What is a 2 in 1 Electric Skateboard?
What is a 2 in 1 Electric Skateboard / longboard?
An electric board that can be easily converted from a street board to an all-terrain board, or from an all-terrain board to a street board. This is an electric skateboard that isn’t limited to one type of wheel or one type of riding – you can customize it with different wheels that suit your needs and riding style.
The difference between street boards and all-terrain boards are the wheels – A street board will have traditional longboard wheels or something similar & an all-terrain board will have larger all-terrain wheels that can come in many shapes and sizes.
Changing the wheels
The change is usually quick and relatively easy – especially if you have some experience in performing the conversion. Most 2 in 1 boards are belt-drive. When converting a belt-drive board you’ll require different wheels, belts and pulleys. You’ll also need a skate-tool to remove the wheels and an allen key to loosen the bolts on the motors / motor mounts. This quick video shows you how to remove the drive wheel and loosen the motors, so you can install new wheels, belts, pulleys on your 2 in 1 board:
The electric skateboard industry is constantly changing and riders can now convert direct-drive boards from street to all-terrain. When making the conversion on a direct-drive board, you’ll require different wheels and different adapters to attach to the motors. Most direct-drive boards feature ABEC or Kegel adapters, but we also sell an all-terrain wheel kit with adapters that make it easy to install all-terrain wheels on your direct-drive board.
You’ll also need the skate-tool for removing the wheels and Allen key for removing the adapters. Here’s a video from us, showing how to convert a direct-drive board from street to all-terrain:
Can a hub-drive board be classified as a two in one electric skateboard? Technically, no. Hub-drive boards are generally made for street use and most hub-drive boards aren’t built for off-road terrain, but this doesn’t mean that riders don’t take them off-road.
Like we mentioned earlier, the industry is constantly changing and hub board owners can now purchase 105mm and 120mm wheels kits which include sleeves to be installed over the hub motor and make the off-road ride more comfortable. When compared to a true 2 in 1 belt-drive electric skateboard, there’s no contest – a true 2 in 1 belt drive electric skateboard with 150mm – 175mm pneumatic wheels will provide a smoother ride and more torque for off-road surfaces
The benefits of All-Terrain Riding
Having the freedom to ride wherever you want, whenever you want, is a liberating feeling! Being restricted to riding your board on just streets and sidewalks can get old. Skateboarding and longboarding has changed a lot over the years and now we have the ability to ride everywhere on 2 in 1 electric skateboards.
Has your ride ever been cut short because you ran out of street to ride on? You encountered a dirt or gravel trail on your ride and said ‘Nope, my board won’t go there.’ Well here’s the huge benefit you’ll have on a 2 in 1 board! You’ll be able to swap your wheels out and ride that trail! And if you already have the all-terrain wheels installed, you’ll be able to continue riding straight on the trail with no stopping to change wheels.
After your first ride off-road, we can almost guarantee you’ll be hooked! Riding off-road is a totally different experience from street riding, especially if the area you live in has some dirt trails with twists and turns and built in berms!
The main aspect that makes riding off-road different from street riding is the lack of stability and grip. When riding on gravel, dirt or grass you tend to lose stability and have less control over the board. Are you asking yourself ‘how is this fun!? This sounds terrifying!’ We understand your reluctance and it can be a learning curb trying to gain more control over a board, when in fact, you have much less control on these surfaces.
The fact is that boards can slide easier on gravel and dirt when you’re turning because the terrain is loose. This can feel a little sketchy, but it also produces a floating that you don’t really get when you’re riding on pavement.
When you’re sliding back and forth and have less control, the ride is less predictable and really gives the rider a lot of room to play around with sliding the board and learning how to master the board on loose terrain and under unpredictable circumstances. This type of riding is guaranteed to make you a more skilled rider with time and practice. Riding on pavement will be a breeze after ripping off-road trails.
Can you see how this could make you a better rider? You’re riding your board at 30 km/h over loose rocks and you see a turn coming up! Your brain has to think quickly – What do I do?
