Wheelbase Questions

[jay_nev]

I measured the Thunder and Venture Wheelbase difference on the same deck.
Did it in Centimeters, two measurements for each truck (left and right), average of both measurements.

Venture HI Titanium coming soon.

Image attached.

so the deck had a 14.25” wb?

[oneOone]

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I measured the Thunder and Venture Wheelbase difference on the same deck.
Did it in Centimeters, two measurements for each truck (left and right), average of both measurements.

Venture HI Titanium coming soon.

Image attached.

[close]

so the deck had a 14.25” wb?

Yes, measured every set like the image attached. Do not compare with other data out there.

[rocklobster]

I measured the Thunder and Venture Wheelbase difference on the same deck.
Did it in Centimeters, two measurements for each truck (left and right), average of both measurements.

Venture HI Titanium coming soon.

Image attached.

Thunder Titanium Lights 3 - 3.38"
Venture 5.2 Lo - 3.37"
Venture 5.2 Hollow Lo Forged - 3.51"
Thunder Titanium Lights 1 - 3.41"

[EchoShadow]

Long time lurker here - this post has really f'ed with my mind and has given me some severe madness.

42 years old, 5'8, size 10. I'm a shorter dude, with most of my height in my upper body (29/30" inseam)

Started back skating a couple months ago after last time seriously skating in 2003 or so. (last board was a 7.75")

After checking out several boards i figured a 8.25 would be a good spot for me, didn't want to try hucking around a big board right off the start.

I acquired an 8 inch Deathwish board, had great pop and overall felt a little comfortable, but didn't really care for the concave and wanted to go a tad wider. Enter in a 8.38 Foundation, a 8.25 Krooked, 8.06 Krooked, and an 8.25 Real. None of them could replicate the same feeling of the Deathwish. I literally tried everything, Indy Hollows, Indy Titaniums to lower it, risers, no risers, and wheel size.

After reading this tread i looked a closer look at the dimensions, sure enough all had longer tails and wheelbases ranging from 14.3ish to almost 14.5. Went to my local shop and the only thing they had was a Welcome Nora Mid size. 8.128 x 31.4, 14.1 wheelbase, 6.3" tail. Built it up with the 144 Indy Titaniums, and OJ 92's 54mm. This board feels pretty much perfect. Pop is back and easy to toss around. It's interesting that the nose area of this deck is narrows down to about 8 inches over front truck and concave flattens, all the concave and width are towards the back - which makes flip tricks easier for me but also get a little more real estate in the back end. Next will be a FA/Hockey board since their dimensions seem to be in my ballpark as well.

I made a little wheel "jig" where i could put all my boards side by side to get a comparison of angle in the ollie position, pretty interesting stuff. Seems like I like a board with a little more incline in the pop position, 14ish WB and shorter tail.

I guess size does matter.

[rocklobster]

Long time lurker here - this post has really f'ed with my mind and has given me some severe madness.

42 years old, 5'8, size 10. I'm a shorter dude, with most of my height in my upper body (29/30" inseam)

Started back skating a couple months ago after last time seriously skating in 2003 or so. (last board was a 7.75")

After checking out several boards i figured a 8.25 would be a good spot for me, didn't want to try hucking around a big board right off the start.

I acquired an 8 inch Deathwish board, had great pop and overall felt a little comfortable, but didn't really care for the concave and wanted to go a tad wider. Enter in a 8.38 Foundation, a 8.25 Krooked, 8.06 Krooked, and an 8.25 Real. None of them could replicate the same feeling of the Deathwish. I literally tried everything, Indy Hollows, Indy Titaniums to lower it, risers, no risers, and wheel size.

After reading this tread i looked a closer look at the dimensions, sure enough all had longer tails and wheelbases ranging from 14.3ish to almost 14.5. Went to my local shop and the only thing they had was a Welcome Nora Mid size. 8.128 x 31.4, 14.1 wheelbase, 6.3" tail. Built it up with the 144 Indy Titaniums, and OJ 92's 54mm. This board feels pretty much perfect. Pop is back and easy to toss around. It's interesting that the nose area of this deck is narrows down to about 8 inches over front truck and concave flattens, all the concave and width are towards the back - which makes flip tricks easier for me but also get a little more real estate in the back end. Next will be a FA/Hockey board since their dimensions seem to be in my ballpark as well.

