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| Q&A: McKendry on Speed (1810 Posts)
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CC on Wheels
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On 10/4/2004 hugh r
wrote in from
United States
(24.48.nnn.nnn)
Good to see you here Chris! Now I'll say it to you again... it's time for you to pop some ads up on this here ncdsa.com website! HR
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Wobbly Green Hair
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On 10/4/2004
Chris Chaput
wrote in from
United States
(66.116.nnn.nnn)
Adam gets credit for the background color on this forum. If anyone knows of a cooler (read "more obnoxious") green, I'm all ears. And my ears are more noticable now that my hair is less. Please don't get me started on what it was like to have hair "back in the day". For me, "sex and drugs and rock'n roll" has become monogamy, anti-inflammatories and classic rock. Please shoot me if I'm ever caught doing karaoke of Bob Seager's "old time a-rock 'n' roll".
Cliff, I will come to Bezerkley to see you. We'll be aboard the Sk8Trip bus and we will bring fast things. You like blondes or brunettes? Both make me wobble but I got it under control.
Torquing my nuts? Speedrings? Hmmm. I think I'll just use Biltins and adjust my nuts by hand. I think that wobs are caused by trucks without trail, trucks that have the same geometry and tension (loose) front and back, standing in the middle of the board and lack of experience. Ideally, you want to be an arrow, not a guitar string. An arrow is weighted in the front and has trail. It doesn't fly well backwards. Guitar strings get plucked. It swings one way and then the other. That back and forth motion can build until there's a whole lotta shakin' going on. When it's happening to me, I'm not think about the period, frequency and amplitude of a waveform - I'm thinking that whatever I'm doing is causing the wobs and that if I don't do something differently, it will get worse. Getting lower or higher or moving my weight to the nose all seem to help. Sliding (with slidegloves) can save your bacon too. Freaking out and doing nothing is deadly.
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congrats chris!
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On 10/4/2004 Michael Brooke
wrote in from
Canada
(69.158.nnn.nnn)
hey Chris
congrats on getting yourself a forum!
this doesn't mean however that your ads can be 2 weeks late!
get cracking on the next issue!
in all seriousness however, I commend you on your efforts to spread the word!
cheers
michael
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Sequences
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On 10/4/2004
Chris Chaput
wrote in from
United States
(66.116.nnn.nnn)
Rodrigo, I have some cameras that will take 5 frames per second for up to 40 shots in a row. It's called "Continuous" mode on my camera, as opposed to "Single" mode. You just hold the button down for up to 8 seconds of continuous shooting. After I look at the sequences, I find that it's fun to do some editing tricks in software such as PhotoShop or PhotoPaint. Let's say that I have three shots of guys who are:
1. Far away
2. In the middle
3. Close up.
I'll take one of the shots (such as #3) and make it my "master". I then put a mask around the riders in each one of the shots (including #3) and copy them out into individuals temporary files called "layers" or "objects". I then paste them all into the master file, paying attention to their size, position and order (which ones go on top the others). Since the close up shot was taken last, it goes on top and can partially cover the other layers. The close up shot remains at the original size and is placed in its original position. If you didn't copy and paste it, the middle and far away shots couldn't get behind/under it.
You can see where the front group overlaps the middle, and where the middle overlaps the far one. This technique works best if the camera didn't move or zoom because the background tends to stay the same. I hope this helps.
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Speed wobbles
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On 10/4/2004 John
wrote in from
United States
(198.81.nnn.nnn)
Torque your wheel bolts the same to avoid the wobbles? What the hell are wheel bolts? One wheel playing catch up? Chris could you enlighten me on wheel bolts and their correct torque value to avoid speed wobbles and playing a game of catch up.
I have heard of having tight nuts, loose nuts or no nuts, but that is all I recall. I also seem to vaguely remember a tale of a fearless speedboarder that needed a wheelbarrow for his nuts.
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Crash Jordan is back!
