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Skateboarding => Shoes & Gear => Topic started by: drewbearz on October 31, 2019, 09:48:18 AM
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Just wondering what everyone's opinion is on low trucks. Which brands are worth it and which aren't. I saw a thread or post a while ago saying independent isn't going to keep making lows. Does anyone use low trucks on the reg? Are krux worth it or do they definitely suck?
Sorry for the slew of questions. Just trying to get an idea. I'm using regular indys at the moment and they just honestly don't do it for me. I'm thinking low and/or light trucks might be the answer for me.
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Thunders. It's gonna turn a lot different but that's my go to low truck.
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Thunders. It's gonna turn a lot different but that's my go to low truck.
Hm, I've never skated them. What aspects of the turn are different?
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Thunders. It's gonna turn a lot different but that's my go to low truck.
Hm, I've never skated them. What aspects of the turn are different?
People usually describe the difference thusly:
Indy: (
)
(
)
Thunder: \
/
\
/
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Thunders. It's gonna turn a lot different but that's my go to low truck.
Hm, I've never skated them. What aspects of the turn are different?
I skated Indy for years until I begrudgingly had to buy thunders while on a trip and now I only skate thunders. They carve and do things trucks should do in a way I like them to do it.
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Just wondering what everyone's opinion is on low trucks. Which brands are worth it and which aren't. I saw a thread or post a while ago saying independent isn't going to keep making lows. Does anyone use low trucks on the reg? Are krux worth it or do they definitely suck?
Sorry for the slew of questions. Just trying to get an idea. I'm using regular indys at the moment and they just honestly don't do it for me. I'm thinking low and/or light trucks might be the answer for me.
ACE.
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Thunders. It's gonna turn a lot different but that's my go to low truck.
Hm, I've never skated them. What aspects of the turn are different?
People usually describe the difference thusly:
Indy: (
)
(
)
Thunder: \
/
\
/
^ pretty much this. I describe Indy's as surfy and Thunders as sharp and precise.
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Best low for me is Mini Logo. Kingpin clearance is pretty suspect - but they actually turn, are reasonably light and lock in well with the angled hanger.
But you loose all cred.
Not that I had any to start.
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Best low for me is Mini Logo. Kingpin clearance is pretty suspect - but they actually turn, are reasonably light and lock in well with the angled hanger.
But you loose all cred.
Not that I had any to start.
Throw in some krux pins (which I did) and they become pretty hard to beat; but yeah you lose cred (but on this forum, who gives a shit) but out in the wild? Throw down a trick or two and shut fools up - happened to me at the local riding the Skate warehouse shop deck/ML setup I had a while back - got told to get 'brand name' shit, few min later "how do you that?
My response: "On a shop deck with mini logos..." and rolled away.
I'd still choose ACE tho if I wanted a low truck ML are 49mm = wheelbite central, especially for a truck that actually turns.
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Throw in some krux pins (which I did) and they become pretty hard to beat;
What did you use to secure the nuts? I tried J&B Liquid Weld and it broke free both times I tried. Got tired of not being able to dick with them and put the old kingpins back in.
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Throw in some krux pins (which I did) and they become pretty hard to beat;
What did you use to secure the nuts? I tried J&B Liquid Weld and it broke free both times I tried. Got tired of not being able to dick with them and put the old kingpins back in.
JB weld steel stick (putty) - shit dries almost instantly and you can really cram into the crevices. It's not foolproof, especially on rounded plates. I haven't skate the MLs hard enough to know if that shit will hold as the baseplates are super smooth and there isn't much for the stuff to grab onto but I also don't plan on loosening or tightening them as they are in the sweet spot anyway.
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(
\
\
) Thunder : I still think it gives you a good top end of a turn but then just chills....
/
/
(
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Venture if you're looking to widen your WB. Loved them for grinding rails especially, don't like being perching up there when I'm doing stuff.
http://skateboardingismylifetimesport.blogspot.com/2012/03/axle-placement-of-various-trucks.html
This really helped me visualize the truck height / axle placement connection when I was thinking about testing out my old trucks.
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Thunders. It's gonna turn a lot different but that's my go to low truck.
Hm, I've never skated them. What aspects of the turn are different?
People usually describe the difference thusly:
Indy: (
)
(
)
Thunder: \
/
\
/
Love it. Can you do one of these diagrams for all the major truck brands in the truck set up thread and be done with it?
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Thunders. It's gonna turn a lot different but that's my go to low truck.
Hm, I've never skated them. What aspects of the turn are different?
People usually describe the difference thusly:
Indy: (
)
(
)
Thunder: \
/
\
/
Best illustration I've seen on Slap, how would you draw the turn on Venture?
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Thunders. It's gonna turn a lot different but that's my go to low truck.
Hm, I've never skated them. What aspects of the turn are different?
