The Propel Endeavor is one of the most unique series of electric skateboards ever featured on my channel. And their latest model, the Endeavor 2 GT, has just been released.
What is the Propel Endeavor?
The Propel Endeavor is a series of off-road electric skateboards that first came out in 2021. Although various types of all-terrain boards existed long before the Endeavor came out, the unique implementation of its suspension system keeps its overall size relatively compact compared to other suspension boards on the market. Propel calls the system their “Urban Independent Suspension”.
Aesthetically, in my opinion, the Endeavor was the first suspension board that didn’t look like somebody’s DIY project. To my untrained eye, suspension boards before the Endeavor looked like Lego vehicles.
But more importantly, the Endeavor was – as far as I know – the first suspension electric skateboard to be priced as little as $1200. The Pro model was closer to $2000, which was still a terrific value for a suspension board with more than a kilowatt-hour of battery capacity.
What’s new in the Endeavor 2 series?
Roughly a year after the Endeavor came out, Propel released the Endeavor 2, also in an S and a Pro model. The Endeavor 2 is, for the most part, the same board but with improvements here and there based on customer feedback.
For example, my biggest gripe with the Endeavor 1 was how it didn’t turn well at low speeds. And not much could be done about it because different bushing options were not available at the time.
With the Endeavor 2, the board ships with softer bushings and now turns very well at any speed. Three different bushing options are now available, and the method for swapping them has become way easier.
Other improvements include precision hubs, upgraded springs, a repositioned antenna and charge port, and built-in ports for powering headlights.
And just recently, a new variant was announced: the Endeavor 2 GT.
What are the differences between the S, Pro, and GT?
In a moment, I’ll go through every part of the Endeavor 2 and explain the differences between the three models.
For those already familiar with the Endeavor 2: the GT uses the same battery as the Pro, but instead of the Flipsky ESC, it uses the LY-FOC. Headlights are included and can be switched on or off with the remote, and a brake light is built-in.
Now let’s go through the entire board.
Size
The S, Pro, and GT are all the same size.
The overall length of the board is 1 meter long, which is slightly shorter than most 2-in-1 all-terrain boards.
The width, including the wheels, is 45 cm, roughly 50% wider than most 2-in-1 boards, and contributes to the board’s excellent stability.
As another point of reference, the dimensions are quite similar to the LaCroix Barrel.
Deck
The Pro and GT models use a carbon fiber deck, while the S model deck is made of a maple composite. The two decks are the same size, but not exactly the same shape, and are not interchangeable.
I’ve only used the carbon fiber deck, and it has a comfortable radial concave. There are finger wells on the sides of the deck to help with grabbing the board while riding.
While the board is 1 meter long overall, the deck is just 73 cm, and the standing area is a bit less than that.
Because of the way the suspension parts connect with the deck, I find the standing area to be a little more cramped than I prefer. It’s partly because I like to cruise with both feet angled forward instead of perpendicular to the deck.
For those with a particular fetish, foot bindings are available as a separate purchase.
Wheels
The stock knobby tires are 8 inches or 200 mm in diameter and mounted on Propel’s precision alloy hubs. Propel claims on its website that these are the best-performing stock e-skate wheels. Slightly smaller street tires in 7 inches or 180 mm are available as a separate purchase.
For street use, I don’t really feel a difference between the two sizes, but you should get a bit more torque with the street tires. For off-roading, the knobbies would be more appropriate.
Suspensions
All three models use Propel’s Urban Independent Suspension system with adjustable coilover shocks and turning tensioners.
The shock absorbers dampen the impact of bumps and cracks. They also keep the wheels in contact with the ground on uneven terrain.
And the turning tensioners, I think, are similar to making your bushings tighter or looser on regular skate trucks. But don’t quote me on that – I could be totally wrong.
For regular street use, I don’t feel much difference in ride comfort between the Endeavor and boards using similar-sized wheels on skate trucks. But in off-road situations like grass or cobblestone, the difference is quite remarkable. Certain paths that were completely unrideable on the 2-in-1 boards become at least tolerable on the Endeavor.
There’s of course a limit to the types of terrain a board can handle. Generally speaking, bigger wheels and bigger suspensions can handle a bigger variety of terrain. The Endeavor’s off-roading capability sits somewhere between the 2-in-1 boards and the much bigger off-road boards like the Propel X4S.
At the same time, the dimensions of the Endeavor are closer to the 2-in-1 boards, allowing it to fit inside the trunk of a sedan.
Weight
The Pro and GT models are 18.5 kg, and the S is 17 kg.
To put that into context, most 2WD all-terrain boards are about 14 to 15 kg. The 4WD Exway Atlas Pro with belt drive is 17.7. So compared to the 2-in-1 boards, the Endeavor is at the upper end of the weight spectrum.
On the other hand, when compared to suspension boards, the Endeavor is similar in weight to the smallest Bajaboard, which is 18.3 kg.
And when compared to the Propel X4S, the Endeavor is much lighter and a lot more portable.
For myself though, the Endeavor is heavy enough to prevent it from being one of my frequently used boards. While my building has elevators, I still have a few stairs to deal with. And maneuvering such a heavy board through the hallways between my studio and the elevator is a bit of a chore.
If I were still living in suburbia and could just park the board inside a garage, then I suppose the weight wouldn’t be an issue at all. But for me, living in the inner city of Shanghai where I have to deal with stairs and avoid traffic police, I need my board to be very easy to pick up.
With that said, the majority of people who attend group rides in Shanghai have heavy boards. Misery loves company!
