Skating Anonymous

Hi my name is Cobber, I’m from Straya and…
I don’t like Dropdecks!

I tried, I really did. I have a sweet Rayne dropdeck I’ve tried with Aera, Rogue & Ronin trucks. The reduced height and sluggish handling mean it is easy and predictable to kick but… it all just feels wrong at speed and my balance feels off. I keep trying to get my front foot further forward and I can’t. I feel like I am skating through jelly or quicksand?

Topmount with some nice trucks I feel like I am floating but can read the (road) feedback through the board and little inputs equate to control and direction changes, I am stable and in control?

Dropdeck = Skating through Jello
Topmount = I can fly

Am I alone in this? If I don’t have to kick a eSk8 why do I want a dropdeck?
Topmount or Die!

ps. The above might be partly hyperbole or complete BS as I realize if I always rode a dropdeck it would feel normal. But I don’t, so it doesn’t.

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Drop decks are generally pretty good for bigger wheel options. It’s also nice to lock your back foot in against something when doing high speed/torque runs… that said, a good radial drop topmount is just as nice for that.

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Drop decks are good for lazy riding, it’s naturally damped so it’s easy to maintain control while not trying. As someone who usually is on his phone while on constantly changing terrain while with a backpack that’s a massive portion of my body weight it makes a difference, all my top mounts have been less comfortable while the drop decks are more forgiving. You do give up the snappy response and hard cornering that top mount gives but for my that’s totally acceptable. Also I don’t know how to skate so drop decks help with that

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Doesn’t happen to be a demonseed 44" does it? :eyes:

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I personally think double drops are the most versatile shape for a deck. Low for effortless LDPush, plenty of standing platform for cruising around, drifty for easy slides in slower freeride, and stable enough for downhill.

But yeah in eskate wheel sizes make drops much more usable without adding an absurd amount of spacer height to avoid bite or getting super wide trucks to clear the deck. You don’t usually run 85mm+ on regular boards unless you’re doing LDP, yet in esk8 85mm is probably the bare minimum you’ll see, and in the case of AT, up to 10" wheel diameters are possible.

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Hands off, he’s Australian i have first dibs

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:laughing: :rofl: Should have known, but geography isn’t my strong suit.
Also, he didn’t start with the standard “Righto cocks” to give it away.

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With a nickname like Cobber, I didn’t need him to tell me he’s from straya :joy:

I’m a drop deck noob, and so far kinda feel the same way tbh. I’ve only ever ridden drop deck on esk8 but all my historic skating has been on top mount decks before, and they definitely feel to have the advantage in terms of nimbleness and manoeuvrability. I think it’s also a wheelbase thing.

Saying that, esk8s are fast and accelerate and stop fast, so stability and predictability is a good thing at speed. Long boards and lower CoG is good for this.

But I’m an equal opportunity type, so suggest maybe giving it more of a chance, like I am. Open mind and all. They’re not the same, but have different benefits…?

If it all turns out shit, and you’re convinced they all suck, maybe veer the other way and go super shortboard big wheel super boards like @b264?

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I love the agility of a top mount, but drop decks are a serious amount of fun. You can set them up looser and with bigger wheels than a topmount, and if you practice enough, you can work them just as hard.

I find it takes more energy to control a drop thru and make it do what you want, and it’s a different set of movements.

If you jump on a drop through expecting it to handle like a top mount, you will be sorely disappointed… but if you jump on a drop deck with the intention of punishing it, you may have a far better experience.

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Must say, that I am getting interested in making one of these at some stage.

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I hear you all but…
Topmount = I feel like I am alive
Dropdeck = I have one foot in the grave

Moebro’s NKP 3 links change the dynamic a bit but still… I’m left wanting. (My 3 links are not electric, early prototypes).

My dropdeck is a Demonseed (91cm), I got the shorter one to try keep the wheelbase down.

I have a trampa with all of JensoBro’s trick shit on it, it is more of a EV though than a eSk8, it is fun but has lost some of the longboard skating purity my DH boards have. And I can’t tuck, that really pisses me off!

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So basically you want your DH sharp feel on your e board? Btw have you tried narrow hanger + Fwd to complete the feel of your top mount.

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Don’t we all?

I’m with you on the above but some Mach 1 Magnum gear drives would really finish it off. The real question is do you mount one in front, one behind (the front truck), or both behind and take the extra width?
Decks are getting narrower these days as well, kind of limits choice. I have an Arbor Higherground I have been sitting on for a few years I think would be pretty sweet. It clears kegals with no risers.
Anyway I/we digress…

Topmount or Die!

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I proposed this build to myself some time ago, but i can’t live with the hanger width on this board. I think i will do a narrower hanger an dual diagonal drive eventually for this one.

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Ooh, you mean the @moon Lycan 3GD

Lycan 3GDrive - Testing

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I agree with parts of this, if you want the closest thing to a downhill board, make a single drive (rear heelside) with the narrowest trucks you can and loose bushings.

Pulleys are available sometimes on the parts market for the Venom Magnum Mach 1 wheels.

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And they’re super good. :blush:

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If you really want the downhill feel, you really only need one motor and that allows you to optimise for the downhill feel. Using two motors often involves compromises that, first and foremost, take away from that feel, like super wide hangers for example, and high inertia hangers.

I’m not sure about this bit Bro, but board set-up is personal. I like compression that is closer to linear that starts with a little preload at the center. Dished bushing seats really help with this, gives you a nice return to center without too much preload (no slop), and at extreme lean angles keeps the bushing in contact for longer. But again that is just me & what I like.

And Glphy, is that synthetic grass in your shed?

Yeah all hail Chaka, I think he had that solution before anyone else, Duel Diagonal with Ronins solves a lot of problems thanks to the Ronin pivot pin controlling the lateral loads. I imagine because I have not tried a set that you would consume pivot cups as a wearable part. Being a Ronin Fanboy I have coveted a set for quite a while). Although Moe solves many of those same issues with his novel design that also eliminates vertical loading of your bushings leaving them just to focus on their primary job.

I digress & got caught out with post limit, I’m likely out of sync with the conversation now…

Topmount or Die! :metal:

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I meant soft bushings, not loose. My bad

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