Electric Skateboards: The Diary of a Noob

I am not a skater.

I have been on a push board, I can balance, and could probably go in a straight line but that’s about it. So when I got on an Evolve electric skateboard for the first time, I was terrified.

My first few attempts I was thrown off the board - which was only slightly more embarrassing because I had an audience of strangers watching me. (Electric boards tend to gather crowds of people).

We quickly realised I had my Evolve in the wrong mode and once that was sorted I was golden.

I would be riding the GTR Carbon, which has a phenomenal amount of power. More than I thought an e-board could reasonably have. I hit a speed of 30km/h while going uphill. Even so, it’s easier to ride than a push skateboard.

Getting to understand how to accelerate, how to change gear, and how to brake is child’s play. The skateboard is dead easy to control. When I wanted it to go, it would go. When I wanted it to turn, the board would turn. When I wanted it to stop, it stopped.

Many times the board felt like an extension of my body. In a very real sense riding an Evolve skateboard is like land surfing. It’s addictive.

Not to mention it’s devilishly fun.

Within only 30 minutes I felt comfortable enough to ride around the roads and sidewalks of Cape Town. I didn’t fall off and never felt out of control.

The battery life of the GTR Series is remarkable. After my practice time, my riding partner and I rode from De Waterkant, around Greenpoint, Seapoint, through Bantry Bay, past Clifton, and back into Gardens via Kloof Road. We rode well over 15km and still had battery life to spare.

Kids stopped us - wanting to try and wanting to know where they could get their own board. But the best part was the look on the people’s faces in the cars driving past. They couldn’t quite believe it. And, truthfully, I couldn’t either.

After we got back into town, we sat down, and I realised that I had worked up quite a sweat. I was pumped. I felt energised. And I felt happy.

I had a massive smile on my face for the rest of the day. It was an incredible feeling to get outside, get some fresh air, and to see Cape Town in a way that I had never seen before.

Skating has evolved. And so, yeah, maybe I am a skater after all. So can you.