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| Q&A: McKendry on Speed (1810 Posts)
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Cornering Speed
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On 6/10/2005
Darren
wrote in from
United Kingdom
(62.173.nnn.nnn)
Amen Chris Well Said..
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Break Point
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On 6/9/2005
Chris Chaput
wrote in from
United States
(66.116.nnn.nnn)
There isn't just "one" answer to the question about the break point speed into a turn. You have to consider a number of things such as:
The radius of the turn
The width of the road
The flatness of the road (banked or reverse camber)
The crown in the road
The surface of the road
The painted stripe(s) in the road
The line the rider takes
The weight of the rider
The axle to axle wheelbase
The lateral wheelbase (hanger width)
The bearings and axle slop
The cushion seat slop
The truck's steering angle(s)
The rider's suspension technique (smooth vs stiff)
The design of the wheel
The urethane formula
When a bunch of us streetlugers went to the Olympic Ice Luge track in Park City Utah, we were amazed at little traction there was with the runners under the sled. I expected sharp blades that would bite the ice like an iceskate. Instead they had smooth runners with a lot less friction because with banked tracks that actually go past 90 degrees in the turn, the need for traction was minimal. You basically steered well in advance of a turn so that you'd stay in the middle of the track and not bouncing off the walls.
Rarely do we find nice smooth banked corners in downhill where the track helps you to stay on the road. We usually find the opposite. Surface changes, reverse camber, crowns, paint, and other riders turn navigating a corner into a game of survival.
Rather than look at the number of MPH that you can make the turn at, you figure out what you have to do to survive the turn and get the best possible exit speed. At the DHX, I wanted to be in 2nd or 3rd place after the two S-Bends. I chose to kick out front at the start and to lead before the turns. If I had late-breaked (foot-dragged) and hit the turn as best I could, I would probably have been in 1st after the turns and had two or three guys using my draft ready for a late pass before the finish. Instead I chose a nice long airbrake which would slow me going in, but put me in a great position coming out. I took a safe wide line and Zietsman went to the inside (I knew he would). Darryl also hung back and put himself in position to win but had to back off of his charge due to the traffic that was created when I went to pass Michael.
What I'm pointing out here is that strategy can also dictate your entry and exit speed. Unless you have superhuman speed and a tuck that doesn't leave a hole in the air, being out front is dangerous unless you are WAY out front. The term is draft-bait. Watching people go by you just before the finish line is one of the most helpless feelings that you will ever have in downhill. If it's Dave Rogers or Jody Willcock, it's okay to grab them and pull yourself ahead (except that Jody will fall when you do this so get some good earplugs to go along with the smile).
My advice is that you find a way of timing yourself from a spot that's 50 yards before a turn (point A)and a spot that's 200 yards after a turn (point B). Whatever consistently gets you from point A to point B on THAT TURN is what is best for that turn, but it might not be the best way on a different turn.
Downhill is like a game of chess. The start is usually the same (pawn to king 4), followed by a few other standard moves - draft the leader(s) in one or two packs. As soon as you get up to speed and start getting aggressive in the little battles, all hell can break loose. Practice with friends and to work with one another until you are comfortable riding in packs of 4. Never let a Canadian get on the inside of you. Don't stand up until the race is over (Jimmy). Wear speedsuits whenever you can (other guys hate it and it makes you fast). Try and do what's right for the sport, and not just what's good for you at the moment. Take it step by step and build up a huge arsenal of tricks and techniques (especially breaking) that will save your bacon when the "stuff" hits the fan. Always, always, always use slide gloves. Skating smart now means that you will skate longer, harder and faster tomorrow.
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Breaking piont???
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On 6/4/2005 Justin
wrote in from
South Africa
(196.25.nnn.nnn)
I would like to know, what is the breaking speed for a wheel when hitting into a turn? Take for instance the S-Bend at the RedBull DHX what would be the ideal run to hit the turns?
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slide
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On 6/3/2005 seanhornet
wrote in from
United States
(4.255.nnn.nnn)
The 83 mm fly wheel do that so nice-just like you say they will. I tested a set on mary hill and they stuck well with a bit of drift almost off the edge and then they would hook up. You sure know your wheels
thanks Chris
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Stickin
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On 6/3/2005
Mike P
wrote in from
United States
(69.107.nnn.nnn)
That is amazing advice on stickin turns. Damn. Ya know, I thought NCDSA had died its death about a year ago with the frontside/backside disputes and other bs. It's good to see experienced riders sharing their wealth of knowledge about this great sport.
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Sliding into and carving through the turn
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On 5/31/2005
Silvan 'cobaasta' Auer
wrote in from
Switzerland
(84.73.nnn.nnn)
Can you explain me more about sliding into and carving through the turn?
I understand well sliding before the turn and i understand drifting through the turn.
By drifting through the turn, there is no decelerating before the turn at all, so i need to adjust speed with airbraking and carving before the turn, otherwise i will slide through the entire turn (you wrote: start your slide soon enough or hard enough).
By sliding into the turn, mostly i slide and decelerate too much, kind of sliding before the turn (you wrote: it's hard ... to see when the slide is over and the carve has begun).
