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| Q&A: McKendry on Speed (1810 Posts)
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ROB Vs CHAPUT
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On 8/11/2005 WAX
wrote in from
United States
(67.176.nnn.nnn)
Sounds like you boys have a score to settle next week at Vail...are you coming to Brek Chaput?
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Winning versus Beating Someone
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On 8/11/2005
Chris Chaput
wrote in from
United States
(66.116.nnn.nnn)
Because of the brackets, there's a good chance that most riders won't actually race one another, meaning that they're not in the same heat(s). For example, the #1 and #2 qualifiers won't meet unless they both make it to the finals. It's easier to understand this in a Dual (head-to-head) format. Let's say Chris and Aki are in one semifinal, and Jimmy and Rob are in another. If Aki beats Chris, and Rob beats Jimmy, then Aki and Rob are in the finals. Aki beats Rob in the finals, but Rob still finishes higher than Chris. So the question is one of semantics - did Rob beat Chris? Yes and no. Yes, in that the one person finished higher (2nd place "beats" 5th place). But No, in that most people think that to "bea"t someone mean to actually racing against him and win.
In the race in question, Aki and David Price beat me in one semi, and Will and Rob beat Jimmy in the other. Jimmy and Will would have transferred if Jimmy hadn't of stood up in the stretch. I don't remember there being a consi. If there was, I won it because I finished 5th. Otherwise I would have finished ahead of Rob in the standings because of qualifying. But in the end, Aki won it, David Price fell at the start, and Will couldn't finish his pass on Rob before the line. And Rob has never beat me to the line in a heat.
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Luck of the Draw
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On 8/11/2005 lonerider
wrote in from
United States
(65.249.nnn.nnn)
Derek, I'm pretty sure that you don't have to beat someone over the line to get into the finals. I once got into the finals of a race where some people who were clearly a lot better than me didn't. What can happen:
1.There were too many high seeded people in the same qualifying heat. Since the two (or three or whatever) can advanced out of each heat (regardless of their speed, unless there is like a wildcard format).
2.Someone crashes out of a race, and/or takes out other people with them. Leaving the slow pokes (like me) in the rear to cruise around the pile up to win the heat and advance.
I think Chris said that the latter happened twice in the race, letting Rob place higher than would normally. Again, I know none of the specifics and I'm just hypothesizing.
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The Line
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On 8/11/2005 Derek
wrote in from
United States
(4.18.nnn.nnn)
Well, if Rob was in the finals and you were not, then I think it is true that he beat you to the line, why would you claim he didn't?
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Big Bad Rob
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On 8/11/2005
Chris Chaput
wrote in from
United States
(66.116.nnn.nnn)
Since you haven't provided any context for your claim, I assume that you are talking about last years Vail race. I'm also assuming that when you say that you "beat me", you mean that you finished ahead of me in the final standings, because you have NEVER crossed the line in front of me in a race. If memory serves me, this was the race where Jimmy and Will would have eliminated you to the semis, but Jimmy stood up 100 yards from the finish line allowing you to squeak into the transfer spot because of his blunder. Lucky for you, the finish line had been moved down the road after qualifying. Your luck continued when David Price fell during the start of the finals, guaranteeing you a spot on the podium. Congratulations. You beat me.
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Rob's Wine and Cheese Event
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On 8/11/2005
robertjamesmckendryIII
wrote in from
United States
(71.208.nnn.nnn)
I beat you here last year, mon back. Oh sorry, how is your back? Little Robbie
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Trucks
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On 8/11/2005
Chris Chaput
wrote in from
United States
(66.116.nnn.nnn)
I've been working "obsessively" on trucks lately. I've been testing out some special features in my prototypes that are not found in other trucks. They are awesome, and will be even better when my cushion molds are popping out a variety of shapes, sizes and duros. It's frustrating work because I can design things in minutes, but it can take days, weeks, or months before a machinist can finish the parts. There's no "instant gratification" in truck design, but I'm confident that the result will be well worth the wait. Stay tuned.
