Gear madness support thread

[swongolianbbq]

This type of thinking has been something I’ve always struggled with in other aspects of life and I’ve concluded it’s just manifesting itself through skateboard trucks because I put so much emphasis on what I ride and what kind of skater I am to distract myself from the horrors of the real world. Kinda like creating smaller manageable problems to cope with the uncertainty and anxiety of the big scary ones that I am helpless against.

This has always been it for me, 100%. Whether it's my setup, wardrobe, ultralight backpacking setup, ice climbing/rock climbing stuff, snowboard and ski stuff, drum kit madness, bicycles, etc

A small thing I can control

Like hey my friend might've just died and I couldn't control that but thank dog I have control over these small things that I can escape into. Means to an end for fun and adventure, I can escape away into building bicycles, skateboards, backpacks, because I can daydream about all the fun I'm going to have.. I'll pick away at it and hyperfocus and learn everything I can cause it's a safe controlled environment when I have no control over shit else in the world that's scary and sad out there. It's like why people get tattoos or piercings or cut themselves or whatever. It's something YOU can do to YOURSELF, so you're taking back control, especially of pain, from outside forces. I think with my skating and climbing and cycling shit it's not exactly the same as that, but yeah it's something that I can control the outcomes of and it just feels like a safe haven

[Allen.]

In all seriousness I am going to look at switching truck brands as a form of self harm from here on. Because in my experience, it is.

Same with haircuts.

[Sandwich Marty]

We may be making some real progress here, guys. I’d like to issue a challenge to everyone active in this thread: Starting Saturday (or at your earliest convenience) we setup a board and stick to it for one month. No matter what. No changes at all unless something breaks or completely wears down. If at the end of the month you’ve identified aspects of your setup that you absolutely cannot stand, make changes as needed & we try this again. I’m very curious to see how it works out for not only myself but for you all as well. I can’t remember the last time I went a whole month without swapping something so I’m doing this regardless as a way to end this madness shit once and for all. 

[myfeetarekillingme]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

For the last few months I had so much fun on my independent 159s.  Today I went to the skatepark, the weather was meh, ground slightly wet in some spots but I had the urge to have a little session. Grabbed my spare setup since I didn't want to mess up every board and had one of the best sessions in weeks. Thunder 151s x97 8.6 14.25 wheelbase, everything felt springy and light under my feet. I'm questioning my whole existence right now...

[close]

This is how I end up back on thunders. Skate aces or Indy’s for a few months and hit a wall on progress or just have a few bad sessions that likely have nothing to do with my setup, throw on thunders (because madness) and have an amazing session. Skate thunders for a few weeks and eventually have a bad session or forget to wax the wheel contact part of a ledge and stick on too many nose/tailslides, “I don’t do enough tech tricks to need these anyways” Indy’s or aces start to look appealing because people who skate the way I wish I could skate have them.

Rinse and repeat.

Right now I’m in the beginning of the Thunder phase. If I’m being honest with myself they suit my natural style of skating so much better and I’m almost always more consistent but I just get bored with their lack of surfyness and start lusting after a different ride. Maybe this time it’ll be different 🥴

[close]

The waffling between Thunder and Ace is so damn relatable to me. I conceded now that I’ll never be able to just choose and stick with one for good, so I set up my Aces on an alt setup with rails to hit curbs and the more cruisey fun spots and set up my Thunders on a “main” setup for the standard sessions where I intend to really practice all my flip tricks and ledge tricks.

Sigh

[close]

That is what T2s are for.

I’ve definitely considered T2s as some sort of compromise, but everything I hear about em makes me think they lack the characteristics I enjoy about the T1s (light, mid height, snappy, highly controllable). I don’t think it would cure me because I have the desire to enjoy both flavors of truck at different times. I could even see them introducing a 3rd type of truck that I  can also enjoy so I think it’s maybe best to stay away for now.

