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| Q&A: Slalom Pro Mike Maysey (2489 Posts)
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Freshies
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On 2/3/2003 TK
wrote in from
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They always be faster. You know that feeling when you slip on a pair of underwear right out the dryer... Same thing.TK
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Clay & wheels
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On 2/3/2003
Hamm
wrote in from
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Clay, unless I'm mistaken the 1st FCR race this year is in Lake Elsinore, not far from Diego at all,
NOW MIKE,
Richy was running 80a Avalons all around, which brings me to my qustion for you. Richy showed up with a pair of used, but still rather good looking Avalons on his Pocket Pistol. He took his 1st timed run and walked back up the hill muttering under his breath and shaking his head. He put on a fresh set all the way around. I asked him if it made 'that' much difference and his eyes got HUGE and he said, "HECK YEAH". Then he hops on the freshies and wins the race. WHY???? Why is there a difference in grip or speed between new & slightly used Avalons? How long do you consider a set 'fresh'? Do you pop on freshies for for each race? Do you practice on used ones and race on fresh ones? Do the 85a's stay fresh longer than the 80a's? Is the Cambria's beauty only skin deep as well? Are you Poly-Chemist? If not, why not?
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Bearings
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On 2/3/2003
Mike Maysey
wrote in from
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Clay,
Make sure to check out the La Costa race this year. For the last 2 years La Costa has been the race to watch and compete in.
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Bearings
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On 2/3/2003 Clay
wrote in from
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Thanks for the reply Mike.
Your answer makes alot of sense. This column is excellent. It is amazing all the detailed knowledge all you guys have. When the FCS races start up I am looking forward to attending some as a spectator. Someday I'd like to give a course a try. I hope there will be some races in the San diego area.
Thanks Again!
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SSS training
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On 2/3/2003
Mike Maysey
wrote in from
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Richy Rich,
Heck yeah I liked the SSS spot. Thanks for session. It was great to skate with you and Evans and your brothers and Rick Howell...fun, fun, fun...
Congrats on the win this weekend too. What wheels were you riding?
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Bearings
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On 2/3/2003
Mike Maysey
wrote in from
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Clay,
I use Bones Reds, Oust, Bones Swiss, Turner Abec 7...blah, blah, blah. I've never been able to detect any difference. I think they all work, especially if you are a recreational skater, you don't need to worry about .0001 sec.
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Ultimate Gains
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On 2/3/2003
CKnuck
wrote in from
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This is why having a quiver and experience are so important.
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Flexier Board
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On 2/3/2003
Claude Regnier
wrote in from
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Mike I think the shorter wheelbase and flexier board worked well on that particular course. As you demostrated throughout the season you are going to be the one to be reckoned with for a long time.
That course probably allowed for a little extra pumping (ie- double) on a shorter wheelbase. The longer wheelbase boards will flex a little more even if they are slightly stiffer because of the difference in wheelbase, IHMO.
I found that I maxed-out with the stiff-short wheelbase set-up. I feel a longer wheelbase as proven would have been better and even a softer shorter WB as your recorded fastest time of the dat showed.
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Offset.............
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On 2/2/2003 BoBo
wrote in from
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That does make sense Wes. Thanks to you as well Mike.
To answer where I put my feet. I put em in the middle of the board every time. I use an almost parallel stance with my feet pointed forward. I do use more downforce than at first due to experience, but I am consistent at this time.
I only run Turner decks and use 2 cut-aways most of the time. I use the TTC on my Fulnose and the Trackers on my cut-aways. My Fulnose' wheelbase is 19 1/2 inches on center. The cut-aways are 20 inches on center.
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SSS training
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On 2/2/2003 Richy Carrasco
wrote in from
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Hey Mike how did you like that course at the path. Once you dusted a little rust off, You were jammin!
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FCR SERIES
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On 2/2/2003
Mike Maysey
wrote in from
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Paul,
Email oldskateguy@aol.com...tell him, Jack Smith, that told you to email to ask about definitive dates for the races. To my knowledge, the dates have not been finalized and there are no race sign ups yet. They are usually posted on this site under the Contest Registration link...since they aren't yet it leads me to beleive they haven't made it final yet.
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Wheels and going fast
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On 2/2/2003
Mike Maysey
wrote in from
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Wesley,
Interesting points for sure. I've been thinking about boards and set ups and wheels and all lately. It seems to me, when it comes together it really doesn't matter what your riding...it just works.
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Trucks...wheels...what my pea-brain can handle...
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On 2/2/2003
Chuck
wrote in from
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The flipside to Wesley's the-softest-wheels-aren't-always-the-best-tractio n is this....the hardest wheels aren't always the fastest (I'm talking straight-line speed, not with turns thrown in...althought turns may...MAY...help make softer wheels faster still). Combine these two anomalies and you maight find choosing the non-intuitive wheel will make you faster, for one of various reasons.
