Tag: Skateboard

What the Fiik Skateboard

Sometimes you just have to say what the Fiik. Well, actually you never really need to say Fiik at all, but then again maybe you will – at least if you like to skateboard and ever considered taking it off road. We’ve seen a lot of supposedly “off road” skateboards – including a couple that have been designed with military needs in mind.

But now comes the Fiik Street Surfer, which was designed by two brothers from Queensland, Australia. It features a digital wireless throttle control system, ABS braking system big wheels that can handle most terrains. The Fiik (Future Is In Knowledge) also has a bit of retro appeal – it looks like a classic “sidewalk surf deck” with red strips. But unlike those retro boards, this one has a maximum speed of 23 mph/37 km/h. While the board comes with a sealed lead acid battery, users can also upgrade to the optional lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery, which also offers a range of 22 miles or 1.5 hours of runtime. The board further includes three speed settings, including a setting to limit the top speed for newbies.

Given the rising price of gasoline, maybe decks like this could help you get to and from the office. At $1600, with the lithium iron phosphate battery upgrade, this deck could help you commute and even take you off the beaten path to get there.

Fiik Street Surfer Official Website

[Via Gizmag: FiiK electric skateboard – wireless control, ABS braking system, ton of attitude]

LED on Board

Take a simple device and add some LED lights and suddenly it is better. That’s sort of the idea behind the new Flexdex skateboards. The California-based skateboard company is attempted to shed some illumination on the skating scene with its new light board.

Their flagship model is the Clear29 LT longboard, which features a “clear as glass” polycarbonate frame that is lighted up – while not exactly lightened up – with a strip of LED lights that are powered by a 9-volt battery. The effect is further enhanced by the deck’s translucent wheels, while riders have a choice of blue, green, white, orange and of course red boards. So even if you can grind like the best of them, you can light it up for the rest to follow.

Flexdex Official Website

Cycling Shoes For City Slickers

If you’ve ever commuted by bicycle in the big city you know there are a few issues to overcome. The first is making sure you actually make it to work safely, the next is making sure you’re not a huge sweaty mess when you arrive, and finally be dressed in the proper clothing for a day at the office.

The latter can be addressed by leaving a pair of shoes at the office and wearing cycling shoes for the commute – but what happens when you think you have shoes at the office and don’t? This happened to me personally once, and I spent the day wearing cycling shoes. While a good look on the bike, these don’t exactly work well the rest of the day. But Italian bike maker Cinelli and skateboard clothing company DVS are teaming up to create a urban cycling shoes reports our friends at BikeRadar.

The shoes are based on the DVS Luster skate trainer and will be available in two versions. One will be based on the Cinelli Pro Best of Italo 79 road bike, whilt he other will be based on the Vigorelli track racer. Either way the upcoming Luster Cinelli, which will arrive stateside in July (MSRP $68), will reportedly feature a high-abrasion rubber sole, full grain leather upper, stiffeners to aid efficient pedalling, reflective detailing, and a hidden tongue panel that also serves as a lace protector. These shoes look like they’ll be good for urban commuting, and look good off the bike.

[Via BikeRadar.com: Cinelli release urban cycling shoe]

Cinelli Official Website

DVS Official Website

Skateboard Ramps Go High Tech

While we normally look at the technology of the skateboards, there has been some interesting innovation with the skateboard ramps. Here are a couple of interesting videos that show how an iPhone app can measure each skaters “air time” and landings from an interactive projection. The top video was for a promotion for the premier of the movie Tron Legacy, while the bottom video shows how cameras were synchronised with skaters and snowboarder movements.

Red Bull Off the planet from ENESS on Vimeo.

Tron Legacy Premiere – A Light Session from ENESS on Vimeo.

From Skate Deck to iPhone Case

There comes a time for every skateboarder to realize that the old deck just can’t be used any longer. Whether it is cracks in the wood or just other structural issues, skateboard decks just can’t last forever. But that doesn’t mean that they can’t live on afterward.

Portland, Oregon based MapleXo has long been turning trashed decks into thrasher jewelry and now the company is looking to turn old skate decks into iPhone 4 cases. However, the catch is that the company is releasing just 50 limited edition cases so you better skate over to the website quickly to sign up for one.

MapleXO official website

[Via Recombu.com: MapleXO x Grove iPhone 4 cases are made from recycled skateboards]

SkateCycle – More Than a Hubless Skateboard

We’ve seen many attempts to converge technology together. Some, like the bicycle treadmill are just confusing, but the SkateCycle seems like real evolution and innovation. While it could be called a “hubless skateboard” that’s not quite the most accurate description for this deck – or rather deckles device. The FreeRider SkateCycle, which was conceived by Alon Karpman from Brooklyn Workshop with the help of Antonio Mezo, takes the basic skateboard concept, but ditches the hubs and trucks, and even the classic deck. Continue reading SkateCycle – More Than a Hubless Skateboard

Skateboard Controller Improved for New Game Says Hawk

There is the timeless question about building a better mousetrap, as most of the time simple is usually the best way. The same can be said when it comes to building a better game controller. The team behind the upcoming Tony Hawk: Shred video game realized this as well, and addressed the numerous flaws with the game’s skateboard shaped controller. The device had been developed for the previous title in the series, Tony Hawk: Ride.

