Author Topic: Gear madness support thread  (Read 372385 times)

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eviltgirl

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3120 on: October 20, 2025, 09:45:53 AM »
So i recently switched from indy hollows to regular indys.  Every other variable is unchanged.  Does it make sense to you that the heavier trucks make my rotational tricks, like pop shuvs and whatnot feel slower? That makes sense to me, just wanted to see if that would be the general consensus

swongolianbbq

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3121 on: October 20, 2025, 10:01:12 AM »
Expand Quote
wide decks with mid height trucks fucks
dont knock it til you try it
[close]
Preach!

It definitely works really well for wider, lower trucks

Skinny tall trucks, not so much

I only skated thunder 149s for a few years but I switched after I kept breaking the pivot stem off

Pick up my board and my truck just facing the other way and shit

Though I have cracked an Indy hanger lightning bolt style right down the middle of the hanger, it was new-old-stock stage 7s in 2006 so not the same kind of aluminum as today

FrAnKenFrEd

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3122 on: October 20, 2025, 10:14:26 AM »
Expand Quote
wide decks with mid height trucks fucks
dont knock it til you try it
[close]
I have a set of Thunder 151s I ride on anything from flatter 8.5s up to 9.25 and they're fantastic for cruising, light tranny, etc

Honestly pondering the height to width ratio of my skateboard really helped. 151s were/ are great. Hope the 151 T2s are a nice middle ground between the OGs and Ace.

SwitchBenihana

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3123 on: October 20, 2025, 12:04:58 PM »
Ace are 53, original Thunders are 52, and T2 are 54 so there's no way they can be a middle ground unless you're comparing Ace to Indy.

FrAnKenFrEd

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3124 on: October 20, 2025, 01:55:01 PM »
Ace are 53, original Thunders are 52, and T2 are 54 so there's no way they can be a middle ground unless you're comparing Ace to Indy.

I was mostly thinking in terms of turn. As I understand it the T2 is a turnier truck but not as turny as Ace.

 At 54mm I also might use a riser less often, so could actually end up with a lower ride overall.

TheCrimsonShroud

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3125 on: October 20, 2025, 02:52:33 PM »
Expand Quote
Ace are 53, original Thunders are 52, and T2 are 54 so there's no way they can be a middle ground unless you're comparing Ace to Indy.
[close]


I was mostly thinking in terms of turn. As I understand it the T2 is a turnier truck but not as turny as Ace.

 At 54mm I also might use a riser less often, so could actually end up with a lower ride overall.

I haven't ridden T2s but heard someone describe them as 'Thunders for team riders that wish they rode Indys' or something. At 54mm and sort of somewhere off between Indy and Thunder they seem like if Slappy had a cooler name.
« Last Edit: October 21, 2025, 09:43:07 AM by TheCrimsonShroud »
that would be crazy if your skin was made of hammers.

Obijuan91

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3126 on: October 20, 2025, 07:42:14 PM »
I just learned. Stepping on your board after a full day of work will give you….the madness….

Hqjdncm

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3127 on: October 26, 2025, 09:55:16 AM »
So I have been on venture for nearing 3 months. Axled my first set after 2 months and am now on v8s. I’m liking the grind and pop and turn isn’t bad at all like I was told as a kid. But now I’m feeling like I miss Indy’s. That’s all I rode for like 10+ years until 5 years ago I switched to ace. And after ace venture now. I feel like it’ll feel like home and I’ll feel more comfortable overall but i can’t tell if I just am convincing myself of that. I saw the v8s come out and wanted them immediately and found a way to justify it. But now I have them and am yearning for Indy’s. I mean most people who have ridden Indy’s say they feel like home. And I feel like they are some of the best trucks out there but it’s been so long for me i kinda forgot what they feel like so im just thinkin of them recently. I won’t buy any until I axle this set of v8s but I know if I put my mind to it I can axle them in probably another month…

moonordie

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3128 on: October 26, 2025, 10:32:27 AM »
So I have been on venture for nearing 3 months. Axled my first set after 2 months and am now on v8s. I’m liking the grind and pop and turn isn’t bad at all like I was told as a kid. But now I’m feeling like I miss Indy’s. That’s all I rode for like 10+ years until 5 years ago I switched to ace. And after ace venture now. I feel like it’ll feel like home and I’ll feel more comfortable overall but i can’t tell if I just am convincing myself of that. I saw the v8s come out and wanted them immediately and found a way to justify it. But now I have them and am yearning for Indy’s. I mean most people who have ridden Indy’s say they feel like home. And I feel like they are some of the best trucks out there but it’s been so long for me i kinda forgot what they feel like so im just thinkin of them recently. I won’t buy any until I axle this set of v8s but I know if I put my mind to it I can axle them in probably another month…
Maybe try putting some Indy blue bushings in your V8?
Sir, I'm going to politely, but firmly, ask you and your common sense to leave this establishment.