BoBo, I too wondered for a long time why offset Trackers or Indys gave more rear traction. When Verdone and Gilmour were in town over Christmas I had some good conversations with them about trucks in general, and this subject in particular. This is what I believe to be the answer: offsetting these two trucks as they are done these days drives the roll center farther down (ie closer to the road). the roll center is the point about which the deck will act like it is pivoting, and also the point through which the rider's weight will be acting through the deck-truck-wheels to the road. Picture a rider leaning over in a turn, his CG will be to the inside of the deck, toward the center of the turn. Draw a line from his CG to the roll center...if the roll center is high, this line will pass more through or closer to the outer wheel...if the roll center is low, the line will pass through or closer to the inner wheel. If you are loading the inner wheel more in a trun and it starts to slip, the outer wheel is there to take up some of the slack. If you are loading the outer wheel more and it starts to slip, there is no back up. That's what it looks like to me...hope this makes sense.
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Bearings
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On 2/1/2003
Clay
wrote in from
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I am just staring to slalom and I am using Bones Reds because they came with the wheels when I bought them. For a recreational racer is there really that much difference in bearings? I noticed that Turner sells Abec 7 rated bearings on thier web site and they seem like a bargain. However, my feeling is it's my ability that determines my speed far more than the bearings. Also, is there really much diferrence in an Abec 7 vs. an Abec 5 bearing?
Thanks,
Clay
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Fast times at Morro Bay
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On 2/1/2003
John Gilmour
wrote in from
(68.160.nnn.nnn)
When it gets hot- you run harder wheels. When it gets cold you run softer wheels.
I almost never ran 85A Avalons the entire season- because the surfaces were either too rough or because the courses required a little extra traction.
The Open class ran for a while first then followed by the Pro class. When the final cuts were made the pros sat out for a long while while the other classes were completed. The temps dropped significantly as the other classes were processed.
Wheel choice lended itself to softer wheels. Realistically you need a certain amount of "wheel deformation" for a given surface to go the fastest. 80A Avalons were the right call in the colder temps- and it came as no surprise that times would get faster.
The fastest road temps for uerthane are IMHO in the 68-58 range and then you can run a softer Uethane without experiencing so much deformation. Softer Urethanes have higher rebound than harder ones- even for the same amount of deformation.
Mike that was a blistering run- damn fast.
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FCR Series Schedule for 2003
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On 2/1/2003
Paul Howard
wrote in from
(140.211.nnn.nnn)
Same question as before only this entry has the correct e-mail address. The question is: Is there a posting of the current FCR series races yet? I would like to enter some of the races but I need to know ASAP so I can get the time off from work. Thanks.
ASAP
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Wheels and going fast
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On 2/1/2003
Wesley Tucker
wrote in from
(205.188.nnn.nnn)
Mike,
I was trying to convey the notion that there is balance to achieve between traction and speed. What's more is that balance doesn't always mean softer wheels means better traction.
Why did you post the fast time on 80s with a short wheelbase and a flexy board? My first guess would be the other intagible I mentioned earlier this week: STRENGTH. As you yourself noted, you didn't win, but you did post the fast time on one of your runs. That tells me that at one particular time for one particular run at one particular place it all came together and your found your body and mind working to a greater degree than at any other time . . . BAM! You set the fast time. If I was a coach, I would tell you, "Mike, think about that one run. Now, spend the next three months working on consistently running all your heats in the same frame of mind and the same physical approach."
Mike, I don't know about you, but I'm a car guy. Since 1995 I've been driving my dream car: a 6-speed Z-28 Chevrolet Camaro. Believe it or not, it's something that appeals to me in the same way $180,000 Ferraris and Lambos might to others. Sure, it only cost $22,000 brand new, but it hauls like nothing else on the road. Why? Because, in the parlance of the street, "there ain't no substitute for cubic inches!"
Sometimes as slalom racers we see that all the trucks, wheel, bearings, decks, strategy and smack talk just fades away as we find all those cubic inches within ourselves to power us to the finish line.
Sounds to me like that at Morro Bay on Sunday you found those extra cubic inches and some horsepower you might want to tap more consistently.
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Traction Trucks
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On 2/1/2003
Mike Maysey
wrote in from
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Yo BoBo,
Wassup? Hey man, let me ask YOU something. Do you place your back foot in the same place on you deck regardless of what truck you have back there? My guess is you don't and if this is the case, the traction simply comes from your heels being centered over the wheels better. If you are like most of us, you slalom with most of your weight in the back anyway and if you move the rear axle up, you bring the center of gravity more toward your mass (body) and acheive more traction. That's what I think. Also the axles on the offset trucks probably flex some so the axle doesn't stay aligned through a hard push. Another thing to think of is wheelbase. You shorten the wheelbase when you add one of those modified trucks. Shorted wheelbase boards, flex less translating more traction a probably greater thrust. Make sense...there'll be a test at the end of the week. Make sure to read the chapters and do the excersizes at the end of each!
