1st longboard

[Louis]

Hi guys, i've been snowboarding for 10 years or so (carving about 6-7 years)

I want to take the fun on the streets, i never owned a skateboard.. So im unsure about it.. what would you recommend me ?

I want something fun that can move me around town basically..

Thx.

[kever]

I've had 6 or so of my friends get into longboarding since I started. Most of them who have never skateboarded before have found it easier to start on a dropped deck (ex: landyachtz evo) or dropthrough deck (ex: insect lightning bug). Have you skated before? you said you've never owned a board, but have you used one? My personal favorite is my Insect Lightning Bug. It's good for going really fast, pushing around town, and carving up hills. It's not too heavy, and you can choose how stiff you want it because they are made to order.
If you do get into it, don't be surprised if you start getting more boards. There are SO many different styles for different things. I started off with 1 and somehow now have 9.
So, yes you should try it. Look at the Lightning Bug if you don't mind spending a bit more, or if you're in the states, check out Mile High Skates online and email Mark the owner and he would probably be able to set you up with something for a good price that would suit you.

[Louis]

yup i never rided a skateboard, i did try but nothing else !

I've searched for you deck it seems that you need to buy the trucks and wheel separatly..

I know bomber sells Loaded boards, are they anygood for begginers ?

[Gecko]

nothing wrong with Loaded boards well other than the cost...but you get what you pay for and in the case of Loaded boards you are getting a well made board with good parts/hardware. As was stated above Mile High Mark is a good source for info and equipment....his nickname is "the board whisperer" and its a title that is well earned. There are also a number of skate geeks here you can ask about things

[paragonUE]

you want a real screamer go with a sector nine, something longer out of the platinum series ought to treat ya well, ive got a bombhills myself, not all that great for tight turns, but uber stable at high speeds:biggthump

[bobdea]

uh ohhhhhh, I think you may have just upset the internet skate gods.

sector 9 is to allot of people as to what burton is to allot of people here.

[kever]

I think the burton comparison is pretty good. I've only ridden 2 S9 boards, but there are so many better boards out there. I didn't like either of the 2 I rode at all. Not even a little.

[Gecko]

Burton=S9 is pretty good except that Burton never had to be shamed into using/building/buying good bindings like S9 did with trucks...Gulwing Alpines are the worst wide truck ever made...Chargers are a Giant step towards legitimacy for S9. S9 boards are pressed at a very high quality shop so there is NOTHING wrong with their decks

[xxguitarist]

Some of S9s boards do nothing at all for me, others aren't bad.
I used to have a trylam, nice enough board- could use a little more nose width & concave. The bomb hills is also a very nice board. Cosmic II and similar just feel awful underfoot to me. The bamboo boards are nice enough, but some have an awkward W concave that bothers me especially while pushing/ braking. The completes are even improving, with the new chargers. They also even have a few solidly *good* wheels now (especially GOS)

[Pow]

In regards to S9s: The sidewinder series is fun on mid-flatter conditions, and i liked the smaller cosmic, very snappy flex. I also liked the flex from the bamboo series, but would agree the W concave feels strange. I hate the gullwing alpine trucks. The bomb hills is great for speed. Arbors have no flex, and no wheel wells. Theyre beautiful, with very nice (usefull) shapes, but there are definately kinks they need to work out. Neversummer boards are very nice, the one i tried was way too huge for anything but crazy speed, but from what i got out of it the smaller models must rock like mad. As for burton vs S9, id say its a good comparison, except its more like comparing them around '00 when they still had good alpine stuff, good freeride stuff, and good freestyle stuff.


As for never owning a skateboard: you'll find longboards are more different than they are simmilar to skateboards. Most skateboarders who have tried longboarding can't get the hang of the way they turn, and most longboarders who have tried skateboarding can't get used to how slow they roll (from my personal experience anyway).


A lot of alpine snowboarding carries over to longboarding. A lot. There are a few differences though: first, look down the fall line longboarding unless youre in a huge parking lot or risk getting hit by oncoming traffic. second, don't try cross throughs like its your alpine board. you'll skid out (wheels dont give the same grip as your edge). Dont extend over the board as much or else your board and your body go opposite directions. You'll learn in a few runs, then youll be pretty much set.

[Gecko]

A lot of alpine snowboarding carries over to longboarding. A lot. There are a few differences though: first, look down the fall line longboarding unless youre in a huge parking lot or risk getting hit by oncoming traffic. second, don't try cross throughs like its your alpine board. you'll skid out (wheels dont give the same grip as your edge). Dont extend over the board as much or else your board and your body go opposite directions. You'll learn in a few runs, then youll be pretty much set.

