Skateboarding After 50

[DNTRODDEN]

The post above is really right on time.

I have finally settled my set-up madness to a degree.

I ride 8.3s in 2 different shapes from Apex Laminates currently on a 14.25 WB.
Waiting on some samples in one of there new shapes with a 14wb to show up.

I was riding a DLX shape from a small local skate brand that was 8.3 x sub 32, with a 14wb and really liked it so when realized Apex had one, I was keen to try it.

All my trucks are for 8.5 decks, wheels are usually 54mm @ 99a.

Honestly, the best thing I have done is stopping my habit of showing up at the local park with 3+ setups and just riding one.

[rikki]

Currently on an 8.125 x 14.25 with cast Ventures. Very close to my sweet spot.

Deck width is not overly critical, but anything below 8.12 or above 8.38 starts to feel a bit uncomfortable.

Wheelbase can be anywhere from 14 to 14.38, but anything over that and I start struggling.

Deck length sweet spot is at 31.85. 32 is fine, 31.5 is too short. Anything above 32 is a no-no.

Wheels usually 54-55 new, but I ride them until they're 53 or even less. 97 has been my go to duro lately. Less soreness in the feet.

Ventures for life, man. I always go back. Thunders are shitty regarding bushings, turn and kingpin clearance. Indys always end up disappointing me in ways too numerous to list here. Aces screw up my pop. Can't be arsed to try other trucks, life's too short.

This starts to sound like the Madness thread.

[Sedition]

Honestly, the best thing I have done is stopping my habit of showing up at the local park with 3+ setups and just riding one.

This is truth.

[AnimalChinaski79]

Just curious...what are people in this thread riding for set-ups?

I was a DLX 8.25 guy for well over 10 years, but like most old guys, I seem to be liking wider boards these days. The 8.75/14.5 Black Label has been my jam for a while now. 14.5 wb still has some agility, and the 8.75 width has some nice stability. It's a good balance for me. Yes, flip tricks are bit clunky, but I am flipping my board less and less these days.   

(And I still have an 8.25 DLX set-up, too...but seem to be riding it less and less, and less...and I have 149s on it now, too. Use to be 144s only. But man, those things seem like tiny baby freestyle trucks to me now!)

Black Label Tugboat and Jumbotron. I don't flip my board, just ollies and curb skating for me.     

[OldieButFrenchie]

I don't flip my board, just ollies and curb skating for me.     

same here! well curbs and minis. I just put together this 9.25 Dressen board and I love it. Short wheelbase, and I'm still rocking the trucks Síota gifted me a while back, thanks again mate!   

[matty_c]

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Jenkem did a little interview with me.

https://www.jenkemmag.com/home/2026/03/26/preserving-skateboardings-outsider-era-with-the-past-participle/

[close]

Nice!

That’s sick bro those photos are gold
Is before my time I was born in 85 but they made me think about being young and skating all the time

[OldieButFrenchie]

quick little vid from a sesh last month! relearning decked front rocks + relearning tail blocks

(not quite all the way up on that one.....my original goal was to relearn crail blocks but I had to settle for regular tail blocks! those tricks are harder than I remembered but also funner  )

https://jumpshare.com/s/J7SYyBTVINHQ0diZ9zNO

no clue how to embed this sorry.

[AnimalChinaski79]

quick little vid from a sesh last month! relearning decked front rocks + relearning tail blocks

(not quite all the way up on that one.....my original goal was to relearn crail blocks but I had to settle for regular tail blocks! those tricks are harder than I remembered but also funner  )

https://jumpshare.com/s/J7SYyBTVINHQ0diZ9zNO

no clue how to embed this sorry.

Nice, man!

[gringo_viejo]

Expand Quote

quick little vid from a sesh last month! relearning decked front rocks + relearning tail blocks

(not quite all the way up on that one.....my original goal was to relearn crail blocks but I had to settle for regular tail blocks! those tricks are harder than I remembered but also funner  )

https://jumpshare.com/s/J7SYyBTVINHQ0diZ9zNO

no clue how to embed this sorry.