You now have to perform a number of tasks in quick succession to ensure you don’t wipe-out and you find out what’s around the upcoming turn!
First task: Pull the toggle back on your remote to slow the board down.
Second task: Think about which way you’re going to lean to execute this turn and ride it out smoothly. (Experience carving / turning on snowboard will help you in this situation)
Third task: Take the turn while hoping you have the right amount of speed, so the board doesn’t slide on the loose rocks and put you on your ass.
Forth task: You made it out of the turn and now you’re viewing what’s waiting for you on the other side of the bend and you have to prepare for the rest of the trail.
I can tell you from experience that this is an exhilarating feeling! You know the quote “You don’t grow when you’re comfortable”? Here’s the perfect example.
Your first couple of off-road rides are going to be a little uncomfortable, but you’ll soon find yourself pushing the toggle down to accelerate on the dirt and taking the turns faster while leaning into them and accelerating out of them like a pro!
But riding all-terrain is about more than just the feeling it gives you inside, it’s also about how your board feels with these wheels installed. All-terrain wheels glide over obstructions much easier than street wheels.
Rocks, sticks and other obstructions aren’t a match when you install and ride on bigger all-terrain wheels that are designed for off-road use. Pneumatic (inflatable) wheels provide the smoothest off-road ride out of any electric skateboard wheels.
We can’t forget about street riding
Street riding started this gangsta sh*t and this is the thanks it gets? Personally, I was riding off-road so much that I forgot how fun cruising on street wheels was until I went out riding with a friend who has street wheels on his board. Let’s go over some of the benefits of converting your 2 in 1 electric skateboard into a street board.
- 90mm longboard wheels have a wider contact patch to the pavement in comparison to larger off-road wheels. This means more of the wheel’s surface area is in contact with the ground when riding. This provides the rider with more stability.
- Because street wheels have a smaller diameter, the rider is closer to the ground and has a lower center of gravity. This provides beginners with more stability and leaves them feeling safer.
- Carving!!! Traditional longboard wheels are one of the best wheels to practice and perfect carving with. There are so many options for longboard wheels with different hardness ratings (durometer). The lower the durometer, the softer the wheel is. Softer wheels generally grip the pavement better, so you can carve hard and take turns fast without having to worry about the board sliding / loosing traction.
- Soft street wheels have tons of grip on pavement – it’s hard to break traction and slide or lose control when riding on these wheels. Harder street wheels won’t have as much grip and will give you the ability to slide – these are great if you want to learn how to power slide on pavement. Street wheels have a large contact patch, so you won’t tip the board over when trying these stunts. The street wheels we have available are 78A, which is a good all around wheel that will provide you with lots of grip.
- Street wheels are OG! If you’ve been skating or longboarding for years or decades and you want that classic feel that you’ve loved for so long when you started riding on your first board, then you’ll love what you know and what you know is the ride and feel of traditional longboard wheels.
- Street wheels are usually lighter than all-terrain wheels. A lighter board means it’s easier to maneuver and carry when you need to pick it up and walk with it.
Customizing 2 in 1 boards
Who doesn’t love owning something unique that no one else has? It’s human nature to want to stand out! Owning a 2 in 1 electric skateboard allows you to customize it with different wheels & different size pulleys, if it’s a belt-drive board.
There are so many different styles and types of wheels on the market in 2023. If color is your thing and you want to stand out and make your board truly unique, you can find wheels in almost any color you can imagine. Check out the 6” airless all-terrain wheels we have, available in red, black, pink and yellow.
Outside of the color and look of the wheels, you can customize your 2 in 1 electric skateboard with wheels that will make the ride quality different. Like we mentioned earlier, all-terrain wheels come in many shapes and sizes. All-terrain wheels come in both pneumatic and airless.
If you like the fact that airless wheels are low maintenance and puncture resistant, then you can install and ride on those. The possibilities for choosing the wheels that will provide the feel and ride you require on your board are nearly endless – there are so many different types and styles of wheels out now.
