Independent are still the best (change my mind)

[Weezil]

While I think the difference between all the major truck brands isn't crazy I definitely like Indys the most. I like switching it up here and there but overall I find that they either feel like Indys or need to feel more like Indys. with ace I wanted to slow the turn a little bit and made them too sluggish and with ventures and thunders I try to speed the turn up more to get more carve which they're just not really meant to do. I think Indys handle everything good enough depending on how you have them set up, can't fuck with anything under 149 though, too tippy for me.

one thing, while the feel of ventures makes my board feel kind of sluggish I feel like I skate better and more consistent, and a little faster. aces I've hung up on more slappys which pretty much makes them a no go for me but I loved how they were a slightly snappier indy, still might come back to those, and thunders are just too low and tight for me. I always get stoked on changing it up and just am either underwhelmed or get over it and a couple weeks.

indys' marketings corny tho imo, but they make up for it with a good turn, cool looking hangars and Jake Johnson footage. they lose me with that biker fuck the rest shit, constant Joslin plugs, and breaking into pools drinkin' beers shit. no one has it all.

[saltusnaut]

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Theeve’s. Better turn than Indy and more stable on center. Oval yoke turns the wheels inward and at 210lbs I cannot wheelbite them for the life of me running them loose as hell. They’re like a more refined Ace truck and have top notch quality control.

[close]

Has anyone reported the loose kingpins in theeves lately?  I seem to be the only person that had that problem and thats the only reason i stopped skating them.  otherwise they were the best trucks

[close]

Stopped skating theeve for that reason. loose kingpins four times in a month. I said no thanks to more replacement baseblates and got my money back.

[close]

Was this happening with V3’s for you?

[close]

It's got to be bad luck (if they were sending you replacement plates, assume they were all coming from the same 'stock' right? Surely they weren't disassembling trucks to send out plates to people; bad batches maybe? That shit seems to happen to all of them that don't come out of SF (and even they aren't perfect).

Was this also back in the ti pin days?

This was v3 tikings so yeah they had ti kingpins if thats what u mean. Sure they could all have been from the same bad batch.

Regarded them as the best feeling trucks, but hadnt ever carved in a bowl back then so who knows how I would like them now.

[Frank]

i kind of got tired of indys last year after i worn out my last set for the time being. switched to ventures and it's all good. main thing i had to get used to was how they affect pop differently. i haven't done anything to them. they turn about as nice as indys to me, but have less of a deadzone than indys, where loose indys might not turn anymore but just wobble into wheelbites in my experience. they also grind way smoother and have a lot of meat on the hanger so to speak.

i also want to try the new aces when they come out. otherwise there is no truck madness. i have ridden a few pairs of thunders but never found them to be exceptional, always broke the kingping on them and often wrecked the baseplate in attempts to getting it out, slipping axles, i dunno. i must have always gotten ones from a bad batch. though i liked how they turned i thought they grinded not that good and always went to shit fast.

i was on a borrowed set of destructos for a while when i was super broke ages ago and i remember liking them, but since they seemed like some sort of indy copy, i didn't bother buying them over actual indys. funny since i am waiting to try aces whose whole concept is to be an old school indy copy.

[Toadfish Rebecchi]

I’ve got Venture 5.8 hi after skating nothing but Indys for 25 years. They’re easily as loose and carve no differently to 149s. I really like them. The only thing I can see being an issue is that there’s not as much meat around the baseplate where the pivot cup sits. I already slide through to pivot cup on Indys kinda quick, so this could be an issue.

[toque]

Pretty sure if you just pick a pair of trucks you get used to them after a few weeks. People are frying out over geometry etc etc. The main reason not to skate Independent is the big iron cross logos on them. They also have a stupid tough guy advertising campaign that's outdated/embarrassing. I've been on Ventures for many years and will keep that going as long as I can. Awake.

[satan]

Pretty sure if you just pick a pair of trucks you get used to them after a few weeks. People are frying out over geometry etc etc. The main reason not to skate Independent is the big iron cross logos on them. They also have a stupid tough guy advertising campaign that's outdated/embarrassing. I've been on Ventures for many years and will keep that going as long as I can. Awake.