[close]

Nice, man!

Love it love it love it     

[Sedition]

quick little vid from a sesh last month! relearning decked front rocks + relearning tail blocks

(not quite all the way up on that one.....my original goal was to relearn crail blocks but I had to settle for regular tail blocks! those tricks are harder than I remembered but also funner  )

https://jumpshare.com/s/J7SYyBTVINHQ0diZ9zNO

no clue how to embed this sorry.

Great clips.

I love crail blocks, but only do them on banks (modern round tails, and that trick on coping, are an insane death wish). Here are two pics my friend took of me...

[OldieButFrenchie]

thanks fellow oldies   

and nice pics Sedition!
never thought of trying that on a bank but I will.... yeah those tricks don't work on regular coping, that's why I started skating that little quarterpipe on the side.... it has no coping. There's something about turning that way on your tail that is super fun!  I might try frontside one day....never did those before and they look sick!!

[Sloppy Krooks]

I’ve got 3 set-ups, ranging from 8.8 to 10 inch.

I have a 10-inch AH horse-pill when I don’t want to goof off and just sit on boardslides on double-sided curbs.

9.25 BL Tugboat, probably my favorite board, with axled Aces and 97x wheels. It feels dialed in and comfortable

And the && 8.8 twin blunt egg with Ace lows and 99a spits  I never thought I’d go under 9, but I really like it.
If I want to kickflip or do anything that requires me leaving the board, I use this
It’s also my travel board, going to get in it today here in Halifax

[The Huffer]

Well I mostly skate the Huffer (no surprise) with various undercarriages, usually 8.75" or 9" Ace trucks. Always F4s, mostly 99s but sometimes 93s. Classics or Radials for the most part. I love messing with different sizes for different applications.

I do like twin tails also and will skate them in sizes between 8.25 and 8.75.

I probably change what I ride too much but I find different set ups, bring out different things in my skateboarding and keep me interested.

Also, I'm pretty consistent with Pepper Grip and Bones Swiss 6 Ball. Jessup will do and I like the Ace bearings and Bones Big Balls also.

NB 440s, Ipaths not so much Vans anymore but will get some Skate Eras.

[Sedition]

Got a new Krooked deck yesterday. This is the top graphic on it:




These sentiments do not align with my current "old guy" skating reality, so I "fixed" it.

[The Huffer]

Hahah. nice one. Need some clear grip for that.

[Sedition]

Hahah. nice one. Need some clear grip for that.

Yup! I actually put some clear over that, and that is the ONLY time in 40-years of skating that I've ever used clear tape!

[Plan9Customs]

LOVE your take on that @Sedition.


Feeble old man.

[Sedition]

This is a decent old-guy article. Can read it for free on NYT app.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/24/business/economy/costco-curbs-skateboarding-genx.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

[Sedition]

LOVE your take on that @Sedition.


Feeble old man.

Danke, and great pic.

[Mbrimson88]

Got a new Krooked deck yesterday. This is the top graphic on it:




These sentiments do not align with my current "old guy" skating reality, so I "fixed" it.

Ha yeah, I got the latest Manderson board for someone with that on the top.  Don't know if it was just that board or others in the new drop, but it made a few people laugh when I showed them.

That is a good change up too!

[Sedition]

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Got a new Krooked deck yesterday. This is the top graphic on it:




These sentiments do not align with my current "old guy" skating reality, so I "fixed" it.

[close]

Ha yeah, I got the latest Manderson board for someone with that on the top.  Don't know if it was just that board or others in the new drop, but it made a few people laugh when I showed them.

That is a good change up too!

This was on the 9.81 shaped deck.

[The Huffer]

This is a decent old-guy article. Can read it for free on NYT app.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/24/business/economy/costco-curbs-skateboarding-genx.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

Just came here to post this. Not surprised you beat me to it.

