Author Topic: The Rails Thread  (Read 14804 times)

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FrozenIndustries

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #30 on: April 21, 2021, 07:29:03 AM »
Pig Rails because they're 14" - all the others are too long and hit my wheelbite

I was curious about that. Last time I tried a Rib Bone the ends kept getting bit. Recently say these 13.5" Slappy Hour rails. Nice and short:

https://thesellerdoor.com/shop/slappy-hour-13-5-swizzle-stixx/

Anybody know offhand what size screw most brands use? Looks like #8 x 1/2" but I am not sure.

mj23

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #31 on: April 21, 2021, 09:32:13 AM »
Like a lot of others here I tried Pig rails and found that the screws were shitty and the rails came out of my board pretty quickly. They also rattled a lot.

Now I have some Santa Cruz rails which are holding nicely, no rattle, no screw issues. A bit long for the Dane 1 wheelbase tho and I do occasionally get wheelbite. Rail wheelbite is so much worse than deck wheelbite. But they’re fun for a curb cruiser and also for getting a little more height between the wheels and the ground on boardslides with big soft wheels.

Kinda want to lighten the setup a little tho. Considering using a single rail for my next cruiser/shaped deck... although the different may be totally marginal, idk

babywantsbluevelvet

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #32 on: April 21, 2021, 11:42:49 AM »
I'm seeing a lot of comments about wheel bite with rails. I may be missing something here, but if you lean into a couple bitey turns going regular and then fakie on your fresh deck before you put your rails on, it's like...really easy to avoid all four bite marks when installing the rails.

Firebert

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #33 on: April 21, 2021, 11:47:28 AM »
I'm seeing a lot of comments about wheel bite with rails. I may be missing something here, but if you lean into a couple bitey turns going regular and then fakie on your fresh deck before you put your rails on, it's like...really easy to avoid all four bite marks when installing the rails.
Not if you want your rails in the spots where the bite marks are. I'm not about to put them on crooked or all the way on the edges.

Xen

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #34 on: April 21, 2021, 02:39:04 PM »
I'm seeing a lot of comments about wheel bite with rails. I may be missing something here, but if you lean into a couple bitey turns going regular and then fakie on your fresh deck before you put your rails on, it's like...really easy to avoid all four bite marks when installing the rails.

I get wheel bite for days...and my rails are always 1/4" or more away from any wheel bite mark...

Stop installing your rails under your wheels?
Move them in or out to avoid bite?
Don't buy 15" rails (Rib bones are 14.5 so I don't touch them are people installing them on 14"WB incorrectly)?

Install them within the wheelbase, so the tip of the rail doesn't go past the edge of the baseplate and you should be fine...I'm with you @babywantsbluevelvet I'm not seeing how this is even a thing when there are so many ways to avoid it?

animalflesh

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #35 on: April 21, 2021, 02:43:49 PM »
I bow my rails which locks boardslides in the middle, makes hurricanes easier and avoids wheelbite


pica

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #36 on: April 21, 2021, 02:44:23 PM »

welcome ones were alright but pretty expensive and the tape works for one board and then you're

If you dont want your rails to rattle around just apply a thin layer of shoe goo before you drill them on your deck.
Later you can remove them with a razor blade.

Jory4

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #37 on: April 22, 2021, 07:12:04 AM »
I’ve been switching between one and two rails recently.

Mostly skating curbs and mini ramp so a mix of steel and concrete.

Two rails is ok on steel coping as long as “the kids” don’t wax obsessively. If it’s waxed coping two is scary and one ( toe side ) is a good compromise of extra slide and stability but still some control.

I’ve tried rib bones, pig, juice bars and streetplant ones. IME the harder plastic ones like pigs and the juice bars are way slippier / scarier on steel and the softer ones where the plastic feels like a chopping board have better control.

Frank and Fred

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #38 on: April 22, 2021, 07:34:15 AM »
I bow my rails which locks boardslides in the middle, makes hurricanes easier and avoids wheelbite

Ride a deck a few times before you put the rails on to see where the wheel bite marks are. You can then either position the rails away from the marks or bend the rails so they curve in at that point, as others have mentioned.

