Nobody wants to accept this sad fact, but eventually, you have to say goodbye to an old friend. Nothing lasts forever, as they say, and, regrettably, your favorite electric Skateboard is no exception.
It hurts, but that’s just how the beast is. Consumable parts and components that eventually wear out with use make up electric Skateboards.
So, the question is, which components—the battery, trucks, bearings, wheels, deck, or motors—are most likely in need of replacement?
Naturally, this relies on your riding technique, the terrain, how often you use the Skateboard, and the quality of the Skateboard’s construction. Let’s shed some light on what factors play a part in deteriorating the life of your electric Skateboard.
Factors Affecting Electric Skateboard’s Life
Four key factors will determine the life of your Skateboard, and they are as follows:
1. The riding style of the user
We all ride differently; some ride their skateboards rashly, some are speed freaks whereas some prefer their safety and ride at an average speed, some take their time out for maintenance of their scooter while others treat it like a machine. These elements affect the stress placed on your Skateboard, its components, and its parts.
2. The biking conditions in the area
The longevity of an electric Skateboard will also depend on the riding circumstances in the area. When using an all-terrain Skateboard, rough surfaces like pavement or roads, railroad tracks, loose stones, water, sand, dust, or dirt, can eventually wear out your Skateboard.
3. Use the Skateboard regularly
Those who commute or use their electric Skateboards regularly are more likely to utilize them frequently than weekend warriors or riders who only occasionally use their Skateboards for popping into the neighborhood store. Naturally, sections of a Skateboard will wear down more quickly the more it is utilized.
4. The manufacturing quality of the board comes last
As opposed to more expensive electric skateboards, cheap boards typically come at a price; their parts are more likely to wear out sooner simply because they weren’t made from durable raw materials.
Parts and Components that determine its life
Some components are more likely to break down or wear out from repeated use, indicating that sooner replacement is necessary.
However, there is some positive news, so disregard that. You can give your electric Skateboard the most extended life possible by giving it routine maintenance, servicing, a little tender loving care, and some plain old-fashioned elbow grease.
Let’s now talk about the components that determine an electric skateboard’s life and what components can be replaced to ensure an extended life of your Skateboard.
1. Bearings
The bearings on your board are most prone to deteriorate quicker than any other part. To be honest, it sucks that hub motor bearings and wheel bearings will both degrade over time and become less freely moving.
Seized or stiff bearings need the motors and battery to work more to propel the board forward. This, thus, impacts the maximum speed, acceleration, and range of your board.
2. Battery
Most lithium-ion batteries used in electric skateboards have a lifespan of two to three years, depending on usage and manufacturing standards, around 1,000 complete charges, as a rule of thumb.
Since lithium-ion batteries are expensive, they account for a sizable portion of the cost of an electric skateboard. So, having to spend a few hundred dollars on a replacement is annoying. Fortunately, electric skateboard batteries can typically be changed relatively quickly.
3. Truck Bushes
Additionally, the bushes that isolate the truck’s hanger from the baseplate frequently require replacement or adjustment. A quick replacement of these bushes will enable riders to get a more comfortable feel to suit their riding style or body weight.
Choosing the proper or wrong trucks can be made between utterly disliking how a board feels and completely adoring it.
So, choosing the appropriate bushes for your riding style is crucial. Therefore, it is essential to replace these bushes as they become worn.
4. Deck
Whether or not you’ll need to order a replacement depends on the type of deck material your board has and how much abuse you give it to gutters and its likes.
Although it is less likely to occur with an electric skateboard than with a traditional skateboard, traditional skateboard decks are frequently subjected to considerably harder treatment. Occasionally, an electric skateboard replacement deck is needed.
Decks constructed of wood are much more prone to fail than ones made of carbon fiber or durable plastic. Wooden decks are prone to cracking and chipping between the layers of wood that make up the deck of a board.
You have to move every component over to the new deck, which is a pain. It’s better to replace it than to continue using a board whose deck is about to break. After all, you get some; you lose some. To prolong the life of your scooter, you’ll have to take these steps.
Final Thoughts
Your electric Skateboard will last an impressively long time with routine maintenance and a little TLC. You should be good to go for a very long time as long as the build quality is there and you don’t ride it off a bridge into the water.
Electric skateboards are generally made to last, and the parts and components that need replacement are typically made to be changed without causing any difficulty or pain to the rider.
I hope the above article helps clear any confusion or questions you might’ve had about the life of your scooter. Replace the worn-out parts for extended life, and you should be good to go.
Happy Riding!
