pavedwave longboarding

JeffVyain · Joined: 20 Aug 2009 Posts: 59 Location: Indianapolis, IN

alright, so people are doing these on concrete high school tracks for the most part, right? any ruling one whether I could pump on a mondo track? i went out there a couple months ago just to screw around and while it felt a little slower, I can't explain the difference in level of grip. I was turning and could not slide out; it was beautiful, leaning into a turn that felt like I was going to end up flat on my stomach and it just sticks...no idea what that would equate to in terms of pumping, but i'll give it a shot in several weeks when i'm capable of skating again (currently out with a knee sprain/fractured tibia--hence the amount of time I've been spending on this stupid computer...shoot me, please). Good news is I've been getting tons of awesome information lately.

just read this whole thread. sounds like my dervish with randall 180s may have not been all too bad of a setup afterall...certainly not ideal, but not that bad for big sweeping pumps. on that board, the power of the pump really comes almost all from the back leg. i did squander out a 3:57 pumping down a trail with it. i think it might've had about a 4-5 ft drop in elevation though...hard to tell. did a push mile on it and it definitely felt a little bit uphill going back the other direction. still, i hit my half in 1:40...just crapped out and couldn't hold it anymore. wasn't the right day, i guess.

pushing is definitely faster. you all will see. it's just a matter of getting in shape to do it. i have a feeling paul kent, i, or some other pusher who gets the itch will put that record down fair and square before too long. the only thing is i won't be able to do is do it on a track, because there's no way i can get proper leverage going around a track turn.

SkateKi · Joined: 15 Aug 2009 Posts: 36 Location: redmond washington

i know i'm in the minority here with the wide hanger thing, but for me they are crucial to maintaining pumping speeds faster than 16 mph. When I ride with Bennett 5.3s (or less) in back, the wheels start to slide out at a 3:40-ish pace.

i've been testing out a setup with holeys up front and a carver cx in the back. it's a tough setup that is too much for me in the first 12 weeks of training, but it's the first one that i've found that could break the 3:20 mark. i'm shooting for a run at it in mid/late october.

and beyond the mile, while i'm preachin' the wide truck gospel... since most distance races are of the push-pump-bomb variety, narrower trucks become a liability on the downhills.

just thought i'd throw that out there...
_________________
Derek Munson
masakatsu agatsu
http://www.alienallstars.com

wafflesole · Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Posts: 82

Holeys on the front!

now it gets interesting!!!

stocago · Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Posts: 227

I got out to the track today and posted my best cyber mile time since my two bad crashes, only off my best by three seconds. It's encouraging because I think I can do better with more focused training and some tweaking to my setup.

I'm only bothering to report this because I have been experimenting with my front wheels and truck.

This was my first sub-4 mile without a Bennett in front. I just got one of the MHS hybrid trucks, an Ace 55 hanger and Core baseplate. It's just a tad wider than a 6.0. I've only had it a couple of days and haven't really got it dialed in. I haven't been able to run barrels and have it feel right, so I've been using hard cones. I also didn't like running either a cupped or flat metal washer on top, so I had to use a small plastic one. I had to take out some wedging that I'd been using on the 6.0. The strange thing is that I had to tighten my Seismic purple springs to the tightest setting!

I used freeride wheels in front, Durians. I tested them out for the first time two weeks ago and ran a respectable time, so I was eager to give them another shot and I don't like to change too many things at a time. So are the rounded edges really hurting me? The stopwatch doesn't lie.

Next time out I'll either have the truck dialed in more or just try it with my normal orange Bzigs.

JeffVyain · Joined: 20 Aug 2009 Posts: 59 Location: Indianapolis, IN

Thanks for the update. I love this forum. People are so eager to share great information. Has made surfing a blast.

Rode for the first time since I sprained my knee the other day. Just up and down a long hallway to feel out my balance. I was able to balance on one leg for a few good seconds while rolling. I started using ice cups (dixie cups filled 3/4 with water. freeze and tear off paper around the ice and you have the perfect ice massage tool!) and have made significant improvements in how my knee is healing over the past few days. Still hoping I can show up at the Broadway Bomb, but excited to start skating some distance as soon as it feels comfy.

stocago · Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Posts: 227

SkateKi · Joined: 15 Aug 2009 Posts: 36 Location: redmond washington

hey Greg-

what stances do you use for your top gears? my all out sprint is a forward facing stance, where i alter my weighting between my front/right foot and my back/left foot. I twist my torso and windmill my arms forward. This form maxes out for me at around 3:08, and at that pace i am pumping with everything i've got.

when i need to change gears, I transition from the forward stance to a sideways stance dolphin pump. The windmill arms stop and for maximum friction i keep my feet perpendicular to my direction of travel. (my ideal stance here is purely sideways, with feet, knees, hips, shoulders, and head pointed in the same direction. but everything has a tendency to drift to a more open position that allows me to see where i'm going.) This gear maxes out for me in the 3:50 range and feels like trying to hula hoop 200 pounds.

also- you guys know way more about boards and gear and setup philosophy than i do. maybe this road has already been gone down, but it seems to me that one of the most important measurements for defining a board would be the diagonal from the outside of a back wheel to the outside of the front opposite wheel. (do you factor in wheel height too?) i think the diagonal is a significant measurement for several reasons, not the least of which is because it measures the most contrasting contact points for any wavelength traveled by a given board. also, this measurement takes into account wheelbase and truck width and wheel width. When a rider starts hitting a board's upper limits, they can find higher gears by increasing that diagonal measurement. i guess all i'm trying to say is that i'm a fan of wider trucks.

and i totally know what you mean about not being a sprinter. the mile feels like the first distance where you have to start dealing with pain management.

anyway, those are my thoughts. would love to hear your insights too.
_________________
Derek Munson
masakatsu agatsu
http://www.alienallstars.com

stocago · Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Posts: 227

I've experimented a little with a forward facing stance, but never got comfortable with it. It seemed fast, but not faster, for me, anyway. I guess I should revisit it.

I have a fairly compact stance that doesn't change too much in different gears. In my top gear I guess I'm more aware of my arms and torso/hips getting more involved, just throwing more into it, along with the legs. When negotiating the turns on the track I feel that I'm having to pump more with the front, keeping it tighter and faster, even though the speed feels a tad slower. By breaking it up this way it gives me a bit of a rest I guess, and evens out the effort.

It's crazy how much wind makes a difference for me. My best times at the track have come with near-perfect conditions. I've also done a few wind-aided miles point-to-point and found it interesting how my form changed to the most efficient quick/short pump, keeping it centered. Bigger pumps were wasteful and not faster.

I'm wanting to get some slightly longer wheelbase decks. Hopefully, that'll be soon! I need to come up with some funds. Maybe I need to sell some of my stuff. Smile

As far as bigger trucks, yes I'm also a fan. I haven't had 180s dialed in right. My fastest setup has been the 6.0/155. I recently tried the MHS Hybrid that has a 6 3/8 hanger and think that it's also fast. It also comes in a 6 3/4 width. I've often wondered what a Bennett 7.0 would be like. I'm hoping to experiment with the Surf-Rodz axle extensions soon.

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

SkateKi · Joined: 15 Aug 2009 Posts: 36 Location: redmond washington

right on jp! thanks for that. i hadn't heard of those. those seem like they would add all kinds of possibilities.

_________________
Derek Munson
masakatsu agatsu
http://www.alienallstars.com