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| Completes (3862 Posts)
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Review |
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yet more crap redux
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On 4/22/2008
PaulW
wrote in from
United Kingdom
(80.254.nnn.nnn)
The youth riding flatspotted bearing condoms at the local park is probably half the weight of you and I and knows every kink and pump of the terrain he's riding!
That's not to devalue his contribution to this thread, of course...
If I had to rescue one board from the housefire it'd be the HH2, old 169s and 78a NoSkoolz. It's a go-anywhere, ride anything board.
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all seasons set up
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On 12/17/2007
Bas de Vries
wrote in from
Netherlands
(81.175.nnn.nnn)
Hello people,
I would like to know whether you know completes (especially trucks, wheels, etc)
are available as rain/water resistant set ups.
I am going to use my board on levelled pavements in the Netherlands.
Hope you can help me
Kind regards,
Bas de Vries
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yet more crap
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On 11/30/2007
Glenn
wrote in from
United Kingdom
(81.149.nnn.nnn)
small hard wheels slow?, I have real trouble working out where the sweet spot is. Sure, I see kids at my local park ripping on coned, flatspotted 50mm wheels and am sometimes amazed by the speed. My own kid rides 56mm rictas and these seem just as fast as his old 60mm skaterbuilts, at least they are on smooth crete and wood. I have just moved down to 59mm rainskates and they don't seem any slower than the BDS dubcons on my old park board.
As for length, I have a 33" pocket pistol with a 16" wheelbase, I still get asked occasionally "is that a longboard" where I have to point out that it's only 1.5" longer than a standard issue street deck...
Someone mentioned about that one perfect board and it's true, an old skater with a quiver will never be satisfied. I do however know which TWO boards i'd rescue from a fire and be relatively happy to be limited to. The park board I mentioned above and my slalom board (Pavel/Splitfire/ZigZags). The quaility of the setup, it's pumpabilty and speed make it out cruise any of my longboards. Maybe wouldn't use it to bomb hills but then, I wouldn't bomb hills anyway :-)
The really cool thing is that these two boards 'clip together', the wheels of the park board just about fit (with a little deck flex) between the wheels on the slalom board. Fits great in the trunk :-)
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More crap, revisited
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On 11/5/2007 PSR
wrote in from
United States
(75.68.nnn.nnn)
Thanks Steve, as I did come down heavy on the side of Longboards; Because the Generic Alternative tends towards suckage... My rant was simply to meant awaken the disparrity between Hype and what's out there. I would've filled in all the shades of grey, but it would confuse a novice... ;-)
I'm seeing Progression in Longboards that does encourage FLOW, and for so many, long years, it's been the opposite in NewSchoolLand, but even with the focus on tech flips, the kids (better ones anyway) have been pushing for more speed. flow, combinations. It's discouraging at times, because the end result is apparent (though FAR from makeable!) to an Oldschooler like myself. Still, a good 18 years ago, a guy I used to skate with (along Akeena Pickett and Ian Spiro), Chris Yetz, he said that it's All a cyclical progression, where the 'new trick, gets figured, goes Bigger, gets faster/and/or combined, becomes 'the Standard', whereupon the Next Level occurs, and it starts back up again. You could SEE this thru the late 70's well into the mid-90's, then it just, um, paused, got stagnant, didn't go as big, or get much more than some polish and shine.... I DO BLAME the HYPE Machine for this, but a neat thing occurred concurrently; Old School and Longboarding filled in the void. If you look at the "Yetz" progression model as a Pendulum, the pendulum got too stagnant, but got a big Kick In the Ass from some old farts (and dudes like Brad Edwards!), and got to swinging the Other Way. Suddenly, Skating is Alive with OPTIONS again, has flow, speed, and a HUGE reservoir of tricks, some older than the practitioners age, doubled. The result has been a new awareness, and a gain in skaters willing to express themselves with the use of some speed and flow. Not that I'm against tricks, I'm not; but balance has SO MANY possible outcomes, why LIMIT YOURSELF?! I'll never know why the limitations became popular, even if it's explained to me; My Era had no such baggage; We skated until the Lawyers pushed us ouytof the skateparks and onto the streets, which is, after all, where we started, so just avoid the Cops, and you're good-to-go. Popularity is for those who slowed down long enough to be caught on camera (which, btw, is incriminating evidence, so do this Rarely). BTW, a good friend, a Mr. Brogdale, stopped by this weekend, and wanted to know If I had any use for his Downhilling board: I told him to keep it, but offerred more reasonable all-around 65mm wheels for it. The board he did 58 mph on is an old Santa Cruz Roskopp II with Motobuilts and DirtClods on it. Versatility is in the mind of the skater...
