In the world of electric skateboarding, there is a unique blend of daredevils and tinkerers that push the boundaries of not only the sport, but also the products that we choose to ride. One of these riders is Michael, who took customization to the next level by designing his own custom S-LOCK mounts for his Acedeck NYX-Z1 when the ShredLights bar mounts he ordered didn't meet his exact needs.
We had a chance to catch up with Michael to delve into the details of his custom S-LOCK mounts, exploring the motivation behind their creation, the design evolution, compatibility, and his tips for fellow riders interested in 3D printing their own.
The Inspiration Behind the Custom Mount Design
What prompted you to create this custom mount design?
Michael: "Shredlight's bar mounts are great, I have them on all my bikes, e-scooters and even have it for my kid's kickscooter, but with the vibration of an electric skateboard the round mount would slowly rotate downwards due to more weight of the light being towards the front. For the Acedeck NYX-Z1, I could remove the bullbars and use the squared off bar mount on the truck hanger, but I like the look and functionality of the bullbars. When I was riding at night at ESK8 CON 2023 I kept stopping to readjust the light to point forward and seriously tighten the rubber strap. That night was when I realized the rubber strap of those mounts just wasn't going to work, especially not for speed demons and people who would use this board the way it was intended on dirt and jumps."
Design Evolution: Learning from Each Version
How many prototypes did you create and what did you learn with each new design?
Michael: "At first I thought the flaw of the ShredLights round bar mount was because I can't tighten it any more, so the initial design utilized a thin strip of rubber and two zipties. I rode with this and at around mile 4 my lights were pointed down again. So it was not if, but when a round mount would fail."
"Since the Z1 is an offroad board that I do take onto dirt trails, this would not work given the vibration. This is when I had a lightbulb moment and came up with the idea of using both bars. I made the bottom hole an oval so the light angle could be adjusted. The rectangular hole is where a zipties feed though to hold the mount to the bullbar brackets."
"Eventually it became these variations where it's angled to what I like on this board so the oval went away."
Compatibility and Installation
Which electric skateboards is this mount compatible with?
Michael: "I made this specifically for the NYX-Z1, all that's needed to install is two zipties. If your board has bullbars and they are 22mm in diameter and have a distance of 49mm center to center, this mount will work as is. Otherwise the holes and spacing needs to be adjusted."
Print Files & Recommendations
For fellow riders looking to 3D print these mounts, Michael recommends using ASA or ABS to prevent warping, especially for off-road or hot summer conditions. While 100% infill might be overkill, it ensures solid durability to withstand the rigors of riding.
Addressing concerns about durability, Michael mentioned that PLA has proven resilient for light dirt trails and street riding. However, for heavier applications like the SL-1000, where hard plastic on plastic vibration could wear down the print, ASA or ABS is the preferred choice.