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Liquid trucks
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On 8/8/2005
bpizzle
wrote in from
United States
(67.163.nnn.nnn)
Hey Chris,
I'm in the same boat as Dave...I came across the Liquid Trucks website today and I like what I see. Let us know as much information as you can. Thanks.
-Brian
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72a vs 75a
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On 8/7/2005 Bob
wrote in from
Germany
(62.134.nnn.nnn)
So when life-expectancy of the wheel isn´t so important: would my 72a-Flywheels (101mm) be faster than my 75a´s when just going downhill?
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PINK WHEELS on GMR
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On 8/7/2005
midgette
wrote in from
United States
(207.200.nnn.nnn)
Hello CHrisTopher, another update for you!
Jimmy, John and I went down GMR again this morning, my second time there ever, both times on the PINK PowerBALLS. Today I was obviously more comfortable going down the hill than my first time, so I really got to test the wheels. Not once did they slip out on me while going over cat tracks (from construction vehicles) OR while going through dusty piles of loose debris! And as for carving at midget speed, f*ckin rad! So nice and easy to control. For straight lines and corners, yep, they rock. They're even good for pullin a nice slide at the bottom to slow down!
So now I've tested them on the beach, cruisin carvin runs, and at GMR, and no complaints yet! Just fun. THANKS AGAIN!!!!!! I'll be rockin them at Colorado for sure, I may need a new set by then!
Adios for now, Carly
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Liquid Trucks
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On 8/7/2005
Dave
wrote in from
United States
(70.32.nnn.nnn)
Chris,
What's the word on the Liquid trucks?
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101 vs 70
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On 8/7/2005
Andreas
wrote in from
Sweden
(83.226.nnn.nnn)
Chris
We did trial runs side by side in åre. Åre is 2,5km and has a top speed of 80km.
One rider had 101mm 75a flywheels(kurt) and the other had 70mm 84a flashbacks(ankan).
Coming in to the first corner thay were side by side (same speed) and coming out of the corner they were still side by side.
They staid side by side all the way down the line.
The only diffrens was that ankans flashis where eaten up and nicely coned.
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Speedy Duros
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On 8/6/2005
Chris Chaput
wrote in from
United States
(66.116.nnn.nnn)
Jonathan, Good question!
Here's one way that I look at it:
I categorize urethane into 2 basic types - "dead", and "lively".
I categorize durometers into 3 basic types - "soft", "firm", and "hard".
Soft for me is 72a, 75a, 78a, and 81a
Firm for me is 81a, 84a, 88a, and 92a
Hard for me is 92a, 94a, 96a, and 98a
You'll notice that there are shared durometers that I call "tweeners", namely 81a and 92a. These are between soft and firm, and between firm and hard, respectively.
The speed as related to the hardness of the wheel, is usually based on how much, and how quickly you need to turn.
1. You don't need to turn much at all. If you are doing flip tricks, wheels are more like "landing gear" for smooth concrete. These are small, rounded, rock hard wheels. If roundwall and/or coping is involved, not much is needed in terms of a contact patch. Traction isn't as much of an issue because the banked walls hold you in a turn, or you aren't turning that much to begin with. The wheels are hard (like ball bearings), and the surface of the concrete or ramp is hard (like a bearing race), and so you'd expect that the smoother the surface and the harder the wheel, the faster you'd go. Lively formulas do exist, and contribute to speed as well. Cored wheels in the mid to high 90's are fast.
2. You need to turn a little. In Downhill, carving, and cruising, the turns that you make are much wider than in Slalom, for example. Here roll-speed is king, and there's nothing quite as fast as a soft, high-rebound wheel. Since you usually want to slow in the turns anyway, you aren't penalized for having the soft wheels that deform and maintain contact with the ground in the turns. The rider is usually in a low CG position to handle the tendency for a sticky wheel to grab. 75a is a sweetspot for speed.
