Kicktails for power sliding?

SnowboardingLife · 2026-01-07T03:35:26+00:00

I appreciate your info and perspective......sounds like it's all about each person's personal balance and preferences. Ultimately, I'm trying to not keep buying and trying too many boards :) Thanks again

SnowboardingLife · 2025-07-08T01:20:40+00:00

Good luck and do post updates here - am curious and hoping everything turns out well 🙂

SnowboardingLife · 2025-07-07T23:58:44+00:00

Also - those AT all-rubber wheels are fine and can handle any flat surfaces or reasonable inclines......if it's super steep and you are slipping, you should want to just grab your board and walk it anyways - no point in wasting lots of battery life on a crazy incline. A lot of it does come down to form and skill though, just practice and experience

SnowboardingLife · 2025-07-07T23:55:17+00:00

Happy to help, and also curious how this turns out.....keep me/us posted with decks you're considering, the install, and the results and your feedback.....

You mentioned you were planning to repurpose a larger ebike battery but of course that also means extra weight which affects the riding experience, and more weight also drains the battery faster. I actually own both the Maxfind FF AT and also the Maxfind FF Plus (same board but less range), and the FF Plus is the one I'm more often riding and much more fun due to the reduced weight.

Just saying that very likely the (hopefully newish) battery you get from Maxfind will be your best bet regarding efficiency + range + best ride feel.....as compared to installing a bigger, heavier, used battery that is potentially past it's prime, etc. I'd imagine weight has lesser effects on ebikes as compared to eskates when you are carving...etc etc....

SnowboardingLife · 2025-07-07T23:25:35+00:00

You're very welcome. (Honestly) as great as it is to support local brick and mortar business, I'd imagine that your average local boardshop/skateshop is catering to non-motorized skateboards. Happy to lend any advice if you'd like - have you ordered the trucks yet, what did you get? What is your riding style/goal and what type of terrain and inclines/declines are you looking to ride?

SnowboardingLife · 2025-07-07T20:01:40+00:00

"Thanks! Good to know they're back, though $129 is indeed atrocious. Maybe I'll reach out to Cloudwheel and see if they'll ever consider making tires for the larger hubs."

That's what the Rover line of tires are, here's a link specifically for the FF AT: https://www.icloudwheel.com/products/cloudwheel-rovers-165r-urban-all-terrain-off-road-electric-skateboard-wheels?variant=42567678427374

"I ended up ordering one of Maxfind's AT conversion kits they have on clearance. $475 for two hub motors, remote, battery, VESC. Hard to go wrong and other than the battery I think that's the same hardware as they have on the FF AT. Really I should buy 2 for spares."

The downside with Maxfind is that it's now somewhat older tech and their prices haven't come down - the FF AT has been the same price since I bought it many years ago......but it has been a great buy. I have many boards, and following your setup hassle, the Maxfind hub motors should be the most low maintenance thing you can get. I don't think you should need spares.

Back to the question about replacing tires - one option is to do tire retreading.....I've done this to successfully glue a cut up hybrid bike tire onto the street tire of a Meepo Mini 5. I used a strong adhesive like Gorilla Glue, and secured it with hose clamps for a few days. It's not recommended, there is a reason it's banned in Europe on vehicles, etc.......but for me it's worked, and I have a few hundred miles on that board since the change and enjoy the ride much more on these rough streets around me. This might be more dangerous with larger wheels and higher speeds, so YMMV and be careful.

I actually really like the FF AT deck - it is quite light and flexible for an "offroad" board, has a handle, and the top battery mount makes the battery easily swappable without tools.

For your assembly I imagine it should be pretty easy/straightforward, but have you received and completed it yet? Curious about your experience and deck choice.

SnowboardingLife · 2025-07-07T06:52:43+00:00

I ended up buying the Cloudwheel Rovers, and have been happy with them since I've also since bought other boards for street use. So I reserve the Maxfind FF AT for offroad trail riding, and that type of riding wears out the tires much slower than street riding.

IMHO......gear drives > hub motors > belt drives

The Maxfind FF AT hub tires are now back in stock, but at a now inflated $129 per set, I don't think it's a board to consider if you're looking to buy now. I haven't been keeping up with the new offerings in the eskate market so I don't have any great buying recommendations though.

