Powell dragon formula tested by nine club.

[Goodcurbs]

I'm ordering these right now.

[Dooky-shoes]

I’m confused by that title

[Boog]

Oh damn a wheel tested by people who don't have a bad thing to say about anyone/anything? Seems legit.

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

Check the wheel thread……

[camel filters]

OP is referencing this vid. Hopefully spitfire steals the formula so I don't have to give Powell money.

[GumOnMyGrip]

Friend of mine bought some. I ordered a set because they were amazing when I tried his. Our local is all chewed up and crusty so I’ve been skating softer ( 95-99) wheels anyway. The only drawback is they don’t make noise when they slide. They ride soft and slide hard. 

[Ray C. Usery]

I gonna wait for @giftedhater to tell me what to think

[xrossings]

[HugeBodBoyle]

My first set of wheels were Powell Peralta Crossbones in 1987 and I am happy to leave it there.

[hesh lesbians 4 president]

how much do nine club autographs sell for?

[BartHarleyJarvis]

I bought some of the prototype pre-production wheels. They're good. I'm not going to replace all my Spit F4s with dragon wheels, but i'm glad I tried them. I'll probably keep a set in rotation in my quiver.

[TheLurper]

I dude at the park was skating these the other day.

I tried his board briefly. It was a really smooth ride, but it was still easy to do powerslides.

[slapcurbsnotwomen]

I’ll pass on anything that roger likes

[Gab]

I’ll pass on anything that roger likes

Better give up them curbs, then.

[Mean salto]

I like soft wheels and I like ground thats a bit rougher like asphalt, basically I'd rather just get bodied than slip out. But is what && says correct they slide more on ruf ground? Sounds like a shittier combo

[tkp]

"Soft wheels don't slide"

If we're talking powerslides, that's not true. I've ridden wheels from Satori, Spitfire, Bones, OJ, and Powell in the 78 to 85 durometer range and they were all powerslideable. It's a way more resistant slide as compared to a hard wheel, but that's why I got them. I like bombing hills and don't like sliding out.

If we're talking noseslides, tailslides, or bluntslides on ledges that aren't caked in hella wax, I'll agree.
Soft wheels can slide on super waxed ledges on a hot day, but you'll be wishing you had a hard wheel that was made for that type of skating.

I was really hoping to see some nose or tailslides in the 9 Club testimonial video, but it was all board slides. The crooked grind was a good proof of concept, because soft wheels and crooked grinds don't really work. Andy Anderson has video that includes a tailslide, nose blunt slide, and some powerslides,  which sold me on them actually sliding like a hard wheel:

https://youtu.be/z9h0oll-RZc?t=10

OJ makes a 92a wheel. A buddy of mine could make those things do any slide. I've been told Spitfire also used to make something in that range.

I'm currently riding some Powell 83a wheels around San Francisco. I feel a lot safer bombing hills on the Spitfire 80HDs because they are a lot less prone to sliding out at high speeds. But that limits the amount of tricks I can do at spots, which is a trade off. At times I've just carried a set of hard wheels with me and swapped em at the spot.

If I was pushing through rough flat streets to go skate a spot where I wanted to be able to do any trick, perhaps these Dragons would be a better fit.

[fakie nollie]

I blame my gear before my abilities any day of the week so I just copped a set

[doublesteveburger]

cool can I have everyone’s abandoned spitfire wheels

[cucktard]

"Soft wheels don't slide"

If we're talking powerslides, that's not true. I've ridden wheels from Satori, Spitfire, Bones, OJ, and Powell in the 78 to 85 durometer range and they were all powerslideable. It's a way more resistant slide as compared to a hard wheel, but that's why I got them. I like bombing hills and don't like sliding out.

If we're talking noseslides, tailslides, or bluntslides on ledges that aren't caked in hella wax, I'll agree.
Soft wheels can slide on super waxed ledges on a hot day, but you'll be wishing you had a hard wheel that was made for that type of skating.

I was really hoping to see some nose or tailslides in the 9 Club testimonial video, but it was all board slides. The crooked grind was a good proof of concept, because soft wheels and crooked grinds don't really work. Andy Anderson has video that includes a tailslide, nose blunt slide, and some powerslides,  which sold me on them actually sliding like a hard wheel:

https://youtu.be/z9h0oll-RZc?t=10

OJ makes a 92a wheel. A buddy of mine could make those things do any slide. I've been told Spitfire also used to make something in that range.