3. You need to turn a lot. If you are involved in sport like Slalom, roll-speed is no longer the holy grail for speed. Controlled traction is king. The control is helped by a firmer formula that prevents the wheels from deforming too much, and that slides more predictably when pushed beyond the limit of traction. Because the rider (and not gravity) is providing most of the speed, traction is more important than roll-speed, and a deader formula is more acceptable for Slalom. There is a tendency for the road surfaces to be smoother in Slalom, making even firmer formulas still acceptable. The rider's technique also contributes to some of the traction. 81a, 84a, and 88a are fast durometers for quick turning applications.
So, to answer your question about roll-speed for Downhill, go with a high-rebound 75a wheel that is 76mm or more, regardless of how smooth the road is. You won't go any faster with a harder wheel, unless of course the entire road is a half mile of polished concrete. If you want more longevity, get it in 78a. If you want more controlled sliding, go with the 81a. We don't mass-produce our 72a formula any more. Not because it isn't fast (it's very fast), but because the average consumer wouldn't be happy with the life-expectancy.
Brad, The 76mm Gumballs in 75a or 78a are awesome for beginners or experts alike. The 77mm Strikers are better suited for speed-sliders. The Flywheel series is great for high-end speed and for boards that are designed for huge wheels.
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Hard wheels, soft wheels, speed
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On 8/2/2005
Jonathan Harms
wrote in from
United States
(165.134.nnn.nnn)
Chris, under what conditions is a softer wheel faster than a harder one, and why? To put it another way, under what race conditions would you, personally, choose to ride, say, a 75A or 78A Gumball rather than 81A or 84A (or vice versa)? I'm sure the short answer is that the softies would be smoother on rougher pavement, but can you go into more detail? What differs in how the hard & soft wheels actually roll on various types of pavement that makes it so? In this case I'm interested mainly in roll speed for downhill, either in a straight line or with minimal-to-average turning (i.e. NOT hard GS or slalom-style turns).
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wheels for 1st downhill
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On 8/2/2005
brad
wrote in from
United States
(155.229.nnn.nnn)
Chris (or anyone)
What would be your choice of green goonies for a 1st time downhill racer?
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sliding from high boards
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On 7/26/2005 brad
wrote in from
United States
(155.229.nnn.nnn)
Chris,
Thanks for taking the time to give such detailed slide advice (once again!). I am still working on my sliding so I can go down the big hills at speed with safety and confidence. I followed your advice and setup RII 150's with Flashback 92a on a 36" board. I was not able to commit to getting my glove down. I was padded where I needed it, including padded shorts just in case, but continued to bypass my opportunities like a new surfer going for a wave, then passing it up.
Getting a low profile setup and getting really really low before sliding really helped!!!, so I was able to move from laying my glove down gradually to going down as if I were on a high setup, and hopefully and now ready to try the Randals and Flashbacks. I found that your statement regarding the board turning too much from this setup and technique to be true, so at this point I am basically turning a 180.
My question is this: I don't know what you mean by "You have to momentairy "pitch" your board out in front of you while falling onto your back slideglove"
Also, does it make any difference if I lay my glove down towards the middle or back of the board?
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92mm wheels.
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On 7/26/2005
Jimmy Flindt.
wrote in from
Canada
(24.66.nnn.nnn)
Chris,
Thank you very very much for the wheels, I won the VERNON race last weekend on the 92mm wheels, I want more 92mm wheels!
Peace, Jimmy.
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Getting Back on the Horse
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On 7/24/2005
Chris Chaput
wrote in from
United States
(66.116.nnn.nnn)
Yup, you gotta get back up on the horse as soon as possible. But now that you're back in the saddle, what are you gonna do to stay upright, instead of uptight? I suggest that you not start thinking about how to go fast again right away. You gotta start thinking about tuning up the clubs in your bag. Speedboarding is not all about going the fastest, it's about slowing down the least. And ironically, learning to brake effectively is what helps you the most. And learning to brake effectively, and with CONFIDENCE, is what keeps the head clear and the legs strong in an upcoming corner. Knowing that no matter what happens, you'll be able to decellerate quickly and avoid serious injury, is what allows old guys like me do to be competitive into his mid forties.
