Hi guys,
After reading the forum posts for years, I want now to share my built here.
In a previous life, I have produced (sort of) mountainboards under the Flexboardz brand. So I am now digging my old protos out of the garage to adapt it to the Esk8 needs.
The first objective of this design is to get rid of motormount (integrated into arms) and battery case (located into hollow deck).
While waiting for the new aluminium parts and electric package, here are the first pictures of the Eflex frame.
That looks Awesome! Can u show more of it?
Hi! Nice to see you back!
To educate the ‘general esk8 public’ I would also show this video and give a bit of a backstory to your boards and design:
Turning ability of FlexBoard
Back-end discussion about the design, its properties and advantages:
I guess I will be waiting on further updates from you to see how well u will make it!
On a side note… I think you really should finish it up till June/July and participate in:
It might be the right place to really demonstrate its abilities and get it known better in esk8 audience.
Im still surprised nobody else has really come up with similar mass produced / commercially made design.
To be honest, I think you should really re-value your investment and mental capital in this field and either partner up with someone or figure out how to make this happen on larger scale…
At least u are the only one I know on forum/internet that has went such deep into designing swing arm mechanism for boards.
So yeh, would appreciate if you did manage to make this happen in some way, as current truck design is severly limited, especially for mountainboards, as it was pointed out in the other thread/discussion…
It makes me want to jump to electric scooters or bikes just for the sole reason of turning ability + stability on road.
Though current truck design and eboards have its place but I think as time goes by an improvement should really be made and next step, additionaly on top of swing arms would definitely be some sort of suspension system for the vibration dampening on the road.
I know u mentioned there is sort of a bushing in your system just not sure how well it works and is it enough or can it be improved more, for example.
Thanks to Okami for the warm welcome. I agree on many points : having to kick my ass to complete the EFlex before sunny days, participating in the Paris European Meeting, being old and “experienced”… For the rest, I have always been open to partnership and I’m still is open to it. In the old time, it was very few industrial means in the mountainboard business so lot of talk and no action…maybe the electric revolution will change it all.
YES! Thank you @flexboardz for reviving this! I remember you saying in the other thread that at the time you made this it was very much a niche thing which was why you didn’t pursue it. Heck, two years ago putting tires on a regular deck was considered to be a little out there if not overkill. Now every other person wants it that way, either for light AT use or just to reduce vibration and give a more comfy ride. Your design might be the next step, combining all that with real carving ability, so you really have a “do anything” board. Good luck, can’t wait to see how it comes out!
Thanks again for your support.I am currently scratching my head and kicking my a** to make it moving.
To High-roller : Flexboardz past problems were mainly due to production complexity (number of parts/specific process) compared to normal mountainboards, which implied large quantity order/long delays/high investments…so in spite of clients demand, I too often had no boards to sell. And the crisis didn’t help either…
E-Boards market is quite different today : prices are ridiculously high (so far), quantities are limited (so far), competitors have also to invest into industrial process/technology (motor mounts, gearing, battery box/electronic), asian factories are ready to jump into it and, for the first time, riders are asking for “safe” boards (stability/maniability/reliability) …so it’s a whole new complicated game that will change very quickly…
Let’s remind that the purpose is to make cheap Eboards so kids can have fun in the neighborhood…not exclusive sports cars !
Interesting remark about the sports cars…
Well, the thing is… Im sure right now most esk8 users might be actually over 18yrs old, due to cost and also due to urban transport thing…
In my country I saw large demand for these big wheeled scooters… for me they dont look so attractive but i guess there are large proportion of people who like to look different, want comfy ride and the size of the vehicle is not as important
So yes, I think one thing which would be needed would be to figure out the logistics / situation of the whole demand - market thing.
Im sure teenagers would love esk8 as much and it would be up to parents to buy it but these would probably be cheap - midrange models… just to ride etc…
When more demanding riders would want speed, range, comfort and other features.
So yeh, this is where u should find your focus, I think…
I also agree about eboards being crazy expensive at times,… but that is how it is when you take top tier parts and combine them together and lets remember these are usually new parts and not yet sold in every other shop.
The cost of good quality bike also might come in thousands… so for a vehicle with electronics and other high cost parts it just natural for the price to bump up considerably…
Not to mention how much new ‘mopeds’ / gas scooters cost, if you compare them in similar category as esk8.
Though, I agree that some electric scooter (like Xiaomi) can be brought for real cheap now and then compared to esk8, esk8 cost like 2-5x more.