Hqjdncm

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3129 on: October 26, 2025, 11:24:44 AM »

Maybe try putting some Indy blue bushings in your V8?

It’s not the same  :'(

DarkPools

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3130 on: October 27, 2025, 05:32:03 AM »
I've never understood the appeal for Forged Hollows if you aren't riding a smaller deck. They will wheelbite faster, to me the pinch is not perceivably different and I do a ton of feebles and crook variations, the wheelbase extension yields almost the same pop angle yet they don't have as good of pop and snap up, and weight wise if you compare to the cast plates with hollow KP and Axle, you only save 11 grams per truck (those save nearly 30 over standards).

When I was basically couch ridden after an accident I was extremely bored and watched the Indy "My Indy's videos". Almost no one rides forged, maybe 5% of their pros. Even the more technical ones predominantly skate the standard heavy cast trucks. They're still great, but I can't see any case where I'd prefer them. If I want lighter and lower I get Thunders and just get used to the turn.

I disagree,  and this is coming from someone who skates standard and forged depending on the deck. Forged is excellent on bigger boards because you're shaving weight to make them more manageable, but still get stability of a beefier board/truck. Inverse is also true where you have a small toothpick board with heavier standard cast trucks to balance it out.

I think the forged are an excellent version of Indy - taller than other trucks but shorter than standards. A perfect sweet spot between low & nimble and tall & stable. Thunders don't turn that well (to me) so why switch to them when I can get the Indy feel i enjoy while being lower and lighter?? Seems like a no brainer to me to do that instead of switch truck brands.

A lot of pros ride standard whatever comes in the box. Indy, thunder, ace, etc. They change gear so often many don't see a need to get something that is not produced in the same quantity as brand X's main truck model. There's a definite market for forged
IN
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ORDER

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Hqjdncm

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3131 on: October 28, 2025, 12:56:19 AM »
Guys should I buy an alien workshop 8.75 with 14.25wb? I’m on a 14.625 wb rn and at 6’5” with a size 12 foot I’m worried it’ll be too short but goddamn I want that Joey exp orange dip so bad

tzhangdox

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3132 on: October 28, 2025, 01:39:28 AM »
Guys should I buy an alien workshop 8.75 with 14.25wb? I’m on a 14.625 wb rn and at 6’5” with a size 12 foot I’m worried it’ll be too short but goddamn I want that Joey exp orange dip so bad

Im same height as you and have skated plenty of 14.25wb boards just fine. But it'll definitely feel short coming from a 14.625 wb.

Spacecase

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3133 on: October 28, 2025, 08:08:44 AM »
This is a type of madness I guess.
 I just picked up a set of standard 169 Indys for cheap on FB marketplace, my preferred size and type.  Only problem is the Indys are black and i'm not sure I can skate them, they just look wrong IMO.


Hqjdncm

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3134 on: October 28, 2025, 08:17:47 AM »
Expand Quote
Guys should I buy an alien workshop 8.75 with 14.25wb? I’m on a 14.625 wb rn and at 6’5” with a size 12 foot I’m worried it’ll be too short but goddamn I want that Joey exp orange dip so bad
[close]

Im same height as you and have skated plenty of 14.25wb boards just fine. But it'll definitely feel short coming from a 14.625 wb.

I already have 2 blanks on ice and don’t wanna start hoarding but I was thinking of buying a baker 8.75 with the 14.5wb to go down a bit then buy the alien and keep it on ice for when I’m done with the baker. So it’ll be slightly more gradual than just jumping all the way down to 14.25

rawbertson.

