In my opinion Sector 9 really started the "Longboard Surf Style" of skateboards. Yes there were plenty of brands before them but I really feel like Sector 9 has done a great job in making the longboard market accepted by the masses. Which has helped grow the sport to what it is today. Some will say I am wrong but hey everyone has an opinion.
This bamboo deck I refurbished is part of their Bamboo Series which has been a big part of their skateboard lineup for years. The one thing that bugs me though is the traditional clear grip tape they put on top of the decks. Yes its clear but it does not compare to the clarity of Lucid Grip which is why I chose this board to really show the difference. The top side of this deck has beautiful bamboo stringers but its very hard to see the detail.
Watch the video to see how I cleaned up the top of the deck and applied Lucid Grip.
]]>The protruding part on which your wheels are attached is the axle. The washers on the axle are called speed rings. They protect your bearings from rubbing against the hanger or the axle nut and also help keep them clean.
1. Kingpin Nut 2. Top Washer 3. Top Bushing 4. Axle Nuts 5. Speed Rings 6. Axle 7. Bottom Bushing 8. Kingpin 9. Base Plate |
The base plate is the base layer, or foundation, of the truck. It’s mounted to the skateboard with 4 bolts. The kingpin and the pivot cup can be found in the base plate.
The kingpin is a bolt that connects the hanger to the base plate. Typically, the kingpin nut is placed onto the upper end of the kingpin and is interchangeable. A hollow kingpin is a hollowed-out bolt, which reduces the weight of the truck.
Next to the base plate, the hanger is the main component of your trucks. The bottom part of the hanger is called the pivot and sits in the pivot cup of the base plate. On the other side, the hanger is connected to the base plate with the kingpin and bushings.
The bushings are the parts of the trucks that control the turning behavior. They are made of polyurethane and are placed on the kingpin between the base plate and hanger. They are available in varying degrees of firmness and can easily be replaced with the help of a skate tool.
The axle extends through the hanger, which is cast around it. It is a continuous bar made of titanium or steel. Your wheels and bearings are mounted on the visible parts of the axle. If the thread of the axel is worn out, you can use a skate tool with an axle rethreader.
Axle nuts are the nuts on the axle with which the wheels are mounted.
Washers are metal discs that are placed above and below the bushings in order to bring the board back to the starting position after turning. They also ensure that the forces acting on the board are evenly distributed. Some bushings are equipped with a reinforced hard plastic layer and don’t require washers.
Speed rings are small washers, the same size as the core of your bearings. They are situated between the bearings and hangers as well as between the bearings and axle nuts. They prevent the bearings from rubbing against the other components.
Below are some details regarding our epoxy resin and instructions on how to mix epoxy resin.
Details about Lucid Epoxy Resin:
Lucid Epoxy has an extended open time which allows up to 5 minutes in the mixing container @ 70°F and up to 60 minutes working time. It is the perfect epoxy for use with white and lighter colors as it has u.v. inhibitors to limit yellowing. The extended open time allows time for creating even the most complex designs. Lucid resin epoxy is a little on the thicker side which helps keep your color in place for your artwork
It is waterproof, Food Safe, heat & alcohol resistant. Great for all types of applications. Including Skateboards, Tables, Desks, Wood Projects, Crafts and More.
Lucid Epoxy Art Resin:
MIXING INSTRUCTIONS:
Before mixing make sure room temp is 70-80F. You can warm your resin A in a warm water bath and get your epoxy to 75F this makes for a nice thinner resin to mix easy.
1. Use a plastic mixing container with volume measurement marks.
2. Double check your mix ratio
3. In container mix part B hardener first. We do this because its thinner and won’t stick to the walls
4. Then add part A
5. Mix SLOWLY in a figure 8 pattern scraping the edges and bottom for about 1-2 min.
Note: It will look kind of cloudy and then once fully mixed will clear up. If you whip a lot of air in, it will turn white, milky or frothy.
6. Now that 1-2 min has past pour out your mixed epoxy from one container to a new clean container. And mix 1 more min.
Note: This ensures a complete mix and no left over residue on the edges.
7. Now your epoxy is fully mixed pour onto surface as quickly as possible. You don’t want your epoxy to exotherm in the container.
