Apr

27

2008

(2) Comments

A Skateboard With 14 Wheels

07:55PM by Jim Frost

I started skateboarding years and years ago and have watched the boards get bigger and bigger but, overall, the technology was pretty much the same.  Then I saw a Flowboard in a sporting goods store.

The Flowboard is unique to say the least: It has 14 wheels, 7 at each end.  The trucks are completely rigid.  Instead of pivoting against a spring or cushion as most skateboards do, the Flowboard puts a set of wheels along an rigid steel arc that is perhaps 60 degrees from perpendicular to the board.  This makes the each wheel have a slightly greater angle than the next as you move out from the center.  Instead of pushing against a spring to turn, then, you roll from one set of wheels to another.  The greater the tilt of the board, the greater the angle between the wheels and the sharper it turns.

The effect is really remarkable.  Since there is no resistance as the board pivots you roll into turns, carving effortlessly back-and-forth during descents.  If you like boarding downhill you’ll love it.

The downside to this is straight-line instability.  The board doesn’t naturally level itself, but will instead rock back and forth if not under control, wiggling its way along.  If you’re kicking the board along a flat surface it’s more difficult to control than a traditional board, although not dramatically so.  Whereas I would often let my old board guide itself for short periods, I find that I don’t like to lose contact with the Flowboard because it won’t necessarily go where I expect.  It took a little while to change my technique, and I still find it a little bit annoying to have to keep my foot on the board all the time.

With 14 wheels it’s also fairly heavy, harder to lift.  I’m not a stunter so this makes little difference to me, but if you are ... it’s probably not your board.

If you like to go downhill, though ... there’s a whole lot to like.  it’s smooooooth.  It lives to link turns.  I’m told it’s a whole lot like snowboarding (although I myself prefer two sticks on my feet so I have no first-hand experience) and the company sells a 42” board that is similar in size to a snowboard.  Mine is the intermediate 36” board ... larger than any of my older boards, which took a little getting used to.

I am not sure I’d call it a revolution, but it’s certainly a conversation starter.  People see all those wheels and they stop and gawk and ask “What is that thing?”

So: Very cool board, works great if you like to carve turns downhill.

PLam said on 04/27/08 09:31PM

Jim Frost said on 05/05/08 10:01AM