Gear madness support thread

[I-am-12]

Hope this is the right thread.

Will I get ~clowned~ / shamed for skating a nice pro deck as a relatively newish skater (2 years, learning basic grinds and flip tricks, not a park hero but not a slow skater)?

I only ask because I'm sure people will say something if I was skating super rare Dunks or some LV collab supreme board...

Like, I feel like if I'm skating a Supreme or FA deck (I live in NY so they're not hard to get) will make people cringe because I can probably re-sell? Is that still a thing?

If I find an old Limo or Frog deck that isn't for sale anymore, is that shit rare? What about a Violet board? I feel like the prices are standard so they're not ~collectable~ but I've never seen someone IRL skating a Violet board, probably because people want to hang them up or something?

[Enrico Pallazzo]

Hope this is the right thread.

Will I get ~clowned~ / shamed for skating a nice pro deck as a relatively newish skater (2 years, learning basic grinds and flip tricks, not a park hero but not a slow skater)?

I only ask because I'm sure people will say something if I was skating super rare Dunks or some LV collab supreme board...

Like, I feel like if I'm skating a Supreme or FA deck (I live in NY so they're not hard to get) will make people cringe because I can probably re-sell? Is that still a thing?

If I find an old Limo or Frog deck that isn't for sale anymore, is that shit rare? What about a Violet board? I feel like the prices are standard so they're not ~collectable~ but I've never seen someone IRL skating a Violet board, probably because people want to hang them up or something?

I wouldn't stress it for a second, the subset of people who collect boards within skateboarding is super small, and even they likely wouldn't trip out unless they saw you on the Jake Johnson Alien debut board or something, and even then they might be stoked.

All the brands you named are readily commercially available as you noted, so any perceived scarcity or exclusivity is pure marketing. Even if there's a board that in the future will become collectible, nobody will know about it for years until 99% of that model has been skated and left for dead.

All that to say, if there's a graphic or brand you like, go for it.

[Mbrimson88]

Hope this is the right thread.

Will I get ~clowned~ / shamed for skating a nice pro deck as a relatively newish skater (2 years, learning basic grinds and flip tricks, not a park hero but not a slow skater)?

I only ask because I'm sure people will say something if I was skating super rare Dunks or some LV collab supreme board...

Like, I feel like if I'm skating a Supreme or FA deck (I live in NY so they're not hard to get) will make people cringe because I can probably re-sell? Is that still a thing?

If I find an old Limo or Frog deck that isn't for sale anymore, is that shit rare? What about a Violet board? I feel like the prices are standard so they're not ~collectable~ but I've never seen someone IRL skating a Violet board, probably because people want to hang them up or something?

I wouldn't stress it for a second, the subset of people who collect boards within skateboarding is super small, and even they likely wouldn't trip out unless they saw you on the Jake Johnson Alien debut board or something, and even then they might be stoked.

All the brands you named are readily commercially available as you noted, so any perceived scarcity or exclusivity is pure marketing. Even if there's a board that in the future will become collectible, nobody will know about it for years until 99% of that model has been skated and left for dead.

All that to say, if there's a graphic or brand you like, go for it.

^^^  Exactly.


To add, some brands like FA have a million boards out there (exaggeration, sure) but other brands have very few out there relatively speaking, so the fact that you might have never seen a brand in the wild under someone's feet doesn't mean they are collectable or special, any more than any other piece of wood.

Small boutique brands are just that, whereas some other brands are almost on every street corner.

Also some brands are way more visible / noticeable too, so seeing someone with a well used Violet board might not even register, compared to a well used FA board.

[Sedition]

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^ The last time I went through the 149/144 madness (year or so ago), I ended up with 144s and a few inside washers. A bit after that, I was just suddenly like, "This is utterly insane. A mm is not going to make any real difference*." And I went to standard 1 inside, 1 outside. Recently, I had been riding that 8.75/14.5 Label for a bit, with 159s. And I liked how stable it felt. So, i decided to try 149s on the 8.25 to see if that just might make things "feel better" (under no illusion it's really going to make me skate better/worse in any substantive, meaningful way). It oddly gave me a bit more mental confidence with pivot to fakies, because it felt like more of the truck already "inside" the transition (I do the just lock-the-heel-wheel type of pivot to fakies). The turn on 149s feels real nice, too. But I don't like the axle nut sticking out. Put on 144s back on after a bit, and board just felt a little less stable, with less of a good feeling turn, but also more nimble. Maybe I should just abandon "either/or" (hey Kierkegaard) concepts and just ride whatever the mood dictates, when it dictates, as to trying to find a singular answer.   

*Yet, don't you dare ask me to ride a wheel that is just 1mm off from my preferred size! The irony!

[close]

Oh yeah, that is very familiar - used to ride 144s but now they feel too tippy on any board and the smallest I will go is 149s.

A couple of additions to the madness for you - just the one washer on the inside of 149s and no washer on the outside to see if the nuts sit in far enough.  Try that for a bit, not looking at the remaining axle if you can help it, but if that works, then even grind off the end couple of threads of the axles to bring everything in a bit more, so they will end up sort of like 146 hangers, the way the old Stage 8 or so were, which fit a bit better.  Just don't take too much off.

