
Introducing the 2nd Generation Boosted Board - jpb0104
http://boostedboards.com/introducing-2nd-generation-boosted-board/
======
eyeareque
I have over 200 miles on my Dual+, and I have to say it is still so much fun
to ride. As far as quality and design goes, they really do great work. I took
the controller apart once to see how it worked. You can see they really put a
lot of thought and durability into the feel and use. Also, when the belt
loosened up a little on me I assumed I would need to take it apart and
retighten everything. Nope, you just loosen one allen screw, and a spring
pushes the belt to the proper tightness, and then you re-tighten the screw, so
easy and well engineered throughout. My only gripe was that you could only go
5 miles (in the fastest mode) riding the way I do. But I see they've addressed
that.

I just pre-ordered the new one and I can't wait to ride longer distances.

~~~
JPKab
Can you or someone else on here offer your thoughts on the safety of these?

I used to be a big longboarder, and after shattering my collarbone coming off
a hill, I had to sell it. (My second big accident on it.)

Obviously, not much can be done about the physics of a big-headed, top heavy
primate toppling, but do these boards have a way of governing their speed
going down hills?

If so, I'm looking forward to buying one. I miss skateboarding.

~~~
peatmoss
The only semi-practical suggestion I have would be to spend a few months at a
dojo that teaches safe falling from a height such as judo or aikido. The kinds
of falls I'd expect (fast deceleration of the lower body) seem like good
candidates for the kind of reactionary falling that judo and aikido do.

~~~
jakobegger
I doubt that a judo roll will do any good when falling on tarmac at 20mph...

~~~
bambax
I did a little judo when I was young (only 3 years IIRC, from 6 to 9) and it
saved my life many many times, falling from horses, bikes, motorbikes,
anything really, at reasonable speeds and with almost no protection.

When falling from something that's moving, you will continue to move when you
hit the ground; to limit hurting yourself you need to roll and not skid. The
way to do that is to put yourself into a ball, and to do it by instinct (as of
course you don't have time to think about it).

------
samcheng
I'm happy to see Boosted continuing to develop their product.

Yesterday morning, I came off the Caltrain (walking my bike), and there was a
guy with a classic short board with flat gray tape.

As I heard that telltale clack-and-roll and watched the guy kick down the
sidewalk, I overheard two guys joking that it was really strange to see a guy
with an "old-school non-motorized" skateboard coming off the train.

Congratulations, Boosted, you've reached male-SF-techie hegemony!

~~~
jonathankoren
That loser probably only paid $30 for that retro-board too. ;)

I never can get over the price for a Boosted board. $1500. Wow.

~~~
giarc
$1500 may seem like a lot for such a small piece of hardware, but it is a form
of transportation. As someone else mentioned in this thread, in 3 months they
reduced their uber bill by $1500 after only 3 months of owning a board.

~~~
gk1
That's not exactly a fair comparison. Compare it instead to a bike, which can
be bought used for under $500, will last much longer, is much less likely to
break, and doesn't need to be charged daily.

Or, as parent implied, compare it to a skateboard: Under $200 new, no
recharging, fewer things that can fail, lasts for years (might need to replace
the deck a few times, $50 each), easier to transport, doesn't make you look
weird.[1]

[1] I know in places like SF and NYC nobody will bat an eye at somebody riding
this, but in cities like Baltimore, the owners of a Boosted Board probably
number in the single-digits.

~~~
skdoo
Founder here.

Actually, we see people using it because they prefer it to a bike in certain
situations. It's compatible with most public transit and ridesharing, and
there's little to no risk of theft. Compared to a normal skateboard or bike,
you also don't risk being sweaty when you arrive at work. Bikes also require
more regular maintenance, which isn't expensive but can be time-consuming.

We've seen it enthusiastically adopted in many cities outside SF and NY.

~~~
neves
You just said that it removes a bikes greatest feature: the possibility of
exercising while commuting. It's a lot healthier, greener, and a better use of
my time.

