Gear madness support thread

[swongolianbbq]

Since I'm switching to classics 54mm I thought it was a good idea to show them setup side by side with radial full 54mm

Wowza

[Mbrimson88]

Since I'm switching to classics 54mm I thought it was a good idea to show them setup side by side with radial full 54mm

Wowza

Yeah they sure are a wide wheel.

Radial Full 54 x 38 is even wider than I am used to or comfortable with on smaller / normal boards in 8.38 to 8.5 - the old Classic Full in 56 that I used to ride on those boards were still not quite that wide, but I have a liking for wider wheels on wider boards, so that shape works well for me on the 8.75 and 9.0 sized boards with comparable trucks.  To me it still allows the truck some nice grind room, without having the truck too wide, if that makes sense.

My common setups these days:

8.25 with 148 / 144 on worn down 53 Conical Full to 53 / 54 mm Classics
8.38 with 149s on worn down 54 Conical Full to 55 mm Classics
8.5 with 149s on worn down 56 to 58 mm Classics
8.75 with 151 / 159s on 54 Radial Full wheels
9.0 with 169s on 56 to 58 Radial Full wheels

Most of those wheels have been rounded off a bit more too, just to have a slightly wider and rounder edge, which I prefer.

I have a number of other experimental setups with different shapes, sizes, etc but they are more just for shop test rides than anything else.

[Plan9Customs]

Since I'm switching to classics 54mm I thought it was a good idea to show them setup side by side with radial full 54mm

Interested in hearing your thoughts on flip tricks after switching. I know what I noticed going in between classics and coni fulls.
Pretty sure you’ll notice the same.

[moonordie]

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Since I'm switching to classics 54mm I thought it was a good idea to show them setup side by side with radial full 54mm

[close]

Interested in hearing your thoughts on flip tricks after switching. I know what I noticed going in between classics and coni fulls.
Pretty sure you’ll notice the same.

Skating today after work, I'll keep you posted.

[codswallop]

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Got a heavy madness episode which it finally got reduced only to wheels.
Everything else is perfectly sorted out.
I have the feeling that some 54mm classics will end it

[close]

FINISH HIM

[close]

 

[moonordie]

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Since I'm switching to classics 54mm I thought it was a good idea to show them setup side by side with radial full 54mm

[close]

Interested in hearing your thoughts on flip tricks after switching. I know what I noticed going in between classics and coni fulls.
Pretty sure you’ll notice the same.

[close]

Skating today after work, I'll keep you posted.

Overall everything feels better and more natural. I struggled to land the first kickflip tho but that's probably I had the genius idea to skate a 14.5 WB board. Also board being 31.65 probably didn't help either.

[pops]

Not really a madness thing (maybe) but decided to pick the Horse Pill deck. Not sure what to expect but Ive been skating Heroin 10 eggs lately and really like em but they very expensive nowadays. Horse Pill is slightly shorter in length and wheelbase in comparison. I skate Thunders T1 161s. Maybe it's madness afterall because Im stressing the dimensions of my board a lot.

[DNTRODDEN]

I am in a bushing rabbit hole

Looking for a stable, i ride tight, with a snappy return to center.

Slappy, Thunder (tops only), Mini Logo, Ace Hards, mixing matching, issue is I am not writing anything down....I have no idea what I am skating any more...LOL

[SwitchBenihana]

I feel if you need a convoluted bushing setup to make a truck work it's not your truck. Maybe swap in harder ones designed for the truck or something but some of the insane tweaking is essentially to change the way the truck fundamentally behaves.

[DNTRODDEN]

I feel if you need a convoluted bushing setup to make a truck work it's not your truck. Maybe swap in harder ones designed for the truck or something but some of the insane tweaking is essentially to change the way the truck fundamentally behaves.

I am not disagreeing with you at all, LOL
might be part of why it is Madness, but it is what it is.

For the record, I love everything about my T2s, but I cannot ride a double cone set up, I do not have the balance or skill for it, but they are the first truck over 50mm tall that I can get a consistent pop on after being away for over 2 decades.