Fall line skating is pretty much the only option for downhill type skating, even in garage sessions but you second point isn't always true. This really depends on your board and wheels and where you are skating....pools and transition cross through type turning is pretty common (like carving roundwall). Same thing with slalom and pumping in general using soft lipped wheels (Retros, Seismic, Manx & Bennetts) allows for off fall line skating and much more extension than more normal skateboards and wheels. Then there are Revenge trucks (and Originals)......I truely don't have enough time on them to really make an honest comparison to other trucks but they are very turney and provide a different feeling than anything else.

[Pow]

The revenge trucks i tried were tightened wayy too tight and actually werent turny at all. I knew it was all wrong, but the owner insisted thats how its supposed to be.

[Gecko]

Revenges do need to be tuned to rider weight but I've not riden a too tight truck just a tad loose one (and that's saying something for me). They feel great on big boards, carving them takes on a whole new feeling.

[paragonUE]

ive got a bomb hills with randal RII 180's, its ridiculously stable, ive ridden a couple bamboo series boards, the flex is nice, but the W concave is irritating at best, i like pow's arbor blunt for cruising, but at downhill speeds, its shaky if your not used to it, and very scary for an inexperienced rider. as for the S9 nose rider, great dancing board, cant go wrong.

S9 has alot of exposure in california, where the longboarding scene is really big, because they spend alot of time in the community, with their riders, pushing their products and so forth. that success carries over here, only its less personal because they are so far away

[wavechaser]

...don't try cross throughs like its your alpine board. you'll skid out (wheels dont give the same grip as your edge).

I disagree in part - my wheels give a lot more grip than my snowboard edge at times...depends on the surface/wheel combo, and the speed. :cool:

[Gecko]

I disagree in part - my wheels give a lot more grip than my snowboard edge at times...depends on the surface/wheel combo, and the speed. :cool:

this sounds like the admission of someone who has highsided :lol: mind you I have had similar issues hook-up when I wanted drift especially at speed

[bobdea]

hahahahaha, right there with you guys the first time I did this I was on my first bomb session on a new set of wheels, went into a big skid and then the damn things caught HARD. it felt soooooooooo good 'till I got launched.

[Gecko]

I went out skating with Sofaking/Brian Peck (young speedfreak and slalom geek) Wednesday on a local hill. He got bored with lots of traction (lime BigZigs) and threw on a set of blue Krypto's so he could drift his speedboard. Mind you I'm talking 30mph slides and such but after watching him for a bit I was convinced that I needed to at least try so i now have a set of Blue Krypto's on the way to practice sliding my speedboard....

[photodad2001]

Get a Barfoot or a G&S.

http://www.barfoot.com/skateboards/index.html?cart=1201045011214369

http://www.fibreflexskate.com/whyfibreflex.htm

[stewart Hodgins]

i just made mine and it works fine i even got a deal on truckes and stuff

[Art]

Got me one of these a while back. Fun ride at a decent price (145 or so)

[Surf-Rodz]

Hi Louis,
Buy a quality deck and equipping it with the best components.....

Check out some longboard sites for reviews etc.
http://www.silverfishlongboarding.com
http://www.skurfboards.com
http://www.skurfboards.com/how-to-longboard-skateboard-entire-guide


SZ Shameless plug_
Body proportion deck and carving skate trucks....

SURF-RODZ
http://web.mac.com/surfrodz/Site/SZ.html

Wayne

Wayne Gallipoli
Surf-Rodz, LLC
http://www.surf-rodz.com
wayne@surf-rodz.com

Product Preview_
http://web.mac.com/surfrodz

[Gecko]

Shamelessly showing off my latest board (another of xxguitarist's masterpieces)...of course the weather seems to be plotting to prevent me from having any fun with it:angryfire

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k271/aikigecko/boards-005.jpg
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k271/aikigecko/boards-007.jpg
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k271/aikigecko/boards-008.jpg
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k271/aikigecko/boards-009.jpg

[wavechaser]

Nice board - how do you like the gators?

I'm getting, that's right, a Gecko deck...in a couple weeks!

