MOBOT Trevor Preston came in over his spring break to help give the low-down on Landyachtz longboards new Switchblade 36 deck. The smaller cousin of the original Switchblade, this one is great because you still have the option of either topmounting it or riding it as a drop through. Not to mention, the graphic is phenomenal (watch the video to see what I’m talking about). The board has aggressive concave that keeps your feet on the rail, the mild drop also provides leverage to push your foot against. Motion would recommend to set it up topmounted with a 45-50 degree 175-180mm truck. By topmounting it, it makes it more agile, provides more grip, and more turn. Watch out for trucks with super low angles like 42 degrees because you’ll get a little too low.
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Trevor Reviews the Landyachtz Switchblade 36
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Bombsquad Agent Mini Longboard Review
MOBOT Ryan Vanderveen stopped by the other day to give us the scoop on Bombsquad Longboarding‘s latest and greatest: The Mini Agent Orange longboard. Obviously based off the larger and original Agent Orange, this little ripper weighs in at 34.75″ long and 10″ wide. It has a mild concave with variable wheelbase options at 24, 25 and 26″. Since it’s a smaller deck it’s super nimble and the topmount configuration allow you to get your front foot over your truck for maximum stability at higher speeds. Deep wheel wells make it so you can rider larger longboard wheels like a 72mm size, even with 42 degree trucks.
Our recommended setup? Randal 42 degree 180mm trucks, 72mm Divine Street Slayer Wheels in 78a, venom bushings, mini logo bearings and spacers, and 36-grit gnar griptape. All for about $250 so you have an affordable setup.
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Nail These Tricks and Win!
Our latest video contest is brought to you by Mobot Jackson Wells. We’ll be giving away a set of aluminum core Monster Hawgs and Nersh Smoothie longboard wheels to the riders who can nail a series of four tough longboard moves. Jackson demonstrates these four tricks with style and ease in this video and explains how to win big. You’ll need to post a video response on our youtube page showing yourself laying down these four tricks.
1. Toe-Side Shuv-it > No Comply Check
2. No Comply 180 > Switch Toe-Side No Comply 180
3. Big Switch Toe-Side Check
4. Switch Toe-Side 180 > No Comply > Switch 180
Keep in mind that we’ll disregard any videos where the rider isn’t wearing a helmet or gloves. The top 5 videos with the most likes will be judged by all of us at our Seattle longboard store. The one that we all think is the steeziest will win the aluminum core Hawgs. The video with the most overall likes will get the Smoothies. If you have the most likes AND are the steeziest, you’ll win BOTH sets of wheels. You have until April 16th to get ‘er done.
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How To Throw Down Monster Toe-Side Slides
Have you been struggling with nailing those monster toe-side slides? Well who better to help you learn the ins and outs than master free-ride kings Ross Druckrey and Ethan Cochard. These BoomBots have these slides on lock-down and not only show you exactly what to do with your feet, board and body, but also help you trouble shoot common mistakes. They take you step by step through each part of throwing down a big ass toe side slide. In this trick tip longboard video, Ethan is rocking a Loaded prototype deck while Ross kills it on his Sector 9 Mini Shaka. Both are decked out with soon-to-be-released Omen Precision Trucks.
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Max’s Nersh Jawbreaker Wheel Video Review
As a follow up to the Nersh Jawbreakers wheel review I posted on the blog from Danny Smith the other day, MOBOT/Nersh Team Rider/Junior World Champ Max Wippermann chimes in with his own video review. He’s been thrashing his Jawbreaker 82a prototypes on his Landyachtz Evo and JimZ precision trucks. One reason he’s lovin’ them as a race wheel is because the fact that they’re center set narrows your wheel track to make your board more nimble and turny. And at 75mm you’ll get the turning you need while keeping your speed on the straightaways. Also, like we mentioned in our previous post, the fact that they are center set means you can rotate them around to prevent coning so you get nice even wear, making them last longer.
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Danny Smiff Rips it on the Omen Prototype
Here is the latest video of MOBOT Danny Smith (aka Danny Smiff) rippin on the new Omen longboards prototype deck. What prototype you might ask? Well imagine the Omen Pike with 2″ of length taken out of the middle with some pumped up fatty kick tails on each side. Same rocker, plateau concave and pockets that you love. You can expect to see this deck officially get released from Omen in the next couple of weeks but definitely in time for some spring shredding. All the teamriders have been freeriding the crap out of the prototypes and making some minor tweaks before its true debut. Stay tuned.
On another note there are only a few Pike Factory 2nds left in stock so grab em before they’re gone.
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Divine Street Slayers Wheel Review
Recently, Divine came out with new freeride orientated longboard wheels called the Divine Street Slayers. They are 72mm tall and come in 78a (flesh, red, lime green and orange colors) and 82a (black and purple). They have a contact patch of 49.5mm and are slightly offset. Throughout the life of the wheels, they stay very consistent and smooth. They have proved to be very durable. The 78a have a nice grippy slide that progressively gets smoother and easier to initiate at higher speeds. The 82a are more of an all around, tons of slides and rotations type of wheel. Divine has created a rad set of freeride wheels, check em out. Our friend Cody Shea of Five Mile Longboards can’t seem to get enough of them either. He’s been shredding them all over Seattle and Tacoma.
-MOBOT Jackson Wells
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First glance on Nersh Jawbreakers
Nersh has come out with their newest longboard wheel, the Nersh Jawbreaker, available in 78 and 82a durometers. This wheel is essentially a 75mm version of the Nersh Candy, with a 58mm contact patch and thick juicy lips. They feature a centerset core so you can flip them around for even wear, also because the size of the core is rather large the wheel will roll a lot faster with less pushing input. This wheel is going to be a great race wheel because of the amount of grip it offers and how much speed it sheds in a slide, making it perfect for technical race courses with hairpin turns. Nersh is known for how little their wheels wear and the Nersh Jawbreakers are no exception. Check them out and get some Nersh today!
-MOBOT Danny Smith
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Ross Druckrey Gives Us The Shaka
Boombot Ross Druckrey road-tripped from Eugene, Oregon to pay Motion Boardshop a visit last weekend. The Sector 9 sponsored rider has been shredding the Sector 9 Super Shaka longboard lately as his go-to deck, and this is his review. He suggests the Mini Shaka if you have a narrow stance and prefer a narrow wheelbase. Keep in mind the Super Shaka will have a bit more flex with its wider wheelbase. Both are 8ply with a slight drop. Ross completes his set-up with the Omen precision trucks and the Sector 9 70mm 78a centerset race formula wheels for incredibly smooth and consistent slides. Or for a longest-slide contest he’ll throw on the Sector 9 65mm 78a 9Ball wheels.
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Video Sneak Peak-Omen Blem Sale
Two weeks ago we had a huge snowstorm in Seattle. Some areas got more than 12″ of fresh pow making for some rad urban snowboarding. Sam was the only one to make it into work to make sure another batch of Omen Pike longboards made it to the presses. Speaking of which, next week we’ll be doing a little spring cleaning to make room for 2012 longboard decks. So to celebrate we’ll be selling off a bunch of factory second Omen Pikes and Carbon Matrixes so stay tuned.