People usually describe the difference thusly:
Indy: (
)
(
)
Thunder: \
/
\
/
Best illustration I've seen on Slap, how would you draw the turn on Venture?
\
|
/
|
\
|
/
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I've always been a fan of low trucks on tech setups and my personal favorites are Thunder Hollow Lights/Titanium Lights (forged base plates not Team versions if you're going for low), Venture Lows, and Destructo Lows. I have very little experience with Indy Lows and none with the Stage 11 lows.
Thunder 147s and smaller are two millimeters lower than anything larger btw. Once you go above that size they are almost the same exact height as Indy Forged Hollows.
Venture Lows are super solid and what I rocked on most of my small tech builds until Hollow Lights were released. Thunders turn and lock in better.
I only owned one pair of Destructos and I was around 11 or 12 years old so I don't remember them super well but I do remember I enjoyed them a lot and found them to carve much better than stock Venture Lows.
FYI: If you get Thunder Hollow Lights throw some Bones Hardcore bushings on them, it makes a HUGE difference. I'm currently running mediums on my 147s but I have some hards coming in the mail. The mediums carve insanely well but due to the tiny clearance and the fact that I'm 6ft tall and 175-180lbs I tend to get wheel bite more than I'd like. I doubt it will fix the issue completely but it should help. I might also try hard bottom and medium top.
EDIT: Thunders with Bones Hardcore Mediums do the
(
)
(
)
thing just fine for me.
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Thunders. It's gonna turn a lot different but that's my go to low truck.
Hm, I've never skated them. What aspects of the turn are different?
People usually describe the difference thusly:
Indy: (
)
(
)
Thunder: \
/
\
/
Best illustration I've seen on Slap, how would you draw the turn on Venture?
|
/
|
\
|
/
more like this tbh:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Someone draw me a ace turning radius
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Someone draw me a ace turning radius
C
Ↄ
C
Ↄ
C
Ↄ
Lacked the right characters but here's a solid effort. Basically a surfier indy.
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Someone draw me a ace turning radius
{_
_}
{_
_}
{
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Someone draw me a ace turning radius
_}
{_
_}
{
I feel this is spot on
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Someone draw me a ace turning radius
_}
{_
_}
{
I feel this is spot on
It's perfect...
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How Krux turn for anyone thats wondering. P
3 ._ ,
/
/
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HAH!
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Anyone have experience with Thunder Team Hollows? They look pretty nice.
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Anyone have experience with Thunder Team Hollows? They look pretty nice.
I have them, they're exactly the same as Thunder Teams minus a marginal amount of weight. Definitely not a super noticeable difference like the hollow lights. If you're a weight nerd/wuss like me and like reg Thunder Teams they're probably worth the extra 10 bucks.
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Anyone have experience with Thunder Team Hollows? They look pretty nice.
I have them, they're exactly the same as Thunder Teams minus a marginal amount of weight. Definitely not a super noticeable difference like the hollow lights. If you're a weight nerd/wuss like me and like reg Thunder Teams they're probably worth the extra 10 bucks.
I too have them currently. I don’t notice the weight difference but I like thunders and buying the fancy ones makes me feel special. 148s for whatever that’s worth.
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Anyone have experience with Thunder Team Hollows? They look pretty nice.
I have them, they're exactly the same as Thunder Teams minus a marginal amount of weight. Definitely not a super noticeable difference like the hollow lights. If you're a weight nerd/wuss like me and like reg Thunder Teams they're probably worth the extra 10 bucks.
I too have them currently. I don’t notice the weight difference but I like thunders and buying the fancy ones makes me feel special. 148s for whatever that’s worth.
Copped me a pair of "basically" brand new Titanium ones on a 2nd hand site. Can't wait to swap them out with my Indy 139.
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Anyone have experience with Thunder Team Hollows? They look pretty nice.
I have them, they're exactly the same as Thunder Teams minus a marginal amount of weight. Definitely not a super noticeable difference like the hollow lights. If you're a weight nerd/wuss like me and like reg Thunder Teams they're probably worth the extra 10 bucks.
They’re only like $2-6 more on some websites. I really want a pair in 147s since 147 Hollow Lights are a bit too low for me. Wheel bite with medium tight trucks and Bones Hardcore mediums. I think 1mm would help a lot. I was considering risers but 3mm is too much height. I wish 1/16 risers were a thing, I’ve seen like shitty longboard ones and that’s it.
Otherwise I’ll have to switch to 148 Hollow Lights/Team Hollows since they’re 2mm higher than 147s. Thing is I like 8-8.125” decks with low trucks and I don’t want axels peaking on a tech board. Love 8.5 Indies with 8.25-8.3 boards and Conical Fulls for crust, stairs and tranny but not for flipping my board around. It probably wouldn’t affect me much with an 8.125 but Quasi’s 8.125s are too short compared to their 8a and I really dig their shape.