Want to customize the torque and speed of your board? Well you can with different size wheels and pulleys!
Wheels and pulleys will directly affect how much power and speed your 2 in 1 belt-drive board generates. Changing the pulleys only applies to belt-drive boards – larger or smaller pulleys on a belt-drive board will directly influence the torque and speed you feel.
A larger pulley used on the same size wheel will create more torque for your board. A smaller pulley will give your board better top end performance.
Since a direct-drive board doesn’t use pulleys, its speed and power is influenced merely by the size of the wheels installed on the board. Bigger wheels on direct-drive and hub-drive boards are going to take longer to get moving, so the rider will feel less torque from a stopped position.
Choosing the best 2 in 1 board for me
How do you know what 2 in 1 electric skateboard is best for you? You’ll want to ask yourself a number of questions, like:
What’s my price range?
There are 2 in 1 boards that are considered budget all-terrain electric longboards and others that are considered high-performance (intermediate to pro rider). What category do you fall into? How much power and speed do you need?
What brand should I go with?
There are many different brands in the market – how do I choose? Many electric skateboard companies appear from thin air and then disappear just as quickly. Choosing a brand that has been around for a few years, has good customer support and positive reviews from customers are some key points you’ll want to base your decision on. Check out the positive reputation we’ve built over the years, here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/y9cF8uiKTD5AZUS46
Do I choose a belt-drive or direct drive board
Like we mentioned earlier – the industry is constantly changing and 2 in 1 electric skateboards are not only available in belt-drive, but you can also easily convert direct drive boards to all-terrain boards.
Do I want a carbon fiber deck or a wooden deck?
Deciding between a carbon or wooden deck will come down to a number of factors. The first may be your weight – Carbon fiber decks usually have a higher maximum weight limit – like ours which has a 340 pound weight limit. In comparison, our bamboo deck has a weight limit of 265 lbs. You’ll get some flexibility on the bamboo deck which is fun when turning and carving. The carbon deck is much more durable than the bamboo deck – we’ve put it through rigorous testing and it’s very difficult to break. Check out this video, showing our carbon deck on Summit XT being ridden under duress:
How far does my board need to ride without dying?
This goes back to the first question and your budget. The more expensive the board the bigger the battery it will have. Price will also determine speed and power. If you’re going on long commutes and need to get where you’re going fast, then you may have to increase your budget to get the performance you require.
Does Shaboardz sell 2 in 1 boards?
YES, we specialize in 2 in 1 boards. Our Summit Series electric longboards are both 2 in 1 boards. Our Summit series includes two unique boards – one budget and one high performance.
Our budget 2 in 1 board – which is called Summit – features a bamboo deck and comes stock with airless all-terrain wheels. Our high-performance model in this series – called ‘Summit XT’ – features a carbon fiber deck and pneumatic wheels.
Are there any downfalls to purchasing a 2 in 1 board?
We believe it’s hard to go wrong with a 2 in 1 electric skateboard, but there’s no doubt that a traditional electric skateboard may be better for some. Why might a traditional board work better for you? Well let’s consider a couple of aspects here:
- Budget
The cheapest boards on the market won’t be 2 in 1 boards. If you want an electric skateboard at a low price, then you’ll want to consider a hub-drive board. This is a practical choice for those who are beginners to electric skateboarding.
- Work & maintenance
Changing wheels, pulleys, belts, adapters, tubes, etc. not your vibe? We understand! You just want a board that you can hop on and go – you don’t care about customizing, you just wanna ride!
Conclusion
We know this is a lot of information to digest all at once. We gave you a breakdown of different types of two in one boards and how they can benefit you. We also provided links to other articles that will help you understand more about how different wheels and drivetrains will affect the performance of an electric skateboard / electric longboard.
We’re here to educate you, even if you’re not purchasing from us. E-skate has brought us tons of joy throughout the years and we want to spread that to others and get as many people as possible riding!
