underwhelming in terms of power when compared to other boards that we tested like Meepo V4s and Wowgo 2s Max.

Great for Beginners and Urban Commuters

With that said, I can imagine beginners and casual riders preferring Backfire Era 2 exactly for its tameness and reduced risk of hurting themselves on a board that’s too strong for them.

The next important thing to consider is the ride feel, which brings us back to the deck. The concave is nice and it secures our feet in place. But as expected, the stiff deck suffers when we ride through rough road conditions. Since the deck is thinner in width than normal eskates, we felt very strong vibrations when cruising through poorly paved roads.

Cloudwheel Donuts for Extra Cushion

As we have guessed, this is the kind of board made for a sidewalk. So, if you have to ride on a poorly paved road, we highly recommend upgrading the wheels to 105MM Cloudwheel Donuts. It’s the only way the ride can be bearable.

To check if Cloudwheel Donuts are more your style, read our review here.

On smooth roads, however, Backfire ERA 2 not only rides smoothly but is also pretty fun to carve. Personally, if you’re not upgrading to Cloudwheels, we won’t recommend riding the board any more than 5 miles (8km) as your feet will probably be burning by that time.

The trucks are stable enough to support 23 mph of top speed and are pretty responsive when it comes to doing turns. Obviously, swapping to branded trucks like the Paris or Caliber II will make the board both more responsive and fun to carve. At $399, we really have no complaints about the board’s trucks.

Backfire Era 2 VERDICT – The Best for Urban Commute

To summarize, the Backfire Era 2 gave a decent riding experience on top of the sleek and polished look. Compared to other entry-level electric skateboards, the Era 2 is certainly not better in performance or even in ride feel.

It does have the advantage of being easier to carry around. Backfire will even give you a free carrying bag to emphasize portability. And, it’s prettier, at least in our eyes.

It’s not often that we see Backfire sacrifice specs for looks but the tradeoff makes perfect sense to us. If you are looking for a last-mile commute to and from bus or train stations, portability and looks trump power and top speed.

Power and top speed are useless anyway when riding on city sidewalks or inside the campus. Why let yourself be burdened by the extra weight of a bigger battery when you don’t need the range, right?

In short, if you are looking for a simple, portable, nice-looking board from a reputable brand at a very good price, Backfire Era 2 is a very very good deal. Just don’t expect to win any drag race or keep up in group rides.

If you are interested in buying the Backfire, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and use code: “ESKATEHQ” to receive 5% 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!

March 10, 2022July 27, 2023 by Paxson Lim

Wowgo 2S Max Review – The best budget electric skateboard.

Not too long ago, we crowned the Wowgo 2S Pro as the best budget electric skateboard under $500. So imagine our surprise that just after 7 months, Wowgo find the need to one-up themselves and released Wowgo 2S Max as an update for the 2s Pro.

From Wowgo 2s Pro to 2s Max:

The obvious key changes are

slight upgrade in motor wattage (500W -> 550W) and top speed (25mph ->28mph),
giving the option of 105mm Honeycomb wheels for an extra $120.
update in ESC

Unfortunately, the improvement doesn’t come free, as the $479 Wowgo 2S Max also saw a small price bump from $429 of the 2S Pro to $479.99 for the 2S Max. While it is a pretty foregone conclusion that the 2S Max will inherit the throne of being the best budget electric skateboard, we will have to examine if there is any flaw to the package.

As usual, let’s run through the specs to be clear about those theoretical upgrades…

Build and specs – Wowgo 2s Max

Deck: Canadian Maple, bamboo, and fiberglass; subtle concave with no camber/rocker
ESC: Hobbywing ESC; 4-speed modes, smart power-on
Marketed Top Speed: 28 mph / 45 kph
Motors: 550 W * 2 hub motors
Batteries: 12s2p, 5.0Ah, 50.4V
Marketed Range: 14.3 miles / 23 km (90mm wheels)
Trucks: Poseidon Trucks
Wheels: 90mm street wheels / 105mm honeycomb wheels
Board Weight: 18lbs / 8.2kg

Design & Deck – Wowgo 2s Max

The WowGo 2S Max’s deck is a combination of Canadian Maple, bamboo, and fiberglass. It only has a mild flex to it, and it’s even slightly stiffer than the 2S Pro. It also has a wide but subtle concave and is flat without any camber or rocker. As an upgrade, Wowgo put on a foam grip tape to improve vibration absorption for the 2S Max. However, this made the concave of the deck less prominent and our feet felt less secure during carving and rides.

The design on the grip tapes and the backside of the deck is pretty nice, too. The trident graphic gets to stay, and there’s another option of a new black design which looks pretty cool as well.

Trident underneath the deck (photo of 2s Pro)

For the electronic speed controller, the WowGo 2S Max used the 12s Hobbywing ESC which received minor updates from the one on 2S Pro. It also has the smart power-on feature, of course.