Many of the reviews suggested it was more like Tony Hawk: Crash and Burn, as the skateboard peripheral failed to deliver. But the flaw it seems was the result of the game’s code, not the device itself says the Hawkman. Continue reading Skateboard Controller Improved for New Game Says Hawk

Wheels Keep Turning, and Now Are Spinning Green

This month Deltron, Inc. announced that its Elasco Inc. manufacturing subsidiary has taken skateboarding in a new – and greener – direction. This latest move has enabled Sector 9, a manufacturer of skateboards and apparel, to offer eco-friendly skateboard wheels. Sector 9 has become one of the market leaders in design and manufacture of skate long boards, which is a fast-growing segment in the skateboard market. And now the company’s boards with have organic-based wheels to let them do the rolling. The new Elasco wheels are actually made with a soybean-based polyols.

“Founded in 1993, Sector 9 has a long and distinguished history of leadership in the boardsports industry,” said Deltron CEO Henry Larrucea. “The Sector 9 team has demonstrated a strong commitment to the environment, providing sustainable products as well as offering information on ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel consumption in its corporate materials. When Elasco developed proprietary formulations to produce polyurethane wheels using soybean polyols, Sector 9 seized the opportunity to be the first skateboard company to offer more sustainable wheels. Increasing sales this year show that the ‘green’ wheels have strong appeal for environmentally conscious customers including surfers, skateboarders and the broader youth market.” Continue reading Wheels Keep Turning, and Now Are Spinning Green

Taking the Board Off-Road

How long do you think this board will stay white?

Over the years there have been attempts to take skateboarding off road, with bigger tires, more tires but now Bryson Lovett has taken the board in a new direction. With his unique Vertrax Electric Skateboard he’s essentially ditched the traditional wheels, and in place utilizes a tread system – much like you find on a tank or tractor.

Thus instead of needing the typical flat and smooth skating surface, the Vertrax can tackle sand, snow, dirt, worn concrete or even grass quite well. There have been suggestions that it could be used in military operations, such as for transporting soldiers across rough terrain, and because the tracked skateboard is electric it runs quietly without the traditional exhaust of similarly small vehicles.

Given that a rider still has limited options for holding on the Vertrax is probably best on flat terrain as well, but it should be able to tackle conditions that would riders carrying their traditional skate deck.

Byrson Lovett Official Site

Tony Hawk Flies Again New Game

After the last game it looked like the Hawkman’s wings were clipped for good, as Tony Hawk Ride wasn’t so much a thrill ride as outright spill. But you can’t keep a good skater down, and the champ of the board is rising from the ashes, proving he’s a video game phoenix. All indications say it looks like he’ll back in full video game form with the upcoming Tony Hawk: SHRED, in part because this arcade style game isn’t just about the usual sidewalk surfing either. This time the game includes both skateboarding and snowboarding action, and more importantly puts players on a truly revolutionized controller to get the wannabes off the couch and on a virtual deck. Continue reading Tony Hawk Flies Again New Game

Sidewalk Surfing With the Flowboard

Think of this as 14-wheeler for the sidewalk

When singers Jan and Dean sang about sidewalk they probably never could have envisioned the Sport Technology Flowboard, but unlike the traditional four-wheeled skateboard that we’ve come to know and love (and at times loath after ending up in the ER during finals week), this one uses 14 wheels! The idea behind this unique design is that the it provides riders with vastly greater flexibility in leaning and turning, thus making it far more like an actual surfboard or snowboard than the average skate deck.

According to the company the Flowboard can allow riders to lean up to 45 degrees, which is quite a drastic set up from the typical 25 degrees that you can get from a regular skateboard. The wheels and layout also allow for more curving, which can be a very good when going down hill at speed. Now the board probably can’t handle the half-pipe quite the same way, but it would be fun to watch someone try!

Sport Technology Flowboard Official Site

Big in Japan: The Robo Skateboard

The Segway is really just a grown-up version of those annoying kiddie scooters – a fad that we keep hoping will finally run out of steam. So we’re skeptical about the still very much in development robotic skateboard that is currently being tested in Japan. Why do the Japanese need a robotic skateboard would be the first question to ask, as the island nation is rather crowded to say the least!

But that doesn’t seem to stop the designers at the Shibaura Institute of Technology in Tokyo from working on a very high-tech board. The Robo-Skateboard prototype according to online reports weights about 15kg, is about 30cm wide and 60cm long and about 25cm thick. It works much like a regular skateboard, where you stand on it and lean to make turns. Your shifting body weight will thus let you steer, but lean forward and you’ll get to pick up some speed. Put your weight directly on your feet and you’ll be flying like Tony Hawk – almost anyway, as this board can hit speeds of 10kph.

Continue reading Big in Japan: The Robo Skateboard