People have done it unintentionally and just smashed the ends of their axles in the past, so when I am reconditioning used parts, especially hangers, one washer is all that will fit and the truck actually works really well as an in between size.


Re pivot to fakie (and quite a few other tricks where the little extra truck width really helps) I do enjoy a touch more hanger and yes, that spot is the one, wheel just up over and not half a truck with it.

The only down side is some people say the truck is not nimble enough and the 149 sits too wide for some of their flat bar grind type tricks, but I enjoy letting other people with their own trucks have all the flat bar grinding attention and really only have board contact nowdays with flatbars anyway for my own happiness.  Works better for me and less likely to end up broken off.


At least you always have some 144 hangers you can swap in if needed.

(1) Cutting down 149 axle is more than I am willing to do.

(2) I was floundering around with this whole 144/149 situation yesterday. Here was my outcome:

(a) I def do NOT like seeing the axle nut on 149s. At all.

(b) At times, I don't like some of the "lateral slop" that comes with some grinds on 149s, where as 144s seem to feel more like an instant lock-in.

(c) 144s don't feel like they have as much soul as 149s (with that statement, I now sound as old as I am)

(d) 144s with three washers on the inside, none on the out, seemed to be a middle ground that I could live with. I'll be rocking that for the time being. 

[Xen]

I feel you on all points but I can look past seeing the bolts most of the time.

Yes, the 144/148 lack soul; any sub 149” truck feels this way. But the insta lock / lack of the lateral slop offsets this for me.  I really feel the slop on say, backside slappies, or bs smiths…coupled with a spit classic and I find myself easily slipping out.


144/148 are why I tend to stick with slim to skinny wheels and bump the usable width with inside washers/none outside as well.


It really is the lack of soul that is the biggest detractor for narrower trucks, and that’s with any brand; but I really sense it on thunder/venture/royal style trucks for obvious reasons.

[Sedition]

I feel you on all points but I can look past seeing the bolts most of the time.

Yes, the 144/148 lack soul; any sub 149” truck feels this way. But the insta lock / lack of the lateral slop offsets this for me.  I really feel the slop on say, backside slappies, or bs smiths…coupled with a spit classic and I find myself easily slipping out.


144/148 are why I tend to stick with slim to skinny wheels and bump the usable width with inside washers/none outside as well.


It really is the lack of soul that is the biggest detractor for narrower trucks, and that’s with any brand; but I really sense it on thunder/venture/royal style trucks for obvious reasons.

Ok, it's not just me then.

[rikki]

The soul is in you and your riding, not in the trucks. Gimme f*cking Tensors and I can soul-arch my way around bowl corners with my bootcut jeans flappin'.

[Sedition]

The soul is in you and your riding, not in the trucks. Gimme f*cking Tensors and I can soul-arch my way around bowl corners with my bootcut jeans flappin'.

Ok, man, you go get soulful on a scooter…I’ll be dialing in my trucks in the corner.

[rikki]

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The soul is in you and your riding, not in the trucks. Gimme f*cking Tensors and I can soul-arch my way around bowl corners with my bootcut jeans flappin'.

[close]

Ok, man, you go get soulful on a scooter…I’ll be dialing in my trucks in the corner.

Dude I don't know names of any scooter tricks ("twist and shout"? "wanker"?), but you're on, I just might set up a soulful scoot IG for the world to see. Now where can I get a scooter and wait, there's gotta be madness involved in that shit too...

[moonordie]

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The soul is in you and your riding, not in the trucks. Gimme f*cking Tensors and I can soul-arch my way around bowl corners with my bootcut jeans flappin'.

[close]

Ok, man, you go get soulful on a scooter…I’ll be dialing in my trucks in the corner.

[close]

Dude I don't know names of any scooter tricks ("twist and shout"? "wanker"?), but you're on, I just might set up a soulful scoot IG for the world to see. Now where can I get a scooter and wait, there's gotta be madness involved in that shit too...

Don't forget your butt plug for that.

[Ok]

The soul is in you and your riding, not in the trucks. Gimme f*cking Tensors and I can soul-arch my way around bowl corners with my bootcut jeans flappin'.

it was ventures, and that was an amazing time for Dill

[Ok]

haven’t been skating, went thru another what now feels like significant aging/changing time….i now feel older, and just crustier than ever. nothing is working when i go to skate. i spend the whole session on the very basics (think slow rolling kickflip), and then don’t make it to any other rungs.

of course this sparks the setup switcheroo, as tho that will change it all.
has anyone just switched to something, regardless of results, and buried the madness for a bit?
i’ve been trying to find an 8” setup that works, that seems like it would make the most sense for me (skated best in the 7.75 era, getting older and weaker big boards heavy).
i’ve cast a wide net, tried too much. the last flatground session (mercifully by myself in a deep corner of a parking lot that is only frequented by some thoughtful unhoused folks, occasional dog walker, oversized truck trailers), i showed up with 4 completes. an 8 with venture lows, an 8 with ace 33s and big wheels, 8.38 with 8 thunders, 8.5 with 149 thunders. skated the 8.5 the best, board is like 3 years old and dead as fuck.
i think that because it’s a wide plank it’s a little easier to land on. the 8.5 is also 32 with a 14.4 wb. kickflips work, and im trying to get back to 360 flips. the complete feels like it weighs more than two completes.


