First Ride of Fall

I never rode orthodox skateboards. The 400w emad board I bought a few months ago was the first board I ever really rode around down. This is in Gainesville, Florida, a college town. And during the summer at that, which means that the town was mostly deflated, with the students all gone home.

This Monday, was my first ride with the town back to it’s normal levels. The first thing I noticed, was that the traffic was terrible! Backed up literally all the way from my house to my job. But that is actually a good thing, if you’re riding on an electric skateboard and passing the cars by. It was perhaps, one of the most exhilarating rides I’ve ever had on my board. I’m going to have to come up with some moves to show of my sass at finally not being part of the traffic problem.

There were almost more skateboarders on the road. The first I passed I gave a positive, thumbs up kind of a gesture to, and she returned it. But further down the road, I passed a longboarder who saw my electric and shouted “That’s cheating!”

I laughed and laughed as I zipped by him. Best Carve Ever.

One Month Late, Evolve

So here we are. It’s the 19th of August. It feels like ages ago, when I was up late at my computer, reading Evolve Skateboards webpage promise of shipping their boards mid-July. I thought, It’ll be here in time for when my daughter comes to visit. Then I got the email saying they’d ship them mid August. Now, past the mid point of August, and still no follow up email. Check their blog, and you’ll find this message:

OUR BOARDS WILL BE HERE SOON!

Posted on August 10, 2013 by Bruce Bubin

Trucks and wheels are in, boards, motors, and batteries are in the US and on the way for assembly shortly!

I must say I’m a bit dissatisfied with this blog post. First off, I found the post on their US webpage. So where are these guys if the ‘boards, motors, and batteries are in the US’? I’d assume the post comes from the Australians, which would mean all these items would go from the US to Australia to assemble, and then back here?

Either way, it seems to me like they’re on track to be more than two months late on their shipment. I hate to write about Evolve with a pessimistic tone -- they have some of the coolest boards on the planet, and I really want one.

But they dinged my credit card to the tune of $1400, and so far all I’ve got in return are broken promises. What happens come 9/14 -- three months after I placed my order? The magic date where I can no longer contest the credit card charge?

Ship to me, Evolve, you’re my only hope!

#PulledAGeorgeJetson

With your help, oh faithful blog reader, I’d like to start a new hashtag. #PulledAGeorgeJetson

It’s pretty much what I’ve been doing for the past week or so. It’s when you ride your electric skateboard to work, pick it up, and carry it inside with you. Or the opposite, when you walk out of the building, set your board down, and zip off into the sunset, while everybody else feels like a chump, having to walk somewhere.

What’s best is that you will *always* hear comments from people, coming and going. Today, when I pulled in, one of the valets at the front circle said, “Through the front door.” Even though I didn’t actually ride into the building, his comment described the moment.

Having done this perhaps a dozen times, I’m starting to get recognized for it. So look for me on Instagram, or Twitter, and if you like me, are an Electric Skateboard Enthusiast, let’s rock the #PulledAGeorgeJetson hashtag together.

In other news, I’m still eagerly waiting to see if my Evolve Longboard will ship anytime this week or next. I can’t wait to go riding with my family and friends.

BBB Complaint

Yesterday, after work, I had a repeat scenario of last Friday. I rode my board from work, not to home, but to the most strategic bus stop. Trying to go all the way home would result in me kicking the heavy board for the last half a mile.

As I coasted to the bus stop, one of the students sitting there asked me if it was a gun I was holding. No, I told him. Not a gun. Just an electric board. It’s a great way to meet people, though I still haven’t found that cool skater chick. Yet.

Then today I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. I have very mixed feelings about doing this. Mostly because the board is still so fun. It’s still makes commuting to work, without using my car, a joy.

But it still doesn’t get 7 to 10 miles. It still never went even half that. And for $400, I expect to get 7 to 10 miles. Even if it’s just for when the battery is still new. I spent $400 dollars I didn’t really have, expecting to commute the whole 3 miles to work and back. For $400, I never got that.

So, for never returning my calls or emails, for false advertising, now the ball is in your court, Emad Boards.

Bus and Board, FTW

Commuting home from work. In Florida. During Hurricane Season. FTW.

It was five thirty. I’d just clocked out of work. Friday afternoon. I live three miles West.

But the forecast was for lightning. The sky didn’t look good. A giant, gray cloud dominated, threatening to rain at any moment. Somewhere in the back of my mind, an action star was saying “Pop Quiz, Hot Shot.”