How do you smoothfully but quickly refind traction after a slide?
How do you handle frontside/backside slides in relation to left/right turns?
Greetings
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Sticking It
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On 5/30/2005
Chris Chaput
wrote in from
United States
(66.116.nnn.nnn)
We don't live in a perfect world, but if we did, here's what you'd want to do on a technical turn. Assume that a skilled rider with good equipment could take a turn at 30mph without slipping or sliding too much. Also assume that you are approaching the turn at 40mph, and that no other riders are around to interfere with your line.
You want to instataneously decelerate from 40mph to 30mph at the last possible moment, at the start of the turn. You'd start wide, dive inside without sliding, and start straightening out your line on the exit as soon as you know that you're going to make it. This will take you wide outside and close to the bales.
The problem is that no one can instaneously decelerate, so you're going to have to brake using one of the following methods:
Air-braking
Carving wide turns
Foot-dragging
Pendulum sliding
Sliding the turn
None of these are safe, for one reason or another. Air-braking can't slow you down very quickly, so you may overshoot the turn. Carving wide turns also takes a long time and can put you into someone elses line. Foot-dragging is tricky and harzardous, and it's hard to do while turning. Pendulum slides are dangerous to anyone near the rider. Sliding the turns takes a lot of practice, and takes a lot of good judgement as well as skill.
Considering all of this, a nice fast way to take a turn is to come in hot, throw down a slide before the turn, hookup through thye turn and exit properly. In other words, brake from 40mph to 30mph by sliding, and then carve the rest of the turn with traction. When it's done well (like Manu), it's hard for the spectators to know when the slide is over and the carve has begun. When you do it wrong, you're essentially sliding the entire turn because you didn't start your slide soon enough or hard enough. You're scrubbing speed through the whole turn to avoid the bales and your exit speed will suffer. If you do it right, you can go from a tuck, to a slide, to a carve, to a tuck, while staying low and safe the entire time. You really have to know your wheels and your speed and the surface of the track to time your slide well.
So the bottom line is that sliding in the ealy part of a turn as a way of braking can be very fast, but sliding all the way through the turn tends to scrub a lot of speed.
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Drifting or grip
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On 5/29/2005
Peanut//
wrote in from
Netherlands
(62.163.nnn.nnn)
Anyone please enlighten me: Just curious, what is supposed to be faster when going downhill: drifting thru corners or sticking 2 ur line with no drift at all?
I prefer no drifting, but sometimes this feels like it is slowing you down.
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Gonzo?
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On 5/26/2005
NBS_Graham
wrote in from
United States
(206.190.nnn.nnn)
Hey, MalakaiKingston! You gonna let that guy call you "Gonzo"??!?
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Give that man a Gold Star!
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On 5/23/2005 EBasil
wrote in from
United States
(207.200.nnn.nnn)
Chris, this is a public call-out to thank you for your support and participation in our Longboard Building 101 course, our UCSD Longboard Poker Ride and the related festivities! All day long, I've been getting email from the students from Saturday's event. The students in the class learned a lot from you and have been riding more since Saturday. Your guidance was valuable, and your enthusiasm for all things "skate" was apparently infectious.
The skaters from the event have also been writing and posting. The ride tips, the sweet moves, board- and wheel-design chatting and opportunity to just relax, hang and skate in a casual setting with you and the rest of the various talent made for a really good day. Thanks again, bud!!
For those not knowing what I'm talking about, our man Chaput spent major quality time with my longboard-building class and also at our community ride event. ABEC-11 sponsored the class, and Chaput set up boards, made the students (rightly) proud of their freshly-made boards and helped brand-new longboarders learn to ride and kept them stoked all day in the midst of a variety of SoCal longboarders ranging from young, hot...er, nice kids to the gonzo skaters from San Diego's Ninja Bomb Squad. He took "giving a little back" way over the top and invigorated San Diego's longboard skate scene in the process. Alright, enough of that...talk to you soon.
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Chris' Camera Contraption
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On 5/23/2005
WT
wrote in from
United States
(64.12.nnn.nnn)
Chris,
What's the latest on the sidecar/camera platform project? Has it got off the ground? In process? Completed?
Just wondering.
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thanks from the NBS
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On 5/22/2005 malakaikingston
wrote in from
United States
(209.242.nnn.nnn)
Hey just wanted to put a shout out and say thanks, it was great riding with you @ UCSD. Gotta love the green!
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wheels
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On 5/21/2005
Andreas
wrote in from
Sweden
(83.226.nnn.nnn)
Chris
The shop i ride for has been trying to get hold of you.
Could you please email them at david@sofoboards.se .
We need some green.... Thanks
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Green...
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On 5/19/2005
Dave - Skaterbuilt
wrote in from
United States
(67.49.nnn.nnn)
hey GREENMAN...gimme a holler...need to rap-thanks.
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Griptape for Jimmy
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On 5/18/2005 Ian
wrote in from
Canada
(67.68.nnn.nnn)
Chris, please give the grip to Jimmy to take to Danger Bay.
Thanks...
