If there was ever an invention that needs to be improved, it’s the skateboard. Those four wheels are totally superfluous. Improvements have been made, sometimes to interesting results. The Onewheel is the latest in foot-based transportation.

The Onewheel is an electrically-powered personal transportation device created by California-based company Future Motion. It features (you guessed it) a single wheel set inside a plank. The company’s Kickstarter page calls it “the self-balancing electric skateboard that gives you the feeling of flying.” While that statement may be a bit grandiose, this simple machine has some complex innards.

It’s 48V lithium nano-phosphate (LiFe PO4) battery gives it enough power for about a 20-minute quick ride, or up to two hours if charged longer. The custom self-balancing controller drives the 12″ wheel, along with a 500W direct drive motor. All of this allows the user to glide over the pavement at up to 12 MPH. Future Motion plans on improving the battery life, and you can slide in on a first-run Onewheel for about $1,400.

The post The Segway of Skateboards: 1-Wheel Self-Balancing Wonder first appeared on Gajitz.

Like skateboarding to work but hate carrying your briefcase along for the ride? Someone had to invent a solution eventually, and the Briefskate is that solution.

Invented by Alexei Novitzky, the Briefskate has a hinged top that opens up to reveal a shock-proof interior that can used to carry all of your important office accessories, including your laptop, phone, important papers, and other everyday necessities.

The interior chamber is lined and, honestly, looks a little like a tiny coffin. But it protects your stuff and lets you continue to ride your skateboard to work without the danger of a backpack throwing off your balance.

There’s always the risk of a wipeout hurting the precious cargo inside, but that risk also exists when you carry a bag while skating. Made in both short and long configurations, the Briefskate might just be the next big thing among tech-savvy business people who also happen to love skateboarding.

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Daredevil skaters have been riding their skateboards down stairs probably since the day after skateboards were invented. Now, finally, someone has created one that is actually meant to do that.

Po-Chi Lai, a Royal College of Art graduate, invented Stair Rover by subtly tweaking the classic design. He simply added another wheel to each corner, turning a skateboard into an eight-wheel deal.

Those extra four wheels work to keep the skateboard stable and level as it goes down a flight of stairs. The chassis is flexible and sort of snakes down the stairs in a surprisingly graceful movement.

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Traditional skateboards are little more than a few wheels attached to a piece of wood, and that’s probably part of the reason for their overwhelming popularity. But what about when you need to save your leg power for surfing or rock climbing or whatever other extreme sport you’re going to be doing once you get to where you’re going? Fiik Skateboards has a line of powered skateboards that will not only get you there without depleting your precious leg power; they’ll also make you look like a total badass on the way.

The Big Daddy model features huge tires that can easily take you off-road and a 800-watt lithium battery that will take you a little over 18 miles on a single charge. The top speed for this monster is about 23 MPH, which would probably be a little terrifying when there’s nothing between you and the pavement. You can take a little comfort in the fact that the board also features ABS brakes. But one of the most interesting points of the Big Daddy’s design is that you control it with a hand-held remote control – just make sure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands or you could find yourself being taken on a truly wild ride.

The post Bone-Crushing Board: Super-Tough Open-Air Off Roading first appeared on Gajitz.

The greatest things about skateboards are their extreme mobility and portability, but there’s always room for improvement – even in the most tried-and-true designs. The FreeRider SkateCycle from Brooklyn Workshop takes the nimble skateboard and turns it into an even better transportation device. The hubless skateboard features a flexible midsection, letting it flex and bend with the user’s body movements.

The flexibility of the FreeRider’s middle means that it’s simple to round corners or navigate crowded city streets. It weighs a mere 7.3 pounds and can bend in the middle to sit on the shoulder, leaving both hands free when you’re walking around.

The FreeRider definitely has an appealing aesthetic…but will it appeal to die-hard skateboarders? It isn’t capable of performing all of the tricks that skaters love to perform due to the rider’s feet resting inside of the wheel rings. But for getting around campus, zipping quickly to work or just getting out for a bit of sightseeing, the FreeRide looks like a simply cool way to haul your body. It’s not just a concept, either: the FreeRider Skatecycle is available now for around $150.

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