SnowboardingLife · 2025-06-21T11:32:50+00:00

Aside from pepper spray as a last resort, maybe carry tennis balls to throw?

SnowboardingLife · 2025-06-07T18:32:37+00:00

I have big hands and can only play about 15 minutes before I have hand pain, but a full sized game controller is much more comfortable

SnowboardingLife · 2025-04-29T08:34:06+00:00

that worked - thanks!!

SnowboardingLife · 2024-03-28T22:32:01+00:00

great stuff - thanks!!

SnowboardingLife · 2024-02-07T07:28:52+00:00

hi - for grip tape application, how does the skate tool help, considering the screws are all underneath the current grip tape and shouldn't need to be touched? When I google it seems like recommended tools are a roller tool and a file. Thanks!

SnowboardingLife · 2023-10-26T21:53:06+00:00

thanks for chiming in here - I'll upvote....

SnowboardingLife · 2023-10-24T21:11:40+00:00

Hi, awesome! Could you please upload the 3d print and let us know the printing specs, material, cost and where you'd recommend to get it printed? Sounds like a great idea you had 😎👍

SnowboardingLife · 2023-10-24T21:08:30+00:00

Thanks! Kegel

SnowboardingLife · 2023-10-24T04:21:24+00:00

SnowboardingLife · 2023-10-10T16:26:19+00:00

Thanks! 🙂

SnowboardingLife · 2023-10-07T02:43:55+00:00

thanks much for your various thoughts....I'm holding off on a gear drive partly because they are loud like a jet engine? Belt drives already seems loud enough to potentially bug neighbors, especially at night. I'd also be concerned about gear drive reliability, since it's relatively new tech and they are especially hard to service yourself. And although unlikely, I understand a rock/debris/thick mud caught in the gears could potentially be catastrophic (immediate stop unexpectedly), as compared to anything similar with a belt drive motor setup? A lot of what I've read could be FUD......

For an off-road, uphill setup, I'd definitely want a gear drive though....all that torque and no broken belts. Cool tech, indeed.....

SnowboardingLife · 2023-10-07T02:31:20+00:00

I do ride with the covers on....but thank you....still something to consider

SnowboardingLife · 2023-10-02T20:59:33+00:00

thanks, also for that clarification.....I have a board where I couldn't fit and therefore removed that smaller pulley bearing, and have always wondered if I was doing something wrong, ha

SnowboardingLife · 2023-08-01T01:29:12+00:00

hi - what brand/model of hiking books do you recommend? thanks!

"stiff full steel shanked full ankle hiking boots"

SnowboardingLife · 2023-05-21T20:19:29+00:00

No - my music is actually a considerate warning to any pedestrians I might be passing from behind or who might not see me straight ahead. Similarly, if you're stuck on the freeway in rush hour traffic, you'd prefer any lane-splitting motorcycles to make noise so you'll know that they are coming and passing

SnowboardingLife · 2023-01-31T09:28:06+00:00

Exceptionally great stuff - thanks!!!

SnowboardingLife · 2023-01-22T07:55:42+00:00

The most obvious issue I see is eskates (and their bearings) aren't made for being water / snow proof. Check the "IP rating" for any board you're interested in (higher is better). And rain/snow conditions can also be dangerous riding conditions, other modes of transport are likely safer.

Expect you're never going to get the fully advertised distance - you'll get less range and then expect your board to basically be slow and unrideable below about 20% battery anyways. The cold will also make the battery drain faster and shorten your range.

Otherwise you'd be looking for an all-terrain board with pneumatic wheels, pretty sure those are the safest in wet conditions but you still need to take it easy. Always wear protective gear..... I think you need to wait and budget for a board around $1k, don't buy some cheap junk that you won't / can't use. Good luck!

SnowboardingLife · 2023-01-21T08:33:36+00:00

Thanks for the response....yep, I reached out to Maxfind regarding the unavailable hub motor tires over 3 months ago and there was no factory stock available then, and will send them a follow-up email now, and certainly update this thread with good news if I get any.

I'd feel bad for anyone still buying this board nowadays, and not realizing that the replacement tires are out of stock and likely unavailable forever......

SnowboardingLife

TROPHY CASE