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On 10/4/2004
Chris Chaput
wrote in from
United States
(66.116.nnn.nnn)
It was a great day for downhillers yesterday. Legendary 70's downhiller Crash Jordan has announced that he is coming out of retirement. He wants to train with other riders and has promised to share some of his secrets and insights in exchange for the loan of some modern equipment. Crash's career came to an abrubt halt in the late seventies when an arsonist torched his garage along with all of his equipment and trophies and photo albums. The arsonist remains at large. Fortunately for Crash, his helmet and goggles were at a friends and remain his only pieces of equipment. One thing that Crash never lost is his unbridled enthusiasm for racing skateboards. He is like a kid in a candyshop now, with several of the top riders now lending him gear.
What a twist of fate. Crash is a big fan of NorCal baseball. After watching the Giants and A's getting eliminated and seeing that the Dodgers and Angels both made the post-season for the first time ever, Crash was depressed. He was actually on his way to the dump to throw away his couch, cooler, helmet and goggles. He was about ready to throw away his dream of returning to skateboarding when fate stepped in. When he got to the top of the dump road, he saw that it was closed on Sunday. He got out of his borrowed pickup and began shouting "Why me god, why me?". Dave Rogers and Jimmy Flindt noticed his helmet and asked him why he was throwing it away. Then Crash noticed their helmets and boards and asked them what they were doing at the dump. The next thing you know, Dave radios me at the bottom of the hill where I was securing traffic and taking pictures. He tells me to wait a couple of minutes because he has a big surprise for me.
So there I am, taking pictures at the bottom when all of a sudden I witness this surreal blast from the past. Jimmy and Dave are holding a tuck and then from out of nowhere, Flash comes slingshoting out from behind them like they were standing still! At first I think "who the hell is that?" and then I noticed his unmistakable style while airbraking. No way! Dave and Jimmy had loaned Crash my 55" longboard and gloves and leathers. Although his broad shoulders were bursting out the seams, Crash still managed to get into his old-school tuck and bomb a hill for the first time in decades. Crash is the only guy that I've seen who can ride switch in downhill. It's confusing because sometimes he's taking a turn toeside and the next run he's heelside. In the straights he sometimes stands parallel. He blows my mind, like Burnquist on speed.
He is so stoked to be back in the game that he forgot all about those silly baseball games. We're putting together an equipment care package for him and looking for some leathers that fit him. He doesn't have a phone or a computer but we're going to help him get back into downhill. I rather suspect that we'll be seeing plenty of Flash sightings over the next few months. The ubiquitous Flash Jordan is back!
Dave and Jimmy getting worked.
Flash cools his jets
Dave, Jimmy and Flash
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"CRASH"
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On 10/4/2004 DOWNHILLjimmy.
wrote in from
United States
(198.81.nnn.nnn)
I spotted "CRASH" out at the Dump Road yesterday. Did you let him use your leathers?
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Multi Burst?
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On 10/4/2004
Rodrigo Stulzer
wrote in from
Brazil
(200.140.nnn.nnn)
Hi Chris!
I've speedboarding for just 4 months and discovered NCDSA forum. First I'd
like to give a BIG "thank you" for all yours informative posts. You rule
man; I'm learning a lot!
I've seen posts that you put some pictures with the same guys appearing 2
or 3 times in the same frame, like the example bellow:
http://www.abec11.com/images/dump2.jpg
How you do that? I have in my digital camera a option called "multi
burst", that take 2 or more pictures in a short time. That's the feature
that you use? And after that, how do you compose/join all the pictures in
a single photo; some photoshop-like option?
Thanks for your help!
Rodrigo
ps: a lot of people have green speedboards here in Curitiba. :-)
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Six makes a good point
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On 10/4/2004 mikez
wrote in from
South Africa
(198.54.nnn.nnn)
chris, I have been trying to imitate your aerodynamic hairstyle for years and all i can do is grow unaerodynamic shoulderlength DreadLocks.
How do you do it?
It's been about a year since I raced any of you youngbloods(that includes you darryl and chris) Hopefully I'll get my chance in SA this december when we have about 4 races in 1 month.