-R

[Gecko]

Gator's, I've been downhilling on these wheels all winter because I don't like the way my Avila's feel below freezing. The "Thane" feels like something in between Retro and Seismic. The only time I felt the wheels were holding me back was against the wind on a coasting type hill I could feel and see people on big zigs pull away from me. But on steep turny stuff they were equal to the task of staying with the bigzigs.
Gecko huh? you buying one of Martin's foam decks? they look gorgeous but I don't slalom enough to warrant anything more than maybe a JITT Fullbag to assist my tight slalom...I may also pick up a Comet Crystal Chalice from the factory this summer that board just speaks to me

[wavechaser]

Gator's, I've been downhilling on these wheels all winter because I don't like the way my Avila's feel below freezing. The "Thane" feels like something in between Retro and Seismic. The only time I felt the wheels were holding me back was against the wind on a coasting type hill I could feel and see people on big zigs pull away from me. But on steep turny stuff they were equal to the task of staying with the bigzigs.
Gecko huh? you buying one of Martin's foam decks? they look gorgeous but I don't slalom enough to warrant anything more than maybe a JITT Fullbag to assist my tight slalom...I may also pick up a Comet Crystal Chalice from the factory this summer that board just speaks to me

Thanks for the Gator report...they are not getting great reviews for their top-end speed so far - fits what you experienced.

I'm probably getting a FB JITT TS too (don't discount this board!), and the new Red Baron HS. The Gecko is just every feature I've wanted in a slalom deck, all in one. Pricey but still WAY less than a nice racing snowboard!

Have you seen the PPS pre-coned wheels?

[Gecko]

yeah I was thinking about getting a set of the PPS's and a set of Chaput's wheels

[wavechaser]

yeah I was thinking about getting a set of the PPS's and a set of Chaput's wheels

Can't go wrong with either.

I'm torn between the FB Speed Carver and a Landy Evo for a longboard this summer. I don't want a full-on DH race stick, and I don't want a Kebbek shape. Have you ridden either/both?

Probably run it with Tracker Fastracks and Seismic Blast Waves,

[Gecko]

I don't like the Evo, concave is similar to Kebbek, I've rolled a bit on the Speed Carver, the board is nice I didn't care set up but like all Fullbags the board is nice. Though I would buy a Speed Cruizer if you aren't looking for a race board. Raynes are another choice Hellcats and Avenger's are very nice. I like my Fastracks they turn DEEP, I haven't ever rolled on Blastwaves but if they are anything like the rest of the Seismic wheels they should be fine. 2 other choices are Madrid and Comet speedboards

[Pow]

of course the weather seems to be plotting to prevent me from having any fun with it:angryfire

I know, right? what'll you ever do with snow on the ground:lol:

[Gecko]

you must have missed the post where I lamented that replacing my furnace has bankrupted my snowboarding funds:(:(:( that said I'll still be visiting my local ski hill for a few hours tomorrow:eplus2:

[Skully]

Drool.....

So 93/4" X 40".... What's the wheelbase? What's the concave like? Have you ridden it yet?

You've given me the speedboard bug, and posting porn like this isn't helping at all!


Shamelessly showing off my latest board (another of xxguitarist's masterpieces)...of course the weather seems to be plotting to prevent me from having any fun with it:angryfire

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k271/aikigecko/boards-008.jpg

[Gecko]

Set up as it is it's a very nice garage speed and carving board, I'm awaiting a set of Venom Stim bushings to make is a bit better at higher speeds. Indy's aren't a limiting factor but they do require some differenced from a more traditional DH setup. Wheelbase is 31.5" but because I'm using Indy's the perceived wheelbase is more like 32.5" of a randal style truck. The concave is deep, I asked Andrew to make a deeper concave from the drop through he made me last fall. he did and it's great. I set my front foot and it's locked in. Only one day on it so far it, snowed here and a different kind of turn called out to me. As I said above, I have a dropthough speedboard which even with turny trucks (at present Fastracks) is stable as all get out, so my goal with this board was for a light agile board to run tighter technical courses/paths/roads. That said this board is nearly as low as my drop through, the only reverse kingpin truck I would use on this would be Kahalani's because I like this lowness it brings a stablity completely different but just as comfortable as a dropthrough

[Skully]

Haven't ridden it yet...
I've never really done any speed boarding (Unless butt-boarding in the 80's counts) so I have no idea what to expect. I'm a whimp, so I'll probably never go really fast on it, but it will be fun trying...
http://i31.tinypic.com/2ytp6o5.jpg
http://i31.tinypic.com/2u7a7up.jpg

[Gecko]

maple hellcat, very nice. Might I recomend building a set of slide gloves, there are of great use when learning to ride at speed

[Skully]

Might I recomend building a set of slide gloves, there are of great use when learning to ride at speed

Already got 'em. I'v been using them for quite a while now, when dodging (running into) cones, and any other time I think they might come in handy.