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How to Change Your Longboard Bearings
Sometimes we get a little caught up on the technical details and forget about the basic stuff like applying griptape or assembling trucks. In this video, you get a quick glimpse at how to change out your longboard skateboard bearings. Some of our favorites are the classic Bones Reds, or Cadillac skateboard bearings which come with spacers. One of the key tricks to changing out your bearings is to utilize your longboard truck axles to help you. Since they’re designed to fit a bearing perfectly, you can use them to pop the bearings out of your wheel hub. Never use a screwdriver to put them in or pop them out! You could end up gauging the bearing. Other than that, use a skate tool (we like the compact Sector 9 Carabiner skate tool) to tighten the axle nuts just until they’re so tight that the wheel doesn’t spin. Then untighten them about a half turn. Your wheels shouldn’t have any side-to-side wiggle and should spin freely.
Good luck and if you have any questions you can hit us up on LIVE CHAT.
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Want To Work at Motion Boardshop?
Hey we need some Help over here!!
Recognized as Seattle’s Number one Skate shop, Motion Boardshop is growing Rapidly.
We want to find great people to join us along the way.The Motion Boardshop Seattle Headquarters (our Seattle longboard store), our physical and digital Media Design Groups, Online Media (Facebook and Youtube etc.) Shipping Center, and Accounts Management teams are all expanding.
What do you need to play on the Team?
If you have a passion for your work (that means you like to do a really good job)
If you are coachable and trainable (that means you can follow directions)
If the average desk job is a little to Blaaah (that means you’re cool)
If you are ok with working for your pay (that means you know nothing is free)
If you Love promoting Fun and Everything Awesome (That means you are like Us)…we would like to meet you! We have Full Time, Part Time, Interns, and Volunteer positions available.
Please send your resume* to ariel@motionboardshop.com (he is the acting manager and he has great hair).* A resume is simply a brief history of what you have done. For the purposes of Motion Boardshop this can include your work history or just the things that you do, love, and are really good at. Our goal is to get a general Idea of what moves you and why we would be excited to see you everyday.
Thanks
Ariel Stamm
206-372-5268
“Be Great” -
T-Shirt Design Contest Entries
Last night at midnight we announced all the entries to our T-shirt design contest on our Facebook page. We received 157 entries all together but some of the one’s we got were in unusable formats. So if you don’t see your entry in our Facebook photo album, shoot us an email and we’ll let you know how you need to fix your entry so that we can use it. All in all, there are some reaaaally good designs. It’s going to be hard to pick just one so luckily you can “like” more than just one! The winner with the most “likes” will get a $300 gift card to our Seattle Longboard store and 20 t-shirts with their design on it. All of us at MOBO will also be picking our own favorite and giving them the same reward. So pop on over and check out the entries. You’ll be amazed at the diversity of entries and the creativity of the designs. Who knows, we may even have to come up with some 2nd and 3rd place winners because it’s too hard to narrow it down to just one winner….
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Are You The Next MoBot?
Do you have what it takes to be sponsored?
We want to give you the opportunity.
Let’s find out if you have what it takes to ride for Motion Boardshop. The MoBots Team asks that you create and send us a longboarding video. We want a new, original video, designed to be your personal application to our team. It may be some hard work, but this will promote you to us as a future prospect. It will be your personal highlight reel.Instructions:
Compile a video showcasing you as a rider. Please no team videos, we are looking for individual entries.- * -Wear a helmet
* -Tell us your name, age, and location
* -Explain your style, abilities, and showcase your skills
* -You can include pictures in the video
* -Tell us about your racing experience and how you did
* -Tell us about your involvement in the local skate community
* -Have fun and be creative
What you can do for us?
What can we do for you?
How could we work together?When your video is complete:
Upload the video to YouTube.
Title the video: I WANT TO BE A MOBOT – [Your Name]
Email us a link to your video [sponsorme@motionboardshop.com]
Wait for us to get back to youExample:
Email: us at sponsorme@motionboardshop.com
Subject line: I WANT TO BE A MOBOT – [Your Name] - * -Wear a helmet
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Boom Shaka! Ross Early Grabs Over Car
Yesterday I posted a user review on the Sector 9 Super Shaka longboard and I mentioned that BoomBot Ross Druckrey rocks one on a regular basis. For his setup he rides the Omen Longboards precision trucks and Sector 9 70mm 80a Center Set Race Forms longboard wheels. In this video you see Ross shred around his college campus while also nailing a HUGE early grab over Nate Blackburn’s car. Unbelievable. Filmed by Ethan Cochard, Nate Blackburn and Luke Morrow.
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Sector9 Super Shaka Longboard Customer Write-up
We love a good longboard deck review, but you can’t always just take our word for it. We think its equally or even more important to hear how good/bad something is from the average longboarder. So here’s a Sector 9 Super Shaka review that an anonymous longboarder posted on our website (and if you didn’t already know, BOOMbot Ross Druckrey shreds one):
“Good solid shredstick. For 85 bones you cannot do better than this. The rocker is amazing; combined with the width and the concave it makes for a very comfy and confidence inspiring deck. My set up right now is the Shaka, 1/4″ Khiro hard riser, Gunmetal double barrels, and some really worn down Landslides in 83a.
This is my go to board for free-riding and slope-style. I’ve replaced certain spots of the griptape with some Flypaper that I had laying around. Despite the mellow concave you really feel locked-in on the board due to the rocker and the width. The width fits my feet perfectly and I don’t find myself shuffling my feet around that much(i wear a 9/10 shoe depending on brand). With the 8 ply construction the board is pretty stiff and I do not notice any flex when riding, although i am sure there is some very slight dampening flex under my 155lbs. The symmetrical EFP is dreamy and makes riding switch easy. Unless you look down at the nose/tail you won’t notice a difference in the direction and ride of the board.
The nose/kick tails are excellent and make freestylin tricks (mannys,shuvs,gturns,cross-step variations) smooth and easy. However the size and weight might be noticed once you really get into freestyle tricks(such as tiger claws, boneless plants). But if you have good cardio and stamina you should be able to pull off some steeze.
Commuting on this board isn’t that bad either. Yes its a toppy, but with the big EFP and the kicks it is too much fun to notice any fatigue when pushing. When i commute on this i end up working on my mannys, dancing, and slides when the road grade permits. I have yet to try out the shaka on some dh runs, but i am sure it will hold its own.
All around this is a great board offered at a great price. Excellent for free-ride and slope-style, its a killer for slashin the streets on the way to the grocery store, work, or class. It also has good freestyle capabilities if you don’t mind the weight/size. Sector 9 killed it with this board.
5/5 Gnarstars.”
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Longboard Deck Video Review: Omen Pike
Omen longboards designer and MOBOT Trevor Preston breaks it down for us in this video review of the brand new Omen Pike longboard deck. So what makes the Pike unique from all the other decks on the market? Here’s a few reasons….First of all, 9 plies of badass Canadian maple make it durable and sturdy enough for even the biggest riders. Not only can you choose whether you’d rather have a topmount or drop-thru deck, you can also choose between 9.5″ and 10″ widths to customize your ride to your size and style. Nose and tail kicks make it ideal for freeide moves like shove-its while a half inch of rocker keep your feet locked and center your weight during slides. Finally, Omen has revolutionized longboard design with their flattened w-concave for more comfortable pushing.
