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| Long Distance Pumping (LDP) (1492 Posts)
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Don't toestop believin'
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On 8/8/2006 kris
wrote in from
United States
(209.76.nnn.nnn)
So, to make a toestop, can I just use a 3" bolt, a bushing and a washer? Any suggestions?
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...con colitas de borrego...
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On 8/4/2006 Kris
wrote in from
United States
(71.128.nnn.nnn)
Couldnt get a good set-up with the Khiros. The bottom bushing blew out on the baseplate very quickly. Really need a conical bottom bushing, or a cup washer that will hold a fat cylinder bushing. I have a set of Bones Hardcore soft on there now, but I dont like the plastic capped bushings for pumping. Actually, the longer kingpin with the stock bushing would probably be the best fix...I will keep working on it.
lonerider- I took the job in Oakland and will be commuting from Sac. I will probably stay overnight with my brother in SF on occasion. I'd be up to skate after work sometime.
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Brooklyn Sesssions for MJ & more on SDP
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On 8/4/2006
lonerider
wrote in from
United States
(65.249.nnn.nnn)
I'm in California, but I just read about weekly sessions organized by Earthwing Skateboards at Prospect Park in your backyard - check it out (http://www.earthwingskateboards.com/events.html) and here for photos of the last sessions (http://www.earthwingskateboards.com/blog/).
Yea, those photos are out of date, it is now all freshly paved black pavement as they just did it this fall (http://www.svbcbikes.org/crank/oct-nov-05/index.php) is amore recent photo. Hmmm.. I'm using 70mm ZZ right now, and was thinking about upgrading to their Gumball equivalents to give me more roll speed. I don't think going from 77a to 80a or even 83a would change the grip that much for pumping.
Kris, nice work on the bushing investigation, you might want to check out Clear Radikal bushings as well. Also maybe consider getting longer kingpins (I've done that to virtually all of my trucks).
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NYC Tar
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On 8/4/2006
MJ
wrote in from
(72.229.nnn.nnn)
Hey... might be a long shot but I'm fairly new to New York City... just got my flexideck delivered from my old home in OZ and now I'm on the look-out for some decent hills... I live in Brooklyn but happy to travel. Any skaters out there living in the Big Apple can let me in on some local secrets??
sweet
MJ
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bush doctor
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On 8/4/2006 Kris
wrote in from
United States
(69.105.nnn.nnn)
Just wanted to post that I went on a hunch and switched out the stock bushings on the front cx truck with Khiro white barrel bushings...the result was the exact feel I was looking for. The power and speed I had with my previous set-up is back. The stock bushings were too tall for me to get them loose enough on the kingpin. The Khiro's are shorter, and I think they're softer too. Funny, my original thoughts about what was slowing me down were totally off base...imagine that! Now, the only problem is that the big lower bushing doesn't seat well on the baseplate. It's too big for the carver cup washer. I tried with a flat washer, but the washer was also too small and ended up buried in the bushing. Once I get this sorted out, it will be ON!
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san tomas aquino trail
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On 8/4/2006 derek
wrote in from
United States
(24.16.nnn.nnn)
beautiful scenery there! but that trail looks a little rough in the pics ;)
i've thought about going with a harder durometer, but last week i had a nasty little wipeout where i pumped hard into the board, pushing it out with both feet, and it never came back- just slipped right out from under me. it may have been the pavement, but it was enough to freak me out for a while...
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Starting out
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On 8/3/2006
lonerider
wrote in from
United States
(71.138.nnn.nnn)
Well, it will be a few weeks before I get a LDP setup, but that doesn't mean I can pump on my 30" slalom in the meantime. After work, tonight I believe I did a very mellow 5.6 mile pumping loop in about 30 minutes. I did the San Tomas Aquino Trail from mile 1.0 to 3.8 (hopefully that link work). Normally I jog that (I always thought was was only like 3 miles... oh well). That was about the distance I like to go currently, maybe a little bit longer and a bit faster. Always awesome to try out new things! Does anyone plan on switching to harder duro Retro Gumballs if they ever come out?
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contact...is the answer, it's the reason- why everything happens...