[Plan9Customs]

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LOVE your take on that @Sedition.


Feeble old man.

[close]

Danke, and great pic.

Thanks. Btw wtf is happening that there is a NYT article about old men and curbs?! Neither should be considered cool enough for rags to be writing about.

[Sedition]

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LOVE your take on that @Sedition.


Feeble old man.

[close]

Danke, and great pic.

[close]

Thanks. Btw wtf is happening that there is a NYT article about old men and curbs?! Neither should be considered cool enough for rags to be writing about.

By the time NYT catches on, the trend is long over. Everyone in this article probably died years ago.

[DNTRODDEN]

it wants me to pay for access so I have read the NYT article.
I am almost 2 weeks skateboard free, not by design but weather and vacation  I have a consult with an Ortho Monday.
And I might need to get my hand x-ray'd soon, might have done bad things to my scaffold.  But that is a problem for another day

[Sedition]

it wants me to pay for access so I have read the NYT article.

Can read it for free on NYT app.

[DNTRODDEN]

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it wants me to pay for access so I have read the NYT article.

[close]

Can read it for free on NYT app.

Thanks!!

Updates: surgery consult Monday, calling to get in and get an x-ray referral for my left wrist, hitting the parks later today. Upgrading to the 187 Killer Pads Derby Wrist Guards, and for the first time in my life I need a shoe rack!

Crossposting a bit:

I am slowly transitioning from madness to stability.

Have a deck shape/size that works well, but also have one more shape/size inbound to test.
Trucks down to two - Thunder T2 / Ace AF1
Wheels - Bones X99
Bearings - Fireball Supply Built
Grip - was set on Pepper, but with some of my shoes my foot is too locked in, going to try Jessup/Jessup Ultra - (low key been liking some FKD)

Bushings have been my deepest dive recently but have them sorted for the T2 (Mini Logo Med boardside / Bones Hardcore Hard Roadside)
Working fine tuning the the Ace, the combo above works, but I still get a squirrelly when I squat at speed

[Sedition]

Upgrading to the 187 Killer Pads Derby Wrist Guards, and for the first time in my life I need a shoe rack!

FYI, The 187 PRO wrist guards are where it's really at if your looking for wrist guards. They basically stole this design from Wild Bill (Pro-Designed Pads) after he died (pretty shady, IMHO), and those were widely known as the best wrist guards made. Now 187 is making their version of Bill's.

Also, someone really needs to reproduce Bill's elbow pads, because they were incredible.

https://187killerpads.com/collections/wristguards/products/pro-wrist-guard?variant=45592617353356

[DNTRODDEN]

Expand Quote

Upgrading to the 187 Killer Pads Derby Wrist Guards, and for the first time in my life I need a shoe rack!

[close]

FYI, The 187 PRO wrist guards are where it's really at if your looking for wrist guards. They basically stole this design from Wild Bill (Pro-Designed Pads) after he died (pretty shady, IMHO), and those were widely known as the best wrist guards made. Now 187 is making their version of Bill's.

Also, someone really needs to reproduce Bill's elbow pads, because they were incredible.

https://187killerpads.com/collections/wristguards/products/pro-wrist-guard?variant=45592617353356

Just switch wrist guards!
Appt to see my provider to get the x-ray refferal is on Wednesday...damn i hate being old!

[Sedition]

Just switch wrist guards!
Appt to see my provider to get the x-ray refferal is on Wednesday...damn i hate being old!

Word.

Hear you on the being old thing. I just cracked a rib last week. Got in a fight with curb. The curb won. It's not a super bad break, but enough to bother me a bit in daily life (esp. sleeping...I toss and turn a lot, and that shit hurts), and is also going to prevent me going even medium-hard on the board for quite awhile (e.g. fast twists, jolts, hard run-outs, falling, etc. are all bad). I've been skating a few times since it happened, but it's all going to be super mellow shit for 4-8 weeks. Right as the weather finally gets nice, too!  I think the Polarizer is about to see some serious action.