the above conversation about wider trucks having ‘more soul’, is sadly accurate. @Sedition had mentioned this before and it’s one of the few times i agree with them re: gear, wider setups ‘feel better’ (or something to that effect).

i traveled and went to a skate spot/park that would have been my dream 25 years ago, and realized some difficult truths about where my abilities are at today. it hurts.

my feet hurt. the 808s have been saving me, well except for the part about the toes being squished into the narrow toe. dunks seem to have dried up, i have some hi’s on the shelf that are more narrow than my lows were. maybe forums? those run tts?

i’ll try and keep my posting down, and in this thread. it really is where i belong, ha

[ggrimmedd]

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There is no harm is setting up a wide bowl board, wider carvy trucks (that are know to be the choice of bowl rippers), longer wheel base and bigger wheels to better skate that terrain.

[close]

This is true. But this is the road to multiple setups, which is ok too. But if a lifetime Venture rider wants to rip both street and trannies with one setup, it's gonna be hell trying to do everything with any other truck.

The two setups solution:

1. Stay AWAKE on the streets, ledges, curbs, flatground.
2. Go to sleep with Indys or Aces in bowls and trannies.


OR

Fuck that madness shit, stay AWAKE all around, and proceed to rip trannies on Ventures, which is entirely possible (but not as easy).

[close]

I'd go for another setup.

Don't fold under the idea that second wide setup will solve your problems on transition, if you are comfortable using venture in streets you can be in transition too, there's pros using ultra loose trucks and pros using ultra hard trucks in tranny. Just shoot your shot

[mstuntbless]

My madness journey has taken me from Indy to venture. When I skated Indy..things felt heavy and slow. I tried almost every variation of Indy (standard/forged/mid) and just could not get it to feel right. I’ve been on venture for 6 months now and have thoughts about going back to Indy. Where I’m trying to stop my madness is by telling myself (yes, switch back to Indy but only after the ventures are completely dusted and I literally “need” new trucks). There’s maybe one or two tricks I could do ok Indy that I haven’t done on venture

[Xen]

haven’t been skating, went thru another what now feels like significant aging/changing time….i now feel older, and just crustier than ever. nothing is working when i go to skate. i spend the whole session on the very basics (think slow rolling kickflip), and then don’t make it to any other rungs.

of course this sparks the setup switcheroo, as tho that will change it all.
has anyone just switched to something, regardless of results, and buried the madness for a bit?
i’ve been trying to find an 8” setup that works, that seems like it would make the most sense for me (skated best in the 7.75 era, getting older and weaker big boards heavy).
i’ve cast a wide net, tried too much. the last flatground session (mercifully by myself in a deep corner of a parking lot that is only frequented by some thoughtful unhoused folks, occasional dog walker, oversized truck trailers), i showed up with 4 completes. an 8 with venture lows, an 8 with ace 33s and big wheels, 8.38 with 8 thunders, 8.5 with 149 thunders. skated the 8.5 the best, board is like 3 years old and dead as fuck.
i think that because it’s a wide plank it’s a little easier to land on. the 8.5 is also 32 with a 14.4 wb. kickflips work, and im trying to get back to 360 flips. the complete feels like it weighs more than two completes.

the above conversation about wider trucks having ‘more soul’, is sadly accurate. @Sedition had mentioned this before and it’s one of the few times i agree with them re: gear, wider setups ‘feel better’ (or something to that effect).

i traveled and went to a skate spot/park that would have been my dream 25 years ago, and realized some difficult truths about where my abilities are at today. it hurts.

my feet hurt. the 808s have been saving me, well except for the part about the toes being squished into the narrow toe. dunks seem to have dried up, i have some hi’s on the shelf that are more narrow than my lows were. maybe forums? those run tts?

i’ll try and keep my posting down, and in this thread. it really is where i belong, ha

Watch out, long ass wall of text madness post. TL:Won't read. It's been said on here before You/We know what works*, you just think gear options will improve that kickflip, it won't (usually).

Showing up with four completes, hell loading the car up with them is setting you up for disaster (I do this occasionally with trucks, so you are not alone). "an 8 with ace 33s and big wheels, 8.38 with 8 thunders" those both sound terrible/non-functional to me. "Hey, let me setup an 8.5" w/14.5" WB, with 8.75" trucks and 53/54mm wheels and wonder why I bitch about not land flip tricks.

Been on twins for a hot min, bounced back to regular, bad move. Just throwing down the board is the best feeling ever. No reset shuvs or other tricks needed.

