Metroboard X Review All Terrain Electric Longboard
The Metroboard X has been in the game for some time but is it worth investing in this all-terrain badass beauty?
It lands in the electric longboard category with all-terrain features.
Built and designed by Metroboard, it was first launched in 2004 with many expectations. They knew that most users were attracted by its look, but there were other reasons.
As Ilan Sabar – the owner of Metroboard – says: “our goal with the product is to make it look good, perform amazingly, using top quality components“.
Over the years, the US company had to improve some of its components, and now it is one of the trending high-end e-boards in the market.
Compared to models landing with similar characteristics, such as the Evolve Carbon GTR Off-Road, I believe the X model offers way better things.
Unfortunately, none of them is the price involved. Nevertheless, reviewing every critical element is the best way to find out.
Table of Contents
Metroboard X Summary Specs
| MOTOR | – Read dual belt-driven. – Brushless 2200 watts each. – Max speed claimed: check motor section for details. |
DECK | – Carbon fiber. – L: 119cm (47″); W: 25.4cm (10″).- Boxed design. |
| BATTERY | LG MH1:
Li_Ion chemistry. |
CLIMBING ABILITY | – 30% inclination. |
| WHEELS & TRUCKS |
Street:
AT:
Trucks: check the wheels section for details. |
CHARGING TIME | – 3.5 hrs (from flat). |
| CARRYING WEIGHT | – 135 kg (300 lb). | OVERALL WEIGHT | – With dual motor: 29 lb (13 kg) max. |
| RIDING MODES | – Variable depending on power configuration. | EXTERNAL ACCESSORIES | – All features included. |
Deck Overview
At first glance, the 119 cm long by 24.5 cm wide is just astonishing – very smooth edges with a well-carved shape.
What is more attractive about the deck is the integration of the battery and the motherboard.
Almost 90% of electric skateboards will have both elements visible and exposed.
Aside from that, I like the generous space between each end of the board and the wheels. This is, of course, important since bigger diameter wheels need to fit too.
I love they thought of people with long feet. You will see that most e-skater users experience having their feet out of the deck, but this is not the case here.
I am bringing up Ilan’s goal about the look. My first impression was the F1-type view when fitting the street wheels, whereas the AT wheels look like rally Dakar ones. For me, it is beautiful.
Shape and flexibility
This deck won’t flex much despite building it with high-quality carbon fiber material. The main reason for it is to keep the integrity of the battery and other electronics.
The shape looks very flat, but the middle of the deck has a deep concave structure when looking a bit closer.
This concave design is excellent for maintaining your feet inside the board, especially if you are skating at high speed.
In addition to the above, one of the things I see interesting is both ends of the deck. They are higher than the middle section, creating a boxing effect.
The feeling is that I would know my feet will never go any further, close to the wheels.
The only thing I find worrying is the potential of water sneaking inside the joint. I know there is a rubber seal to prevent this from happening, but overtime could wear out.
It is good practice to clean up / dry up the deck after riding it in the rain.
Maximum carrying weight
Regarding how much weight the Metroboard X can carry, you could expect a maximum load of 130 kg.
Compared to other competitor e-longboards, this extra 10 kg capacity (the typical average is 120 kg) is fantastic since it will be the fewer things to worry about.
Wheel Alternatives and Trucks
With a powerful electric skateboard, it is vital to fit good quality wheels regardless of the terrain.
The wheels
Carved with the best formula, this e-longboard could be fitted with two (2) different street wheels:
– Urethane 107 mm diameter (as a standard) or,
– 120 mm diameter (sold separately).
The 120 mm ones are labeled as all-terrain (AT). Frankly, aside from its carving, I believe these are more for street use.
They could also be used on unpaved ground (gravelly), but I won’t feel too confident about it.
On the AT side, the US company also has a double ace. You can fit 155 mm or 190 mm diameter rubber wheels in this case.
Compared to the Evolve GTR model, they offer a bigger diameter. It may be a minimum difference, but it could potentially tackle rougher off-road terrains.
Street and AT performance
It is no secret that the diameter of the wheels will directly affect the torque and top speed, which translates into performance.
Clearly, a 107 mm diameter won’t perform as good as the average 85 mm wheels found in most electric skateboards. For this reason, the high power of the motor here plays an important role.
From what I can see, the 74A durometer grade is excellent for concrete and asphalt terrains. Undoubtedly, the grip will impress you.
