Wheelbase Questions

[Allez_Jambon]

Most people know what size width deck they prefer so it's easy to stay consistent with that, but I wasn't even familiar with the idea of a wheel base until like 2 years ago. It's often not even mentioned (or maybe it's more common now) so sometimes even stepping on a deck in a shop may not even be the best indicator of what I want.

I've had two Polar decks I absolutely loved and could feel the board much better, but when I buy the 8.25" shape, they seem too pointy and long for me. I have the Nick Boserio one right now and it feels too long, when I set up for nollie heel, it's too much in the pocket. I had the Joshua Tree Pontus 8.25 shape 2 years ago and it felt perfect. Er fuck, maybe it was the 8.125 Umbrella Disaster. Also I really loved the Julian Stranger shape years ago but am unsure if it's the same. Had the 8.125 mother lux deck with 14" WB and hated the shape. I think this is the first time I noticed the WB.

I can't figure this out. I feel like I'm fucked for a few months when I buy a board that isn't the right fit for me.

What does the difference in wheel base do? Sorry if this is a regular question.

[the snake]

bye bye flip tricks if your wheelbase is too long or too short...

[Roisto]

As a big guy: the more the merrier. 14" is way too little. 14.25" is doable, but i think I prefer 14.5". Hard to find anything between 14.5" and 15" though and 15" is rare also. Nowadays I refuse to buy decks I don't know the wheelbase of. Sadly I have to buy most of my stuff online and most shops don't list the wheelbases even if the company lists them on their website. And living in Europe, I can't trust that I'm getting the same decks as the good people of Yankistan so trusting measurements from the manufacturer is mostly out of the question. So, all in all it's tricky. Also, I'm drunk and my leg is broken.

[Noioso]

Polar usually has the wheelbase on the board. I kept with Polar because they were the most consistent with not only including wheelbase in the measurements but also tail and nose as well, which can make a huge difference. Even if you can't find the exact measurements on the board, you can search the size/graphic online and find it pretty easily.

I actually didn't worry about this until a few years ago, either. It was a Polar board that made me investigate because it felt better than any board I'd skated in a long time. Once I figured it out, it dramatically improved my consistency and more importantly, I stopped breaking boards so frequently. I usually stick with 8.375x32,  N- 7, WB - 14.5, T - 6.625, shift sometimes.

[sharkin]

I love skating normal popsicles with 14.75 or 15" wb

very few brands make them, and even fewer make them here in USA

[Noble Experiment]

A board between 31.75 to 32 inches in length with a 14.25 inch wheelbase is pretty much perfect to me.

[thespacewolf]

I really don't know/care about wheelbases either.

How do you guys measure out whats best? Is it like a personal thing or does it correspond with your trucks/wheels?

[micky682]

I really don't know/care about wheelbases either.

How do you guys measure out whats best? Is it like a personal thing or does it correspond with your trucks/wheels?

If your flip tricks feel really comfortable then the wheelbase you're riding is good for you.

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

If you don't care.......consider yourself lucky.....

[Xen]

14.3x WB is dreamy, not too small, not too big.

Problem is DLX doesn't make the Ishod Twintail in a FULL shape yet... DLX people if you do ever make it a full, don't fuck with the dimenstions, it's exacclty what I want except not full =(

8.3, just under 32" and a 14.3 WB.

If the WB is too small I will feel cramped, constantly shuffling my feet around trying to get comfy.

If the WB is too long, it usually means the board is long and it's just big and boaty.

NHS makes some boards with 15" WB and DLX is starting to push them a bit longer too. Most Green Issue, Slave, Powell, Pocket Pistols at around 8.3 are usually pushing 14.5, if not 15"

WB and transition size can also be a factor my local feels way better on a 14.5-15+" WB than it does on a 14" based on the pockets.

[Krooked antihero]

A board between 31.75 to 32 inches in length with a 14.25 inch wheelbase is pretty much perfect to me.

Generator 8.125" ftw.

[DaSk8D00D]

bye bye flip tricks if your wheelbase is too long or too short...

Pretty much this.