–
Though when u would build and market your products, I think they wont fit in cheap category… that is what chinese do and are good at, since they can source and make everything almost in one place, their labor costs little, shipping cost is usually little and so on…
So with us living in EU,… 1st world countries, the only way forward is to make mid to top range product, for it to successful.
–
Anyways… sorry about the long talk. Maybe someone else benefits it as well, since I havent got to see any market data as of now… All I see there are over 10 000 users on this forum, there are facebook groups with 5k or so members but I guess to really kickstart all of this… the numbers should be in 50 000 - 100 000 region… + we dont really know what happens on streets… at homes, where people just order through online or go to physical shop and then just use the product and dont report it anywhere and dont publish any videos or reviews.
I was mainly talking about “ridiculous prices” as a market opportunity : no needs to produce large volume to be competitive (cnc or 3D can do it)…but also a limit to “luxury handycraft”.
One option could be to propose Flexboardz ready (including gearing) for E-power customization : riders just have to install their existing electric components or, later, upgrade it with more battery or driving wheel…
More generally, my basic feeling is that 500 to 1000 W is more than enough to have fun on a board (you ride a bike with only 300W), beyond that, you leave boardriding and enter mechanical sports, add power, weight, heat, noise…another kind of fun!
I should have initiated this post in the Esk8 mechanic chapter as it is not really electric, so far…
In fact, it has been a bit longer than expected. Since I had to modify the Flex structure (the deck in particular) for E-boards application, I took the opportunity to integrate few improvements/fonctions that I’ve experimented in the past years.
Then, like most of you know, once you start modifying/improving, one problem/solution leading to another possibility/problem, time stretched (not to mention the productivity during summertime, on the basque coast…). OK, I procrastinated too!
My objective evolved also a bit to make a “plug in” board where it is possible to integrate standard electric components (motor, esc, battery) or wheels.
For the time being, I’m concentrated on 2 options : E-mtb with 9"/8" wheels and long/stable wheelbase for AT and 6"/7" short/maniable wheelbase for urban ride.
Finally, the Flex is enough advanced that I can order the electric package (I was delaying, waiting for motors with long shaft >40mm).
For the time being,
Hopefully, the progresses will be more electric from now on.
Long wheelbase (for 8" or 9" wheels) Deck is 80cm long (70cm usable) with 105cm wheelbase.
Short wheelbase (I will change to 7" slick tires). Deck is 80cm long (70cm usable) with 90cm wheelbase.
NB1: the things at the tip of the deck are a box for connection/display and a mockup of hook
NB2: it’s still a bit rough, straight, angular as it’s a proto and we plan to add a bit of curve and poesy later.
Good that u found the chance to continue.
In the meantime, this might be interesting alternative to get good carving / turning radius:
Though im sure 4 wheel edition has its advantages over narrow 2 wheeler
how are the motors going to be mounted?
Yes, both of them are leaning/carving boards…Welcome in the so-called Hybrid Boards area.
Motor will be mounted on the aft arm (the big piece of alu on the right side of the bottom picture).
I need long shaft motors, 40 to 45mmm, to install the motor as the arm/mount is 30 mm thick?
I found only 2 Maytech motors with 45mmaxle…
Any advice about other suppliers?
As a reward, Flex shows her undies…
I think it is possible to just get longer axle and replace it, though u would need to find someone who has done it before or have ordered custom motors.
Otherwise im not sure which ones come fitted with longer ones, maybe some alien power motors can be bought with longer ones.
Yes, for what I understand, it is possible but not really simple…
I will go with Maytech 6880 and 5570 for my tests eventhough one is too big and the other too small ,compared to the 63 “standard” but at least I will get some hand on experience and will see…
There is also the option to replace the motor axle by a spur shaft gear…will see
Here are the main dimensions of the 2 wheels base options.
NB : in addition to usual wheelbase effect, shortening the arm on a Flexboardz, like on the short wheebase option, is like changing pivot angle of a truck, from 30 deg to 55 deg, (much more maniable)
While waiting for the electric pack delivery, I’m working on accessories.
Here is a hooks tentative, made with a bit of carbon/glass (with a special thought to Spinboards who spent a lot of passion and energy to make hooks, years ago).
The objective, for now, is to provide front/aft support, to lock the feet, not to make ollie, so half of it is probably useless… razor waiting!!
Yes, I have seen this post. Interesting.
Here is a picture of Spinskateboards bindings…
https://www.abcskate.com/2007/06/spin-skateboards/spin-skateboards-3big/