~~~
skdoo
Agreed. But we've discovered from users of the board that in hilly or hot
areas, having exercised on their way to work and arriving sweaty is a non-
starter.

~~~
sangnoir
> Agreed. But we've discovered from users of the board that in hilly or hot
> areas, having exercised on their way to work and arriving sweaty is a non-
> starter

Non-starter - _really?_ How many workplaces don't have showers? I'm in a
developing country and we have showers at our office.

~~~
codemac
In the US, many many workplaces do not have showers. It's a huge annoyance.
They are not part of building codes to have in offices.

------
ASinclair
I own a first gen. The only negative is the disdain people show you while
riding. I get shit from skaters and random people. The high price tag was
manageable for me but it causes people to put you in that "rich techie" bucket
and talk shit. Though maybe I'm just too self-conscious.

It's super fun to ride though. I was comfortable on a normal longboard before
getting one. I'd say it's worth learning the ropes on a regular longboard
first so you can get comfortable with braking without the engine in case
things go south.

~~~
tommoor
I've found the opposite, get nothing but interest when riding a boosted.
Everyone wants to know what it is and where they can get one :)

~~~
ASinclair
It's a mix. I do get those same positive interactions too. Especially when I
skate by parks with families. Lots of former skater dads want a spin!

I think the negative situations just stand out more.

------
dabernathy89
Something tells me Casey Neistat already has 3.

~~~
LeonM
Came here for the Casey Neistat replies to be honest, but it got me thinking,
why didn't they collaborate with Casey to announce the new board? Maybe
today's episode will reveal more. Wouldn't it be great marketing to have an
internet celebrity and #1 boosted board fanboy announce your new and improved
product?

~~~
kamilszybalski
I bet they did. Would he really meet with the CEO because he left his remote
back in NYC....

~~~
sjm-lbm
Right. And the premise the used to explain his trip back to SF was, let's be
honest, thin at best - I like me some travel, but even I won't fly transcon
just to stay in a nice hotel room. This makes a lot more sense.

~~~
goatforce5
Google I/O is currently on and he's buddy-buddy with the YouTube folks, so it
may be that he's managing to attend to a few different matters while he's out
there.

(Also, he's going to hit 3 million subscribers in the next day or two. It's a
big week for him!)

------
orblivion
But you still can't ride slowly downhill for too long without it cutting out
the brakes to prevent overcharging?

~~~
karlcoelho1
I can't believe this is an actual problem. Too much charge...

Anyway, wouldn't it make more sense to walk a bit when you are on a downhill,
less tiresome than going uphill.

~~~
schwap
I mean you're generating energy. It's like your filling up a bucket. Once the
bucket is full what can you do with the excess?

~~~
orblivion
They could switch to brakes that drain energy. That's a lot more work I'm
sure, and maybe they needed an MVP. But for version 2 I'd think they'd make it
a priority.

I think this board is really cool but until they fix this I'm not in the
market.

~~~
boxcardavin
I've got 500 miles on my board and it has never been a problem, just something
to be aware of. Adding mechanical brakes would involve one or two servos, two
sets of brake disks and pads, and a few dozen more parts. That's a lot of
hardware for a problem that few experience so it will likely never happen.

~~~
orblivion
If it were an annoyance, sure, but this is a safety issue.

If they at least gave you a clear warning of some sort that would be okay
actually.

~~~
goldenkey
There is a clear warning. The board will start beeping like a m'fer. I live in
Seattle and there are lots of hills that I go down. I usually make sure to
charge the board to 90% instead of 100%. I agree that the brakes could be
better - having the motor brake instead of an actual disc brake does sometimes
cause a bad side-turning skid, but it's nothing that can't be dealt with
diligently by knowing how to ride. I've never fell off due to the brakes.

------
Analemma_
Does anyone here have any experience with one of these in a hilly city? Does
it work, or is the utility so compromised that it's no longer worth it? I
wouldn't mind one but I'm in Seattle and afraid that our inclines would
severely crimp it.

~~~
jinxedID
I'm in Vancouver, BC and the Dual+ can handle any hill here

~~~
Analemma_
Sounds good, although I have something of a weight problem as well and so I
bet it would struggle with me. Maybe this can be the reward I promise myself
if I manage to actually lose weight. Thanks!