Man this thread got real existential, I gotta go skate

[Ok]

We may be making some real progress here, guys. I’d like to issue a challenge to everyone active in this thread: Starting Saturday (or at your earliest convenience) we setup a board and stick to it for one month. No matter what. No changes at all unless something breaks or completely wears down. If at the end of the month you’ve identified aspects of your setup that you absolutely cannot stand, make changes as needed & we try this again. I’m very curious to see how it works out for not only myself but for you all as well. I can’t remember the last time I went a whole month without swapping something so I’m doing this regardless as a way to end this madness shit once and for all.

you were doing great until ‘once and for all’

[swongolianbbq]

We may be making some real progress here, guys. I’d like to issue a challenge to everyone active in this thread: Starting Saturday (or at your earliest convenience) we setup a board and stick to it for one month. No matter what. No changes at all unless something breaks or completely wears down. If at the end of the month you’ve identified aspects of your setup that you absolutely cannot stand, make changes as needed & we try this again. I’m very curious to see how it works out for not only myself but for you all as well. I can’t remember the last time I went a whole month without swapping something so I’m doing this regardless as a way to end this madness shit once and for all.

I actually just started doing this a month ago

I'm down

December:
Indy 149 hollow standards
14.25 wb board

January:
Indy 144 standards
Blue conical bushings
14" wb board

February
Still 144 standards for at least the next 6 months
Black conical bushings, probably going to fuck with that in March
Back to 14.25" wb, probably forever

Always 54mm F4 classics and bones swiss


My temptresses right now:

Radial full 54mm 93a
Classic 56mm 93a
Stage 4 146s
DLX true fit boards

[The Huffer]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

There is no better feeling truck than an Ace Classic 55.

[close]

You know what, I think you're right

[close]

right up until nollie flip number three

but yes

I don't think I've done 3 nollie flips in a row since the mid 90s and no truck will get me back there. Flip tricks were never my forte but I did learn/ relearn a bunch of other flips tricks in Aces....

[Ok]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

There is no better feeling truck than an Ace Classic 55.

[close]

You know what, I think you're right

[close]

right up until nollie flip number three

but yes

[close]

I don't think I've done 3 nollie flips in a row since the mid 90s and no truck will get me back there. Flip tricks were never my forte but I did learn/ relearn a bunch of other flips tricks in Aces....

i meant to say attempt, 3rd attempt.
for me, with most of my life behind me, ace classic 55s are heavy.
they look real cool tho. i wish i had the first stage ones, those look very very cool.
the best are setup, for me, was that ps stix shape, the 8.5 x 14.25 wb, tapers down to 8.25 ish over the rear wheels….anyways, i was doing some fuck shit, and running that deck with those trucks, and had great kickflips (very relative/for me)

[Sedition]

Expand Quote

This type of thinking has been something I’ve always struggled with in other aspects of life and I’ve concluded it’s just manifesting itself through skateboard trucks because I put so much emphasis on what I ride and what kind of skater I am to distract myself from the horrors of the real world. Kinda like creating smaller manageable problems to cope with the uncertainty and anxiety of the big scary ones that I am helpless against.

[close]

This has always been it for me, 100%. Whether it's my setup, wardrobe, ultralight backpacking setup, ice climbing/rock climbing stuff, snowboard and ski stuff, drum kit madness, bicycles, etc

A small thing I can control

Like hey my friend might've just died and I couldn't control that but thank dog I have control over these small things that I can escape into. Means to an end for fun and adventure, I can escape away into building bicycles, skateboards, backpacks, because I can daydream about all the fun I'm going to have.. I'll pick away at it and hyperfocus and learn everything I can cause it's a safe controlled environment when I have no control over shit else in the world that's scary and sad out there. It's like why people get tattoos or piercings or cut themselves or whatever. It's something YOU can do to YOURSELF, so you're taking back control, especially of pain, from outside forces. I think with my skating and climbing and cycling shit it's not exactly the same as that, but yeah it's something that I can control the outcomes of and it just feels like a safe haven

NOW we are starting to have REAL discussions about Madness, and what’s really happening…kudos. I salute.

[FrenchSkater]

I don’t know what to choose between the Indy Forged Hollows 139 and the Indy Mids Forged Hollows 139 for an 8.0 board with a 14 wheelbase and 31.4 length, with a fairly mellow shape. I ride 52 mm wheels.
I’ve always wondered whether, for an 8.0 board, tall trucks (from 53.5 to 55 mm) aren’t actually less suitable, and whether low trucks are better in terms of width and stability. I have the feeling that the wider a board is, the taller the trucks should be but I’m not sure.