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On 8/3/2006 Kris
wrote in from
United States
(69.239.nnn.nnn)
The WB on my 48" board is roughly 34". I have tried both wheelbases on the LDP, and I prefer the inner holes. The effect on the flex is subtle and right on target. I have also dropped down to 155lbs (and falling) which seems to tune me into the board. I'd be interested in trying the stiff flex if it's possible and not too much trouble, but I think medium is working out in the long run. I think my continuing issues are with the front truck (I have some ideas) and also getting used to pumping a shorter wheelbase than before.
I've carried my laptop in a laptop bag while pumping along- awkward but do-able. I wear a hydration backpack occasionally. It is pretty small and braces well at the chest and waist. I've also been known to pump while carrying a 12-pack of bottles, but it's a different pump altogether, no forward arm swing at all.
No mp3 player yet... my musical library is fairly extensive, but my mental music library is vast.
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ms skate trail update
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On 8/2/2006 derek
wrote in from
United States
(24.16.nnn.nnn)
great news for anyone interested in riding in the ms skate in seattle...
there's a section of the sammamish river trail that is just now finishing up with a fresh repaving job. i was out on it yesterday, dodging the trucks and the road machinery as they completed the job. it looks like they are expanding the width a little as well. the new pavement starts right next to the redhook brewery, and extends into redmond.
the ms skate starts on the burke gilman trail and ends on the sammamish trail, so it's looking like a nice smooth finish for the final 13 miles or so... come out for this ride if you can- it should be a blast!
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Stiff Flex LDP
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On 8/1/2006
lonerider
wrote in from
United States
(65.249.nnn.nnn)
Well I'm currently pumping a flexier (requested flexier for a 150 lbs person) Insect Sidewinder 30" with a 21" WB (http://insectskateboards.com/boards.html#sidewinder) with RTX/RTS trucks and Radikal bushings. You can see the shape to more like that of a Crossfire, but a little bit narrower.
I notice that my front front is directly over the front truck and I'm leveraging the wider nose of the Sidewinder to initiate the pump, my back foot is in front of the back truck. From what you've said it sounds like because of my front foot placement, the LDP is more that style, correct? Although what's you definition of "in the long run"? 5 miles? 10 miles? or 20 miles?
What would happen if I got the stiffer flex - it seems like I don't use the flex of my board as much for the initiate front foot pump. Do I need much flex then? It sounds like torsion rigidity is more important than longitudinal rigidity (common property amoung snowboards). Thanks for all the help!
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packin a purse
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On 8/1/2006
peters
wrote in from
United States
(64.236.nnn.nnn)
the 'man purse' was an inside joke with this guy Dycus that also pointed out that our sport-o lycra shirts accentuate our 'man boobs.' At least we're not wearing Chaput wiggle suits... yet ;-) With the STP distance more luggage was needed, so I wore two fanny packs, that worked out nice without throwin the pump off. And yeah Ravn I also think holding a bottle in the leading hand adds to the subtle pendulum effect as well!
Kris Tarin and lonerider, at 150-160 lbs sounds like you're on the high end of the medium / low end of the stiff flex scale for the Roe deck. I'm around 165-170 and typically stay with stiff flex, though I ride my medium when I'm cruising and not trying to make fastest times. The medium I commuted on for a solid 2 months, its really preference. Considering the shipping/distance if you guys wanted to try stiffs we could work something out, one of my friends sold the medium to a friend to get the light flex, talk about flexy! I'm curious what the wheelbase was on your 48" deck Kris, have you tried the inner holes on the ldp?
The difference with the Crossfire3.8 is mostly that the shape lends itself toward a center stance, and the default wheelbases are shorter (although you could always drill the LDP if you're confident doing that.) It makes the deck more versatile for carving, quick turn commuting, and pumping up hills a little quicker, although I still think that having the 28-29" range wheelbase with a longer stride/cadence will have more potential for flatland speeds in the long run.
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Crossfire 3.8 vs Roe LDP
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On 7/31/2006
lonerider
wrote in from
United States
(65.249.nnn.nnn)
Been reading the last set of posts, so would the CrossFire have a higher max pump speed than the LDP model? (for uphill as well) Or does it just take some time to get used to the LDP + Carver setup like Kris is seeing now. I'm 150 lbs, should I be going for the medium or stiff flex in the LDP model? Hey Kris, do you ever come down to the Bay Area to skate?
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Re: carrying
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On 7/31/2006
Ravn
wrote in from
Germany
(195.37.nnn.nnn)
tarin,
I also like to have a bottle of water in my leading hand. I guess it has to do with having some mass farther from your center of turning to generate torque. I really don't like to have anything around my hips or back. It's only dead weight. I sometimes carry a fanny pack like thingy across my back though.
