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Completes (3882 Posts)
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Review |
good job mr bean
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On 4/19/2003 badwourd
wrote in from
(209.179.nnn.nnn)
Good stuff Mr bean...wish someone did that for me at a young age. Best thing that happened to me was finding a skateboard in a thrift shop for $5. My mom threw it away a couple of years ago...thinking about it pisses me off. Enough about me...well done mr bean. What beginner moves did you teach the kid?
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Comet 40" Spoon/RII/Kryptos
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On 4/17/2003 Henry J
wrote in from
(12.148.nnn.nnn)
Great combonation. Just built one up for my friend Gordon, he like is a lot. The shape is killer!
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Surf etc.
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On 4/17/2003 Vaitus
wrote in from
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Switched Randall 180mm front truck baseplate with a downhill 35 degrees on the Soulcarver Roundtail yesterday.
Feels "surfier" now, don't ask me why. It also looks mighty cool cause the front is lowered (better for pushing too). 50+35/2 = 42.5. is this the same as having 42.5 degrees baseplates? ;-)
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I Improved A Beginner Board And Made A Kids Day
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On 4/16/2003 Mr.Bean
wrote in from
(209.166.nnn.nnn)
This kid across the street who's parents just moved in last year just got his first skateboard a few days ago. Today I say him trying to ride it and called him over. Well, the board is a noname WalMart special and the board wanted to stop no matter how hard you'd push...a really wierd feel. Well, I dug into my old crap and found some used but still good (better than those) parts and went to work.
The bearings in his wheels, the centers stuck out such that with two bearings together those ends made up the spacer. And there were no washers and the axles were rubbing on the outer portions of the bearings. I put on some old Frog Washers (anyone remember those), the bearings and spacers, and lubed the bearings and loosened the trucks. Well, the board rode MUCH faster as there wasn't anymore slowing-friction.
After showing him some beginner/foundation moves to work on, the kid was stoked to say the least. I knew keeping that old junk would come in handy someday. ;)
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Surf / nonsurf
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On 4/15/2003 kaspian
wrote in from
(142.167.nnn.nnn)
All this talk of Exkates got me to break out the Barfoot on this first genuinely warm spring day in Maine. For the sake of variety and comparison I also took the *second* mellowest board in the quiver. The setups were:
1. 47" Barfoot Comp Stripe, rockered surf-style deck Exkate 201 trucks - soft/blue bushing F, hard/red R Turner Avalon wheels - 68mm, 80a
2. 57" Ed Economy Streetrider (original Madrid version) Randal 180 trucks Tracker Stimulator bushings - soft F, medium R Abec 11 Flywheels, 83mm, 78a (I think)
Both boards have the same bearings (sealed Pleasure Tools).
I guess you could call this a triumph of functionalism over style. The Barfoot is a beautiful board and looks especially elegant, I think, with the white Avalons. The Economy has more a utilitarian look, emphasized, in my opinion, by the big brownish Flywheels with their spoky orange hubs. But there was no comparison, on these hills, on this particular day: The Big Ed was a lot more fun to ride.
Two main factors were involved: steering and road-handling.
As to steering ... Randals with Stimulators are just very easy to turn on a big board like this. By comparison, the Exkates needed a lot of weight to move them around. I've got the weight, that's no problem. But there is not at all the same feeling of delicate, precise control, nor the same ability to make sharp cuts in a narrow road space.
As to road-handling ... there is still a lot of grit and sand left over from the recent, seemingly endless winter. Both the Avalons and Flywheels roll over this stuff pretty well. But with the bigger, softer Flywheels, on the longer and flexier Economy, I barely notice the sand except for the whishing sound it makes when the wheels roll over it. It got to be kind of fun, cutting between mini-lanes of clear roadway across the ridge of sand between them.
YMMV, and mine probably will also. But after a couple of trial runs I parked the Barfoot and rode the Big Ed for the rest of the sesh.
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carveboard stik
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On 4/15/2003 erik
wrote in from
(68.99.nnn.nnn)
Just go to www.carveboard.com and at the first page scroll down to the bottom and click where it tells you to, to check it out. It looks like they will have some video footage soon. Hopefully it is priced reasonably.
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Barfoot
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On 4/15/2003
kaspian
wrote in from
(142.167.nnn.nnn)
Has anybody e-mailed Chuck Barfoot to ask whether he'd sell an undrilled deck or a deck only? My impression is that this is a little one-man shop, and that Chuck is trying to make a living selling boards to fellow surfers and skaters. I would think he'd agree to anything reasonable on a one-to-one basis.