Found a couple of 8.25 twins that I really jelled with. DW Foy but BBS wood (I know you know), royals and old V3s, it was/is great but felt dead after a week (more on that later) so on a whim jumped to a DSM wood/SC VX (sale) twin with damn near the same shape (dims are within 1/16th or so). Amazing. My pop went from just ok to snappy once I was used to the kicks. *I've always preffered china/DSM/epoxy/R7 based boards. Steep, stiff and snappy. I've zero finesse, all power, so steep works best with my ollies. Crack it hard and hope for the best.

Switched back to bones 103a V5 *STFs and it helped my overall game. Why? Because I feel super confident doing bluntslides (they're such an easy trick once you get over the fear), I can slide for days, effortlessly, on STFs (they just feel softer these days, softer than a spit 101a/not as rattly as they used to be). So I warm up, and once I get going I start doing them; this gets me hyped and I start getting in the zone and trying other shit.

Start your session doing tricks you can do, that are makes, even if it's a B/S slappy, a shuv it....not what you want to learn, it will help your mindset for the session. Landing things = dopamine, not landing things = frustration and causing an OCD flare-up regarding gear (of which you have four to choose from...). "FUCK, I didn't land that kickflip, must be the 8.5"....fuck, must be the big wheels on the 8"...

It will come as no suprise that my only madness left is trucks.

Royals are the go to, smooth and responsive, great pinch...hard grind and, the more I've been skating one truck for a while, their grind clearance is starting to get in the way (regs, not IKP). Another thing I noticed is how they sound/feel through the boards: they have a deadening feel to them...you know how tinny and crispy forged thunders and hard wheels feel? Opposite feeling with them; then add in a BBS and a 99a (or worse yet a 93/x9X) and it just feels slow, clunky and dead. Bad Vibes. I like the *tinny/crispy Thunder feel, no other truck has it...but currently riding 8.25" forged slappys (and debating moving to 8.5 hangers...or my thunder TIs )

So stiff, DSM wood, 103a STFs (better yet 101a rictas but they don't slide as well), dry bearings, and forged thunders (wheelbite be damned) is what I like to feel under my feet and how I like my board to sound. I cannot stress how much a dead board sound makes me not want to skate it.

This is also why my knees probbly hurt

Shoes. Knees and feet hurt on me (knees from workingout and skating + old). Nike Leos. That react insole is the most comfortable thing I have have skated in hands down. Shoe has a wide toe box and mid foot. Room/deep enough to throw in an insole on top with better arch. The react insole makes up the entire midsole of that shoe it is nothing without it. Colorways are pretty weak but you can get them cheap.

[Sedition]

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haven’t been skating, went thru another what now feels like significant aging/changing time….i now feel older, and just crustier than ever. nothing is working when i go to skate. i spend the whole session on the very basics (think slow rolling kickflip), and then don’t make it to any other rungs.

of course this sparks the setup switcheroo, as tho that will change it all.
has anyone just switched to something, regardless of results, and buried the madness for a bit?
i’ve been trying to find an 8” setup that works, that seems like it would make the most sense for me (skated best in the 7.75 era, getting older and weaker big boards heavy).
i’ve cast a wide net, tried too much. the last flatground session (mercifully by myself in a deep corner of a parking lot that is only frequented by some thoughtful unhoused folks, occasional dog walker, oversized truck trailers), i showed up with 4 completes. an 8 with venture lows, an 8 with ace 33s and big wheels, 8.38 with 8 thunders, 8.5 with 149 thunders. skated the 8.5 the best, board is like 3 years old and dead as fuck.
i think that because it’s a wide plank it’s a little easier to land on. the 8.5 is also 32 with a 14.4 wb. kickflips work, and im trying to get back to 360 flips. the complete feels like it weighs more than two completes.

the above conversation about wider trucks having ‘more soul’, is sadly accurate. @Sedition had mentioned this before and it’s one of the few times i agree with them re: gear, wider setups ‘feel better’ (or something to that effect).

i traveled and went to a skate spot/park that would have been my dream 25 years ago, and realized some difficult truths about where my abilities are at today. it hurts.

my feet hurt. the 808s have been saving me, well except for the part about the toes being squished into the narrow toe. dunks seem to have dried up, i have some hi’s on the shelf that are more narrow than my lows were. maybe forums? those run tts?

i’ll try and keep my posting down, and in this thread. it really is where i belong, ha

[close]

It's been said on here before You/We know what works*, you just think gear options will improve that kickflip, it won't (usually).

My madness has evolved over time. I am sure part of this is because, at this stage of the game, I have tried every reasonable set-up option/configuration, and given some stuff more tries than I'd like to admit (e.g. Thunders are not suddenly going to "work" for me if I just try them one more time, or with a different wheel/deck). Somewhere along the line my madness transformed from, "Will I skate better with/on "X" (no, not in any substantive way) to, "What just feels the best to me?" This is what I call "Late-Stage Madness" or "Post-madness Madness" because the only way to really get to this point it to figure out the stuff that you really don't skate as well on (e.g. the Thunder baseplates mess with my nose/tail slides, tiny wheelbases are too cramped for me, short tails suck for bluntslides, etc.). Ironically, or maybe not-so ironically, the stuff that just feels the best is also the stuff I tend to skate the best on, too. Where I am going with all this?

