Anyone know about longboard scate boards?

[pheonix991]

I'm in the market for a new longboard skateboard. I don't know what to get, but, the Gravity board that is 48" looks like a good one. I don't want to spend more than $170. So, tell me what to get!

 

[TreAdidas]

I have a Sector 9 Bamboo Pintail and I love the thing.

My girlfriend and I were looking for longboards a few months ago. Our criteria was something a decent amount of flex but not too much, good control and something with a concave shape. We researched them for a month or so before deciding on the Sector 9 Pintail.

This one has just been replaced by the Bamboo Surf Camp board which from what I can tell is pretty much the same thing with new graphics. What's nice is the board has a "W" concave which means the sides of the board and the center of the board are slightly raised. This just feels so nice under your shoes where you're carving down hills or maneuvering through people on the boardwalks. I really love the feel of the Bamboo boards over the birch boards. The board looks really nice as well with clear tape covering 100% of the top. The board comes complete with Randall trucks and 78A wheels which I found to be perfect for this board. Note that Gravity's stock trucks are something different and they kind of suck IMHO. I picked mine up for $165 with tax.... plus drop yourself some Bones Reds bearings (about $20 extra) in there and you're set.

Do note that the each of the Sector 9 boards are built by hand so they are not 100% consistent. My girl and I bought the same board but the shape of her board is definitely more drastic than mine so try a couple of them out.

So about Gravity... they just never quite felt right to me. Too stiff and not as good of a fit and finish as the Sector 9 stuff. Feels like someone grabbed a piece of ply board at Home Depot and slapped some wheels on it. Just my personal thoughts. Obviously those boards are the right thing for some people.

 

[GlendaleViper]

Sector 9 FTW. Invest in quality bearings and ask the tech for the recommended wheel size for the board you choose. This is critically important. Beyond that, I'm an Independent Truck Co. fanboy, so that can be your decision, or perhaps a less biased opinion could help you out there.

 

[TreAdidas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlendaleViper /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sector 9 FTW. Invest in quality bearings and ask the tech for the recommended wheel size for the board you choose.

+1. Wrong wheels will ruin your world, quality bearings are key.

 

[trains are bad]

I have about 7 longboards...that's if you don't count parts. The kind of board you use depends greatly on what you are going to do with it and on what terrain...thing is a beginner doesn't know.

Quote:

Do note that the each of the Sector 9 boards are built by hand so they are not 100% consistent. My girl and I bought the same board but the shape of her board is definitely more drastic than mine so try a couple of them out.

Sector 9 boards are not built by hand. Sector 9 is one of the largest manufacturer of longboards and have a mixed 'weekend warrior' image among discriminating longboarders compared to companies like insect, loaded, G&S, Gravity, Longboard larry, etc. They are fine, cheap skateboards and their pintail is a perfect starter board. The best thing Sector 9 makes is their wheels, though. Do not buy Sector 9 trucks.

My advice:

Get Holeys, not randals. Randals need a bit of simple work right out of the box, such as an new, flipped kingpin, new washers and new bushings. By the time you do all that you should have just gotten Holeys.

Also, consider Original trucks. They are a very different ride, but consider them.

Bearings don't matter, as long as they are clean. Bones Reds are great, but the best bearings I've found at any price (besides modded ABEC11 Biltins) are the green sealed Pleasure Tools from edsbearings.com. I've tried boutique bearings such as Bones Super Swiss 6 and ceramics, trust me, save your money for beer.

Sector 9 Goddess of Speed wheels are probably the most versatile longboard wheel ever.

However you feel about safety gear, get or make some slide gloves and wear them always. The totally transform longboarding. A almost never wear any safety gear, but I won't even go on a cruise without my gloves.

Check out krackedskulls.com's M1. I don't like the wheels he matches with it but it's otherwise a screaming deal. I have one with 230mm randals and 97mm Flywheels. It makes a good tank.

My favorite board is a G&S Fibreflex 44" Pintail with Original S8 trucks and Sector 9 wheels. This board isn't really comfortable, but it allows me to assault the gnarly hills we have here...it will turn around in the space of a wide sidewalk, yet is stable at speed. A couple weeks ago I hit 38.2mph (via GPS) with it. Try that with any other board that will turn around in a school hallway.

 

[TreAdidas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by trains are bad /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sector 9 boards are not built by hand.

Odd that's what their homeboy int he office said. Guess I was wrong. Muh bad.

Quote:

Originally Posted by trains are bad /img/forum/go_quote.gif Get Holeys, not randals. Randals need a bit of simple work right out of the box, such as an new, flipped kingpin, new washers and new bushings. By the time you do all that you should have just gotten Holeys.

I like the flipped kingpin. So does most anyone else I've talked to. Suppose this is a preference thing?!

 

[trains are bad]

If sector 9s are handmade, they are handmade the same as every other skateboard. Even shortboard companies lay them up and put them on the press by hand. They are not hand-made in the handmade longboard sense, like a LBL board or other custom board. They are mass-produced.

The flipped kingpin:

Adds rigidity and kills slop because it puts the smooth part of the bolt in the truck

Increases strength because there isn't a lot of stress right where the threads end

Makes it easier to fiddle with your bushings.

Probably reduces ground clearance.

I not only replace my randal kingpins with a grade 8 bolt, I epoxy them in.

 

[pheonix991]

Okay, I'm liking the Sector Nine Secrets Bamboo series. I also do like the G&S Fibreflex 44" pintail.

We have some nice hills here, so, I'd like to go down them pretty fast, and I would like to turn very sharply too. I really can't go and test any out really, because the closest board shop here is Pharmacy, and from their site, I don't think they have any longboards.

So, say I get A Secrets Sector Nine, what kind of other parts should I change? Same with the G&S Fibreflex? You guys have mentioned the Bones Reds bearings, and the Sector Nine wheels.

I know nothing about all this really. Thanks a lot for the help.