what the wheel?

[Coloradoking]

retro zig zag wheels have gone a wee bit downhill, i went through 2 packs at bola's shop trying to get 4 good ones, the first pack only had one good wheel, the second had three and a bad one, THEY NEED TO STEP THEIR GAME UP, i'm going to switch to abec gumballs when i need new wheels now, the big zigs/zig zags aren't worth the trouble.

[KingCrimson]

You've got a lame shop with seconds.

I just bought a pair for my arbor, all 4 were perfect.

Well, I did rub some paint off one "Carving" down the side of a curb. Honestly, ZigZags, even factory seconds are going to be better than anything else. What are the flaws?

[Gecko]

You've got a lame shop with seconds.

I just bought a pair for my arbor, all 4 were perfect.

Well, I did rub some paint off one "Carving" down the side of a curb. Honestly, ZigZags, even factory seconds are going to be better than anything else. What are the flaws?


not necessarily....from discussions on the Fish with people I trust and have skated with across the continent (this includes BC) there seems to have been a bad batch of Zig Zags and Big Zigs out of AEND sometime in the last year (I have a set of 70mm Pink Zigs that were wobbly until I got them broken in (slide on them a bunch and eventually they will not wobble) but in truth at my weight I shouldn't be on Pink Zigs to begin with. I've heard the same story with Lemons and Limes, 66mm, 70mm and even BZ's...

and BTW Bola's shop is anything but a "Lame Shop"

[KingCrimson]

In regards to Bola's shop, that occurred to me in another post, I think I've seen pictures of it.

Maybe I just got lucky, or I have low standards.

I'm on Pink Zigs, what do you weigh?

[Coloradoking]

well me personally, once i got a good set i was fine, riding them they do chunk a little bit easily, but my problem was just how many packs i went through trying to get a clean set, it just doesn't give the company a good track record with me, they ride okay but that kind of sloppy worksmanship doesn't look very good :AR15firin:boxing_sm

[KingCrimson]

Well, nothing beats their grip!

Hey, look at it this way, you could be running tiny little 100a skateboard wheels :)

[Coloradoking]

that is true, that wouldn't work very well on my 42" vanny :D

[KingCrimson]

Shoot, I think you're beating most people on the forum for "whoever dies with the most toys wins"

Then again, I've got the truck and I'm the heir to a John Deere 850.

[Gecko]

I'm on Pink Zigs, what do you weigh?

about 210 and I was downhilling with them...right now my dropthrough is one 81a Avila's (75mm's) and my freeride board is on Lime 66mm I also have a set of 80a Hotspots (69mm) that I use on one or the other depending on the hills.

10 boards in my skate quiver how about you?

[Coloradoking]

1 skate (42" vanny)

4 snow (153 nidecker SL (FOR SALE!!))
(170 nidecker GS)
(162 burton fish)
(162 kessler SL)

5 total, possibly a 2000 volvo XC on the way into my hands, not for a couple years though:smashfrea

[Gecko]

Oldschool Roskopp Face, Indy 159's IPS Speedbowl's
Andrew K 33" Pumper/GS board, Indy 1209's Red 66mm Zigs
Fullbag HS, GX 90mm Indyfront Chindy rear, Wheels vary depending on course
Coldwar Openheimer, Indy 169's, Earthwing Slide A's
60inch Vlam Dancer, Angel R7's, 70mm Pink Zigs
Gravity HC47, Indy 149's, 71mm Red Gators
Andrew K Dropthrough, 42*RII 180's, Blue Avila's
Gravity PS35, Ace55 trucks, OJ3's
Earthwing Supercharger, Tracker Fastracks, Fishballs (Lime powerballs)
Andrew K Topspeed, Indy 196's, 66mm Lime Zigs


The last 3 are the boards I skate the most with the Dropthough following closely

Yes I have too many boards, I'm gifting the Hyper Carve to my younger brother, I don't skate it anymore since I got my Supercharger

[KingCrimson]

Not much into skateboarding, the only 4 wheel things I like have 8 cylinders and fiberglass mufflers.

Due to downsizing, all I've got left is my Arbor Pocket Rocket.

It's not flexy, not big enough, and doesn't ride great, but I love the thing so dearly.

It's got Randalls on it right now, with Pink ZigZags as I mentioned earlier.

It carves wherever I need it to, which is probably why I like it so much, I don't even have to bother with the street, I can just ride it on the sidewalk and only worry about cars slowly backing out of driveways. It doesn't feel as satisfying after hardbooting, the g's are so great, skateboarding feels kinda weak. BUT, living in SoCal, I can do it in year round.

It also cost me next to nothing.

[jetkin]

If you're sour on big zigs, there are a couple of lesser-known alternatives worth considering:
77mm Landyachtz Hawgs (http://landyachtz.com/D26.cfm?PID=261&place=1) - I ride them on my vanguard - smoothe, grippy and centerset so you can flip them for more even wear
Earthwing 76mm Superballs (http://earthwingshop.blogspot.com/2008/01/76mm-suberballs-racing-wheels.html) - Don't own a set but I've ridden them - with a 59mm contact patch they might be the grippiest big wheel out there. They've just been released in 66mm diameter too.Oh yeah . . . fwiw both of these wheels are black and look pretty badass.