I prefer a longer wheelbase (currently riding a real 8.38 Full w/ a 14.62" wheelbase) because I have broad shoulders and if the wheeelbase is too short, it's harder for me to center myself over the board. With a longer wheelbase I square my shoulders with the bolts better and it makes a world of a difference. I first really started to pay attention to wheelbase when I skated an anti hero logo board that was perfect for me then skated something with a similar shape but noticeably smaller wheelbase right after and all my flip tricks were thrown off and I wasn't catching or landing on the board how I usually do. It's all a personal preference thing but it definitely affects your skating a bit

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

I think as long as your board isn't going off axis ie straight flip tricks it's arguably better because it's more stable.....but yah a 3 flip it feels like a longboard.....

[redux]

Don't forget that the trucks you ride alter the factory wheelbase. Based on how the axle and kingpin geometry are designed Thunder gives you the longest and Indy the shortest wheelbase. Venture is in between. I do not have measurements in front of me. I have no idea what any of the other trucks do for your wheelbase. I think how your trucks turn is most important so just size your wheelbase based on how the trucks you like change what comes from the factory.

FWIW I like an 8.5 PS Stix with a 14.25 wb with Thunder but don't like how Thunder turn/balance at that width. So I went to Indy for the same board. I love the turn/balance but the wheelbase isn't the best. If I go up to an 8.5 with 14.5 wb everything feels good. I also like a long nose and tail which tosses another ting into the mix.

I'm 5'9" and wear 10 or 10.5 adidas. I have a friend who is 6'1" and wears 10.5-11 in Nike. We both like the same trucks and wheelbase. However, he likes BBS and is a lot heavier then me. I ride my trucks factory right and he cranks his down so it feels like I have to tic tac to turn and he gets wheel bite on my board on an ollie.

TLDR? Figure it out via trial and error.

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

Ace....even smaller wheelbase....

[Jud Nestorkins]

I love skating normal popsicles with 14.75 or 15" wb

very few brands make them, and even fewer make them here in USA

You can have your long ass wheelbase haha.

I had a Dathwish 8.5 with a 14.25 inch wheelbase and loved it. Then got an 8.4 flip popsicle, didn't even think about the WB and found out it had a 15 inch wheelbase, while I got used to it over time it at first (and sort of of stil, does), feel like a longboard.

[McJagger]

If you don't care.......consider yourself lucky.....

I remember those days.  They were good days, in a simpler time, and they seem so far away now....

[Gray Imp Sausage Metal]

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If you don't care.......consider yourself lucky.....

[close]

I remember those days.  They were good days, in a simpler time, and they seem so far away now....

I remember those days too, days before I started reading the gear thread on SLAP. I'm on 14.75 at the moment and it's LOOONG
fun as fuck to ride but you're not exactly going to do tech street lines on it!

[Krooked antihero]

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If you don't care.......consider yourself lucky.....

[close]

I remember those days.  They were good days, in a simpler time, and they seem so far away now....

[close]

I remember those days too, days before I started reading the gear thread on SLAP. I'm on 14.75 at the moment and it's LOOONG
fun as fuck to ride but you're not exactly going to do tech street lines on it!

I'm on 14.75" too at the moment, way too long for me but I got that board as a gift so i decided to give it a chance. I like how stable it is to ride but any ollie-based tricks are pain in the ass to do, needs so much effort... can't wait to get back on 14.25" .

[Gray Imp Sausage Metal]

I'm on 14.75" too at the moment, way too long for me but I got that board as a gift so i decided to give it a chance. I like how stable it is to ride but any ollie-based tricks are pain in the ass to do, needs so much effort... can't wait to get back on 14.25" .

and once again we are slap brothers from another mother
I have a lot of fun on said board but yeah, my street game is lacking atm. I imagine on vert it would feel like a dream. tricks off the nose work a lot better I've found. what 14.25 are you eyeing up?
 

[Krooked antihero]

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I'm on 14.75" too at the moment, way too long for me but I got that board as a gift so i decided to give it a chance. I like how stable it is to ride but any ollie-based tricks are pain in the ass to do, needs so much effort... can't wait to get back on 14.25" .

[close]

and once again we are slap brothers from another mother
I have a lot of fun on said board but yeah, my street game is lacking atm. I imagine on vert it would feel like a dream. tricks off the nose work a lot better I've found. what 14.25 are you eyeing up?
 

I have this one waiting in my closet, not that stoked on graphics but it was cheap 8" x 32" w/ 14.25" wb. At the moment I'm skating 8.38" Palace, way too big board for me in every possible way.