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Longboard Deck Review: The Landyachtz Chinook
Tis the season for another one of our longboard deck reviews; this time for the Landyachtz Chinook. The Chinook used to have a bad rep for its previous design with awkward dimensions that didn’t fit in with the rest of the Landy lineup. Ahh, but the new Chinook is a totally different beast, redesigned the right way. We consider it the sleeper hit out of the 2011 Landy decks. It has a super steep w-concave with razor sharp rails to make sure you stay on your deck at all times. With the extreme drops you can wedge your feet close to the trucks for maxed out stability and control. The front to back taper allows you to hang your back foot off the edge for extreme traction. Great for pre-drifiting! Try it with Bear 840 trucks and Blue Mini Monster hawg wheels for a versatile setup.
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Win a $300 Gift Card in Our T-Shirt Contest!
Here at MOBO we’re looking for some help designing our new lineup of t-shirts and hoodies. We know there’s a ton of creative, artistic and talented longboarders across the world with ideas just waiting to be put to use. And since we’re too busy coning our wheels, we figured you all could lend a hand coming up with some fresh designs for longboarding clothes. Here’s the gig:
1. It needs to go on a t-shirt.
2. It can only be three colors (black and white count as a color unless that is the color of the actual t-shirt)
3. Must say Motion Boardshop in the design (but doesn’t need to be our actual logo)
4. It can be a simple drawing with pencil or an actual computer image such as a .pdf or .jpg
5. You can enter up to 3 different designs
6. Entries are due by 11:59pm on Sunday January 15th.
7. Email your entry to contests@motionboardshop.com with the subject “t-shirt design competition”On January 16th, we’ll take all the entries and put them in an album on our Facebook page (so make sure you “like” us). The entry with the most amount of “likes” will win a $300 gift certificate redeemable on our website or in our brick-and-mortar Seattle longboarding store. All of us at MOBO will also pick a favorite of and award them with a $300 gift certificate. Both winners will get 10 shirts for free to hand out to all their friends. So get crackin’ on your designs cause you only have two weeks left to get your submissions in!
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Just For Fun…BoomBots!
Our boys down in Oregon put together this video over the summer and it’s one of our all time favorite longboarding videos. You may know them as Boomtown Productions but since they’ve hooked up with Motion Boardshop and the Mobots, they’ve morphed into the BoomBots! Ross Druckrey, Ethan Cochard and Luke Morrow take center stage in this one as they shred on early prototypes of the Omen Pike longboard and Omen precision trucks. We dare you to try and replicate Ethan’s fancy footwork at 1:17.
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Big Party at MOBO on 12.28 @ 7pm
Tomorrow night at our Seattle longboard shop we’ll be kicking off a night of music at Motion Boardshop and we hope you all can make it! Yeah we know it’s last minute but don’t pretend like you have something better to do on a Wednesday night. : ) Our nephew, DJ Q, has put together this event for his senior project at Shorecrest High School. Ryan “Theory” Cutright has been helping to mentor him these past couple months as he has learned the art of spinning the wheels of steel. Theory will kick the night off with the first set starting at 7, then DJ Q at 8 and Noisemaker at 9 to finish the night up. For the big kids, we’ll have a VIP room upstairs with a keg courtesy of Redhook Brewery and some non-alcoholic beverages for the young ones. This is an all ages event and the whole family can come if you don’t mind the bass! We’ll be showing videos throughout the show and DJ Q has decided to have this event benefit the VH1 Save the Music Foundation. RSVP for the event on our Facebook page.
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Darius Talks Rogers Bros
Motion newcomer talks about all the different Roger Bros longboard accessories. We love these cause they’re a cheap way to customize your ride! The drop-thru risers actually help lower your drop-thru longboard deck for better stability at high speeds. Cover plates help hide your ugly drop thru cutouts when you topmount your trucks or let you lower your topmount deck. The universal footstops work for both regular and goofy riders and help brace your front foot on a topmount. Brake soles extend the life of your shoes while concave implants can create pockets or w-concave. Get some online or at our brick-and-mortar Seattle longboard store.
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New Rayne Threads Hit Our Shelves
Rayne longboards just unveiled a new lineup of graphic tees, hoodies and hats. When the guys from Vancouver came down to our shop last month for our longboard deck art show, they brought along some swag with them and a lot of this clothing made its debut. They use bamboo material for their tees and I must say mine is the softest t-shirt I own! I practically live in it. Fresh graphics make these even more awesome. You can check out the latest Rayne clothing here.
According to Rayne: “These shirts are incredibly comfortable, wick moisture, dry quickly and won’t smell like sweat when you’re finished a long day of skating because they are naturally anti-microbial.”
If you “LIKE” our facebook page you can get a discount code to save a little extra on these threads.
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Tips For Avoiding Speed Wobbles
Avoiding Speed Wobbles:
Not many people like speed wobbles. In fact, I doubt anybody likes them.
So here are a few things to take note of in order to not get the dreaded “wobs”:
1) Having too soft of longboard bushings is bad. Think about a downhill appropriate setup for your weight. While soft bushings are nice for a lot of things, the higher durometers help restrict the truck’s movement, keeping you more stable.
2) Bushings vary in shape for a functional reason. Something like a barrel or eliminator is shaped to be restrictive, especially at high speeds. Whereas a cone shaped bushing is meant to allow a lot of freedom and ease of movement in the truck, which is- for the most part, not what you want too much of while bombing a hill.
3) Stance position on your longboard deck is also very important. Standing too far back will transfer your weight to the back truck. This will cause you to turn from the back. This is super gnarly and will quickly buck you off.
4) Know your setup. Make sure you at least have a feel for what you’re about to ride before you plunge down a gnarly hill. Not knowing your setup causes you to not know what sort of ride to expect. Make sure you have checked out how tight the bushings are by at least standing on the board and tucking. If you’re riding someone else’s setup, check your axle nuts to make sure they are tightened just right. The last thing you want is your one of your longboard wheels flying off at 30mph.
5) Being off-balance is one of the easiest ways to wobble, especially while foot-braking. This is the same principal as mentioned in #3. When you foot-brake, you want your weight as far up on the deck as you can. Even if you ride mongo, try to learn to footbrake regular.
6) Be confident in your own skills. You know your own limits better than anyone. You have to build up trust in yourself in order to avoid wobbles and progress in the sport. Stay relaxed cause if you stiffen up and freak out, you’ll get wobs before you know it.
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How To Do a Toeside No-Comply
BoomBot and Omen Longboards Team Rider Luke Morrow throws down tips to get you dialed on ToeSide No-Complies!
1. Use the corner of the w-concave and the drop (demonstrated on an Omen Pike longboard deck) to lock in your back foot.
2. Engage your slide, wait for the board to hit 90 degrees and then take your foot off the board
3. As you take your front foot off the board, use your back leg and really extend it to help you get the board around
4. Don’t plant your front foot on the ground for too long, think of it more as a “tap”
The most common mistakes in doing a no-comply are not getting enough speed and not extending your back leg. Watch this video a few times and then get out there and do it!
