DLX Shapes

[freidnly guy]

I like Ben Degros, I like PS concave, I'll take an 8.38 Easy Rider and add it to the stack

[JimmyFive]

Wheel-welled Huffer. It is game over. Stamp it IV and I'll spend a pay check on as many as I can get.

Lol yes me too. I make aftermarket wheel wells on my Huffers, be nice to not have to do that.

[Xen]

I heard them called a 'youtuber board' out in the wild - that's only from (guessing here) a core skater that uhhh, watch Ben/follow real on insta most people will just assume it's real 8.25 and off they go.

Straight via DLX:

"New Easy Rider Concave decks coming soon. A new relaxed, concave from DLX. Designed for full board feel - quick, responsive pop - and more control."



They said nothing about mellow kicks. Caveat emptor!

[Gleefull508]

The easy rider is very very niche, but I feel DLX see's the youtube market that powell is tapped into and Ben is on a short list of them that doesn't turn most people off. They've tried a dozen or so concave options with Real over the years, the Mellow the fuck out boards were great but not on trend in 2012.
Every person I've talked to about the easy rider concave assumed it was mellow all around, not just concave.
I know Kyle Walker was skating a special mold that is super flat, so I know people are interested in an all around flatter deck.

Are that many people really buying powell boards though? I think maybe 2-3 people at my local skate powell boards and they are def && and dan corrigan youtube pilled. But other than that I never see them

[144p]

Around here they are visible.

[Lou Strux]

Around here they are visible.

A tragic.

[BartHarleyJarvis]

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The easy rider is very very niche, but I feel DLX see's the youtube market that powell is tapped into and Ben is on a short list of them that doesn't turn most people off. They've tried a dozen or so concave options with Real over the years, the Mellow the fuck out boards were great but not on trend in 2012.
Every person I've talked to about the easy rider concave assumed it was mellow all around, not just concave.
I know Kyle Walker was skating a special mold that is super flat, so I know people are interested in an all around flatter deck.

[close]

Are that many people really buying powell boards though? I think maybe 2-3 people at my local skate powell boards and they are def && and dan corrigan youtube pilled. But other than that I never see them

I was at Harbor City Skatepark and there was a significant amount of dudes on Powell flight decks. I know the Powell team hits that park a lot so maybe they drop boards or something but it was the most I've seen in the wild.

[Idk]

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Around here they are visible.

[close]

A tragic.

[Xen]

The only person I see skating powell boards is literally just 9C Rog when I see him at the Ocean Park Curbs (or Andy if he's there)...the only good shape they have is the 242 - 246 (243/244 being the best) the 247/8/9 are abominations. I'm on Dan Stan but I'd bet good money the shape he's working on is going to be 'normal' by industry standards, at  least nose shape.

[Ok]

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Around here they are visible.

[close]

A tragic.

[close]

[CarcassToss]

I was really excited for these decks and checked each shape out against its "normal" concave.

First and foremost Ben did state the kick angles are the same. In practice they're a degree less steep on the shop decks I saw. Interestingly every single Easy Rider my 2 shops got were I and II.

The decks are mellower than the kick angle simply because the rise is shorter. The fingers of flat aren't 100% flat, but that extra bit of room will place your foot slightly towards the kicks on tricks where you'd be in the pocket. That's going to make for a lighter/easier feeling pop.

I laid them over a bunch of Dwindle and PS decks and the closest they get is to some of the flatter WKND and Jacuzzi decks. The DLX end up a bit shorter (8.5 and 8.25 even) due to slightly shorter tails, but are super close. Honestly the only one that makes much sense to me is the 8.25 because they created a completely new shape. The 8.5 has slightly more room than the old, but I hated the old one and can't imagine myself benefitting from the Easy Rider since it's still a bit short overall. I still bought it to try out.

So far it does as intended if you listen closely to Ben- your feet have more room before the rise really increases and it feels slightly more spacious. It does skate like a mellower deck despite the kick angle. Kick angle is only 1 factor of things. If you take a ruler and put it tip to the outer bolts it ends up a mellower angle than the normal equivalents.

its cool that DLX has so many shapes, but can kinda be tough for shops with ordering and for customers who want an uncommon shape. The shop gambled and ordered 4 of each shape and so far only the 8.25 have sold and the single 8.5 I bought. I can't see the 8.38 really being something tons of people are clamoring for. It felt realllllly long in the middle and while I can ride the normal one I won't ride this one.

[Esmith5488]

I was really excited for these decks and checked each shape out against its "normal" concave.