------
azdle
Are there advantages to sticking with such small wheels on a powered board
like this? I'd think that something like this [1] but with a motor would be
way more usable on real-world streets.

In general though, I really do think that these kinds of "personal
transportation" devices are the way of the future. I ride my self-balancing
electric unicycle [2] from the light-rail to the office any time it's nice out
and I'm not hauling anything in. It's the best way to get around in the city
as far as I'm concerned.

I feel like it's a better solution because of the big, pneumatic tire. I can
ride it up a bump of about an inch without even thinking. I feel like it'd be
quite a challenge to ride something with wheels that small on the
roads/sidewalks/trails around here (Minnesota).

[1] [http://imgur.com/jm5NoCJ.jpg](http://imgur.com/jm5NoCJ.jpg)

[2] [http://i.imgur.com/lHoVGQ3.jpg](http://i.imgur.com/lHoVGQ3.jpg)

Edit: I will say, the one thing I'm really jealous at with the boosted board
is that it's half the weight of my wheel and apparently has the same range.
Carrying this thing around for extended periods of time can get tiring.

~~~
phasmantistes
The primary reason you don't use those large wheels is the same reason that
the boosted board has the same range as your monowheel at half the weight:
large wheels (especially air-filled ones) with tread have incredibly high
rolling resistance, which has to be constantly overcome by the battery.

~~~
jboles
I think the weight is due to having 4 much smaller diameter wheels, which
means the torque moment of force and motor size is much smaller

------
hebleb
I'm really interested in trying this, but have little skateboarding
experience. Is there a steep learning curve to riding one of these in a dense
city?

~~~
pkrein
I had never skateboarded before getting a boosted board. It took me a week of
commuting (20 minutes each way) to get somewhat comfortable at the top speed.
There are three speed caps, slow medium fast, so you sort of level up after
each ride or two. I don't think riding on a street is a good idea (seems super
dangerous if there are any cars around), and my commute follows a separated-
from-the-road bike path.

Riding is super fun :)

~~~
amelius
> I don't think riding on a street is a good idea

How are sidewalks with curbs?

~~~
gphil
In a lot of places it's illegal to ride motor vehicles on the sidewalk. I
think the sweet spots for this are trails and low-traffic streets.

------
jonnycowboy
Really glad to see Boosted survived through YC and the 4 years subsequent.

Looks like a great redesign - the waterproofing alone makes it worth it.

Good job to the team!

------
6stringmerc
Looks cool. Very much dig the approach to having modular components. Gotta say
seeing this kind of evolution is exciting for my own pursuits as well
(personal mobility with power assist).

But one thing sticks out to me: The 80mm wheels - polyurethane? No mention of
different wheel/tire combinations for different terrain though? Like, I get
there may be dynamics and clearance issues with feet, and some rolling
resistance / unsprung weight / geometry to consider, but I don't like the idea
of the wheels.

Are there any thoughts regarding making a strong rim and high quality rubber /
treaded tire (inflated?) that would reflect influence from automotive
technology[1], versus the holdover from the skate/longboard world?

[1] For reference, I see Ford is about to "mass produce" carbon fibre
composite wheel rims (still very limited) and I've followed tire tech through
various racing outlets, and would probably contact Michelin as my first
choice.

------
beamatronic
I see a number of used ones on Craigslist and I was surprised to see there is
not much of a a price discount.

Most of these are asking $1000+

[http://sfbay.craigslist.org/search/sss?query=boosted+board&s...](http://sfbay.craigslist.org/search/sss?query=boosted+board&sort=rel&srchType=T&hasPic=1)

------
muraiki
I'm glad to see "The Bluetooth radio that connects the board to the remote is
upgraded for improved signal strength and security." I read an article a while
back about hacking into a few brands of electric skateboards:
[https://www.wired.com/2015/08/hackers-can-seize-control-
of-e...](https://www.wired.com/2015/08/hackers-can-seize-control-of-electric-
skateboards-and-toss-riders-boosted-revo/)

Also, be sure to wear a helmet. Unlike riding a bicycle, various seemingly
small obstacles can cause a longboard to come to an immediate stop, sending
you flying. I'd love to see a board that address this problem somehow, as
that's a big safety concern for me.