I'm currently riding some Powell 83a wheels around San Francisco. I feel a lot safer bombing hills on the Spitfire 80HDs because they are a lot less prone to sliding out at high speeds. But that limits the amount of tricks I can do at spots, which is a trade off. At times I've just carried a set of hard wheels with me and swapped em at the spot.

If I was pushing through rough flat streets to go skate a spot where I wanted to be able to do any trick, perhaps these Dragons would be a better fit.

If you are into bombing hills, have you tried downhill wheels made in more conventional shapes?

The grip well, but when you get them to slide, it’s a nice and controlled.

But you really have to sit back in the lawnchair to slide them properly

[Roisto]

Interesting. There should be a separate thread for these in shoes & gear. I can’t be bothered reading the wheels thread as I love my F4s so much.

I bought into the hype of the Bones Easy Streets and they were dog shit. Totally unpredictable. I hope these won’t be like that cuz I am interested in trying these out. Finland is rough as fuck so if these really work nicely they could indeed be a game changer.

[JugeL]

I'm not convinced on anything that a Tensor Mag enjoyer tries to pitch me

[JRF]

OP is referencing this vid. Hopefully spitfire steals the formula so I don't have to give Powell money.

Haha! George powell hasn’t and never will invent a damn thing that’s worth anything. The guy has a personality that’s far less interesting than a damp paper towel…back when I rode for them in the early and late 90’s I had the worst opportunity once of having to sit down with most of the team and listen to him tell us how the team and the brand was at its best that it’s been since the late 80’s…. it was 1994 when he sat us down to have this pep talk and I just wanted to laugh my ass off at his delusional insight… through out the 7/8 years that I rode for them I did hear that George designed some of their urethane formulas, but all of those wheel creations were terrible. Do any of you remember the powell B52 urethane formula? Well, it was garbage, the wheels were too hard and wouldn’t slide on lipslides, noseblunt slides or nose slides where your front wheels are pressing on the vertical wall of the ledge. So basically, the b52’s had all the disadvantages of hard wheels along with all the disadvantages of soft cruiser wheels. It was an amazing  lose lose creation..

[Dummklaus]

this is not a paid advertisment. i repeat not a paid advertisment!

[tzhangdox]

For those who don't lurk the gear thread, wheel thread etc... here's my tldr take on these after skating them a bit and also some of the prototype versions:

They are soft, fast, and they powerslide very very well. There's some bark and screech too depending on the surface.
On waxed concrete, and some other surfaces, they lip/blunt/tail/noseslide just as good as a formula four.

However, they still have some of the drawbacks soft wheels have:
- They pitch you off more than a hard wheel if you wheelbite
- When you grind certain ledges/rails it drags more than a hard wheel, especially on crooked grinds
- Obviously they have less of the satisfying sound of a hard wheel
- They grip a bit and are harder to get into slappies with than a hard wheel

I'm honestly surprised Rog was doing feebles and crooked grinds so easily on those venice curbs without getting pitched. Would be curious to see a side by side comparison on those wheels vs f4s. Maybe they're icy as shit, or the right type of concrete. On one of the curbs and ledges I skate a lot, crooked grinds drag so much more than on f4s. Though that spot is really rough and dry to be fair.

They're a really great wheel, but will still come with some drawbacks vs a proper hard wheel. These drawbacks may or may not be a gamechanger depending on what you skate and what your priorities are. I'm keeping mine around for certain situations, but they're not going to be my go to wheel.

If you already skate soft ish wheels (95 and below), then these will hands down perform better than any of those. But if you're coming from a 99 or 101 f4, or stf or something like that, you may miss some of the attributes of the hard wheels... but also maybe not.

[GardenSkater77]

Expand Quote

OP is referencing this vid. Hopefully spitfire steals the formula so I don't have to give Powell money.