You can also just mount your trucks and squeeze them to down to see where the wheel will hit...

144p

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #39 on: April 22, 2021, 07:37:58 AM »
I’ll start with this, if you don’t frequently skate a double sided curb then rails aren’t really needed all the time. It really dramatically makes the spot way more fun and opens up so many possibilities for combos and turns that 1 foot boardslide into a 20 footer easily.
I get flack from those 30+ year old buddies who take themselves and their skating way too seriously with trick do’s and donts lists. For a bigger guy it makes every flat bar slide the same, board slides on coping are way more fun too.
I’ve been told I’m cheating, had people look at my board with disgust. I don’t worry about their setups but they seem like they love to judge mine. It’s just a different approach.
Anyways as for rail types, brands use different materials. The harder plastic Santa Cruz, pig, madness uses is faster kind of but less damp so the screws are more likely to come out and rattle and they also wear down much faster than the material welcome, new deal, rad railz, lil jawns, Powell etc use. I also set mine about 1.5-1.75 inches in for maximum combo as the leverage point of your board is where the concave begins.
I used one rail for fun a few times but didn’t see a big change so just went to 2 as I couldn’t do the boardcane without a heel side rail.

FrozenIndustries

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #40 on: April 22, 2021, 08:50:00 AM »
I’ll start with this, if you don’t frequently skate a double sided curb then rails aren’t really needed all the time. It really dramatically makes the spot way more fun and opens up so many possibilities for combos and turns that 1 foot boardslide into a 20 footer easily.
I get flack from those 30+ year old buddies who take themselves and their skating way too seriously with trick do’s and donts lists. For a bigger guy it makes every flat bar slide the same, board slides on coping are way more fun too.
I’ve been told I’m cheating, had people look at my board with disgust. I don’t worry about their setups but they seem like they love to judge mine. It’s just a different approach.
Anyways as for rail types, brands use different materials. The harder plastic Santa Cruz, pig, madness uses is faster kind of but less damp so the screws are more likely to come out and rattle and they also wear down much faster than the material welcome, new deal, rad railz, lil jawns, Powell etc use. I also set mine about 1.5-1.75 inches in for maximum combo as the leverage point of your board is where the concave begins.
I used one rail for fun a few times but didn’t see a big change so just went to 2 as I couldn’t do the boardcane without a heel side rail.

Thank you, this is some choice information. I just got some slightly longer screws for my New Deal rails (they're very shallowly routed and popped off too easily on the last board I tried them on) and I am going to put them on my current whip and wasn't quite sure how far I wanted to put them in.

Big Shalom to everyone who has posted in here thus far as well.

babywantsbluevelvet

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #41 on: April 22, 2021, 09:01:57 AM »
Expand Quote
I'm seeing a lot of comments about wheel bite with rails. I may be missing something here, but if you lean into a couple bitey turns going regular and then fakie on your fresh deck before you put your rails on, it's like...really easy to avoid all four bite marks when installing the rails.
[close]
Not if you want your rails in the spots where the bite marks are. I'm not about to put them on crooked or all the way on the edges.

How wide are the boards you're riding? Mine are usually around 9", so that does give me a lot of wiggle room. I could see how riding something smaller would make wheel bite more of an issue now that I think about it.

Firebert

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #42 on: April 22, 2021, 09:26:54 AM »
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
I'm seeing a lot of comments about wheel bite with rails. I may be missing something here, but if you lean into a couple bitey turns going regular and then fakie on your fresh deck before you put your rails on, it's like...really easy to avoid all four bite marks when installing the rails.
[close]
Not if you want your rails in the spots where the bite marks are. I'm not about to put them on crooked or all the way on the edges.
[close]

How wide are the boards you're riding? Mine are usually around 9", so that does give me a lot of wiggle room. I could see how riding something smaller would make wheel bite more of an issue now that I think about it.