First World Issues. Wish I knew 147s were so much lower than 148s but that’s my fault for not researching beforehand.
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Anyone have experience with Thunder Team Hollows? They look pretty nice.
I have them, they're exactly the same as Thunder Teams minus a marginal amount of weight. Definitely not a super noticeable difference like the hollow lights. If you're a weight nerd/wuss like me and like reg Thunder Teams they're probably worth the extra 10 bucks.
They’re only like $2-6 more on some websites. I really want a pair in 147s since 147 Hollow Lights are a bit too low for me. Wheel bite with medium tight trucks and Bones Hardcore mediums. I think 1mm would help a lot. I was considering risers but 3mm is too much height. I wish 1/16 risers were a thing, I’ve seen like shitty longboard ones and that’s it.
Otherwise I’ll have to switch to 148 Hollow Lights/Team Hollows since they’re 2mm higher than 147s. Thing is I like 8-8.125” decks with low trucks and I don’t want axels peaking on a tech board. Love 8.5 Indies with 8.25-8.3 boards and Conical Fulls for crust, stairs and tranny but not for flipping my board around. It probably wouldn’t affect me much with an 8.125 but Quasi’s 8.125s are too short compared to their 8a and I really dig their shape.
First World Issues. Wish I knew 147s were so much lower than 148s but that’s my fault for not researching beforehand.
Before they launched the 148s I was really hoping they'd be on the low side with the 147s.
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Anyone have experience with Thunder Team Hollows? They look pretty nice.
I have them, they're exactly the same as Thunder Teams minus a marginal amount of weight. Definitely not a super noticeable difference like the hollow lights. If you're a weight nerd/wuss like me and like reg Thunder Teams they're probably worth the extra 10 bucks.
They’re only like $2-6 more on some websites. I really want a pair in 147s since 147 Hollow Lights are a bit too low for me. Wheel bite with medium tight trucks and Bones Hardcore mediums. I think 1mm would help a lot. I was considering risers but 3mm is too much height. I wish 1/16 risers were a thing, I’ve seen like shitty longboard ones and that’s it.
Otherwise I’ll have to switch to 148 Hollow Lights/Team Hollows since they’re 2mm higher than 147s. Thing is I like 8-8.125” decks with low trucks and I don’t want axels peaking on a tech board. Love 8.5 Indies with 8.25-8.3 boards and Conical Fulls for crust, stairs and tranny but not for flipping my board around. It probably wouldn’t affect me much with an 8.125 but Quasi’s 8.125s are too short compared to their 8a and I really dig their shape.
First World Issues. Wish I knew 147s were so much lower than 148s but that’s my fault for not researching beforehand.
Before they launched the 148s I was really hoping they'd be on the low side with the 147s.
What size wheels would you run on them if they were? 52s are almost too big... 51s are okay but it's still a tight fit. I hate skating anything smaller than that so it kind of sucks.
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Dagnabit, you muthaF-ers!!! Best low truck = ML's!!!
Best turn, grind, this & that... the list goes on.
Are they "cool"? No, but you gotta check your consumer psych at the door, because the quintessential value here is that they're a hunk of steel with some urethane pieces that happens to be designed extremely well. Just wait till Degros drops a review. Although, I think he's scared to.
If any criticism from me, they do feel a little too light.
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Dagnabit, you muthaF-ers!!! Best low truck = ML's!!!
Best turn, grind, this & that... the list goes on.
Are they "cool"? No, but you gotta check your consumer psych at the door, because the quintessential value here is that they're a hunk of steel with some urethane pieces that happens to be designed extremely well. Just wait till Degros drops a review. Although, I think he's scared to.
If any criticism from me, they do feel a little too light.
Yeah I’m gonna agree with this
Mini logos are the best low trucks
Then maybe thunder 147, then I wanna say Indy 139 low, and I guess ace 03 lows
I’ve tried all 4 and that’s my opinion and experience
The Indy 139 low were solid and turned just like an Indy but they felt kinda heavy and too low
The ace 03 are cool but feel like they are too loose for a low truck
Thunder 147 just work so well if you stick to them and break them in/get use to them
Mini logos: very UNDER rated, everyone’s too sacred to witness the truth of skate one and their efforts to make great working and lasting skate products
They turn, are stable, and respond really well
Yeah they’re questionably light and the grind clearance could be better
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The tracker axis is the best low truck. Next I would maybe try ace lows.
These trucks will turn most similar to the Indy but sit on a block low
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Dagnabit, you muthaF-ers!!! Best low truck = ML's!!!
Best turn, grind, this & that... the list goes on.
Are they "cool"? No, but you gotta check your consumer psych at the door, because the quintessential value here is that they're a hunk of steel with some urethane pieces that happens to be designed extremely well. Just wait till Degros drops a review. Although, I think he's scared to.
If any criticism from me, they do feel a little too light.