I know most of this is lack of skill, lack of balance, but I am trying to work myself to a less locked down truck, but it will take some time.

But again, I do not disagree with you at all

[logjammin]

I'd say get some bones hard bushings and just use either the bottoms or the tops in combination with something else. for example, ace medium bottoms with bones hard tops will keep it turny yet stable and really stop the turn before wheelbite. 

[swongolianbbq]

What I've been doing with indys has been working good

Stock bottom bushings, or like on my friends board, black 94a Indy bushings, with a bones hardcore 96a top bushing, keeping all the stock Indy washers

If I had to set some up for supa tight it'd be yellow 96a bottom bushing, bones 96a top.

Still trippin that according to comments on indys Instagram, Jaeb runs 96a bottom bushings and 78a roadside

If I recall correctly, the thunder bottom bushings are taller than Indy and the top bushings are lower... Putting a bones top in, nut flush on thunders would feel more like if 1-2 threads were showing with the stock bushings cause the bones ones are a lil taller. Finding a barrel bushing that matches the height of the thunder bushings would be good for stability

Idk, I'm insane but the bones hard top bushings pretty much quelled all bushing madness, I can start skating down stuff immediately with no issues if I add the bones tops. I don't use the bottom ones at all

[DNTRODDEN]

What I've been doing with indys has been working good

Stock bottom bushings, or like on my friends board, black 94a Indy bushings, with a bones hardcore 96a top bushing, keeping all the stock Indy washers

If I had to set some up for supa tight it'd be yellow 96a bottom bushing, bones 96a top.

Still trippin that according to comments on indys Instagram, Jaeb runs 96a bottom bushings and 78a roadside

If I recall correctly, the thunder bottom bushings are taller than Indy and the top bushings are lower... Putting a bones top in, nut flush on thunders would feel more like if 1-2 threads were showing with the stock bushings cause the bones ones are a lil taller. Finding a barrel bushing that matches the height of the thunder bushings would be good for stability

Idk, I'm insane but the bones hard top bushings pretty much quelled all bushing madness, I can start skating down stuff immediately with no issues if I add the bones tops. I don't use the bottom ones at all

My current setup, I think, is a slappy 95 bottom and a Mini Logo 94 top.
Have not had enouff time to evaluate it yet.

I have tried all the Thunder bushing up to 100, I am real uncomfortable with the "twitch" I was getting as I bent to do a trick.

My main 2 desires are stability when I crouch, and a strong snap to center.

I am trying to set up looser and looser as time goes by, but my ankle strength and center of gravity are not what they used to be

[swongolianbbq]

Expand Quote

What I've been doing with indys has been working good

Stock bottom bushings, or like on my friends board, black 94a Indy bushings, with a bones hardcore 96a top bushing, keeping all the stock Indy washers

If I had to set some up for supa tight it'd be yellow 96a bottom bushing, bones 96a top.

Still trippin that according to comments on indys Instagram, Jaeb runs 96a bottom bushings and 78a roadside

If I recall correctly, the thunder bottom bushings are taller than Indy and the top bushings are lower... Putting a bones top in, nut flush on thunders would feel more like if 1-2 threads were showing with the stock bushings cause the bones ones are a lil taller. Finding a barrel bushing that matches the height of the thunder bushings would be good for stability

Idk, I'm insane but the bones hard top bushings pretty much quelled all bushing madness, I can start skating down stuff immediately with no issues if I add the bones tops. I don't use the bottom ones at all

[close]

My current setup, I think, is a slappy 95 bottom and a Mini Logo 94 top.
Have not had enouff time to evaluate it yet.

I have tried all the Thunder bushing up to 100, I am real uncomfortable with the "twitch" I was getting as I bent to do a trick.

My main 2 desires are stability when I crouch, and a strong snap to center.

