I’m glad to get that pack into a cool ass board that I know is going to get used!
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The Llama Link - A saga begins!!!
It’s Christmas Day, and the miracle of esk8 had just come together in my garage.
And I really wanted to ride it, but the roads were wet.
And this is not a board I want to get wet.
So I went to a parking garage.
Here I was standing over the board finally getting the chance to try 3 Link Trucks.
And I have to say my initial reaction is that they were weird.
The very first cruise around was interesting.
The trucks turn.
The trucks were loose.
I didn’t have great turning radius, but carving felt pretty good.
But weird nonetheless.
But here is the thing though.
There is so much going on with these trucks.
Like a lot…
So where did I even start off with them.
I did lower the height of the Heim right off and had Maybe 12mm of thread sticking out from the baseplate.
On the front I started off with the most angle. While still having the bracket facing down. So arms below the axle, and on the top hole.
The rear I think I started with the flattest I could.
With the bracket down.
Arms above axle, and on the lowest hole.
I think after just a few minutes of riding I put the rear on the middle hole and left it there.
Here is what an old guy that skates slow looks like riding his 3 Links for the first time.
Again.
They turn.
They work.
They carve.
They are weird.
At low speed you can really throw the board around.
Turning the board It’s very much with your feet and not with your body.
The thing that happens when you pick up a bit of speed and they “stiffen up” is really interesting.
My first impressions was so weird because I couldn’t consolidate the loosenes, and the steadiness…
I stopped several times to tighten and loosen tje bushings, which changes a lot.
So yeah. A lot going on with these trucks.
And the whole time I am terrified, thinking they are going to explode on me, since there are 20 different connection points to come loose.
Such a huge contrast to the dumb simplicity of channel trucks
My wife said the links look really futuristic.
The kids think they are cool looking too…
I am really super stoked on how the board is looking.
It’s giant. With the longest wheel Base…
But I am definitely into how it looks and it makes me happy every time I glance at it.
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The Saga continues.
These trucks are great for the esk8 afficionado that can’t leave shit alone.
Up on the bench they went.
Dallas @dskate was the biggest cheerleader for these.
He apparently loves them.
And is willing to answer the million questions I had.
It’s still wrong that he sold his Flux…
So here I am lowering it.
I have the enclosure clearance.
There is no reason not to make the trucks as low as they can go right…
Besides taking the trucks apart, I did have to drill through the deck.
And I am such a savage and an asshole, that I don’t think it’s possible I could have done a worst job on drilling these holes.
Remind me to fill the extra holes with epoxy one of these days.
Fucking savage.
So I have lowered the ride height 12mm, and I have flipped the front bracket, so I am working on new angles.
Front arm is under the axle, and one hole up. Just above the bracket.
The rear arm is above the axle, the clamp is also flipped up. And had it on the hole even with the baseplate.
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So except for the shinny new battery, the Power train for this board was from the Khymera, including the Belt drive, which was excited to use because the wheel pulley is an old LaCroix one with a spot for a bearing.
It ran awesome in the parking garage.
However, the first 3 miles I rode around in my neighborhood, I had issues with rocks…
This is the curse of the Chip n Seal…
Motherfuckers…
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January is a tough month around here for riding.
But it is a major plus to have a real all weather board, and take it out in the rain and snow.
Riding in the snow falling is invigorating!!!
I call these my cold plunge rides.
They are usually short, around 5 miles,
But exhilarating, and I definitely feel alive the whole time.
I got the other bracket for the back of the Llama to clean up the look.
I can’t believe what an asshole I am and how bad this hole is.
I cut a piece of reflective tape to cover the bad hole, and it adds a little pop of color that really makes me happy.
3 Likes
The Onewheel has been really sweet for winter.
I consider it to be pretty dang waterproof.
So I will take it out in the wet.
And with the big tire I don’t worry about it slick conditions.
And since you go slower and don’t have a remote to dick with, the cold doesn’t hit as hard.
If you got some cold and wet winter days I strongly suggest getting a Onewheel to tool around.
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Ok.
Back to the new new.
I do get geeked about new set ups.
And I am super pumped about the Llama.
I love theb way it looks.
I love how giant it is.
I love trying to figure out these trucks.
That little pop of color.
And seriously.
The situation with these belts got ridiculous.
1 Like
The first longer ride on the Links was great
It’s a comfortable deck.
The power delivery is solid.
The tires were running smoothly.
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Riding the Flux after riding the Llama Link was interesting.
I do love how much you can lean on carves with the channels.
I wonder if I will get there with the Links, but maybe not.
In a way there is a lot of similarities between these boards.
About the same size. Length, with, wheelbase.
Standing platform.
About the same power.
Nearly the same tires.
But the way they carve and respond to turning is so different.
1 Like
This is something that caught me as a slight surprise.
I actually rode more in 2023, than I did in 2022!!!
Riding is a big deal for me.
I crave it every day.
I was so bummed in the spring when my neck was messed up.
About 1200 of the 3791 miles was done on the EUCs
400 on the V11 and 800 on the Patton.
I wonder what the split is on the other 2500 miles…
I would probably guess 80/20…
Even though I get on the Onewheels a ton, is not high mileage rides.
But I am certainly stoked.
I got to ride a ton.
All kinds of different experiences.
Hitting the trails on EUC is a real trip.
Taking the Little board to the skatepark was also something that is really exciting.
With my neck messing up, I really changed my perspective on riding, and I didn’t go on super long rides.
Not too many 25 milers happening last year.
But less distance, and less speed is fine.
I just need to enjoy the carve, and enjoy the view.
I wonder how this year is going to look like!!!
I am excited to find out.
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But… that circlip holds everything together!?
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Lol your monthly average is like my yearly average 
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pump those numbers up rookie!!!
maybe get a dog with more range…
I really wonder if it would ever actually be an issue to keep it like this.
But I went through the trouble to get some motor spacers from NewBee, and they just got here.
I have been feeling lazy about doing it, but I will go ahead and remove the pulleys, and put the circlip back. I did lose one of the thin washers, so I also have to dig around for one…
It is funny, that as I am typing this I am annoyed that I have to do some tinkering, as if I have forgotten that I also crave the tinkering… maybe I will knock this out when it goes up on the bench to get the Epoxy in the bonus holes.
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We had some nice days at the beginning of the year, which was sweet, because I could take the new darling out.
All kinds of clearance.
Almost feels wrong.
I find this pretty interesting.
Despite the fact that the Llama is giant, and has probably the longest standing platform of all my boards, I still find myself spreading out to the max.
I even try to bring my feet in, and soon after realize I spread out again…
I have never rocked a footstop. But I actually ordered a shinny one from @Ean.esk8 to try on here
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So the way I have the front on the 3 Links is the most angle I could get.
I had lowered the heim all the way.
Flipped the bracket, and had the arm below the axle, and on the top hole.
@fujio001 pointed out it may be sketchy to have the arm extended that far, and he was onto something, because I did not have a lot of thread engagement going on there.
This really added to the fear of these things falling apart mid ride…
So I ordered some longer middle pieces.
These would be too short for the bottom hole.
They can reach the middle hole, and have good thread engagement for the top hole.
I also loosed the bushings all the way to try to get to a new starting point with these trucks, and that allowed me to make u turns on my street. So there you go @Ash
5 Likes