Hi all,
I’m pretty new here. Based in Arnhemland, NT (so a MTB is a given for me). Been doing a LOT of reading, etc on the topic and want to build my own EMTB. I am aware that there are brands such as Trampa, etc that many people have been using, however, I am based in Australia and I am trying to look at alternatives from suppliers/distributors from my country and have just come across the Kheo Flyer board. These have just come into stock and specs seem to be pretty good. Is there any reason that these won’t work on doing an electric conversion?
From what I understand, so far, it is a matter of making sure you have a conversion kit that will work with the current trucks and the trucks on the Kheo look to be of a very similar dimension to the likes of Trampa.
Am I missing something or am I on the right path??
I had a Kheo Bazik which I wanted to convert to esk8 but stopped the project because Kheo sucks. The hubs have massive wobbles, the deck is too stiff and the velcro bindings are bad.
For me Trampa was always too expensive but last year I bought one and am very happy with it. The difference between Kheo and Trampa is like day and night. If you want a proper MTB I would invest more and accept that this hobby is expensive. I will never ever regret that I’ve sold my Kheo and switched to Trampa.
Thanks for the reply, rich. That is very handy to know about the truck wobbles, etc. You would think that these things should be refined over time, but maybe not?
I guess the main reason I am looking at alternative boards (to Trampa) is not just price driven, but also the fact that I don’t think I am going to be using the board as it was originally designed. By this, I am not anticipating doing any massive jumps, etc.
I was working in a shop where we sold longboards/mountainboards. I’ve seen about 10-20 Kheoboards, all hubs and wheels had wobbling and some trucks broken threads. I bought mine because of the cheap price I paid but it is also very difficult to find pulleys/sprockets so you have to make your own. I think with mbs or trampa it’s easier to build.
If it’s only because of bad roads and you want to ride without bindings then maybe a MTB is the wrong choice because the steering is not that good as you may expect.
Your comment about steering has me interested. I currently have a Fiik Street Surfer and find the steering is hard. I was under the impression that a MTB had better/tighter steering.
I had to research your board and found this video, I hope this is not your riding style!
Man, this dude is crazy
This board has ATB skate trucks, the turning radius is about the same as spring trucks, but with soft bushings and loose trucks it’s more with skate trucks, however spring trucks are more stable and better for eMTB.
If you want to have insane small turning radius check out the trampa urban carver, there are 2 possible spring positions. If you want wider trucks and/or deck you could drill inner holes like on this build:
LOL - kinda like my riding style, except I spend more time on the ground than on the board.
Dude, the info on the Urban Carver and the link you provided have me very seriously thinking about this setup. Only downside is that they don’t seem to be available in Australia.
Thank you so much for your help so far - very much appreciated.
HAHAHAHAHA that video’s hilarious!! Whilst ridiculous he actually starts to put a few nice runs together towards the end. Would love to see what he could do with a decent board and toe/heelstraps! Someone get that guy a Trampa!
I think it’s harder to find the balance with your board because of the high stand.
It would help to get some more infos:
on which surfaces and environments you usually ride
what’s your planned average and top speed
is it for a city or countryside
is it a daily commuter (so you have to carry it around)
do you want to buy motor mount and pulleys ready to use or DIY
They ship from UK, the shipping costs to australia are about 50 Pounds, within europe it’s 25 so I think that’s not too bad.
I totally agree! And someone get that guy some safety gear before.
True, but why the color changes from white to green and back
I think it’s not necessary, the board itself is the weapon.
Rich, My plan for the board is to use it more for fun than as a commuter. It will predominantly be used off-road in terrain such as gravel, dirt. Similar to some of the tracks i have seen these boards riding on YT. Basically, bush tracks.
Top speed? I guess as my experience increases, then the speed I want to ride at will do so. At the moment, I’m not interested in a ‘speed machine’, but want something that is easier to manoeuvre and has some good power.
I have contacted a store in Australia and they can order all the gear in for me. I’m thinking about just ordering the board and then adding the motors (definitely want dual motors), etc on my own. Really liking the gear that kaly has. I’ve sent him a PM.
Guess I should change the title of this thread as it has taken a deviation away from Kheo…
Sounds like you’re on the right path now! It’s so important to have the right foundation - no point in buying the best mechnical/electrical parts and applying them to a cheap crappy board. Really looking forward to watching this unfurl.
Yeap, I’m getting a little closer each and every day. At this stage, the board will be a Trampa (Urban Carver). Just trying to select the correct drivetrain to fit and then it’s a case of selecting the motors, batteries (and battery tray), etc.
I totally agree! And someone get that guy some safety gear before.
I think it’s not necessary, the board itself is the weapon.