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| Q&A: Going Downhill with David Rogers (858 Posts)
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Randal floaters
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On 4/3/2007 DC
wrote in from
United States
(207.200.nnn.nnn)
For what it's worth,
I got a set about 5 and a half years ago and I still ride them. I've tried other stuff but they're just really basic and to me, they make "speedboard" just feel like a regular skateboard. Dave, did you see pics of my race? It was a lot of fun. You'll have to try to make it next time.
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4fight
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On 3/29/2007
David Rogers
wrote in from
United States
(66.14.nnn.nnn)
Thanks for making that clear Martin. It looks like Icaro only uses polycarbonate for the shells of the Skyrider helmets.
I thought that my 4fight had a plastic shell since it is so much more flexible than my Skyrunner and lacking any stress cracks in the finish coat. I took the tail cover off to peek inside and saw evidence of the fiber construction.
My 4fight has yet to get any stress cracks in the finish and it is one of the first produced in 2002. The gel/epoxy finish coat on my Skyrunner (2000/2001) has lots of small cracks around the visor opening and near the chinstrap mounts. Different manufacturing techniques must account for the different characteristics of the shells.
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Why CompII ?
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On 3/29/2007
David Rogers
wrote in from
United States
(66.14.nnn.nnn)
The CompII and the Luge truck are the best trucks that Randal has made to date. They turn better than DHs, are stronger than DH's, are wider than DH's, the hangers can be flipped like the R2's for "stable" or "turny" ride.
My Comps are 8+ years old and I'm still running the original axles. Mine came with grade8 kingpins installed the right way. The extra bearings don't make them any faster in my opinion. Maintenance is easy if you can hold a stubby screwdriver and a skate key at the same time.
The wider (205mm) Luge hanger is typically used with a 50 or 60 degree base for luge and buttboard setups. Some riders use the Luge hanger for speedboarding. I like the 170 CompII on the 35 degree bases for speedboarding.
The trucks are a bargain at the $70 to $100 that Randal has sold them for. I'm sure those trucks are not a money maker at that price and probably a good reason why they are becoming "rare". Buy some if you can.
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Randal comp luge trucks
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On 3/29/2007 Race X
wrote in from
United States
(64.115.nnn.nnn)
Randal comps, luge trucks...yeah....cant afford them, so I have 3 sets of
Randal 180mm instead.
The Comp trucks have the integrated bearings in the trucks themselves, so I assume less friction on the internal bearings in the wheels would allow for a little faster/stable speed, weight is distributed differently than conventional trucks? That bearing thing has to do something to the speed?
Now that they dont make them anymore...the $100 ea price will go up I'm sure....whatever, I passed guy's using them anyway, so must rider preference. Dont break the bank if you dont have to.
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DRAS email
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On 3/22/2007 Ian
wrote in from
Canada
(24.201.nnn.nnn)
Dave... did you get my email last week?
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skyrunner - 4fight
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On 3/12/2007
martin siegrist
wrote in from
Switzerland
(83.77.nnn.nnn)
just to make things clear: both helmets have glass fibre shells - polycarbonate is the material of the visor
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Randal Comp 11 downhill trucks
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On 3/10/2007
Eddy Texas Outlaws
wrote in from
United States
(70.115.nnn.nnn)
Do alot of Downhillers use the Comp 11 and why? What are the advantages. Your Amigo Eddy Texas Outlaws/Pavel Rider
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Judith
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On 3/10/2007
Cat
wrote in from
United States
(67.117.nnn.nnn)
Anyone have Judith Rogers E-mail??
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Indys
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On 3/10/2007 dt
wrote in from
United States
(68.96.nnn.nnn)
put a longer grade 8 kingpin and use two bottom blacks instead of tops. bones hardcore hard duro bottoms work good too.
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leathers
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On 3/9/2007
isabelle
wrote in from
United States
(209.66.nnn.nnn)
does anyone have a thrashed not trashed pair for a 130 lbs, 5'9" slight built skater?