~~~
bryanlarsen
Although not exactly a board, onewheel has a pretty awesome solution to the
small obstacle problem.

~~~
arm
Whoa, looks pretty nice:

[https://onewheel.com/](https://onewheel.com/)

If it had a range that was further than 10 km, I might’ve considered getting
one.

------
dvcrn
I was just about to order a inboard due to the international shipping
limitations on the first gen boosted. It seems to still have the classic belt
based design instead of wheel based on on the inboard.

Is anyone here with more insights which board might actually be better?

------
blisterpeanuts
Looks like a fun toy, though its target market is relatively limited. You're
not going to see many 30+ year-olds on this thing.

I'm holding out for one of these babies:

[https://youtu.be/kwXWTsQh3F8](https://youtu.be/kwXWTsQh3F8)

~~~
Mizza
I have tried a lot of products in this space, and this one is my favorite
without a doubt:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNqOU4jx62I](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNqOU4jx62I)

~~~
JPKab
I really like the large wheel size on this thing. It definitely lessens
concerns about sidewalk cracks or foreign objects on roads suddenly causing
the dreaded "sudden stop" of a skateboard which basically launches the rider.

------
dayglo
Ive been waiting 13 months for my marbel board
([http://ridemarbel.com](http://ridemarbel.com)). They're ignoring all
attempts to get refunds too. Time to try and get a chargeback and get one of
these.

~~~
heimatau
Damn, they haven't tweeted since Jan [1]. And their last FB post is the same
time/related [2]. Seems like they went AWOL.

[1]
[https://twitter.com/RideMarbel/status/693081497264373760](https://twitter.com/RideMarbel/status/693081497264373760)

[2]
[https://www.facebook.com/ridemarbel/videos/vb.75887281080344...](https://www.facebook.com/ridemarbel/videos/vb.758872810803445/1118088611548528/?type=2&theater)

------
thesimon
>International customers will be responsible for shipping fees and additional
local duties or taxes.

Would've been great to see at least a cost estimate. It's hard to tell how
large the packaging is and how much the weight is.

And dropping $1000+ > just to get slapped with some unknown shipping fee is a
bit strange.

Edit: Nevermind, just checked the laws. Because the board is faster than
6km/h, you would need lights, bell, reflectors, insurance, a license plate and
a drivers license in Germany. Yikes. Let's hope that gets changed.

------
westwooded
Competition really heating up in this space. The other leading electric
skateboard company from Australia just announced their second generation too
and it has a whopping 31 mile range.

Evolve Carbon GT:

[http://www.gizmag.com/carbon-gt-electric-skateboard-
review/4...](http://www.gizmag.com/carbon-gt-electric-skateboard-
review/43307/)

~~~
heimatau
Solid find. I haven't seen them yet. They may interest me for my personal
needs. Thanks!!

I'm looking for a rubber tire long board, looks like they have a decent model.
Woot! :)

------
syngrog66
This isn't a product for me but its always good to see more transportation
options and see folks trying to innovate, and iterate.

------
hanklazard
Congrats to the founders, Boosted is truly a great product. I've been using a
(less expensive) electric skateboard, but I think I'm going to sell it and
grab one of the 2nd Gen Boosteds for commuting around Boston.

I was hoping that there would be a more compact version for improved
portability. @skdoo -- any chance we'll see something like this in the future?

~~~
skdoo
Thanks! The problem with more compact designs is decreased wheelbase, which
affects stability at speed. We've prototyped some, though.

~~~
jboles
I'd definitely consider one if it was available. My current board is an
Original Apex 34 [0] which though not as flexy as the Loaded is a great size
for zooming around the city, hopping on/off trains buses etc

[0] [http://original-
longboardshop.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/im...](http://original-
longboardshop.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/apex34.193154452_std.jpg)

------
niallmcginley
[http://boostedboards.com/?ct-referral-
code=ua109zfz-](http://boostedboards.com/?ct-referral-code=ua109zfz-) if
anyone is considering pre-ordering the 2nd gen boosted board, here's my
referral link which will get you $100 off!!

------
jordanlev
Congrats! Comment about your website: I tried seeing the pricing and where to
order/buy, but clicking the "hamburger menu" at the top-right of the screen
did nothing. (I'm on an iPhone, latest version of iOS).