I am trying to set up looser and looser as time goes by, but my ankle strength and center of gravity are not what they used to be

In my opinion nothing has a better return to center than the bones hards. I just don't run the bottom bushings cause I don't like the look, they blow out, and they can change the geometry of the truck

For stability on center a barrel bushing will definitely work better than the conical thunder ones

[DNTRODDEN]

Expand Quote

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What I've been doing with indys has been working good

Stock bottom bushings, or like on my friends board, black 94a Indy bushings, with a bones hardcore 96a top bushing, keeping all the stock Indy washers

If I had to set some up for supa tight it'd be yellow 96a bottom bushing, bones 96a top.

Still trippin that according to comments on indys Instagram, Jaeb runs 96a bottom bushings and 78a roadside

If I recall correctly, the thunder bottom bushings are taller than Indy and the top bushings are lower... Putting a bones top in, nut flush on thunders would feel more like if 1-2 threads were showing with the stock bushings cause the bones ones are a lil taller. Finding a barrel bushing that matches the height of the thunder bushings would be good for stability

Idk, I'm insane but the bones hard top bushings pretty much quelled all bushing madness, I can start skating down stuff immediately with no issues if I add the bones tops. I don't use the bottom ones at all

[close]

My current setup, I think, is a slappy 95 bottom and a Mini Logo 94 top.
Have not had enouff time to evaluate it yet.

I have tried all the Thunder bushing up to 100, I am real uncomfortable with the "twitch" I was getting as I bent to do a trick.

My main 2 desires are stability when I crouch, and a strong snap to center.

I am trying to set up looser and looser as time goes by, but my ankle strength and center of gravity are not what they used to be

[close]

In my opinion nothing has a better return to center than the bones hards. I just don't run the bottom bushings cause I don't like the look, they blow out, and they can change the geometry of the truck

For stability on center a barrel bushing will definitely work better than the conical thunder ones

This has been my experience.  I will get some Hardcore next time I am at the local, with the hardness options, Hard seems like the best fit for me

[foodsafedye]

This might be a dumb question, but when you guys talk about bushings do you mean bottom when the board is flipped upside down or bottom when the board is wheels down?

[DNTRODDEN]

This might be a dumb question, but when you guys talk about bushings do you mean bottom when the board is flipped upside down or bottom when the board is wheels down?

For me Bottom=Boardside
           Top = Roadside

[swongolianbbq]

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What I've been doing with indys has been working good

Stock bottom bushings, or like on my friends board, black 94a Indy bushings, with a bones hardcore 96a top bushing, keeping all the stock Indy washers

If I had to set some up for supa tight it'd be yellow 96a bottom bushing, bones 96a top.

Still trippin that according to comments on indys Instagram, Jaeb runs 96a bottom bushings and 78a roadside

If I recall correctly, the thunder bottom bushings are taller than Indy and the top bushings are lower... Putting a bones top in, nut flush on thunders would feel more like if 1-2 threads were showing with the stock bushings cause the bones ones are a lil taller. Finding a barrel bushing that matches the height of the thunder bushings would be good for stability

Idk, I'm insane but the bones hard top bushings pretty much quelled all bushing madness, I can start skating down stuff immediately with no issues if I add the bones tops. I don't use the bottom ones at all

[close]

My current setup, I think, is a slappy 95 bottom and a Mini Logo 94 top.
Have not had enouff time to evaluate it yet.

I have tried all the Thunder bushing up to 100, I am real uncomfortable with the "twitch" I was getting as I bent to do a trick.

My main 2 desires are stability when I crouch, and a strong snap to center.

I am trying to set up looser and looser as time goes by, but my ankle strength and center of gravity are not what they used to be

[close]

In my opinion nothing has a better return to center than the bones hards. I just don't run the bottom bushings cause I don't like the look, they blow out, and they can change the geometry of the truck

For stability on center a barrel bushing will definitely work better than the conical thunder ones

[close]

This has been my experience.  I will get some Hardcore next time I am at the local, with the hardness options, Hard seems like the best fit for me

I'm curious about the riptide "KranK" formula, as most bushing formulas pretty much feel the same even if you crank em a bunch, then the bushing explodes anyway... But the Kranks are advertised as being very adjustable with actually feeling harder the more you tighten them, and they come in Indy height and ace/thunder height, might be worth looking into. Combined with a bones 96a on top that might be the ticket.