[close]

Haha! George powell hasn’t and never will invent a damn thing that’s worth anything. The guy has a personality that’s far less interesting than a damp paper towel…back when I rode for them in the early and late 90’s I had the worst opportunity once of having to sit down with most of the team and listen to him tell us how the team and the brand was at its best that it’s been since the late 80’s…. it was 1994 when he sat us down to have this pep talk and I just wanted to laugh my ass off at his delusional insight… through out the 7/8 years that I rode for them I did hear that George designed some of their urethane formulas, but all of those wheel creations were terrible. Do any of you remember the powell B52 urethane formula? Well, it was garbage, the wheels were too hard and wouldn’t slide on lipslides, noseblunt slides or nose slides where your front wheels are pressing on the vertical wall of the ledge. So basically, the b52’s had all the disadvantages of hard wheels along with all the disadvantages of soft cruiser wheels. It was an amazing  lose lose creation..

Scenic Drive had some decent skateboarding but there was definitely a corporate vibe to it.

Regarding Bones wheels, I am almost exclusively skating an old skool set up (Dane1) with Bones Rough Riders and I have to say the formula is really incredible and I have a set of these new dragon wheels on the way.

I don’t plan on sliding my wheels on ledges anymore. I’m just trying to take the edge off on my old bones.

BTW—I would have never even thought about buying Powell wheels in the 90s. Pretty sure every shop I went into only sold 53mm Spitfires which would flat spot immediately if you slid a trick in. Of all skate components wheel technology has really progressed the furthest.

[JRF]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

OP is referencing this vid. Hopefully spitfire steals the formula so I don't have to give Powell money.

[close]

Haha! George powell hasn’t and never will invent a damn thing that’s worth anything. The guy has a personality that’s far less interesting than a damp paper towel…back when I rode for them in the early and late 90’s I had the worst opportunity once of having to sit down with most of the team and listen to him tell us how the team and the brand was at its best that it’s been since the late 80’s…. it was 1994 when he sat us down to have this pep talk and I just wanted to laugh my ass off at his delusional insight… through out the 7/8 years that I rode for them I did hear that George designed some of their urethane formulas, but all of those wheel creations were terrible. Do any of you remember the powell B52 urethane formula? Well, it was garbage, the wheels were too hard and wouldn’t slide on lipslides, noseblunt slides or nose slides where your front wheels are pressing on the vertical wall of the ledge. So basically, the b52’s had all the disadvantages of hard wheels along with all the disadvantages of soft cruiser wheels. It was an amazing  lose lose creation..

[close]

Scenic Drive had some decent skateboarding but there was definitely a corporate vibe to it.

Regarding Bones wheels, I am almost exclusively skating an old skool set up (Dane1) with Bones Rough Riders and I have to say the formula is really incredible and I have a set of these new dragon wheels on the way.

I don’t plan on sliding my wheels on ledges anymore. I’m just trying to take the edge off on my old bones.

BTW—I would have never even thought about buying Powell wheels in the 90s. Pretty sure every shop I went into only sold 53mm Spitfires which would flat spot immediately if you slid a trick in. Of all skate components wheel technology has really progressed the furthest.

To be honest, I don’t know anything about powell’s urethane formulas or the quality of their urethane after 1997. But I know that before that time they had some pretty terrible ideas that they put out for the public to buy. I know that spitfire had some issues with thier urethane on and off for a decade or longer, so that might be the reason for the flat spotting.. companies obviously make mistakes from time to time.. for instance, from the age of 15, into my mid 20’s I rode only independentl trucks but that changed when back in 2003 independent had a problem with the axles on their trucks bending really easy and it was so bad that I had to switch to riding thunders.. when powell  started producing the scenic drive video they didn’t really give anyone on the team any creative control over the video and how they put the video together. But Suburban diners was a 100% controlled and edited by the team at the time ( I didn’t really like either of those videos)….

Back in 1995 powell started an aggressive rollerblade wheel and bearings company called “BLOOD” they had a team and the whole nine, it was pretty fucking awful to say the least..

[truthislie]

And I have bought my first set of keyframes like two weeks ago... Havent put them on but I hope I can still enjoy them now.

[bobforapples]

 Why does Roger wear the same women's glasses George wore on Seinfeld?

Also I'd only ride them if they renamed them dragon these nutz

[bobforapples]

 

Rogers glasses

[slapcurbsnotwomen]

Expand Quote

I’ll pass on anything that roger likes

[close]

Better give up them curbs, then.

You right fam, fuck it