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stik
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On 4/15/2003 hc
wrote in from
(67.120.nnn.nnn)
found this when google searched 'carveboard stik'
http://lists.dalsemi.com/maillists/tini/2003-January/023611.html
sounds like mostly marketing mumble jumble...
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Surfiness
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On 4/14/2003
Nic
wrote in from
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I reckon the most thruster(5'6"-7'6') like ride comes from a slalom like board with more steering up front, tighter back. Although you may ride/carve off the front truck as opposed to fins at rear, the ride/movement feels very similar, its the position on the board that changes. A looser back truck would be similar to a surfboard with snapped fins :)
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Hobie - G. Mark
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On 4/14/2003
Chuck
wrote in from
(65.139.nnn.nnn)
I saw/rode one last year. Nice deck, yes they are made by Barfoot (made me willing to take another look at his offerings). Bakus are Exkate ripoffs, don't turn as tight but have more adjustability. The ones I rode rattled...A LOT. Don't know if that can be adjusted out or not.
I wanted an undrilled Yater Spoon as well....and a Munoz Quasimodo. Decks only. Maybe a few of us should get together and see if we can influence a sale of decks only...
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Stik pre-coned wheels
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On 4/14/2003
Stevie
wrote in from
(67.120.nnn.nnn)
Unquestionably pre-coned, even pre-coned backwards from what naturally occurs, using an outside-set hub:
http://www.skidrowskate.com/html/stik.html
I'd like to get a comment from someone in the know as to what that's supposed to do.
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correction
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On 4/14/2003 hc
wrote in from
(207.212.nnn.nnn)
yup, preconed wheels...
http://www.skidrowskate.com/html/carveboards.html
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stik
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On 4/14/2003 hc
wrote in from
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conical wheels? looks regular to me.
www.stik.com
http://www.etbasketball.org/images/the_stik.htm
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carveboard stix?
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On 4/14/2003 hc
wrote in from
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anyone have the link? (posted it before) no mention on the the carveboard site.
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Surfiness
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On 4/14/2003
Stevie
wrote in from
(67.120.nnn.nnn)
OK, it's actually fins, RAIL CURVE and sliding that make a surfboard turn, but I was trying to simplify the formula to make a point ;)
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Surfiness
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On 4/14/2003
Stevie
wrote in from
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herbn - it's "surfier" to have a harder front bushing because on a surfboard you can't turn from the front.
One of the big differences between surfboards and skateboards (among many) is that a skateboard will turn from the front since steering devices (trucks) are located at both ends. Surfboards won't turn from the front sice the turning devices (fins) are only at the rear. This isn't including fin-out board rotations, of course, just actual turns where, on a surfboard, you have to be far enough back to crank the fins.
For me that means (more towards) the middle of the board on my twin-fin and (more towards) the back of the board on my tri-fin and single fin.
On a longboard, when noseriding, you might pop out the fin and slide sideways. I'm not exactly sure how you would approximate *that* on a skateboard!
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new Hobie Super Surfer
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On 4/14/2003 G. Mark
wrote in from
(199.46.nnn.nnn)
Has anyone seen or ridden the new Hobie? I'm just guessing here, but I think Barfoot is making them for Hobie.
I also noticed Barfoot only sells completes now, which is a bummer. I wanted a Yater Spoon, but not Baku trucks. Snooze ya lose.
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Tight up front
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On 4/14/2003 Joe
wrote in from
(216.166.nnn.nnn)
Herbn, it feels more surfy to me just because that's the way surfboards act, ever tried turning a surfboard from the nose? just my opinion anyways
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Loaded Superflex Road Test
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On 4/13/2003
Dave H.
wrote in from
(12.207.nnn.nnn)
Chicago weather finally warmed up so here's the full review. This is based on the 42" mildly concaved and cambered "superflex" version of the Black Label Loaded board. Trucks are Randalls, I think the bearings are Bones Red and Wheels are Flashback 92 72a softies. My weight is about 165.
First, the Loaded deck is very springy and lightweight, despite the large wheels. It's definitely thinner looking than the average 42" board. On the rotten post-winter asphalt roads, the first thing you notice is that it rolls over rocks and bumps as though they weren't even there - the deck and the soft Flashbacks act as one big shock absorber. Your feet stay locked into the mild concave and you hear the bump, but don't get bounced.
Second, this board pumps for blocks. This is great if you live in the flats, you can start the board and then carve it back and forth just about forever. It's easy to steer and there's no wheelbite. The board loves to carve and it's very stable at carving speeds. It's a soft, springy, fat, buttery carver that's light enough to pump and push, a fantastic combination.