PLEASE E-MAIL ME! thanks
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Indy 215
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On 3/9/2007
David Rogers
wrote in from
United States
(66.14.nnn.nnn)
Don..You can make Indys work for luge. John and I started on Indys and Lee Dansie used them for a few years at the Xgames races. I wouldn't fuss around with them very much as Randal RII 180s are inexpensive and a much better truck for luge. You could use wedge risers to take steering out of the back truck if you are looking for more stability. Run the back truck tighter than the front.
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Indy 215's good for luge too?
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On 3/6/2007 Don J
wrote in from
United States
(64.115.nnn.nnn)
Hey Dave. Do you have any experience with the independent 215 truck
for streetluge? Its what I have, I changed out the orange bushings
for hard black ones (had to shave to top bushing for that to work).
Any advise to make them more stable/fast?
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Size Matters?
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On 3/2/2007
David
wrote in from
United States
(66.14.nnn.nnn)
It's all in the body Fredrik. Wheels do not have a "Top Speed"...you do!
KRIMES said something funny one time "Big wheels are so '05".... or something similar. hahah
This is the way I look at it....If it doesn't matter on a streetluge, it really doesn't matter for DH skateboarding. Even on a streetluge, aerodynamic forces dominate the top speed and acceleration equations. Big wheels never showed an advantage in numerous test runs. Fancy ceramic bearings or minimizer bearings never showed an advantage either. I think some of the really big wheels (97/101) are actually slower. 83mm is as big as I ever raced.
70mm to 85mm seems to be the sweet spot. Bearing rotation speed (rpm) is not a factor since the bearings can be used at much higher speed than a skate or luge will ever take them to. Bearing friction increase as it relates to increased wheel rpm is a non-issue as well.
Ride what feels right to you in terms of grip and smoothness and forget about the size.
Now if the road is really rough and bumpy or you have to cross some railroad tracks at speed....the 97's might be the ticket ;)
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GCR
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On 3/2/2007
David
wrote in from
United States
(66.14.nnn.nnn)
The 160mm DH trucks have a 35 degree baseplate and a more restrictive bushing seat area, whereas the RII 180 has a 50 degree base and an open bushing seat area. The DH's are really slow turning and stable...that's the way Randal wanted them. The 180's turn much quicker and were designed more as a carving truck. Putting a 180 hanger on a 35 degree DH base is a popular "go fast" setup.
Great article on bearings. I run the inexpensive bearings such as Pleasure Tool and have no problems with them. ABEC 3,5,7 whatever....they all work the same to me. If bearings mattered, racers would all be on fancy ABEC9 Ceramics. Save your money!
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Skyrunner tests
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On 3/2/2007
David Rogers
wrote in from
United States
(66.14.nnn.nnn)
Thanks for the test reports Toby and AJ. I'm pretty happy with my Skyrunner. I have a 4-Fight LT also and it seems to have a bit less thickness of foam and a plastic (polycarbonate?) shell.
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Bearings
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On 3/1/2007 GCR
wrote in from
Portugal
(84.90.nnn.nnn)
Smaller wheel»»»»smaller speed...think this way: your limit, beside aerodynamics and road you go into, is the rotation of the bearing...Every bearing has its rotation limit ( rev/s )!So, for the same number of revolutions, a wheel with a bigger diameter or radius will travel a bigger distance than a smaller one...So keep on 83 mm fly or bigger!!! Take a look at -- http://www.minibearings.com.au/hobby/skate.html#2 ----- for the rev/s of any ABEC ratings...and more interesting stuff
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Wheels size v/s Speed
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On 3/1/2007 Fredrik
wrote in from
Sweden
(213.66.nnn.nnn)
I think this has been asked before but..
I´m thinking of testing some smaller wheels than the 83mm fly and I´d like to hear your teories.
Do you think you can reach a higher top speed with a bigger wheel?
