Linky 7 months in depth review
Hi, this is my Linky foldable electric skateboard 7 months review. I will try to go over the main specs of the board highlighting its strengths and weaknesses, as well as giving you my user experience in hope it will be useful if you are looking for a portable e-skate. I am writing this review because there are no long-term reviews on the internet nor in depth ones. I hope some of you will find it useful!
About me
I would describe me as the typical university student who commutes every day to get to lecture. When I started to look for an e-skate portability was my main need, therefore my choice fell on Linky. I am not affiliate in any way to Linky therefore my review will be as unbiased as possible. I am a strong believer of e-skating and micro mobility in general, therefore I think e-skates should not be considered as toys but proper vehicles, accordingly to their price as well.
Who is it for?
I think Linky is the best board for last mile commuting: extreme portability, low weight, medium speed, and nice range. If you are looking for long high speed wild rides on endless roads maybe it is not the best choice, but if you need a reliable vehicle to cover that last couple of miles between the station and the office/campus/university than I would recommend Linky as your go-to board. Being able to fold it and easily hide it in a backpack is priceless, especially if you are not allowed to bring your vehicle (longboard, electric scooter, bike) with you inside the classroom/office/workplace.
Shipping
I think shipping is a very important factor to consider when it comes to e-skate as almost all brands are Chinese and ship from the main factory or from warehouses, this means that sometimes shipping is very expensive (Exway charges almost 80 usd for standard shipping to Italy) and not so fast (shipping by sea/train from China can take even months). Linky guaranteed 5 days worldwide shipping, and so it was. A day after my purchase I got a mail with my tracking number and a couple of days later Linky was delivered at my door. Although I live in Italy (the same country where Linky is based) I bought my Linky in May, in the middle of the Covid pandemic and while all of Italy was in lockdown. In that period shipping was almost always a nightmare and often non available. Despite all of this they were still able to be efficient which I think is a big plus.
Unboxing
Not much to say: a beautiful cardboard box, everything well organized and packed, feels a quality product from the box and the first impression is always important. The box contains Linky, two extra wheels, the charger, remote, an extra belt, e-skate tools, and a backpack capable of holding Linky and some more stuff.
Quality of materials
Despite being mostly made of plastic it feels very solid and resistant. You do not have the impression of holding a toy but a proper and consistent vehicle. All the parts have a nice satin finish, and the carbon fiber panel is very stylish in my opinion.
Customer service
Another important aspect to consider before purchasing an e-skate is the customer service as, sometimes, it is not the greatest. Linky customer service (based in Italy) is good: each time I mailed them they answered in a couple of days maximum and they were kind and helpful.
Size and portability
Linky size and portability is its biggest strength and unicity: 800/280/120 mm (31/11/5 inches) unfolded and only 400/280/120 mm (15/11/5 inches) when folded. When folded it easily fits in the backpack it comes with, allowing you to bring it everywhere. This is a huge benefit as you won’t have to enter your classroom/office/supermarket/etc… showing off a 1 meter long e-skate with dirty wheels and you will never have to look for a place to safely hide it while unused. Being able to store it in a backpack is ideal for commuting as well because you will not have your hands full while on the metro/bus/train. In addition, the hole in the rail between the two parts of the deck doubles as a handle when you want to carry Linky while unfolded. The backpack has two pockets, one for Linky and one to hold a laptop, some books, Linky charger and something more.
Linky battery is rated for plane travel: this means you will be able to bring Linky everywhere in the world with you, just slid it in its backpack and get on the airplane! Huge plus on the portability side and a very rare feature in the e-skate industry. These characteristics arguably make Linky the most portable e-skate in the world and, in my opinion, the best choice for a daily commuter.
Deck
The deck is nothing conventional: something like a split deck linked by a rail bridge (part of the folding mechanism). It comes in two options: bamboo or composite carbon fiber (the only one in the e-skate industry as far as I know), the first being more flexible than the latter. I choose the carbon fiber version and despite the added stiffness is still quite flexy. The grip tape is nice and provides excellent foot hold.
The perimeter of the deck is covered in a soft protecting rubber: this layer acts as a tail-guard, front-guard and protects all the deck sides. I really value this feature because it allows me to be careless and bump my skate everywhere without worrying about damaging the deck. At 800 mm (31 inches) it still provides more than enough space for a stable riding position (for reference Exway Flex is 940mm/37 inches).