I think this is the softest grade I’ve seen so far on any e-boards I’ve reviewed.
On the downside, they will get worn out faster than usual.
Read More: Electric Skateboard Wheels Buying Guide 2022
The X trucks
Taking it to a new level, the machined crafted aluminum trucks will have a double bushing system. This is something that these guys came up with in order to provide that extra control at speed.
93 durometer grade is good enough to handle 86 kg without issues.
The crux part is to balance the stiffness on each bushing properly. I recommend you double-check how soft the bushings are when loading the board, then adjust as required.
Notice that the bushings grade for the front truck is slightly lower than the rear ones. Naturally, the weight is higher at the rear end.
When changing the bushings, check what truck belongs to.
Lastly, a great feature included in the rear truck is the double-tension spring system.
These guys are all over it. When changing wheels, one of the biggest headaches is putting the belt tension back to the right point.
This eliminates the need to “guess” if the belts were adequately placed.
It may add a bit to the overall weight (very minimal), but you will be thankful for an electric longboard that features the wheel swap.
Read More: Electric Skateboard Trucks Guide: How They Could Affect the Ride?
Dual Belt Motors On Deman
I believe this brand’s board is within the top five (5) fastest electric skateboards in the market.
On that note, each belt-driven motor can deliver 2200 watts of power, even when the battery is near 10%.
Before I go with the following points, I want you to notice the motor design. Seriously, I love it.
Most electric skateboards and longboards have the motor just underneath the deck.
Come on, if I’m skating at a high descent speed, the less thing I would want to worry about is avoiding hitting the motors with gravel or tree branches.
The configuration is great – above the deck, easily accessible, and far from the ground.
Also, this design allows a lower deck to enhance stability and control.
Motor torque and speed
Now, the speed (on ideal conditions) would be variable depending on the wheels fitted:
– Street set: 26 mph (42 km/h).
– AT set: 23 mph (37 km/h).
The speed will also be variable depending on the setup of the system. Aside from that, this speed range makes sense with the soft composition of the wheels—the more grip, the better (in most cases).
In terms of torque, the story says that with the street wheels, it will take off easier.
Setting a mark of 23 mph (the top speed for the AT set), the motors can get it in 8 seconds.
As for the street set, the motors can reach the same speed in 4.5 seconds.
This is if using the factory configuration.
Braking capability and climbing performance
Similar to how good the torque is, you will have the same effect when braking, however, it is not possible to quantify the efficiency because there are many factors affecting it.
Despite the above, I’m sure the system’s responsiveness won’t disappoint.
As for the climbing performance, the motor does great. So far, a 25% incline is possible without compromising a steady speed. Again, other factors can alter these numbers.
LG Battery Tech
With a great motor, a reliable battery needs to be provided. For this, LG technology was the right choice for consistent performance.
What do you get in range?
The range will be affected directly by the type of wheels you use.
Using the street wheel set, you could get approx 48 km (30 miles) range, whereas, with the AT set, the range can get approx 32 km (20 miles).
This is a result of the increased weight of the board plus the fact that the motor will require more energy when going off-road (not just gravel).
Chemistry and charging time
I wouldn’t expect less than a lithium battery chemistry type for an electric longboard with so much power.
Despite this, I’m surprised that it is 36V, but the 16Ah makes it perfect to steady the motor power even when the battery is low.
Read More: Electric Skateboard Battery Explained
As for the charging time, it ly not bad – 3.5 hrs from flat to fully charged. This is more than good if you have a decent pit stop.
The added features
As you know, the only way to see the e-board’s battery level is by checking the remote control – this is not the case here. You can also monitor how much juice is left by looking at the LCD screen installed on the rear truck.
Of course, try not to look at it when skating.
Controlling this board
With a good-looking electric longboard, you would expect a state-of-the-art controlling device.
The story is different for these guys. They figured that a minimalist construction would suffice your needs.
Of course, other things need to be adjusted as you swap wheels, so your smartphone is the go.
Size-pocket remote control and App
The remote control has a very simple design and intuitive use. In addition, it fits easily in any pocket so that you can carry it along with other elements.
Why have more? I know there are divided opinions when looking at the controls of an electric skateboard.
I guess it will depend on how much technology is involved.
I’m surprised that they decided to go for a minimalist remote control.
Not much to say, though; simply that you can monitor the battery level (LED indicators), connectivity of the system, and turning on and off both the board and the beautiful light configuration.