I made a little wheel "jig" where i could put all my boards side by side to get a comparison of angle in the ollie position, pretty interesting stuff. Seems like I like a board with a little more incline in the pop position, 14ish WB and shorter tail.

I guess size does matter.

I'm noticing that too going up from an 8 to 8.25, the board just became a lot harder to flip and pop, even while maintaining the same combination of length, WB amd trucks / wheels.

It's my lunch break and my mind began to wonder. When going up in width should we consider shrinking our WB? I found my ideal axle to axle WB to be around 17.4, (14 + 3.4 from Venture V-Hollow). Tried replicating that number on a larger board but the feeling wasn't the same and the board felt heavier. Shortening the axle to axle WB would make the board lighter and compensate for the overall increase in heft.

[Gray Imp Sausage Metal]

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Everyone thanks a ton for the advice! So with reading your posts, I should lengthen my wheelbase a bit and go with a deck with less fingers of flat, correct? I’m pretty set on indies, I ride them and like them , and as I cruise around a lot and use my board for transport and also want to start riding bowls, so I’ll probably look for extending my wheelbase with my deck. I was considering aces but I’ve heard too much stuff about qc issues and I’m not sure I’d like how “twitchy” people say they are.

Rock lobster in regards to what my pop feels like, your description of the board not coming up is accurate. It also just feels very unexplosive when my tail hits the ground, like once it hits it just kind of stays there before I slide my front foot up

[close]

So I finally got around to measuring my wheelbase with a proper tape measure and think I found my problem. It’s actually ridiculously short at about 13.75inches on an 8 inch. Paired with Indy stage 9’s my wheelbase is incredibly short, which probably means I’m just cramped up as fuck paired with the leverage point as while I’m only 5’7, I’m all legs and no torso. Here in Tokyo these are the only blanks they sell at all the shops, and I measured the largest size they have (8.25) and the wheelbase was 35cm on the dot aka a shade under 14 inches. I asked the dude at the shop about it and he said ya he agrees they are too short but they were designed with Japanese skaters in mind who are generally shorter. Kind of a shame cause I like the shape and the quality is good for a blank despite being China made. I’m currently debating whether I should start spending the extra scratch for brand boards that are to my specs and sticking with Indy for my next truck because I know and like them, or because I’m broke keep getting blanks but switch to ventures to increase the wheelbase via truck.

you always seem to post about how boards in Japan are expensive, I’m originally from Australia so I don’t really think they are, but do you know this place?
https://r-fskate.com/
Huge selection of decks (and he takes pics of them to compare them to DLX wood) and all well under the ¥10,000 mark

[dakara]

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Everyone thanks a ton for the advice! So with reading your posts, I should lengthen my wheelbase a bit and go with a deck with less fingers of flat, correct? I’m pretty set on indies, I ride them and like them , and as I cruise around a lot and use my board for transport and also want to start riding bowls, so I’ll probably look for extending my wheelbase with my deck. I was considering aces but I’ve heard too much stuff about qc issues and I’m not sure I’d like how “twitchy” people say they are.

Rock lobster in regards to what my pop feels like, your description of the board not coming up is accurate. It also just feels very unexplosive when my tail hits the ground, like once it hits it just kind of stays there before I slide my front foot up

[close]

So I finally got around to measuring my wheelbase with a proper tape measure and think I found my problem. It’s actually ridiculously short at about 13.75inches on an 8 inch. Paired with Indy stage 9’s my wheelbase is incredibly short, which probably means I’m just cramped up as fuck paired with the leverage point as while I’m only 5’7, I’m all legs and no torso. Here in Tokyo these are the only blanks they sell at all the shops, and I measured the largest size they have (8.25) and the wheelbase was 35cm on the dot aka a shade under 14 inches. I asked the dude at the shop about it and he said ya he agrees they are too short but they were designed with Japanese skaters in mind who are generally shorter. Kind of a shame cause I like the shape and the quality is good for a blank despite being China made. I’m currently debating whether I should start spending the extra scratch for brand boards that are to my specs and sticking with Indy for my next truck because I know and like them, or because I’m broke keep getting blanks but switch to ventures to increase the wheelbase via truck.