First and foremost Ben did state the kick angles are the same. In practice they're a degree less steep on the shop decks I saw. Interestingly every single Easy Rider my 2 shops got were I and II.

The decks are mellower than the kick angle simply because the rise is shorter. The fingers of flat aren't 100% flat, but that extra bit of room will place your foot slightly towards the kicks on tricks where you'd be in the pocket. That's going to make for a lighter/easier feeling pop.

I laid them over a bunch of Dwindle and PS decks and the closest they get is to some of the flatter WKND and Jacuzzi decks. The DLX end up a bit shorter (8.5 and 8.25 even) due to slightly shorter tails, but are super close. Honestly the only one that makes much sense to me is the 8.25 because they created a completely new shape. The 8.5 has slightly more room than the old, but I hated the old one and can't imagine myself benefitting from the Easy Rider since it's still a bit short overall. I still bought it to try out.

So far it does as intended if you listen closely to Ben- your feet have more room before the rise really increases and it feels slightly more spacious. It does skate like a mellower deck despite the kick angle. Kick angle is only 1 factor of things. If you take a ruler and put it tip to the outer bolts it ends up a mellower angle than the normal equivalents.

its cool that DLX has so many shapes, but can kinda be tough for shops with ordering and for customers who want an uncommon shape. The shop gambled and ordered 4 of each shape and so far only the 8.25 have sold and the single 8.5 I bought. I can't see the 8.38 really being something tons of people are clamoring for. It felt realllllly long in the middle and while I can ride the normal one I won't ride this one.

Really wanted the 8.3 but the length and WB were nonstarters for me. Got the 8.5 which is a little bigger than I normally ride but not out of the realm

[CarcassToss]

I don't know any details about release dates. He let me stand on his board and that was it. IIRC he has the Easy Rider 8.5 eagle with them. He thinks they're taller and his plates had slide marks. I shoulda tried to measure them, but afterwards he took his board and put it in the back. It was sitting next to the register and I happened to notice the trucks and don't think that I was supposed to. He said he hopes they're here for Summer but aren't in his catalog so who knows? Seeing them in person the hanger is a bit thicker top to bottom and now in retrospect you can kinda spot them on a lot of pro's boards over the last year. There is a Chris Athans ad in a Thrasher that they have where you can definitely see them.

[Frank and Fred]

I don't know any details about release dates. He let me stand on his board and that was it. IIRC he has the Easy Rider 8.5 eagle with them. He thinks they're taller and his plates had slide marks. I shoulda tried to measure them, but afterwards he took his board and put it in the back. It was sitting next to the register and I happened to notice the trucks and don't think that I was supposed to. He said he hopes they're here for Summer but aren't in his catalog so who knows? Seeing them in person the hanger is a bit thicker top to bottom and now in retrospect you can kinda spot them on a lot of pro's boards over the last year. There is a Chris Athans ad in a Thrasher that they have where you can definitely see them.

presume you are referring to the new Thunders?

[Esmith5488]

Just got my 8.5 easy rider in and thankfully it’s a IV

[Lou Strux]

Just got my 8.5 easy rider in and thankfully it’s a IV

Ah, yes... Also known as the easiest rider.

[Mbrimson88]

Really wanted the 8.3 but the length and WB were nonstarters for me. Got the 8.5 which is a little bigger than I normally ride but not out of the realm

At least the usual blue eagle 8.5 is really only 8.3 something anyway, so it should work well for what you want.

Almost 8.5 at the shoulder but tapers down towards the back.  The rest of the dimensions are as usual, 31.8 long with 14.25 wb, but all up this is what makes this board so appealing for a lot of people, because it is a little more nimble all round.

Check and see if this sparkle eagle is the same in width, but I think others have already said it is the same.


As others have said, of the three shapes of the Easy Riders, the 8.25 with 14 wb is very different, then the other two 8.38 and 8.5 are the normal shapes and dimensions.

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Just got my 8.5 easy rider in and thankfully it’s a IV

[close]

Ah, yes... Also known as the easiest rider.

Ha for sure.

Does it get passed around for everyone to have a go?

[Esmith5488]

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Really wanted the 8.3 but the length and WB were nonstarters for me. Got the 8.5 which is a little bigger than I normally ride but not out of the realm

[close]

At least the usual blue eagle 8.5 is really only 8.3 something anyway, so it should work well for what you want.

Almost 8.5 at the shoulder but tapers down towards the back.  The rest of the dimensions are as usual, 31.8 long with 14.25 wb, but all up this is what makes this board so appealing for a lot of people, because it is a little more nimble all round.

Check and see if this sparkle eagle is the same in width, but I think others have already said it is the same.