For many of us in this thread, "You/We know what works," but we get too lost in our own heads. I've certainly done that. And yeah, as @Xen  said, bringing four set-ups is a set-up for disaster. So, my humble advice of one way to deal with that situation when it arises...leave the "logic" alone, and just go with the feel of what just resonates the most under your feet. That's prolly your "ideal" set-up for most situations. 

[Ok]

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haven’t been skating, went thru another what now feels like significant aging/changing time….i now feel older, and just crustier than ever. nothing is working when i go to skate. i spend the whole session on the very basics (think slow rolling kickflip), and then don’t make it to any other rungs.

of course this sparks the setup switcheroo, as tho that will change it all.
has anyone just switched to something, regardless of results, and buried the madness for a bit?
i’ve been trying to find an 8” setup that works, that seems like it would make the most sense for me (skated best in the 7.75 era, getting older and weaker big boards heavy).
i’ve cast a wide net, tried too much. the last flatground session (mercifully by myself in a deep corner of a parking lot that is only frequented by some thoughtful unhoused folks, occasional dog walker, oversized truck trailers), i showed up with 4 completes. an 8 with venture lows, an 8 with ace 33s and big wheels, 8.38 with 8 thunders, 8.5 with 149 thunders. skated the 8.5 the best, board is like 3 years old and dead as fuck.
i think that because it’s a wide plank it’s a little easier to land on. the 8.5 is also 32 with a 14.4 wb. kickflips work, and im trying to get back to 360 flips. the complete feels like it weighs more than two completes.

the above conversation about wider trucks having ‘more soul’, is sadly accurate. @Sedition had mentioned this before and it’s one of the few times i agree with them re: gear, wider setups ‘feel better’ (or something to that effect).

i traveled and went to a skate spot/park that would have been my dream 25 years ago, and realized some difficult truths about where my abilities are at today. it hurts.

my feet hurt. the 808s have been saving me, well except for the part about the toes being squished into the narrow toe. dunks seem to have dried up, i have some hi’s on the shelf that are more narrow than my lows were. maybe forums? those run tts?

i’ll try and keep my posting down, and in this thread. it really is where i belong, ha

[close]

It's been said on here before You/We know what works*, you just think gear options will improve that kickflip, it won't (usually).

[close]

My madness has evolved over time. I am sure part of this is because, at this stage of the game, I have tried every reasonable set-up option/configuration, and given some stuff more tries than I'd like to admit (e.g. Thunders are not suddenly going to "work" for me if I just try them one more time, or with a different wheel/deck). Somewhere along the line my madness transformed from, "Will I skate better with/on "X" (no, not in any substantive way) to, "What just feels the best to me?" This is what I call "Late-Stage Madness" or "Post-madness Madness" because the only way to really get to this point it to figure out the stuff that you really don't skate as well on (e.g. the Thunder baseplates mess with my nose/tail slides, tiny wheelbases are too cramped for me, short tails suck for bluntslides, etc.). Ironically, or maybe not-so ironically, the stuff that just feels the best is also the stuff I tend to skate the best on, too. Where I am going with all this?

For many of us in this thread, "You/We know what works," but we get too lost in our own heads. I've certainly done that. And yeah, as @Xen  said, bringing four set-ups is a set-up for disaster. So, my humble advice of one way to deal with that situation when it arises...leave the "logic" alone, and just go with the feel of what just resonates the most under your feet. That's prolly your "ideal" set-up for most situations.

both responses appreciated
thanks @Xen for the in-depth reply.

the you/we know what works, is the troubling aspect: i currently don’t know. right now if i had to take one board, based off of the two tricks i can land (kickflip/switchflip), it’d be a 3 fucking year old G053 with 149 thunders and 52s (currently 101 f4 conicals). i’m so twacked out, i’ve lost the way. my “normal” would be an 8” setup (probably with venture lo’s, but then it gets all messed up trying to work away from that).
skating an 8.5 with 8.5 trucks, and an almost 14.5 wb, makes no sense, but feels easier

totally agree on bbs. i haven’t had a great one since the pandemic*** this is not entirely accurate. spent a lot of time on a shop deck, generic generator 8.3 14.38 32, and it’s not bad, especially with 8.75 trucks.

the hard wheels and dsm decks do hurt knees. anybody remember p2 boards? i had some and hit a couple of bombs (the highest i’ve ever nollied), but the stiffness did hurt. and that was 15 years ago. this girl board had that stiff dead sound, but it isn’t resulting in much pop. agree: hate hate hate that sound. old school shapes, huffer….those sounded really good to me.