[close]

you always seem to post about how boards in Japan are expensive, I’m originally from Australia so I don’t really think they are, but do you know this place?
https://r-fskate.com/
Huge selection of decks (and he takes pics of them to compare them to DLX wood) and all well under the ¥10,000 mark

I’m used to 25usd blanks and 35 dollar clearance boards, big change from 9000yen minimum or 6000 for a blank. That site looks promising though, thanks for the link

[Vintagebody]

Wheelbase is one thing. Degree's of angle is another. Boards with different wheelbase, but same degree's of angle, would pop the same. However, the wheelbase will make it feel lighter/heavier.

I tried a 8.38 full shaped Krooked board.
Now I find Real Full SE 8.25s to be too cramped.

[weedgod94]

Apart from quarter inch difference in wheelbase can you really notice it? Like would a 14.18 or 14.33 feel much different from a 14.25?

I skate 14.25" on Indys. Skating a smaller wheelbase is fine but feels cramped when landing and transition is terrifying, skating a bigger wheelbase, even 14 3/8" makes my pop feel super awkward.

I have absolutely no right to be this picky, but that's how it is.

[Ok]

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Apart from quarter inch difference in wheelbase can you really notice it? Like would a 14.18 or 14.33 feel much different from a 14.25?

[close]

I skate 14.25" on Indys. Skating a smaller wheelbase is fine but feels cramped when landing and transition is terrifying, skating a bigger wheelbase, even 14 3/8" makes my pop feel super awkward.

I have absolutely no right to be this picky, but that's how it is.

This is so true. I like ventures with 14” (or less than 14” even), and like indys on 14.25”, max. I’m sure I could get 14” on indys to work, but I tried it, and it was psycho on a mini ramp, and even just trying to ollie a sewer cap resulted in ghost pop to no hand handed airwalk to just general wtf is happening. That was my initial eye opener to wb.

[Firebert]

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Apart from quarter inch difference in wheelbase can you really notice it? Like would a 14.18 or 14.33 feel much different from a 14.25?

[close]

I skate 14.25" on Indys. Skating a smaller wheelbase is fine but feels cramped when landing and transition is terrifying, skating a bigger wheelbase, even 14 3/8" makes my pop feel super awkward.

I have absolutely no right to be this picky, but that's how it is.

[close]

This is so true. I like ventures with 14” (or less than 14” even), and like indys on 14.25”, max. I’m sure I could get 14” on indys to work, but I tried it, and it was psycho on a mini ramp, and even just trying to ollie a sewer cap resulted in ghost pop to no hand handed airwalk to just general wtf is happening. That was my initial eye opener to wb.

It was the opposite for me, getting a board with a 14" wb opened up so many tricks for me that I thought I'd never learn.

[Xen]

Apart from quarter inch difference in wheelbase can you really notice it? Like would a 14.18 or 14.33 feel much different from a 14.25?

Depends on the truck

Regardless of truck, for whatever reason I can really feel it when the WB his 14.3ish, probably because I rode (what is still my favorite dims) the NHS 8.2x31.9x14.353 wb for so long...love that board.

[legion]

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Apart from quarter inch difference in wheelbase can you really notice it? Like would a 14.18 or 14.33 feel much different from a 14.25?

[close]

I skate 14.25" on Indys. Skating a smaller wheelbase is fine but feels cramped when landing and transition is terrifying, skating a bigger wheelbase, even 14 3/8" makes my pop feel super awkward.

I have absolutely no right to be this picky, but that's how it is.

[close]

This is so true. I like ventures with 14” (or less than 14” even), and like indys on 14.25”, max. I’m sure I could get 14” on indys to work, but I tried it, and it was psycho on a mini ramp, and even just trying to ollie a sewer cap resulted in ghost pop to no hand handed airwalk to just general wtf is happening. That was my initial eye opener to wb.

Just saying.. ghost pop is from the tail length, or the change in length.. Shorter tail needs more angle to hit.
The heavier feel from a long wb is similar to holding weight out on the end of a stick. Longer stick, more effort.

[Ok]

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Apart from quarter inch difference in wheelbase can you really notice it? Like would a 14.18 or 14.33 feel much different from a 14.25?

[close]

I skate 14.25" on Indys. Skating a smaller wheelbase is fine but feels cramped when landing and transition is terrifying, skating a bigger wheelbase, even 14 3/8" makes my pop feel super awkward.

I have absolutely no right to be this picky, but that's how it is.

[close]

This is so true. I like ventures with 14” (or less than 14” even), and like indys on 14.25”, max. I’m sure I could get 14” on indys to work, but I tried it, and it was psycho on a mini ramp, and even just trying to ollie a sewer cap resulted in ghost pop to no hand handed airwalk to just general wtf is happening. That was my initial eye opener to wb.