Luke’s setup: Omen Longboards Pike prototype, Omen Precision trucks, 80a Orangatang Stimulus, 85a/87a Venom Barrels, Gator 36 grit
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Last Minute Holiday Gift Ideas!
Are you looking for a last minute gift idea for the longboarder on your list? Try one of our pre-assembled holiday completes on sale! If your friend, kid, cousin, brother or whoever already has everything longboard related then try the new Omen Pike longboard deck. Since it just hit the market, you’re guaranteed to surprise them with a fresh board for their longboard quiver. It just happens to be the hottest longboard on the shelves right now so you really can’t go wrong. If you don’t want to break the bank with a whole complete, you can buy it deck only and let them outfit it with whatever trucks and wheels they prefer.
Live too far away for something to get shipped to you in time for Christmas? Well there’s always a magical Motion Boardshop gift card that you can order right online and gift a special code to use whenever they are ready to make their purchase. Who wouldn’t love that!?! That way, they can pick out exactly what they want.
Looking for a couple of sweet items to stuff those stockings? Venom bushings are always a safe bet, as are some Bones Reds bearings or a Unit Tool for tuning up your longboard. We also have t-shirts and hats from Northwest Riders, Shadies Street Gear and Omen Longboards. If none of those sound like what you’re looking for, just give us a call at the shop and we can guide you in the right direction. Happy Holidays from MOBO!
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Abec 11 Centerset Freerides, Finally!
Abec11 has finally released its 72mm centerset freeride longboard wheel! Similar to the 72mm classic freeride, with a few new features. Clearly as the title suggest it offers a centerset core rather than the offset of the classic freeride, allowing the wheel to be flipped as it begins to cone. Also the new Abec11 Centerset Freeride wheel features a 39mm contact patch, which is 7mm wider than the classic freeride.
photo courtesy of Sunnyside Longboarding
This wheel is offered in abec11′s classic thane in 78, 81, and 84a covering all of your needs! The most popular duro is by far the 81a since it offers that perfect balance of grip and slide. With these wheels, Abec11 has bridged the gap between freeride and downhill, offering a wheel that covers everything in between. If you haven’t had a chance to check out these wheels be sure to do so! They may be $3 more than their original classic, but they’re worth every penny since you don’t have to worry about coning them out.
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FREE Unhooked/Slider/Strapless Pro Clinic at Jetty Island!
Motion Boardshop and Best Kiteboarding have put together an afternoon at the Jetty featuring a free unhooked riding and slider clinic taught by International Best Pro rider Joe Ruscito. He’ll be offering tips to riders of every level, whether you are just learning to unhook or want to dial in your s-bend. Or if sliders are more your style, there will be a 2nd clinic dedicated to pressing it out. Joe was in Hood River last weekend for the RoShamBo event and we were lucky enough to convince him to hang around for a few extra days in the Pacific NW. If that wasn’t enough, local legend “Sick” Nick Ward will be teaching a strapless riding clinic so you can learn anything from duck jibes to shov-its.
All the hottest 2011 Best Kiteboarding Gear will be available for demo including the Taboos, Kahoonas and Nemesis. We’ll have some Best Profanity Kiteboards setup for unhooked load and pop, and some Best Short Stick surfboards waxes up for light wind fun. Hopefully there will be a little something for everyone! Remember, it’s all free and open to everyone no matter your skill level!We know it’s a little last minute but it looks like this Friday will bring some warmer temps and hopefully some of that buttery smooth Jetty Island wind as well. We’ll plan to start as early as 2pm if the wind cooperates. But even if the wind doesn’t pan out, we’ll still do a Q&A style session where you can pick Joe and Nick’s brains about tips and tricks for finally nailing the latest move you’ve been working on. This is just an impromptu demo day & riding clinic to take advantage of having a world-renowned pro rider in town.
Afterwards, join us at the new Scuttlebutt Brewery next to the Jetty for some after-sesh pitchers and happy hour appetizers.
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Earthwing Slide B’s: The Latest and Greatest
A new wheel you may or may not of heard about is the Earthwing Slide B Superballs. These wheels are 72mm and come in red (78a), blue (81a) and black (84a). They have a offset hub and a thick outer lip. A wheel that is comparable to the Earthwing slide B’s are the legendary blue Krypto. Blue Kryptos are notorious for being one of the best freeriding wheels around, sadly they were made in Europe and Krypto stopped making them a long time ago, so finding them is a challenge. Both of these wheels are very distinct, they have the same outer lip attributes, the only difference between them is that the Kryptos bearing hub is side set. Earthwing did a really good job with these wheels, they are some of the most consistent wheels I’ve ridden. We have been using the red (78a) set and so far they leave gigantic thane lines and have no flatspots or any vibrations, the urethane wears very evenly. Hopefully you enjoy them as much as we do! -
Drop Deck Longboards Are Not Created Equal
Everyone knows about drop deck longboards but have you ever really looked at the drop of a deck?
As you can see in the BlackDog Betty, your feet are standing on the drop instead of sitting in or against the drop. This can give you a lot of leverage over your trucks because you are at an angle towards your wheels. This also helps to keep your weight between your feet by canting the angle of your shoes to allow you to place more weight into the wheels when initiating slides.
In the Landyachtz Switchblade you can see that you put your feet into the pocket and that there is a little bit of a wall holding you into the board. This drop will give you the feeling of the pocket matched up with the wall against your foot, it will let you be able to dig into the wall for sliding and make it a lot easier to get the board pushed out.
The Rayne Nemesis shows you the last variety of drop which is having your feet on concave into a drop. This will let you be able to dig into the concave AND pocket which is useful for pre-drifts. The drop also makes it so you can push your feet into it, when going faster g-forces make you want to come off your board, but not with these drops. Whether you’re sliding or just bombing hills, drop decks are an option you can’t go wrong with.
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Bear Bushing by JimZ. Grr!
Not in the loop for new product, let us fill you in! One of the newest products on the market are the Bear Bushings by JimZ. Remember back in the day when JimZ bushings only came in one shape option, with a limited selection of two duros? Well boy have things changed… The new bear line up of bushings come in a variety of shapes and duros, offering 4 different duros and 5 different shapes. With so many duros and shapes the bushing combinations are endless. The bushings come in a 75a grey, 82.5a white, 85a black, and a 90a red. The shapes include a standard cone, a stepped cone, standard barrel, stepped barrel, and a double stepped barrel.These bushing offer some new shapes to the bushing market, such as the stepped cone. The stepped cone is a bit fatter version of your standard cone, with a step giving a more precise fit into the bushing seat and creating an increase in the amount of resistance the rider will notice while turning. The stepped barrel is one of JimZ’s original shapes, but is certainly one of a kind. The stepped barrel is a noticeably fatter platform for the truck to rest on while offering a precise fit due to the step, much like the stepped cone mentioned earlier. Due to the amount of urethane in the bushing it makes this a great bushing for the boardside due simply to the amount of rebound provided by the mass amount of urethane pushing it back to center. These stepped bushings as well as the other shapes offered by bear and jimz work extremely well in precision trucks due to the extremely tight fit, and obviously work well in the bear trucks making for an awesome ride, and can be dialed in for all sorts of riding.
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Ve-Venom Venom Tw-Tweakers!