If you don't know how to throw down a slide, instantly and decisively, and in both directions, you're going to be skating with fear and uncertainty. This is hazardous to you and to others. I want to skate with guys with brains, not balls. Everyone has to have enough guts to stand on a board and go down the hill, but I want to ride with the guys who are smart enough and disciplined enough to practice the more "boring" parts of our skillset. You gotta learn to walk, before you can learn to fly.
Learn to Coleman slide
Learn to toeside slide
Learn to footbrake
Learn to scrub carve
Learn to slide into corner
Learn to pendulum slide
Then learn to all of these at speed. Only then will you be able to really enjoy a run, and be able to practice losing less speed through through the turns. Surviving a turn is nice, but it shouldn't be the goal. Gaining competence at the skill, and growing it into an artform is the goal. Use quality equipment. Slide unto your wheels are scrubbed. It's way cheaper than paying in leather, flesh, and bone. I like plastic over leather until I know the course or hill. All of this breeds a feeling of security which in turn makes downhill even more fun than just the adrenaline rush that comes with the territory. Sharing the road with other (hopefully better) riders is an awesome experience. You've got a front row seat from a perspective than no one on the planet is sharing. The run is like a game of chess - it starts out pretty much the same but before it's over, all hell breaks loose. And everyone in the game shares his part of the story at the bottom. And that story will never be duplicated. Put these experiences in the bank, and make the necessary withdrawals when familiar circumstances present themselves in future runs. That is what works for me.
Sliding from high boards:
Ever go to pop a squat on the porcelain alter only to find that you didn't notice that the seat wasn't down? Well, that split second of terror is kind of like what happens when you have to "drop" into a slide from a high board, rather than to just reach down into a slide from a low one. It's a bit of an act of faith at first, but later becomes second nature. You have to momentairy "pitch" your board out in front of you while falling onto your back slideglove, because you turn too much if you were to just lean until you could reach the asphalt. After you've thrown slides from tall boards, low boards, longboards and short boards, you'll instinctively know how much to crank the board, and how much to pitch the board (if at all). You can slide any board, with any wheels, at any height, within reason. I know that Randals and tall wheels is a relative high setup, but it shouldn't be a problem. You might even find that a low CG board is harder (although much lower), especially if it has big sticky wheels and slow turning trucks (Gumballs and DH trucks on a Big Red X Speedboard, for example). Since it turns slowly, and the wheels are sticky, you have to really throw the beast around to get it in front of you, and then push the board by the rails instead of the top of the deck.
Get on a bunny slope with a fairly loose board and practice pushing as fast as you can (until you can't go any faster). As soon as you get your feet back on the board, immediately throw down a slide. Try this sliding both ways. This is kind of like what would happen if you were foot braking and found out out that you were still going way too hot into a corner. It also preps you for racelike conditions where a good push at the start can be a big help. It's also a good workout, and will help to know how your lens will fog when you're breathing hard. Push back up the hill, alternating your push foot every three or four strokes. This builds symmetry. Push as hard as you can and then footdrag. Rinse. Repeat.
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Nerves and ride height
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On 7/23/2005 Aengus
wrote in from
United Kingdom
(193.113.nnn.nnn)
Hey guys,
Ned, thats a bummer about the stack, glad your alright, I think I generally speak for everyone in saying that the nerves are somting you just got push through. Take it at your own pace and pad up fully but other than that its up to you to push yourself to get back to you former form. Your mind has learnt that speed equals stack, you gotta teach it different and you'll be goin against the flow.
S'kinda one of the bits I love bout the skateboard, kinda forces you outside of the box of what your survival instincts say is sensible.
On the ride height, I dont think it matters to much, I prefer low as poss for everything and sliding is no different, having said that, you should be able to touch the ground on pretty much any set up if you crouch down. If your 'dropping' into the slide you'll damage the joints in your arms, so crouch down first, touch the ground and then think about the slide. Also with the truck tightness thing I prefer them tight.. That way they dont squirrel around mid slide but loose is somtimes nice for a change. I noticed all the faltown rew (or most) had loose trucks so...