[KingCrimson]

I've ridden on some wheels 6.5cm contact patch, no clue on diameter, durometer, or brand. The only way I figured the contact patch was comparing the worn area to the diameter of my 65's.

They were ancient things, doubt they were even urethane, any guess what they might have been?

They rode fine if you like going as slowly as possible, the bearings weren't too awful, the wheels were just soft and huge.

[Gecko]

I have a set of the 66mm Earthwing Superballs on the way:1luvu:

[KingCrimson]

Those are some nice looking wheels, nothing on the duro?

[jetkin]

Those are some nice looking wheels, nothing on the duro?


I'm pretty certain the earthwings are poured in 83a.

[Gecko]

I'm pretty certain the earthwings are poured in 83a.

actually 82a but they feel more like a 79a, very plush ride...which given that I freeride downhill on 66mm wheels is nice

[KingCrimson]

I tell you what, DH is so scary on a dinky little board..I wouldn't mind a piece of chewing gum wrapped around my bearings as wheels.

[Gecko]

I tell you what, DH is so scary on a dinky little board..I wouldn't mind a piece of chewing gum wrapped around my bearings as wheels.

none of the boards I downhill on have wheelbases shorter than 31". Flex of the 3 are Soft (deep carving but slow or it gets twitchy), Med (the board I spend the most amount of downhill time on) and Stiff (when I'm right at the point of scaring the crap out of myself I use my drop through) at my weight I can make nearly any wheel stick it's getting them to drift and not chuck me that's the issue

[KingCrimson]

Well, I meant I wouldn't mind having some tiny wheels as well.

My board is really just set up for riding the more gentle places in my neighborhood. It's great for the people slalom.

[Gecko]

Well, I meant I wouldn't mind having some tiny wheels as well.

My board is really just set up for riding the more gentle places in my neighborhood. It's great for the people slalom.

My experience is that a smaller wheel seems to allow for more control when things get hairy....however they also have less grip which means one needs to be comfy drifting and such...disadvantages of course are rougher ride, slower and lastly again less grip...however if the first isn't an issue the other two are manageable by me at the moment anyway. I need to work on my tuck (to get me going faster) and drifting is FUN

[wavechaser]

Just as a follow up - any of the few minor problems I've had so far with any of my Zigs (been racing on them almost exclusively) has been taken care of no questions asked by Abec11/Retro...they even ship me the new wheel before I send them the old one, or even just let me KEEP the old one.

As an option - Seismic is pouring a new 'thane recently called Black Ops...inital word is it is very good.

mmmmmm...urethane products!

[Gecko]

Rick, if you are looking for a sticky rear wheel for hairball TS/HS you might want to check out the 66mm EarthWing Superballs...nearly as hard and fast as Lemon Zigs with lots more traction

[wavechaser]

Rick, if you are looking for a sticky rear wheel for hairball TS/HS you might want to check out the 66mm EarthWing Superballs...nearly as hard and fast as Lemon Zigs with lots more traction

Cool - I think my local shop has some of those...maybe even to demo. I've been buying wheels like crazy this spring, but what's a few more, right?

Got TWO sets of 1980 vintage NOS green UFO double radials (not the Saucer dubcons) of the bay for about $60 each set...one for the 1978 pool deck to ride - one for display. Been looking for them since about 1999!

[Coloradoking]

or you can put another truck on it for mega stickyness the back :D

[Gecko]

:eek: 6 wheelers are bad.....:ices_ange

[KingCrimson]

Colorado, if you want to do silly things with trucks, get some Randal 180's and cut them down and run a dually on the back.

[Coloradoking]

i'm debating getting a DH board and setting up double front truck setup; i've ridden one before and it was biznitchin (CENSORED!!) :ices_ange

[KingCrimson]

I've a single dually truck board switch, so that it was set up how you described. I'm surprised you liked it, I hated it.

48 inch vert lam with modified Randals, so it was riding with 8 77mm wheels was probably the best time I've had on a longboard.

Pumping was difficult, but you couldn't get any of the wheels to pick up! Unfortunately, it was a fairly irritating double pin tip deck.

The stability was fantastic. I've got some Gullwings that I'll probably cut down and run duallies on my mini cruiser in the back, and leave my Randal alone.

[Coloradoking]

i was bombing four mile canyon though (a big @$$ canyon outside of boulder); not riding it in the city :D

[Gecko]

6 wheeler DH boards, based a lot on luge setup (extra truck in front), were especially popular for extra traction before there was such a variety of good reverse kingpin trucks. Same deal with 6 wheeler slalom boards though the extra truck is in the back on a slalom board. Traction being the primary issue...they are less needed now that truck design (and set up) and especially wheel design has progressed

[wavechaser]

Many comps outlaw 6-wheelers now too - slalom Worlds last year chief among them...big flap about it last year but it has died down a bit recently.