Hobbywing ESC Turbo

It is a given that speed control with the 12s Hobbywing ESC is going to be strong, silky smooth, and intuitive, but we are still looking to see if the “minor update” did anything to improve on that.

There are 4-speed modes, with the highest speed mode named Turbo.

And per usual, it uses the elegant remote that comes with telemetry.

Now, let’s look at the trucks. These are the same Poseidon trucks that Wowgo developed for the Wowgo 2S Pro. The trucks look to be Caliber II clones, are 8- inches 50° with 85 A bushing. From our previous review, we know it is a truck that prioritizes stability over maneuverability.

To check out our Wowgo 2S Pro review, click here.

Wowgo 2s Max have one of the strongest hubs

As for the motors, the 2S Max received a 50W boost per motor and now uses 550W dual hub motors. Judging by the numbers on paper, 550W motors will be amongst the strongest hub motors of all entry-level hub boards, with only the Meepo V4 Shuffle beating it at 620W x 2. To give you more context, most entry-level eskates use 400-450W hubs.

As a result, this 550W gave an improved marketed top speed of 28 mph (45 kph) and it did exactly that on our top-speed test.

There are also 105mm hub-sleeves and semi-all terrain wheels available. We will talk about how they perform later.

For the standard wheels, WowGo 2S Max is using 78A soft PU wheels, which is pretty usual for entry-level boards.

And when it comes to power, Wowgo 2S Max uses a 12S2P 5.0 AH battery. This gave a battery pack of 216wh in size and had a marketed range of 14.3miles (23km).

With regular street wheels, our 200lbs (90kg) test rider managed to get only 10miles(16km).
With the 105mm honeycomb wheels installed, our test rider got 8.6miles (14km) out of a full charge.

The range is exactly the same as what we get from the previous Wowgo 2S Pro which has very similar battery stats at 5.2AH. Although Wowgo kind of overstated the range, 10miles is the usual range for boards below $500, so we weren’t exactly disappointed or surprised here.

Battery size vs price, you can see that everybody <$500 has a similar battery size.
(Bubble size = motor wattage, bigger is more powerful)

The board weighed in at 18 lbs (8.2kg) and comes with a 6-month warranty.

Riding Experience of Wowgo 2s Max

Now that we know the build and specs, it’s time to ride!

First, let’s talk about speed control. Wowgo 2S Max’s speed and speed control are perfect as expected of the 12s Hobbywing ESC. Both acceleration and braking of the 2S Max are buttery smooth and intuitive. The brake strength is very strong, even stronger than the previous 2S Pro. This is great news as most riders eventually learn to love and prefer strong brakes, especially when the brakes are smooth and intuitive like they always are with Hobbywing ESC.

To know more about electronic speed controllers (ESCs), click here.

Powerful Even With Semi-AT Wheels

When it comes to the torque, the 550W hub motors perform incredibly well. By using one of the strongest hub motors amongst the entry-level hub boards, Wowgo 2S Max is powerful enough for any hills on your path. Although the torque and thrill are still a step behind what a set of powerful belt motors could offer, the Wowgo 2S Max is still one of the strongest hub boards amongst all the entry-level boards we’ve tested.

Having a powerful motor is important especially when you plan to put on the bigger 105mm wheels. With the semi-AT wheels, torque, and braking from Wowgo 2s Max goes from quite strong to just “strong”. A board with lesser power would have a ride feel of “no power” at all if installed with semi-AT wheels.

Stability over responsiveness

When it comes to maneuvering the board, it was, unsurprisingly, the same as it was with the older 2S Pro. Carving is fairly fun but more on the tight side, as the Poseidon trucks prioritized stability over maneuverability. The board has a good return to center and feels very stable at high speed.

Honeycomb Wheels Reduces Around 20% of Road Vibrations

The honeycomb wheels are alright, too. On smooth roads, it’s less fun to carve with the 105mm honeycomb wheels as it takes away the silky smoothness of soft urethane wheels. On rough pavement, however, the honeycomb wheels definitely had an impact in reducing vibration at around 20%, in our opinion. This, plus the foam grip tape makes Wowgo 2S Max a good board for those who have the unfortunate fate of living where roads are terrible.

However, if we were to compare these Honeycomb wheels with the Cloudwheels Donut, we would prefer the Donuts over this ‘Cloudwheel-clone’, as Donuts are better in vibration dampening.

The VERDICT – Wowgo 2s Max

So, the verdict seems like the brand with the funny name has done it again. Wowgo is going to retain its throne three times in a row for making the best affordable electric skateboard (first, the Wowgo Knight, then the 2S Pro, now 2s Max.)

Wowgo 2S Max has the performance that either matched or outmatched its competitors, the ride feels that leads the affordable segment and the polish that is much beyond the asking price.

Simply put, for any rider who wants an entry-level affordable hub board, Wowgo 2S Max (for now) should be the first consideration.

Oh! and the board is now available on Amazon -> https://amzn.to/3MRyli8

If you are interested in buying the Wowgo, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and use code: “ESKATEHQ” to receive 5% 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!