Hoverboards are the coolest high-tech innovation to make mobility much easier and fun. Just get on the self-balancing scooter, and lean over whatever direction you want to go at your desired pace. It offers long hours of traveling experience which no one can ever get enough of.
The hoverboards have gained massive popularity among teens and adults, who love enjoying music while traveling on a stylist segway. Some tech lovers are concerned with its speed and question how fast do hoverboards go?
Well, different companies are manufacturing a range of models that vary in quality, features, and speed. Some brands use low-quality material in the construction of these hoverboards and they can’t satisfy the needs of riders, while other well-known brands are providing the best models for both experts and beginners to ride at whatever speed they wish.
Therefore, before buying a hoverboard it is important to do some homework and research beforehand about the best hoverboards especially for kids as well as for adults. Some hoverboards may provide the fastest speed but their durability and safety are questionable.
For your ease, we have cut down a list of the top 3 safest yet fastest hoverboards available out there!
Apart from these, there are many other models available that assure safety but do not satisfy the rider’s speedy need. Also, how fast a hoverboard should go, depends upon the age, comfort, and skills of the rider for a specific model.
Young riders usually urge to ride at high speed right out of their gate but lack basic skills. For them, almost all hoverboards have a default setting of training mode so that youngsters could master maintaining body balance at a slower speed and get ready for a higher level. And for experts, they also have an expert option and let them sway at max speed on and off-road by simply changing the setting.
How fast a Hoverboard can go?
The speed limit of hoverboards ranges from 6 to 13 mph (miles per hour). There are various other things that determine the speed of a hoverboard including the rider’s weight, terrain, power motor, and wheel size of the electric scooter. On average a self-balancing scooter has a speed of 6 to 8 mph. The faster hoverboards always feature bigger wheels to go off-road and a powerful Li-ion Lithium Battery to blast the speed up to 9 to 12 mph.
Learn to Control Before Riding
It’s essential to learn first before riding segway at the top speed. Otherwise, there are high chances of accidents and a speedy ride will probably end up embarrassing yet painful. Fortunately, there are some best models in the market that have safety features for such young enthusiasts. The learning mode helps the beginners to practice hoverboard control and balancing before taking off the electric scooter.
Factors that affect the Hoverboard Speed
There are many factors that contribute to the fast speed of a hoverboard. These factors are discussed below.
Riders’ Weight
The weight of riders matters a lot! Check the maximum weight load for your segway in its guide. The body weight must not exceed the mentioned limit or it will cause irreversible damage to your expansive hoverboard. Also, heavier weight slows down the smart electric scooter a bit and damages the battery as it requires more energy to drive the self-balancing scooter. If you want fast performance then get the one that could handle your body weight.
Type of Terrain
Another important factor that affects the speed of a hoverboard is the road condition and the type of terrain you throw your segway to enjoy riding. Not all hoverboards are designed for all-terrain types. There are two basic types of hoverboards; standard ones and off-road hoverboards.
The standard ones that come with smaller wheels are designed to run over plain roads whereas the off-road hoverboards have bigger wheels that make them fit to hover over all kinds of terrain including carpet at a high speed. If you try to ride with a standard hoverboard on different terrain, it would wobble and stuck a lot with much-reduced speed. So, it is recommended to travel on a solid dry surface for optimal performance and to avoid unwanted risks.
Read More: Can you ride a Hoverboard on grass?
It might seem fun to kids and young teens to ride their coolest segway through puddles, splashing water either way like a hero. But, the hoverboard is an electric vehicle with a powerful battery and a bunch of wires. On getting wet, it can cause an electric shock to them. So, avoid all such risky conditions while riding as it won’t only be risky but will badly affect the speedy performance of your hi-tech hoverboard.
Battery Charge: Since the hoverboard is an electrical vehicle that requires continuous power to keep the segway going on for hours and the rechargeable batteries are the only source of its energy. Therefore the speed of the hoverboards greatly depends on the quality and power of the battery. The bigger the better, batteries with more power will ensure the faster speed compared to less powered ones. Also, the Li-ion Lithium batteries are the most powerful batteries used in hoverboards yet but with more energy, these highly powered batteries could increase the risk of blow-ups by overheating. But luckily, you can eliminate the risks of exploding by following precautionary steps.
Along with battery quality, the battery charge affects the riding performance. The less charged batteries reduce the speed gradually. Therefore, it is recommended to charge the hoverboard completely for optimal performance but doesn’t store it right after charging. Take the hoverboard out and ride for some time to keep the charging quite low for storing. If you let your fully charged hoverboard lying around especially in a warmer environment, then there might be chances for them to catch fire.
For faster speed, charge the segway for 24hours. When it is fully charged but you’re not in the mood to take it out then unplug the switch and turn the hoverboard off or the battery will be drained.
The Need for Hoverboard Speed
After mastering the basic skills, you will be ready to try some tricks with your hoverboard. But keep in mind, the speed also depends on the model and its wheel. You can switch the mode to expert level but don’t expect its speed to be blasting with certain limitations of that hoverboard model. There are other things to keep in mind to attain the optimal speed:
- Inclined surfaces slow down the vehicle and require more energy to keep pushing upward.
- Don’t expect the segway to run at fast speed on an uneven, gravel surface or dense grassy terrain.
- When moving down the hill or slow, the speed can get out of control so be careful!
- Drive on straight paved roads for max speed.
Best Practice to Ride a Hoverboard
Safety first, it is very crucial to take precautionary measures to ensure your safety before riding. Many young riders avoid these safety measures and end up meeting terrible accidents with a blasted hoverboard. If you take expert advice, they will recommend you to take personal safety very seriously while riding a hoverboard. Additionally, many countries have enforced stringent laws for hoverboard usage in public. So, watch out and be careful or you will end up in jail.
- Always wear a helmet to protect your head from chronic injuries.
- Never ride in heavy rain or merge your hoverboard in deep puddles.
- Avoid uneven, thick grassy, and sloppy terrain.
- Practice a lot to balance perfectly.
- Never leave your segway fully charged and lying down in a hot room or under the sun.
Final Words
Going at an accelerating speed might seem magical but it can get dangerous for new riders. So, practice more and more on learning mode before trying expert level because the thrill is not more important than your safety. Also, you must consider all essential factors before getting a smart electric scooter that could affect the riding experience and speed and Must practice the safety measures while riding.
Further Reading: Why does my Hoverboard keep beeping? How to fix it.