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carrying
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On 7/30/2006
tarin
wrote in from
Denmark
(82.143.nnn.nnn)
hey james, what are man purses? same thing as fanny packs?
ravn, how does carrying a briefcase support your groove? i need to see a video of that. i really dont like riding with anything on my body or in my hands at all! though sometimes i'll have a bottle in my leading hand (great for taking a fashionable swig while cruising in to a stop at a red light).
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roe ldp
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On 7/30/2006
tarin
wrote in from
United Kingdom
(88.212.nnn.nnn)
i know what you mean about power and generating speed on a stiff downhill board, kris.. i received my roe ldp deck a week ago and have been surprised at how different it feels from my old deck (sector 9 flexy cloud 9). its so wide in the front, and the flex of the board absorbs a lot of the torque im habitually trying to put into it. im learning that its much easier to ride by swinging my hips than by using raw power, but that i cant get the same top speeds in the same way.
its also definitely harder work going up inclines on this board, my old board had a slight nose so i could just wedge my foot into it and up-we-go .. but its not impossible. i climbed a bridge yesterday and on the way back across it, lost power toward the top. on my old board, i would have been rather stuck and would have likely needed to give a push or two, but on the ldp deck, could keep creaking up it, albeit rather slowly.
also.. do you guys tighten your stomach muscles a lot while riding? pumping has been great for my abs.. i havent had a six-pack in years! i tighten my abdomen a lot when im going up a hill.
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groove is in the heart
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On 7/28/2006 derek
wrote in from
United States
(24.16.nnn.nnn)
hey kris-
man- you got a song for every post topic! i dig it :)
you gotta be ridin' with an mp3 player, yeah? it sounds like you're going out on some nice long rides...
post something up when you figure out the uphill stuff, will ya? i haven't put much time into it, but i've had a little trouble with pumping it up the steeper inclines myself. but that just might just be laziness- i'm enjoying the challenge of the flatland mile right now, and the roe board is a dream for that.
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Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
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On 7/28/2006 Kris
wrote in from
United States
(69.108.nnn.nnn)
It has been SO hot here lately, so I havent been able to experiment as much as I would have liked. But it finally cooled down today, and I was able to put an hour and a half in, pumping around downtown. I am finding that the power is becoming easier to generate than I previously thought- just a matter of intuitively feeling it out. I'm still unable to pump uphill like I could before, but I think that will come next. I don't want to seem like I was complaining about the board. I think articulating the challenges here helped me fix it and find the groove when I skated today. Ha! Like pumping psychotherapy. I'll try to keep my posts shorter from here on...Thanks for your input Derek. You're right, there do seem to be countless possibilities, and the shape and flex allow you switch smoothly.
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roe ldp
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On 7/28/2006 derek
wrote in from
United States
(24.16.nnn.nnn)
hey kris-
i know what you mean about adjusting to the roe ldp. i had been riding a modified insect big bug, and when i switched over i found that my main pumping forms didn't translate to the new board. i think it took a few weeks to find the deeper grooves on that thing- it's like learning a new language or something.
i found myself moving back toward the center of the board, just like you. i think one of the cool things about this board is that it offers lots of interesting possibilities for exploring different pumps, and alternating between different forms is super easy.
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The pumps, they are a-changin'
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On 7/28/2006 Kris
wrote in from
United States
(69.230.nnn.nnn)
Prior to pumping the Roe LDP deck w/ CX trucks, I was pumping a 48" 9-ply maple downhill deck, with conventional Gullwing trucks. The deck was stiff and the trucks were not turny. However, I was able to generate a strong pump, and could build up to a fairly ferocious speed by digging in and really torquing into the trucks (probably how I broke kingpins).
Now, with the LDP deck (medium flex) and the Carvers, the feel is much different. It is taking some adjustment to get used to the flex of the deck and the angle of the front trucks. I notice it is MUCH easier to start pumping, including from a complete stop. It is also easier and more fun to sustain a moderate speed. However, I notice it is difficult for me to dig in and generate a powerful, sprint-like pump. It sort of feels like my energy is diffused by the flex of the deck rather than being transferred straight to the trucks. I wonder if the stiff flex would have been better for my 157lbs, since my legs were over-conditioned from the maple deck? I also feel like the rebound from the CX front truck (stock bushings) has less force than the stiffer rebound from the conventional trucks. Again, it feels a little like my energy gets diffused.