I'm referring to an 8.5 I have with a 14" wb which makes 14.5 rails hit that spot. I have them lined up in that spot as to save the graphic. I'm not putting them further in - they're already an inch and a half away from the edge.

Xen

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #43 on: April 22, 2021, 05:41:12 PM »
I’ll start with this, if you don’t frequently skate a double sided curb then rails aren’t really needed all the time. It really dramatically makes the spot way more fun and opens up so many possibilities for combos and turns that 1 foot boardslide into a 20 footer easily.
I get flack from those 30+ year old buddies who take themselves and their skating way too seriously with trick do’s and donts lists. For a bigger guy it makes every flat bar slide the same, board slides on coping are way more fun too.
I’ve been told I’m cheating, had people look at my board with disgust. I don’t worry about their setups but they seem like they love to judge mine. It’s just a different approach.
Anyways as for rail types, brands use different materials. The harder plastic Santa Cruz, pig, madness uses is faster kind of but less damp so the screws are more likely to come out and rattle and they also wear down much faster than the material welcome, new deal, rad railz, lil jawns, Powell etc use. I also set mine about 1.5-1.75 inches in for maximum combo as the leverage point of your board is where the concave begins.
I used one rail for fun a few times but didn’t see a big change so just went to 2 as I couldn’t do the boardcane without a heel side rail.


I've zero regrets running rails and Tensor Maglights on my slappy ride =D I can get close to my mag light distance on Indys but it takes quite a bit more effort. Skating is supposed to be fun! Double the boardslide or grind length is always good feeling. Use the right tool for the job.

Mbrimson88

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #44 on: April 22, 2021, 09:05:33 PM »
Why do people run one rail?

There are a lot of guys who use a single rail on the toe side, which they say works best for them, the main reason being for boardslides and lipslides (always forwards facing, so back boards and front lips) so they can sit on their heels to slow it or put more weight on their toe side which, with the rail, will not pitch them forward the way no rails would do on boardslides, if you get what I mean.

They also like to use it to lock in front smith or back feebles too.


Rail placement also has a lot to do with some tricks, as has been mentioned already, having the rail sitting in a bit means you can really lean a lot more on heels or toes to get the board up into combinations, eg boardslide up into hurricane or feeble easily.  Rails sitting out almost at the edge will often be more for people who just want maximum  flat width on the boardslides, but I also know some guys who ride wider boards and low or slim rails right on the edge so they still get a lot of deck contact but can lean on the rails more if they need to, which is a different take.


Rails are fun but if you are not used to them, you can slip out very quickly until you account for them, eg I don't usually ride rails but the couple of boards I have (second hand with rails already on them) I skate occasionally and it is fun but a bit scary for me, but damn you can slide for ever on them!!!


I talk too much about skateboards.  Sorry.

FrozenIndustries

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #45 on: April 23, 2021, 06:41:42 AM »
Taking some advice from this thread, I put my New Deal rails on my Cards board (you can probably see where I had put a single Rib Bone on before but didn't like it).

I measured 1.25" in from the edges and used some 1/2" double-sided foam tape to affix the rails. Since the New Deals don't seem to be routed very deep, I swapped the OG screws out for some #6 x 5/8" screws. This put the screw heads down nicely and made the rails feel super secure. I used a ratcheting screwdriver, which was helped me feel when it was in as far as it would go.

Took it out for a little bit to skate some parking blocks and am loving it so far. My fear of board slides has always came from sticking and eating shit, but these felt fast and very stable. I think using a single rail and/or having them too far out was ruining the experience for me.


Rubbrick

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #46 on: April 23, 2021, 07:15:41 AM »
Has anyone tried these? I remember Roger from the nine club saying he rides these because they’re shorter wheelbase and only use 4 screws

https://www.bevupway.com/category/rails

Xen

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #47 on: April 23, 2021, 08:44:28 AM »
Has anyone tried these? I remember Roger from the nine club saying he rides these because they’re shorter wheelbase and only use 4 screws

https://www.bevupway.com/category/rails


Bevup is rad to watch! Slappy master for sure (Tensors, lockins and rails)

Xen

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #48 on: April 23, 2021, 12:18:18 PM »
Finally a thread where I can voice my expertise in. Ive skated rails since my first setup and love them.


