Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Boosted Boards (YC S12) Unveils Its Magical Electric Skateboard

techcrunch.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

151–160 of 172 posts

Re: Boosted Boards (YC S12) Unveils Its Magical Electric Skateboard

#151

Post by johnyzee »

tomflack wrote: post #145
brc wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The part about braking just isn't true. Sure, there is a stopping limit for any braked device - a bicycle cannot stop any faster than it's wheels can hold friction. I've crashed bikes several times from emergency stops (bikes don't have abs). You can stop any type of board-device and stay on, as long as the friction between the board and the rider is greater than the wheels and the road. You don't automatically flip…

"A bicycle cannot stop any faster than it's wheels can hold friction." Nothing can stop faster than "it's wheels can hold friction". But on a bicycle when you brake hard then momentum is transferred on to the front wheel, which is typically ahead of where the bulk of the weight (the rider) is situated. "You can stop any type of board-device and stay on, as long as the friction between the board and the rider is great…

It's really not that difficult - you shift your weight all the way back, flex the rear knee into a very low stance with the front leg 'pushing back' against the deceleration. With proper technique you can brake almost as well as a bike.

Re: Boosted Boards (YC S12) Unveils Its Magical Electric Skateboard

#152

Post by johnyzee »

jeremyarussell wrote: post #96
jdietrich wrote: post #82

These contraptions are illegal to use in public and if they become popular the laws against them will be enforced immediately, because they're incredibly dangerous. It is impossible to provide effective braking on a skateboard. The rider has absolutely no means of impeding their forward movement, so even if the board has effective brakes it's just going to throw them off. This is a minor problem if you're rolling aro…

When a pebble hits underneath my skateboard the reason the skateboard stops and I continue is because ME moving was why the skateboard was moving. In the case of a powered wheel I'll hit the pebble and keep going and keep going, sense the wheel itself is still turning. I repeat, the wheel is turning, not being turned by inertia and friction. As for the breaking, I can train myself to lean back when I hit the break, a…

This is correct. Pebbles, cracks, small sticks etc. are not a problem for these boards. I mostly credited the bigger wheels, but as you said it is of course because the wheels are powered. A high enough ledge will stop you dead though (hopefully not literally), I have been sent flying by roadwork a few times. Smaller ledges can be 'jumped' by just shifting weight.

Re: Boosted Boards (YC S12) Unveils Its Magical Electric Skateboard

#153

Post by nodata »

firefoxman1 wrote: post #139
technosex wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is no tail on this longboard, so that is impossible.

That's true for this board, but I was responding to the general statement: > It is impossible to provide effective braking on a skateboard.

Wasn't the context "unexpected braking"?

Re: Boosted Boards (YC S12) Unveils Its Magical Electric Skateboard

#155

Post by tomflack »

johnyzee wrote: post #151
tomflack wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"A bicycle cannot stop any faster than it's wheels can hold friction." Nothing can stop faster than "it's wheels can hold friction". But on a bicycle when you brake hard then momentum is transferred on to the front wheel, which is typically ahead of where the bulk of the weight (the rider) is situated. "You can stop any type of board-device and stay on, as long as the friction between the board and the rider is great…

It's really not that difficult - you shift your weight all the way back, flex the rear knee into a very low stance with the front leg 'pushing back' against the deceleration. With proper technique you can brake almost as well as a bike.

Simply incorrect that you can get bike like braking safely, even using the described technique.

Edit: I really want to prove this, but the only way I can think of to do it is you buy one of these for $1200, I buy a bike for $1200 and we spend $1200 in airfares to meet somewhere and try it out. Perhaps someone with physics qualifications can weigh in?

Re: Boosted Boards (YC S12) Unveils Its Magical Electric Skateboard

#156

Post by jordn »

jdietrich wrote: post #82

These contraptions are illegal to use in public and if they become popular the laws against them will be enforced immediately, because they're incredibly dangerous. It is impossible to provide effective braking on a skateboard. The rider has absolutely no means of impeding their forward movement, so even if the board has effective brakes it's just going to throw them off. This is a minor problem if you're rolling aro…

I think they've just invented the first skateboard brake by having an electric motor on there. If you have your weight on your back foot (which is pretty natural so you don't get caught in pavement cracks etc) then it shouldn't necessarily throw the user off.

Re: Boosted Boards (YC S12) Unveils Its Magical Electric Skateboard

#158

Post by [deleted] »

mynameishere wrote: post #135
k33n wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At the risk of feeding the trolls, I'll bite. Who is this "obvious" to? Clearly not you, since you think it's a horrible idea. Electronic skateboards have been around for quite awhile, and until now, they've been very heavy and mostly impractical. Yet, they are a viable product in the market and popular enough that people are making money selling them. One of the reasons this product is a leap forward is because it's…

Simply stating that there is no place for this product on the sidewalk I'm not "simply stating" anything. Most municipalities have ordinances against powered vehicles on sidewalks. It's simple. It's straightforward. It's sensible. It's correct. I'm talking law and you're talking this guy's a troll . No. Please, please, please learn basic internet lingo before you abuse it. Please?

[deleted]

Re: Boosted Boards (YC S12) Unveils Its Magical Electric Skateboard

#159

Post by recursive »

dreeves wrote: post #89
jdietrich wrote: post #82

These contraptions are illegal to use in public and if they become popular the laws against them will be enforced immediately, because they're incredibly dangerous. It is impossible to provide effective braking on a skateboard. The rider has absolutely no means of impeding their forward movement, so even if the board has effective brakes it's just going to throw them off. This is a minor problem if you're rolling aro…

With the caveat that I'm not a skateboarder (I inline-skate), I don't think your assessment of the braking is right. As the brakes engage you shift your center of gravity back and you end up with, I reckon, even more stopping power than a bike, since you have more rubber-to-road surface area. The same applies to the "tiny rock pitches you forward" argument, which I can speak to from experience. On inline skates I can…

> since you have more rubber-to-road surface area

I don't see how that's possible with solid wheels with such a smaller diameter.

Re: Boosted Boards (YC S12) Unveils Its Magical Electric Skateboard

#160

Post by cocoflunchy »

malandrew wrote: post #146
guelo wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

SF actually has streets that reach over 30 deg incline.

37 degrees to be exact. Prentiss between Chapman and Powhatten

I think you must be mistaken. 37° is steeper than any road you've ever driven. It would be very hard to even walk !
Post reply on HN