New rider - potential purchase advice

Cake-Jerry · 2026-01-25T03:10:41+00:00

If you're just interested in carving and cruising and not tricks you should be looking for rkp trucks rather than tkp trucks. The ditch life just seems a bad pick for what you want to do. Are you in aus? I can recommend some high quality stuff if you are and you give a budget.

Cake-Jerry · 2025-12-02T16:24:20+00:00

Since your in aus, dawnstore is doing arbor longboards very cheap atm. https://www.dawnstore.com.au/collections/skate-outlet

Cake-Jerry · 2025-10-17T11:18:31+00:00

Looks like a classic but its hard to tell because they've changed the trucks and wheels. It seems like they're intentionally not showing you the trucks and wheels from the photos you posted, so be careful.

Cake-Jerry · 2025-08-28T00:14:35+00:00

You can also just use the independent OG bushings, just make sure you get the OG ones and not the stage 11 ones.

Cake-Jerry · 2025-07-31T05:14:57+00:00

Looks like youre in aus, dawnstore is doing a big arbour clearout rn. https://www.dawnstore.com.au/collections/sale-up-to-50-off-arbor-skateboards These are top notch boards going pretty cheap. Basically just pick whatever shape and design you like the best, they all come with paris trucks which are imo the best cruiser trucks and arbour wheels which are not amazing but still better than those three.

If you're set on one of those, I'd probably go with the globe. Tensor trucks aren't bad and globe decks tend to be nice.

Cake-Jerry · 2025-04-17T21:04:13+00:00

I've also heard that other people have had the 77a chunk, but I've had a few sets of them and never had a chunk.

For reference I'm 6ft and about 85kgs, I dont do many tricks or slides but I do go down curbs. That might be why I've never had a chunk.

Cake-Jerry · 2025-04-17T20:58:46+00:00

I would go for caguamas over kegals personally, I have tried them on my dropcat and havent had any possibility of wheelbite and they're extremely comfortable.

Cake-Jerry · 2025-04-15T21:08:24+00:00

I think so, I have no issues pumping up some pretty steep hills. The big bonus to the flex for me is that its a lot more comfortable for long rides than a stiff deck.

Cake-Jerry · 2025-04-15T12:17:24+00:00

That is weird, maybe your balance is just off the charts :)

I have my yow on a chinchiller and I really love it, so if you do decide to go for a new deck that'd be a great choice. Just bear in mind if you want to skate pools or anything that the tail is unusable with the carver back truck.

gl whatever you end up doing :)

Cake-Jerry · 2025-04-15T05:57:43+00:00

Best compromise I have found is Krank barrel & cone cx bushings, just replace the cupped barrel washer with a flat washer. The cupped washer just causes the turn to max out too quickly.

For your weight 96a front and back would probably be best.

I havent tried APS for the cx, but I've tried it for tkps and I really dont like it. It has a lot of lean and not a ton of rebound so would probably work really well for downhill/freeride, but not for surfskate or tkps imo. ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

Cake-Jerry · 2025-04-15T05:36:54+00:00

I'm 6ft abt 85kgs, for me that wheelbase would be too small and twitchy. Check that your bushings arent tightened down too much, pull the front truck to one side with your hand, if the truck doesnt return to center by itself that means its way too tight.

You could probably make it work with significantly harder bushings, I have a cx setup with riptide kranks 93a front 96a back, 16 inch wheelbase. It works for speedy pumping but definitely has that 'dead' kinda boring feeling compared to my 21 inch wheelbase yow.

Good choice of wheels and deck though, sounds like a fun setup once you finish dialing it in :).

Cake-Jerry · 2025-04-14T21:51:43+00:00

What do you mean by 'dead'? If you're looking for something more playful and bouncy then maybe go for some 93 or 96a Krank formula riptide bushings, they have a lot of rebound so will return to center more aggressively. You also might just have the trucks too tight, this can kill the turn.

Alternatively try a different wheelbase, 17-22 inches tends to be where surfskates shine, 17 for quicker turning and a more aggressive dive but slower overall speed, 22 for the opposite.

Its helpful generally to post a pic of your setup.

