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Texas Sizzler
March 27 and 28
Austin.

Be there.

I upgraded the blog software here on b1, and it broke some of the formating here on the homepage. So until I get around to fixing it, here is the link to the b1 Chill Zone forum.

I purchased my first Comet longboard in 1999, at the Purple Skunk skateshop, in San Fransisco. It has been a favorite board for 10 years, and I still ride it. Since then, I’ve acquired several other Comet boards.

First, a little about Comet Skateboards. Comet one of just a few skateboard manufacturers that attempts to minimize its environmental impact. They have been at the forefront of this effort too. They use solar power in their manufacturing process. They use a lot of highly renewable materials in their boards. They don’t finish their boards with toxic paints and coatings. They even recycle their wood scraps. Check out their site for more about there sustainability efforts.

OK, now, about the Comet Pagan. The Pagan is one of Comets downhill/speed boards. They make it in two configurations — a drop-through (where the trucks actually drop through the deck, lowering the entire board), and the flush-mount (on which the trucks are mounted in a recessed area, lowering the board by the thickness of the baseplates). Both of these configurations have the effect of increasing the stability of the board by lowering the center of gravity. I decided to get the drop-through deck.

One of Comet’s early innovations for downhill riding is their “spoon concave”. I don’t know if they still use that terminology, but since it is highly descriptive of the product I continue to use it. The entire riding surface of the board is bowed slightly down toward the middle of it’s length, producing a rocker (there have been many boards with rocker before). In addition, the board has a nice concave. Combining the two – rocker and concave – creates a nice “pocket” for your front foot, just behind the front truck. This feature increases the feeling of stabilty provided by the drop-through truck mounting.
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The folks at Chunnel.tv sent me this. It was interesting, so I’m posting it here. Pretty cool interview with Gonz.

This is a bit late — but I am sad to report that former Powell-Peralta pro skater Ray Underhill has died after a long fight with cancer.

Ray was a serious vert ripper. I never met him, but everyone says he was a great guy. Here’s some video someone posted on youtube. enjoy.

Newk bomb drops in to body varial on the opposite wall.

Check out this video: newk SPOA

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A couple of months ago, Loaded Longboards sent me this killer setup. Well, actually mine is a little different. I stole this image from Mile High Skates, where you can purchase this fine beast.

Loaded has been making some of the most innovative boards around for a couple of years now. Having the Adams on their crew hasn’t hurt either. The Dervish is the most recent addition to their line.

Like all their boards, the Dervish is built from Bamboo and Epoxy/Glass. Its a totally environmentally friendly board. The Bamboo/Glass construction gives it a really snappy flex. Not bouncy at all — but responsive.

As you can see, the trucks actually mount on the top of the board, dropping through. This lowers the board, making it more stable while carving and ripping your favorite hill, sidewalk, or parking lot. With the cutaway nose and tail, you can run pretty much any size wheel you want and have not worry at all about wheel bite.

My board came with the new 10″ Gullwing Charger trucks. They are great trucks. I’d recommend either them or a standard Randal-II 180mm trucks. I set this up with 72mm Pink Powerballs and Biltin Bearings.

The first thing you’d notice if you picked up my setup is how light it is. Even with big wheels, the sucker is light. That’s because the board itself if really light.

Like their other boards, the Dervish comes in a couple of different flexes. A softer flex (Flex 2) for you lightweights, and a harder flex (Flex 1) for big tubs like me.

If you’ve ridden any of Loaded’s other boards, like the Vanguard, you will find the Dervish is very different. It has less camber, straight rails, and is just a little more predictable in any riding situation. However, like the Vanguard, the Dervish is bi-directional. You can ride it either way — both sides are exactly symetrical.

A huge and special thanks to Loaded Boards for continuing to support Bob’s Trick Tips, longboarding, and innovative thinking.