Not buying Indy's for this reason seems as dumb as buying into the tough guy image, you're still being affected by the marketing, just in the opposite direction. And you say it like someone wouldn't ride Indy cuz they like the way they turn and grind. Or could ignore all that trucker hat, dickies, wallet chain, vans, pbr bs.

And it means Venture's marketing better appeals to you? I mean, really think about the psychology of it all. How we're influenced to like what we like.. Do you like Venture cuz you really like the trucks? Or does their marketing say steezy to you?

Or talk about how the trucks feel. Cuz some of that talk has made me think about trying other trucks, the ones that seem similar to Indy..

[sadnocomply]

I would rather watch/support Bobby and mcclung slay lines on ledges for fucking dayyyyys on ventures than watch those assholes evan smith and figgy shotgun beers after hitting a kinked rail but that’s just me. marketing will always be a huge part of the skate community and let’s get real independents approach/appearance is pretty white trash. I buy the trucks because they fucking rule especially the titaniums, but I do not even consider anything else by that brand that’s for sure. I made the switch to venture lately and sure there is a difference but seriously just go out and shred baby. It’s really that simple, we all adapt to things over time yet so many people cry about switching trucks. Skate the shit, get used to the shit, rep the shit you wanna rep. Shalom



p.s. - I’m super spacey I just smoked a J in the parking lot of a TGI Friday’s.

[palelight]

Pretty sure if you just pick a pair of trucks you get used to them after a few weeks. People are frying out over geometry etc etc. The main reason not to skate Independent is the big iron cross logos on them. They also have a stupid tough guy advertising campaign that's outdated/embarrassing. I've been on Ventures for many years and will keep that going as long as I can. Awake.

I would rather watch/support Bobby and mcclung slay lines on ledges for fucking dayyyyys on ventures than watch those assholes evan smith and figgy shotgun beers after hitting a kinked rail but that’s just me. marketing will always be a huge part of the skate community and let’s get real independents approach/appearance is pretty white trash. I buy the trucks because they fucking rule especially the titaniums, but I do not even consider anything else by that brand that’s for sure. I made the switch to venture lately and sure there is a difference but seriously just go out and shred baby. It’s really that simple, we all adapt to things over time yet so many people cry about switching trucks. Skate the shit, get used to the shit, rep the shit you wanna rep. Shalom



p.s. - I’m super spacey I just smoked a J in the parking lot of a TGI Friday’s.

It's a truck thread in Shoes & Gear, telling people not to worry about truck geometry is like telling someone with clinical OCD not to worry about the fringe folded over on a rug - you're pissing in the wind.

[moonordie]

I would rather watch/support Bobby and mcclung slay lines on ledges for fucking dayyyyys on ventures than watch those assholes evan smith and figgy shotgun beers after hitting a kinked rail but that’s just me. marketing will always be a huge part of the skate community and let’s get real independents approach/appearance is pretty white trash. I buy the trucks because they fucking rule especially the titaniums, but I do not even consider anything else by that brand that’s for sure. I made the switch to venture lately and sure there is a difference but seriously just go out and shred baby. It’s really that simple, we all adapt to things over time yet so many people cry about switching trucks. Skate the shit, get used to the shit, rep the shit you wanna rep. Shalom



p.s. - I’m super spacey I just smoked a J in the parking lot of a TGI Friday’s.

You're not alone.

[munchbox]

indy was never the best for me. never got good pop on shorter wb trucks for some odd reason. also riding heavy ass trucks doesnt do anything good for me. just makes me want to stay on the ground, be lazy, and avoid bone crushing shinners at all costs. but thats probably just me

[sadnocomply]

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Pretty sure if you just pick a pair of trucks you get used to them after a few weeks. People are frying out over geometry etc etc. The main reason not to skate Independent is the big iron cross logos on them. They also have a stupid tough guy advertising campaign that's outdated/embarrassing. I've been on Ventures for many years and will keep that going as long as I can. Awake.