Battery
The Pro and GT models both use a 1080Wh battery, and the S uses 648. So the Pro and GT have about 1.7 times more battery capacity than the S.
I’ve tried the Endeavor 1 Pro and the Endeavor 2 GT. On both of them, I didn’t finish the range test because, well, a thousand Watt-hours is a lot.
But on both boards – riding on various terrains at a somewhat casual speed – based on my incomplete measurements, I roughly estimate I would get around 50 km. Your range could be a lot more or a lot less.
As always, a whole bunch of things affects range – and that’s especially true for a board that’s meant to be ridden off-road. But in most cases, I think you would get tired before the Pro or GT runs out of power.
The 648Wh of the S, however, is more on the modest side compared to most of today’s all-terrain boards. Assuming the same efficiency as the Pro and GT, the S would get me somewhere around 30 km.
The charger is rated for 5A, which is not bad but I definitely wouldn’t mind a more powerful charging option for a 25Ah battery. Charging the Pro or GT from empty to full would take over 5 hours, and the S would take over 3 hours.
The motors are the same on all three models, each with two 63 by 74 rotors. It’s a pretty standard size nowadays for all-terrain boards, and more powerful than most people would need.
And all three models use belt drive.
ESC & Remote
The speed controllers for all three models are different. The S uses a Lingyi ESC. The GT uses a more current Lingyi, the LY-FOC. And the Pro uses a Flipsky VESC-based ESC. All of them were customized for the Endeavor. I’ll explain what all this means for the layperson.
Lingyi is one of the two most popular manufacturers of speed controllers for electric skateboards, and their ESCs have a number of characteristics – both good and bad – that make them stand out.
One is the feature to turn on the board just by pushing it so you don’t have to press a power button on the board. You can press the button if you want, but that requires bending over – and that’s disgusting.
Another popular Lingyi feature is the ability to have the board stay in place on a gentle slope. Most electric skateboards using other ESCs actually cannot do this when you’re standing on it, even the ones with very strong brakes.
Lingyi controllers also allow the user to adjust brake strength right on the remote and without going into any settings menu.
But the one characteristic that stands out the most is that their throttle control sometimes feels jerky compared to Hobbywing and VESC-based ESCs.
Even with the LY-FOC on the GT, the third and fourth speed modes have a noticeable amount of jerk when you try to fine-tune your cruising speed.
While this probably wouldn’t be a dealbreaker for most people, it is a noticeable difference that’s worth pointing out.
The ESC also determines what remotes you’re able to use, as they’re not all interchangeable. For example, you can’t use the Endeavor Pro’s remote with the GT.
But you may be able to use other Lingyi remotes with the S and GT, which you may want to do at some point because of a couple of annoying things on the stock remotes.
The button labeled “Reverse” doesn’t actually put the board into reverse. You have to double-click the power button to go into reverse.
That doesn’t affect the ride at all once you figure out that the label is wrong. I just feel that a board that’s otherwise so well-polished – and priced at $1000 and up – shouldn’t have such a chabuduo mistake.
Imagine Sony or Apple or any other major consumer electronics brand putting the wrong label on a button. It just wouldn’t happen!
The Pro model uses a VESC-based ESC, which is ideal for DIY and RC hobbyists who want to tweak settings or make major customizations to their boards. It’s also for those who care a lot about having a smooth throttle control that you don’t get from Lingyi controllers.
The Pro model’s remote is the Flipsky VX2 Pro. It’s an ambidextrous remote with a color display. And when you pull back the control wheel at a full stop, the board goes into reverse without you having to press any button.
The remotes for all three models unfortunately use a Micro-USB charge port. Come on.
Lights
The final difference between the three models is the lighting. The GT is the only one with integrated headlights included and a built-in taillight.
The two headlights are 1800 lumens each, or 3600 lumens combined. That’s really bright. They can be turned on and off using the remote.
The taillight is a built-in brake light, and I appreciate that it looks like it was designed to be there from the start, as opposed to looking like an afterthought.
On the S and Pro models, the lights are optional add-ons.
The optional headlights look the same as the GT’s lights and are powered by the board’s battery, but they use a separate power switch instead of turning on and off using the remote.
The optional taillight is a separate unit with its own battery and does not look like the GT’s taillight. It does have a brake sensor though so it too works as a brake light.
Which one would I get?
Now that I’ve gone through the similarities and differences between the Endeavor 2 S, Pro, and GT, and how I feel about them, I hope I’ve helped you decide which one, if any, would be best for you. If you’ll be getting one, feel free to use my referral link and coupon code for a big discount.
If you’re still undecided and want to know which one I’d choose for myself, it would be the Pro or GT. And considering the price difference during the GT’s presale period, right now it would be the GT.
Even though I’m not someone who cares a lot about power and range, I do care about how I’ll bring a heavy board home when it runs out of power. This would not be an easy board to take on public transit, and I don’t think ride-share drivers would appreciate dirty tires in their trunks. With the bigger battery capacities of the Pro or GT, I would be far less likely to run out of power than with the S.
I like the smooth throttle control and the auto-reverse feature of the Pro, but I also like the smart turn-on and the integrated lights on the GT.
The GT model’s noticeable jerkiness in the third and fourth speed modes is a bit of a bummer, but it’s predictable and mild enough that I think I can just get used to it.
If they were the same price, it’d be a bit of a toss-up, and I hope future Propel boards would combine each model’s advantages into one model. But right now, with the presale discount, I’d choose the GT for sure.