As others have said, of the three shapes of the Easy Riders, the 8.25 with 14 wb is very different, then the other two 8.38 and 8.5 are the normal shapes and dimensions.

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Just got my 8.5 easy rider in and thankfully it’s a IV

[close]

Ah, yes... Also known as the easiest rider.

[close]

Ha for sure.

Does it get passed around for everyone to have a go?

That’s actually a good point. Never had a blue eagle but when gripped it I felt like the shape didn’t feel like a true 8.5. I’ll take some measurements tomorrow. Set it up and did an Ollie and then went to the orioles game

[CarcassToss]

I got the 8.5 easy rider and despite having more flat before the kicks I'm still not into the DLX 8.5. I don't think these will transform something you don't like, just make it more likable if you do.

[Lou Strux]

Jest a quick personal anecdote as a follow up, re: these Easy Rider decks… the tips being the same angle (taking Ben at his word here, I haven’t measured them w/ a protractor or anything) while still maintaining differing lengths in the two tips, feels really extra nice to me as far as popping tricks of the nose.  Nollie tricks, such as I am able to execute they, be bonus popping on this deck.
Caveat: tha’s jus’ me though.

EDIT: follow up to the above follow up… Also noticed that repositioning my front hoof mid-manual is easier for me with the mellower ‘cave.  Would be great for flip-out variations (if only I had any such tricks in my repertoire.)
That is all.
Carry on.

[Mbrimson88]

Jest a quick personal anecdote as a follow up, re: these Easy Rider decks… the tips being the same angle (taking Ben at his word here, I haven’t measured them w/ a protractor or anything) while still maintaining differing lengths in the two tips, feels really extra nice to me as far as popping tricks of the nose.  Nollie tricks, such as I am able to execute they, be bonus popping on this deck.
Caveat: tha’s jus’ me though.

EDIT: follow up to the above follow up… Also noticed that repositioning my front hoof mid-manual is easier for me with the mellower ‘cave.  Would be great for flip-out variations (if only I had any such tricks in my repertoire.)
That is all.
Carry on.

So it also makes it easier to get your feet off the board if you need to bail?

Sounds good to me - perpetual bail master here.

I was riding a new board the other day and concave plus fresh Jessup meant I almost ate it a few times trying to get my feet off when they tended to stay stuck to the board, so this is a plus for me too.

[fakie nollie]

I got a 8.5 easy rider labeled IV on the top ply

I guess I’ve never ridden a super mellow concave board in the 25 years I’ve skated because this felt pretty weird. It almost felt convex because of how I could feel the entire board with my foot down. On a kick flip, it felt like too much of my foot was making contact with the grip and almost felt too… grippy? Can’t explain it.

Switch and nollie felt great though. I was able to have my sliding foot much closer to the bolts and get the same grip/ pop I’d get on a more concave deck.

I’m not as eloquent as @Lou Strux with my description but the TLDR is I’ll need time to get used to this. Will report back on how it feels on transition and ledges this week.

[Xen]

I got a 8.5 easy rider labeled IV on the top ply

I guess I’ve never ridden a super mellow concave board in the 25 years I’ve skated because this felt pretty weird. It almost felt convex because of how I could feel the entire board with my foot down. On a kick flip, it felt like too much of my foot was making contact with the grip and almost felt too… grippy? Can’t explain it.

Switch and nollie felt great though. I was able to have my sliding foot much closer to the bolts and get the same grip/ pop I’d get on a more concave deck.

I’m not as eloquent as @Lou Strux with my description but the TLDR is I’ll need time to get used to this. Will report back on how it feels on transition and ledges this week.

Yup, they can feel flat/no kick to feeling convex; I skated a PSSTix Toy machine recently (the twin tail), and the kicks were so flat feeling coming of a BBS that I had to keep checking where my foot was on the kicks and the concave was non-existent/felt convex at first. This real does not feel that way (to me, as it's steeper than that Toy board).

Put a bit more time on mine before the rain came (ugh); still paired with the forged 5.6 ventures so that 14" wheelbase feels totally fine with those fingers of flat and length. Zero issues there and I'm a whiney bitch when it comes to 14" WBs...now I know: MOAR fingers of flat the taller you are with a short WB (which is why I could skate the 8.25/14"WB primitives with ventures and be ok with it). This is essentially a DLX primitive spec (flat, medium long kicks, short WB).

I don't have anything negative to say about it as it feels really nice; you do have to like that 8.25 FULL SE nose and tail shapes tho, it's not for everyone (and these kicks are longer than the standard full se).

