Looks interesting, but despite of pitch claims it doesn't actually look comfortable to ride.
Judging by how stiff the guy is when riding it, this thing doesn't appear to be entirely self-balancing. He also seems to be leaning on the control rod on more than one occassion, so it's not just a joystick assembly, but a mechanical driving help too.
You drive by leaning on to it. The joystick is just for rotation and settings.
I however fear the bearrings wont last long with any dirt or moisture on the road and it's loud and slow. I also haven't seen it handle any small obstacle in the video.
That's always the issue with electric skateboards and they have had to go through some deep design decisions (namely: Boosted.) Boosted really did great, their board is amazing. This guy on the other hand, hasn't really put the same effort into it -- how can you when you are just 1 person? It's a cool broomstick but the safety isn't there (exposed gears instead of brushless belt motors are a really bad idea.)
The amount of exposed components and the control stick in particular makes the device look pretty unfinished. The stick in particular is pretty unwieldly; it should be a handheld remote. That big metal pole is probably a safety hazard falling off when hitting a bump...
A good choice by the designers to use standard Li-Po battery packs, but the cost of the unit without batteries is ridiculously expensive. Okay, good quality materials and manufacturing, but still... And at 33kg not including the ball (another 5kg) or batteries (who knows), that thing is frikkin' heavy!
Not saying it isn't a good idea, but I don't particularly like the execution. I'll stick with my electric skateboard.
Ball vehicles waste a lot of inertia too on stopping and accelerating. It's a cool idea but I don't think its practical compared to electric longboards (disclaimer: I have a boosted board and I love it.)
10 comments
[ 3.1 ms ] story [ 31.5 ms ] threadJudging by how stiff the guy is when riding it, this thing doesn't appear to be entirely self-balancing. He also seems to be leaning on the control rod on more than one occassion, so it's not just a joystick assembly, but a mechanical driving help too.
I however fear the bearrings wont last long with any dirt or moisture on the road and it's loud and slow. I also haven't seen it handle any small obstacle in the video.
A good choice by the designers to use standard Li-Po battery packs, but the cost of the unit without batteries is ridiculously expensive. Okay, good quality materials and manufacturing, but still... And at 33kg not including the ball (another 5kg) or batteries (who knows), that thing is frikkin' heavy!
Not saying it isn't a good idea, but I don't particularly like the execution. I'll stick with my electric skateboard.