#6 Heroin: Best. Rails. Ever. They are the perfect height and shape, they screw in perfect everytime, amazing plastic and they glow in the dark. Only gripe with them is that they dont have any colour options besides glow in the dark green.


Just grabbed two pair off SoCal Skateshop based on your post!

SuperRupp

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #49 on: April 24, 2021, 06:35:29 AM »
I’m just getting back into skating and have spent the last 8 years working in plastic injection molding. Seeing a lot of product options for rails and it doesn’t seem like there’s a brand that sticks out to anyone in the sub as being particularly good. Some of my friends would use rails when I was younger to protect there graphic or whatever but I wasn’t really into it. Starting to mess with curb slappys as it seems like a fun way to skate without killing myself.  Might try to design a product of my own once I try out what’s available and maybe get some more feedback. Seems a lot of people here have issues with wheelbite length, mounting, and material slickness. If you have any suggestions let me know.

radcunt

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #50 on: April 24, 2021, 06:41:20 AM »
I have the mother lode on my Steve Clarr from 1989?  The Schmitt rails with the t-nut groove so no holes, you top mount them.

Hell yeah, sick rails

YungJugg

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #51 on: April 24, 2021, 06:52:45 AM »
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
I'm seeing a lot of comments about wheel bite with rails. I may be missing something here, but if you lean into a couple bitey turns going regular and then fakie on your fresh deck before you put your rails on, it's like...really easy to avoid all four bite marks when installing the rails.
[close]
Not if you want your rails in the spots where the bite marks are. I'm not about to put them on crooked or all the way on the edges.
[close]

How wide are the boards you're riding? Mine are usually around 9", so that does give me a lot of wiggle room. I could see how riding something smaller would make wheel bite more of an issue now that I think about it.
[close]

I'm referring to an 8.5 I have with a 14" wb which makes 14.5 rails hit that spot. I have them lined up in that spot as to save the graphic. I'm not putting them further in - they're already an inch and a half away from the edge.

just cut an inch or so off the rail easy fix

animalflesh

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #52 on: April 25, 2021, 06:40:23 AM »
I’m just getting back into skating and have spent the last 8 years working in plastic injection molding. Seeing a lot of product options for rails and it doesn’t seem like there’s a brand that sticks out to anyone in the sub as being particularly good. Some of my friends would use rails when I was younger to protect there graphic or whatever but I wasn’t really into it. Starting to mess with curb slappys as it seems like a fun way to skate without killing myself.  Might try to design a product of my own once I try out what’s available and maybe get some more feedback. Seems a lot of people here have issues with wheelbite length, mounting, and material slickness. If you have any suggestions let me know.

If you made a semi pliable rail with a rounded top instead of all this square edge stuff I’d buy

Rubbrick

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #53 on: April 25, 2021, 11:55:11 AM »
Expand Quote
I’m just getting back into skating and have spent the last 8 years working in plastic injection molding. Seeing a lot of product options for rails and it doesn’t seem like there’s a brand that sticks out to anyone in the sub as being particularly good. Some of my friends would use rails when I was younger to protect there graphic or whatever but I wasn’t really into it. Starting to mess with curb slappys as it seems like a fun way to skate without killing myself.  Might try to design a product of my own once I try out what’s available and maybe get some more feedback. Seems a lot of people here have issues with wheelbite length, mounting, and material slickness. If you have any suggestions let me know.
[close]

If you made a semi pliable rail with a rounded top instead of all this square edge stuff I’d buy

Why do you need them to be pliable? To bend them to match the edges of odd shaped boards?

animalflesh

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #54 on: April 25, 2021, 12:13:34 PM »
Yes and I prefer to curve my rails in general

Doesnt have to be super pliable but enough to make it possible

Not to mention I find the extra hard rail material to feel icy and unnatural

Xen

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #55 on: May 19, 2021, 12:03:36 PM »
Santa Cruz Slimline HSR Rails