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big5
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On 11/5/2007 hc
wrote in from
United States
(71.198.nnn.nnn)
visited my local big5 recently,
(big5 is a west coast sporting goods chain)
seems like they have more longboards in stock (lower quality/price)
saw a carver complete with CX front for around $90...
hey PSR, I looked at the 'city crusher' on SOH
didn't see any wedge/dewedge action going on...
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long vs short bro
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On 11/5/2007
Steve C.
wrote in from
United States
(72.55.nnn.nnn)
OK but your last post made it sound like a long vs. short thing. There are certainly guys who ride fast on small set ups and I have seen guys riding 58 to 59 mm on vert and killing it. I had a friend who was in Virginia Beach last week and Lincoln was there. He gave him a set of wheels he was riding, 59 mm! And he was riding these and going double overhead. You can go big on wheels less than 60 mm, and fast. I understand where you are coming from it just seems like the last post was more about board legnth and less about the overall set up. It rules that there are so many choices out there, it just bums me out to hear stuff that rags on what people ride. Like you said, that was just your opinion and I am just throwing in what I see. I see a few people riding what would be considered a long board in pools and parks. Hell GI Joe rips it on his 44 pin tail in the park. And I also see guys ripping on the kinds of set ups you talk about, with "small" wheels. And they go fast. Maybe not as fast as someone on a DH setup bombing a hill, but still fast. I say ride whatever you want. The bottom line is fun. If people go "slow" and are having fun then they are ruling! And vice versa.
And most kids just buy crap from the shop, I agree totally. I went to a shop here locally and the widest board they had was 8.25, 14 inch wheel base. It is definately pretty limited in that respect. But it is getting better. I was lucky in the 90s living near portland. Man, Cal Skate had the sheet back in the day, you could get all sorts of stuff. That for sure was not the norm. But skate what you want and have fun. That's the bottom line.
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Crap, long + short
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On 11/5/2007 PSR
wrote in from
United States
(75.68.nnn.nnn)
Ah, no Steve, not so much 'short Vs. long' for speed (after all, you can put 52mm wheels on a Longboard), but rather the mentality (and, ahem, wheel choice) that make Going Fast doable. Length in boards has usually brought out higher speeds in skaters. More stability, better 'workable' space for the feet, and then, usually, bigger wheels. Granted, riders like Danny Way haven't seemed to need or want more wheelbase to go for Big Air, and Rune certainly dosen't skate Slow. But they're on wheels bigger than 58mm, too. My rider for pools is a Vision Vex, 32-1/2" short, but has a 17-1/2" wheelbase, with the Smallest wheel (Alva's now 56mm, were 63mm once,long ago) being Tiny compared with other wheels I ride. But, my 36" Barfoot (with it's 'small wheel',64mm Kryptonic Reaktor) is quite at home on ramps, pools, bowls, or cruising fast, so, I ride it more. Nope, it dosen't like tech kickflips (neither do my ankles anymore) very gracefully. Big wheels, big board, wide trucks, all add up to a definitave lack in ollie agility. But, I get to the coping when I choose, not just when I first drop in...
It's shades of Grey, and one very cool thing in Skateboarding has been the interchangability of parts; This can lead to some quirky set-ups (IE Randals on a 16" wheelbase 'retro-mini-cruiser'?), but it allows skaters to blend physical attributes of different 'styles' into their ride. I kinda miss having that 'one' good do-everything board (though I've got a few versatile boards in the quiver) that seemed to be way I often skated in the day. It's a hassle to be midway down mountainside run and feel like I should've been using some other board or truck or wheel, but that's all an internal headgame; Just skate what you're on. Maybe learn a little, change this or that for the next session. However, you gotta be Aware that there ARE Differences!!