I rode Indy Forgeds for a long time and absolutely loved them on an 8.125, but I want to go back to an 8.0 because it’s much easier for me.
If anyone has already tried both pairs of these trucks, I’d love to hear your opinion !

[Sedition]

I don’t know what to choose between the Indy Forged Hollows 139 and the Indy Mids Forged Hollows 139 for an 8.0 board with a 14 wheelbase and 31.4 length, with a fairly mellow shape. I ride 52 mm wheels.
I’ve always wondered whether, for an 8.0 board, tall trucks (from 53.5 to 55 mm) aren’t actually less suitable, and whether low trucks are better in terms of width and stability. I have the feeling that the wider a board is, the taller the trucks should be but I’m not sure.

I rode Indy Forgeds for a long time and absolutely loved them on an 8.125, but I want to go back to an 8.0 because it’s much easier for me.
If anyone has already tried both pairs of these trucks, I’d love to hear your opinion !

I believe that ratios are important (e.g. Venture lows on a 10” deck, not so good. 60mm wheels on a 7.75”, also not good). But there comes a point where nuances just become perseverations. Avoid that trap.

Indy Mids suck. Lots of problems with them. Give them away, and don’t look back. Forged Hollow on an 8” are fine. Make sure to rule over your mind, or it will rule over you.

[rikki]

I'm down for the monthly concrete peer support work.

Me since early January:

DLX 8.5 x 14.25
Venture cast 5.6

Not listing wheels because they don't give me madness. Can ride multiple shapes and sizes and hardnesses no problem.
(Said no one ever.) No but seriously, my alleged madness is 95% deck and truck related.

At the moment, madness-free. It's great to wake up at night and try to go back to sleep thinking about tricks, not gear.

[FrenchSkater]

Expand Quote

I don’t know what to choose between the Indy Forged Hollows 139 and the Indy Mids Forged Hollows 139 for an 8.0 board with a 14 wheelbase and 31.4 length, with a fairly mellow shape. I ride 52 mm wheels.
I’ve always wondered whether, for an 8.0 board, tall trucks (from 53.5 to 55 mm) aren’t actually less suitable, and whether low trucks are better in terms of width and stability. I have the feeling that the wider a board is, the taller the trucks should be but I’m not sure.

I rode Indy Forgeds for a long time and absolutely loved them on an 8.125, but I want to go back to an 8.0 because it’s much easier for me.
If anyone has already tried both pairs of these trucks, I’d love to hear your opinion !

[close]

I believe that ratios are important (e.g. Venture lows on a 10” deck, not so good. 60mm wheels on a 7.75”, also not good). But there comes a point where nuances just become perseverations. Avoid that trap.

Indy Mids suck. Lots of problems with them. Give them away, and don’t look back. Forged Hollow on an 8” are fine. Make sure to rule over your mind, or it will rule over you.

Especially since the forged with a WB 14 have a lower pop angle, right ?
Still, I’m curious about the Forged Mids for the stability and maybe an easier way to get a lower pop.

[Sedition]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

I don’t know what to choose between the Indy Forged Hollows 139 and the Indy Mids Forged Hollows 139 for an 8.0 board with a 14 wheelbase and 31.4 length, with a fairly mellow shape. I ride 52 mm wheels.
I’ve always wondered whether, for an 8.0 board, tall trucks (from 53.5 to 55 mm) aren’t actually less suitable, and whether low trucks are better in terms of width and stability. I have the feeling that the wider a board is, the taller the trucks should be but I’m not sure.

I rode Indy Forgeds for a long time and absolutely loved them on an 8.125, but I want to go back to an 8.0 because it’s much easier for me.
If anyone has already tried both pairs of these trucks, I’d love to hear your opinion !

[close]

I believe that ratios are important (e.g. Venture lows on a 10” deck, not so good. 60mm wheels on a 7.75”, also not good). But there comes a point where nuances just become perseverations. Avoid that trap.

Indy Mids suck. Lots of problems with them. Give them away, and don’t look back. Forged Hollow on an 8” are fine. Make sure to rule over your mind, or it will rule over you.

