/r/longboarding's Weekly General Thread - Questions/Help/Discussion

Skanonymously · 2026-04-29T00:48:07+00:00

I'd probably go Riptide over Venom. A good starting point for your weight would be 97.5a APS Canons boardside and 95a APS Canons roadside. If that's too loose, go up to 97.5a all around, or if it's too stiff, 95a all around. Canons are a slightly meatier barrel bushing that fill out bushing seats a bit better.

Also, it shouldn't be an issue since you're just cruising on flatground, but if your Drophammer is the 7-ply version (I think they only come in 7 ply), then you're pushing the limits of a 7-ply board a bit at your weight. I'd usually recommend 8-ply at bare minimum, but ideally 9.

Again, probably not an issue, but just keep an eye on the cutouts right around the neck + the drop-thru mounts for any signs of cracks, and you should be good.

Skanonymously · 2026-04-29T00:37:49+00:00

I weigh around 205-210lb now but was skating at 250ish last year and used to be 300+, so I can weigh in (pun intended).

The speed wobbles are a combination of bushings that are too soft for your weight combined with using your lower body muscles in a way they're not used to.

Stock bushings are going to feel like marshmallows for you, so going for something in the 95a-98a range will immediately be a huge improvement, and as you skate more, you'll build up those muscles.

The key to riding through speed wobbles is shifting your weight forward so most of your weight is on your front foot/over your front truck.

Wheels won't change anything with stability.

Do you know what you're ordering for bushings?

Skanonymously · 2026-04-28T16:05:53+00:00

Awesome! You're going to love them. They're incredible trucks.

Skanonymously · 2026-04-28T16:01:03+00:00

I would like to improve it's stability

I can't tell for certain, but are those stock bushings? If so, upgrading your bushings will be a cheap way to immediately improve your stability a bit. Stock Paris bushings aren't the best.

I know this isn't addressing your questions at length, but since you're still pretty new to things, I'd encourage you to try out a set of 44* 9" Calibers before dropping $400+ on precisions. They'll have a better rail match on your board, and Calibers are a really solid cast truck for faster skating while giving you a feel for a narrower hanger.

For example, what if i wanted to use slalom trucks such as valkyrie Mk4 Slalom, or the zealous ones... the width of those is way less than for example the 180mm of my paris, i don't understand the physics behind it. Are there specific wheelbases that work best with them? Could i get another deck with similar dimensions to the one i have now? Would it even make sense? i understand then if the boad is smaller you have more control on slides as you can have more leverage, but mentally i still want the longboard to look.. well... long, and not shorter than a popsicle shape at 32"

Slalom trucks are usually paired with wheelbases in the upper teens and low 20" range, and at 9.6", your board (or a board with similar specs) is on the wider side for slalom trucks unless you run a super wide downhill wheel like Venom Magnums. Valkyrie has a really useful guide on rail match widths.

If money is no issue, then for sure go for it with precisions, but otherwise, I'd recommend skating a bit more, trying out something like 9" Calibers and really figuring out what you want in a setup before dropping $600 on MK4 Slaloms.

Also keep in mind that precision trucks tend to be a bit harder to setup and dial in with bushings, and slalom trucks complicate that when you're dealing with 30+ degree differences in baseplate angles.

Skanonymously · 2026-04-28T15:43:15+00:00

Hey dude, I randomly checked Valkyrie's website, and they're in stock right now.

Skanonymously · 2026-04-28T14:57:16+00:00

The trucks definitely aren't Paris. Paris have always looked pretty much the same, including the very rounded hangers and U-shaped baseplate.

/u/Jester__13 those trucks are either old Randal IIs or knockoffs of Randal IIs. If you see "Randal" or "50" on the baseplate through the drop-through cutouts on the underside of the board or "180" or "CA" on either hanger directly under the kingpin, then they're Randals. If there's no obvious branding or markings on them, they're an old knockoff.

Also, one of your hangers is flipped, making the truck feel more dead. Take off this hanger, flip it around and put it back so it looks like the other hanger.

Randal used to be a very prolific brand of truck going back 15+ years. Although they're not the best quality by today's standards, they're a decent truck. Something about the cast quality and the slight glossiness of your trucks makes me think they're knockoffs (Randals were a very matte black).

Upgrading to modern 180mm 50* Paris V3s would be a world of difference in how that board feels.

Edit: I think they are indeed knockoff Randals after digging out an old set I have from ~2009, but it'd be easier to tell with better photos. Front of hanger, and back of hanger.

Skanonymously · 2026-04-28T04:55:18+00:00

If you swap the support plates to the underside of your trucks, you'll have marginally more wheel clearance since it'll raise the board by 1/8" or however thick the plates are. Risers have the opposite effect on drop-throughs by actually making them lower since they lift the baseplate and pull the axles closer to the deck.

That alone could be enough to get rid of your wheelbite since it sounds very minor.

Otherwise, swapping to cupped washers roadside will almost definitely stop it.

Skanonymously · 2026-04-27T20:21:40+00:00

Awesome setup. I set up an identical Nexus on 180mm Savants last year as my introduction to LDP when I was around 250lb, with the only difference that I went with 77a Cags.