<commence marketing jargon>

"Santa Cruz Skateboards Slimline HSR rails featuring an all new beveled 3D contour shape and new super-fast, durable high density material. America's first high speed rail."





https://socalskateshop.com/search.html?Search=Santa%20Cruz%20Slimline%20HSR%20Rails%20-%20White

https://www.nativeskatestore.co.uk/skateboards-c7/skateboard-rails-c115/slimline-hsr-skateboard-rails-white-p54345

animalflesh

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #56 on: May 19, 2021, 07:03:30 PM »
Dig the shape

ManimalChin

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #57 on: May 19, 2021, 09:23:02 PM »
Pig Rails because they're 14" - all the others are too long and hit my wheelbite

These rails and similar rails from the same factory all need to be drilled because the mold and screws aren't compatible. You just need to bore out all the holes before mounting the screws, or sometimes they pop out.

I prefer chunky old school rails. Powell makes good rails and so are the old school Schmitt rails...Schmitt Stix! You can find some good deals on NOS old school rails if you poke around the right places  8)

For those wanting to check out rails for the first time, get something with a bit of height. Rails aren't just for protecting the graphic; they slide faster than wood!

Mbrimson88

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #58 on: May 20, 2021, 02:13:52 AM »
Expand Quote
Pig Rails because they're 14" - all the others are too long and hit my wheelbite
[close]

These rails and similar rails from the same factory all need to be drilled because the mold and screws aren't compatible. You just need to bore out all the holes before mounting the screws, or sometimes they pop out.



Quite a few others have had issues with those particular rails, self included when I tried to put them in by hand, but others say when they used a simple drill driver they had no issues.  I had always thought it was too easy to strip out the screw holes machining them in, but as long as you are gentle, it seems like it is the only way to get those rails on.

People quite like the fact that they are low and very hard (slippery) so they sell more often than other brands to street / curb skaters, but the Powell shaped rails seem like they are the best for people who are more into bigger ramp, bowl, etc as they are a bit taller and no where near as slippery.

Interesting the different uses can dictate the type of rails people prefer too.

I talk too much about skateboards.  Sorry.

mj23

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Re: The Rails Thread
« Reply #59 on: May 20, 2021, 10:55:16 AM »
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Pig Rails because they're 14" - all the others are too long and hit my wheelbite
[close]

These rails and similar rails from the same factory all need to be drilled because the mold and screws aren't compatible. You just need to bore out all the holes before mounting the screws, or sometimes they pop out.

[close]


Quite a few others have had issues with those particular rails, self included when I tried to put them in by hand, but others say when they used a simple drill driver they had no issues.  I had always thought it was too easy to strip out the screw holes machining them in, but as long as you are gentle, it seems like it is the only way to get those rails on.

People quite like the fact that they are low and very hard (slippery) so they sell more often than other brands to street / curb skaters, but the Powell shaped rails seem like they are the best for people who are more into bigger ramp, bowl, etc as they are a bit taller and no where near as slippery.

Interesting the different uses can dictate the type of rails people prefer too.

This all sounds right. I’m trying pig rails for a second time right now. Pre-drilling a small hole in the deck made the screws sit in MUCH better than last time. Not having issues with the rail moving or pulling out at all. Still don’t love the screws included but that’s not a deal-breaker if I get the drill out and spend a few minutes extra on installation.

However, the harder Pig plastic still produces more rattle overall than the Santa Cruz rails I had last, which actually contributed (I think) to some of my hardware jiggling loose over time— first time that’s ever happened to me. I guess the next step would be to take some tips above and dampen the point of contact slightly with adhesive, shoe goo, or something else similar.

I’ve avoided wheelbite by taking above tips and just installing further towards the center of the deck. More stable because there’s less deck contact.

And they definitely slide faster. A little more than I might ideally need just to rip some curbs, but I got used to it quick and I can definitely slide across some comically crusty and unwaxed parking blocks.