Superfast Skate (Groundsurf)

[sk8norcal]

http://www.superfast-skate.com/#!gallery/ccbt
http://wackyboards.blogspot.com/2009/07/groundsurf.html

saw this on FB,
maybe they are finally bringing this to market.

Welcome to all SuperFast-Skaters !

The SuperFast-Skate has four wheels drive and ride (one 1500W to 4000W out-running cage electrical motor in each wheel), it can reach up to 130Km/H, it’s designed for downhill/uphill and velodromes races.
Let us know you thoughts and ideas to help us promote SuperFast-Skate.
Would you ride an electrical monotype board where all riders compete against each other with the same board ?
Would you like to compete in teams ?
We believe pro-riders who have sponsor(s) could get them also involved in this new type of competition.
The idea is to have several SuperFast-Skate teams sponsored by different brands to compete against each other. Either individual or in teams.
We wish the brands could design the board with their colors and logos instead of promoting our brand. Our goal is to provide the technology and build the greatest teams.

http://www.superfast-skate.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/SuperFast-Skaters/404589166372585

(please check our latest innovations on
https://www.facebook.com/groundsurf?ref=hl
https://www.facebook.com/pages/UpSkate/413107495516623?ref=hl

If you don't know about Groundsurf, they had this two eboards way back in 2007 (maybe earlier)
The first one had 3 wheels and later there was a 4 wheel version.
The 4 wheel version have 4 individual hub motors and a unique skate truck using a single spring and car like steering with possible leaning wheels.
I believe they were trying speed control through either a Bluetooth enabled cell phone or by weight sensing.

old video from 2007
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UzXVJodfpU

old gizmodo article,
http://gizmodo.com/322021/groundsurf-electric-skateboard-controlled-by-a-bluetooth-cellphone

i don't think i ever saw a video of the 4 wheel version.

 

[made_in_the_alps_legacy]

Thxs for sharing, Oh!? the 3 wheels version is a 1FWD!
I like the hub motors and mudguards, the truck looks really high tech (if ever needed to make it that complicated) could you confirm if it's for the wheels to "lean" ?

 

[beto_pty]

Cool...
Nice boards...130 kph is definitely out of my league.but the technology/parts will hopefully to our humer 40kphs...

 

[tung256]

pretty cool how they have the tech way back in 2007. im curious why it's still not ready for public consumption.

 

[sk8norcal]

^They tried to under the G&S (gordon and smith) brand.
my guess is the guy couldn't find people to back him. (and before kickstarter came along)

and I also kinda doubt that board does 80 mph,
never seen a video of the 4 wheeler in action.


[youtube]bG4Z1PQV8bY[/youtube]

Thxs for sharing, Oh!? the 3 wheels version is a 1FWD!
I like the hub motors and mudguards, the truck looks really high tech (if ever needed to make it that complicated) could you confirm if it's for the wheels to "lean" ?

I haven't seen closeup of it in action. I don't think the wheels lean like a true leaner, it's more like car steering but the wheels have slight lean angle to it.
That's my guess, since he uses wheels with rounded profile instead of a flat profile.

Also, I am sure that truck is not his design. If you seen "Original" skate trucks, they have similar cam spring unit. "Original" did not design those either. Different variations of those trucks using the cam spring unit appeared on k2 scooters via Zeug design.
http://wackyboards.blogspot.com/2009/07/k2.html

This pic is from Zeug website, (I believe this scooter never made it to production)
but the truck looks exactly the same as the groundsurf.

 

[made_in_the_alps_legacy]

I had a closer look and "Ackermann" concept is mentionned like on a car.
There is indeed a "legacy" from the K2 scooter and this "Ackermann" concept with the "micro" brand

 

[sk8norcal]

^ that's original a Ciro scooter design, before stolen by k2 (according to Ciro)
http://wackyboards.blogspot.com/2009/07/ciro.html
I ridden this k2 "kickboard", it sucks... (it wouldn't work very well if u try to use it as a skate truck)
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Q1dyW07vBRo/St1kLS-pnYI/AAAAAAAABaI/FFOU4dpx7fw/s1600/k2%2Bkickboard.gif

k2 scooter by Zeug has a very different truck design.
more like these skate trucks,
http://wackyboards.blogspot.com/2014/01/trucks-with-4-wheel-steering.html

 

[made_in_the_alps_legacy]

I ridden this k2 "kickboard", it sucks... (it wouldn't work very well if u try to use it as a skate truck)

you might not expect how much I agree with you (I was about to get one of those micro scooter for my 2 years old twins but found out this mechanism has a huge turning radius)
I am scratching my head what's the point to have the wheels leaning actually...

 

[Flexscoot]

Just few words about my experience with the Groundsurf myth as very few actually witnessed it:
I met the groundsurf crew in a surfrider fundation expo near Biarritz around 2007 and saw the 3 wheels proto in their booth (no test ride, only the usual video with Laird).

The purpose was to demonstrate how a phone can control an electric device (it was in 2007). It was a (smart) communication operation financed by phone operator and software company. They had money to make few small hubmotors but I am not sure how reliable/operational they were as they used the 3rd wheel hubmotor. They also had a futuristic looking cnc truck (similar to k2).

Basically, it was an IT communication operation very remotely linked to boardriding...

Then, except the G&S episode, nobody have never heard about them for the next 8 years.

Today, they try to organize a Formula 1 championship based on a non existing board design (at 4000$)... Bernie Ecclestone had some success at it but I am looking with interest at this communication miracle

(this post is long enough so I won't comment the remark about the interest of leaning wheels lol)

 

[melodious]

Super sleek. And super proprietary.

I want to see and hear it in action.

 

[sk8norcal]

Today, they try to organize a Formula 1 championship based on a non existing board design (at 4000$)...

saw this on scarpar FB,