The idea of an electric skateboard is appealing, because I don’t have to push my way around and I can get up hills without much effort. Not to mention the seduction of speed.
I had so much fun testing out the Boosted Mini S electric skateboard ($1300), despite having almost crashed a couple of times.
The big lesson is to start slowly, and get any ideas of pushing the speed limit out of your head.
The Boosted Mini S is not a board for beginners.
The Boosted Mini S is a solid, good-looking skateboard, with big beautiful bright orange wheels, a kicktail and a wide curved retro deck shape that reminds me of my brother’s skateboard from the eighties.
At almost 75cm long, the Mini S as the name implies is smaller and shorter than a longboard. Weighing 6.8kg it’s heavier than it looks, yet relatively easy to carry around. A hand-held remote controls the speed, direction and braking.
The board starts like a rocket. To avoid being thrown forward, I found it best to push off then use the remote. Once I got used to the feel of it, manoevrability was great and I could concentrate on my turns without having to worry about pushing. The Mini S has no flex; I did feel every bump and seam in the road.
The board is operated with a small hand-held remote.
An electric skateboard exaggerates everything; speed, the feeling of freedom, and the sheer fun of it all. But if your balance isn’t good, it will be even worse on an electric board.
A more experienced skater than me, who used the highest setting and made good use of the kicktail, said the speed was amazing, but commented that this is not a board for inexperienced riders. So stick to terrain and a speed you’d be comfortable with just in case the board loses power or you drop or unintentionally release the remote.
There are three ride modes from the Boosted app — beginner, eco, expert — to progressively increase the board’s speed limit and ability to climb hills. In expert mode, speeds can reach almost 29km/h and climb 20 per cent grade hills.
The Mini S lasts 11km; more if you coast or use the brilliant regenerative braking feature, which returns energy to the battery while braking.
If this isn’t far enough for you Boosted’s Mini X ($1500), with the same deck as the Mini S, can reach 22km with a full charge, and can reach speeds of 32 km/h.
But there’s one hitch. Even though the officer at my local cop shop said he wouldn’t pull me over, it appears I’ve been riding the electric board illegally through quiet suburban streets and parks. After making some calls, initially no-one seems sure how to interpret the existing road rules.
However in NSW and Victoria, skateboards with motors greater than 200 watts cannot be ridden on the road or in any road-related areas, including bike paths. The Mini-S is 1000 watts.
However, this could change. A few months ago Jamie Edwards, owner of Twelve Board Store in Richmond, Melbourne, was part of a forum with VicRoads to update the laws. He says electric skateboards, just like cars, can be ridden responsibly, and speed can be controlled with the remote. Also, Edwards says manufacturers can set speed limits within the board.
Last year, Queensland updated its rules to allow electric skateboards on bike paths and roads in 50km/h zones with no centre line or median strip. Riders must wear a helmet and stick to a maximum speed of 25km/h. The Boosted Mini S beginner level mode has a cap of just under 18km/hour.
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