THANKS for the Leo recommendation. will try. foot pain knocks me off my spot.

the only reason i haven’t bought royals is i haven’t been able to settle on a deck, or a deck size. not sure what the right order of operations is. used to think trucks first, then deck. bought an 8 ps stix and could not even ollie it correctly on venture hi’s/thunders. hence the psycho ace big wheels little kid looking board.

the 8.25 truck madness thing….it was the size many of us wanted. and then when they trickled out, i dunno. ive just never had my best session on any 8.25 trucks. skated the 144s, and those were good for me, on short wb boards. 148s maybe a little more forgiving but i’ve not found the winning combo.
149s can feel better. when i’ve tried to lighten them up, that hasn’t really worked. currently only own thunder 149s. never got on with indy 149s all that well. i had the 10.5s, forged and it was….ok. signed up to slap only to miss out on some ti indy 149s. the slop on grinds isn’t great. the stability of the wider truck sometimes enables me to ollie/nollie higher. 149s had been my gnarliest schism.
at this point i just need to pick one thing, and stick. i’ve always skated better on smaller boards, but hated it because it looked so ‘pinner’, so out of style. i am vain. alone in my parking lot, skating 2 mph railing mobbed nollie flips into my shins, i am vain. not skating as much, trying to get back on and the small setups feel terrible. needlessly difficult.

apologies to anyone that ‘reads’ this. meant to just say thanks to you both.

[Sedition]

...alone in my parking lot, skating 2 mph railing mobbed nollie flips into my shins..

I feel seen. And attacked. Well done.

[Ok]

forgot to mention to @Xen

i respect the leaning into one’s strengths, via the steep board, going for the mega pop. i need to find out what that equivalent is for me.
for anyone skating, maybe that’s the best path, grow towards the light. especially for me in my aging body, going towards some type success seems like it would be pleasant

[Xen]

the you/we know what works, is the troubling aspect: i currently don’t know.

But you do, that's what @Sedition and I are saying. The better angle is what feels good? And have you put those together? It's a process of elimination.

It's possible you keep trying the same shit (expecting different results?). I've got a homie that consistently rides the same shit but bitches about certain tricks that he for sure would be better at if he adjusted some of his gear. *We're* not good enough to fakie tre a 10" fucking egg with 58"mm wheels and 215s...consistently. You know? He's got it worse..as an example, he's the type to keep everything the same (trucks, wheels, WB, board length) except he'll say he's attempting to 'downsize' by dropping from an 8.4 to an 8.3 and expecting the planets to align for flip tricks.

You say you like 149s (seemingly thunders). Check.
52 mm wheels? Check. Find a duro and shape and wheel feel and go.
Not BBS? plenty to choose from. Narrow (probably literally) those dims down.
WB? 14.5 too big? Drop down.
Length? Maybe 32" is too long (plus that long WB)...
8.5? OK, maybe it's the long WB that is messing with you, plenty of 8.5s that are shorter in WB (Blue eagle, SC stumps, etc..)

(Cliff notes of my longer post above)

For example, I like:

- 7/8" allen. Check.
- Pepper galaxy grip. Great grip and looks cool. Check.
- Swiss 6 or Bronson Ceramics/Raws. Check.
- Cripsy steep/stiff/snappy feeling wood = DSM/Crail (or PSStix for the first week ) Check. Santa Cruz, Creature, Opera, Jacuzzi, Girl, Chocolate. Unpopular, but Disorder feel very close to R7 boards. I rode P2s exclusivly back when readily available.
- The way STFs slide...almost uncontrollably so (they aren't the slightly gummy slide like spits) sure they're a bit 'artificial' feeling but meh, and the V5 shape because I'm sloppy and it helps me lock into front krooks. Yes, the wheel is a crutch for two tricks but I don't care.

- Trucks is the true madness. I cannot help you there. I want Thunder pop and weight, venture stabilty, Indy/ACE/Slappy style turn and the semi-neutral WB affect and slappy grind clearance and grind feel/ability (I hope the new Thunder is ALL of that) and for the most part Royal IKP do all of that sans the sweet grinding of slappy so I always default back to them.

I'd wager you have tried all the combinations of the gear you have (much how Sedition and I have) and from what I can tell, nothing is working...because you don't like the feel of any of it. Big wheels on the 8" tells me this

Just a few hours ago, I took some of my own advice/gut feelings and fixed two my of issues  I've been having with the royals.

Switched from 144 hollow to 149 hollow (shout out @BartHarleyJarvis)...instantly felt better/placeeeeboooooo. Whatever.
Switched back to the IKP to net more grind clearance (which also gets rid of the annoyingly long stock/regular kingpin and all its showing threads...but instead of ACE bushings, I went stock bottom and bones top (super low for more clearance) - thing of note, this combo bottoms out the threads in the shaft nut, can't tighten any more.
Switched to noisier bearings to help with the board sound

[j....soy.....]

I’ll change things up just so I can go home again….

If anything what I hope for everyone is the madness just becomes enjoyable tinkering….and just experiencing what each component feels like.  I used to have a 2’ quarter in my garage, it was the only time I really enjoyed my quiver. 

[Ok]

Expand Quote

the you/we know what works, is the troubling aspect: i currently don’t know.

[close]

But you do, that's what @Sedition and I are saying. The better angle is what feels good? And have you put those together? It's a process of elimination.

