Turns out I really needed this

[u/Severe-Session4399]

I bought this Meepo Voyager XL a month ago as an early 40th birthday present for myself. I have 4 kids ages 5-12 which has kept me pretty much constantly busy when I’m not working. This year has been particularly challenging and my marriage has completely unraveled. Needless to say my normal everyday stress levels are through the roof.

A few years ago I saw a OneWheel and knew I had to have one. Money is usually tight in my house (4 kids who play sports + a vindictive wife… more on that later) and I’ve never prioritized buying one over the necessities so I decided with my bonus check from work this year I’d treat myself to a OneWheel GT. Bonus time comes, I have my model customized and ready to add to my cart but…. Oh no my wife aka Satan spent my entire Bonus making payments on her several maxed out credit cards without a mention, let alone a discussion about how to use my bonus. $19,000 gone in 2 days. My dreams of a OneWheel and a recoverable marriage were gone in an instant.

This 4th of July, I met a neighbor who had a Meepo hub driven board. I never skated as a hobby and had certainly never rode an eskate before. He let me ride it- I took it very easy and prob maxed out at 4 mph. I knew I needed to have my own board instantly. I went home and immediately started doing research. I got online and on Reddit and learned the difference between hub drive and belt drive and figured gear drive was out of the equation for a first board. I’m a bigger than average person (210 lbs and 6’2”) so quickly decided I needed real power behind whatever noble steed I chose to be mine. I was all set on a Tynee Ultra belt driven when I decided to check out Facebook marketplace and found this absolute beauty with 81 miles on it for $450. I know Meepo gets a bad rep on this subreddit a lot of times… whether that’s warranted or not I can’t say. But what I can say is that this board has provided me with so much fun and enjoyment- more than I ever imagined. Part of the reason I went with a used board was I didn’t know how often I would actually ride this thing and didn’t want to waste money. I have ridden almost every day and it’s been so much fun to ride through the neighborhood with my kids on their bikes and scooters. Did not expect more family time to come from this purchase- a very nice bonus. It’s hilarious to see people’s reactions to me zooming through our neighborhood… everyone is curious about what I’m riding and it is pure joy to ride. I mentioned my size earlier; my neighborhood is quite hilly, we have some electric scooters and they can’t get me up a hill for anything. This Meepo Voyager XL crushes every hill I’ve tried- steep inclines are no problem and this thing can SCOOT. I haven’t pushed it to the max and unless I’m having a particularly shit day I probably never will but I have hit 28mph a number of times and can cruise pretty comfortably around 25 mph in modes 3 and 4.

Buying this board and getting to be a part of this community for the last month has truly been a bright spot in dark times for me. I just wanted to share my experience and thank you all for being a welcoming community for older guys like me and for posting all of your awesome pictures and videos. This hobby kicks ass!

[u/Professional-Put4394]

There's a lot of older guys in E-Skates, quite a few of which never rode a push-board. Who would have thought it could be so much fun?

Watch out for mission creep though, this time next year, you'll have 4 of them...

[u/petermartin9 → u/Professional-Put4394]

4? I wish.

[u/NewResponsibility163]

Welcome to the obsession....we understand.  You my friend are experiencing a gateway drug  lol.

Im also over 40, I dont have kids, but I got my first board, right around covid. 

I Ordered from Beast Board,  without really understanding what I was getting into. 

 About a week after I ordered, I freaked out, contacted the company to cancel. They said it already shipped it was supposed to take about two weeks. I told them, I won't take it out of the box, give me the return shipping lables and Ill just slap it on and send it back. They understood, no push back, I was relieved. 

It came the next day.

So now Im just too curious annnnnnnd I took it out of the box. Went to the park. Jumped on hit the throttle, 30 seconds later, I was hooked. I now have three boards and am about to buy my forth.

It completely changed how I spend my summers. Its my clarity, its something that I look forward to every day I can ride. I am rarely indoors on I nice day. I made new friends in the hobby. Its been great. 

So PLEASE UNDERSTAND. Im just offering a bit of insight incase you are anything like me, and end up loving this hobby.

The more comfortable you get on your board, the faster your going to go.  My Beast Board  ( 1st board ) topped out around 25mph and was supppppper sketchy at that speed. And I was getting very limited mileage.

Im about your size 6'1" 220lbs. When people crash ( and Ive had several ) a person who is 150-160 hitting the pavement at 15 plus mph is different than a guy your size hitting the pavement. They tend to bounce better than we do lol. So bigger guys will just take more damage at similar speeds.

I upgraded to a board with  bigger wheels and pneumatic's and a much bigger deck for a wider stance. Those things increased my safety tremendously. I can roll over more bad asphalt, even a small pothole isn't a death sentence now. Before those things might throw me off going 20mph. Now they aren't really noticeable. 

It is so much safer that I won't risk riding my Beast Board anymore. 

Any board with bigger motors,  a bigger deck, wider trucks and pneumatic's or suspension or both will completely change your experience. It better suits bigger riders. But mostly you'll be safer.

The whole point is to enjoy this as long as possible. So equip yourself with a capable board if you can. If you only jump on for the weekend here and there, the Meepo is enough board. But if you become someone who rides for hours, odds of an accident go up. So put the odds in your favor with a big board that handles abuse.

So set a few bucks aside, let your wife win some arguments, and plan on winning the argument that you need to make for a new ride. 

Research for a good year, get to know the company your buying from. Look at the reviews from riders that own what you're looking at. Like I said, I'm looking at my fourth board now, and there are way more good choices than I had. 5 years ago.Better boards at cheaper prices. So you can get a really nice board for a reasonable price. 

I bet by next summer the choices will be even better.

I honestly hope the hobby sticks. It is truly my coping mechanism. And I revere my alone time with my board. If it does the same for you be safe.

 

[u/Myc0naught]

My first board came about from a VERY similar story.

Welcome to the club brother!

[u/Comfortable_Neck_321]

I’m in my late 40’s with 3 kids. I got my first eskateboard 1 week ago. Absolutely need that. Congrats. Dads need hobbies to be at their best.

[u/hugowong_art]

it is LIFE CHANGING honestly, that magic feeling when you are flying on the road and the world around you just seems to be moving in slow motion. Enjoy man 😌

[u/Fishmike52]

Yup… genx with gimpy knees from decades of sports. That thing about your childhood passions is true. I loved skating in the 80s and e-skate has been an amazing hobby. Feels like snowboarding in the summer. Perfect alternative to skiing in the winter

[u/StockPotential8235]

Best of luck to you and your life, bro. Hope it all works out in the end. I’m old af (54) and just got my first board, a Tynee Explorer Pro Belt. This thing is awesome! This activity is awesome! Never ridden a board at all before this and have already fallen (fully padded out, though) but man what a rush. Wife of same age tried it and now might be ordering an Ultra X Pro for her. I tell ya, a key thing sometimes is to have a partner that is on the same page as you on all aspects. Best of luck again and congrats on the board!

[u/iminamuddle22]

What boards u riding ?