Clearly the LDP deck will take me many more miles comfortably, but I find myself burning extra energy trying to find that torque spot. On my previous deck, my front foot was always right over the truck, but now I find myself backing up. A farther-back, wide-leg stance seems to generate some torque, but still seems not to want to "shift from 3rd straight to overdrive."
So...I'm hoping others can offer input on possible stances, body movements, etc., that I may be missing in finding the power spot. Also, any thoughts people have on flex vs. stiffness on this issue, or truck/bushing ideas. The feel of this "sport" is very personal- perhaps spiritual- so I know it is hard to interpret other peoples movements, let alone explain one's own. Still, any thoughts are welcome.
SIde note: James, I enjoyed your article on SIlverfish. So awesome! Needless to say, your journey was Odysean. Your article was also expertly crafted and a pleasure to read.
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tarins pack
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On 7/26/2006
peters
wrote in from
United States
(64.236.nnn.nnn)
Packs will definately mess with your spinal cord if there's a laptop in there and you're wiggling around. I used to try with a sport-o type pack, with the chest and hip belts tightened as much as possible, but now I just keep the laptop at work and have a pretty cool remote access thingy set up.
For long rides I typically go with one or two belt/fanny-packs, just big enough to carry extra kingpin, bushings, skate tool, food, even an extra 2 bearings and an axle nut, just in case you lose a wheel. You don't want to get 10 miles out and have something happen where you gotta WALK back!
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packs
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On 7/26/2006
Ravn
wrote in from
Germany
(83.121.nnn.nnn)
These days, I really like to carry a briefcase. It only works for not too heavy stuff (laptop, papers, tools), but it even supports my groove, keeps my back ventilated, and looks rad on a longboard.
I usually dont carry heavier stuff while pumping though. If I have to, I place my pack on the board in front of me and push..
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carrying things while pumping
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On 7/26/2006
tarin
wrote in from
Denmark
(80.198.nnn.nnn)
backpacks really mess with my pumping groove. any other suggestions? fanny packs, shoulder bags, those one-shoulder backpacks you see on cyclists? i need to be able to carry things to and from work occasionally and want to stop carrying my backpack if possible.
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berlin
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On 7/24/2006 derek
wrote in from
United States
(24.16.nnn.nnn)
thanks ravn!
sounds like you're setting up quite a tour over there ;)
that's totally cool that there's something like that going on so frequently. we'll have to schedule the trip out to coincide with one of those rides.
i'm watching the airline prices for the spring, and practicing up on my long forgotten deutsch.
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Berlin by Board - Tourist Guide Part II
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On 7/22/2006
Ravn
wrote in from
Germany
(83.121.nnn.nnn)
Derek, erin - Just to keep you stoked, here's the next LDP highlight in Berlin:
Click here for link
The Berlin Parade (not to be confounded with the Love Parade) is an night skate political demonstration (for the rights of skaters*) taking place every other friday at 8p.m. - They run a different ~30km route each time, always along major roads in the city. It always offers a nice touristical city cruise and the feeling of skating Berlin at night is great. An escort of friendly green cops will make sure the roads are closed, average speed is 15 km/h. It's mostly frequented by inline skaters, but a small (but growing) group of longboarders also attends.
This event alternates with the Blade Night Berlin, same kind of thing, but a pure sports event (no political intent, faster average speed, skateboarders not that welcome) where one might also participate. I've only been doing the parade for now though.
*Under German law (and probably elsewhere) skates of all kinds are considered toys, which means that you are considered a pedestrian and have to behave like one: Keep to the sidewalks, do not move faster than a pedestrian can walk. The aim of the demonstration is to allow skating on bike lanes and traffic-calmed roads and to create more skate-able lanes in the city.
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Cup washer / Re: Kris
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On 7/22/2006
Ravn
wrote in from
Germany
(83.121.nnn.nnn)
I am using the vanilla cup washer, for the same reason that it keeps the bushing in place. Interestingly enough, the (front) bushing with the washer is the only one that I haven't managed to tear yet. Usually it's the one which moves directly on top of the baseplate.
I was wondering the other day why there is no flat washer between the baseplate and the bushing - it seems to me that it could save the bushing a bit - has anyone of you tried that out yet?
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How to Pump