]]>Every skateboard wheel is equipped with two bearings. If you want, you can fill the space between them with a spacer. This small metal cylinder prevents the bearings from being forced into the center of the wheels when tightening the axle nut and getting damaged. Furthermore, spacers ensure that your bearings remain parallel with each other. Spacers are particularly prudent if you have soft wheels or so-called “non-core wheels”.
Check out Lucid's ABEC 7 Bearings here: Lucid ABEC 7 Bearings with Spacers
1. Hanger 2. Axle 3. Wheel 4. Bearings 5. Spacer 6. Speed Ring 7. Axle Nut |
Bearings are comprised of a large outer ring and a smaller inner ring. Between these rings are small steel balls. These are what enable the wheels to turn. On either side of the rings are covers, called shields, which prevent the bearings from getting dirty. In order to keep the balls in position, they are contained inside of a so-called “ball cage.”
1. Outer Ring 2. Inner Ring 3. Ball Cage 4. Balls |
You can also choose to skate with ball bearings without shields, which are open or semi-open. If you do skate with open or semi-open bearings, they will indeed be more susceptible to contamination, but they will be somewhat faster. Many skaters enjoy the slightly louder sound of a skateboard with open bearings.
1. Shield 2. Ball Cage 3. Ball 4. Outer Ring 5. Inner Ring 6. Shield 7. C-Ring |
Our Green Glow is the brightest and lasts the longest at night. Green is the most widely used glow in the dark phosphor because the human eye is particularly sensitive to green light, so green appears brightest to us. The green phosphor can also absorb a wide range of wavelengths of light to produce a glow, so the material can be charged under sunlight or indoor lighting and produce an excellent glow at night.
The Purple Glow phosphor requires specific wavelengths of light because it falls towards the UV spectrum which can make it a little more challenging to get a good charge. To get the Purple Glow to work you need to expose the material to UV light such as the sun or using a UV light.
The Blue low is near the purple side of the spectrum and its phosphor absorbs a few more wavelengths than purple does. It still creates a challenge for charging as UV light again will be your best option for charging this particular glow grip. Indoor lighting will work but the grip will need to sit under the light for a lot longer period of time to absorb the particular wavelengths it requires.
So to break it down, our Purple and Blue glow will perform way better when charged outdoors in the sun or using a UV light. Natural indoor lights will not work so well or at all. The Green glow on the other hand can be charged with practically any light source and will give a very bright glow in the dark effect and last the longest at night. There is nothing wrong with Purple or Blue as they do admit a great glow at night, it's just not convenient as the Green when it comes to charging the glow grip.
]]>You might hear "riser pads" and "shock pads" used interchangeably, and while they look very similar and both go in the same place on your skateboard, there are subtle but important differences between the two. First, they have slightly different purposes. Riser pads are designed to increase the height of your board in order to avoid wheel bite, and shock pads are designed to absorb shock to make for a smoother ride. That brings us to the second difference: they are made from different materials. Shock pads are made from rubber or dense foam, and riser pads are made from hard plastic. Although risers will absorb a bit of shock, the softer material in shock pads is designed specifically for shock absorption. The hard plastic of riser pads ensures that the pad will never compress and lose height. The third difference between risers and shock pads is the speed you can get. In shock pads, losing a bit of speed is a natural consequence of shock absorption. Most riser pads won't really affect speed unless they are very tall and result in a much higher center of gravity.
Riser pads and shock pads share a lot of obvious common ground, which is why you can find them stocked side by side in most skate shops. Warehouse Skateboards carries many different styles of riser pads and shock pads.
This is the most basic shape for skateboard riser pads. This shape will increase your deck height and decrease shock felt in your feet. Be aware that the higher your board is from the ground, the less maneuverable it will be. Skateboarders and longboarders can both benefit from rectangular pads, but if you have large longboard wheels, it's best to choose a thicker riser pad to avoid wheel bite. Experiment with different heights that work for your board and personal preferences.
The doorjamb shape of angled risers not only raises your trucks, but also fixes them at an angle from your deck. You can install them so they are angled away from the center, or towards the center. Adding wedge risers changes the angle of the kingpin and the pivot point, which means that you can increase or decrease how much your trucks turn depending on which direction you face the angled risers. To increase your turn capability, install the wedge risers so the thick part is closer to the center of the board. You can also flip the direction of your wedges to create different effects. For example, if you face both angled risers so the thick part faces the center, you can increase front turn capabilities while decreasing rear turn capabilities.