Yeah I’m gonna agree with this
Mini logos are the best low trucks
Then maybe thunder 147, then I wanna say Indy 139 low, and I guess ace 03 lows
I’ve tried all 4 and that’s my opinion and experience
The Indy 139 low were solid and turned just like an Indy but they felt kinda heavy and too low
The ace 03 are cool but feel like they are too loose for a low truck
Thunder 147 just work so well if you stick to them and break them in/get use to them
Mini logos: very UNDER rated, everyone’s too sacred to witness the truth of skate one and their efforts to make great working and lasting skate products
They turn, are stable, and respond really well
Yeah they’re questionably light and the grind clearance could be better
I'm going to have to back my by Rob up here and also suggest Mini-Logo if you're looking to try a low truck. They're cheap, look kind of stupid, and you'll get no "street cred" for them but they get the job done and done well. I was a bit apprehensive about them for a long time but got a pair of 8.38 really cheap in a package deal with some wheels and they surprised me with how good they felt.
Forgive me if a board size was already mentioned, but if you're skating a smaller deck (8.125 and below) then I'd also recommend Venture lo but only on a 14"ish wheelbase. I tried them on a 8.06 Real low pro with a 14.38" wb and it was just too much... I couldn't find the pop no matter what I tried. On a 8" ScumCo kiddie pool they're great snappy little trucks though. Also, don't assume that if you've tried Venture hi and liked them that you'll like the lo.. they have a very different feel that I find hard to describe.
Finally, I've never skated the low Aces but right now the high 44s are my favorite truck. If you ride like super tight trucks they're probably not the best choice but the surfy turn is really fun and for me they make my pop more consistent. I hardly ever ghost pop with them. They still scare the shit out of me on hills, but unlike Indys I can usually just sit down a bit if I start wobbling and be ok. Kind of like controlled insanity.
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Dagnabit, you muthaF-ers!!! Best low truck = ML's!!!
Best turn, grind, this & that... the list goes on.
Are they "cool"? No, but you gotta check your consumer psych at the door, because the quintessential value here is that they're a hunk of steel with some urethane pieces that happens to be designed extremely well. Just wait till Degros drops a review. Although, I think he's scared to.
If any criticism from me, they do feel a little too light.
Yeah I’m gonna agree with this
Mini logos are the best low trucks
Then maybe thunder 147, then I wanna say Indy 139 low, and I guess ace 03 lows
I’ve tried all 4 and that’s my opinion and experience
The Indy 139 low were solid and turned just like an Indy but they felt kinda heavy and too low
The ace 03 are cool but feel like they are too loose for a low truck
Thunder 147 just work so well if you stick to them and break them in/get use to them
Mini logos: very UNDER rated, everyone’s too sacred to witness the truth of skate one and their efforts to make great working and lasting skate products
They turn, are stable, and respond really well
Yeah they’re questionably light and the grind clearance could be better
I'm going to have to back my by Rob up here and also suggest Mini-Logo if you're looking to try a low truck. They're cheap, look kind of stupid, and you'll get no "street cred" for them but they get the job done and done well. I was a bit apprehensive about them for a long time but got a pair of 8.38 really cheap in a package deal with some wheels and they surprised me with how good they felt.
Forgive me if a board size was already mentioned, but if you're skating a smaller deck (8.125 and below) then I'd also recommend Venture lo but only on a 14"ish wheelbase. I tried them on a 8.06 Real low pro with a 14.38" wb and it was just too much... I couldn't find the pop no matter what I tried. On a 8" ScumCo kiddie pool they're great snappy little trucks though. Also, don't assume that if you've tried Venture hi and liked them that you'll like the lo.. they have a very different feel that I find hard to describe.
Finally, I've never skated the low Aces but right now the high 44s are my favorite truck. If you ride like super tight trucks they're probably not the best choice but the surfy turn is really fun and for me they make my pop more consistent. I hardly ever ghost pop with them. They still scare the shit out of me on hills, but unlike Indys I can usually just sit down a bit if I start wobbling and be ok. Kind of like controlled insanity.
You can ride them on larger wheelbases if there is a decent gap between the tail and bolts. I recommend 3+ man-sized fingers. The Quasi 8.0 I’m riding would work very well with Venture Lows but I’m running Thunder 147 Hollow Light IIs. 32.375 length and a 14.25” wheelbase.
It’s all about leverage so the length and angle of the tail matter too. It’s when the tail is right next to the bolts that Venture and Thunders are hard to ride and that’s because of how low the trucks are and how hard you have to push the tail down.
Obviously there’s personal preference involved as well. Height plays a role too.
Here’s a picture if it helps. Now imagine if there was quarter of an inch to a full inch less of of a gap. It’d suck. That’s why I hate most Baker board with Thunders and Ventures. They’re almost all only 31.5” long but have a 14.25” wheelbase. DLX surprisingly also have some decks that just won’t work with their own trucks. I was looking at an 8.125” Overspray they had and it was only 31.38” long but had a wheelbase of 14.38” with an average sized tail. I almost ordered it too because tactics had it mislabeled as 32” & 14.25”. Glad I double checked.