[close]

Especially since the forged with a WB 14 have a lower pop angle, right ?
Still, I’m curious about the Forged Mids for the stability and maybe an easier way to get a lower pop.

No, it has nothing to do with the deck they are set-up with. Mids suck on their own, independent (pun absolutely intended) of whatever deck. Seriously, avoid them. Hard stop.

[Teethcanbesexy]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

I don’t know what to choose between the Indy Forged Hollows 139 and the Indy Mids Forged Hollows 139 for an 8.0 board with a 14 wheelbase and 31.4 length, with a fairly mellow shape. I ride 52 mm wheels.
I’ve always wondered whether, for an 8.0 board, tall trucks (from 53.5 to 55 mm) aren’t actually less suitable, and whether low trucks are better in terms of width and stability. I have the feeling that the wider a board is, the taller the trucks should be but I’m not sure.

I rode Indy Forgeds for a long time and absolutely loved them on an 8.125, but I want to go back to an 8.0 because it’s much easier for me.
If anyone has already tried both pairs of these trucks, I’d love to hear your opinion !

[close]

I believe that ratios are important (e.g. Venture lows on a 10” deck, not so good. 60mm wheels on a 7.75”, also not good). But there comes a point where nuances just become perseverations. Avoid that trap.

Indy Mids suck. Lots of problems with them. Give them away, and don’t look back. Forged Hollow on an 8” are fine. Make sure to rule over your mind, or it will rule over you.

[close]

Especially since the forged with a WB 14 have a lower pop angle, right ?
Still, I’m curious about the Forged Mids for the stability and maybe an easier way to get a lower pop.

Start with forged hollow

[Paperclip20]

We may be making some real progress here, guys. I’d like to issue a challenge to everyone active in this thread: Starting Saturday (or at your earliest convenience) we setup a board and stick to it for one month. No matter what. No changes at all unless something breaks or completely wears down. If at the end of the month you’ve identified aspects of your setup that you absolutely cannot stand, make changes as needed & we try this again. I’m very curious to see how it works out for not only myself but for you all as well. I can’t remember the last time I went a whole month without swapping something so I’m doing this regardless as a way to end this madness shit once and for all.

I'm in on this, just setup a board yesterday so i'm ready for it.

[Sandwich Marty]

I have a stack of generator football blanks I used to really skate well on until I stopped riding them consistently so I’m gonna go into this challenge on one of those. I have one day to choose trucks and I think forged 159’s are the choice just because I truly don’t ever have to think about my trucks when I’m riding indys. The drama behind the logo is a real turnoff but for the sake of my skateboarding I’m gonna look past that until something further develops.

I had a great relationship with thunders when I was younger but I feel like we’ve grown apart over the years and rekindling that romance has been rough. We still have fun sometimes. When it’s good it’s good, but when it’s bad it’s really bad.

I love aces but they don’t love me back unless they’re in the mood.

Slappy fucked all my friends and comes home drunk talking about toy machine ads.

I have no feelings for venture.

Lurpiv lives too far away.

Grind king is in recovery and has face tats now.

[FrenchSkater]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

I don’t know what to choose between the Indy Forged Hollows 139 and the Indy Mids Forged Hollows 139 for an 8.0 board with a 14 wheelbase and 31.4 length, with a fairly mellow shape. I ride 52 mm wheels.
I’ve always wondered whether, for an 8.0 board, tall trucks (from 53.5 to 55 mm) aren’t actually less suitable, and whether low trucks are better in terms of width and stability. I have the feeling that the wider a board is, the taller the trucks should be but I’m not sure.

I rode Indy Forgeds for a long time and absolutely loved them on an 8.125, but I want to go back to an 8.0 because it’s much easier for me.
If anyone has already tried both pairs of these trucks, I’d love to hear your opinion !

[close]

I believe that ratios are important (e.g. Venture lows on a 10” deck, not so good. 60mm wheels on a 7.75”, also not good). But there comes a point where nuances just become perseverations. Avoid that trap.

Indy Mids suck. Lots of problems with them. Give them away, and don’t look back. Forged Hollow on an 8” are fine. Make sure to rule over your mind, or it will rule over you.