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3135 on: October 28, 2025, 08:21:48 AM »
got way too many setups at my house


2x enjoi kids completes

Cruiser
anti hero blue meanie 8.75"
thunder 148
72mm 78a longboard wheels

Winter Setup
Real China board
Venture 8" trucks from 2010
93a soft slider f4 ~52-54mm
seized bearings

Primitive Franky Egg 9" w/ rails (going to switch this later for an actual good board after the winter. i have a 8.5" roger twin)
Lurpiv 150
~55mm radial full w/ andale bearings

Primitive 8.38"
Thunder 148
f4 classic 55mm

Anti Hero Horse Pill
Ace AF1 60
F4 classic full ~51mm


PS Stix Solo Tango 8.38
Indy 144
OJ Elite 95a 57mm just need bearings

GX1000 8.5"
Indy 149
f4 radial full ~58mm

Frog 8.5"
Thunder T2
F4 Radial Full ~58mm

swongolianbbq

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3136 on: October 28, 2025, 02:26:18 PM »
Current setup

8.5 x 14.25 DBX
Indy 149 cast hollow
Bighead 54mm F4

I like how flippy the DBX is

I got it for $60 and I don't think I'm gonna buy another

Previous owner had forged venture 6.1 on it

You can see where our wheelbite is

I still have a few 8.5 short BBS blanks in my closet but I'm thinking of switching to the 8.25 x 14.25.... I don't think I need that extra quarter inch unless I'm running like, 56mm radial fulls. And I like 53mm classics. And I don't feel like skating anything other than 149s. So I think the move is to just start skating 8.25s again. It should feel pretty flippy ala the 8.5 dbx. I have good memories on the 8.25s. Now I kind of regret selling the three baker 8.25s I had on ice

It's easier to find the 8.25 x 14.25s also

But really I'd probably just end up skating Sci-Fi, GX, Heated Wheel, or blanks when right now it's Real, AH or blanks for the 8.5s. baker makes both sizes, but the pointy mellow shape could mess me up idk. I don't remember being bothered by it when I used to skate those

« Last Edit: October 29, 2025, 04:14:42 PM by swongolianbbq »

Mbrimson88

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3137 on: October 28, 2025, 04:29:40 PM »
This is a type of madness I guess.
 I just picked up a set of standard 169 Indys for cheap on FB marketplace, my preferred size and type.  Only problem is the Indys are black and i'm not sure I can skate them, they just look wrong IMO.


I found that a can of paint stripper was perfect for getting all the paint off anything like that, trucks especially, which came up so shiny and fresh looking if they were polished.  Another set of raw baseplates still came up nicely, as per this post from a while ago.

It was worth it for the little enough effort to remove whatever paint was on trucks, bolts, or other things I have tried it on.


https://www.instagram.com/mbrimson88/p/C-fDXYdJUuK/




Gone since 1988.  I talk too much about skateboards.  Sorry.

munchbox

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3138 on: October 28, 2025, 06:52:17 PM »
i dont think i can skate 32” inch length
wheelbase be damned this feels cramped
is that something you just get used to if forced?

im thinking 32.25+ is where i should be
last deck before this was 32.5 and that felt right
while cool-guying is a real phenomenon, studies show that 83% of all cool-guying incidents can be attributed to the cool-guyee being an awkward weirdo

Rick Trapasso

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3139 on: October 29, 2025, 03:16:58 AM »
So i recently switched from indy hollows to regular indys.  Every other variable is unchanged.  Does it make sense to you that the heavier trucks make my rotational tricks, like pop shuvs and whatnot feel slower? That makes sense to me, just wanted to see if that would be the general consensus

Yep, that makes sense.

swongolianbbq

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3140 on: October 29, 2025, 04:11:21 PM »


Reynolds cutting down axles to make something in between a 139 and 144 is rad

I did that with my AF1 Hollow 55s to have an 8.38" axle

Shit maybe he actually machined down the hanger to make a true 141.5 haha that'd be dope

Mbrimson88

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3141 on: October 29, 2025, 06:14:13 PM »


Reynolds cutting down axles to make something in between a 139 and 144 is rad

I did that with my AF1 Hollow 55s to have an 8.38" axle

Shit maybe he actually machined down the hanger to make a true 141.5 haha that'd be dope



I had to go check and sure enough, he answers someone that he had them cut down.  That's one thing I have never done, but I have trimmed down the axle ends to stop them sticking out on some other boards, as well as added half a dozen washers and turned axle nuts in so the nyloc grips on only a couple of threads, which also works to make trucks wider than they are, but looks pretty scary.

https://www.instagram.com/andrewreynolds/reel/DQZd6UTCfoK/


Always interested to see how people do things too - especially someone that can still skate at a "pro level" and tinkers with his setups so much, but as he said, he still can't do some things but can still skate every setup if the stoke is high.

