ESK8FR needs your help

[Hansow]

Hello folks !

That’s what happen when a brand stolen an entire community. A quick reminder about #ESK8FR / e-sk8.fr before the facts

We represent one of the two largest Francophone skate / ride communities. The other is that of our friends eRide Earth, mainly dedicated to all terrain that I invite you to consult and of course to join ! Our community E-SK8.FR / #ESK8FR was created on July 5th, 2015 by Cédric RIBERT aka Okp. We are very active on our forum (with more than 70 000 messages at this moment) http://www.e-sk8.fr as well as on the associated Facebook group. We are not affiliated with any brand, nor do we have any financial vocation. We are passionate about sharing, transparency and integrity within our DNA. We federate a wide public, in the diversity of 13 to 99 years! Passionate people who want to build their own electric skateboard to meet a challenge … The public who wishes to have advice on the choice of his electric skate “Ready to Ride”, or even repair after warranty ended. We therefore cover the “DIY”, the “CUSTOM” and the R2R (Ready to Ride).

We love innovation, technology but always in the sense of sharing and benevolence. Since 2014 we publish videos (more than 400) with the internationally recognizable tag # ESK8FR on the youtube channel and instagram of the founder. Some of these videos featuring the founder in the early years were intended to make known and develop this community, to create an identity and have exceeded 15,000 views. Members have now taken over the publication of videos. Although we are volunteers helping francophone people, our visibility, recognition and respect is international.

• Of numerous covers big media and events public to continue to evangelize and to share around E-SK8.FR and *ESK8FR is available:

• In 2014, report on ARTE / Tracks with our friends of eRide Earth; [http://www.e-sk8.fr/2016/02/14/e-sk8-fr-dans-l emission-tracks-sur-arte/]

• In 2016, a news on France 3 IDF as well as the presence of his founder with a stand at the Fair of Angers in 2016 which received an exceptional reception of big public and fascinating parts and organizers of the Fair.

• Tshirts and sweatshirt E-SK8.FR and #ESK8FR exists on our site via a spread shirt with very low cost since 2015. This very recognizable, recognized logo represents our identity is visible since 2014 on all our videos spread massively on the social media and the international forums.

E-SK8.FR / #ESK8FR was also proud to be present and invited in Wheel Games to Monségur in 2016. We were also quoted on their official site as “partners”. Beyond the magnificent atmosphere with wheelers, electric scooters and skateboard of all kinds; we are also proud of the first place of NoRoma, one of the moderators and the active members of the community. Bravo to him! Who can join us? Everybody and about is your frame! We are opened to all the electric practices and welcome them with pleasure. Mainly of the electric skateboard, mountainboard electric, but also of OneWheel, Trike, Electric Bike and gyro wheels!

We also organize amny electric sessions of wrinkle throughout France. You will find them and the history on the forum E-SK8.FR. Other Facebook pages were create (you will find the links also on the bar(helm) of title of the site E-SK8.FR) to cover the deployment of our community in France namely at the moment: Lille, Nantes, Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Montpellier and others to come). We also have and are recognized to take the safety seriously, in an era or the purchase of an electric skateboard " big public " is some time a commercial operation and very rarely supervised by brands (including within their own gatherings) except for a small sticker on their board by way of conformity. We remind that we are invited by the urban area and owe in responsibility, to respect the worn and the use by wearing appropriate safety devices (approved helmets, kneepads, elbow pads with minima). In other words, in a company(society) in height expansion on the domain of the electric, we have to show the example.

Why I’m talking about us ? Because Evolveskateboard France is trying to divide the french community. How ? They created an organization to promoting eskating in France who, on the paper it’s a good initiative and kind attentions. But in facts it’s a finger right up our asses. Why ? Because they just taking over our name, #ESK8FR / E-SK8.FR by using a different name but similar. They called it ESK8.FR They don’t send us any DM, emails or messages,

You can see the similarity on their facebook page, the ride event they created and our official Facebook page :

Our Facebook page and event page :

Not really surprised from a brand who they don’t have any ethics. They’re created a website and a Facebook page. And you can not speak with them, not really open for a meeting, and they moderate our messages posted on their facebook page. To clarify my position I don’t blame Evolveskates owners. They’re not involve in this drama. I criticize only the method and the business model.

We needs your support because this episode is gonna be a huge mess in a few mounths and the impacts can affecte the whole esk8 community (regulations laws, trademarks, etc…)

How to help us ? Any support messages on our facebook page are appreciate. Relaying the info on your social media by using the hastags : #evolveisnotesk8fr #wearesk8fr

Our Facebook page : ESK8FR

Event Facebook page : ESK8FR SHREDDING FAMILY

Our website : e-sk8.fr

Thanks for reading this topic. Sorry for my rusty english. This message may content grammar or syntaxe mistakes.

Norbert Aka Hansow

[akhlut]

how can we help?

[Hansow]

Any support messages on our facebook page is appreciate.

