Hoverboards

Hoverboards are the must have item  of 2015-2016, but there is some cause for concern over the self-balancing devices. In addition to the traditional safety hazards of operating a motorized vehicle, new reports indicate hoverboards could be a fire hazard if improperly handled. After the devices were banned by New York City, Overstock.com became the first retailer to halt the sale of hoverboards.

The CPSC also recorded 29 ER-related injuries: 13 fractures, 6 sprains, 4 contusions, 2 lacerations, 1 head injury and 3 arm injuries. 7 On Your Side was the first in the country to report on the CPSC's findings in November. At that time, only eight ER-related injuries had been recorded.

Now before we get ahead of ourselves let's just remember a few years back:

Razor Scooter Sales Skyrocket, Injuries Soar. There have been thousands of emergency room-treated injuries related to razor scooters. These injuries have increased 700 percent since May,2000. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported more than 4,000 scooter-related injuries treated in hospital emergency rooms in August 2000 alone. There have been more than 9,400 emergency room-treated injuries reported for 2000 so far. Nearly 90 percent of the injuries are to children under 15 years of age.

Hoverboard injuries are grabbing all the headlines right now, But I think an even bigger more silent issue will raise its ugly head.  All of these hoverboards are going to break, and I mean "all" of them. They are mechanical, electric, bearing, motor machines and they will all stop working at some point. I've searched the internet and only a couple web sites offer repair parts, and repair video's. The parts listed as available are expensive ($120) for a wheel assembly.

Let's face it these hoverboards are really not designed to be fixed, they're designed to be replaced. So your spending $200 - $500 for something you can't really fix!

I suppose I really shouldn't be too surprised in today's disposable society. Most parents are probably hoping their kids become bored with them before they break, and they just end up becoming more closet clutter.

This attitude is hard on a guy who's spent the last 40 years providing quality bicycles to kids and adults that can last a lifetime if you want. They can be fixed and maintained and ridden for thousands of miles.

Don't know yet if hoverboards will show up in the bike shops looking for repair help. We used to see a few of the electric scooters, not so much anymore (that fad has been replaced I guess)

Thanks,   Jeff