Flowboard
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A flowboard is a variation on a skateboard, combining aspects of surfing, skating and snowboarding.
[edit] Characteristics
A flowboard has a deck that is very similar to a skateboard, though it mimics a slow heavy board with major speed wobbles. Instead of a regular truck and wheels set, a flowboard is fitted with two U shaped pieces of metal which house 7 wheels. These U shaped "trucks" are placed on both ends of the flowboard. A flowboard can be used like a regular skateboard, or for downhill carving, as in snowboarding, but cannot slide. The original prototypes date back to 1993 and the first patent registered in 1994.
[edit] Handling
The flowboard is designed using the DeepCarve system, which enables a 45 degree carve, like a surf/snowboard, rather than the standard 15 degrees on a skateboard, while maintaining stability.
A flowboard usually puts pressure on just 2 wheels on the board, rather than 4. This more focused weight distribution requires slightly more effort into keeping the board moving. For this reason, it is often ideal to ride it on downhill slopes.