Have You seen any hype on what wheels are being used at an X-Games Ramp contest? Are these guys using the fastest, or the most familiar wheel? Do the kids know the difference (beyond graphics) between a 60mm bowl wheel, 57mm ramp wheel, and bearing covers (50mm and smaller)? Or, they did get sold the Hype at the Skateshop? Or worse, did they buy that 'longboard' from Olympic?
Again, these are the pros/cons IMHO, and this is not the position nor veiwpoint of this website...
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Short boards
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On 11/4/2007
Steve C.
wrote in from
United States
(72.55.nnn.nnn)
Yeah I guess guys like Rune can't get the coping in a big bowl on their shortboard. And they ride slow. Just more stupid "short boards suck" crap. Get over it. Guys rip on "shortboards." Are you telling me most people are riding longboards in bowls? NO! Wrong answer. And where does the line lie between long and short? 36 inches? Well that being said then people jumping the 70 foot mega ramp gap ride short boards, but they can't go fast?
This is total crap!
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Yikes...
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On 11/4/2007 PSR
wrote in from
United States
(75.68.nnn.nnn)
OMG, I'm looking through SOH skates, and there's a (Gasp!) SECTOR 9 with the wedges on DIRECTIONALLY, IE, the Slalom/DH riders have mounted the trucks for generations! EEK. Can the "world comes to an END, + the RED SOX Win Again" Prophecy be far away?
Not if this is part of the last pages in the Good Book! ;-)
Congrats to Sector Nine for seeing the light! Yes the back truck still TURNS, but to a LESSER degree than the front. Been skating that-a-way for 35 years, glad you figured it out. Oh, btw, this was on the 'city crusher' model (and it isn't even big enuff to hop over taxicabs?).
Freakier yet, I was in an 'Olympics' chain "sports store" (Hey, lookin' for BOSOX W.C. shirts!), and they had 3 'mini-longboards', something close to an Indiana Slalom from, oh, 8 years ago, but complete with Manx-copied wheels and almost decent trucks (still Chinese crap, but Nice crap) for $110 complete. Someone at WorldWideDominationEnterprises smells money in slalom-ish boards. I gotta go back and re-read Revelations, and see if this is listed under the 'Merchants Gnashing their Teeth' section...
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Long and short of it
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On 10/6/2007 Pre-School Rider
wrote in from
United States
(75.68.nnn.nnn)
Breaking it down into pros+cons:
Longboards; Pros; Length, stability, speed, variety of shapes, variety of constructions, variety of sizes, Cruising, Carving, Bombing hills, Pools/Bowls, Furniture Mover, Racing cars down steep switchback hills, Bigger Ollies(models with kicktails), can ride 'doubles' w/another person, Shootin' the duck, Skogging, Buttboarding, Parking Garages at midnite, Slides at Speed, Chick Magnet (I'm married, so, I don't need this), Girls Ride Too!, Quiet riding with soft + big wheels,Burlier Shuvits, more room for cool stickers, Barefoot riding, Hanging 5 or 10, Manuals that go on + on,,Snowboarding cross-trainer, higher speed transportation(especially if "catch the Bus" like JG used to), mosh-pit shield.
Cons: not very kickflippable, heavier, some have NO kicktail, some have no Nosekick, fitting into your subcompact's trunk (or locker), Large enough to draw attention from passing cops (even when not being ridden), price on some.
Shortboards; Pros; Kickflips, Ollies, quick grinds, blunts, disposable, lightweight(usually).
Cons: Wobbles at speed, hard to slide at speed, noisy little pebble-catching wheels, no carving, wheel-rub when trying to turn, same shape + materials, SLOW, no coping in big bowls, gets out snaked in parks by OldSchool riders who have speed, can't easily change wheels, stiff truck bushings, rough ride quality, being out-run on the sidewalk by lil' tykes on Big Wheels, SLOWER the Molasses in winter running uphill, less fun to ride than what we had in '74.