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Delamed Nose
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On 2/1/2003
Mike Maysey
wrote in from
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Ga. Tom,
Go with the suggestion HG made for you. He knows those boards inside and out.
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Wheels and Traction
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On 2/1/2003
Mike Maysey
wrote in from
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Wesly,
Interesting...if this is the case, why was I able to post the fastest time of the day at the World Championships on Sunday with soft wheels (80's) short wheelbase (17 7/8 inner hole to inner hole) and fairly flexy board? I felt that the harder wheels didn't go as fast because I wasn't able to pump them as hard as I wanted to because they felt as though they would slide out at any moment. As soon as I put on the softer ones, I was able to pump as hard as I wanted to and go faster than everyone. I know I didn't win...I'm just going by the little play by play analysis that Dan Gesmer was so nice to put together for us which stated that my time in the round of 8 was the fastest time of the race.
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gs/hybrid re-lam
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On 2/1/2003
hg
wrote in from
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Tom - epoxy glue and a wood clamp should do the trick ...
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FCR Series Races
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On 2/1/2003
Paul Howard
wrote in from
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Is the FCR Series current schedule for 2003 available yet? I want to enter a few races and need to ask for the time off from work ASAP. Thanks.
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Offset ???
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On 1/31/2003
BoBo
wrote in from
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Mike, I have offsets of various makes but my handmade Tracker Fultrack small pivot offset made by Geezer-X seems best.
I have TTC's, one on a Fulnose and one on a cut-away. They are great trucks and keep the ass planted strongly. I run as hard a wheel as I can in the back depending on terrain.
The Tracker I had made has the offset axle forward of the kingpin by nearly 1/4 inch. This set-up is very hard on wheels and I cannot get it to let go for anything [I've tried]. The only way it'll let go is if there is another substance {IE: sand or dirt] involved.
I had the truck made with the specific wedge on hand so it would [the offset] be parallel to the ground when mounted. It is a pretty deep old school wedge that I used due to its working so well with the Tracker previously.
It's all mounted on a Turner cut-away that is perfect for my weight and I run Cambria's all around [90f/84,86b]. I love this board so much but I'd really like to know where all that traction comes from. Not that I'd ever complain, I have had traction woes in the past.
Come back..
B
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GS/Hybrid bottom delam
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On 1/31/2003
Ga. Tom
wrote in from
(209.240.nnn.nnn)
Mike - I've owned my gs/hybrid for about a month now. It took a nose slam into a light pole a couple of weeks ago and seemed fine afterwards. Barely a scrath. When I was practicing this evening, I noticed it making an unusual sound. Looked at the nose and sure enough, the bottom layer is starting to seperate a little (bout an inch back). My question is....Is this something I can easily fix myself? Glue recommendations? Just want to be sure.....Thanks
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Wheel Flex/Compression
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On 1/31/2003
Wesley Tucker
wrote in from
(152.163.nnn.nnn)
Well, it looks like for the time being we've pretty well dissected most aspects of flex, board shape and how each affects various courses and riding styles.
Maybe next up should be the "truth" about wheels, durometers, diamaters and widths. I don't want to go into thitoo much because I am not a polymer engineer and my understanding of plastic resiliencies and wheel-to-road contact patches in limited. I will say this, though, for anyone who is considering slalom racing and wants to know more about wheels:
SOFTER does not always mean MORE TRACTION.
Although it might make a certain kind of sense to assume that a wheel rated at 78A is always going to give you good grip, even though you'll go slower, this is not really a given. Don't forget: turning, weighting, unweighting and velocity all work to DEFORM the wheel. The lip compresses, the edges change shape, even the middle of the wheel can do weird things that can result in a smaller contact patch to the ground. I have a bucket full of old Kryptonic 78A C-65s that are "concave" in the middle when sitting on the ground. There is a "half moon" of daylight showing through where the wheel has changed its shape after years of riding.
Sometimes a harder wheel is better even on a rougher surface. Why? Because if the plastic is more able to maintain its shape and put more surface on the road, then its not hard to understand why that wheel might keep you on the course and not getting real chummy with the asphalt. Currently, racers are approaching courses with wheels ranging from 78A up to even a 94A for the hardest Turner LaCostas and some ABEC 11 wheels. The majority of wheels, though, are in the 82 to 90A range. When selecting a wheel, don't jump to the conclusion that softer is always going to be on the side of safety (albeit maybe slower.)
What's the answer? Simple. Like everything else, get a lot of different wheels, ride a lot of different courses and find the happy medium that makes you go fastest. Just don't immediately jump on those soft wheels and assume the going is going to be easy. You might find the chatter deafening as you find yourself sliding this way and that!
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