I'm 145lbs and skate stock Indy bottom bushings, bones hard tops, all the stock Indy washers, nut-flush, and I can still turn on them as much as I want, but the stability and return to center is there.


In other news, gear madness reminds me of when I had backpacking gear madness

I'd modify and sew stuff, buy things, put it all on my LighterPack page, yada yada, then go on a trip and take notes about what could be more efficient

So I went to the skatepark yesterday and my only thoughts are that spitfire 93a can be kinda sticky on rails, but then again that flat bar has been covered with snow and rain for months. It was nice having the 99s already on hangers, swapped wheels so quickly that way

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This might be a dumb question, but when you guys talk about bushings do you mean bottom when the board is flipped upside down or bottom when the board is wheels down?

[close]

For me Bottom=Boardside
           Top = Roadside

Yep, same.

[foodsafedye]

My friend gave me some old Bones Hardcore bushings and it would be nice for wheelbite, but I also like being able to turn a lot and the easier to hold pinch I get with looser trucks. Would it make more sense to go with soft bottom hard top or hard bottom soft top (for less wheelbite but still a loose turn)?

[swongolianbbq]

My friend gave me some old Bones Hardcore bushings and it would be nice for wheelbite, but I also like being able to turn a lot and the easier to hold pinch I get with looser trucks. Would it make more sense to go with soft bottom hard top or hard bottom soft top (for less wheelbite but still a loose turn)?

The general consensus is softer bottom/boardside, harder top/roadside

Kinda like aces stock bushings (86a bottom, 91a top)

When you're standing on your board, all the pressure is going into your bottom bushing and pivot cup. A barrel/cylinder bushing will be more supportive here and a conical will be more twitchy/responsive

The top bushing being harder can help with stability on center and returning to center quicker

Looser or lower trucks are always gonna be easier to pinch, and harder bushings are gonna take away from that a bit

Look at Foys setup, 54mm wheels on thunders(52mm high truck) with stock bushings. Absolute pinch machine

[DNTRODDEN]

Expand Quote

My friend gave me some old Bones Hardcore bushings and it would be nice for wheelbite, but I also like being able to turn a lot and the easier to hold pinch I get with looser trucks. Would it make more sense to go with soft bottom hard top or hard bottom soft top (for less wheelbite but still a loose turn)?

[close]

The general consensus is softer bottom/boardside, harder top/roadside

Kinda like aces stock bushings (86a bottom, 91a top)



When you're standing on your board, all the pressure is going into your bottom bushing and pivot cup. A barrel/cylinder bushing will be more supportive here and a conical will be more twitchy/responsive

The top bushing being harder can help with stability on center and returning to center quicker

Looser or lower trucks are always gonna be easier to pinch, and harder bushings are gonna take away from that a bit

Look at Foys setup, 54mm wheels on thunders(52mm high truck) with stock bushings. Absolute pinch machine

I have always thought it was the other way around, hard bottom (board side) and softer top (roadside)

[Obijuan91]

Expand Quote

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My friend gave me some old Bones Hardcore bushings and it would be nice for wheelbite, but I also like being able to turn a lot and the easier to hold pinch I get with looser trucks. Would it make more sense to go with soft bottom hard top or hard bottom soft top (for less wheelbite but still a loose turn)?

[close]

The general consensus is softer bottom/boardside, harder top/roadside

Kinda like aces stock bushings (86a bottom, 91a top)



When you're standing on your board, all the pressure is going into your bottom bushing and pivot cup. A barrel/cylinder bushing will be more supportive here and a conical will be more twitchy/responsive

The top bushing being harder can help with stability on center and returning to center quicker

Looser or lower trucks are always gonna be easier to pinch, and harder bushings are gonna take away from that a bit

Look at Foys setup, 54mm wheels on thunders(52mm high truck) with stock bushings. Absolute pinch machine

[close]

I have always thought it was the other way around, hard bottom (board side) and softer top (roadside)

That’s quicker turn initiation but less turn

[swongolianbbq]