It's possible you keep trying the same shit (expecting different results?). I've got a homie that consistently rides the same shit but bitches about certain tricks that he for sure would be better at if he adjusted some of his gear. *We're* not good enough to fakie tre a 10" fucking egg with 58"mm wheels and 215s...consistently. You know? He's got it worse..as an example, he's the type to keep everything the same (trucks, wheels, WB, board length) except he'll say he's attempting to 'downsize' by dropping from an 8.4 to an 8.3 and expecting the planets to align for flip tricks.

You say you like 149s (seemingly thunders). Check.
52 mm wheels? Check. Find a duro and shape and wheel feel and go.
Not BBS? plenty to choose from. Narrow (probably literally) those dims down.
WB? 14.5 too big? Drop down.
Length? Maybe 32" is too long (plus that long WB)...
8.5? OK, maybe it's the long WB that is messing with you, plenty of 8.5s that are shorter in WB (Blue eagle, SC stumps, etc..)

(Cliff notes of my longer post above)

For example, I like:

- 7/8" allen. Check.
- Pepper galaxy grip. Great grip and looks cool. Check.
- Swiss 6 or Bronson Ceramics/Raws. Check.
- Cripsy steep/stiff/snappy feeling wood = DSM/Crail (or PSStix for the first week ) Check. Santa Cruz, Creature, Opera, Jacuzzi, Girl, Chocolate. Unpopular, but Disorder feel very close to R7 boards. I rode P2s exclusivly back when readily available.
- The way STFs slide...almost uncontrollably so (they aren't the slightly gummy slide like spits) sure they're a bit 'artificial' feeling but meh, and the V5 shape because I'm sloppy and it helps me lock into front krooks. Yes, the wheel is a crutch for two tricks but I don't care.

- Trucks is the true madness. I cannot help you there. I want Thunder pop and weight, venture stabilty, Indy/ACE/Slappy style turn and the semi-neutral WB affect and slappy grind clearance and grind feel/ability (I hope the new Thunder is ALL of that) and for the most part Royal IKP do all of that sans the sweet grinding of slappy so I always default back to them.

I'd wager you have tried all the combinations of the gear you have (much how Sedition and I have) and from what I can tell, nothing is working...because you don't like the feel of any of it. Big wheels on the 8" tells me this

Just a few hours ago, I took some of my own advice/gut feelings and fixed two my of issues  I've been having with the royals.

Switched from 144 hollow to 149 hollow (shout out @BartHarleyJarvis)...instantly felt better/placeeeeboooooo. Whatever.
Switched back to the IKP to net more grind clearance (which also gets rid of the annoyingly long stock/regular kingpin and all its showing threads...but instead of ACE bushings, I went stock bottom and bones top (super low for more clearance) - thing of note, this combo bottoms out the threads in the shaft nut, can't tighten any more.
Switched to noisier bearings to help with the board sound

i think what i’ve failed to articulate is that: none of my setups feel right, the closest is the G053, with thunder 149s and 52s. and having that setup ‘work’ (highly relative), would be like ya’ll stumbling onto a 7.75 that felt right.
that being said, i’m just gonna try and roll with it.

for me, the known:

miles grip (haven’t tried pepper)
52 mm wheels
7/8 bolts


it started off as enjoyable tinkering, something to keep
me stoked as i was oft hurt, or lacking time to skate, then it warped into the last 10+ years of some bizarre post midlife crisis/consumeristic fever dream.

[rikki]

Thanks for sharing, pals. I did read every wall of articulation of recent. Appreciated.

Anyway. With regards to trucks and "soul": I have an idea for all of y'all madnessing over the 144/149 dilemma.

Try Venture 5.6s.

I was in the Indy 144/149 gravity well myself, struggling with all kinds of mental and physical issues (didn't feel right, my ollie was detoriating, etc. etc.). Lo and behold, I then switched to Ventures (5.6 V-Lights, forged baseplate) – and it felt insanely good.

Yes, they're a "144" truck, but I'm telling ya, if there's soul to be had in a 8.25 truck, the Venture 5.6 is it. I promise. Subjectively. Caveats may vary. But they saved my skating, at least for a while.

[Sedition]

Anyway. With regards to trucks and "soul": I have an idea for all of y'all madnessing over the 144/149 dilemma.

Try Venture 5.6s.

Oh, man. I haven’t laughed that hard in awhile. Much appreciated.

[rikki]

Expand Quote

Anyway. With regards to trucks and "soul": I have an idea for all of y'all madnessing over the 144/149 dilemma.

Try Venture 5.6s.

[close]

Oh, man. I haven’t laughed that hard in awhile. Much appreciated.

Much obliged. The road to true awakening is paved with laughter.

[Frank and Fred]

Seems to me this thread needs to be more about madness and less about  gear, to really help some of you out of your current predicaments.

 Gall Bless.

[Ok]

Seems to me this thread needs to be more about madness and less about  gear, to really help some of you out of your current predicaments.

 Gall Bless.

uhhhhhh, how is showing up at ‘the spot’, with 4 completes, not peak gear? 3 different truck brands no less.

[rikki]

Ah, the pains of homo sapiens westernicus, suffering from madness solely created by the vast myriad of options in absolutely everything. But yes, yes, I want my setup to be perfect when surfing the kali yuga in the face of the apocalypse. No sense in doing sloppy ollies amids the mushroom clouds.