Both angled and rectangular risers are available in drop-thru style. Many manufacturers have also put a creative spin on riser pads in the last few years by adding interesting design cutouts on their riser pads. Not only does it look cool, but it also decreases the total weight of your skateboard. Additionally, some skateboarders like to mix and match rectangular and angled riser pads. For instance, an angled riser (with thick part facing the center) and a flat riser on the back can increase your front turn steering capabilities while stabilizing the back, and vice-versa.
Be aware that no matter what riser pad shape you choose, you will need to buy longer hardware to accommodate the extra height! Consult our helpful hardware size calculator above.
When you install riser pads, you of course want to install four screws, one on each corner. However, you might notice that there are a total of six holes in skateboard riser pads. Why is this? Manufacturers conveniently put an extra set of holes in most riser pads to accommodate both new school and old school skateboards. As we mentioned in our trucks section, the mounting holes in old school boards are slightly further apart because old school trucks (pre-1990s) were larger. So to avoid having to sell "old school riser pads" and "new school riser pads" as separate products, manufacturers simply drilled an extra set of holes to give skateboarders the option of which type of trucks they want to use.
]]>Let’s break down the technology behind longboard wheels. The list of wheel specs here might seem like a lot to absorb but just remember what a longboard wheel really does. Obviously, it goes around to give you faster/slower forward or backward motion, but it also controls how well your board grips and turns on the surface you are riding on. Most of the specs on a wheel have to do with traction. As you read through this guide, remember that all these specs work together to determine how the wheel will perform.
In addition to everything outlined in this guide, a longboard wheel’s performance is directly related to the surface you are riding on. For example, a wheel will ride significantly different on smooth asphalt surface than a older/rougher cement surface. Let’s start our longboard wheel technology conversation with a list of common surfaces and their relative effect on a longboard wheel:
The diameter of the wheel (size or height) is the most common spec when it comes to the properties of your longboard wheel. Specifically with longboard wheels, you’ll see a range of sizes from 60mm-100+mm. The wheel diameter range for a longboard is on the larger side compared to your common skateboard wheel range from 48mm-60mm. In a nut shell, the larger the wheel the faster the ride will be. Plus, larger wheels will absorb more shock over cracks, bumps, etc.. In contrast, the smaller wheels will accelerate faster but not have as much speed on the top end. The most common range for wheels is in the 63mm-75mm range. As you get larger than ~75mm with your wheels you need to make sure your deck/truck setup can accommodate the larger size without getting wheel bite. Look for a board with a cutout or deeper wheel wells to avoid wheel bite with larger wheels.
Longboard wheels are made of polyurethane and will range in hardness. The durometer of a wheel determines how hard its polyurethane is. In terms of performance, the durometer has to do with how the wheel grips to the surface you are riding on. A lower durometer will be more ‘grippy’ where a higher durometer will be more ‘slidey’. Longboard/skateboard wheels will range between 75a-100a. The most common durometers for longboard wheels will be on the softer side when compared to standard skateboard wheels and fall in the 75a-90a range. You’ll commonly see 75-78a wheels for the more grippy varieties, 80-90a for freeride and downhill wheels and 80a+ for slide wheels.
Curious what that ‘a’ means? You’ll see an ‘a’ in most references to durometer ratings. Different polyurethane, rubbers and plastics are rated on a scale of 12 hardness ratings (A, B, C, D, DO, E, M, O, OO, OOO, OOO-S, R) each with values from 0-100. We are not molecular scientists and will not explain the differences between scales. Just know that skateboard wheels will almost always be on the ‘a’ scale rating (some skate wheels like ‘Bones’ will have ‘b’ ratings which are on a harder scale than ‘a’) because of the type of urethane that performs best on longboards/skateboards.
Similar to durometer, the lip profile of your longboard wheel will determine how well your wheel grips the riding surface. A more ‘square’ lip profile will be more ‘grippy’ and provide more control at higher speeds. A ’round’ lip profile will provide less grip and perform better on slides. You’ll find different variations of ‘more round’ and ‘more square’ across different wheel models but most wheels fall toward one end of the spectrum.