Here is a rad video of the Adams riding the Dervish. These guys are just the worlds absolute masters of this kind of riding. Makes you want to buy a Dervish. Well — do it!

Sometimes the simple things are best. Sure concaved, cambered, vert-lam bamboo, carbon wrapped hi-tech goodies are cool, but a few plies of flat Baltic Birch can be Nirvana. Case in point…the GarageBomb 44.

The GarageBomb 44 is 44″ long (duh…), 9″ wide at it’s widest point, and sports a 29″ wheelbase. Cut-aways at both ends allow for pretty much any wheel you wanna run. It’s shaped from 1/2 Baltic Birch, which gives it a nice spring. GarageBombs are handmade one at a time in San Antonio, Texas. Our boy Blaster, the brains and builder of GarageBomb, slaps an immaculate finish on them too, pictures don’t do it justice. Blaster offers custom finishes and graphics as well. The attention to detail and craftsmanship is second to none. That crazy old man from San Antonio makes a damn fine board.

I initially set it up as shown with Randal 180s and Abec 11 Retro 70mm 80a Zig Zags. I’ve had in this set up for about 9 months, and it was good…great even. Blaster actually designed the board to run the Randals. The bounce of the board coupled with Randal’s legendary turn? Ooh Mama! The usually forbidden phrase “Just one more run” is repeated over and over whenever I take the 44 out.

Then one day a box was waiting at my front door..

Tracker FasTracks!

The FasTracks have 7” hangers and 50-degree pivot angles. Like Randals you have the ability to flip the hanger to make for a more stable ride. Did I mention the Stimulator 3 bushings? No I didn’t. These things are huge! Word has it that when all is said and done there will be 3 different duros available, the orange are medium. The Stim 3s won’t fit on any other truck, but Tracker designed the FasTrack’s hanger to accept common size bushings too. Top and bottom bushings are both coned. Grade 8 kingpins, and not a cup washer in sight. The brains at Tracker sat down with the brains of some of the top longboard companies to hear what this planet needed in a truck. It appears they listened. Lock, stock, out of the box, they’re ready to rock. (but you’re gonna have to wait awhile before they hit the market…methinks very soon though.)

But do they work? Yes, yes they do. Those big ol’ honkin’ bushings provide a stable ride in a straight line, but are ready to turn when you are. I roll in at about 190 lbs. the medium duro works well for me. My 10 year old grom weighs more than a 100 lbs less than me, obviously they’re not gonna react the same to him, but he was smiles and thumbs up coming back up the hill. I’ll be picking up the softer duros as soon as available…’cause loose trucks save lives, and with the GB 44s cut-aways…wheelbite won’t be an issue.

Did the GB 44 lose it’s zing with the truck swap? Not just no, but HELL no. Still a platform of Heavenly goodness.

Do yourself a favor and support this DIY company. Blaster and GarageBombs are both completely humble bad asses. If you get a GarageBomb complete, Blaster takes care of all those little tweaks for you…swaps out the king pins, and throws flat bushing washers on the Randals etc.

Check ‘em out and tell ‘em GOB sent ya.

http://www.garagebomblongboards.com/

I’ve been all tied up selling The Devil’s Urine, and haven’t written anything in a LONG while.

So for anyone that might care…

Look for soon to be released reviews of The GarageBomb 44, and The Original Custom 45. I’ll tell ya right now both are Quiver Worthy.

Oh yeah…

I discovered today, there’s a new ditch being constructed in Temple, TX. For those that know, (I’m willing to share) it has less flat than Old Waco, but more than Miles. Bigger, steeper walls than OW, not as much as Miles. Right now, the flat is done and one wall. They’re about 1/10 along on the second. I’ll get pix tomorrow (Tues., Nov. 6, `07). Until then…the 5th Pic down in this thread http://www.bonelessone.com/b1chill/viewtopic.php?t=412 looks to me a lot like what’s getting built.

The cool thing is that it’s half a mile from Chuck’s and Old Waco.