[paragonUE]

i want a rayne demonseed sooo bad, wicked expensive boards though

[Skully]

i want a rayne demonseed sooo bad, wicked expensive boards though

That's why I got mine used, otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to afford it....

[Gecko]

i want a rayne demonseed sooo bad, wicked expensive boards though

The Demonseed is a nice board but HUGE (too big for my 6'1" frame)...since you are in upstate new york you might want to check out Comet skateboards, they are building boards in Ithaca these days and you could likely pick up a speed board from them for a decent price

[tenorman]

I went out skating with Sofaking/Brian Peck (young speedfreak and slalom geek) Wednesday on a local hill. He got bored with lots of traction (lime BigZigs) and threw on a set of blue Krypto's so he could drift his speedboard. Mind you I'm talking 30mph slides and such but after watching him for a bit I was convinced that I needed to at least try so i now have a set of Blue Krypto's on the way to practice sliding my speedboard....

hi Gecko

i just stumbled back on this site (after about a 10 year absence) looking for info on silberfeils. is this the same BRIAN PECK who goes to school at SFU in burnaby? if so, does he hardboot snowboard also? i was trying to avoid him and his roomie malcolm until the snow melted. i refuse to waste time skateboarding when there is still good snow waiting to be carved.

[Gecko]

not sure...this Brian Peck is 18, doesn't snowboard, used to live in west hartford, skates slalom, slide and especially downhill uses the name Sofa King on Silverfish. However he recently moved to Vancouver for the winter, he's coming back to Ct for the summer and then probably a permanent move to Canukistan. He's fun to skate with especially downhill, I always learn when I skate with him and I've been skating for 35 years.

[tenorman]

not sure...this Brian Peck is 18, doesn't snowboard, used to live in west hartford, skates slalom, slide and especially downhill uses the name Sofa King on Silverfish. However he recently moved to Vancouver for the winter, he's coming back to Ct for the summer and then probably a permanent move to Canukistan. He's fun to skate with especially downhill, I always learn when I skate with him and I've been skating for 35 years.


hi Gecko

phoned malcolm and he confirmed it's the same brian peck from connecticut. guess we'll have to drag brian out skating with us this tuesday night. i better eat my wheaties beforehand as i already have enough trouble keeping up with 20 year old malcolm on his skateboard--brian will be tougher as he's only 18 (i just realize i'm skating with guys about a third my age--suddenly i feel very old.)

i got sidetracked by the name brian peck. my original reason for posting was that you shouldn't let the long wheelbase of the demonseed dissuade you. the flex of a demonseed allows the trucks to steepen/quicken and hence turn more like a shorter board than the much stiffer landyachtz evo (mentioned in the second post of this thread.) i've always thought of landyachtz evos as the f2 speedsters (short lengths with long sidecuts) and rayne demonseeds as prior wcrs (long lengths with small sidecuts) of the skateboard world. since you wouldn't hesitate to ride a longer than normal prior neither should you balk at the extra length of a demonseed.

before i inadvertently hijack this thread, the person who started this thread (LOUIS) wanted to use his board mainly for commuting so i think his choice of skateboard would be dictated mostly by his daily route. i happen to own both the evo and the demonseed and prefer the evo when my route is fairly straight with long drawn out turns while i always take the demonseed when skating very turny and twisty roads.

good call on the slider gloves--i even wear a cutting board on my left (regular footed) butt cheek. for similar reasons i glue a piece of ballistic nylon to the left butt cheek of my snowboard pants and completely cover the palms of my snowboard gloves with duct tape. i also found that wearing a rear view mirror on my helmet (skating not snowboarding) allows me to bust out high speed power slides (even in heavy traffic.) if you can ignore all the other skaters who laugh at your gear you will reap many safety benefits as well as save lots of money on shoes as i rarely need to footbrake.

hope this info helps louis choose to take up skateboard commuting.

[Gecko]

skating with the youngins is fun (they are only half my age) and feeding off their energy is good for the soul. My big issue with the Demonseed is I can't get my stance long enough to drive it....I found myself walking forward and back on it. Other than that though I love Rayne's they have the best feeling concave of the speedboards I've tried. Never much was an Evo fan...not sure if it's the concave or the wedging or both...though in truth I really prefer top mounts and drop thoughs to drop boards. I am just getting to the big slide point...I use a Rogers Bros sole on my right shoe for braking right now.

[Erik J]

I came home this past Thurs. to find a Sector 9 box in my house - apparently my brother sent me a longboard. It's my first. I just spent the morning making turns in front of my house. I think I'm in love.