Sometimes a wheel will have a ‘beveled’ lip. This style gives the wheel a mixed performance of grip and slide and works well for freeriders who might want a little more ‘drift’ or slideability without sacrificing overall traction.
The core setting (hub placement) is the position of the wheel core. In the most basic sense, the core placement effects the traction and durability of your wheels. If we think about the physics of a wheel when you initiate a turn, the force you put against the wheel is absorbed around the wheel’s core. So if you have a wheel with a core right in the middle, it will have a balanced amount of urethane from left to right. When you offset or side set the core, the wheel becomes more forgiving on the outside making it more suitable for a looser or less grippy feel. In terms of durability, center set wheels offer the most longevity allowing you to flip them around when the outsides begin to wear unlike offset or side set wheels.
Keep in mind that other properties of the wheel like hardness, size and lip profile are designed into the wheel to create a balanced blend of ‘grip’ and ‘slide’. So you will find many ‘slide’ wheels with a center set core but a thin ‘contact patch’ making for less traction, more slide and longer durability with the option of flipping the wheel.
There are 3 common core positions across the longboard wheel spectrum that each differ how your board rides. Those include offset, center set and side set.
The most common core setting with the core slightly set in from the inside area of the wheel. They provide a nice balance of traction and slide and accommodate a wide range of riding styles with their versatility.
The core setting is placed directly in the middle of the wheel. This allows for easy swapability once one side of the wheel begins to wear down.
The core setting is placed to the inside area of the wheel. This style provides the least amount of traction and works well for sliding.
The material that the core is made out of does not vary as much across models as some of the other wheel properties but it does change how the longboard wheel will ride and the longevity that you’ll get from your wheels. You’ll find materials ranging from the hardest aluminum cores to urethane with plastic cores being the most common. Here is a quick list of some properties of these common core materials.
The contact patch of a longboard wheel is simply the width or amount of wheel that actually touches the surface at any point. Note that this doesn’t include any bevel or lip that does not contact the surface. A ‘wider’ contact patch will have more urethane on the surface giving more ‘grip’. A ‘thinner’ contact patch will have less urethane giving more ‘slide’. Keep in mind this property works closely with the duromoter of the wheel in how ‘grippy’ the actual wheel is. That said, most slide wheels will have a ‘thinner’ contact patch and most freeride/downhill wheels will have a ‘wider’ contact patch.
The texture of a wheel has to do with how grippy the wheel is out of the box. You’ll often hear people talk about ‘breaking in’ their wheels. This is the process of wear on your wheel over time that results in a less ‘grippy’ wheel. In longboard wheel texture’s there are ‘smooth’ wheels that offer more grip out of the box and ‘rough’ wheels that provide more ‘slide’ out of the box. Rough textured wheels are simply a way to get more ‘slide’ on your new wheel by bypassing some of the break in process. However, going through the break in process with a smooth wheel is a good way to get more control from your slides but does take more riding to hit that sweet spot.
The sandpaper feel of grip tape is made with various materials, depending on the company that made it. Some black grip tape companies use silicon carbide - a very hard material that stays sharp for a good long time. Other companies use aluminum oxide, which is cheaper but looses its edge and grippyness quickly.
With all that being said Lucid Grip on the other hand is different from your traditional grip tapes. Lucid is a two part application and the grip is made from a recycled glass material. The liquid that adheres the grip to the deck or whatever surface you may be gripping is a eco-friendly water based material. Lucid Grip holds up like most grip tapes. It will wear down after use but you can simply just patch up those bare spots rather then having to re-grip your entire deck.
When it comes to clarity there is a big difference between Lucid Grip and your traditional peel and stick clear grip tape. Now, there is nothing wrong with your peel and stick grip everyone has their opinions and Lucid Grip might not be the right choice for you, but if you are looking to show off your art or any kind of exotic woods then Lucid will most likely be your best choice for clarity.
Note: With Heavy we always suggest using a little more liquid to really help lock the grip in place.
ENJOY THE VIDEO!For more information check out www.lucidgrip.com and watch our video demonstration on re-gripping a Hamboard skateboard (Videos posted below).
Customer Robert (Berto) Review: Photos Shown Below
Lucid Grip....