Negatives? Well, I'm not sure you'd want to bomb down vertical grades with it. Not high on my list of todo's anyway. It's not obviously pretty, the way a Carbon RollsRolls is pretty, but it's tech'd out in a way that a longboarder who knows what to look for would appreciate.
So, Major Thanks to Palermoboards.com, Loaded, Flashbacks and Randalls. This is one sweet combination and is now one of my 2 or 3 favorite boards.
Dave H.
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tight up front
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On 4/13/2003 herbn
wrote in from
(64.12.nnn.nnn)
makes sense from a weight distribution point of view for DH speed,your weight is more on to the front truck/wheels while going downhill, and if you're fighting for control that adjustment would do it. Though i can't think of a reason why it would be more stabile than both trucks tight,unless there's something to the "feedback between trucks causing wobbles" theory.Why would it be "surfyer" to have a tighter front truck? just for nose ride stability?
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Exkates
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On 4/13/2003 Joe
wrote in from
(216.166.nnn.nnn)
Kaspian,
I've been riding the "surfy" combination, tight front and loose back, for a while. I've got so used to that (and to turning from the tail) that it's all I do now. It's a lot of fun and a tremendous way to improve your surfing skills, especially in the turning area. The movements are the same and you can replicate them until they become second nature.
The way I do it on Randal 180s is via tightening the kingpin, using different bushings might be an interesting alterntive.
I've been looking into Exkates after riding Bakus, because Stevie suggested that they have a better return to center, a feature that I look forward to because reminds even more of the pushing action of water after a turn in surfing.
I'm about 150, so I guess I'll try the softest bushings first. Thanks for the advice!
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Another Exkate setup
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On 4/12/2003
kaspian
wrote in from
(142.167.nnn.nnn)
Joe, it's probably too deep in the archives to find now, but there was much discussion (about 1-1/2 years ago) on the topic of Exkate bushing combinations.
One good suggestion was to mix two different-colored bushings -- for instance, a softer bushing up front and a harder bushing in the rear. This would give you an effect similar to tightening the back truck down harder than the front, in order to achieve a balance of turniness and stability.
One guy advocated doing the opposite: put the harder bushing in front. This gives you added stability when nosewalking and cross-stepping and other classic surf moves. For this kind of setup, your turning action comes from the rear foot.
I tried this kind of setup on a 47" Barfoot. I experimented with just about every possible bushing combination -- Marc at Longskate had sent me a little bag of all four colors to play around with. I found that at my weight (about 190) and Exkate 201s, the optimal combo was blue/red ... or in other words, medium/hard.
I never got used to the "surfy" configuration, though. I finally put the medium up front and the hard in back -- the most obvious setup, when you come down to it -- and it has stayed that way ever since. YMMV.
One word of caution: These trucks are NOT all-purpose carving devices, in my opinion. They are a lot of fun, especially at low to moderate speed on modest inclines. But at higher speed they feel a bit unsteady. And if you compensate for that by slapping on extra-hard bushings, then you lose all your turning response. I personally feel that Exkates are best suited to a mellow, surfy riding style, and that they lend themselves especially to larger boards, where you can really throw your weight around.
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"Shorter" longboard
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On 4/11/2003 Sonny
wrote in from
(152.163.nnn.nnn)
I have spent most of my time lately cruising on my "longer" longboards(42" or longer). Today I pulled out my only "shorter" longboard which is an old Alva pool deck 34" x 9" with wheelbase 20.5" with Indy trucks and Kryptos. It was alot of fun! Now I want to add another type of Shorter board(32"-36" or so) and appropriate setup to my quiver and need some advice. I am considering a Mummy, Comet or other such deck with some newer type trucks/wheels. Give me some ideas. Thanks
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Landyachtz Urban Assult Setup
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On 4/11/2003
Steve
wrote in from
(24.48.nnn.nnn)
I have been jamming around town on my Landy UA Deck. This is my primary around town board. The setup at this time is Randal DH baseplates (with 180 hangers),Bones medium bushings.No wedge risers,just 1/8 shockpads. The wheel's are Flywheels 101/78a. This setup has worked well and makes kicking a breeze. I am just wondering what other setups other Landy riders are using, for city cruising.
Peace,
Steve
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Thanks - Mark & atxjimatx
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On 4/10/2003 Andrew
wrote in from
(151.200.nnn.nnn)
Thanks for the BDS suggestions. Maybe I will try the Tracker 184 and Street Gs config...
Andrew
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