Granted, these are the pros/cons IMHO, and this is not the position nor veiwpoint of this website... ;-)
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Longer is better
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On 10/6/2007
Dave H.
wrote in from
United States
(24.13.nnn.nnn)
Shorter is good for tricks, vert, pools, and the X Games. Long is good for carving, street surfing, commuting. Just depends on what you want to do with it. Longer boards are also more comfortable to ride, owing to the larger, softer wheels.
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What is better
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On 10/3/2007
Dalton
wrote in from
United States
(204.49.nnn.nnn)
ok so i have question, what board is better, a long skateboard or a regular skateboard?
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New Kongborader
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On 9/28/2007
Jacob Marshall
wrote in from
United States
(192.234.nnn.nnn)
I'm a new long boarder and I was wondering what is the best type of long board that I could get for the roads in Alaska.
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Cop Out
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On 9/15/2007 PSR
wrote in from
United States
(75.69.nnn.nnn)
"No Officer, that's NOT a Skateboard! See? I Got Poles! Skiing! Capiche? Wait, what're those cuffs for?? Ayyeee!!!"
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semitrux
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On 7/27/2007 hc
wrote in from
United States
(71.198.nnn.nnn)
2 wheeler...
http://www.semitrux.com
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electric buttboard
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On 7/25/2007 hc
wrote in from
United States
(71.198.nnn.nnn)
I think the drive wheel needs to be in the front
From my brief experience with that exkate, rear will spin, cuz you sit so far up front on a buttboard.
http://www.geocities.com/sk8sanjose/electroluge.jpg
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drive
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On 7/25/2007
Dave H.
wrote in from
United States
(24.13.nnn.nnn)
HC,
The UM70 would make a comfortable buttboard, but it's not four wheel drive but rear wheel drive. There's a board that uses both front and rear wheel drive by another company but it's not as fast and doesn't go as far per power to weight ratio, because both sets of wheels are powered.
Dave H.
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UM70
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On 7/25/2007 hc
wrote in from
United States
(71.198.nnn.nnn)
my friend is thinking about buying one to convert to parking lot buttboarding.
I tried lying down on an exkate before, the drive wheel needs to be in front.
I saw one (on UM?) that have frt and back drive.
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Yeah, Dave!!
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On 7/20/2007 PSR
wrote in from
United States
(75.69.nnn.nnn)
:-D
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Dave H's Urban Mover UM70 Review
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On 7/20/2007
Dave H.
wrote in from
United States
(24.13.nnn.nnn)
Here's the bottom line for the UM70 - if you like the feel of snowboarding and you live on the Flatlands, there is nothing that comes closer than this electric board. Anyone who lives in the Midwest knows that those carving videos that long-board makers put out are just not going to happen unless you Go Somewhere Else. Well the UM70 electric mountainboard takes the Somewhere Else to you. This is a sweet board, my 14 year old son and I took it out for about an hour today. He raved about it and liked it much better than my old Exskate X24, which, while twice as fast, is twitchy and gives a hard hard ride on city asphalt. The UM70 is not a speed demon, but it will cruise and carve at a leisurely biking pace. The inflatable tires make a big difference in the ride - you can concentrate on that endless snowboard feeling without being vibrated to death. It's much quieter than a gas board, you can hear the electric motor but it's not loud and not objectionable. Despite it's mountainboard tires, this is not really a good grass board. At 24V and 15AMPs it just doesn't have the oomph to power through soft turf. You can, however, get through grassy patches in between roads with no problem. It will speed up to about 10-12 mph on flat or slightly uphill asphalt and then you just cruise or carve and take in the scenery. It is very stable at speed with no speed wobbles, owing to the wide axle and big tires. The flexy mountainboard itself is easy on the legs. You don't get the feeling you are standing on a concrete slab, the way I did on my X24. It's not a good board for steep uphill. I think that Urban Mover makes some other boards with more power for that purpose, but, as I say, if you live in Flatland (and don't weigh more than about 180 pounds) this is your ticket to Summer Snowboarding. The board weighs about 45 pounds, but it has a metal loop handle in the front which makes it easy to roll and tow if you have to. The tethered accelerator and brake line is solid and I like the feel of holding that line while carve the board. So could it be improved? Well, if Urban Surfer got hold of some lithium ion batteries, maybe they could make a faster, or higher HP board at the same weight for those who travel uphill everywhere or for any Edna Turnblad types who still want an electric board. Urban Surfer does make higher power boards with mountainboard wheels, but are trying (unfortunately in my opinion) to emulate the X24's underboard battery placement and wireless controller. I would keep the board just as it is, with the rear weighting, the front handle and the tethered power line - just add a stronger motor more HP and Li-Ion batteries. So, basically, I am really really happy with this board. It's solid, fun enough for either a 14 year old or his dad, and man, does it get you attention from the kids in the neighborhood, who have never, ever seen anything like it. I'm snowboarding in the middle of Summer in the middle of the flat midwest. You can't beat that. Dave H.
