pavedwave longboarding

timbo666 · Joined: 30 Aug 2009 Posts: 21 Location: Coventry - England

I'm new to LDP and I'm hoping to spec out and order a complete setup in the next few weeks. I rode a few guys Mermaids and instantly fell in love with the pump.

So, what should my first complete setup be?

I was most impressed with the Bennett front and Tracker rear setup, but, which deck and wheels?

I really like the look of the Galac LDP deck but of course the Roe Mermaid and Subsonic Pulse are options. Is any one better to start on and learn on? And do different wheels suit different boards? or is it mostly down to personal preference and the way the trucks are set up?

Thanks, Tim.

LDPanda · Joined: 21 Nov 2008 Posts: 418 Location: Seattle, WA

If you have the funds to start out on a dedicated LDP deck, thats a great start. The mermaid, galac, and pulse are all great options. The mermaid has the added benefit of being able to order a complete (with the bennet/tracker setup you mentioned) from stokedskateboards.com. But if you dont mind buying parts seperately and assembling yourself, i would say choose based on which one you find more visually appealing. All three are great decks, i would probably say the pulse runs a little stiffer than the mermaid and the galac is flat (no concave/camber) if that helps. As galac and subsonic are custom manufacturers, the wait will be a little longer for them than a mermaid. For wheels, without knowing anything about you or the terrain youre planning to ride, i would suggest lime (80a) bigzigs (75mm). Theyre a great all-around wheel. If youre looking at gnarly rough roads, consider 77a Avilas. If youre on pristine blacktop, maybe some speedvents. The most important purchase youre going to make in the near future is bushings. Getting the bushings right for your setup is key to efficient LDP. Consider picking up a khiro bushing kit or a bunch of the (fantastic) abec 11 bushings.

Good Luck! let us know how it goes!

timbo666 · Joined: 30 Aug 2009 Posts: 21 Location: Coventry - England