Thanks for posting!


Gone since 1988.  I talk too much about skateboards.  Sorry.

Rick Trapasso

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3142 on: October 31, 2025, 06:40:54 AM »
Damn, Reynolds coming to terms with his eternal madness.

It's touching in a way.

Standards, forged, and mids is the craziest part about that to me.


I'm sure I'll curse myself by saying this but idc because I'm feeling good about my board lately.

The only aspects I'm not 100% sure of are standard vs forged Indy baseplates. And regular vs easy rider 8.38 14.5wb dlx shape.

Feelsgood to have things narrowed down this much. Giving my thunders away, gonna hold onto my smaller wheels for my daughter in hopes that she will use them though.

swongolianbbq

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3143 on: October 31, 2025, 12:56:06 PM »
Mad ramblings alert

In order to limit myself blaming the gear and spending money

I was thinking about super classic stuff that's been around for ever and generic measurements and I think this would be the most average/classic board

- 8.25" BBS deck, 14.25" wb
- Indy standard 149, stock bushings, solid axles & kingpins
- Regular black bones swiss
- Spitfire F4 classic 54mm 99a

I feel like i should keep one of those setups around at all times and have another setup that I can tweak in different directions

Also having two setups is dope, when you break one you can just grab another out of the van and not have to set something up at the spot

here's some basic stuff I can change with that generic setup as the jump-off point

- Could use 8.5 x 14.25" deck instead

- Could use 52 or 53mm wheels or F4 bigheads/classic fulls instead


Here's the more expensive or "marginal gains" stuff I could change:

- DBX decks, 8.25 full krooked or real/ah 8.5x14.25

- Hollow hangers on hollow or solid cast plates

- Ti axles on hollow or solid cast plates

- Aftermarket bushings, different duro combos

- Swiss 6

- Ceramics

- Different wheel duros



DBX decks, titanium trucks, and ceramic bearings are all out of the question

So if I had a board I really messed with to make it better it would probably be this

- 8.25 BBS
- Indy hollow hangers on aftermarket solid kingpin baseplates, 88a bottom bushing, 92 or 94a top
- swiss 6
- 93a classic 54mm

Which is basically the same

I don't want it to be too light

I really need to try that bushing combo and see if it makes my shit feel more like the way I want it to

I wonder if a stage 4 88a bushing on the bottom and an Ace low hard on top would be dope. I heard the kingpins on the aftermarket 6-hole baseplates are longer than average




tzhangdox

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3144 on: October 31, 2025, 01:19:50 PM »
Mad ramblings alert

In order to limit myself blaming the gear and spending money

I was thinking about super classic stuff that's been around for ever and generic measurements and I think this would be the most average/classic board

- 8.25" BBS deck, 14.25" wb
- Indy standard 149, stock bushings, solid axles & kingpins
- Regular black bones swiss
- Spitfire F4 classic 54mm 99a

I feel like i should keep one of those setups around at all times and have another setup that I can tweak in different directions

Also having two setups is dope, when you break one you can just grab another out of the van and not have to set something up at the spot

here's some basic stuff I can change with that generic setup as the jump-off point

- Could use 8.5 x 14.25" deck instead

- Could use 52 or 53mm wheels or F4 bigheads/classic fulls instead


Here's the more expensive or "marginal gains" stuff I could change:

- DBX decks, 8.25 full krooked or real/ah 8.5x14.25

- Hollow hangers on hollow or solid cast plates

- Ti axles on hollow or solid cast plates

- Aftermarket bushings, different duro combos

- Swiss 6

- Ceramics

- Different wheel duros



DBX decks, titanium trucks, and ceramic bearings are all out of the question

So if I had a board I really messed with to make it better it would probably be this

- 8.25 BBS
- Indy hollow hangers on aftermarket solid kingpin baseplates, 88a bottom bushing, 92 or 94a top
- swiss 6
- 93a classic 54mm

Which is basically the same

I don't want it to be too light

I really need to try that bushing combo and see if it makes my shit feel more like the way I want it to

I wonder if a stage 4 88a bushing on the bottom and an Ace low hard on top would be dope. I heard the kingpins on the aftermarket 6-hole baseplates are longer than average

I mean, what are you doing on your skateboard to the point that there isn't a stock indy bushing color (orange blue whatever) doesn't meet your needs?