[close]

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I would rather watch/support Bobby and mcclung slay lines on ledges for fucking dayyyyys on ventures than watch those assholes evan smith and figgy shotgun beers after hitting a kinked rail but that’s just me. marketing will always be a huge part of the skate community and let’s get real independents approach/appearance is pretty white trash. I buy the trucks because they fucking rule especially the titaniums, but I do not even consider anything else by that brand that’s for sure. I made the switch to venture lately and sure there is a difference but seriously just go out and shred baby. It’s really that simple, we all adapt to things over time yet so many people cry about switching trucks. Skate the shit, get used to the shit, rep the shit you wanna rep. Shalom



p.s. - I’m super spacey I just smoked a J in the parking lot of a TGI Friday’s.

[close]

It's a truck thread in Shoes & Gear, telling people not to worry about truck geometry is like telling someone with clinical OCD not to worry about the fringe folded over on a rug - you're pissing in the wind.

Bruh the post literally says change my mind, and that was my attempt. So many people are fairies with truck geometry smh that is my point.

[Firebert]

When it comes to design, Theeve is the best.

When it comes to looks, I like ACE and Indys.

[Xen]

When it comes to design, Theeve is the best.

When it comes to looks, I like ACE and Indys.

It's funny how split people are on the look of ACE; you either love them or hate them. Indy hangers (backside) look great; the yoke design is as dated as their marketing (but it works).

I miss the old v1/v2 theeve hangers (essentially ACE / TiHanger designs). as I dislike the look of the hanger wings we've got now but who cares, they're great, even with their ugly logo baseplate

[Toadfish Rebecchi]

Theeve look like life-sized TechDeck trucks.

[rocklobster]

Theeve look like life-sized TechDeck trucks.

Thanks man, I just got a pair, in purple no less.

[RossDailey]

From a physics perspective, indys suck. They are bricks.
Less weight = easier everything.

That's why they make the Indy Hollow's …. been riding those for 10+ years

Best Trucks Ever

[munchbox]

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From a physics perspective, indys suck. They are bricks.
Less weight = easier everything.

[close]

That's why they make the Indy Hollow's …. been riding those for 10+ years

Best Trucks Ever

still heavy compared to all the competitors hollow iterations. "light" indys are only light compared to standard indys and aces. i understand some people just need to "ride the best" but weight savings will never be their calling card when its time to compare the "best" to the rest.

[palelight]

Ah, fuck it.

[Banned from the room]

Pretty sure if you just pick a pair of trucks you get used to them after a few weeks. People are frying out over geometry etc etc. The main reason not to skate Independent is the big iron cross logos on them. They also have a stupid tough guy advertising campaign that's outdated/embarrassing. I've been on Ventures for many years and will keep that going as long as I can. Awake.

respect

[Banned from the room]

I would rather watch/support Bobby and mcclung slay lines on ledges for fucking dayyyyys on ventures than watch those assholes evan smith and figgy shotgun beers after hitting a kinked rail but that’s just me. marketing will always be a huge part of the skate community and let’s get real independents approach/appearance is pretty white trash. I buy the trucks because they fucking rule especially the titaniums, but I do not even consider anything else by that brand that’s for sure. I made the switch to venture lately and sure there is a difference but seriously just go out and shred baby. It’s really that simple, we all adapt to things over time yet so many people cry about switching trucks. Skate the shit, get used to the shit, rep the shit you wanna rep. Shalom



p.s. - I’m super spacey I just smoked a J in the parking lot of a TGI Friday’s.

shalom.

But im pretty white trash by north eastern standards. It doesn't make me any less of a ledge gangster.

I just smoked some hash an dumpster dived at dunks

Awake

[lemonchicken91]

I know I'm going to get roasted but I had a pair of the old school grind kings that were amazingly light.

still have them in a closet somewhere.
That being said, I weigh 140 and heard they were not lasting for bigger guys.
Currently on some giant Caliber trucks from a cruiser  setup and they are so heavy its like kickfipping an aircraft carrier. do like them for bowl though. Wide af

Independents are pretty heavy, would prefer something lighter for street.

[sadnocomply]

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Pretty sure if you just pick a pair of trucks you get used to them after a few weeks. People are frying out over geometry etc etc. The main reason not to skate Independent is the big iron cross logos on them. They also have a stupid tough guy advertising campaign that's outdated/embarrassing. I've been on Ventures for many years and will keep that going as long as I can. Awake.