Trying to find that perfect freeride wheel, well look no further! Venom recently released their newest wheel, the Venom Tweaker. The Tweakers are a 70mm 78a round lipped offset freeride wheel. These wheels are made with the same 78a white cannibal urethane mixed with a freeride shape for fast and controllable slides. After talking to Alex from Full Circle, the distributor for venom he couldn’t stop raving about “the buttery smooth slide.” The great thing about these wheels is how versatile they are; you get that amazing slide, while still having enough grip and control to feel comfortable railing through a corner. To sum it up, venom has done it right yet again and everyone who is anyone should pick up a set of these wheels you won’t be disappointed. -
The Science Behind Sector 9′s Dual Durometer Wheels
We have been encountering a lot of skepticism and a lot of confusion about the new Dual Durometer Sector 9 wheels. I am just going to clear up some of the thinking going on inside this wheel. The first thing that makes these longboard wheels fast and unique has to deal with the wheel having a layer of softer urethane around a hard urethane inside. This allows the inside of the wheel to remain very rigid, and have lots of momentum.
Meanwhile, the outside of the wheel is a softer grippier urethane. This allows the wheel to gain the speed benefits of a harder core, while gaining the grip benefits of the softer urethane on the outside. Another benefit of these wheels is that they are going to maintain the rigidity of the lips when gripping over adverse terrain due to the harder core, supporting the outside lips of the wheel.
The other benefit of these wheels, is that when you wear the wheel down beyond the soft outside urethane, you are then on a much harder wheel which is a lot better for stand up slides. This wheel is going to be turning a lot of heads, and the fact that it is the first wheel of its kind to be openly available.
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Why We’re Stoked on Five Mile Longboards
The Five Mile Longboarding company has been producing lots of completely unique designs and some incredible boards. Their unique insight into how the rider interacts with the board as they are traveling down a hill, while they are turning, and when they are putting the board through drifts is truly a different perspective on board design. Definitely the most underrated company out there with their release of the Five Mile Raptor, they gave everyone else a benchmark. The raptor is a board that has never been attempted by another company which is quite frankly because the board itself is a complete departure from traditional longboard thought. With their Triple Drop Technology they are able to create the unique foot pockets of their boards, as well as their comfy concaves.
Now they have introduced a new freeride board called the A-4 Skyhawk, which is a very unique douple drop, with deep grabbing pockets that make sliding very easy, and make your feet feel glued to the board for all types of slides both forwards and backwards. It also has gas pedals in the board, that is going to give your feet the most leverage over your slides, and your pushing leverage is translated directly into clean controlled slide.
Five Mile has been breaking new ground, and pushing the envelope in every aspect of design, function, and style, and this is going to become more evident when the masses start to catch on to how a Tacoma company can make boards that work with your natural movements to make you longboard even better.
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Add W-Concave to Your Deck the Easy Way
Recently I have been using the Roger Bros Implant on my freeride longboard, I have used pieces of toilet paper before to add W-concave to my board, but I have found a much better substitute in the Roger Bros Implant. I Really like that I can just slip it in under my grip tape, as well as I can move the Bump around my board to pocket my foot better in the rear when I tuck. I simply adjust the angle of the bump, and move it closer to the rail, and this gives my back foot more pressure holding it in the spot that I want it to be. The other benefit to this is that i can take it out when I am done using it. This Roger Bros w-concave implant is a great accessory if you are looking to change your board to having W-concave.
All you need to attach them to your deck is some spray adhesive. They come in a 35cc and 45cc volume so you can choose exactly how much W you want to add to your concave.
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Why We Love The New Landyachtz Chinook
The 2011 Landyachtz Chinook is going to be the next Evo. Well, it is an Evo, just a more contemporary version of the timeless classic. The 2011 Chinook is similar in name only to its older counterpart. The Chinook of the past used to have an incredibly wedged nose, was very long, and had a flat tail, which pretty much confused anyone who rode it. The new Chinook is still wedged in the front, but now it has a de-wedge in the back, giving it the same directional feel as the Evo, as well as the unmatched stability of a lowered directional deck.
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The Truth About Nersh Wheel Durometers
Most longboarders assume that the harder the durometer of a longboarding wheel, the easier it will be to slide. Not only that, but there is also a misconception that a softer durometer can be better for downhill, especially if you’re looking for a lot of grip on a technical course. Nersh wheels bucks the trend and Nate explains why…..
Recently I purchased 2 sets of Nersh Candy Wheels: one set int 80a and another in 76a. I started out using the 76a wheels as grippy wheels on my downhill board, and found them to be a little different then the other wheels that I have ridden. The first thing that I learned was that the harder durometer Candies were better for downhill riding, because with their larger core, and center-set core placement it changes the performance of the wheel. With the larger stiffer core, it increases roll speed, and the general amount of momentum that you can hold while riding. Then, with the larger inside lips of a center-set wheel, it allows the wheels to be more easily molded over the pavement because you are gaining more leverage over the gripping parts of the wheel. This allows them to grip a lot better then one would expect. In my personal opinion the 80a Nersh Candy feels like an 83a Retro BIG ZIG in its momentum, but more similarly to an 78a pink when you start to turn on the wheels. This is one of the reasons that I enjoy this style of wheel, because it is fast and grippy.
Once I learned this, I decided that I would use the 76a Candies as my sliding wheels. Even tho this is a particularly soft durometer, it is still quick due to the larger core. But once you turn these sweet treats sideways the softness of the urethane really comes through. You can feel the wheels slowing down when they slide. I really enjoy the consistency of the urethane as it wears down. It gives me confidence when a wheel behaves intuitively and these wheels must have E.S.P. On a side note, the fact that the wheel is center-set, means that you can rotate the wheel 180 degrees in order to fight coning. This really helps when you are constantly battling wheels crapping out before they are out of urethane. Definately a wheel I will buy more of. -
Nate’s Setup: Black Dog Mondo Gato Deck
Two weeks ago I mounted up my Black Dog Longboards, Mondo Gato. It is a 49″ long board, 10″ wide, with 2/3 of an inch of concave. What I really like about this longboard deck is that it is the shape of a dancer, with aggressive concave. This allows me to do dancing tricks, until the board reaches a speed where I can do some stand-up slides to bring the board back down to dancing speeds. I especially like the width between my feet for sliding the board. I can really separate my feet and get lots of leverage over both my trucks, and this allows me to control each set of wheels better when drifting. The Concave on this board is from the Blackdog Butterfly, which I love because it was a great transition from my DH Topmount. I really enjoy downhill riding on this board because with the 35 inch wheel base, it means that you have to be much more tactical and aware of yourself with your DH lines, which is greatly improving all aspects of my riding.
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Win a Taboo! All You Have to do is Review!
Best Kiteboarding is offering an amazing deal right now. You have the opportunity to win a Best Taboo kite, and all you have to do is demo one and write up a review about it. They really have to twist your arm, huh? Out of all the entries, Best will be picking one winner based on how well they expressed their love for the Taboo, and a second winner will be picked by random out of all the participants.