(https://i.imgur.com/jxtbFx8.jpg)
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Mini logo is a good choice. I was able to tighten them as needed before mounting them because there is enough room for a wrench to hold the nut. My only gripe is keep your wheel choices small since I got wheelbite on these pretty easy so I had to use risers.
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Wow I didn’t realize the Mini Logo 8.0s are 1mm lower than Venture V-Hollow Lows and 2mm lower than Thunder 147 Hollow Lights. I don’t think I could ride them without risers myself... at least with 52mm wheels. I do like the shape of them but I’ve never ridden them myself. With their 0.10” risers they’re slightly taller than the Thunder Hollow Lights and about the same as the Team Hollows though. I like their riser size a lot tbh. I
wish I could find 1/16 Dooks Risers in stock in the USA but I could only find the Dooks Silencers in that size and they’re foam and I hear they compress a ton. I’m giving them a try though since that’s all I could get in 1/16 from a decent brand/non-shady website.
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Mini logos are not bad at all. Turn is adequate with surprisingly little wheelbite for such a low truck. their quite light too. And cheap. Dont fear the ML
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Mini logos are not bad at all. Turn is adequate with surprisingly little wheelbite for such a low truck. their quite light too. And cheap. Dont fear the ML
Seriously. Turn is in the Indy/ACE/Theeve camp, i.e.,turny not twitchy, and they grind really well; without risers 51s seemed to be the sweet spot (loose with bones meds).
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Mini logos are not bad at all. Turn is adequate with surprisingly little wheelbite for such a low truck. their quite light too. And cheap. Dont fear the ML
Seriously. Turn is in the Indy/ACE/Theeve camp, i.e.,turny not twitchy, and they grind really well; without risers 51s seemed to be the sweet spot (loose with bones meds).
Ah yeah, forgot to mention. I rode them with bones medium bushings.
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Thunders. It's gonna turn a lot different but that's my go to low truck.
Hm, I've never skated them. What aspects of the turn are different?
People usually describe the difference thusly:
Indy: (
)
(
)
Thunder: \
/
\
/
Just swapped out Indy 139 for Venture 148 and can confirm the diagram is accurate.
Side note, I thought the whole truck debate was pure madness. I thought all trucks were made the same with the biggest difference being the colours, materials or height. It was only when I toyed about with my old Venture Lo (5.0), Indy 139 Hollow Forged and Thunder Titanium 148 did I really notice the world of difference in board feel caused by wheelbase differences.
Back in the day I used to attribute a lot of how a board felt to the deck, whether the pop and flick felt right. Looking at it now, it seems more like a function of the trucks pairing better or worse with the board, since you cycle through trucks a lot slower than boards.
I went from having zero pop (Venture Los), to some pop but lots of ghost pop (Indy 13) to having a really snappy and responsive board (Thunder 148). Kickflips came so much easier, even popping into grinds and slides too; the board just felt so light and it was finally sticking to my feet. Now I'm tempted to try Venture Hi 5.2.
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Dagnabit, you muthaF-ers!!! Best low truck = ML's!!!
Best turn, grind, this & that... the list goes on.
Are they "cool"? No, but you gotta check your consumer psych at the door, because the quintessential value here is that they're a hunk of steel with some urethane pieces that happens to be designed extremely well. Just wait till Degros drops a review. Although, I think he's scared to.
If any criticism from me, they do feel a little too light.
Yeah I’m gonna agree with this
Mini logos are the best low trucks
Then maybe thunder 147, then I wanna say Indy 139 low, and I guess ace 03 lows
I’ve tried all 4 and that’s my opinion and experience
The Indy 139 low were solid and turned just like an Indy but they felt kinda heavy and too low
The ace 03 are cool but feel like they are too loose for a low truck
Thunder 147 just work so well if you stick to them and break them in/get use to them
Mini logos: very UNDER rated, everyone’s too sacred to witness the truth of skate one and their efforts to make great working and lasting skate products
They turn, are stable, and respond really well
Yeah they’re questionably light and the grind clearance could be better
I'm going to have to back my by Rob up here and also suggest Mini-Logo if you're looking to try a low truck. They're cheap, look kind of stupid, and you'll get no "street cred" for them but they get the job done and done well. I was a bit apprehensive about them for a long time but got a pair of 8.38 really cheap in a package deal with some wheels and they surprised me with how good they felt.
Forgive me if a board size was already mentioned, but if you're skating a smaller deck (8.125 and below) then I'd also recommend Venture lo but only on a 14"ish wheelbase. I tried them on a 8.06 Real low pro with a 14.38" wb and it was just too much... I couldn't find the pop no matter what I tried. On a 8" ScumCo kiddie pool they're great snappy little trucks though. Also, don't assume that if you've tried Venture hi and liked them that you'll like the lo.. they have a very different feel that I find hard to describe.