Spanky used to run 94a bottom and 91a top Ace bushings in his af1s, but the last several clips and photos I've seen for quite some time have been bones mediums top+bottom

I recall spanky saying he likes his trucks mushy feeling

According to Indy, Jaeb rides 96a bottom, 78a top which seems wild to me



I wonder if it's a bones one on top and since it's white, and Indy wants to sell bushings, they say it's one of theirs. Which are 78a hahah

-

I like a dry, snappy sounding board that doesn't need to be broken in and my bushings have some spring/pressure to em, but I still like to turn and pinch crooks and shit. I feel like if I weren't 37 I wouldn't care as much. I absolutely love the way stock bushings feel and turn, but they're too mushy for me for flip tricks sometimes. Not so bad on skinnier boards, where more of my foot is across the board for kickflips so I can still steer and keep the board straight... Aimu/Jeremy Wray kickflips vs. like, Nyjah kickflips on the other end. Mine are currently somewhere in between and having a truck that stays stable on center but still carves when I want it to is ideal. My favorite for this has been AF1 55s with 94a/94a Ace hard bushings. The geo of the truck still lets it dive, and the hard bushings keep it straight and snappy. Trouble is, I like shorter boards, mellow kicks, and I just plain skate better on indys.

[Mbrimson88]

This might be a dumb question, but when you guys talk about bushings do you mean bottom when the board is flipped upside down or bottom when the board is wheels down?

I wouldn't say it is a dumb question, as a good number of people have this mixed up over the years, some very specifically claiming the reverse, but when truck brands discuss the top conical bushing and the bottom cylinder bushing, it is very easy to understand.

As others have said, also as per something like this diagram, which I just found online when I was looking, it makes it easier to see and avoids confusion:


https://cms.skateboards.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/kcdc-truck-anatomy-1.webp

[DNTRODDEN]

Expand Quote

This might be a dumb question, but when you guys talk about bushings do you mean bottom when the board is flipped upside down or bottom when the board is wheels down?

[close]

I wouldn't say it is a dumb question, as a good number of people have this mixed up over the years, some very specifically claiming the reverse, but when truck brands discuss the top conical bushing and the bottom cylinder bushing, it is very easy to understand.

As others have said, also as per something like this diagram, which I just found online when I was looking, it makes it easier to see and avoids confusion:


https://cms.skateboards.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/kcdc-truck-anatomy-1.webp




@Mbrimson88 - amazing answer to this question!

Expand Quote

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My friend gave me some old Bones Hardcore bushings and it would be nice for wheelbite, but I also like being able to turn a lot and the easier to hold pinch I get with looser trucks. Would it make more sense to go with soft bottom hard top or hard bottom soft top (for less wheelbite but still a loose turn)?

[close]

The general consensus is softer bottom/boardside, harder top/roadside

Kinda like aces stock bushings (86a bottom, 91a top)



When you're standing on your board, all the pressure is going into your bottom bushing and pivot cup. A barrel/cylinder bushing will be more supportive here and a conical will be more twitchy/responsive

The top bushing being harder can help with stability on center and returning to center quicker

Looser or lower trucks are always gonna be easier to pinch, and harder bushings are gonna take away from that a bit

Look at Foys setup, 54mm wheels on thunders(52mm high truck) with stock bushings. Absolute pinch machine

[close]

I have always thought it was the other way around, hard bottom (board side) and softer top (roadside)

@Obijuan91

You have no idea the rabbit hole I went down last night! LOL
I have a lot of things to test and try now!

[Obijuan91]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

This might be a dumb question, but when you guys talk about bushings do you mean bottom when the board is flipped upside down or bottom when the board is wheels down?

[close]

I wouldn't say it is a dumb question, as a good number of people have this mixed up over the years, some very specifically claiming the reverse, but when truck brands discuss the top conical bushing and the bottom cylinder bushing, it is very easy to understand.

As others have said, also as per something like this diagram, which I just found online when I was looking, it makes it easier to see and avoids confusion:


https://cms.skateboards.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/kcdc-truck-anatomy-1.webp




@Mbrimson88 - amazing answer to this question!