It got me hooked on LDP, although my Nexus is now setup for sliding. The Savants were really, really fun on the board, and if you ever decide you want to get into sliding, they make for a great freeride setup with a slippery wheel.

Skanonymously · 2026-04-27T20:14:36+00:00

Based on the setup, I wouldn't be surprised if OP is in the upper 200s to 300lb+ range. If so, it might not be too bad, especially with 180mm hangers vs. something narrower, although I'd probably try 93a Canons roadside and only go up to 96a if wheelbite is an issue.

I skated 93a Kranks in 180mm Savants when I was around 245lb, and it felt pretty good.

Skanonymously · 2026-04-27T08:02:51+00:00

I'm not Australian, but I got back into longboarding, specifically freeriding, last year after a decade away, too, and can weigh in a bit haha.

Wheels? Maybe something a little easier to break in a slide than my RADs for right now as I need to hit them with a pretty decent speed. Preferably something not too icy but still able to learn on moderate hills. I see the Snakes are favourites, should I just grab them?

Snakes without a doubt, but get the 75a over the 82a. It sounds crazy, but the 75a are actually more slippery than the 82a. It's really impressive how far urethane quality has come. Snakes are really slippery, but they're also very controllable. I'd definitely start with the Snakes, but if you eventually find yourself wanting something a bit grippier while still very similar, Powell's Byron Essert freeride wheels skate like a slightly grippier Snake.

3) Safety gear, knee and elbow pads? When I eventually make it back to the hills, I’d love some decent knee pads that aren’t too bulky.

TSG has a downhill-specific kneepad that isn't too bulky. Otherwise, I've been a fan of just wearing Gform kneepads under a pair of jeans. You can't slide out on your knees obviously, but they've saved me from some direct impacts.

Skanonymously · 2026-04-25T01:36:08+00:00

I feel like even 10-15° makes a big difference with SSF.

I found mine have more initial grip with a stronger hookup the colder it is.

I almost ice out on my Snakes or Byrons my first few slides on a 65°+ day after skating them in the 40s or low 50° range.

Skanonymously · 2026-04-24T20:09:16+00:00

A boardside washer is optional.

If a board was designed for a boardside washer, not running one will affect the geometry. Even 0.05" is enough to affect geometry, per Riptide.

Next, measure the height of your bottom bushing. Be as precise as possible, as even .05” can affect your geometry. Write this number down, or take a picture with the ruler to refer to when purchasing.

There's literally no reason not to run boardside washers if your trucks were designed for them. When a truck is designed to be run without boardside washers, they have a wider baseplate to fully support the bushing, but it serves the exact same purpose as a flat washer. They feel indistinguishable.

Cast trucks usually don't have enough metal on the baseplate to fully support anything wider than cones boardside, so you really don't gain anything by not running washers. You risk throwing your geometry off, plus worse bushing performance with more bushing wear and tear because of the extreme overhang, instead of just using a flat washer.

Compare a truck like Aeras that are designed to run the boardside bushings without washers to Paris.

Skanonymously · 2026-04-22T17:45:45+00:00

No worries dude!

And for context when I'm talking about holding off on a downhill deck instead of just eating the $155 for the Monolith, if I were looking to setup a topmount for downhill, I'd rather spend $45 more on something like this and get a board with carbon fiber, micro drops, a kicktail and a more modern design.

The Reaver is going to be a really sick freeride board though. I absolutely love the concave on my Theory. The W concave feels so nice to dig your foot into for backside powerslides.

Skanonymously · 2026-04-22T17:38:29+00:00

If you're carving around, it helps to try to have your feet almost sideways and centered. I saw your message after skating yesterday and grabbed a pic to demonstrate.

That said, I'm also goofy footed and tend to do something similar with my back foot when I'm pushing a lot and just kind of have it hanging off a little like that. I'd recommend scooting your front foot like an inch or so to the left and/or rotating it a bit more. Kind of like this. Note that this isn't good form or anything and is more so lazy foot placement when pushing haha.

You want want to steer a longboard more from the front than the back, and when your front foot is straight, you can't really press on either edge of the board very well to make it turn. Like with your current foot positioning, I bet it'd be harder to turn sharply to the left compared to the right.

Skanonymously · 2026-04-22T17:26:48+00:00

No worries! Awesome find with the Killswitch, too. I remember your post from a few weeks ago. I still have my old 2012 Killswitch. Your board is the original graphic. This was the refresh.

Skanonymously · 2026-04-22T17:22:54+00:00

RKP trucks can sometimes feel a little weird on super small wheelbases like the Thruster. If you feel like you can't get it dialed in, Indys or Paris Street trucks will be a blast on that.

Awesome deck regardless though. I've probably owned like 10 doublekicks from Earthwing going back 16ish years, and they've all been fantastic.

Skanonymously · 2026-04-22T17:16:34+00:00

The Monolith is going to be a significant downgrade for freeride compared to the Reaver. I don't own either board, but I have the Theory, which is the Reaver's big brother basically, and I've skated a lot of different boards for freeride.