I could ride my board to a nearby bus stop. Semi protected from the rain. And wait. Or I could call for a ride home, and be part of the traffic.

I was feeling lucky.

I hopped on my board and headed West. Past my coworkers -- chumps -- walking with their Puny Mc WeakSauce slow feet. Past the swampy area. I’ve become so comfortable riding my board on that spacious bike path, that I took out my cell phone and fired up the bus app. Because the sky was rumbling.

Furthermore, I knew that my board wouldn’t take me all the way. I would *have* to walk and kick my board the final half a mile, if I tried to make it all the way home.

But a glance at the app, and I was in luck. The bus was coming up around the bend. Perfect timing. I caught it just before the only major road in my commute home. Just as I stepped into the bus, it started raining.

But where I got off, at the stop by my house, it stopped raining. I hopped back on my board and rode it into my apartment complex. On the way, I passed a truck waiting at a home sign. His window was down, his arm hanging out. He yelled a compliment at seeing how cool electric boards are.

I rode the rest of the way to my front door. FTW. Then it really started raining.

Mixed feelings about the Emad board

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always loved to be an early adopter. I always loved to have the next big thing, before anyone else. To have the kind of object that people would stop you and ask you about.

Electric Skateboards are definitely that thing. Want proof? One of my most favorited tweets on twitter @maulakai is the one I made after first commuting to work on my Emad board.

I admit, I’m lucky to be able to make the commute to work from my home. I live only three miles away. When you look at the box my board came in, it claims to have a range of 7 to 10 miles.

That’s what really kills me. When I first got my board, it’s range proved to be only 3.5 miles. After sending it back to the shop for repairs, it now gets less than three miles! Which means, I can no longer use it to commute to work. What a bummer! Emad still isn’t returning phone calls or emails. They made sun a fun product, but ruined it by lying about it’s specs and providing an “asshole” level of customer service. Because of that, despite a very fun product, I can’t recommend it to anyone who asks me. And every day, people ask me about it.

Today, I took the bus onto campus, and then rode my board from there. It’s a compromise, I guess. But I still hate myself for promoting the damn Emad board, that never lived up to it’s promises.

What I do love, however, is the comments I get. Every day. From people who just happen to see me walk into the building, carrying my vehicle with me. This is something straight out of the Jetsons.

Today, a valet who saw me enter the building asked, “Really?”

The other day, I had an onlooker comment, “So you’re not *really* a skateboarder? You don’t push?”

No, I don’t kick. I don’t even know how to, really.

The joy of carving up the sidewalk, just before an after work, is well worth the pain of lugging that tank of a skateboard onto the bus, and into the building. But the puzzled looks and random comments are like the cherry on top. I look forward to the day when I’m not the only one carving concrete.

Boosted Shows Swag

And here it is. Another email in my box from an electric skateboarding company. This time, from Boosted Boards.

They're promoting an event in the SF Bay area where they'll prove to the public they really will have a product to sell me. At some point. In the near future.

http://www.exploratorium.edu/visit/calendar/market-days/july-20-2013?utm_source=Website+Newsletter+Sign+UP&utm_campaign=ff007e8d9b-New_Logo_and_Fast_Co_Video7_16_2013&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_13a383f14c-ff007e8d9b-91316513

I'm asking a friend to go there a take pictures.  Developing.

Below is the text of their email.

Hey there!

You may have noticed a new logo on our prototypes. We had to change our old one for a few reasons, so we teamed up with Mackey Saturday, a fantastic designer and boardsports enthusiast. The new logo reflects both the 3-phase brushless motor at the core of our design and the dynamics of the riding experience.

 

 

FastCo Video

 

A few months ago, the BFD crew came to Boosted to shoot a feature for Fast Company's Change Generation series. This is the first video showing the beta board and remote in action. Enjoy!

Boosted Boards Amps Up Skateboards With Some Motor Power  13 ratings 749 views

Boosted Demo Event at the Exploratorium SF

We're partnering up with the Exploratorium this Saturday July 20th for a FREE outdoors learning event. We'll be exhibiting our latest boards with other companies showcasing cool vehicles such as personal submarines and hovercrafts. If you're in the bay, come demo our boards and check out the new Exploratorium at Pier 15! Click here for more info. 

 
Feel free to email community@boostedboards.com with any questions or comments. 

Cheers!
-Sho
Boosted Community Manager