Quick answer: An electric skateboard remote is both throttle and brake, so learn to brake before you learn speed: three short drills at a standstill and at walking pace. Before every ride, check both batteries, the connection and that the throttle returns to neutral. If the signal drops, let go of the throttle and step off once the board slows.
What does an electric skateboard remote actually control?
On an electric skateboard with remote throttle and brake, the handset is the only way to speed up or slow down. There is no hand lever and no foot brake: pull the throttle back past neutral and the controller makes the motor drag the wheels. Riders of electric boards made for rough ground soon treat the remote as part of the brakes.
- Throttle and brake. One thumbwheel or trigger: one way to go, the other way to slow, and harder the further you move it.
- Speed modes. Most remotes cap the top speed and soften how sharply the board pulls away.
- Battery display. Many show the charge in the board, the remote, or both.
Motor braking pushes a little energy back into the battery, so some boards brake more softly while the pack is completely full; the manual will say. On a belt drive, a belt that slips or snaps also costs that wheel its brake, so it pays to know what the motor does when you brake.
Which braking drills come before the first ride?
Learn the brake before you learn speed. Choose dry, level, smooth ground with plenty of room and nobody else moving about, where the landowner is happy for you to ride. Set the lowest speed mode, wear a helmet, and protect your wrists, knees and elbows with guards. Move on only when the current drill feels dull.
| Drill | What you do | Move on when |
|---|---|---|
| Feel the brake standing still | Front foot on the deck, back foot on the ground. Touch the throttle so the board creeps, then brake and feel it pull up. | You can creep and stop without looking at the remote. |
| Stop on a marker at walking pace | Roll towards a cone or a bag and brake smoothly to stop level with it, knees bent, weight slightly on the back foot. | Five stops in a row on the marker, without a wobble. |
| A firmer stop | From the same pace, brake harder and earlier than you need to, and feel how far back you must lean. | A firm stop no longer surprises you. |
At low speed, also practise stepping off forwards and jogging a few paces, your way out if the board ever stops answering. Repeat the drills on each new surface. Grass and loose gravel let wheels skid or dig in, and our comparison of wheels for rough ground explains why grip varies.
What needs checking on the remote before each ride?
- Both batteries. A remote that runs flat mid-ride takes the brake with it, and an empty board leaves you with no power and no electric brake.
- Connection. Switch on board and remote as your manual describes, and wait for the remote to show a link.
- Neutral. Let go of the throttle: it should spring back to the centre, and the board should not creep.
- Brake response. Repeat the first drill briefly before you set off.
- Mode and strap. A low mode for new ground or a new rider, and the wrist strap on: a remote lying in the grass cannot brake.
How do you pair an electric skateboard remote?
Pairing links one remote to one board. Boards usually come out of the box paired, and you pair again after a new remote, a reset, or when the remote will not connect although both batteries are charged. Most makers use a button sequence on the remote and a light or a vibration to confirm, but the steps differ, so follow your manual to the letter. Around it:
- Pair with nobody on the board and any other board nearby switched off.
- Check throttle, neutral and brake at a crawl before you ride off.
- Use only the remote made for your board. Still no connection? Contact the seller or maker.
What happens when the remote loses signal?
The radio link can drop for a moment or for good. What happens next is set in the controller: some boards cut the motor and roll on, others brake gently to a stop. Until you know which yours does, treat a lost signal as a lost brake. Let go of the throttle so the board cannot jerk forward when the link returns, keep your knees bent, let it slow on level ground and step off at walking pace. Switch it off, then look for the cause.
| Symptom | Probable reason | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| The throttle feels late or jerky | A low remote battery, or a pocket or your own body in the way of the signal | Charge the remote and hold it out in your hand |
| Braking softer than usual | A full battery on a board that limits braking when full, or a fault | Ride slowly at first; if it stays soft once the charge has dropped, stop and contact the seller |
| The board moves without throttle | A throttle that no longer returns to neutral, or a controller fault | Turn it off, stop riding and contact the seller or maker |
How can you tell the remote battery is running low?
Most remotes show their own level with lights, a bar or a number, and some vibrate when it gets low. The first sign is often subtler: a slower answer to the throttle, or a connection symbol that comes and goes. Charge the remote every time you charge the board. A rechargeable remote usually holds a small lithium-ion cell, so charge it where you can see it and disconnect it once the indicator says full. If either battery runs unusually hot, swells, hisses or starts to smell, stop using it and read how a failing lithium pack gives itself away.
What should a beginner look for in a remote?
When you choose a beginner electric skateboard, judge the remote as carefully as the deck: a gentle lowest mode, a brake that builds gradually, a clear display for both batteries, a throttle that springs back to neutral, and a wrist strap. Gentle settings do not change where a remote control skateboard may be ridden: the rule is in the box below.
Stop riding and contact the seller
Power down, step away from the board and let its seller or maker judge it before another ride, if:
- the board moves or keeps going when you are not touching the throttle;
- braking stays weak, late or uneven with both batteries charged and the remote connected;
- the signal keeps dropping out after you have charged and paired the remote again;
- the remote or the board battery is cracked, swollen, hot or smells odd.
Electric skateboards are powered transporters, which the law treats as motor vehicles. Ride one only on private land, with the landowner's permission. Not on roads, pavements, cycle lanes or in parks.
Questions riders ask
Can one remote control two electric skateboards?
Usually not at the same time. A remote pairs with one board, and moving it to another means pairing again, if the two are compatible at all. Keep each remote with its own board, and mark which belongs to which if there are several in the house.
What happens if the remote slips out of your hand mid-ride?
Assume the board has no brake. Keep your knees bent, let it slow on level ground and step off at walking pace. Switch the board off before you go back for the remote. A wrist strap makes this far less likely to happen.
Why does braking feel softer on a full charge?
Braking sends a little energy back into the battery. When the pack is already full, some boards limit that, so the brake feels softer for the first part of a ride. Check the manual, and ride gently until the charge has dropped a little.
What if the remote stops working altogether?
Then the ride is over. Without a working remote you have no throttle and, on most boards, no brake. Carry the board home, charge the remote and check the connection. Should it still fail, contact the seller or maker.