[close]

It was the opposite for me, getting a board with a 14" wb opened up so many tricks for me that I thought I'd never learn.

14” wb is mandatory for me, these days. And maybe legion is correct that ghost comes from short tails only. The board was an 8.5 quasi, that had this blanket design on it, I got it cuz it was short and fat. Probably should have tried to get acquainted, but sometimes a setup just feels off. Most setups I can eventually get to few ok, or I’ll come back months/years later and inexplicably enjoy something that formerly drove me nuts.

[Christmas Complete]

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Apart from quarter inch difference in wheelbase can you really notice it? Like would a 14.18 or 14.33 feel much different from a 14.25?

[close]

I skate 14.25" on Indys. Skating a smaller wheelbase is fine but feels cramped when landing and transition is terrifying, skating a bigger wheelbase, even 14 3/8" makes my pop feel super awkward.

I have absolutely no right to be this picky, but that's how it is.

[close]

This is so true. I like ventures with 14” (or less than 14” even), and like indys on 14.25”, max. I’m sure I could get 14” on indys to work, but I tried it, and it was psycho on a mini ramp, and even just trying to ollie a sewer cap resulted in ghost pop to no hand handed airwalk to just general wtf is happening. That was my initial eye opener to wb.

[close]

It was the opposite for me, getting a board with a 14" wb opened up so many tricks for me that I thought I'd never learn.

[close]

14” wb is mandatory for me, these days. And maybe legion is correct that ghost comes from short tails only. The board was an 8.5 quasi, that had this blanket design on it, I got it cuz it was short and fat. Probably should have tried to get acquainted, but sometimes a setup just feels off. Most setups I can eventually get to few ok, or I’ll come back months/years later and inexplicably enjoy something that formerly drove me nuts.

Yes, yes and yes. As long as the width is comfortable to your feet, I will shout it again from the rooftops, "WHEELBASE IS THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS" It drives me crazy that people don't consider the wheelbase and then say, "This board's harder to pop" "It's hard to flip this board" or whatever. Shorter wheelbase, quicker pop/tighter turn. End of story.

[Esmith5488]

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Apart from quarter inch difference in wheelbase can you really notice it? Like would a 14.18 or 14.33 feel much different from a 14.25?

[close]

I skate 14.25" on Indys. Skating a smaller wheelbase is fine but feels cramped when landing and transition is terrifying, skating a bigger wheelbase, even 14 3/8" makes my pop feel super awkward.

I have absolutely no right to be this picky, but that's how it is.

[close]

This is so true. I like ventures with 14” (or less than 14” even), and like indys on 14.25”, max. I’m sure I could get 14” on indys to work, but I tried it, and it was psycho on a mini ramp, and even just trying to ollie a sewer cap resulted in ghost pop to no hand handed airwalk to just general wtf is happening. That was my initial eye opener to wb.

[close]

It was the opposite for me, getting a board with a 14" wb opened up so many tricks for me that I thought I'd never learn.

[close]

14” wb is mandatory for me, these days. And maybe legion is correct that ghost comes from short tails only. The board was an 8.5 quasi, that had this blanket design on it, I got it cuz it was short and fat. Probably should have tried to get acquainted, but sometimes a setup just feels off. Most setups I can eventually get to few ok, or I’ll come back months/years later and inexplicably enjoy something that formerly drove me nuts.

[close]

Yes, yes and yes. As long as the width is comfortable to your feet, I will shout it again from the rooftops, "WHEELBASE IS THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS" It drives me crazy that people don't consider the wheelbase and then say, "This board's harder to pop" "It's hard to flip this board" or whatever. Shorter wheelbase, quicker pop/tighter turn. End of story.

