When comparing Benchwheel Dual vs Airwheel M3, the Slant community recommends Airwheel M3 for most people. In the question“What are the best electric skateboards?” Airwheel M3 is ranked 17th while Benchwheel Dual is ranked 31st. The most important reason people chose Airwheel M3 is:
The electrical components are secured from the elements, and the board can be used even in wet conditions.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Great specs for the price
Benchwheel goes up to 18.6 MPH with a range of 13 to 16 miles. Prices can range from $400 to $1,000, depending on where you're shopping (eBay, Alibaba, Craigslist, etc. tend to offer lower prices).
Pro Lightweight
The dual drive board only weighs 7.9 kg (15 lbs).
Pro Excellent braking
The Benchwheel has very effective braking on downhills, a comfort when going down the steepest roads. Good brakes are a huge help to new riders, who will benefit from a steady start that won’t cause them to instantly fall off.
Pro Can go in reverse
The board can go both forwards and backwards.
Pro Reliable wireless remote
The skateboard comes with a tough, lightweight, small, comfy, and simple wireless remote to control acceleration, braking, and cruise control. It has LED battery level indicators that ensure you don’t run out of juice unexpectedly.
Pro Portable
Has a handle which makes it easy to move around and carry if necessary.
Pro Can operate in very wet conditions
The electrical components are secured from the elements, and the board can be used even in wet conditions.
Pro Can mount setup on any board imaginable, even on a snowboard
The motor setup can be mounted on any number of decks, including decks not originally intended to serve as skateboards. This gives a great deal of flexibility in customizing your ride.
Pro App for tracking statistics and tweaking available on both Android and iOS
A chip inside the board tracks stats and wirelessly relays them to the app, enabling the user to check them in real time. This leads to better decision making while riding the board.
Pro No external motor
The motor is encased inside the wheel (instead of an external motor and belt drive), which keeps it protected and offers a good, high-powered experience.
Pro Awesome design
The board has a striking design with one tail and large wheels fastened to backward-facing trucks.
Pro Smooth ride
The trucks and bushings have a dampening effect on vibration and bumps making for a smooth ride. The large wheels and cushioning risers used above the trucks enhance this effect.
Pro It's fairly cheap
This setup cots 2-3 less than that what you'd expect to pay for a high-quality e-board, making it a very accessible option.
Pro Good warranties
The board comes with a 1-month warranty on the wheels, a 6-month warranty on the battery, and a 1-year warranty on the rest of the components.
Pro Able to ride on medium rough terrain
The large wheels allow the board to traverse rough terrain easily. This makes it a good board to use in off-road conditions, including forested terrain and parks.
Pro Feels really durable
The components are strong and stand up well to wipeouts and poor weather.
Cons
Con Lacks a smartphone app
Unlike many competitor boards, the Benchwheel doesn’t have apps for Android or iOS. This means you will always need to travel with the remote on hand.
Con Slow charging
Takes 3-5 hours to charge.
Con No light for nighttime riding
If you want to ride at night, you’ll need to buy your own LED lights separately.
Con Quite heavy
The 25 lbs weight needs to be taken into account. It is not the easiest to carry around if that’s something you’ll need to do.
Con People can see it's motorized quite easily
Thanks to the very large battery box attached under the board, it’s quite obvious that the board is motorized.
Con Bulky battery pack isn’t great to look at
The battery pack is quite large and really stands out – but not in a good way. Its size also adds weight to the board, which is the tradeoff you make for a more powerful battery that lasts longer.
Con The range is unimpressive
When ridden by a 65 kg (140 lb) rider at full speed at 14 degrees Celsius (60 degrees Fahrenheit), the board only has a range of 10 km (6 miles). When it’s colder than this, the batteries will offer even less power. This is true of all batteries, so if you live in a cold environment be sure to consider the impact weather may have on performance.
Con One-wheel drive
Only one wheel has a motor, which can lead to too much torque on one side.
Con Dishonest advertising of specs
Airwheel is advertised with a top speed of 20 kph and a 20-km range (12 mph and 12 miles). The company also claims it can be fully charged in 60 minutes and that it will alert the rider when they reach 12 kph (7.5 mph). In reality, there is no alert at 12 kph, the board only charges to 55 percent capacity in an hour, and listed the top speed can only be reached if you weigh less then 60 kg (130 lb) or are going downhill. It’s possible that a 20 km range could be achieved in first gear, but in the top gear you will only be able to travel half that distance.
Con Miserable top speed
Even with a fairly light, 150 lb rider, the board will only reach a top speed of 11 mph. Obviously this speed will only decrease as the rider weight increases.
Con Doesn’t charge very quickly
The board takes three hours to fully charge. It will only reach 55 percent charge after the first hour. This makes it difficult to quickly top off the battery.