E-Scooter vs. E-Skateboard

[bitesize]

Hey peeps,

So I got a deal on a Yuneec E-go at $500 so I bought that. I see that the Ion-SmartScooter is on kickstarter for $450. Now, I'm not bad at longboarding, but I wouldn't call myself good either. I noticed a few things:

1. I wanted a skateboard because it was lighter and I actually wanted to be able to kick normally and just use the power when I'm lazy. This is somewhat difficult due to the torque/rapid acceleration when you switch on the power.
2. When I'm going downhill I noticed some instability which was somewhat annoying.This is probably because of my lack of e-skateboard experience, but on my Razor A5 (the scooter I was using before getting the yuneec e-go) I could go down effectively any steepness of hill and be fine.
3. Which leads me to the fact that since I don't know how to slide making sharp turns on a longboard is pretty difficult.

Should I return the e-go and go with the ion-smartscooter or should I just practice more and stick with the e-go?

 

[profspicy]

Hi bitesize,
I had never ridden a skateboard before I got my e-go. There is definitely a learning curve. I picked it up fairly quickly (probably because I can snowbaord), but friends who have tried my e-go were nervous and stiff; some never quite got the hang of it. At first I had some downhill "instability" (read: wobbles), but after a good amount of practice my confidence increased and my body was looser and the wobbles went away. Practice also loosened the bushings, which made it easier to turn. I don't know how to slide, nor do I plan to learn how to slide, but after a couple months I can make pretty sharp turns and navigate narrow spaces that I would be nervous to do on my road bike. Now I look forward to carving my way down (and then up) sideroads on my way to work each morning!
Hope this helps!

 

[torqueboards]

E scooter is definitely much easier to ride and a lot more controllable and easier to balance. You can have some pretty good brakes since some are setup as hub motors. However, you can have very bad torque and/or uphill climbing ability. IMO They're great for flat riding but they are also heavier and bulkier than an E-Skateboard.

A co-worker of mine at work has an EcoReco Scooter which is pretty nice. It's fast and pretty reliable but it's heavier, bigger and definitely isn't as portable as my eboard. He can also hold bags of groceries or food on his handle bars. On an eboard - you can hold it but if you have about 10 blocks to your destination sometimes you have to pop-up your board to cross the street since there are tons of pavements and curbs to go over. This means you need a free hand for your controller and your board.

Granted, it's much easier for me to walk into any store. Pop up my board and walk in. For an e-scooter, you have to disassemble your board which still takes about 10-20 seconds compared to 1-2 seconds by kicking that kick tail up. May not seem like much but sometimes, you don't want to deal with it.

He can get up and going to 20mph real fast. I have a lot to worry about braking and doing a face plant if I'm not careful. He could out run me by speed anytime up to 20mph. Although, when it comes to hills I leave him in the dust and his escooter doesn't work as well and he has to kick up the hill.

Each has it's advantages. I could upgrade my brakes from electric brakes to band brakes or mechanical brakes and keep up with him more but it's not much of an issue. I prefer my eboard versus his escooter. However, I'd like to have an escooter too just to have one.

 

[Cotemar]

The newer 2014 e-scooters are much different from the 2013 models.
They have much more power.
Can easily climb hills.
Can go many more miles on a charge.
Have both and e-brake and friction brake.
Go faster
Can carry more things
Have lights
Have horns
Have instrument panels
Are easier to ride
Just throw them in the shopping cart to go shopping

 

[bitesize]

thanks for the responses everyone!
I wonder if it's possible to add a pole to a skateboard/longboard and make it similar to a scooter? that would be the best of both worlds. I like riding in traffic/kicking while using electric assist so it would be easier if there were something to hang on to.

also, anyone know of off-road wheels for the e-go/boosted?