#ESK8FR / E-SK8.FR

[ARetardedPillow]

Stupid big companies… I’m sure a ton of people on this forum will support you guys!

[akhlut]

my francais us poor, and i cant get past the questions to join the group.

[Hansow]

Okp is one of the administrator He will fixed this.

[akhlut]

maybe we can just put our handles in for the first question? like “@akhlut”

[brenternet]

Whats your take on all of this @okp?

[Hansow]

You can also leave a message on our event page :

ESK8FR SHREDDING FAMILY

[Jc06505n]

Looks like a job for the Esk8 Squad

@Michaelinvegas (I haven’t seen him in a while is he ok?)

If you want support from other organizations you can hit the telegram for the NYCEboard collective (though a tl:dr would be better since messages go fast and New Yorkers don’t really sit to read long long messages

For the baesk8 group you could hit their Facebook

And there’s also the ESC group by ESK8r (would be better to approach the group rather than him) which has probably the largest members I’ve seen. The group also has smaller cluster groups for the US and probably other places

[okp]

Well, as you imagine I’m a bit lost as most of us are. It’s not about money as nothing we do is or has been related or assimilated neither supported by any brand of any kind. Never. I did refuse all these kind of deals as the forum was growing. I’m not interested (as the owner of the website/domain) by any kind of commercial deal.

It all started when we left Endless Sphere to create something more specific. Jason created this forum and on my side I preferred not to join here but to fully dedicate myself and create from scratch the E-SK8.FR journey in France. That’s a lot of initial, time and dedication as all the initial content was more or less created from my bathroom playing with epoxy. Then people joined, contributed, learnt and then shared the love and here we are. At the beginning, I posted bunch of “action cam” videos that you may have seen with well identifiable #ESK8FR tag from day 1 to spread the word around me, so the forum and community can benefit from my coverage. But this is no more needed as the community has grown, lots of active and passionate members, new members everyday. And I know that was expected, but timing was key.

Lately, I moved all my personal content to my own channel (ridewithokp) so E-SK8.FR videos can now be really about community rides and tutorials, and not really about me jumping and having fun in the woods with my pole and action cam. Even the SPARKLE tutorial was given as #ESK8FR.

Within our forum and community, we don’t spread hate; we spread facts that sometimes cannot please a brand but at the end (and its ambassadors which I can understand too) but we keep our integrity and never tackle riders, as we are all riders, whatever we ride. I even bought a Ninebot S2 three days ago for my wife and a Boosted mini X Maybe I’m getting old for all this kind of drama, my new born baby this year change a man.

We also don’t ban people. We never did. We don’t even have a rule related to banning.

For more than one year (after the voltage sag story), we continue to share all kind of content, which include local Evolve events and more recently their Paris Christmas ride (which was a great event and moment !) photos as part of our group. We love diversity. Really.

I encourage anyone to start a new community (better join the existing if possible to join forces) about ESK8, but if there is nothing around you, Go for it. But … why did they went for the same name than ours? That’s the only point which makes me feel bad. Believe me, we were not expecting people that support riding, some ambassadors of this brand (even if they are “sponsored” for the sake of it) as their ADN… to vote and select basically a name so close than ours.

Cheers, and as always… have a blast folks.

[Toleg]

I personnaly contact administrators of this “group”. My understanding is that they don’t give a fuck about the DIY scene. For them the future is about R2R, and the DIY will be a fraction of the riders so no need to care about them … So sad.

[brenternet]

I like what you guys do but I hope you understand that the Evolve marketing train will not be stopped now.

You’ll need a re-brand unfortunately I believe.

[okp]

i see what you mean mate and I kinda agree, but on the other side, I have a strong belief that some people have beautiful values in this world of madness. Within E-SK8.FR, we have a fair purpose and identity.

and as usual, if you never try, you’ll never know !

[saguiwine]

I like the fact they re trying to joint all esk8ters in a same place but they made shit stollen the big comunity name made by cool guys. Evolve think because he ve money, he can just piss on poeple without gulty feeling. Nobody going to see me in an Evolve event anymore. Just glad didn t bought one.

[Toleg]

It seems that common sense and reason has finally come back. They decided to take another domain name. Thanks to all those who have mobilized on social networks, this will certainly have weighed in the balance.

[Lunasi]

Sorry to hear you’re having these issues with them trying to take your name. I haven’t had the issue of a company trying to take my club name but I have had the issue of local groups that split up our main group. Shortly after I started my own group boosted board started doing their own group rides, then shortly after that I started noticing we were having less one wheels at our events, turns out another group filled in that gap during a year’s time as well. What we’ve done to try and keep things together is all three of our groups plan rides together. This helps keep our groups from being so split and helps keep a good community effort behind us all growing. My group is similar in that we let any board come ride with us and aren’t exclusive like these other clubs. Best thing you can do is continue to post your rides, try and build a good relationship with the moderator of the other group and get them to join your rides, then you can have a face-to-face conversation about the name and how it clashes with your own group.