[Ok]

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I got a 8.5 easy rider labeled IV on the top ply

I guess I’ve never ridden a super mellow concave board in the 25 years I’ve skated because this felt pretty weird. It almost felt convex because of how I could feel the entire board with my foot down. On a kick flip, it felt like too much of my foot was making contact with the grip and almost felt too… grippy? Can’t explain it.

Switch and nollie felt great though. I was able to have my sliding foot much closer to the bolts and get the same grip/ pop I’d get on a more concave deck.

I’m not as eloquent as @Lou Strux with my description but the TLDR is I’ll need time to get used to this. Will report back on how it feels on transition and ledges this week.

[close]

Yup, they can feel flat/no kick to feeling convex; I skated a PSSTix Toy machine recently (the twin tail), and the kicks were so flat feeling coming of a BBS that I had to keep checking where my foot was on the kicks and the concave was non-existent/felt convex at first. This real does not feel that way (to me, as it's steeper than that Toy board).

Put a bit more time on mine before the rain came (ugh); still paired with the forged 5.6 ventures so that 14" wheelbase feels totally fine with those fingers of flat and length. Zero issues there and I'm a whiney bitch when it comes to 14" WBs...now I know: MOAR fingers of flat the taller you are with a short WB (which is why I could skate the 8.25/14"WB primitives with ventures and be ok with it). This is essentially a DLX primitive spec (flat, medium long kicks, short WB).

I don't have anything negative to say about it as it feels really nice; you do have to like that 8.25 FULL SE nose and tail shapes tho, it's not for everyone (and these kicks are longer than the standard full se).

what are the advantages/disadvantages of longer nose/tail? i’ve always picked short tails, and maybe that worked better on venture lo’s and small wheels….i tried the april 8.125 and it felt like it had longer kicks, and at the time, didn’t work for me.
maybe i’ve been doing the longer tail thing all wrong.
the only time i can remember really liking a longer tail deck, was the ….i cannot remember the shape code of top (maybe G027?), the girl board that is ‘8.25’, tapers, has a longer tail than nose. used that board wot ace classic 44s, and big wheels and it worked great. i feel like maybe it was the big wheels and the longer tail. dunno.

[Xen]

Long tail/kicks, at the base level, give you more room to sit on slides; a longer/mellower kick will also lessen your krook angles (so you are not so 'boned' in them); they also give the board the length needed for a wide stance/you are tall and riding a short WB, provided the deck has enough fingers of flat.

Take an NHS board, 31.8", 14.18WB, 1/to almost no fingers of flat, steep kicks that are average/short (6.5 tail) to me, that board is going to feel super cramped because the kicks ramp up so fast (fewer fingers) and due to how steep they are, my stance will be more closed by comparison.  Even with forged ventures pushing out both WBs, the NHS board, even with a slightly longer WB will feel tighter/more cramped.

Basically, with primitives or this REAL, I get the feeling of a longer WB board but still get the tight flippity feel of the small WB.

It also rings true (in my experience) to what the Proff had to say: steeper/fewer fingers = more power, more fingers/mellower, more finesse.

Given how I skate (fast, big pop, no style), I should be on longer WB/steep boards w/fewer fingers of flat to maximize my pop. That's the only thing I can feel different with this real (or Primitive) boards vs say a DSM board, are my 'straight over shit' flat ground (over boxes, dead bodies or hydrants, etc.) ollies, on a mellower board I have to try harder for height vs just explosive pop and up!

[Ok]

Long tail/kicks, at the base level, give you more room to sit on slides; a longer/mellower kick will also lessen your krook angles (so you are not so 'boned' in them); they also give the board the length needed for a wide stance/you are tall and riding a short WB, provided the deck has enough fingers of flat.

Take an NHS board, 31.8", 14.18WB, 1/to almost no fingers of flat, steep kicks that are average/short (6.5 tail) to me, that board is going to feel super cramped because the kicks ramp up so fast (fewer fingers) and due to how steep they are, my stance will be more closed by comparison.  Even with forged ventures pushing out both WBs, the NHS board, even with a slightly longer WB will feel tighter/more cramped.

Basically, with primitives or this REAL, I get the feeling of a longer WB board but still get the tight flippity feel of the small WB.

It also rings true (in my experience) to what the Proff had to say: steeper/fewer fingers = more power, more fingers/mellower, more finesse.

