Bladeboard

A fast (and sometimes dangerous) form of transport. The bladeboard is simply a metal or plastic rod 40 to 60cm in length, with several wheels mounted along it. At either end are lugs which can clip onto the bottom of suitably designed blader boots. The wheels (usually with the exception of a larger balance wheel at one end) are usually simple metal discs with quite a sharp edge. This means that the wheels can be pushed into the narrow groove which protects the power feed in many inner-city monorail systems, drawing enough current along the length of the board to power a light motor in the larger end wheel.

Bladeboards are sometimes available in sports shops, but most gang bladers will disregard these entirely. They seem to rely entirely on makeshift manufacturing by other members of their gang. In some cities, there are also a number of small, specialist shops which specialise in bladeboards. These are set up by single craftsmen, who usually have an existing reputation for making good blades. Every board will be custom-made for its owner, with many variations in wheel spacing and balance which only an expert could understand. However, most of the business of these shops is repair and maintenance - something which an experienced blader takes very seriously.

Variants

There are also more advanced boards available, although some purists (especially those who regard bladeboarding as a sport) would say that these are not true blades and should be considered a separate category.

Skinboard

These boards are missing the enlarged (and sometimes powered) wheel at the rear. This means that the rider must be able to balance entirely on a razor-thin line of wheels, quite a difficult task. On some worlds where all powered transport is regulated, it is necessary to pass a proficiency test on a skinboard before acquiring a license for a powered blade or skates.

Accel Bladeboard

An accel board has a telescopic shaft, with one of the 3 or 4 blade wheels on each segment. The board's length can change by up to 15cm, and this is used as a throttle for the motorised wheel at the rear. On many boards, the rear wheel has its own boot-lug rather than being connected to the shaft, allowing the rider to lift it off the ground momentarily by tilting his foot.

Vector

An attempt by Maveggan Flight Vehicle Company to break into a market where corporate nametags and designer labels previously had no impact. These boards were mass produced, and sold on the net and in shops as 'the new direction of bladeboarding'. The initial high price when these were released in 847 led many to disregard them as "rich kids' toys". However, the price dropped quickly and before long serious bladers began to experiment with the Vector line in curiosity about the new possibilities.

The original Vector-C was supplied with a specially designed set of boot-clamps, and the rear wheel was mounted directly on the back of the boot. A simple mechanism rotated the wheels to keep them parallel with the rider's front boot, allowing easier steering than a traditional bladeboard while the rear wheen rotated independantly to provide better balance. Unfortunately, this design could not be powered as easily as a traditional board.

The Vector-G was obviously targetted more at experienced bladers. It was still sold without a motor for legal reasons (being the health and safety legislation on many worlds), but as the wheel was now a common size it could easily be exchanged for a motor taken from just about any street bladeboard. Now, the position of the rear foot relative to the angle of the board was used to rotate the blade wheels, while the rear wheel could either stay parallel with the others or with the board.

The most recent model, the Vector-A, is only available on a limited number of worlds due to legal issues, but is often available through bladeboard specialists elsewhere. It is a simple extension of the Vector-G: adding a good engine, with Accel style control.

Some have speculated that Magevan must be making a loss to sell the newer Vectors at such a low price. It has been speculated that this is a marketting decision, pushing teenagers to associate the company with an ideology of speed and power, which will make a big difference when they are old enough to buy a real cruiser.