Finally, I've never skated the low Aces but right now the high 44s are my favorite truck. If you ride like super tight trucks they're probably not the best choice but the surfy turn is really fun and for me they make my pop more consistent. I hardly ever ghost pop with them. They still scare the shit out of me on hills, but unlike Indys I can usually just sit down a bit if I start wobbling and be ok. Kind of like controlled insanity.
You can ride them on larger wheelbases if there is a decent gap between the tail and bolts. I recommend 3+ man-sized fingers. The Quasi 8.0 I’m riding would work very well with Venture Lows but I’m running Thunder 147 Hollow Light IIs. 32.375 length and a 14.25” wheelbase.
It’s all about leverage so the length and angle of the tail matter too. It’s when the tail is right next to the bolts that Venture and Thunders are hard to ride and that’s because of how low the trucks are and how hard you have to push the tail down.
Obviously there’s personal preference involved as well. Height plays a role too.
Here’s a picture if it helps. Now imagine if there was quarter of an inch to a full inch less of of a gap. It’d suck. That’s why I hate most Baker board with Thunders and Ventures. They’re almost all only 31.5” long but have a 14.25” wheelbase. DLX surprisingly also have some decks that just won’t work with their own trucks. I was looking at an 8.125” Overspray they had and it was only 31.38” long but had a wheelbase of 14.38” with an average sized tail. I almost ordered it too because tactics had it mislabeled as 32” & 14.25”. Glad I double checked.
(https://i.imgur.com/jxtbFx8.jpg)
What would you pair with a board with a short wheelbase (14") with 3 fingers of flat plus very steep kicks? I feel like Thunders are the happy medium between Indy and Ventures.
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Thunders. It's gonna turn a lot different but that's my go to low truck.
Hm, I've never skated them. What aspects of the turn are different?
People usually describe the difference thusly:
Indy: (
)
(
)
Thunder: \
/
\
/
Just swapped out Indy 139 for Venture 148 and can confirm the diagram is accurate.
Side note, I thought the whole truck debate was pure madness. I thought all trucks were made the same with the biggest difference being the colours, materials or height. It was only when I toyed about with my old Venture Lo (5.0), Indy 139 Hollow Forged and Thunder Titanium 148 did I really notice the world of difference in board feel caused by wheelbase differences.
Back in the day I used to attribute a lot of how a board felt to the deck, whether the pop and flick felt right. Looking at it now, it seems more like a function of the trucks pairing better or worse with the board, since you cycle through trucks a lot slower than boards.
I went from having zero pop (Venture Los), to some pop but lots of ghost pop (Indy 13) to having a really snappy and responsive board (Thunder 148). Kickflips came so much easier, even popping into grinds and slides too; the board just felt so light and it was finally sticking to my feet. Now I'm tempted to try Venture Hi 5.2.
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Dagnabit, you muthaF-ers!!! Best low truck = ML's!!!
Best turn, grind, this & that... the list goes on.
Are they "cool"? No, but you gotta check your consumer psych at the door, because the quintessential value here is that they're a hunk of steel with some urethane pieces that happens to be designed extremely well. Just wait till Degros drops a review. Although, I think he's scared to.
If any criticism from me, they do feel a little too light.
Yeah I’m gonna agree with this
Mini logos are the best low trucks
Then maybe thunder 147, then I wanna say Indy 139 low, and I guess ace 03 lows
I’ve tried all 4 and that’s my opinion and experience
The Indy 139 low were solid and turned just like an Indy but they felt kinda heavy and too low
The ace 03 are cool but feel like they are too loose for a low truck
Thunder 147 just work so well if you stick to them and break them in/get use to them
Mini logos: very UNDER rated, everyone’s too sacred to witness the truth of skate one and their efforts to make great working and lasting skate products
They turn, are stable, and respond really well
Yeah they’re questionably light and the grind clearance could be better
I'm going to have to back my by Rob up here and also suggest Mini-Logo if you're looking to try a low truck. They're cheap, look kind of stupid, and you'll get no "street cred" for them but they get the job done and done well. I was a bit apprehensive about them for a long time but got a pair of 8.38 really cheap in a package deal with some wheels and they surprised me with how good they felt.
Forgive me if a board size was already mentioned, but if you're skating a smaller deck (8.125 and below) then I'd also recommend Venture lo but only on a 14"ish wheelbase. I tried them on a 8.06 Real low pro with a 14.38" wb and it was just too much... I couldn't find the pop no matter what I tried. On a 8" ScumCo kiddie pool they're great snappy little trucks though. Also, don't assume that if you've tried Venture hi and liked them that you'll like the lo.. they have a very different feel that I find hard to describe.
