For most casual riders, using a hoverboard (or a two wheel self-balancing scooter) for the first time can be rather intimidating. Many kids who have a lot of experience with skateboards and rollerblades may be able to hop on and go without much practice. If you’re wondering how to ride a hoverboard, this article will cover everything you need to know. No matter the brand of hoverboard you buy, whether it’s a Segway, Swagtron, Powerboard, Veeko, Gotrax, Razor Hovertrax, or other brands, if you follow these steps you’ll be riding your new hoverboard in no time.
How to Ride a Hoverboard
If you bought a model of hoverboard with a “training” or “beginner” mode, make sure to turn that on before you start riding your hoverboard for the first time. New riders of any age should make sure to wear adequate hoverboard safety gear to prevent injuries. There is a good chance you may fall a few times when you’re learning to ride.
1. Choose a safe place to practice – Pick an area where you can safely practice. The ground should be level and you shouldn’t have to worry about other traffic (cars, bikes, etc.) getting in your way. An empty parking lot or other outdoor area is good. You may want to try riding on the grass when you’re first learning so if you fall, it’s on a softer surface than pavement.
2. Find something (or someone) to hold onto – While you’re learning to balance on your hoverboard, it can be helpful to have something to hold onto like a rail or a fence. If you’re in a big open space, someone can stand next to you and you can use their shoulder or arm to balance.
3. Step onto the hoverboard – Set your hoverboard down on even ground. From behind, step onto the hoverboard with one foot at a time. Hold on to something to help you balance. If you find you’re wobbly and off-balance, try a wider stance with your feet positioned on the outer edge of the footpads next to the wheels.
4. Practice riding in a straight line – Once you feel comfortably balanced standing still, tilt both feet forward slightly to drive the hoverboard forward. To not bend at your hips, you will lose balance–the movement should happen in your ankles. To stop, stand up straight. Tilt your heels back to drive backward.
5. Practice turning – When you can comfortably in and a straight line and stop without falling, you can practice turning. You have to tilt the opposite foot to turn a certain direction. To turn left, tilt your right foot forward. To turn right, tilt your left foot forward.
6. Dismount – When the hoverboard is still, step off backward to avoid accidentally accelerating.
Those are the basics of how to ride a hoverboard. It will take practice to become comfortable, but many people can master riding a hoverboard in an hour or two. Check out the next section to read some tips for hoverboard riding.
If you want a visual guide, this is a quick video that shows you how to ride a hoverboard:
Tips for Riding Your Hoverboard
Mounting and dismounting can be the trickiest part of learning to ride. Feel free to practice this step over and over again until you can do it without losing your balance.
Avoid sudden movements and turns. Try to keep everything smooth. If you make a sudden movement it increases your chances of losing balance and falling off.
When you’ve mastered turning, you can learn how to do circles by tilting one foot forward and spinning 360 degrees.
To go faster, lean forward more. Once you’re comfortable you can increase your riding speed. Many hoverboards do have a maximum speed preset, so it will beep and automatically slow you down once you reach it. (If you want to go really fast, check out the fastest hoverboards.)
Before you take your hoverboard “on the road” make sure to find out what legal restrictions there are in your area. Some public places like malls and school campuses have banned hoverboards. Depending on your country or state, you may not be allowed to ride them on streets or sidewalks.
Learn how hoverboards works so you fully understand your new personal transporter.
Once you’ve mastered riding your hoverboard, check out these cool hoverboard tricks you can learn.
If you still need to buy the perfect hoverboard, check out our hoverboard comparison chart. We also have recommendations for hoverboards for kids and the cheapest hoverboards.
Ready to ride your hoverboard? Make sure you have the right kind of safety gear. Check out hoverboard safety gear for kids, kid helmets, and adult helmets. If you’re riding near cars or in low light conditions, make sure to pick up some safety lights and visibility gear.