As for wobbles, It's all in the ankles and the head. but mostly the head, keep calm and all will be well cause then your ankles are chilled.
As for equipment just make sure your back truck is tighter than the front by about a half turn.
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chapit
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On 10/4/2004 six
wrote in from
United States
(68.117.nnn.nnn)
dude, what happened to your hair?
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wobbs
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On 10/3/2004
Longy
wrote in from
United Kingdom
(82.47.nnn.nnn)
You know if you torque up your wheel bolts to approximately the same degree you lessen massively the chances of wheel wobble at high speed....thats what the wobble is one wheel trying to play catch up with the other. Check bearings and speed washers make sure one wheel is identically set up with its brother...we ran free running aluminium rollers (no bearings) up to 80mph on a small dyno as a control and then set up different wheels on pre-loaded torque settings anybody interested in the results flow me a mail and i'll send you the excel sheets its very interesting.
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.com
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On 10/3/2004
darryl
wrote in from
United States
(24.167.nnn.nnn)
OH NO!
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Public Service Announcement
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On 10/3/2004
Chris Chaput
wrote in from
United States
(66.116.nnn.nnn)
That was Chris Chaput. This is Chris Chaput on Speed.
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Title
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On 10/3/2004
Jogger
wrote in from
Australia
(202.63.nnn.nnn)
LOL! I thought the title explained alot. G'day Cliff hope your keeping cool
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On speed...
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On 10/3/2004
Tom M.
wrote in from
United States
(12.222.nnn.nnn)
I had the same thought.
What really gets me is Chaput's colorful posts:
BGCOLOR="#74FF5B"... Hmmmm I wonder how he came up with that...? <g>
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The Title
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On 10/3/2004 PSR
wrote in from
United States
(24.53.nnn.nnn)
Hmm, it makes one wonder just how much faster Chris would go on Amphetimines? Zoom Zoom
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Chris Chaput on Speed?
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On 10/3/2004 Cliff Coleman
wrote in from
United States
(64.142.nnn.nnn)
Chris,
You may want to rephrase that title? Bring me something fast when I see you. Five guys from the UK will be visiting in November to ride Berkeley, you should join us.
Cliff
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Crashing
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On 10/3/2004
civ
wrote in from
Canada
(24.141.nnn.nnn)
thanks Chris, and my crash was in practice, but I wasnt getting up too fast after it....I was seeing starts for a bit. Not to mention I crashed 3 feet in front of my girlfriend, who think Im crazy as it is...of well, at least she doesnt have to see me fall going as fast at the worlds. Hope you have lots of wheel there Chris I need to pick some up.
Does you email work again?...where can I mail u?
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The Taste of Hay
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On 10/3/2004
Chris Chaput
wrote in from
United States
(66.116.nnn.nnn)
At some point in time, we're all going to eat it. I like to get my crashing done in practice. Even though crashing sucks, it sometimes gives me the feeling that "what doesn't kill me makes me stronger". It can give you a kind of relief that "the worse is over". Then you focus on racing.
Tips for wheels on the Super G at the Slalom Worlds:
The secret weapon just could be the 77mm Striker in 81a. Many people will be scared away from this wheel because it is radiused on both sides and it has a narrower contact patch than other wheels. In reality though, its traction amazes me. Because the hub is taller and is wider than the Gumball's, it deforms less which is good for slalom turns. 75a and 78a are great for downhill roll speed on rough surfaces, but they tend to mush (deform too much) in quick turns. Once you get to about an 81a formula, the wheel is firmer and slides more predictably in standing carves. You could be losing roll speed with anything harder than that (on a rough surface). If this hill provides a long, drawn out "run and gun" type course, roll speed and aerodynamics will play a much bigger role than traction. Of course the skill and mass of the rider is also key.