But yeah I agree 8.25 bbs, some sort of indy 149, and 54 ish classics is an almost perfect "government issue" setup that should work for most people as a middle ground kinda skateboard.

Personally I'd say some forged plate indy would make more sense as the "middle ground" truck since standard Indys are higher and heavier than the other main trucks on the market. But both work well.

I think even if you kept your setup identical over the years, it's inevitably still going to feel different here and there. If you grind to the axle and put on new Indys, replace worn out bushings, put new wheels on, or even just set up a new 8.25 bbs deck that has a different steepness due to being from a different position in the stack.

The difference you feel from those factors is could even be more noticeable than changing your wheel shape slightly or going from cast to hollow/solid to hollow etc

I've almost gone down the a/b testing route before with two different setups and honestly I imagine it's pretty futile. You're probably going to confuse your muscle memory trying to skate them both at the same time for extremely marginal gains. If they're v similar, getting more used to a single one is almost certainly better for your skating.

I think trying to optimize it as far as you can and keep it consistent is the way to go. But gotta accept it's likely never going to feel perfect. And even if you go through a phase where does feel perfect, that feeling is likely temporary and being ok with some slight deviations in that feeling from time to time is important
« Last Edit: October 31, 2025, 01:40:58 PM by tzhangdox »

Slave IV

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3145 on: October 31, 2025, 01:34:33 PM »
I always have 2 setups. One is my newer setup that I usually skate at parks and one is my older setup, which is just my last setup that isn't completely done yet but getting there and I usually use it for street.

Since I'm still in my exploration mode, the two setups are usually pretty different. My current new setup is 8.38" on AF1 & && wheels. Old setup is 8.5" on Thunder Teams & Ricta Cores (switched out from F4 Conical Fulls for wheel madness testing).

My old setup is on its last leg and I'm looking forward to dumping it since I think 8.5" is slightly too big for my liking, especially since it has longer wheelbase and on Thunders and razor tailed, which exaggerates the wheelbase issue. Next in line is a 8.12" deck that I'm putting my Tensor Maglights on and either F4 Classics if I can get the new formula 97 or just use my old Rictus or Conical Fulls that are worn to under 50 mm.

I'm really looking forward to the 8.12" deck and overall, I think I'll be sticking to the off sizes. Depending on how it goes with the 8.12", but I have a feeling 8.3-8.4 might be my goldilocks size with 14-14.25" WB.

swongolianbbq

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3146 on: October 31, 2025, 02:53:53 PM »
I mean, what are you doing on your skateboard to the point that there isn't a stock indy bushing color (orange blue whatever) doesn't meet your needs?

I swapped aftermarket oranges in, and I felt those were better than stock orange, but I skated aces for a couple years(ended up on the hard bushings), and I liked the dual duro concept - softer bottom bushing to pinch crooks and carve when you want, but a harder top bushing to be more stable on center for flip tricks and snappier return to center.. basically searching for a more responsive feel and curious about trying the dual duro situation on indys

I think even if you kept your setup identical over the years, it's inevitably still going to feel different here and there. If you grind to the axle and put on new Indys, replace worn out bushings, put new wheels on, or even just set up a new 8.25 bbs deck that has a different steepness due to being from a different position in the stack.

The difference you feel from those factors is could even be more noticeable than changing your wheel shape slightly or going from cast to hollow/solid to hollow etc

I've almost gone down the a/b testing route before with two different setups and honestly I imagine it's pretty futile. You're probably going to confuse your muscle memory trying to skate them both at the same time for extremely marginal gains. If they're v similar, getting more used to a single one is almost certainly better for your skating.

I think trying to optimize it as far as you can and keep it consistent is the way to go. But gotta accept it's likely never going to feel perfect. And even if you go through a phase where does feel perfect, that feeling is likely temporary and being ok with some slight deviations in that feeling from time to time is important

I agree with all that.

 I think I'm trying to set parameters so that like, if the shops out of 54s, I know I can skate a 52 or 53mm wheel just fine, or vice versa. 8.25 or 8.5 should both be fine as long as they're 14.25 wb. Stuff like that.