Does a smaller wheels stops to accelerate at a certain point?
Is there really a top speed for a wheel or is´nt it your body v/s the air that stops the acceleration?
Cheers!
/F
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SkyRunner Tested: Life-Saver
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On 2/26/2007 AJ Powell
wrote in from
Canada
(70.81.nnn.nnn)
Many of the downhillers hear in Quebec ride Icaro helmets, and I would like to second Tommy's rating on the Skyrunner. I fell twice on this helmet last summer; the first fall was without impact as i tumbled down a run in the laurentians, I scraped the Visor over a long distance and it did not shatter or break, luckily i had replacement parts and the paint on my chin was only slightly chipped off without effecting the fiber beneath. The second time i fell on it last summer was its last, there was a good impact over the back of my head and the impact broke all the way through the fibers. I had no injuries to my head or upper spine ( my lower back on the otherhand...wish i wore back-protection vest)
No helmet is made to last more than one impact!
I am definately purchasing another Icaro in 2007, not too sure if i should stick with the skyrunner and move onto the 4flight series
Does anyone have a Review for the Charly No Limit helmets
-AJ
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DH trucks
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On 2/22/2007 GCR
wrote in from
Portugal
(84.90.nnn.nnn)
Hello there David...im now making my own DH board (skate), from a flat piece of birch, and i´ve been questioning some about DH trucks! Im gonna mount the trucks drop thru but i just dont know wich trucks...from the esthetical point of view, i prefer the randal 180´s, they look better, they are larger wich from a cinetics view, increases turning ability!
But i think most people in DH uses the randal DH...are they realy much stable than the 180´s?I know that there are also some in standar 180´s( no baseplate changes etc)..what´s your opinion abut this!!
I put this link in the Bearing page... (http://www.minibearings.com.au/hobby/skate.html#2)
Give a look and tell me what you think!
Are we being mistaken on buying ceramics and ABec 11´s???
Thanks..apreciated!
Bye
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Skyrunner
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On 2/21/2007 Toby
wrote in from
Sweden
(83.219.nnn.nnn)
Tommy tested his Skyrunner in Åre last summer. Cracked the shell and got a concussion. The helmet helped a lot.
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Bailz and Lids
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On 2/20/2007
David Rogers
wrote in from
United States
(66.14.nnn.nnn)
Benny..nice to meet you on Sunday. Glad you are getting some great runs at GMR while you are down here. Keep it on the road so we can send you back to Canada in one piece!
Yep JBH, I have an 'Icaro Sky Runner'.
Pros: Lightweight, great visibility, great visor, good hearing, aerodynamic. Cons: Crappy chinstrap latch, fragile, $$$$$
Protection : I think of mine like a full-face skate park or bicycle helmet. No DOT or Snell ratings. It has a European rating for hangliding/aerosports. I have yet to see one really "tested" on the hill.
Also check out the 'Charly No Limit'
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Gotcha
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On 2/20/2007
JBH
wrote in from
United States
(165.134.nnn.nnn)
Thanks, BBB.
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D.R.'s helm
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On 2/18/2007 Benny Bailz boyd
wrote in from
United States
(75.19.nnn.nnn)
its an Icaro "Skyrunner". An aero-sports helmet, extreamly common in DH racing.
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Helmet
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On 2/17/2007
JBH
wrote in from
United States
(70.245.nnn.nnn)
David, mind if I ask what kind of helmet you normally wear? Most of the photos I've seen (e.g., below) show you in some sort of white helmet with a very large, clear face shield. Is it custom made, or is it a stock motorcycle helmet of some sort?
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GMR Sunday
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On 2/17/2007 Benny Bailz Boyd
wrote in from
United States
(75.19.nnn.nnn)
Dave, are you going to come out tomorow (sunday the 18th) for GMR? I had a RAD run with your brother this morning. You and Judith should come out, I drove allllll the way from vancouver BC for this man!
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