[close]

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I would rather watch/support Bobby and mcclung slay lines on ledges for fucking dayyyyys on ventures than watch those assholes evan smith and figgy shotgun beers after hitting a kinked rail but that’s just me. marketing will always be a huge part of the skate community and let’s get real independents approach/appearance is pretty white trash. I buy the trucks because they fucking rule especially the titaniums, but I do not even consider anything else by that brand that’s for sure. I made the switch to venture lately and sure there is a difference but seriously just go out and shred baby. It’s really that simple, we all adapt to things over time yet so many people cry about switching trucks. Skate the shit, get used to the shit, rep the shit you wanna rep. Shalom



p.s. - I’m super spacey I just smoked a J in the parking lot of a TGI Friday’s.

[close]

It's a truck thread in Shoes & Gear, telling people not to worry about truck geometry is like telling someone with clinical OCD not to worry about the fringe folded over on a rug - you're pissing in the wind.

In all serious thank you for your contributions to the wheelbase thread with venture and indys palelight. You really are the goat my guy I studied that shit for dayyyys and copped some cast and forged ventures couple weeks ago and wanted to experiment for myself and absolutely loving it

[palelight]

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Pretty sure if you just pick a pair of trucks you get used to them after a few weeks. People are frying out over geometry etc etc. The main reason not to skate Independent is the big iron cross logos on them. They also have a stupid tough guy advertising campaign that's outdated/embarrassing. I've been on Ventures for many years and will keep that going as long as I can. Awake.

[close]

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I would rather watch/support Bobby and mcclung slay lines on ledges for fucking dayyyyys on ventures than watch those assholes evan smith and figgy shotgun beers after hitting a kinked rail but that’s just me. marketing will always be a huge part of the skate community and let’s get real independents approach/appearance is pretty white trash. I buy the trucks because they fucking rule especially the titaniums, but I do not even consider anything else by that brand that’s for sure. I made the switch to venture lately and sure there is a difference but seriously just go out and shred baby. It’s really that simple, we all adapt to things over time yet so many people cry about switching trucks. Skate the shit, get used to the shit, rep the shit you wanna rep. Shalom



p.s. - I’m super spacey I just smoked a J in the parking lot of a TGI Friday’s.

[close]

It's a truck thread in Shoes & Gear, telling people not to worry about truck geometry is like telling someone with clinical OCD not to worry about the fringe folded over on a rug - you're pissing in the wind.

[close]

In all serious thank you for your contributions to the wheelbase thread with venture and indys palelight. You really are the goat my guy I studied that shit for dayyyys and copped some cast and forged ventures couple weeks ago and wanted to experiment for myself and absolutely loving it

No worries man. It was a bad day on my end and arguing with cheetahsheets for 24 hours didn't help the disposition. All good.

[satan]

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When it comes to design, Theeve is the best.

When it comes to looks, I like ACE and Indys.

[close]

It's funny how split people are on the look of ACE; you either love them or hate them. Indy hangers (backside) look great; the yoke design is as dated as their marketing (but it works).

I miss the old v1/v2 theeve hangers (essentially ACE / TiHanger designs). as I dislike the look of the hanger wings we've got now but who cares, they're great, even with their ugly logo baseplate

What's up with the yoke? There's the no hang up shape and generally more sculpted design compared to stage 8. And 9? idr..
What are other brands doing differently?

[palelight]

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When it comes to design, Theeve is the best.

When it comes to looks, I like ACE and Indys.

[close]

It's funny how split people are on the look of ACE; you either love them or hate them. Indy hangers (backside) look great; the yoke design is as dated as their marketing (but it works).

I miss the old v1/v2 theeve hangers (essentially ACE / TiHanger designs). as I dislike the look of the hanger wings we've got now but who cares, they're great, even with their ugly logo baseplate

[close]

What's up with the yoke? There's the no hang up shape and generally more sculpted design compared to stage 8. And 9? idr..
What are other brands doing differently?