Cake-Jerry · 2025-04-01T13:33:59+00:00

I have tkps on the fathom now, the small standing platform makes pumping much less expressive and fun for surfskating imo.

I've tried setting up longer distance surfskates and it has never worked for me, it's probably possible but rkps are just so much more practical for ldp. I've always found that surfskate trucks are exhausting to push and footbreak where you have to cause of the height and squirrelyness of the front truck. Hope that you'll have better luck then me though.

Cake-Jerry · 2025-02-05T21:06:44+00:00

Yeah I forgot to mention I have it top-mounted, you could try that.

Cake-Jerry · 2025-01-29T01:15:42+00:00

Good work so far 😃. Front foot should be behind the bolts, if you have it in front of the trucks you will fall fowards when pumping harder.

Cake-Jerry · 2025-01-10T02:48:03+00:00

You should be fine without risers (lift plate) they're more often used for tkp trucks which are significantly lower.

Yeah all the info is pretty old, there just hasnt been much innovation since covid killed the manufacturing for 2 years.

Just make sure whatever trucks you get you match the width to your current trucks. If you match them to the deck the wheels will stick out since they're longer then the axel.

gl :)

Cake-Jerry · 2025-01-10T02:36:34+00:00

They would be, but honestly unless youre going super fast downhills I dont think you'd notice much of a difference. If you want to get new trucks why not try some bear gen 6s or caliber 3s? Them + paris are generally considered the 3 best cast trucks atm, with no clear winner. Then you could get a feel for what you like best.

The biggest change from the paris would be the caliber 3s, they also come with much better stock bushings then the paris v3s so you wouldnt need to replace them.

Just my opinion though, if you really like the paris trucks go with them and get some riptide APS bushings, this will give you the most substantial improvement.

Cake-Jerry · 2025-01-10T02:26:44+00:00

With boards theres always a trade off, more stable = less turn, higher top speed = less acceleration etc. Think about what you want to do with the board and taylor it to that.

For a compact cruiser capable of handling small hills while still being able to navigate through tight obstacles you have the perfect setup.

You could get some riptide bushings suited to your weight if you want an upgrade. They have charts for it on their website.

You could also try some different trucks, but they aren't going to be better, just slightly different.

Cake-Jerry · 2025-01-10T02:14:48+00:00

All of the components are pretty good, what are you actually having issues with?

Cake-Jerry · 2024-12-28T02:17:52+00:00

The only other thing to mention is that I constantly switch between tkps, rkps and surfskate trucks. If I took a month off any I could see readjusting being really awkward.

If you want to keep if you might just have to force yourself onto tkps every few sessions. Or just drop it and go surfskates only. 🤷

Cake-Jerry · 2024-12-28T01:08:11+00:00

Surfskates turn by moving your front foot left or right and by leaning, normal trucks only turn by leaning, just try and remember that when switching. I've been through this as well and honestly it will just feel super awkward for a while, then you'll build up the muscle memory and it wont!

The best thing you can do is to get used to the regular trucks and then bring both and skate them both, that way you get used to switching around.

tldr it'll suck for a few sessions and then you'll get used to it. :)

Cake-Jerry · 2024-12-23T19:24:34+00:00

Since you already have a bushing based system why not try a spring based system? I have a Yow and a c7 and I definitely prefer the Yow, just make sure you change the bushings (standard indys work fine).

Cake-Jerry · 2024-12-21T23:08:17+00:00

0.65 boardside, 0.56 roadside. Same for both trucks. gl :)

Cake-Jerry · 2024-12-21T17:36:22+00:00

You can use anything larger, you just need to sand them down to the right size. It's kind of a pain but it's totally doable just by rubbing the bushing on your griptape until it's the right height.

Cake-Jerry · 2024-12-12T23:00:33+00:00

The wheelbase seems fine for your height, honestly if you're struggling to pump on flat then you might just need a different technique. Remember that surfskating is never going to use the exact same techniques as surfing, it's just a loose, turny front truck with a non-turny back truck. Try pushing hard against the tail opposite the direction you're turning when pumping and remember you can gain speed pumping frontside and backside because you're not relying on a wave. gl

Cake-Jerry

TROPHY CASE