Given how I skate (fast, big pop, no style), I should be on longer WB/steep boards w/fewer fingers of flat to maximize my pop. That's the only thing I can feel different with this real (or Primitive) boards vs say a DSM board, are my 'straight over shit' flat ground (over boxes, dead bodies or hydrants, etc.) ollies, on a mellower board I have to try harder for height vs just explosive pop and up!

thank you!!

i guess another way to look at it would be that if you already have the pop, skate the flatter board for
more control.
but i also appreciate the moving towards a strength, as opposed to trying to do it all.
as an off topic aside: koston was the first, in my memory, to kind of be able to ‘do it all’, seemingly. i appreciated that a lot.
but i am really stoked that others came afterwards that were severely limited/gifted, in specific areas.

all of this is making me want to try one of these boards, or a primitive

[Sedition]

...they also give the board the length needed for a wide stance/you are tall and riding a short WB, provided the deck has enough fingers of flat.

Take an NHS board, 31.8", 14.18WB, 1/to almost no fingers of flat, steep kicks that are average/short (6.5 tail) to me, that board is going to feel super cramped because the kicks ramp up so fast (fewer fingers) and due to how steep they are, my stance will be more closed by comparison.  Even with forged ventures pushing out both WBs, the NHS board, even with a slightly longer WB will feel tighter/more cramped.

Ok, cool to see someone else thinking this way. A few years back I developed* the concept of deck "foot bed." The "foot bed" of a deck is roughly the area between the kicks (on top of deck). Steeper kicks/less fingers of flat is going to make the "foot bed" feel shorter. Mellower kicks/more fingers of flat is going to make the "foot bed" feel longer. Hence, a DLX "I" stamp will have a shorter feeling foot bed than a DLX "IV" stamp, even if they are the exact same deck. Deck wheelbase will also have some impact on foot bed feel, too, whereas truck wheelbase will have zero impact on how the "foot bed" feels.   

*By no means am I implying that I am the only/first person who thought of this, but rather, that I "discovered" the concept for myself for the first time. 

[Mbrimson88]

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...they also give the board the length needed for a wide stance/you are tall and riding a short WB, provided the deck has enough fingers of flat.

Take an NHS board, 31.8", 14.18WB, 1/to almost no fingers of flat, steep kicks that are average/short (6.5 tail) to me, that board is going to feel super cramped because the kicks ramp up so fast (fewer fingers) and due to how steep they are, my stance will be more closed by comparison.  Even with forged ventures pushing out both WBs, the NHS board, even with a slightly longer WB will feel tighter/more cramped.

[close]

Ok, cool to see someone else thinking this way. A few years back I developed* the concept of deck "foot bed." The "foot bed" of a deck is roughly the area between the kicks (on top of deck). Steeper kicks/less fingers of flat is going to make the "foot bed" feel shorter. Mellower kicks/more fingers of flat is going to make the "foot bed" feel longer. Hence, a DLX "I" stamp will have a shorter feeling foot bed than a DLX "IV" stamp, even if they are the exact same deck. Deck wheelbase will also have some impact on foot bed feel, too, whereas truck wheelbase will have zero impact on how the "foot bed" feels.   

*By no means am I implying that I am the only/first person who thought of this, but rather, that I "discovered" the concept for myself for the first time.

Totally makes sense.

Never a worry with who or when in discovery - it is not a patent people are fighting over - more so just the concept as you put into words and easy to understand and then relate to from skating a lot of different boards.

I always felt that the press / mold dictates the wheelbase of any board, eg longer press for longer wheelbase, shorter press for shorter wheelbase, so that there is only a limited number of different options you would have from any one press, in that regard.

Similarly I think some presses work better for some widths, eg a steeper press works better for thinner boards, a more mellow side to side concave in a press works better for much wider boards, but could also be used to make really flat concave boards too, if it came down to that.

That is where the 8.38 having a longer wheelbase is often a little more mellow in concave, as it seems to be made on bigger, longer and wider presses, than some others, but that is more just me thinking out loud.


This is where DLX in general is really good with shapes, their specific presses for certain boards, compared to some others that just seem a little here or there when comparing boards and feel of concaves, wheelbases, etc.

[smg1138]

What's the deal with the Real Full SE shapes these days? The 8.25 is absolutely perfect for me shape and dimension wise, but I can't find one anywhere. Are these shapes just something DLX releases every so often or what?

[Sedition]

What's the deal with the Real Full SE shapes these days? The 8.25 is absolutely perfect for me shape and dimension wise, but I can't find one anywhere. Are these shapes just something DLX releases every so often or what?

^ May heart goes out to you, as this is the exact issue I was talking about last week on here. It sucks when (a) you find something perfect, and (b) mfg produces so many variations, that it's impossible to obtain regular and consistent availability of said product.

DLX makes too much stuff for their/our own good.