Finally, I've never skated the low Aces but right now the high 44s are my favorite truck. If you ride like super tight trucks they're probably not the best choice but the surfy turn is really fun and for me they make my pop more consistent. I hardly ever ghost pop with them. They still scare the shit out of me on hills, but unlike Indys I can usually just sit down a bit if I start wobbling and be ok. Kind of like controlled insanity.
You can ride them on larger wheelbases if there is a decent gap between the tail and bolts. I recommend 3+ man-sized fingers. The Quasi 8.0 I’m riding would work very well with Venture Lows but I’m running Thunder 147 Hollow Light IIs. 32.375 length and a 14.25” wheelbase.
It’s all about leverage so the length and angle of the tail matter too. It’s when the tail is right next to the bolts that Venture and Thunders are hard to ride and that’s because of how low the trucks are and how hard you have to push the tail down.
Obviously there’s personal preference involved as well. Height plays a role too.
Here’s a picture if it helps. Now imagine if there was quarter of an inch to a full inch less of of a gap. It’d suck. That’s why I hate most Baker board with Thunders and Ventures. They’re almost all only 31.5” long but have a 14.25” wheelbase. DLX surprisingly also have some decks that just won’t work with their own trucks. I was looking at an 8.125” Overspray they had and it was only 31.38” long but had a wheelbase of 14.38” with an average sized tail. I almost ordered it too because tactics had it mislabeled as 32” & 14.25”. Glad I double checked.
(https://i.imgur.com/jxtbFx8.jpg)
What would you pair with a board with a short wheelbase (14") with 3 fingers of flat plus very steep kicks? I feel like Thunders are the happy medium between Indy and Ventures.
Yeah I’d ride Thunders in that case most likely. If it was too steep and I was getting ghost pop I’d probably switch to Indies though. Actually I’d just get a different deck because at 6” tall I don’t like my wheels that close together. I doubt it’s THAT steep though. Keep in mind it’s personal preference as well. Just remember your skateboard a lever.
Now let’s say it’s steep and only has 1.5 fingers of flat I’d go Indy personally. That’s because I find that too much effort to make that tail snap consistently so I get a lot of ghost pop then. If you can power through it you’d get a lot of pop but it’s not going to feel very balanced and manuals will be impossible for most people. I also don’t like how close my wheels are together with Indies on a 14” wheelbase due to being 6” tall. I feel like my legs are way too close together then and the board is too squirmy for me but that’s different for different people, especially short folks. That’s why I can’t stand decks that are like 31.25” with 14” wheelbases myself.
Edit: sorry I shouldn’t have quoted such a huge post. My bad.
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What is the use case for low trucks? Boards with steep noses or long wheelbases? The only one I can think of would be great stability on ledge or rail tricks where getting closer to the surface feels better.
I recently went from low (Venture Lo 5.0) to high (Indy 139, Venture Titanium 148), can't see myself going back down to low trucks after the great experience I had with getting higher.
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Anyone have experience with Thunder Team Hollows? They look pretty nice.
I have them, they're exactly the same as Thunder Teams minus a marginal amount of weight. Definitely not a super noticeable difference like the hollow lights. If you're a weight nerd/wuss like me and like reg Thunder Teams they're probably worth the extra 10 bucks.
They’re only like $2-6 more on some websites. I really want a pair in 147s since 147 Hollow Lights are a bit too low for me. Wheel bite with medium tight trucks and Bones Hardcore mediums. I think 1mm would help a lot. I was considering risers but 3mm is too much height. I wish 1/16 risers were a thing, I’ve seen like shitty longboard ones and that’s it.
Otherwise I’ll have to switch to 148 Hollow Lights/Team Hollows since they’re 2mm higher than 147s. Thing is I like 8-8.125” decks with low trucks and I don’t want axels peaking on a tech board. Love 8.5 Indies with 8.25-8.3 boards and Conical Fulls for crust, stairs and tranny but not for flipping my board around. It probably wouldn’t affect me much with an 8.125 but Quasi’s 8.125s are too short compared to their 8a and I really dig their shape.
First World Issues. Wish I knew 147s were so much lower than 148s but that’s my fault for not researching beforehand.
Before they launched the 148s I was really hoping they'd be on the low side with the 147s.
What size wheels would you run on them if they were? 52s are almost too big... 51s are okay but it's still a tight fit. I hate skating anything smaller than that so it kind of sucks.
I'd suck it up for 51s and wear them down.
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Dagnabit, you muthaF-ers!!! Best low truck = ML's!!!
Best turn, grind, this & that... the list goes on.
Are they "cool"? No, but you gotta check your consumer psych at the door, because the quintessential value here is that they're a hunk of steel with some urethane pieces that happens to be designed extremely well. Just wait till Degros drops a review. Although, I think he's scared to.
If any criticism from me, they do feel a little too light.