I'm in the camp that thinks, for racing anyway, that a skateboard is defined as one deck, two trucks and four wheels...unless there is a separate 6-wheeler division and enough riders to make it interesting. :cool:

[Gecko]

I've only spent a short time on one but DH wheels like Big Zigs, 76mm Superballs, and Avila's seem to make the need for a 6 wheeler less important. Same for all the good Slalom wheels

[wavechaser]

Agreed - but I did find that one of the things 6-wheelers excel at is steep turny off-camber GS or big HY courses and/or on rough pavement. Just a lot more confidence inspiring in high-speed high-G turns when the surface is not so good. But since they're not allowed in most races the point is kind of moot.

[Coloradoking]

it's still fun as h--- to ride a board with that much stability once you break 25 mph or so; MEGA FUN!!

[KingCrimson]

I've honestly never seen that in the front before, again, I've only ridden switch on one and seen them ridden switch. Never seen one intended to be ridden "backwards"

When it comes to anything 25ish, I really do like snow better. Things get softer.

[Gecko]

I've honestly never seen that in the front before, again, I've only ridden switch on one and seen them ridden switch. Never seen one intended to be ridden "backwards"

not backwards, stable...DH boards are meant to be rode with a 70-30 weight bias to the front...slalom boards are about 65-35 to the rear. Luges have the majority of their weight at or below the axle line to extra traction on the fron helps to keep the front end from washing out (first time you ride a classic luge and you don't sit far enough forward you will understand)



When it comes to anything 25ish, I really do like snow better. Things get softer.


25mph is boring and slow try 50mph :eplus2:

[Coloradoking]

on snow; i've definately broken 60 (my team does a thing called the 'speed drill' i'm sure you can guess what it is) on a board i'm a little afraid to make any board go above 40 or so; pavement isn't very forgiving like snow.

[Gecko]

pavement isn't very forgiving like snow.

yes but it's soo much easier to hold a line on a skate board at speed than it is on snow...plus theres the fact that leathers are a requirement at speed on a skateboard

[Skully]

Agreed - but I did find that one of the things 6-wheelers excel at is steep turny off-camber GS or big HY courses and/or on rough pavement. Just a lot more confidence inspiring in high-speed high-G turns when the surface is not so good. But since they're not allowed in most races the point is kind of moot.

Since I spend a lot more time skating for fun, than racing, I said screw the ISSA / race organizers and built a schwheeler anyway. I wanted to see how the additional traction would feel. I figgered I could spend more tha $100 to get a precision / traction rear truck, Or I could spend $17 on another RTS, and drill a some holes... Gotta say it's one of my favorite boards to tool around on...

[Gecko]

Hey Skully, what's your wheel wear like on the schwheeler? specificly the rear wheels? I only ask because I burn through Limes like PBR at a highschool party if/when I try to Slalom with them. Nice Quiver BTW I don't dodge cones enough to justify more than a HS board and a stack of Cones...Downhill/freeriding is another matter:eplus2:

[Skully]

Hey Skully, what's your wheel wear like on the schwheeler? specificly the rear wheels? I only ask because I burn through Limes like PBR at a highschool party if/when I try to Slalom with them. Nice Quiver BTW I don't dodge cones enough to justify more than a HS board and a stack of Cones...Downhill/freeriding is another matter:eplus2:

Wheel wear on the schwheeler is not bad at all, but I think you're a bigger boy than me, that may be why the limes hold up OK for me. Plus I've got multiple cone-knocking-down boards, so I put less miles on each one. I could easly run lemons on the back without any traction loss, but I don't have a pair of harder 75/76mm wheels to run on the front if I run 4 lemons on the back. (I guess I could run a pair of limes on the front, just to confuse people....) I use the schwheeler more for cruising / carving / pretending to GS than acutal GS with cones though, so that could make a difference in wheel wear also. Plus, there's twice the contact patch on the back, so they should wear half as fast....

Believe it or not, the only things I purchased new in that photo were the top two decks, and a RTS/X pair. Everthing else except for hardware / risers etc. was acquire used / traded / finagled / purchased at a huge discount, and the top deck was purchased from a local builder / friend, so it was very affordable.

The middle / hybrid board is currently set up for my 7yo to ride with the softest bushings possible, but it could easily be a cone-knocking-down-quiver-killer if needed.

[Gecko]

well I'm about 200lbs but I can cone out a set of limes in an hour of slalom skating. I do have a Chindy so I'm sure that helps I roll on Lemons and Oranges or green and yellow Hotspots...I still want to add a set of the new PPS's and maybe a set of the new thaned Hotspots to my wheelquiver

[KingCrimson]

Found something cool here-

http://www.veteranskateboards.com/Skate-Boards

Scroll down, it's the 8 wheeled beast!

[willywhit]

Found something cool here-

http://www.veteranskateboards.com/Skate-Boards

Scroll down, it's the 8 wheeled beast!

good link, tedley.

http://toftdesigns.com/gallery_past/movies/Lonnie_FreeRideSpecial.wmv


http://toftdesigns.com/gallery_past/toft1.html

http://toftdesigns.com/gallery_past/simsads.html

new 'thane ?
http://www.slalomskateboarder.com/