The App – VESC tool
If you require to adjust any of the pre-set features, you will need to get the VESC Tool app.
I’m not going to tell the whole story about the app, but I want to give you a glance at the dos and don’ts.
The default configuration would be set as 60 mph, both forward and reverse. As for the acceleration and braking, this would be a 75% ratio.
You can adjust any of these settings, however, it is recommended you keep the factory settings until you feel confident handling this beast.
As for the other profiles, medium to high power will be considered if you set the motor torque at 83%, whereas 100% will be the maximum power.
See that the brake performance remains the same. Nevertheless, you can change it as you please.
The most crucial part about changing settings is ensuring the wheel size is right and does not exceed the battery limits.
Lastly, to keep the warranty intact, get in touch with Metroboard for additional advice on changing the settings.
Portability and Overall Weight
Maybe the biggest downside is the overall weight of 29 lb (13 kg).
What else could you be expecting? Even though they tried to use lightweight components when building this baby, many elements are involved.
This is where portability gets affected.
To solve the portability issue, these guys decided to install a sturdy carry handle near the motors, a very easy and clever idea.
Some users have only indicated that the handle gets loosened over time, touching the motor covers and scratching them up a bit.
Of course, this is nothing, really.
|
SAFETY NOTE When carrying the board, make sure you turn the system off. This is to avoid any unnecessary accidents if the wheels start to spin. |
Metroboard X vs. Evolve Carbon GTR
Maybe, not the electric longboard that I should compare with, but since the Evolve Carbon GTR is one of the most appealing ones, I think it is worth checking their general specs:
| Metro Board X |
Evolve GTR Carbon (read review) |
|
| Motor / Speed | 2200w each – 42 km/h (26 mph) | 1300w each – 35 km/h (22 mph) |
| Battery Range | 32 km (min) | 30 km (max) |
| Wheels | 107 mm (min) – 190 mm(max) | 178 mm (AT). |
| Carrying Weight | 135 kg | 100 kg |
| Riding Modes | Depending on power settings, there are o plenty. | 4 |
| Deck Specs |
|
|
| Slope degree | 30 % | |
| Overall Weight | 13 kg | 10.7 kg |
| Charging time | 3.5 hrs | 4.5 hrs |
| Price | $2000-2500 | $1000 – 1500 |
| Accessories |
|
Nothing is included; you will have to buy them separately. |
Clearly, the X model has better stats (as far as principal components) than the Evolve model.
The only deal breaker would be the price. It could easily be another $1000 more to invest but rest assured this is on quality.
Ultimately, you can choose what works best for your pocket and overall usability.
The Metroboard X Review: Should you Buy it?
The X model has a seriously gorgeous shape that projects a badass impression. It is one of those electric longboards that skaters would love to try.
The deck is one of my favorite elements. This is because it has been designed with the user in mind – boxed definition, soft contours, and sturdy structure.
The motor adds to the overall rating. Well situated at the back of the deck, it is powerful enough to carry up to 135 kg weight.
Everything is about having the e-skater have the best user experience.
This is reflected with the accessibility to the battery stats, power connection, and motor maintenance. I guess having a mechanical engineering background helps a lot ;).
Additionally, the lights. Not many boards have integrated a good lighting system to keep the skater safe in the dark conditions.
I won’t be surprised if you get to see cops skating with this beauty.
Lastly, let’s see how this e-board achieves the main goals:
– Looks good? Oh yeah; as I said before, it has an F1 racing look and keeps a badass impression.
– Amazing performance? With the stats in mind, the numbers don’t lie. The motors and battery are configured to perform well with any setup you like.
– Quality components? Yes. Aluminum elements, parts from reliable manufacturers, top engineered.
I cannot lie that the only peeving point is the price. Not all of us have the luxury to expend that much.
Aside from the impressive weight and the complicated mechanism involved, the Metroboard X all-terrain electric longboard would be an attractive investment just for the joy of going on any terrain.
Images courtesy of Metroboard
Metroboard X All Terrain
What we like
- ✅ Good looking design, well carved, user friendly.
- ✅ Motor, battery and wheels perform as expected for a high-end electric longboard.
- ✅ All accessories included (lights, carry handle).
What we do not like
- One of the heaviest e-lonboards in the market.
- Speed settings can't be adjusted on the go. You will have to access the app.
- Potential of water leaking (overtime) inside electrical components.