I feel like a lot of my tweaking comes from wanting some kind of ATV board.. like an 8.5 with 56s for everything, when in all actuality I spend way more time skating ledges and gaps and shit, and am probably just absorbing all the footage of folks on giant wheels

I was skating pool coping the other day and my board felt kind of light, and harder to control (currently skating hollow indys)

Sometimes my flip tricks are way off on bigger wheels too

So I tried to rewind back to like 1987 gear choices and then follow along how it changed over the years, and how the trucks were still heavy but the wheels got smaller, then when the trucks got lighter and smaller the wheels got bigger again

I don't want my board to be super light or super heavy but I thought if I could control -where- the weight was, it could help... So keeping a solid kingpin, cast baseplate but using a hollow or ti hanger with smaller wheels... Adding more weight to the center of the truck right under my foot and taking weight away from the outside with the wheels and axle might be a good balance for that weight I was missing on coping, but still good for flip tricks

The whole thing together sounds awesome in my head, but when I look at it on paper it's basically just adding a hollow axle to a pair of standards, and isn't really going to change shit, so I should just skate standards hahah cause they're cheap and strong and feel good for grinds

I always have 2 setups. One is my newer setup that I usually skate at parks and one is my older setup, which is just my last setup that isn't completely done yet but getting there and I usually use it for street.

This makes sense to me. Even if my two setups are exactly the same. I thought it might be nice to have a slightly lighter weight board for at the end of a long day to switch to, but honestly it would be better to just have two identical ones. One of which I can experiment on and then test against the other. Which is what will probably kill the madness once and for all. When I inevitably can't tell a fuckin difference, or, I find something I really like


tzhangdox

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3147 on: October 31, 2025, 04:09:47 PM »
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I mean, what are you doing on your skateboard to the point that there isn't a stock indy bushing color (orange blue whatever) doesn't meet your needs?
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I swapped aftermarket oranges in, and I felt those were better than stock orange, but I skated aces for a couple years(ended up on the hard bushings), and I liked the dual duro concept - softer bottom bushing to pinch crooks and carve when you want, but a harder top bushing to be more stable on center for flip tricks and snappier return to center.. basically searching for a more responsive feel and curious about trying the dual duro situation on indys

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I think even if you kept your setup identical over the years, it's inevitably still going to feel different here and there. If you grind to the axle and put on new Indys, replace worn out bushings, put new wheels on, or even just set up a new 8.25 bbs deck that has a different steepness due to being from a different position in the stack.

The difference you feel from those factors is could even be more noticeable than changing your wheel shape slightly or going from cast to hollow/solid to hollow etc

I've almost gone down the a/b testing route before with two different setups and honestly I imagine it's pretty futile. You're probably going to confuse your muscle memory trying to skate them both at the same time for extremely marginal gains. If they're v similar, getting more used to a single one is almost certainly better for your skating.

I think trying to optimize it as far as you can and keep it consistent is the way to go. But gotta accept it's likely never going to feel perfect. And even if you go through a phase where does feel perfect, that feeling is likely temporary and being ok with some slight deviations in that feeling from time to time is important
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I agree with all that.

 I think I'm trying to set parameters so that like, if the shops out of 54s, I know I can skate a 52 or 53mm wheel just fine, or vice versa. 8.25 or 8.5 should both be fine as long as they're 14.25 wb. Stuff like that.

I feel like a lot of my tweaking comes from wanting some kind of ATV board.. like an 8.5 with 56s for everything, when in all actuality I spend way more time skating ledges and gaps and shit, and am probably just absorbing all the footage of folks on giant wheels

I was skating pool coping the other day and my board felt kind of light, and harder to control (currently skating hollow indys)

Sometimes my flip tricks are way off on bigger wheels too

So I tried to rewind back to like 1987 gear choices and then follow along how it changed over the years, and how the trucks were still heavy but the wheels got smaller, then when the trucks got lighter and smaller the wheels got bigger again

I don't want my board to be super light or super heavy but I thought if I could control -where- the weight was, it could help... So keeping a solid kingpin, cast baseplate but using a hollow or ti hanger with smaller wheels... Adding more weight to the center of the truck right under my foot and taking weight away from the outside with the wheels and axle might be a good balance for that weight I was missing on coping, but still good for flip tricks

The whole thing together sounds awesome in my head, but when I look at it on paper it's basically just adding a hollow axle to a pair of standards, and isn't really going to change shit, so I should just skate standards hahah cause they're cheap and strong and feel good for grinds


Yeah that makes sense. I think indy aftermarkets are great quality bushings, feel like branching out further than that could be a rabbit hole with diminishing returns. Maybe orange/red bottom blue top or something would satisfy that itch for you, though I'm curious if it would really be noticeable at all vs just the same top and bottom in a side by side.