[Sedition]

Ah, the pains of homo sapiens westernicus, suffering from madness solely created by the vast myriad of options in absolutely everything. But yes, yes, I want my setup to be perfect when surfing the kali yuga in the face of the apocalypse. No sense in doing sloppy ollies amids the mushroom clouds.

“…one must imagine Sisyphus…afflicted with a certain madness.”  -Camus (if he skated)

[CarcassToss]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

the you/we know what works, is the troubling aspect: i currently don’t know.

[close]

But you do, that's what @Sedition and I are saying. The better angle is what feels good? And have you put those together? It's a process of elimination.

It's possible you keep trying the same shit (expecting different results?). I've got a homie that consistently rides the same shit but bitches about certain tricks that he for sure would be better at if he adjusted some of his gear. *We're* not good enough to fakie tre a 10" fucking egg with 58"mm wheels and 215s...consistently. You know? He's got it worse..as an example, he's the type to keep everything the same (trucks, wheels, WB, board length) except he'll say he's attempting to 'downsize' by dropping from an 8.4 to an 8.3 and expecting the planets to align for flip tricks.

You say you like 149s (seemingly thunders). Check.
52 mm wheels? Check. Find a duro and shape and wheel feel and go.
Not BBS? plenty to choose from. Narrow (probably literally) those dims down.
WB? 14.5 too big? Drop down.
Length? Maybe 32" is too long (plus that long WB)...
8.5? OK, maybe it's the long WB that is messing with you, plenty of 8.5s that are shorter in WB (Blue eagle, SC stumps, etc..)

(Cliff notes of my longer post above)

For example, I like:

- 7/8" allen. Check.
- Pepper galaxy grip. Great grip and looks cool. Check.
- Swiss 6 or Bronson Ceramics/Raws. Check.
- Cripsy steep/stiff/snappy feeling wood = DSM/Crail (or PSStix for the first week ) Check. Santa Cruz, Creature, Opera, Jacuzzi, Girl, Chocolate. Unpopular, but Disorder feel very close to R7 boards. I rode P2s exclusivly back when readily available.
- The way STFs slide...almost uncontrollably so (they aren't the slightly gummy slide like spits) sure they're a bit 'artificial' feeling but meh, and the V5 shape because I'm sloppy and it helps me lock into front krooks. Yes, the wheel is a crutch for two tricks but I don't care.

- Trucks is the true madness. I cannot help you there. I want Thunder pop and weight, venture stabilty, Indy/ACE/Slappy style turn and the semi-neutral WB affect and slappy grind clearance and grind feel/ability (I hope the new Thunder is ALL of that) and for the most part Royal IKP do all of that sans the sweet grinding of slappy so I always default back to them.

I'd wager you have tried all the combinations of the gear you have (much how Sedition and I have) and from what I can tell, nothing is working...because you don't like the feel of any of it. Big wheels on the 8" tells me this

Just a few hours ago, I took some of my own advice/gut feelings and fixed two my of issues  I've been having with the royals.

Switched from 144 hollow to 149 hollow (shout out @BartHarleyJarvis)...instantly felt better/placeeeeboooooo. Whatever.
Switched back to the IKP to net more grind clearance (which also gets rid of the annoyingly long stock/regular kingpin and all its showing threads...but instead of ACE bushings, I went stock bottom and bones top (super low for more clearance) - thing of note, this combo bottoms out the threads in the shaft nut, can't tighten any more.
Switched to noisier bearings to help with the board sound

[close]

i think what i’ve failed to articulate is that: none of my setups feel right, the closest is the G053, with thunder 149s and 52s. and having that setup ‘work’ (highly relative), would be like ya’ll stumbling onto a 7.75 that felt right.
that being said, i’m just gonna try and roll with it.

for me, the known:

miles grip (haven’t tried pepper)
52 mm wheels
7/8 bolts


it started off as enjoyable tinkering, something to keep
me stoked as i was oft hurt, or lacking time to skate, then it warped into the last 10+ years of some bizarre post midlife crisis/consumeristic fever dream.

No setup feels right for everything. My current one I fucking mob switch heels on and I can't front 3 on it. But for most other things I've done over the years it's predictable and comfortable on the majority of days. It was cathartic to just fucking give up on dialing in 2 tricks that I recall (maybe incorrectly honestly) doing years ago for what overall feels really fun.

I have skated a lot with the Happy Medium dudes as were from the same area. For a long time I tried to copy Mango's setup thinking the big board and Aces would allow me to land sloppy and throw my weight around. It kinda did, but for lots of stuff the board felt like a chore. I remember cruising down the street in the bike lane once and looking down and thinking "god this thing is a chore to just do a nice quick nollie up this curb like I love doing" cuz my board was the Frog 8.6 and the whole setup was heavy as hell.

This is when I downsized to an 8.25 and Thunder 148s, slowly upsized, became Awake, and have no intention of caring about possibilities. It's not far off what I rode before trying to copy others. FWIW I still use a longer board for parks and transition, but it has 6.1's on it that aren't sloppy loose.