The sky is the limit when it comes to how you choose to present your review. You can use photos, video, or just make a nice write-up. As you may or may not already know, each Taboo size is dialed in to optimize performance specific wind-range and riding style that accompany it. At Motion, we’re really lucky to have a solid team of Best sponsored riders who have the Taboos available for demo, practically any windy day of the week. Joaquin, Eric V. and Nick Ward are all at your disposal so you can take advantage of their Taboo quivers. And if you ask extra nicely, you may be able to pry away one of the new Nemesis HP V3 kites away from them for a quick spin. : )
Click on this link for more info on submitting your review!
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Landyachtz Time Machine Video Premiere
Trevor Preston breaks it down on the new Landyachtz Time Machine deck. This aggressive city cruiser features a drop deck with a wedged nose and tail. The symmetrical body offers Landy’s trademark w-concave for doing toe-side standies so the ball of your foot doesn’t slide out. The drops right in front of the nose and tail also lock in your feet, giving you the illusion that you’re riding in bindings. Wheelbite isn’t an issue at all, even with the biggest longboard wheels, thanks to the uber intense wheel cutouts. Ten plies of Canadian maple make this urban assault deck stand out among the rest.
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Kirstin Boese Pro Model Kiteboard Review
Also in line with the Armada V2 kiteboard is the Best KB Pro Kiteboard which comes in a 130x40cm. Most womens kiteboards are only offered in super tiny sizes, as if all women are 5’0 and 100lbs. But the sizing for this board is a little longer and wider making it a more realistic option for the majority of women who are serious about kiting. With the light winds we get here during the northwest summers, I think this size board will be perfect.
Best of all, pro rider and 9 time world champ Kirstin Boese had a ton of influence in the design so it has the features of a pro board that even a man can appreciate. And if it wasn’t for the polka dots and pink Best fish logo, I bet you’d see a lot of guys riding the KB Pro. It has a very similar flex pattern to the Armada kiteboard which makes for insane pop, cushy landings, and it plows through choppy water. It also features Best’s new super comfy foot straps and pads. If you’re a late beginner or intermediate rider, this board will let you advance all the way to the finish line.
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Best Armada V2 Kiteboard Review
We just got a shipment in of the 2011 Best Armada V2 kiteboard. Although we fell in love with last year’s version, this year has proven to up the ante even more. Though the shape of the Armada has basically stayed the same, it seems to be just a little stiffer which translates to higher performance and increased pop. While we haven’t compared the actual weight, the board feels a little lighter under your feet while riding. Overall, it handles the chop really well, has nice smooth landings thanks to it’s progressive flex pattern and features some sweet new graphics too.
If we had to compare the Armada to something else, it’s like the Best Kahoona V3 in the sense that they took something that was already really great, and found a way to make it even better. This year, Best upgraded their straps and pads so that they’re extremely comfortable. According to Best teamrider, Joaquin, they are some of the easiest to take off and on. The new design really lets you wedge your feet in to get a real locked in feel.
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Spring Kick-Off Party! Shadies Launch & DROP Film Premiere
Spring is here, the pavement is drying up and the days are getting longer. Time to celebrate MOBO style! On Saturday April 30th Motion Boardshop will be hosting a special event at our Seattle longboarding shop in order to show the Drop: My Life Downhill DVD from Orangefiist. But even more exciting, we’ll be launching a sweet new local clothing line called Shadies, started by well-known longboarder Ken Barrett (organizer of the Dragonfly Jam). Shadies Street Gear is a Seattle-based company that specializes in hip, gritty, apparel for skateboarders, bikers, and other heavy duty urban missions.
DROP is a one hour documentary on downhill skateboarding directed by Marc McCrudden. It is by far the hottest skate film of the year with epic cinematography and top level longboarding. If you longboard, it’s a must see movie. Did we mention it’s FREE too!?!?
In typical MOBO style you can expect plenty of sneak-attack Freebie Throws, a video contest, grub, refreshments and LOTS MORE!! Dress for Shadiness and Steeze and Let’s Party Up!!
Come longboarding with Motion, the SHADIES and Marc McCrudden’s jaw-droppingly beautiful film, ‘DROP: My Life Downhill’, Saturday, April 30th, 2011!! See you there! If you RSVP then we can make sure and have enough grub and freebies for everyone!!
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Check Your Nuts!
Have you ever lost a longboard wheel while riding? It feels just as gruesome as it sounds. Imagine rolling down your favorite hill only to lose control, get thrown from your board, grind your trucks, and gain some massive road burn. But don’t worry, you can prevent this!Before you ride, make sure you check your nuts! Always check to see if there is slop in your wheel and if you can wiggle your wheel from side to side then it’s not tight enough. When tightening down your wheel nuts, make sure to fully tighten them so that the nylon locking system will help keep those nuts in place. If you change wheels frequently there is a good chance that the nylon locking system in your nuts has been worn down. Lots of riding will also loosen up your axle nuts over time. New nuts are never a bad choice.
Use bearing spacers for every setup – there is no reason not to! Bearing spacers allow you to fully tighten your wheel nuts without putting your bearings into a bind. Basically they allow you to fully crank down your nut and ensure maximum wheel/bearing stability. Or, you can just get some Biltin bearings which have the spacers built in to the bearings.
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KickFlip Trick Tip From FyLongboarding
We’re suckers for good trick tip videos and our friends over at Fylongboarding put together this video on how to do a Kickflip. Impressively, they’re using a Loaded Bhangra longboard to demonstrate this sick move. But like the Fylongboarding and Loaded Ambassador boys warn, be prepared for your longboard to endure a lot of abuse while you’re mastering this one…It’s all worth it in the end though.
Step #1. If you’re regular, your front foot is going to step off heelside. Pop your board up and grab it with your left hand.
Step #2. Lean over the front of your board, putting 90-100% of your weight over your front leg.
Step #3. Position your feet so your front put is centered between your trucks on your deck. Your back toes will be on the very back tip of your longboard deck.
Step #4. When you kick, make sure you’re kicking on your heelside edge of your board so the board does a corkscrew. Your foot will kick by flipping it down and back on the longboard.
(For good troubleshooting tips make sure to watch the video, the break down the most common issues people have).
Make sure to wear your helmet and pads!
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Orangefiist Drops the “Drop: My Life Downhill” DVD
Last fall we got a chance to sit in on one of the “Drop: My Life Downhill” premieres right here in the NW. It was a truly stunning film with gorgeous cinematography and skating footage that was made even better by using some of the most high tech cameras and booms in the industry. When Orangefiist makes a film, they don’t mess around. Marc McCrudden got his hands on the same equipment used to film Hollywood blockbuster movies, such as a Porsche outfitted with cameras and booms, to capture unique angles and get the ultimate smoothness in the footage. Add to that the real stories of the best known downhill longboarders in the industry and you have a film that’s not only captivating but has a storyline that holds your attention too. Best of all, this longboarding video is finally available on DVD after a long waiting period and you can buy the Drop: My Life Downhill DVD in our online shop.
Featuring James Kelly, Noah Sakamoto, Scoot Smith, Brianne Davies, Kevin Reimer, Martin Siegrist, Louis Pilloni, Mischo Erban, Zak Maytum, and Erik Lundberg to name a few superstars. Here’s a sneak peak….
