First, let me say thank you. I’ve been lurking through the forum for a while, and have learned a lot from everyones posts. Whenever I had a question, I would just come search on here, and it has been very helpful.
So I started a while back on putting together an electric longboard. I bought a Rio deck off of ebay, 39" x 10"
So as I’ve researched what I wanted to do. I’ve gone from lipos to liion, etc…, etc…, all the decisions that you have all gone through.
I’m at this decision point where I can either spend about $650-700 to build out this board, or just spend like $500 on a knockoff Lectric Board. I live in Florida, 200lbs, and where I will ride at work (to go grab lunch) and home, no steep grades, pretty much all flat and smooth.
The parts I am thinking on for completion are from DIY are (single motor)
Battery: 6s4p epower pack
Motor mount: DIY mount running 13/36 12mm pulleys
Speed Controller: vesc bldc speed controller
Motor: 6374 motor between 200-240kv
Controller: Either the wireless Wii nunchuck (soldered), the new enertion controller, or a winning controller. I’m shying away from the nunchuck, because it looks like I could put a bluetooth connector on instead for connecting and tuning the vesc.
So what do you think, continue on and build this deck, or bail and just buy a Lectric Board for $500? …or any other suggestions or directions you may have.
Thanks for any suggestions, and thanks again for the knowledge I’ve already gained from this site.
L8R, Harry
I always thought Buying a board was just an added unecessay step on the path to building one!
I second going with a Carvon. I just took a nice ride on my new Carvon v2.5 single. It’s an easy solution since you don’t have to worry about mounts, pulleys, belts or clearance.
i would suggest going away from the vesc - 6s combo, because of the drawn amps. you´re 200lbs, so you´ll reach the vescshutdown as soon as it´s a bit warmer outside (Florida) while going up a hill.
i´d suggest going 10s and a 190kv 6374
or if you want so safe some moneys stay with 6s, 245kv 6374 and take at least a 120A Esc like the FVT or an x-car beast 150A.
So of course it´s always nicer to build your own
So thank you all for the replies and input. I punked out and bought a Genesis Hellfire.
$500 and it arrived at my doorstep in Florida in 4-5 days.
I have to say, I’m really impressed with the build quality. Solid board, probably a bit heavy, but great build.
Ok, I’m 205lbs, this pushes me at 15mph, and I think I’m getting a bit over 10 miles range. I run the dog with it for about 4 miles with it, then go out for a ride a bit later. I gotta say, the most fun I’ve had in a long time. This was my 42nd birthday gift to myslef. So I still have my other board, and I’m betting it won’t be long before I start planning the “real” build for that board, and then passing this one down to my son
If anyone has any questions on this board, I’m sure in a week or so, I will have some more miles on it, just let me know.
I’m looking to get an electric skateboard in the UK. I didn’t want to spend over £500 just in case I don’t like it, which is why I asked if there were any other sources where I could get one. I did look on the genesis website but they don’t ship to the UK, and this did look a little more decent than others I have seen. I was looking at Lecdec but they seem to have stopped making their board and are now selling Stary boards for £300 more than the lecdec. We seem to be very limited for choice over here.
Honestly man i was in the same boat as you, got literally one click away from buying a LecDec for about £400 a while back (Second hand IIRC) but DIY is the way to go for our price.
I own a longboard but you can get a bog standard deck dirt cheap, then just do something like this on hobbyking:
SK3 250kv ~£40
6s Battery ~£40
XCar 150a ESC ~£40
Any trucks that fit that - Caliber trucks are only like £50 for a pair anyway and they’re industry standard
Find some clone flywheels or pick some up on this site from a group buy/someone selling for ~£30
That totals somewhere around £200-£250 and whilst this isnt an exhaustive list - i probably missed stuff out im just idly browsing on my lunch break - thats your barebones for a third of the price of a prebuilt, and you can easy spend more on a vesc, better mount, bigger batteries, whatever.
I’ve got a nice Loaded Longboard, with paris trucks, just wasn’t sure how you secure the batteries. Is it possible to buy covers? Sorry for all the questions, but building one actually scares me lol
If anyone has any questions on this board, I’m sure in a week or so, I will have some more miles on it, just let me know.
