While there are now a few different companies that build self-balancing one-wheeled electric skateboards, Future Motion was one of the very first. The California-based firm has just announced the latest addition to its lineup, the small but mighty Pint S.
Yeh, I’d like to give one a go for the novelty factor but they don’t seem like a solid safe transport option.
Someone in my town has one that does like 50kph. He wears leathers and a helmet etc but imagine trying to emergency stop when your brakes are “lean back”, you are never stopping in time in a real emergency. Fuck that.
I’ve read reports of the decks catching on the ground and sending the rider flying. I’ve already had that experience with a sketchy ebike fender so I don’t care to repeat the experience. That said, they do look fun.
As a skateboarder I know the pain of tiny rocks and imagine it would be like that but with possibly more speed!
They look fun as a novelty for sure though.
I sold mine a while ago after moving, but when I lived in Portland I put almost 800 miles on it commuting to and from the max station. They are easily the coolest way to get yourself killed out there.