[Gecko]

apparently my brother sent me a longboard

:biggthumpNow that's a brother:biggthump

[Erik J]

I took 6 runs on a mellow road in front of my house, then felt a craving for more steepness and speed. I have a brand new street that's closed at both ends about 3 miles from where I live. It might be a luxury develpoment one day but for now it's miles of smooth new road surrounded by nothing but grass - blocked off at both ends from traffic. One section of hill is over a mile of winding blacktop with a great runout at the end. Dear god this is fun stuff. Since it was my first day I went overboard with full motorcycle gear, body armor, wristguards, helmet etc. I was ready to crash. And what a great workout - ride down at idiotic speeds, then run back up the hill for more. fun fun fun fun fun fun

[Coloradoking]

i'm rolling on a loaded vanguard flex 1 (i weigh about 170 lbs) so its a little off my weight but when i start doin 25 or so it gets super responsive, definately a board for a more experienced rider (it isnt very forgiving)

[Gecko]

25mph is pretty much the top end for Vanny so even if you are 5 pounds light for the boards build at that speed the stiffness is helping you

[Gecko]

OK I take back every bad thing I have ever said about Soft carving boards in general and Loaded's in particular. That said I'm still not likely to own a Vanguard/Dervish but that has more to do with the double pin shape (I'm dyslectic, I need a nose and tail) and not the genre. I recently (Tuesday) picked up an Earthwing Supercharger (think of it as a shorter WB Vanny with a kicktail) and I now get it. This board was purchased with the intent on long distance pushing/commuting (I skated home 18-20 miles Wednesday afternoon) but it's the pumping and carving that have changed my view. I've spent the last year on stiff speedboards pitching myself down hills that are...well....lets just say I've gone faster than my age in MPH nearly every every time I skate. Now I am getting joy out of carving hills that I used to hold my tuck to get past.

[Pow]

my girlfriend wants a double kingpin (s9 sidewinders). I'm pretty jealous, because they seem like really great carving trucks when ive tried them out in the store. Anybody else try them? she wants the longest board (38) they make with these trucks (the sandwedge). I might have to steal it from her over the summer if she does get one:eplus2:

[paragonUE]

you sure she wont want a shorter board mang? shes like, all tiny and stuff

[Gecko]

I've ridden Sidewinders...they are tall and feel wishy washy to me...too much of a feeling like the front end is going away in a hard carve...the new Gullwing Chargers are a better truck and feel more precise

BTW photos of my new board:D

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k271/aikigecko/storage/Vlam-005.jpg
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k271/aikigecko/storage/Vlam-010.jpg

[Pow]

Garecht: 38 is short, our boards are in the 45 range

[paragonUE]

mines 46, just saying, that for such a turny board, its relatively large

[wavechaser]

...Now I am getting joy out of carving hills that I used to hold my tuck to get past.

Sure sign of slalom-itis...better get that looked at!

[wavechaser]

I've ridden Sidewinders...they are tall and feel wishy washy to me...too much of a feeling like the front end is going away in a hard carve...the new Gullwing Chargers are a better truck and feel more precise

BTW photos of my new board:D

What wheels are those - they look like the green UFO's that have been on ebay recently, but I know they are bigger...

[Gecko]

What wheels are those - they look like the green UFO's that have been on ebay recently, but I know they are bigger...

Those are Fishballs AKA Lime Zig thane poured Powerballs instead of PINK Very nice wheels on most surfaces...great garage wheel

[Coloradoking]

i'm gettin a new Roe racing bottle rocket soon; it's a countdown for cash :(

[Chubz]

Gecko

Here is a board I built for JBS. He is suppose to test ride it this week. A heavy bite off the hellcat shape, but I just love that shape and had it in mind even before I saw a hellcat. The pic makes it look fat but it is 42.5 by 9.5 tapered.

Built another just like except perpendicular grain for a guy I work with. Test rode it to 40+ and was super stable. I will try and get pics of the bamboo/maple board, same shape I had out two weeks ago at 46 MPH. I little too stiff from the bamboo. wobbled slightly at that speed but it was my first big run for the season and after 3 hours of rock climbing.

Concepting some other builds currently. Also looking to pickup a second set of wheels and trucks. Might check out the black ops or go with the speed vents. Can only afford Randalls right now. Maybe precision next season.

[Gecko]

Nice looking board...stiff boards have their uses, I actually prefer to go fast on a stiff board as it allows me more control. Though softer boards eliminate road noise which I have recently discovered allows the use of smaller harder faster wheels which makes for a more fun freeride type board.