Rigid Carbon all-in-one Deck -vs- Wood DEck
- Thread starter onloop
- Start date
onloop
10 kW
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2013
- Messages
- 600
The idea of a deck that has everything built inside it is very appealing... Evolve (i think) takes credit for this, as far as i know they were the first to produce & make commercially available carbon fibre decks for sale as a pre built electric skateboard.
But is it really the best option for making an electric skateboard?
CONS.
> Needs to be very stiff... batteries/electronics don't flex so the deck needs to be rigid with very little, if any flex.. based on their offering, boosted boards & e-go, obviously think having a deck that flexes is a good idea...... i personally dont want a very flexy deck.... but i do want the feedback that a nice maple skateboard offers... maybe thats just something that has stuck with me from years of riding a normal skateboard for tricks and freestyle riding...
> if it gets damaged it will be very expensive to replace
> i hope you like the shape offered... because you don't have a choice
> technology changes so quickly... but new parts might not fit inside the cavity of the existing shape/mold... this could slow innovation within the emerging electric skateboards companies... i can hear the CEO/CFO saying "why increase expenditure to innovate and deliver new ideas, redesign & retool when we already have got all this stock on the shelves to sell"
> more expensive than a wood deck
PROS.
> it is difficult to mount rigid parts onto flexy stuff, so built-in solves that problem very elegantly
> looks nice, looks stealthy, having everything built into the deck takes up less volume so it makes sense, lighter weight less materials used...
> easier to seal components away from harsh environment... water proofing etc.
Honestly i can't decide what i would prefer...
But is it really the best option for making an electric skateboard?
CONS.
> Needs to be very stiff... batteries/electronics don't flex so the deck needs to be rigid with very little, if any flex.. based on their offering, boosted boards & e-go, obviously think having a deck that flexes is a good idea...... i personally dont want a very flexy deck.... but i do want the feedback that a nice maple skateboard offers... maybe thats just something that has stuck with me from years of riding a normal skateboard for tricks and freestyle riding...
> if it gets damaged it will be very expensive to replace
> i hope you like the shape offered... because you don't have a choice
> technology changes so quickly... but new parts might not fit inside the cavity of the existing shape/mold... this could slow innovation within the emerging electric skateboards companies... i can hear the CEO/CFO saying "why increase expenditure to innovate and deliver new ideas, redesign & retool when we already have got all this stock on the shelves to sell"
> more expensive than a wood deck
PROS.
> it is difficult to mount rigid parts onto flexy stuff, so built-in solves that problem very elegantly
> looks nice, looks stealthy, having everything built into the deck takes up less volume so it makes sense, lighter weight less materials used...
> easier to seal components away from harsh environment... water proofing etc.
Honestly i can't decide what i would prefer...
bandaro
10 kW
I feel I am letting the side down in my carbon deck proto with battery enclosure, I've had some private jobs running and been waiting over a month for some nuts/bolts to embed in the layup. Seeking alternative sources now, and then the deck should be rolling. Printing some gears and waiting on a few parts in shipping still and then should be under power and cruising. Advantages of the inclusive deck is that it is a neat, all in one package, but it runs the problems of battery size/replacement/type. While it doesn't have to be completely rigid, the battery compartment built in accomodates a certain size battery, so a user either has lipo or lifepo4, or runs a larger deck than needed and has the option of both.
The external mounted components have the advantage of using all deck types however, so compromises are made both ways. Would be too expensive to make several moulds for a fully enclosed carbon deck, to give the options, assuming you were looking at under 200,000 units each... Needless to say however, at this point in time I feel a fully inclusive version, be it carbon or timber like rs4race's, is the best option for the compact, simple and versatile unit it offers. Plus, if you are going for a speed/all rounder in terms of boards, you generally go towards the stiffer layups.
The external mounted components have the advantage of using all deck types however, so compromises are made both ways. Would be too expensive to make several moulds for a fully enclosed carbon deck, to give the options, assuming you were looking at under 200,000 units each... Needless to say however, at this point in time I feel a fully inclusive version, be it carbon or timber like rs4race's, is the best option for the compact, simple and versatile unit it offers. Plus, if you are going for a speed/all rounder in terms of boards, you generally go towards the stiffer layups.