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Customer Review on the Omen Carbon Matrix Deck
I copy and pasted this directly from a review that someone made on our website for the Omen Carbon Matrix longboard deck. They had a lot of nice things to say about the deck so I thought I’d share. It’s 100% legit from an anonymous stranger who just happens to feel the same about this amazing carbon fiber/foam core longboard deck as we do. Also, we heard from an Omen rider in Canada that they picked up one of the original Matrix’s when they first came out and it’s held up awesome. In fact, he’ll often early grab down 3 stairs and it’s taken the abuse like a champ.
“This is my go to board for everything EVERYTHING, this board goes through everything you put in its way. She’s rul light but somehow feels super solid. I love the feeling going dh, something with the concave, and the small drops, but being close to the ground is a magical feeling
. this board is DEFENETLY stable enough for dh ( ive brought her to about 50-55 and i havnt met her limits yet) light and symmetrical for free ride and again the pockets are super, light and low enough for commuting. over all love this board and dont tell anyone, but i honestly like the pockets more then the killswitch pocket.”-”Long John” 3.22.11
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New Rayne Idle Hands Slide Gloves
Rayne longboards is now taking their turn at producing slide gloves that are a cut above the rest. Basically, they’ve found a way to create a slide glove that fits in between the $40 Landy/Sector 9 BHNC glove and the more expensive Loaded or Sector 9 Surgeon Gloves.
The thing that stood out most about the new Rayne Idle Hands slide gloves is how comfortable they are! They fit like a glove. : ) No really though. They fit super snugly against your hand, almost like a second skin. The leather is extremely soft and you hardly feel like you’re even wearing anything on your hands. The puck is also more minimalistic which they tout as being “catch-free”.
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Blowout Sale! 2010 Slingshot Octane 13m Kites for $899
We just wanted to let you know about a screaming deal on a light-wind kite for the quickly arrive spring/summer Jetty Island kiteboarding season. We’re blowing out last year’s 2010 Slingshot Octane 13m kites for only $899. If you do the math, that’s almost $1000 off their original price. I’m no economist but I do know a good deal when I see one, and this is a darn good one. You can fly the SS Octane with any 4-line bar that features equal line lengths. So if you already have other SLE kites in your quiver, there’s a good chance that you can use your existing bar on the Octane. You will want a bar that’s around 23″ in length in order to get that snappy reaction time and quick turning.
However, for only $100, you can add on a 2010 Comp Stick Control Bar which was basically a $450 bar last year. Did I mention that the kite and bar are brand new too?!? So for a 2010 Slingshot Octane 13m complete with bar, lines, bag and pump, you’re only in $999 which is down from the original price of $1949. These kites are going fast and we don’t expect them to stay in stock long.
The 13m is an efficient light-wind machine that’s perfect for even a 200lb guy in the lightest winds. The bar itself is a feat of engineering featuring a center line swivel so you can backroll to your heart’s desire without having to untwist your lines manually. It also has a streamlined push away chicken loop safety release, 800lb lines and below the bar sheeting. See it in action for yourself…
**Note: We also have 1 2010 Slingshot Octane 9m complete left in stock for $899 total
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2011 Landyachtz Longboard Release
It’s only been two weeks since the official spring premier of the 2011 Landyachtz longboards lineup and some of our shelves are already empty. The two obvious heavy-hitters for this season are the much talked about Landyachtz Switchblade longboard and Wolf Shark. The Switchblade is the answer for everyone who loves the double-drop concept behind the Demonseed but found the standing platform to be just a little too long. It’s got really aggressive concave to lock you in too. We blew through a record 20 decks in only a weeks time which makes us think that the Switchblade is going to be the most popular board of 2011.
The Landyachtz Wolf Shark deck plays on the latest topmount speedboard craze but takes it a step further than other longboards. The sanded gas pedals are a nice feature and you can’t go wrong with that 9two5 rocker/concave combo. When you add in the multiple wheelbase options with corresponding “shark bite” wheel wells you have a clear winner. At the moment, we only have a few left in stock and they’ve been flying off the shelves.
Most of the other decks from Landy feature updated graphics from last year and let me just say the colors pop! Their finish work on the graphics is really top notch compared to other manufacturers. You may not like all the artwork but you can’t disagree that they did an awesome job laying up the graphics. The Wolf Shark is either a love it or hate it graphic and I happen to love it for how tacky it is.
We’ve also been flying through their new wheels, especially the zombie hawgs which now come in 78,80,82,84,and 88 durometers. Since Landyachtz has been so busy trying to keep up with demand for these hot new products, we’re going to drive up to their Vancouver-based factory ourselves and pick up more Switchblades, Zombies, and other goodies. So you can expect to see those out of stock items available again later this week.
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2011 Landyachtz Wolf Shark Video Review
Max was busy cranking out the videos this weekend and managed to finish up a nice little review of the 2011 Landyachtz Wolf Shark. This particular longboard deck is extra special for a lot of reasons. For one, it’s kind of the first true topmount speedboard that Landy has put out there. You might remember a video we made at the Maryhill Festival of Speed last summer where Landy’s Blake Startup gave us all a little sneak peak of this deck and it’s been highly anticipated ever since.
The graphic alone is enough to set this deck apart but they didn’t stop there. It has multiple wheelbases, is a little narrower than most topmounts (measuring in at 9 3/4″ wide) has multiple “shark bite” wheel wells to accomodate the different wheelbases, and has some monster gas pedals. The Landyachtz Wolf Shark is pressed in the same mold as the Landyachtz 9two5 so it has the same gnasty concave and rocker to lock you in big time. It’s also one of the fastest selling boards we’ve ever had in stock.
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Five Mile Reps the NW at NYC Longboarding Expo
Check out our boys from Five Mile reppin’ the Northwest with their revolutionary longboarding decks at the first annual Longboarding Expo in New York City. Dancin’ Dan speaks briefly about how Five Mile is dedicated to providing hand-crafted decks with controlled surfaces so skaters can ride with ease at higher speeds. From triple drops to centered rocker and angled pockets, the guys at Five Mile longboards have thought of it all. One of our favorites right now is the A-6 Intruder which is a fun freeride deck that almost all of our shop guys own themselves.
If you don’t want to watch the whole thing, you can fast forward to 20 minutes to see Dancin Dan in action.
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The Secret to Nailing Monster Standup Slides
Motion Boardshop junior team rider Ryan Vanderveen is the king of loooooong standup slides like you’ve seen in our earlier video “Sessions: Monster Standies with Ryan V.” This guy is an all around athlete and has the balance, coordination, and steeze to nail these super long standies better than almost all the pros out there. In this video, Ryan throws down on a 9two5 Landyachtz longboard deck and Metro Motion longboard wheels with Randal 180s.
His tips are to:
-Make sure your wheels are nice and tight
-Start with shorter slides and work your way up
-Tuck into your slide with speed
-Keep a wide stance with your feet as close to your trucks as possible
-Have your front foot positioned so that your toes and heel are both hanging over the sides of the board
-Have your back heel hanging off the back rail to really help kick the board out
-Put your entire body into it and really swing your arms around and lift your body up taking the weight off of your board
-Ride toe side briefly as you come into your slide, and then carve into your slide while really throwing your weight into it
-Lean back so that if you lose your balance you can fall back onto your slide glove and pendy out of it.Always make sure to wear a helmet, knee pads, slide gloves and even elbow pads if you have them.