Folding mechanism (link for video)
Folding and unfolding Linky is very easy and takes less than 5 seconds. Once unfolded a switch locks the position of the board so that it will not fold back while riding (I would say an impossible event due to the folding mechanism). The board turns automatically on and off when unfolded and folded, nice and easy. The design allows you to store the remote inside Linky when it is folded but I usually keep it in my pocket.
Speed and range
Top speed is 30 km/h (18.6 mph) and can go up 12% hills (I went up much steeper hills). Range is 18 km (12 miles) and I (75kg) usually get between 15 and 17 km (9–10 miles) depending on the riding mode. Linky has four riding modes which can be selected trough the remote: safety (limited to 12 km/h = 7 mph), eco (for saving battery), cruise (everyday mode) and sport (max performance at cost of lower range, something like Backfire turbo mode). All riding modes are selectable trough the controller. Not a powerhouse but still more than enough for commuting.
Weight
At 5.5 kg (12 lbs) it’s one of the lightest e-skate on the market, the lightest in its size-performance class (Exway Wave is 6.9 kg/15 lbs; Meepo mini 2 is 7.2 kg-16 lbs). As a daily commuter who often spends more than 10 hours a day out, I think it is very important to keep the weight as low as possible, especially since Linky will not be the only thing in your backpack.
Trucks
Trucks (180mm) are Linky proprietary design. The weird shape is designed according to the unique folding mechanism and, despite being made of plastic, they are and feel very sturdy. I always ride on rough roads filled with small rocks, tree branches and debris, and yet, after 8 months, they barely have a scratch on. They come with soft red unbranded bushings that can be easily replaced.
Wheels and motor
83mm Abec clone wheels of soft polyurethane. The size is limited by the folding mechanism, so you will not be able to fit bigger wheels without interfering with it. They do a nice job absorbing vibration. Maybe on rougher roads not the most comfortable. A single frontal belt driven motor. Top speed is 30 km/h (18.6 mph) and can go up 12% hills (I went up much steeper hills with no problem). Standard 5m belt.
Remote
The remote (Bluetooth 4.0) is very simple and intuitive: it features 2 buttons to manage riding modes, remote on/off, frontal light and a couple of led indicators for board and remote battery level. Acceleration and braking are controlled with a simple knob. Trough the controller you can also select cruise. Maybe not the most advanced and stylish remote in the e-skate industry but it gets the work done, battery lasts a century due to Bluetooth low consumption and I never had disconnection problems.
Linky has an USB port to charge the remote with a micro USB cable.
Battery and charger
Battery is a Li-Ion NMC 18650 cells, 100Wh, and can be easily switched ad even transported by plane. Comes with a standard charger that will charge Linky in around 3 hours. A fast charger (now not in stock) is available as well and will charge the board in 30 minutes. Battery life is guaranteed for 1500 full charge cycles.
Headlight
Linky comes with an integrated frontal led which can be controlled through the controller. It provides some good lighting and is useful to be visible at night. A nice touch, sadly uncommon in the e-skate industry.
App
Linky comes with a dedicated ios app that lets you update the firmware and keeps track of the kilometers traveled. Being able.to update the firmware in a huge benefit: eventual problems can be easily solved, and the board can be periodically updated. Linky states they will soon release an android version but, for now, the app is only for ios.
Riding
Riding Linky (homologated for a 100 kg /220 pounds rider) is very easy due to its nice top speed stability and smooth acceleration and braking curves (depending on the riding mode). Turning radius is amazing, almost like a skateboard, allowing you almost 90° turns and excellent mobility while riding in busy city roads. Braking (regenerative) is not super strong but still sufficient to stop the board in a safe distance. Riding comfort is ok and the small size wheels are compensated well enough by the deck elasticity. Weather riding is possible as Linky is rated waterproof IP65: electronic components are in an O-ring sealed compartment that does not let in dust or water. This means you can ride in rain and through puddles and the electronics will not be affected. You can also directly wash Linky (but not submerge it). Carving is very easy because of the front drive: rear wheels will slide more easily as thy are not connected with the motors. One of the biggest critiques I often read is the front drive and single motor but I think it all comes down to Habit: after some time you will get used to it and won’t feel any difference with a rear driven board. Side drag is only slightly noticeable during intense braking but never gets annoying. Frontal traction has a nice safety feature as well: if you were to loose stability and shift your weight backwards the motor would grip less and you would automatically decelerate (on a rear driven board it would happen the opposite!).
Price
Linky price is in the middle-high range: I bought my Linky for 500 usd (422 eur) taking advantage of a huge sale. Now the price is up again at 699 usd (590 eur) but it may go on sale again.