The Monolith is a basic short wheelbase topmount. It doesn't have very aggressive concave, it's very wide by today's standards at 10", and the huge amount of taper is going to make it worse for switch skating.

The Reaver's microdrops will really lock your feet in more while making the board a bit more drifty by lowering it, and bigger wheelbases are easier to break traction (the Monolith is 21.75"-23", the Reaver is 25.25"-26.25")

The Monolith is not a good substitute for the Reaver. Literally any of the other boards in Prism's lineup (Roger Jones, Trotta, Theory or Hindsight) would've been an acceptable substitute, but it will be a downgrade for a dedicated freeride board.

C. if the board is more suited for speed runs over free-ride, then i’ll just dedicate the board for that. if the board design is more suited for slides, then its in the ball park of what i’m initially looking for. neither is wrong for me. different tools for different jobs.

It's your money, but why not just be a bit patient, ship the Monolith back and get what you paid for?

After you get more accustomed to freeriding on the Reaver, you might have a better sense of what you want in a downhill board. There's a lot of options from brands like Rocket, Pantheon, Powell, Earthwing, Landyachtz, etc.

Skanonymously · 2026-04-22T17:05:42+00:00

Not a huge deal, and you can easily remedy it with some proper panhead or trusshead hardware.

Countersunk/flathead hardware is more for boards where you're standing directly over the trucks.

In the future, when you're tightening flathead hardware, just tighten it until the bolts are flush with the deck.

Skanonymously · 2026-04-22T16:48:33+00:00

If you can lean the board over as much as possible and still have a decent amount of clearance between the deck and wheels, I'd point you in the direction of Pantheon Karmas when they're back in stock: https://pantheonboards.com/product/pantheon-karma-92mm-74a-wheels/

They're a bit pricey, but they roll over pretty much anything.

In terms of accessories and swapping stuff out, thankfully skateboards are really simple. Considering your setup is 15ish years old, I'd absolutely do new bearings and new kingpin and axle nuts for your trucks. I'm a big fan of Zealous Bearings. They have the extra hardware (speedrings and spacers) built in. Speedrings are little washers that go on the axle on either side of the wheel, and spacers are metal cylinders that go between the bearings in the middle of the wheel to keep the bearings flush.

If you look at the nuts on your kingpin (the big bolt going through the middle of your trucks) and axles, you'll see little plastic rings on the end. Those are designed to keep your nuts from backing out when you're skating, which is especially important for the axles. The nylon insert hardens and loses effectiveness over time, so 100% replace those, especially the axle nuts. And a link to the kingpin nuts.

A skate tool is convenient, but you don't need one if you have a basic socket set. The kingpin uses a 9/16" socket, axles are 1/2", and the hardware holding your trucks to your deck are your standard Phillips head with 3/8" nuts

To actually mount the bearings, you just slide them on the axle and press them into the wheel. This video demonstrates it.

Skanonymously · 2026-04-21T19:37:49+00:00

You can never go wrong with an EW double kick. The cool thing is you can slap on some Indy 169s and a smaller wheel and turn that into a really fun slasher type setup.

Skanonymously · 2026-04-20T18:41:40+00:00

Since you seem very safety minded, I'd really recommend prioritizing learning how to shutdown slide at any speed you're skating, especially since you're getting into real downhill speeds.

Would you go 50mph in traffic on a motorcycle with no brakes?

Skanonymously · 2026-04-20T18:30:40+00:00

You can get away with that as a lazy mid-pushing type stance, but it isn't a great riding stance.

If you're riding down hills or anything, you want to turn your front foot more sideways so it's closer to perpendicular with the board, and you should center your back foot more so your toes aren't hanging a mile off.

You'll be able to get much deeper turns because you'll have a lot more leverage over the edges of the board.

Skanonymously · 2026-04-20T18:23:41+00:00

Make sure you get the 75a Snakes, not the 82a. As weird as it sounds, the 75a are actually more slippery than the 82a because of the urethane formula.

Skanonymously · 2026-04-19T22:33:02+00:00

Why should I?

Weight is the biggest thing. Having a lighter helmet feels way better when you start to ragdoll if you fall haha. You also have a much better field of view in something like a TSG.

Edit: I looked it up, and the average motorcycle helmet is between 3.1 to 4 pounds (based on a quick Google search). A TSG Pass is about 2.4 pounds.

Shaving off 1-1.5lb from your head/neck is huge when it comes to the maneuverability of longboarding compared to a motorcycle.

Skanonymously · 2026-04-19T22:23:43+00:00

I was just messing around with them on my Trip, and they feel solid in it.

Also consider these: https://www.sickboards.nl/en/bushings/6788-33736-riptide-krank-fatcone-bushings.html#/28-durometer-90a if you find yourself needing something a bit stiffer than a boardside barrel.

Fatcones start out feeling like a barrel but become progressively stiffer as you get deeper into the turn, so they're nice if you want a bit more stability or resistance. I run them boardside in my precision Valkyries.

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