Cheers
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Wheel dimension and sliding
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On 7/22/2005 brad
wrote in from
United States
(216.233.nnn.nnn)
jason,
the post your referring to was 2 me, and chris told me 2 use randal 150's i c u have rii 180's, but sliding requires your board to make a tight turn, so narrower trucks should help sliding a curve at speed on rii 180's is cool cause u don't need 2 make a tight turn
i purposely chose Venture trucks for their LOW profile (they are also really
narrow and light!), it's incredible how low they r put next 2 the randals,
the ventures may not be desiged for downhill, but they are working for my sliding while i am getting my skills up
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Wheel dimension and sliding
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On 7/22/2005
brad
wrote in from
United States
(216.233.nnn.nnn)
chris recommended i use randals and flashbacks and learn to lean over my board, but as i am learning, this was 2 high 4 me when i crouch down and went 2 put my glove down for a coleman, i felt like the vertical drop involved in getting my glove on the ground added way 2 daunting and complicated matters, while switching 2 smaller wheels and lower trucks meant all i had 2 deal with the the movement off the board with only the smallest vertical drop involved 2 get my glove on the ground, although i did c one faltown pick where cliff had some greens on board
perhaps if i was in a workshop or skated with others who were sliding, it would work,
but i changed trucks to venture LOW and wheels to gravity 90a and have comet 90a on the way. if u look at most of the pics and videos of Cliff, Sergio, and faltown sliders on this site or linked to it, u can c that their setup leaves them close 2 the ground
anyway switching first to a 36" board with kicks at both ends and using smaller wheels and lower trucks has worked incredibly well 4 me
now with my board so close to the ground it is much easier 4 me to lean onto my glove when i get better, i will go back to the randals and green goonies
in the gravity flow dvd, it also looks like cliff, sergio, and other sliders are close 2 the ground
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Wheel dimension and sliding
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On 7/22/2005 Jason
wrote in from
United States
(68.40.nnn.nnn)
I noticed in Chris' post from July 11th that he mentions learning to lean over from a "higher" platform to slide position. I have been learning to slide on 73mm Gravity Sliders with RII 180's and very thin rubber risers. If I used, say, 65mm No Skoolz with the same set-up, would I find that the feel of my body over the side of the board would feel closer to the ground in general? I a few mm's seems like it would make some difference but not too much. What are your opinions?
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re panic
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On 7/22/2005
brad
wrote in from
United States
(155.229.nnn.nnn)
take the longest run that you feel comfortable with and just keep going alittle higher each run u can't be concerned with looking a little wimpy if rour first runs begin nearvthe bottom oif the hill
u will b surprised how quickly your confidence will return as u do the smaller runs leading back up the hill, do things to increase your confidence like crazy carve and slide stuff, so that u r not just making it down the hill, but feel a sense of mastery at each height on the way up
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"The Panic"
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On 7/22/2005
Pavement Studios
wrote in from
United States
(192.77.nnn.nnn)
Anyone have any psycho-analysis / advice / wisdom for the "panic" that sets in after you take a pretty good whack? I just started skating after a 15-year break and I bit it pretty hard against a parked car avoiding traffic on a downhill cruise last month in NYC, got banged up just a little... Ever since, when I start gaining speed down a hill (25mph) my stomach flips out and I'll wimp out into a footbrake or carve/slide, while the rest of my crew bombs the hill no problem. So yeah, now I've got these badass Flywheels on a sweet little ride, but no nerves to take advantage of it... Thanks, Ned
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^6-Wheeler Oops/addenda
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On 7/15/2005 PSR
wrote in from
United States
(69.161.nnn.nnn)
The last sentence of that 3rd paragraph should've read "By example, Tracker's DART is a good rear truck" ... THe Axis is more Indy-like, and I wouldn't recommend it at the rear for stability. My bad.. At least I caught it this time. ;-)
Now I know why Mr. Chaput has his own page.. I'd need a full time editor!
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