Stage 11 yoke was ovalized. Every stage before that, including 10's, had a circular yoke cavity. The old yoke design wasn't a problem on stage 7/8 and before because of the kingpin/bushing height ratio, you still got deep turns (with crap grind clearance). When they combined the old yoke with the demand for more kingpin/grind clearance you got the stage 10, which turned like ass (and I think they were trying to keep up with Theeve, who were poaching a shit ton of riders at the time).

Ace and Thunder still do a circular yoke. Indy, Theeve, Venture, and Krux have oval yokes (although they're all shaped a little differently).

[Xen]

^^ Awesome post.

Yoke-wise, top down, look at every truck out there, now go look at Indy (the re-designed Thunders bloated out a bit here as well). My guess is to get that trim web, they boost around the yoke instead (and why ACE keep bending, and Theeve bolstered their web but kept the trim yoke). Tensor Alloys flair a bit like Indy but keep it tight and ATG have a pretty big yoke but really thin. I wonder how much of 'did they break? no, sweet, keep it' thought goes into yoke design

[satan]

Aah. I know what you guys are talking about now. For a sec I thought you meant something hidden by the bushings. Or maybe a dimension change to the yoke's offset.

I can remember bite marks on stage 7 and/or 8 yokes from the top washers. I'd still got wheelbite and never broke a kingpin so I just thought it was odd, not really an issue/problem. Now I wonder if grinding out those spots with a dremel would give more lean, probably need risers though.

Yeah. It did seem like it took the newer companies doing well for Indy to finally make drastic changes to the hangers. And do forged, Ti, etc

I have trouble with the square yoke shape on Thunders. Just looks weird to me. And too small.

Ya. I wonder how much is tested with FEA and if changes are solely based on those needs or "does it look good/cool" come into play?

[palelight]

^^ Awesome post.

Yoke-wise, top down, look at every truck out there, now go look at Indy (the re-designed Thunders bloated out a bit here as well). My guess is to get that trim web, they boost around the yoke instead (and why ACE keep bending, and Theeve bolstered their web but kept the trim yoke). Tensor Alloys flair a bit like Indy but keep it tight and ATG have a pretty big yoke but really thin. I wonder how much of 'did they break? no, sweet, keep it' thought goes into yoke design

I think I've harped on this before about Aces, but I'm just solidly convinced the bending is 100% down to the hanger design, specifically the wings. They're the only brand that does the circular rod hanger, and it's such a bad design from a strength standpoint. There's a reason no one's done it since Bennett/Indy Stage IV. When Cab and Mountain redesigned Indy's for Stage V with the weight relieved hanger, the shape itself (if you look at it from a cross section) was also made triangular, which every truck brand adopted since then. Ace hangers are total throwbacks. Even when Theeve did the tihanger, they channeled out the underside. You kill weight and up the strength at the same time.

A basic example is go to a Home Depot, go to the isle with aluminum bar stock. Grab a solid 1/4" round bar, you can fold it in half barehanded. Pick up a piece of u-channel, even if it's only 1/16" thick, it'll be stiff as hell. (**don't actually do this**)

So, they can keep adding thickness to the hanger, but if they keep it round and lacking any sort of channelling  it's diminishing returns and increased weight.

[munchbox]

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If any of you wishing that your thunders are higher, just take out the stock bottom bushings on those thunders in put aftermarket connical bushing from independent.

If you want to make it exactly indy standards high, add another small washer in the bottom washer in addition to the indy connical bushings.

[close]

Not trying to be a dick, but none of that washes. Thunder bottom bushings are taller than Indy's. So your first piece of advice, it's just going to make the Thunder sit lower. Adding a washer under an Indy bushing would make it... normal Thunder height. If you want taller Thunders, use a riser.

[close]

I dunno what at to tell you, my stock thunder team 148 bottom bushings are shorter then my aftermarket indy connical bushings. Anyone wanna chime in go ahead but I will double check just too make sure.

[close]

Indy aftermarket on the left, standard Thunder high on the right,

are the aftermarket cylinder bushings also shorter than stock? im trying to get something close to the height of the ace classic deckside bushings

[palelight]

are the aftermarket cylinder bushings also shorter than stock? im trying to get something close to the height of the ace classic deckside bushings

I'll snap some pics for you when I'm back home. If there is a difference it will be really minimal.