[Gray Imp Sausage Metal]

8.38 w 14.75 is ridics
you'll just have to get your nostalgia on to deal with that graphic, perhaps it would help if you threw up gang signs after you land your tricks and maybe try and source a of S.A.G pants?
http://www.skatewarehouse.com/Anti_Hero_Beres_Sprack_Eagle_Deck/descpage-AHRBSE828DK.html
looks like a lot of fun but I'm thinking of jumping back over to magenta because their boards are so crispy

[alraunen]

Yesterday I broke my Isle board (was fantastic btw) it was 8,5 and 14,50, I was used to riding boards with 14,75 and at the beginning feel weird but I get way better doing flat tricks (I'm still terrible, but I can do heelflips like a fucking robot).

So now I have a Polar 8,6 14,375 waiting for the weekend, can't wait

[Betaphenylethylalamine]

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If you don't care.......consider yourself lucky.....

[close]

I remember those days.  They were good days, in a simpler time, and they seem so far away now....

[close]

I remember those days too, days before I started reading the gear thread on SLAP. I'm on 14.75 at the moment and it's LOOONG
fun as fuck to ride but you're not exactly going to do tech street lines on it!

My last board is a 14.75 and fuck yeah it's long. Like comically long. So fun to ride though

I roll with two boards or maybe even three these days. Some boards are just flat out better for different  stuff.

Try riding some banks etc on the 14.75, feels awesome. But flip tricks feel waaa?y off

[Allez_Jambon]

So what companies give all measurements? Length, Width, WB? What else, concave or nose and tail size?

Polar , DLX , Isle , Sk8Mafia , ... Just looking at some of the examples. Maybe they all do it now but aren't listed on the sticker at the shop or on a web retailer.

[micky682]

So what companies give all measurements? Length, Width, WB? What else, concave or nose and tail size?

Polar , DLX , Isle , Sk8Mafia , ... Just looking at some of the examples. Maybe they all do it now but aren't listed on the sticker at the shop or on a web retailer.

Concave should be listed, Baker does it. I hate when you have to roll the dice on a board and get a steep concave/the one you don't want.

[Level 60 Dwarf Paladin]

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I'm on 14.75" too at the moment, way too long for me but I got that board as a gift so i decided to give it a chance. I like how stable it is to ride but any ollie-based tricks are pain in the ass to do, needs so much effort... can't wait to get back on 14.25" .

[close]

and once again we are slap brothers from another mother
I have a lot of fun on said board but yeah, my street game is lacking atm. I imagine on vert it would feel like a dream. tricks off the nose work a lot better I've found. what 14.25 are you eyeing up?
 

[close]

I have this one waiting in my closet, not that stoked on graphics but it was cheap 8" x 32" w/ 14.25" wb. At the moment I'm skating 8.38" Palace, way too big board for me in every possible way.

You should feel proud that you had the good sense to support Smolik. Don't be ashamed of that board.

[Krooked antihero]

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I'm on 14.75" too at the moment, way too long for me but I got that board as a gift so i decided to give it a chance. I like how stable it is to ride but any ollie-based tricks are pain in the ass to do, needs so much effort... can't wait to get back on 14.25" .

[close]

and once again we are slap brothers from another mother
I have a lot of fun on said board but yeah, my street game is lacking atm. I imagine on vert it would feel like a dream. tricks off the nose work a lot better I've found. what 14.25 are you eyeing up?
 

[close]

I have this one waiting in my closet, not that stoked on graphics but it was cheap 8" x 32" w/ 14.25" wb. At the moment I'm skating 8.38" Palace, way too big board for me in every possible way.

[close]

You should feel proud that you had the good sense to support Smolik. Don't be ashamed of that board.

What i meant was that i don't like the graphic itself, never been a fan of cartoon graphics. There's nothing wrong to ride a Lord Pillage board, fulfill the dream was one of the first skate videos i saw so Smolik gets a pass for life. My only concern is that how can i skate that board because I'm still unable to nollie heel outta noseslide

[JumpManShorty]

I'm a short short dude and don't get me wrong, I still like a longer board. Just bought a new anti hero board with a 14.5 wheel base then saw this thread and now I have anxiety. Fuckin slap 

[Bumpovertrash]

I had a krooked full shape a 8.25 sebo I hated that thing felt like a fuckin longboard. I'm constantly riding different boards and experimenting with wheelbase but I'm getting tired of it nothing feels as good as a 8 1/8 5boro I don't know the wheelbase but I had several and they were all good.