[close]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

My friend gave me some old Bones Hardcore bushings and it would be nice for wheelbite, but I also like being able to turn a lot and the easier to hold pinch I get with looser trucks. Would it make more sense to go with soft bottom hard top or hard bottom soft top (for less wheelbite but still a loose turn)?

[close]

The general consensus is softer bottom/boardside, harder top/roadside

Kinda like aces stock bushings (86a bottom, 91a top)



When you're standing on your board, all the pressure is going into your bottom bushing and pivot cup. A barrel/cylinder bushing will be more supportive here and a conical will be more twitchy/responsive

The top bushing being harder can help with stability on center and returning to center quicker

Looser or lower trucks are always gonna be easier to pinch, and harder bushings are gonna take away from that a bit

Look at Foys setup, 54mm wheels on thunders(52mm high truck) with stock bushings. Absolute pinch machine

[close]

I have always thought it was the other way around, hard bottom (board side) and softer top (roadside)

[close]

@Obijuan91

You have no idea the rabbit hole I went down last night! LOL
I have a lot of things to test and try now!

I mean literally almost anything’s possible once your deep enough in the rabbit hole long as you have the right combination lol. It’s all geometry at the end of the day

[Plan9Customs]

Expand Quote

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Expand Quote

Since I'm switching to classics 54mm I thought it was a good idea to show them setup side by side with radial full 54mm

[close]

Interested in hearing your thoughts on flip tricks after switching. I know what I noticed going in between classics and coni fulls.
Pretty sure you’ll notice the same.

[close]

Skating today after work, I'll keep you posted.

[close]

Overall everything feels better and more natural. I struggled to land the first kickflip tho but that's probably I had the genius idea to skate a 14.5 WB board. Also board being 31.65 probably didn't help either.

Hopefully it was just getting used to the deck. My experience with classics and flips is they spin way easier and faster so you don’t have to flick near as hard as a more squared shape.

[DNTRODDEN]

Expand Quote

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Expand Quote

This might be a dumb question, but when you guys talk about bushings do you mean bottom when the board is flipped upside down or bottom when the board is wheels down?

[close]

I wouldn't say it is a dumb question, as a good number of people have this mixed up over the years, some very specifically claiming the reverse, but when truck brands discuss the top conical bushing and the bottom cylinder bushing, it is very easy to understand.

As others have said, also as per something like this diagram, which I just found online when I was looking, it makes it easier to see and avoids confusion:


https://cms.skateboards.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/kcdc-truck-anatomy-1.webp




@Mbrimson88 - amazing answer to this question!

[close]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

My friend gave me some old Bones Hardcore bushings and it would be nice for wheelbite, but I also like being able to turn a lot and the easier to hold pinch I get with looser trucks. Would it make more sense to go with soft bottom hard top or hard bottom soft top (for less wheelbite but still a loose turn)?

[close]

The general consensus is softer bottom/boardside, harder top/roadside

Kinda like aces stock bushings (86a bottom, 91a top)



When you're standing on your board, all the pressure is going into your bottom bushing and pivot cup. A barrel/cylinder bushing will be more supportive here and a conical will be more twitchy/responsive

The top bushing being harder can help with stability on center and returning to center quicker

Looser or lower trucks are always gonna be easier to pinch, and harder bushings are gonna take away from that a bit

Look at Foys setup, 54mm wheels on thunders(52mm high truck) with stock bushings. Absolute pinch machine

[close]

I have always thought it was the other way around, hard bottom (board side) and softer top (roadside)

[close]

@Obijuan91

You have no idea the rabbit hole I went down last night! LOL
I have a lot of things to test and try now!

[close]

I mean literally almost anything’s possible once your deep enough in the rabbit hole long as you have the right combination lol. It’s all geometry at the end of the day

Gonna try out this madness
About 10 sets of bushings from my local and Sunday should be fun

[Paco Supreme]

I don’t need Classic Fulls, I’m happy with my radials.

I don’t need Classic Fulls, I’m happy with my radials.

I don’t need Classic Fulls, I’m happy with my radials.

[Slave IV]