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I totally get what people are saying, as I have a few sets of the old six hole Thunders (some regular kingpin and some inverted kingpins, which I have posted before), some of the lows, some 149ers and some of the other in between stages before the current ones and they are significantly different in look and feel to skate, regardless of no change to geometry.
The reality is things get discontinued because they didn't sell well enough or someone "fixed" the issues that the main people concerned - their pro riders - brough up with them.
The pro guys have even said it before - you can't make a high truck lower, but you can always make a low truck higher.
Risers are there for a reason, and clearly they do work for Ishod so DLX is not about to change much with their Thunder trucks in that regard, but again everyone is entitled to say whatever they wish.
As far as the current modern market for skate hardgoods, I do think we have pretty much the best in the way of options and quality now compared to any time in the past, no matter what people might prefer or wish they still had back in the day or through the years.
I have had the pleasure (or whatever because I wasn't so stoked really) to be able to skate or even just stand on / look at a lot of boards, be it decks, completes or others from almost all time periods in skating and I gotta say that most boards we skated from the 80s right through were way better in my head than they are in real life.
For anyone who is not happy with whatever you have right now, you can always make your own modifications to make something exactly as you think it should be and skate that instead.
I for one use 2mm hard rubber sheeting that I cut up to fit exactly under the baseplate and is perfect to make current Thunder trucks more manageable for me, as well as give them to anyone who has Thunders in case they want to have that little bit of extra height and it is interesting to hear the responses.
Some people are stoked with the existing height so don't need them, others stoked on the little extra height, especially with no riser sticking out anywhere round the baseplate and no change of truck feel on their board, but less wheelbite. That is probably the main one, whether they realise it or not, as some people are no where near as in tune with their setup as others who know what every little thing does or can feel and make sense of all the small changes they make to their own boards.
Everyone is different in that regard and I do actually enjoy hearing how people do things, or wish they had things, as I will often go and try something on a board I don't mind messing with just to see what people are talking about.
For my own boards though, once they are set up, nothing changes on them for the life of the board, as I know exactly what works for me in that regard.
Absolutely, completely agree. It was cool to be stoked on whatever you could get your hands on, back in the day, but there’s no doubt that it’s awesome to have all the high quality product these days at your fingertips (and all the info like your rad woodshop thread just makes everyone way more informed than the old days, which is awesome). I just can’t fuck with risers unless it’s a cruiser, maybe it’s mental as well, but it just a no. Just lifting up the truck hasn’t solved it for me, especially on wider Thunders, I’ll put 1/2” risers under 161, and it just feels so wrong, compared to say Indys or even Venture. Yeah, maybe I need to get into moding or just be thankful with all the rad choices we’ve got, spoiled for choice!
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No they're not. I've skated Thunders and Ventures since about 1998. They have changed the baseplate especially near the hanger yoke, but the geo isn't substantially different and they have the same basic turning characteristics. The absence of true lows is good because they had zero kingpin clearance. The bushings are better as well. I don't think there is a single truck that hasn't improved over the years especially once highs became normal and more sizes were offered.
Yes, they are. And when I say geo, I’m not just talking about just turning characteristics, I’m talking about the whole thing - height, wheelbase, baseplate, nose/tail slide clearance etc. Yes, the turn is different obviously (but not wildly so), but that’s only one factor. I think because Venture haven’t shrunk their baseplate (despite changing from old to new hole pattern) this is also why they’re similar to the 90s six hole Thunders (before they shrunk it down). I’m too lazy to post pics, but I’m lining up the old and new thunders and venture hi’s right now, and the current Thunders are the odd one out.
Anyway, obviously the current Thunder highs are not highs, at best they’re mids, but at sub 50mm for the 145/147 lights, that’s basically a low truck (and yes I know they had an even lower truck, but that doesn’t make sub 50mm trucks “highs”).
TLDR: I’d love to see a release of actual highs on Thunder, something fresh, a little variety - why not give skaters that are stoked on Thunder more choices than just one bog standard, not hi, not super lo, truck. I’d be saying the same thing if Venture and Indy only came in one basic height. heck, how many Thunder pros run risers because of this lack of choice of a true high, that’s got to say something. Right?
Talking to someone that works on Thunder trucks the hanger yoke and kingpin angle have always been the same. They did change from the rounded baseplate, which stuck out slightly more. Unfortunately this doesn't influence geometry, hence why I didn't include it. When Thunder pushed for higher trucks they did change the hanger to accommodate a taller lower bushing and on highs the top bushing got slightly taller. Of course 1:1 this isn't "the same" as a low, but they specifically tuned these variables so the turn was more or less the same twitchy turn.
I actually think Thunders are fine as is sans baseplate. I have no interest in riding a truck over 53mm or whatever Venture high are so the 1mm difference in normal sizes isn't a big deal. I'm not sure another 1-2mm of baseplate would change slides much but I'd take that for sure. A 52mm 147 would be great as it's such a weird in between size.
Yeah, you’re right with the kingpin/yolk angle, they’ve done a great job there keeping it real. I’m not an expert with the language so when I say geometry, I’m talking about the angles and math of the trucks overall to the board (wheelbase, height etc), but turning which perhaps is what geo means in skate terms, yeah old Thunders do turn more like new Thunders not Ventures.
I skate the hollow or titaniums 145/147 (depends on deck) on the OG/“Team” baseplate, with 50s. It brings out the best in my limited abilities
. When it’s crusty, and I need 53+, Thunders just don’t work for me, and I reach for the Venture V light his. Anyway man, just good to shoot the shit, thanks for the feedback, always good to hear opinions and learn, that’s what’s great about slap.
Topic: The Thunder Thread (Read 133650 times)