~~~
donpdonp
Here is some pricing info from the site. The blog post says "Starting today,
you can reserve your board with a refundable $100 deposit." and the total
board price is Dual+ $1499, Dual $1299, Single $999. Extra $100 for "Extended
Range" battery.

------
samstave
Just a thought I've always had about these is that it would be cool if the
front and rear had a slot for a GoPro camera option, so that you have vids of
each trip, and evidence of anything goes awry

~~~
gk1
Can't you just use a GoPro Session with their flat adhesive mount? I never
used it so I don't know, but seems as though it could work.

[http://shop.gopro.com/mounts/curved-plus-flat-adhesive-
mount...](http://shop.gopro.com/mounts/curved-plus-flat-adhesive-
mounts/AACFT-001.html)

~~~
boxcardavin
The whole deck (top) of the board is grip tape which is a glue paper covered
in sand, so almost nothing will stick to the pebbled surface. A company makes
an aluminum mount but skateboards rattle like mad and like to destroy mounted
electronics eventually.

------
eonw
its interesting that people have used this as a commuter solution, i never
thought of that. i guess bikes make more sense to me, and i live where there
are lots of hills. now it makes sense to me how the pricepoint works. i have a
lot of recreational toys, but couldnt bring myself to pay $1800 for an
electric skateboard that didnt go all that far. cool to see the technology
improving and the different uses it has shown.

~~~
heimatau
I agree the $1800 price tag is a bit much. Not only that, if it truly were a
'commuter solution', it wouldn't need new wheels so often. I don't think this
company is thinking about long-term and sustainability enough. Why not rubber
tires? I wish these companies would stop the incremental long board design and
just think different.

Why don't we have cheap, semi-durable, electric long boards? Or Tesla's
patents in use for long boards? bikes? Motorcycles? I wish I had the skills,
I'd do it. Sure, R/D is a high cost but...there are better models to disrupt
an industry than this snail-pace innovation.

If boosted boards could merge with E-glide [1], we'd have a bad ass true
commuter solution. Then maybe pool resources to improve the battery and we'd
have a product that disrupts things.

EDITED: Since I'm getting down votes, let me clarify. Replacement wheels cost
$105[2], motor belt $25 [3]. On their website, they say [4] that the belts
should be replaced every 200-400 miles. I doubt the wheels will last that long
with normal use but let's be generous. 800 miles on the wheels.

If this were to be truly disruptive and would replace local commuting, it
would need to do about 5,000 miles per year based on 20 miles a day, 5 days a
week, 50 weeks a year. (this would be 250-500 charges per year).

Adding up the entire maintenance costs (735 yr in wheels, 300 in belts = 1,000
year in maintenance), I feel electric long boarding is only after hobbyists
and not disruptive enough.

[1] [https://e-glide.com/electric-skateboard-store/electric-
skate...](https://e-glide.com/electric-skateboard-store/electric-
skateboards/gt-powerboard-aluminum)

[2] [http://shop.boostedboards.com/products/replacement-
wheels?va...](http://shop.boostedboards.com/products/replacement-
wheels?variant=1141768980)

[3] [http://shop.boostedboards.com/products/motor-belt-service-
ki...](http://shop.boostedboards.com/products/motor-belt-service-
kit?variant=1141718288)

[4] [http://boostedboards.com/faq/](http://boostedboards.com/faq/)

------
ausjke
if the battery can be recharged on the move(e.g. you're on a slow down slope,
or just leveraging your body weight on the board, use these natural forces to
recharge the battery), then it could be "revolutionary"

~~~
Analemma_
It has regenerative braking (see
[http://boostedboards.com/faq/](http://boostedboards.com/faq/) towards the
bottom of the Product tab)

------
wyldfire
This looks like a neat product.

Where's the throttle/drive enable?

~~~
jo909
You use a special handheld Bluetooth remote to accelerate and break.

