pavedwave longboarding

Bullwings · Joined: 01 Aug 2008 Posts: 62

http://picasaweb.google.com/alber...rototypeBoard#5254613000880324402

http://picasaweb.google.com/alber...rototypeBoard#5254612780576804434

A little update from Scott. Some new boards in the works. Those of you at the 24hr Ultraskate this weekend might get to see it in action. James, let me know what you think.

I'm stupid and can't figure out how to embed the pictures, so i just posted links.[/url]

Redline · Joined: 29 Aug 2008 Posts: 31 Location: S. Everett, WA

Cool beans!
Here's your other pic:

rodgon · Joined: 16 Jul 2008 Posts: 88

Bullwings · Joined: 01 Aug 2008 Posts: 62

I'll let you know in 5 to 6 weeks maybe...

cappa · Joined: 11 Oct 2008 Posts: 42

cool! which one did you order?.....

Bullwings · Joined: 01 Aug 2008 Posts: 62

I just got mine Century in. I got the 2.25 inch drop.

I'm still working on dialing everything in - proper wedging, ride height (risers), bushings, and which trucks to use.

First impressions. Awesome board. It's a lot of fun. It's not as easy to pump as the Pulse (you lose some leverage due to the drop), but the drop is really nice for locking your feet in - like a built in toe stop. Pushing and foot breaking is awesome since you're so low to the ground. My setup has a very surfy feel to it.

I'm still working things out, but in hindsight, i'm thinking the 1.5 inch drop is the more practical of the two. Unless it's a dedicated push board or downhill board, 2.25 inch drop is just a bit excessive. Added to that, it also makes foot placement a bit more difficult if you're taller and have a wider stance - it's perfect for me though at 5'9". I can really just put my feet on top of the drop angled part of the board and really craddle it. I'm probably going to riser mine up a little bit more to get more leverage - that'll probabaly make it more like the 1.5 inch drop.

As far as ride height for the board. I'm looking at around 2.5 +/- 0.25 inches of ground clearance at the lowest point of the board. My Pulse 40 by comparison was more like 5 +/- 0.25 inches at the lowest point.

As far as stability goes, i'm not too sure yet. It feels nice so far, but I haven't tested the limits. If anything, i'm pretty sure that trucks will play more into the stability than the board itself (at least when comparing the Pulse and Century). There might be the issue of that pendulum rocker effect, but i'm not so sure yet.

Anyway, I'm still working out the setup and dialing things in. I'll provide an update later.

(double post from thread in "Dedicated to the push." I figure this gets more browsing traffic)

I'll try posting some pictures later if i can get a hold of a camera.

pavedwave · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 1120 Location: seattle wa usa

great review!! be cool to see your pics how you've got it all set up.

i missed your comment here entirely back when you first posted it (yours and rodgons!) but i honestly didn't give the century's a really good riding that day as I was pretty focused on other stuff. however sheldon rode the crap out of them too so maybe he can chime in with you on this later.... it'll be awesome to hear more of your impressions!

scott mounted up at least one of his with larger wheels in back than in front, i think it was like 85mm rear and 75mm front, and randal 125s i think? i do remember the boards riding really smooth and 'locked in' in a cozy way

cappa · Joined: 11 Oct 2008 Posts: 42

I agree, great review of a fascinating board. Thanks. Look forward to reading more and seeing some pics.

I'd have been curious to know if there had been some thought into building the wedging/dewedging into the Century - as per JP's chopped down Evo on the previous page.

Sheldon · Joined: 26 Nov 2007 Posts: 23

To begin with, I thought that the Century was going so be another bust. Kind of a so-so dropped LDP experiment like lots of the other dropped boards I've attempted pumping on. And I thought it would feel weak. Most drop boards were always way to stiff, but every now and then I'd hear the little cracks developing in the angles even though they seemed solid.

Pumping a dropped board definitely has a swinging feel to the pump, which is always the case in dropped vs. top. The century that I was riding actually had too much 'natural' wedging in the front and Scott had dewedged the trucks instead. I believe at the time the natural angle was about a 19 degrees in the front, wedged back to about a 15 +/- 1. Bennet in the front and Seismic in the back. The wide collar on the angles gives it the strength, while still having flex as well. In the time I was able to ride there developed no hints of stress cracks in the angles, even with really digging into the flex, and throwing in some slashes and standys.

It was fortunate that I got to ride this board during James' 24 hour attempt because in retrospect it means that the board was easily capable of 10-12 mph since I was often trailing James, and at times passing or catching him. You could still get a low body movement ankle type pump with the board, and maintain the momentum.

Lowering the platform, makes it a lot easier to push with both legs, since when pushing with your weaker leg it can almost be a lot closer to walking since you don't have to support your weight and balance in the opposite leg for as long and with as much bend. Especially on the 2.5 drop switching pushing legs regular/goofy or mongo is 10x easier with any extremely low board.

My favorite of the two for the day was the 2.5 drop, although everyone else seemed to prefer the 1.5 for the extra leverage. There is a certain part of me that feels if you are looking for some thing lower to ease the push you automatically have to accept some loss of leverage. And so to me I'd rather go with the lower, to benefit that pushing the most since the 2.5 is still a great drop pump. There is a different feel between the two depths.

I thought I should mention also that lowered platform doesn't really guarantee stability. I also have yet to take the board into any considerable high speed antics, but for me in downhill I've often found myself less comfortable and much more unstable on a dropped board than a top mount. But that's only due to the fact that the way I am used to riding isn't the way you ride a dropped board. Your center of gravity is lowered, but personal comfort and understanding of how the board maneuvers is always going to be what creates stability. So at first it may feel less stable, but adaption should be easy enough Twisted Evil

cappa · Joined: 11 Oct 2008 Posts: 42

Thanks for the review Sheldon. Having ridden the Century boards, would you choose them over the Pulse (or Mermaid, whatever) for another long distance ride?