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Cool forum idea
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On 10/3/2004
Civ
wrote in from
Canada
(24.141.nnn.nnn)
Glad to see that speedboarding is being represented a little better on here. I love it, even if I suck and I crash. Chris, I ate it bad right behind you at top challenge, you came fly past me on the inside of the top turn and i thought that I should try and catch you, next thing I know i hit a big bump...puts me way out towards the hay....ok doing ok, I did that the last run......then another bump...Wham...face full of hay at full speed. My thumb is still swollen from that crash...but my helmet saved my life that day. That was the first time I went down any faster than 25 mph or so. CAnt wait for the worlds, any wheel hints for the super g.....so far its 84 81 gummies...
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hiller
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On 10/2/2004 hc
wrote in from
United States
(68.127.nnn.nnn)
hiller is pretty nuts, i don't think i have seen someone tuck bomb from the top. maybe rizzo can show me how it's done. Clayton told me there are some kids doing it padless. Pretty stupid.
I slid it today, but was rusty. Me, Clayton and a new french rider, Flavian did some tunnel runs.
david, my guess is that your deck might be too flexy.
anyways, next time you do it, I will bring the camera. ;-)
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The Price Is Right
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On 10/2/2004
Chris Chaput
wrote in from
United States
(66.116.nnn.nnn)
David's right. He and Aki beat me fare and square in the semis at Vail. Had we known that you were going to belly-flop at the start of the finals, perhaps you would have been kind enough to let me take your spot? David buttered me up pretty good after the quarterfinals, telling me about about how "no one could catch that fast of a push". Well, Aki did catch me and he would flare and stand up in my draft, allowing the pack to catch and pass me. I was schooled by a couple of schoolboys! At least I knew where to find the finish line, eh Mr. Flindt?
On the issue of trucks getting stable and then unstable, it can happen with any truck (including Randals) but Randals are pretty good overall at avoiding the wobs. What's interesting is that I raced on the faster turning R-II baseplates at Sandia with no problems. In the fun run freecarve afterward, I loosened up my trucks a lot because I thought that it would be a lot of slower carves. Next thing you know, Jim Z and Aki and others are passing in full tucks and so we start bombing this pretty fast hill. As I caught Jim Z in this left turn, I started to wob. I put the slideglove down and fend off the first wave of wobs. I think that I've got it made when it wobs again. Again I put the paw down to correct it and after thinking everything's under control... ...wob-wob to superman. Slidegloves and toes, all the way to the guard rail. Slidegloves save skin and bones.
Loose trucks, rear steering (I may have been back on the board) and tall wheels and risers may have contributed to the instability. It happens so rarely that I don't have a lot of data. When it does start to happen, put weight on your front foot and stand up to air-brake (if you're going straight) or stay low and get the slide glove(s) ready. Even though it's not intentional, overcoming the wobs at high speed is a definite adrenaline rush!
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oops
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On 10/2/2004 david
wrote in from
United States
(67.100.nnn.nnn)
posting at the same time, eh adam? so chaput, i had this situation where i was bombing hiller dr. in berkeley, which is easily a 20% grade. now midway though my run i got the wobbles going around 50, i then controled them and became stable, then got the wobbles again at the very bottom doing well over 55 and crashed. thank god for leathers and full faces.
can randals go from peroids of unstableness back to being stable, then back to unstable, depending on the speed? have you experienced this?
since speedboarding is half trash-talk, i had fun beating you in vail, :-) just joking man, i hope i rip it as hard as you when i'm your age
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huh?
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On 10/2/2004
David Price
wrote in from
United States
(67.100.nnn.nnn)
whats the deal with this forum?
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New Forum
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On 10/2/2004
Adam
wrote in from
United States
(66.121.nnn.nnn)
From the webmaster..
Ncdsa.com welcomes Chris Chaput as our newest Q&A moderator. Chris' skateboarding career goes back to the 1970s but it's his latest accomplishments that he's perhaps best known for: Consistent podium finishes in speedboarding, luge, and other high speed events and his innovative and ever-growing product lines including ABEC 11 wheels, Big Red X decks, and Built In bearings.
Want to know something about skateboarding's speed sports? Just ask Chris..
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