And yeah, I think the giant wheel propaganda has been working the past few years. Lots of street skaters still skate small wheels. I keep a set of 93s on ice for crustier spots, works fine and I don't have to then adjust to a much bigger wheel.

Going up or down a mm or two should be fine either way

And yeah, maybe your board with hollows is good for street but felt a little light on transition, but is that difference something that will continue to bother you if you just skated transition a few more times on it and got used to it?

If you went solid indys for that reason, you might notice its a lil heavier for street.

It probably goes both ways, no setup will ever feel perfect on everything. But it sounds like any one of these configurations is close enough on everything for you, so its just a matter of picking it and sticking to it.

All that being said I feel you, I have a crisis like this once every few months. Just trying to be a (very hypocritical) voice of reason to hopefully quell the madness


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I always have 2 setups. One is my newer setup that I usually skate at parks and one is my older setup, which is just my last setup that isn't completely done yet but getting there and I usually use it for street.
[close]

This makes sense to me. Even if my two setups are exactly the same. I thought it might be nice to have a slightly lighter weight board for at the end of a long day to switch to, but honestly it would be better to just have two identical ones. One of which I can experiment on and then test against the other. Which is what will probably kill the madness once and for all. When I inevitably can't tell a fuckin difference, or, I find something I really like

I feel like that might make the madness worse lol. It can never be killed once and for all, only comes in waves
« Last Edit: October 31, 2025, 04:18:23 PM by tzhangdox »

swongolianbbq

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3148 on: October 31, 2025, 06:29:42 PM »
I think indy aftermarkets are great quality bushings, feel like branching out further than that could be a rabbit hole with diminishing returns. Maybe orange/red bottom blue top or something would satisfy that itch for you, though I'm curious if it would really be noticeable at all vs just the same top and bottom in a side by side.
I'm curious too. but I don't know if I should do it. It would be fun to have more pinch and rebound, but if I'm jumping down stuff I feel like there's some sloppy landings I could get away with on stock bushings, where my dual duro idea might dive into wheelbite.
I keep a set of 93s on ice for crustier spots
I think I'm going to do this as well. I love 93s.
Going up or down a mm or two should be fine either way

And yeah, maybe your board with hollows is good for street but felt a little light on transition, but is that difference something that will continue to bother you if you just skated transition a few more times on it and got used to it?

If you went solid indys for that reason, you might notice its a lil heavier for street.

I think I want the weight. It's something about like, where the weight is on the board. Or isn't. Hollow cast 149s are p much the same weight as a standard 139, but honestly on an 8.25" with some worn-down 54s, the 149s should be just fine for me and will *feel* better. Especially on grinds, and I might like grinds a lil bit more than flip tricks haha. I like to re-watch Sorry and Menikmati and shit to watch people kill it on stage 8s to make me remember oh yeah hollows are just like, more expensive

It probably goes both ways, no setup will ever feel perfect on everything. But it sounds like any one of these configurations is close enough on everything for you, so its just a matter of picking it and sticking to it.
For sure. I think I'm going to pick whatever's cheaper, stronger, readily available so honestly that 8.25 deck, standard 149, F4 classics 52-54, and Swiss is prolly all I need to even think about hahah

I feel like that might make the madness worse lol. It can never be killed once and for all, only comes in waves

That's why I'm trying to make stuff so simple, cause I know the madness will never end so I'm like, what if I just call it instead of continuously whittling away at it

One reason I would keep an 8.5" deck is so I have room to slap like some wide ass soft 56s on for truly garbage spots, but I'll just do that when it comes around rather than always skating one just in case.. and the amount they'll stick out will be negligible, and I'd already be having to adjust for the wheels diameter and weight anyway so I don't think I really need 8.5s anymore. And for the wheels I actually like to skate, they line up super good on an 8.25

back in 2006 when I had switch 360 flips and switch frontside flips(neither currently), I was skating stage 7 146s, 53mm classics and 8.25s

the stuff I can cross off the list for sure are 144s or 139s, I just can't with those

Pretty sure I don't really like 55 and bigger wheels. They're fun for some stuff. I might get some 93a classic 56s and wear them down until they're a wider 54

And I'm starting to think I don't like hollows either hahah




Rick Trapasso

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Re: Gear madness support thread
« Reply #3149 on: October 31, 2025, 07:21:59 PM »
Get the standards

Get some 54 or 56mm classic shaped wheels.

Enjoy the ride.