Electric Skateboard for Beginners: 7 Essential Tips for First-time Riders
If you are considering getting an electric skateboard but are not sure about your skill level, let us tell you something: ride an electric skateboard is easy! We listed below a couple of tips about electric skateboard for beginners based on what we've learned over the last 12 years. These tips can pretty much apply to e-boards boards in general, with carbon or bamboo deck, all-terrain or street wheels.
Electric Skateboard for Beginners - Tip #1: Learn how full brake feels like in the real world
You never know when you will need to use the brakes, and you want to safely use them. So when you first get your board, follow the drill: go to an open space and practice accelerate and brake, accelerate and brake — leaning backwards and forwards — to understand the acceleration and breaking point of the board. It will make your riding experience easier, and you will feel more confident.
Electric Skateboard for Beginners - Tip #2: Don't ride faster than you can run
Because it's regenerative, it means the faster you go, the stronger the brakes will be. When it comes to speed, our recommendation is not to ride any faster than you can run.
Anything can happen on the ride and when you don't have the skills to deal with it, being able to hit the eject button and run it off is a good safety feature.
Imagine that you are riding in a park where someone isn't paying attention because they're wearing headphones and they're walking right out in front of you. You will need to hit the brakes reasonably suddenly, right? But you could run off the board and avoid a collision. To practice it, follow the drill of tip #1 at different speeds.
Always watch out for pedestrians using earphones, elders, kids and dogs!
Electric Skateboard for Beginners - Tip #3: Think protective gear
If you are new to e-skateboarding and want to use these boards for commuting or fun during the weekend, safety is paramount!
The best tip we can give is always to wear a helmet. It isn't compulsory in many regions, but with the popularisation of personal electric devices in many countries, there are different rules as to whether you have to wear a helmet or not.
However, at the end of the day, it just makes complete sense to protect your head. At Evolve's events, we have a simple rule: no helmet, no ride 😉
Besides a helmet, we always recommend elbow and knee guards. They will stop you from losing too much skin, especially in areas where the healing process can take longer. We want to see you back on the board as soon as possible.
Remember: if you end up hitting the floor, you'd wish you gave it a second thought.
Electric Skateboard for Beginners - Tip #4 Start in a quiet place
You don't want to be dodging cars on your first ride, right? The extra space will help when learning to corner at speed, for example.
Empty car parks, parks and pathways during off-peak hours or even no through roads are some excellent options when you are a beginner.
Electric Skateboard for Beginners - Tip #5: Go easy on the triggers!
If your throttle and brake control is jerky, you make standing on the board much harder for yourself. Go easy, bro!
When riding up hills, be smooth and consistent on the accelerator. That's key! If you're inconsistent and you've to pump that trigger, you're likely to fall off.
Electric Skateboard for Beginners - Tip #6: Body position
Every rider is different, and with the Evolve boards, you can do a lot to customise them too. The big tip here is to understand your board and its setup. Get to know where the traction points are. Understand how it corners and how it feels. It will make your riding experience a lot better.
When you're carving, keep your eyes up and look where you want to go. If you look at a tree or a pole, that's where you're going to end up. The board follows your eyes, so be spotting your line 10m ahead and the board to go where you want it. If you keep your eyes up and look through your turns, you're going to have a sweet carving experience.
Remember to maintain momentum, and your turns should be fluid and smooth. The board should tilt in and out on a carve in one motion, and the speed you are travelling should not drastically change.
When riding an off-road electric skateboard, like the GTR Bamboo All Terrain or GTR Carbon All Terrain, your centre of gravity plays a massive part in how comfortable you feel on it and how stable you are. If you're getting down a little bit lower, keeping your knees bent, you're going to be able to absorb the bumps when you're riding off-road, which are inevitable.
Electric Skateboard for Beginners - Tip #7: Get involved with the Evolve Community
Evolve has thousands and thousands of riders worldwide, and we can bet that you can find someone to ride with at your location. Riding with someone with more experience than you will drive your progression.
There are dozens of local groups on Facebook, some of them are specific for kiwi riders. Also, the Evolve Skateboards Owners' Facebook Group is a massive community where riders worldwide share their experiences and organise group rides.
It's not just about meeting new people. You get to see different boards, different configurations, share information and learn a whole bunch of new skills too.
Keep your eye out for events too! Our community is fundamental for us! We are leading the electric skateboard industry by developing sophisticated and powerful carving machines and being at the vanguard of e-skate events.
