Marbel Board! (FINALLY!)

[Snow247365]

Great Thread! Nice shots of the remote design.

 

[sl33py]

Got my board back Yesterday evening. Same board (good to know). I swapped bearings back in case they sent me another board i didn't want to lose Tekton ceramics! Got it charged up and ready to go. Just need to swap bearings and bushing again before i can ride.

The nose switch feels much better - i'm pretty sure the original one got dinged in shipping as it felt "stiff" and at a slight angle. Now it's flat and feels much easier to push. Hard to tell until you feel it on another board or a "new" board.

I will definitely get the bushings swapped, bearings as well, and test her out soon (weather permitting in Seattle).

 

[Snow247365]

How is that board holding up?

 

[sl33py]

Rain in the PNW... haven't been able to ride it yet.

GF "moved" the power supply, so now i have a 10lb un-powered skateboard. Cleaning up my office (likely her "helping" motivate me) to find it this weekend. A few days have been rideable and sucks to have a dead battery...

 

[eboostin]

How is the braking force? Is it progressive or does it cut in harshly?

I liked the Evolve boards in terms of hardware but I found the the electronics left something to be desired. It would accelerate smoothly for the most part but with the braking, you would have to get deep into the trigger to initiate it. When it cut in at 20+mph it was sometimes enough to almost throw me off.

With the E-go, while slower, at max speed (I've made some upgrades so that it is 14-15mph) you can feel the brakes come in gradually. It seems like all the companies have figured out how to go fast, braking is the part that is still being worked on. Living in LA, brakes are very important to me as the drivers out here are crazy.

 

[dockers]

How is the braking force? Is it progressive or does it cut in harshly?

I liked the Evolve boards in terms of hardware but I found the the electronics left something to be desired. It would accelerate smoothly for the most part but with the braking, you would have to get deep into the trigger to initiate it. When it cut in at 20+mph it was sometimes enough to almost throw me off.

With the E-go, while slower, at max speed (I've made some upgrades so that it is 14-15mph) you can feel the brakes come in gradually. It seems like all the companies have figured out how to go fast, braking is the part that is still being worked on. Living in LA, brakes are very important to me as the drivers out here are crazy.

Mate how do you find the ego? I'm looking to pick one up as my entry into eboards, so I can get a feel for them and make sure I'd use one before dishing out more dough.

 

[eboostin]

I really like it! I've been riding one consistently at least 20 miles per week for almost a year and a half now. I had some issues initially with the motor mount arm cracking and then an issue with the motor. Both were fixed and I have not had a issue with it since almost July 2015.

 

[RyanMark]

What did you do to modify your EGO?

 

[Snow247365]

Hey how is that Marbel Holding up?

I am getting impatient about the appa nd 100 mm wheels i am wonder if i can mod my own big wheels
I an thinking of getting this drive gear and belt from evolve and putting it on some 90mm flywheels and fitting it to my Marbel

It has 33 teeth

 

[alexaus]

Also curious to see how they're holding up. I've got an Evolve bamboo street and apparently I ride it way too hard for what the hardware is designed for. One issue is with the drive wheel setup. Both Evolve and Marbel here are using a shortened hanger on the drive side, which means the steel axle sticks out more from the aluminium casting, and there's a bearing in the drive sprocket and not (at least in Evolve's case) one in the inboard side of the drive wheel. This means the axle is easy to bend, like, really easy. Inevitable if you ever have to ride on footpaths with lots of gaps, or any bad roads with lips.

It seems to me like it's better to use a wheel where the drive sprocket can be well screwed on to it. Kegels are a good example because they have holes which can accommodate 5 M5 or M6 (with light drilling out) screws. This allows the hanger casting to extend all the way to the inboard wheel bearing, making bent axles way less likely.

 

[sl33py]

Holding up really well. I will keep an eye out for the axle bending - especially on the drive side where that material was removed.

I have seen some wear on the belt and drive wheel from the belt cover rubbing both - shot an email to Misti @ Marbel and she got back to me within two days. I know folks have complained about poor service, but i've almost always had a response withing two business days. Sometimes at 7p my time (10p in Tampa where they are located). They haven't sent the replacement parts yet, so... obviously my experience could change, but i appreciate the responsiveness.

Can't wait for the app and my 100mm wheels! trying to be patient... I did re-swap back to my nice SHR bushings and Tekton ceramics. So smooth...

 

[sl33py]

Hey how is that Marbel Holding up?

I am getting impatient about the appa nd 100 mm wheels i am wonder if i can mod my own big wheels
I an thinking of getting this drive gear and belt from evolve and putting it on some 90mm flywheels and fitting it to my Marbel

It has 33 teeth

Looks like it might be a drop in! i think one more tooth than the original Marbel gear. I might measure the evolve gear to make sure it's the same depth and it will fit, or return it. I can re-measure my spare marbel gear if you'd like?

 

[eboostin]

The Evolve gear doesn't work unfortunately. The overall assembly is too wide to be able to thread a nut on the hanger

I also tried the E-GO 90mm wheels that have a built drive gear on one wheel. It is also too wide.

You can cut grooves in the ABEC Flywheel 97mm wheels and it works with the Marbel.

 

[Snow247365]

You can cut grooves in the ABEC Flywheel 97mm wheels and it works with the Marbel.

have you tried that?

 

[sl33py]

I'll stick with waiting on the 100mm wheels from Marbel. Frustrating - yes, but i'm not going to hack up an expensive set of 97mm flywheels...

Any day now they will release the App... and ship me my 100mm wheels! C'mon already Marbel!!!

 

[WeeChumlee]

@sl33py
I admire your tenacity.
As a Marbel customer how many times have you heard "Any day now"?
I hope you are correct though. Can't say I would hack a genuine 97mm ABEC wheel either.

 

[sl33py]

WeeChumlee - yeah, i'm trying to stay calm and patient. It's more than a little ridiculous.

If the board wasn't so much fun even with the 76mm wheels it would be a different discussion (or likely already re-sold).

I'll keep riding while i wait - it's finally getting nice in the PNW, so plenty to do while i'm being patient.

 

[eboostin]

Yes, I run both 97mm ABEC Flywheels and 80mm Orangatang wheels. The Otangs are worlds better than the stock 76mm and the 97s soak up everything when urban riding. It's not hard to make the slots if you are handy.