I fluctuate width but I will always ALWAYS get a 14 inch wheelbase

[sadnocomply]

I think on mason silvas nine club he rode like a 8.25 31 length with a sub 14 wb if I remember correctly. Straight chode board status but dude rips!! Also Schmitt said on his interview that all the street pros are shortening the wheelbase, the ones who visit him and are satisfied at least. I imagine all the tech guys are strictly 14” and under wheelbase

[munchbox]

I think on mason silvas nine club he rode like a 8.25 31 length with a sub 14 wb if I remember correctly. Straight chode board status but dude rips!! Also Schmitt said on his interview that all the street pros are shortening the wheelbase, the ones who visit him and are satisfied at least. I imagine all the tech guys are strictly 14” and under wheelbase

see now i want to try it

[Damoforce]

Question about wheel bases, does a 14.38 really act a lot different to a 14.175 on a 8.25 to 8.38. Or will the steepness of the tail matter as well

[tzhangdox]

Question about wheel bases, does a 14.38 really act a lot different to a 14.175 on a 8.25 to 8.38. Or will the steepness of the tail matter as well

Both things matter. 14.38 vs 14.175 will definitely be noticeable

[Damoforce]

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Question about wheel bases, does a 14.38 really act a lot different to a 14.175 on a 8.25 to 8.38. Or will the steepness of the tail matter as well

[close]

Both things matter. 14.38 vs 14.175 will definitely be noticeable

It'll be a slower response and require more force? With the assumption, both boards are close to 32" long

[Firebert]

Question about wheel bases, does a 14.38 really act a lot different to a 14.175 on a 8.25 to 8.38. Or will the steepness of the tail matter as well

Yes:

Steeper angles on the nose/tail and longer wb = more leverage/force required to lift the nose.

The amount of flat between the bolts and the nose/tail will also change that - more flat will decrease the amount of leverage/force needed.

The trucks you pair the deck with will also change that effective wb.

[Mbrimson88]

I feel like it is time this thread came back, even if only to help fuel / help with some more wheelbase madness, but also to help with some specific questions in other threads.

The most interesting thing I am seeing right now is the industry is going to shorter wheelbases for most of the bigger / wider boards,  when there used to be such a difference in overall wheelbase as board sizes went up.

Average before:

Under 8 = around 14"
8 - 8.25 = 14.25 - 14.38
8.38 - 8.5 = 14.38 - 14.5
8.6 - 8.75 = 14.6 - 14.75
9 and up = 15+

8.25 FULL = 14.5
8.5 FULL = 14.6


Average now:

Most boards 14.25 - 14.38 including FULL SE and other bigger boards from various companies.


I have grown to like the longer wheelbases, but it would seem that most people now are enjoying shorter wheelbases on regular sized boards.

[Ok]

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I think on mason silvas nine club he rode like a 8.25 31 length with a sub 14 wb if I remember correctly. Straight chode board status but dude rips!! Also Schmitt said on his interview that all the street pros are shortening the wheelbase, the ones who visit him and are satisfied at least. I imagine all the tech guys are strictly 14” and under wheelbase

[close]

see now i want to try it

Yo same. Same thought: ‘I need that’

[jay_nev]

Ben just posted a video about about this exact topic. 14” wheelbase comparing to .25 and .5”

[Skatebeard]

Good vid, I'm all about 14" WB on 8.125-8.25... shame they are so tricky to find.

[RichardBarkley]

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I think on mason silvas nine club he rode like a 8.25 31 length with a sub 14 wb if I remember correctly. Straight chode board status but dude rips!! Also Schmitt said on his interview that all the street pros are shortening the wheelbase, the ones who visit him and are satisfied at least. I imagine all the tech guys are strictly 14” and under wheelbase

[close]

see now i want to try it

[close]

Yo same. Same thought: ‘I need that’

Palace 7.75 is 13.8

Very very nice shape

[Mbrimson88]

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I think on mason silvas nine club he rode like a 8.25 31 length with a sub 14 wb if I remember correctly. Straight chode board status but dude rips!! Also Schmitt said on his interview that all the street pros are shortening the wheelbase, the ones who visit him and are satisfied at least. I imagine all the tech guys are strictly 14” and under wheelbase

[close]

see now i want to try it

[close]

Yo same. Same thought: ‘I need that’

I think that his first board on Real was about the closest equivalent in existing DLX shapes, the 8.28 x 31.7 with 14.12 wheelbase.

[hobochimp]

Something that I’ve really been enjoying about a shorter wheelbase is the carving. I used to think I had to skate 14.75 wheelbase exclusively because of my height, but after trying different boards and branching out I’ve found that 14.25 feels great for carving corners on transition. Paired with aces too it’s a dream.

[asbestos]

anti hero 8.12 x 31.38 - 14 wheelbase shape has me wanting shorter wheelbase. who currently makes 8"+ decks with 13.75 wheelbase? that shit is the future, no wonder mason is so good