Funny you mention that. I`ve been thinkin the same about the fact that he has not tested ML trucks.
What a scandal if he actually likes them ;D
But yeah, with over 52mm wheels i use small risers. I ride medium tight.
Great trucks.
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Wow I didn’t realize the Mini Logo 8.0s are 1mm lower than Venture V-Hollow Lows and 2mm lower than Thunder 147 Hollow Lights. I don’t think I could ride them without risers myself... at least with 52mm wheels. I do like the shape of them but I’ve never ridden them myself. With their 0.10” risers they’re slightly taller than the Thunder Hollow Lights and about the same as the Team Hollows though. I like their riser size a lot tbh. I
wish I could find 1/16 Dooks Risers in stock in the USA but I could only find the Dooks Silencers in that size and they’re foam and I hear they compress a ton. I’m giving them a try though since that’s all I could get in 1/16 from a decent brand/non-shady website.
if just a hair of lift/shock absorb is needed.... hop into the plumbing section at home depot and get a sheet of 6"x6" gasket rubber. it's 1/16" thick and dense but pliable rubber.
trace the baseplate and trim a bit under so they disappear
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What is the use case for low trucks? Boards with steep noses or long wheelbases? The only one I can think of would be great stability on ledge or rail tricks where getting closer to the surface feels better.
I recently went from low (Venture Lo 5.0) to high (Indy 139, Venture Titanium 148), can't see myself going back down to low trucks after the great experience I had with getting higher.
I'm probably a one off but I like low trucks on mellow kicks with small wheels (conversely, I like tall trucks, steep kicks and big wheels...and, you guessed it, medium kicks, with med height trucks and medium (53/52mm) wheels; steep/55mm trucks, 54mm+ wheels and straight ollies just feel beastly at speed, like you can just stomp over anything.
Use case *was* quicker pop when things got tech heavy (+ those small fucking wheels)...
I've always been a fan of low and wide (like Marnell)
Then...everyone was starting to bitch about wheelbite as wheels got bigger for whatever reason (speed damnit) and everyone said, welp, guess we need tall(er) trucks again...
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What is the use case for low trucks? Boards with steep noses or long wheelbases? The only one I can think of would be great stability on ledge or rail tricks where getting closer to the surface feels better.
I recently went from low (Venture Lo 5.0) to high (Indy 139, Venture Titanium 148), can't see myself going back down to low trucks after the great experience I had with getting higher.
I'm probably a one off but I like low trucks on mellow kicks with small wheels (conversely, I like tall trucks, steep kicks and big wheels...and, you guessed it, medium kicks, with med height trucks and medium (53/52mm) wheels; steep/55mm trucks, 54mm+ wheels and straight ollies just feel beastly at speed, like you can just stomp over anything.
Use case *was* quicker pop when things got tech heavy (+ those small fucking wheels)...
I've always been a fan of low and wide (like Marnell)
Then...everyone was starting to bitch about wheelbite as wheels got bigger for whatever reason (speed damnit) and everyone said, welp, guess we need tall(er) trucks again...
I'm liking the pop that higher trucks and steeper kicks give me, but I would say I'm pretty heavy footed and kick down pretty hard with every pop. Works good when I want to loft a kickflip or pop high but not so great at the park where the ledge is pretty low. I have to tell myself to pop light and put my front foot way up front near bolts so I don't end up too high and slamming on ledges.
I'm thinking of going a little lower (Thunder 147) with a slightly mellower setup (Habitat 8.125) for a more controlled, technical setup.
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What is the use case for low trucks? Boards with steep noses or long wheelbases? The only one I can think of would be great stability on ledge or rail tricks where getting closer to the surface feels better.
I recently went from low (Venture Lo 5.0) to high (Indy 139, Venture Titanium 148), can't see myself going back down to low trucks after the great experience I had with getting higher.
I always rode indy and liked mellow concave, smaller nose and tail. I had a board like that and when I put it on Thunders I felt like I couldn't skate anymore. Then I read it would be better to have a long wheel base, and a steep nose and tail. Since you are closer to the ground, for myself a flat nose and tail, and a small wheelbase made the pop happen too quick for my foot to flick a trick well. A longer wheel base and steeper nose and tail helped even it out. All I hate is the wheel bite, even though I have 51's I still get it on fairly tight 149s, might try risers.
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What is the use case for low trucks? Boards with steep noses or long wheelbases? The only one I can think of would be great stability on ledge or rail tricks where getting closer to the surface feels better.
I recently went from low (Venture Lo 5.0) to high (Indy 139, Venture Titanium 148), can't see myself going back down to low trucks after the great experience I had with getting higher.
This damn message board and Ben Degros' channel has got me visualizing truck and deck combinations in my head all day long!
I'm planning on trying a deck with mellower kicks and slightly lower trucks to sacrifice pop for more board control.