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The 2011 Mystic Shadow Harness Hits the Shelves
Just last week we got our shipment of the 2011 Mystic Kiteboarding lineup. While Mystic is known for their kick ass kiteboarding harnesses, they have tons of other amazing accessories this year. We stocked up on everything from the Shadow and Warrior III harnesses to wetsuits, hook knives, layering jackets, impact vests, travel bags and even waterproof car seats.
The Mystic Shadow harness was first introduced last year and instantly became a bestseller. And if you ask me, it has everything to do with it’s ultra lightweight design that allows for mobility while still providing substantial back support. When you factor in the affordable price, it’s no surprise that this harness is a winner.
Thankfully Mystic saw how much everyone loved the Shadow last year so they stuck with the whole “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” attitude and didn’t over-tweak the design. They made the smart decision to stay with a proven product and managed to make it better than before. Instead, you’ll notice that the 2011 Mystic Shadow harness comes with the updated spreader bar pad and a beefed up covering for the spreader bar straps. It comes complete with the double-blade Mystic safety knife and back safety leash for clipping on your kite leash. The safety leash comes in particularly handy if you’re practicing handle passes. Come on in, try one on for size, and you’ll know what everyone has been raving about.
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Longboard Tutorial Video: How To Heelside Predrift
It’s nice to be able to mix up all our product review videos with a little tutorial now and then. And it doesn’t hurt to have one of the top junior downhill racers around to talk you through the fundamentals of downhill longboarding. This time, Max Wipp breaks down how to do a heelside pre-drift to scrub off a little speed before a tight turn.
Main Tips:- Keep your hips and board pointed towards the corner
- Don’t turn your board completely sideways cause you’ll lose too much speed
- Friends don’t let friends grab stinkbug!
- Tuck your back knee into your front leg
- Put most of your weight over your front truck
- Front hand in line with your front wheels
- Keep your weight over your board as much as possible (not off to the side) to keep weight on the wheels for traction
- Grab behind your back knee if you have to
In this video Max is rocking the Black Dog Pussy Gato longboard deck and Orangatang 83a Stimulus longboard wheels.
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Product Video Review: Venom Cannibal Longboard Wheels
This fall, we brought our junior teamrider Max on to work a few days in the shop. Not only has it been fun to have him around, but he’s been cranking out the videos faster than we can keep up with (which is a good problem to have). A lot of times, our Youtube subscribers will message us with special requests to make videos on certain products. While we can’t get to all of them, we try to pick out the ones that get the most requests. When it came to longboarding wheels, everyone wanted to know more about the Venom Cannibals which come in a 78a, 80a and 83a durometer.
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MOBO Exclusive: 24-Grit “Gnasty Gnar” Grip Tape
One of the best parts about being in the longboarding industry is that there is a constant flow of cool new products being introduced into the market. There’s no shortage of innovative ideas taking shape and hitting the hands of consumers. The sport is growing faster than shops and manufacturers can keep up with even! One product that we are suuuper excited about and just happen to have exclusively at Motion Boardshop, is a new grip tape: 24-grit gator grip tape.The standard 36-grit gatorgrip which is known around town as “gnar grip” has a new 24-grit cousin that we’re stocking. The lower the number, the gnarlier the grip, so we’re calling this stuff “gnasty gnar”. It’s a real knuckle buster and not for the faint of heart. Made out of mineral abrasive double sealed with an epoxy resin, this grip will make your longboard deck stick to your feet like peanut butter.
And on top of that, it’ll take longer to wear down than standard grip. Considering that it’s only $3 more for a board length than regular gnar grip, you’d be a fool not to just go for the gold. Just be smarter than we were when applying your grip and wear some beefy gloves. Never gripped a board before? No problem. Just follow our step by step guide on how to grip tape a longboard deck.
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Why Does My Longboard Squeak?
It’s inevitable for all riders. At some point, you’ll be cruising along on your longboard skateboard deck, usually doing some aggressive carving or pumping and all you hear is “squeak squeak” as you turn. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve had people come into our shop thinking that it was something wrong with the longboard bushings on their trucks. In actuality, it’s the pivot cup that’s causing the noise.The pivot cup is the place where the bottom of your hanger sits into the baseplate and there’s a hard, black, plastic insert that helps the hanger fit snugly. But when you get friction in that spot from putting a lot of pressure on the baseplates by heavy turning, it can start to squeak. The best way to eliminate this annoying noise is by taking a few savings of bar soap or wax and dropping them into the empty pivot cup (make sure you take hanger out first). Then just distribute the soap/wax around the pivot cup evenly with your pinky finger. The added bonus is that your trucks will sometimes turn more fluidly when you eliminate that friction.
When I was in a pinch without any soap or wax around, I used Bones Speed Cream to lubricate the cup and that worked like a charm too. But don’t worry, your bushings aren’t defective. And as long as you’re doing that routine maintenance on your deck, might as well clean your bearings too. Click here to find out how.
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How to Take a Racing Line-by Max Wippermann
MOBO employee and teamrider Max Wippermann shows us how to take the perfect racing line. Considering he’s had numerous podium finishes as a junior downhill longboard racer, you can be sure he knows what he’s talking about. Watch as he breaks it down into a few simple steps that you can practice, and someday master with ease.
1. Approach the corner from the outside.
2. Attack the apex of the curve.
3. Swing Wide.
TIPS: When drifting, cut in early to compensate for the understeer. Pointing the board at the apex throughout your drift is a good way to keep on track. After you’ve hit the apex, grip up. Once you’ve gripped up, stay gripped and preserve your exit speed. Stick the the inside as much as possible and don’t lose traction.
(In case you’re wondering about Max’s preferred setup, you’ll usually see him on a Landyachtz Evo longboard deck)
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Kiteboard Clinic-Bar Maintenance and Bladder Repair
Despite the flurries of snow, we still hosted our first clinic at our new location. This clinic focused on a topic that has come up a lot lately on the Puget Sound Kiteboarding Forum. So we tried to answer this question: How do you perform maintenance on your bar and bridle system? AND How to you find and repair a hole in your bladder and then replace it back into your kite’s strut.We had help from our amazing teamriders, Joaquin Hubbard, Eric Van Steen and Nick Ward, who are also representatives for Best Kiteboarding. Between them, they provide an astounding amount of knowledge and experience. When you combine that with Krispy Kreme donuts and fresh coffee, you have the perfect equation for an awesome clinic! We took video of the whole thing so you can either watch that, or join us at the next clinic! Here were the specifics we covered…
- How to tune different bar setups
- Theories on tuning bars-Do’s and Don’ts
- Adjusting stretched lines
- Q & A bar features (Best redline performance bar)
- Dual Line vs. Single Line safety systems
- Dual action pump maintenance
- How to lubricate and care for the inner workings of a pump
- Anatomy of a pump
- Removing the bladder from the strut
- Tricks of the trade to simplify the process
- Locating the leak in the bladder
- Patching the leak
- How to insert the bladder back into the strut while minimizing twisting
- How to get a long lifespan out of your pump
- One-on-one session with experts, questions on Best kiteboarding kites