Ian
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Andrew
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On 5/15/2005
Chris Chaput
wrote in from
United States
(66.116.nnn.nnn)
I'll see if I can find your email. You can always try my cell. ABQ is sick. I needs to heal if I am to haul.
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ABQ
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On 5/12/2005
Andrew Mercado
wrote in from
United States
(66.229.nnn.nnn)
Chris,
Ill be out at ABQ. Its gonna be sick! Last I herd they added another race on that monday at rio bravo. Oh Yeah, Did you get my Email about the wheels?
Andrew
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Older skaters
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On 5/12/2005 Kludy
wrote in from
United States
(152.163.nnn.nnn)
Chris, bro. do 6 inches and lots of sit ups and dont take pain pills and you will kill it.Your passion has too be stronger than pain!You know, GO BIG OR STAY HOME!@
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euros
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On 5/12/2005
Yorck
wrote in from
Germany
(82.83.nnn.nnn)
Good to see you are back. Goin´to europe again this summer ? If you come i´ll save the 11 for you.
Did you keep the mustache ? Soo cool!
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maryhill
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On 5/12/2005
david
wrote in from
United States
(67.100.nnn.nnn)
chris, i hope your back is in proper alignment for the maryhill race. thats gonna be a epic one, glad to see you are signed up!
i vote to leave the cowpies on the road for race day, its like slalom on a speedboard, in a pack of 4 riders....
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Speed in the ditches
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On 5/11/2005
Chris Chaput
wrote in from
United States
(66.116.nnn.nnn)
Who is going to be in Albuquerque on the 28th and 29th of this month? I booked my tickets, got my hotel and rental card and paid my entry fees on Monday, and Tuesday I threw my back out again. I'm already fat from the last injury and my legs are like noodles when I skate. I have to make a decision as to whether or not to:
1. Get adjustments on my back, workout, stretch and skate
2. Accept the fact that we "mature" skaters can't always compete at a high level
I've never been real good at acceptance and denial isn't going to work here, so it's time to heal quickly and to quit feeling sorry for myself. This course is a lot of work. What a time for a comeback.
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Re: Retro wheels
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On 5/11/2005
Sumdumsurfer
wrote in from
United States
(71.105.nnn.nnn)
Thanks for the reply, Chris. That all makes good sense. Either way, I'll buy a set of those retro wheels for my rocker board.
SK8/SURF 4 LIFE!
Sumdumsurfer
Madrid Pro Designs/Full Circle Dist.
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Justin
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On 5/10/2005
AaronW
wrote in from
United States
(24.52.nnn.nnn)
I replied twice
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Chris the star
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On 5/10/2005 Kludy
wrote in from
United States
(205.188.nnn.nnn)
Good your somwhat back bro. I clicked larger and your pic frecked me out and I feel over in my seat.Yes I did ride your green wheels once in a race.I never thought it would get out!
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Embossing Wheels
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On 5/10/2005
Chris Chaput
wrote in from
United States
(66.116.nnn.nnn)
There are usually some tough choices to make when putting a wheel out on the market. What is its primary purpose, what to name it, what brand does it fall under, how many duros to provide, what kind of artwork/graphic to use, what font to use, to emboss, or not to emboss.
I started the Retro brand because I had such a great time making and riding retro equipment for the movie. These are super fun boards to ride, and today's deck construction, precision bearings and high performance urethane makes them even better than they were "back in the day". I have vowed to make Abec 11 a "green only" company, but I wanted the "Cadi-like" wheels to be a nice lava lamp translucent amber/gold color. Since the decks aren't longboards, Big Red X is not a good fit for a deck brand either. Although I try not to look backward and live in the past, I really want skaters to get a chance to feel what it was like to ride loose trucks on a flatter single-kick deck. So "Retro" it is.
The other thing that I wanted to do with Retro (unlike Abec 11) is to keep it simple. For now, there are amber 60mm BertZ in 81a and green 65mm VertZ in 96a, period. We use old-school Trackers (MidTracks, FullTracks, ExTracks and SixTracks) with the old-school hole pattern.
Oh yes, embossing. Here's the truth. I have no idea whether or not anyone will buy the BertZ, and it costs thousands and thousands of dollars to make the molds. If I embossed the name and brand onto the wheel, I'm stuck with it. If the whole program is a flop, I'd never be able to pass on the molds to another interested party. So, in essence, I hedged my bet. I ponied up for the wheel molds, but decided to use a print that made them look embossed. I could tell you that embossing can throw a wheel out of balance (which it can), but that's not the biggest factor. And yes, you can force the artwork to balance the wheel, but again, that's not my biggest concern. I don't want to lose my shirt. This is more of a labor of love than a "get rich quick" sceme.
What I really want to do is to make these wheels available for people who are stoked out by the movie or documentary. They are being poured next week and should be available by the 20th. These little treasures will go great on a lot of Madrid's mini carver-cruisers. Our Dip Stick (rocker) is going to be like your board. I know that you know exactly how to set up a fun "full circle" board, and you're already ripping on the VertZ which seem to fit your need for speed in the pools and parks. Maybe I can invent a special wheel engraver/embosser to use on finished, unprinted wheels? Would a teflon branding iron work?
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