[close]

Especially since the forged with a WB 14 have a lower pop angle, right ?
Still, I’m curious about the Forged Mids for the stability and maybe an easier way to get a lower pop.

[close]

No, it has nothing to do with the deck they are set-up with. Mids suck on their own, independent (pun absolutely intended) of whatever deck. Seriously, avoid them. Hard stop.

Why exactly do they suck ?

[Sedition]

^

Heavier than standard Indys.

Less actual kingpin clearance.

Titanium kingpin catches more b/c it’s harder metal.

The king pin clearance that they do have is “created” by adding extra metal around axle, giving your wheels less “lock in” space.

Horribly botched design be Indy because they didn’t want to redesign baseplate, too.

[swongolianbbq]

Gonna go get a sheet of grip and some black Indy bushings today, and set up a BBS 8.5 x 14.25 x 32 blank. This'll be my board for February with Indy standard 144s and spitfire classics

I wish I could rock with the 149 standards and 56mm classics but I think 144s and 54s are gonna be juuuust fine on blue eagles/b16s

[art hellman]

ive been injured since July 1 2025. i tossed everything i was skating at the time.   i dont even remember what i skate anymore.  this spring back on the board is gonna be nurtz.  trying decide whether to change everything up from past practices, since ‘now’ would be the time

[Sandwich Marty]

Last minute change to aces in the off chance they help me skate like max palmer this time. Generator football. Classic F4’s. I’m going in. Full accountability. Godspeed lads.

[Ok]

Last minute change to aces in the off chance they help me skate like max palmer this time. Generator football. Classic F4’s. I’m going in. Full accountability. Godspeed lads.

oh sweetie you are wildin

[Ok]

ive been injured since July 1 2025. i tossed everything i was skating at the time.   i dont even remember what i skate anymore.  this spring back on the board is gonna be nurtz.  trying decide whether to change everything up from past practices, since ‘now’ would be the time

i like the idea of changing things in total. an era shift.
it’ll be jarring to see you not on some white 8.5 ish with 149s.
how far will you stray?
will ‘the bench’ still factor in?





for me, if i’m being totally honest, i haven’t been comfortable on a board for an extended time, in more than 10 years.
i never successfully moved on from venture lo’s.
i struggled to size up to 8.25 and beyond.
i struggled to move up past 52mm wheels.


i dabbled enough that i do not feel comfortable on an 8, but never found home on 8.25 and above.
aging has played a large part in this. where some posters (@Sedition is a great) have leaned into what feels good, and have just concentrated on that, i’m still trying to grab all of these disparate criteria (cultural, technical, actual, feels good), and sort of hope that something works out. it’s working out. just not how i wish.

[Sandwich Marty]

Expand Quote

Last minute change to aces in the off chance they help me skate like max palmer this time. Generator football. Classic F4’s. I’m going in. Full accountability. Godspeed lads.

[close]

oh sweetie you are wildin

One day at a time

[swongolianbbq]

I have my 8.5 short BBS gripped and ready to go, and I've already cracked my Hardbody DBX tail twice which is hilarious because it's usually the nose

It's all soggy there but it REFUSES to die

The black cylinder Indy bushings, nut flush, straight out the box, I had the best flatground garage sesh since having a garage

And I can still turn em

(5'9", 145 lbs)

It's an insane feeling to be able to back-to-back almost all my flip tricks over, and over, and over

Apparently my madness was just that I am not a loose truck dawg

And that's just the way it is

In keeping with our challenge, I'll stick to the spitfire classics, Indy 144s with black aftermarkets, and BBS 8.5 x 14.25 until my birthday in early March. Then I can prank myself with big wheels and 149s if I want. But I think I'm gonna enter this summer with the best conditioning in at least 10 years

The last time my kickflips looked this good was in 2016, on axled Indy 149s, 1/8" risers, 58mm conicals, and a 9"+ Jeff Kendall Santa Cruz, on acid, in Jackson Hole, in sk8-hi pros

I bet my hella beat 149s were lighter than new 139s

It's such a transient medium

The wheels and trucks are always wearing down

The paints wearing off the deck

The ledge is getting rounded off

Update:

Today I set up a regular ol 8.5 short

Traded conical fulls for my old bigheads cause the switch from OGs to bigheads was too much for the homie

Was having a mystical time on the black ones, nut flush(lol)

But decided to get that more pressurized feel I like, I put some aftermarket orange cylinders back in, and a half-turn tighter than nut flush... Feels pretty much good

Reynolds really has this shit figured out

Stock bushings tight, magic carpet, classic shape wheels works for me hella

I'll still have like a month hands-off challenge board, going to my birthday in the first week or so of March. Placing late bets hahah

Forgive me if I slap some 93a 54mm classics on here tomorrow

[Schinken]

Had a session this morning. Took my 8.6 creature,14.25, thunder 151 and 8.6 Antihero with 159 Standards with me.

Somebody said i just had a short good moment. You were right. I hated everything about the thunders. Interesting thing I noticed, as long as I have a decent sized tail the weight of indy standards doesn't bother me. In fact everything felt lighter and snappier compared to the short creature tail with thunders.

But this wouldn't be the madness thread if I didn't admit that i ordered a set of cast hollow indy 159 a few days ago. Already debating if I send them back but I know I keep them...

[art hellman]

Expand Quote

ive been injured since July 1 2025. i tossed everything i was skating at the time.   i dont even remember what i skate anymore.  this spring back on the board is gonna be nurtz.  trying decide whether to change everything up from past practices, since ‘now’ would be the time

[close]

i like the idea of changing things in total. an era shift.
it’ll be jarring to see you not on some white 8.5 ish with 149s.
how far will you stray?
will ‘the bench’ still factor in?





for me, if i’m being totally honest, i haven’t been comfortable on a board for an extended time, in more than 10 years.
i never successfully moved on from venture lo’s.
i struggled to size up to 8.25 and beyond.
i struggled to move up past 52mm wheels.


i dabbled enough that i do not feel comfortable on an 8, but never found home on 8.25 and above.
aging has played a large part in this. where some posters (@Sedition is a great) have leaned into what feels good, and have just concentrated on that, i’m still trying to grab all of these disparate criteria (cultural, technical, actual, feels good), and sort of hope that something works out. it’s working out. just not how i wish.

ha. you see me.

anyways, who am i kidding? changing it up is what got me here.  i was skating an 8.25 DBX with forged hollows and 52mms, and i swear the board was so light it just floated away… leaving me to land on my poor lil ankle. 

[Ok]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

ive been injured since July 1 2025. i tossed everything i was skating at the time.   i dont even remember what i skate anymore.  this spring back on the board is gonna be nurtz.  trying decide whether to change everything up from past practices, since ‘now’ would be the time

[close]

i like the idea of changing things in total. an era shift.
it’ll be jarring to see you not on some white 8.5 ish with 149s.
how far will you stray?
will ‘the bench’ still factor in?





for me, if i’m being totally honest, i haven’t been comfortable on a board for an extended time, in more than 10 years.
i never successfully moved on from venture lo’s.
i struggled to size up to 8.25 and beyond.
i struggled to move up past 52mm wheels.


i dabbled enough that i do not feel comfortable on an 8, but never found home on 8.25 and above.
aging has played a large part in this. where some posters (@Sedition is a great) have leaned into what feels good, and have just concentrated on that, i’m still trying to grab all of these disparate criteria (cultural, technical, actual, feels good), and sort of hope that something works out. it’s working out. just not how i wish.

[close]

ha. you see me.

anyways, who am i kidding? changing it up is what got me here.  i was skating an 8.25 DBX with forged hollows and 52mms, and i swear the board was so light it just floated away… leaving me to land on my poor lil ankle.

i am sorry about the ankle.
the only light parts that have helped me: lighter decks (alien 6 ply? way back when element had dope boards too, their helium…), and even more so, lighter wheels.
i don’t like light trucks, unless i’m trying to skate a larger size than i should be. the vibrations from hollow axles annoy me.
light wheels feel great for the trucking, not for the ridin tho

[swongolianbbq]

Agreed

Hollow axles don't feel right to me

I think tiny wheels is the best way to lighten up for flip tricks

I'd be curious to see someone weigh the exact same trucks but one is new and the other is super ground down