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Urban Mover UM70 First Impressions
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On 7/17/2007
Dave H.
wrote in from
United States
(24.13.nnn.nnn)
It's been raining in Chicago, so I am so far limited to some carpet testing of my new UM70 electric mountain board. When I get it out on the road, I will add more impressions. First, unlike most electric boards, this is mountain-board with high quality treaded tires. I think this is a much better idea for an electric board because the higher speeds would make for a rough ride on urethane wheels. I have an Exskate X24, which is a very hard ride on less than perfect asphalt, and the UM70 promises to be much smoother on real world turf. Next, this is a board for The Slim. It's a flexy mountain board with a maximum rider weight of about 185 pounds. It turns nicely and smoothly at my 165 pounds.
Unlike the X24 Exskate, the lead-acid gel pak rests on the rear axle near the electric motor. This is definitely a rear-weighted board, but unlike the X24, the battery pack is removable easily and can be charged externally or on the board. My early X24 had a really sucky charger that kept breaking. The UM70's charging cable and cables leading to and from the battery pack are heavy, encased in black ribbed PVC and are attached with a 3 prong knurled male-female connector. Looks really solid and dependable - much better than the X24.
Also unlike the X24, the UM70 has a tethered controller, with a squeeze accelerator and a separate handbrake for the board's drum brake. Again, looks like very solid quality. While a wireless controller is nice, I've noticed that wireless boards add a couple of hundred dollars to the price. Not necessary and I think I trust the tethered controller more.
Build quality of the UM70's components seems first rate. As soon as it dries up around here, I will take it for a spin and see.
Pictures of this board and others are at www.urbanmover.com I ordered the board directly from them and they've been very responsive with questions.
More later.
Dave H.
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Electric Boards
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On 7/9/2007
Dave H.
wrote in from
United States
(24.13.nnn.nnn)
HC,
I know. I don't understand why no lithium-ion, except maybe cost. I'm sure Toyota buys them by the mega-ton for the Prius, but board-makers are small shops and probably pay close to list. Lead-acids are also cheaper to replace.
The UM70 is 499.00, and I think is 24v 15 amp, and has about a 12 mph top speed and a 12-15 mile range before recharging, which is fast and far enough for the 'burbs of Chicago where I live. I also like the idea of an electric mountain board, because it should smooth out the ridiculously pocked asphalt in the Midwest. When I get it, hopefully by the end of this week, I'll charge it up and review it for everybody.
Dave H.
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electric boards
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On 7/9/2007 hc
wrote in from
United States
(71.198.nnn.nnn)
daveH, how much for the um70?
I notice urbanmover offers lithium polymer for their bicycles,
would be cool for the skateboard instead of the lead-acid..
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Electric Boards
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On 7/7/2007
Dave H.
wrote in from
United States
(24.13.nnn.nnn)
Just ordered a UM70 electric mountainboard from www.UrbanMover.com. Looks very cool. I'll review it when it arrives.
Dave H.
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