MODE Freestyle Wheels

NEW 55mm 95a freestyle wheels form MODE Skateboards feature a deep offset bearing seat to provide plenty of axle coverage as well as a "slightly narrowed contact patch for a quicker-turning, more-responsive ride." These are modeled after the old OJ Freestyle wheels, you know the ones this guy rode!

On the twelfth day of Christmas...

...my true love gave to me some Street Survival skills!

Happiest of Holidays to YOU!

Hope all is well with you, wherever you may have reached us from. Please know that we appreciate your readership, YOU keep this page alive. Always stay skate, enjoy the holidays, and we will see you all back here in 2016.
All the best,

Jeff and the crew at JSB.

Social: A Gnarleston Skateboarding Documentary

Big thanks to Trace for allowing me to be a part of this! Available now for viewing at your convenience on YouTube.

Assault Heavy Metal Chuck Guest Deck

Heavy Metal Chuck guest deck from Assault Skateboards! 9" x 32.75" with 14.75" wheelbase and will fit 149mm or 159mm trucks! The split stains coming out of Watson Laminates are too cool! Well done Ned!

Skatemaster Tate

The skateboarding world lost a true heart of gold today. Longboarding was his thing long before some of us were even born and he did it with so much style... Aloha Gerry Hurtado. See you on the other side.

Roskopp Retrospective

The Barn. From Ohio. Santa Cruz ripper.

Box shot.

An ad from when "street" models were under 30".

And another box shot.

The evolution of the graphic.

Skateboard Collecting with Eric Pinto

Filmed By: Taji Ameen
Edited By: Ian Michna

Banks/Curbs

Ode to G.S.D. Banks/Curbs, Ohio.

Mutant

The Skull Skates Mutant.

Corey O'Brien

Corey O'Brien, Santa Cruz Skateboards, Independent Trucks, Bullet Wheels, captured in the middle of the "C. O. Later" or switch 180 frontside boneless. Bryan Temmermand photo.

Barker Barrett and Dune Skate Curbs

Got a few in today before the rain myself. This is making me jones to go back out again. Barker and Dune killing it.

Behold the Squid!

I really want one of these for my 149mm Indy trucks! Just an awesome shape from Lew.

Sun God or Neptune in Flames?

Santa Cruz sticker featuring Jason Jessee's Neptune cast in ice.

Originally a "mini model," the "Sun God" has been reissued and measures 9.9" by 29.7" Referred to industry wide as the "Sun God" graphic, it is none other than the OG Neptune in flames.

Jason Jessee Neptune graphic.

Jeff Phillips

Sims Jeff Phillips deck circa 1987. One of my all time favorite shapes and graphics, it was a radical departure from his previous fish shaped deck with a round nose.

Ad for Sims Nitros 63mm before he started riding for Speed Wheels.

Another extraordinary colorway of the Sims Phillips deck. One can't think of Jeff Phillips without thinking of tie-dye clothing. Shirts, socks, head gasket, Phillips rocked them all. You can read more about Jeff and tie-dye here. And the helmet...

...the skull and crossbones helmet. Jeff Phillips. The tall Texan. Big influence. Boneless ones like no other. Before I could ollie, I used to boneless to everything. Boneless to axle stall, boneless to grind, boneless off of the launch ramp. I think I heard once that he called them "boosters." J. Grant Brittain photo.

Night Sessions

Curbs after dark. Phil E. Skull Skates.

World Championship Slalom Racing 2015

Lynn Kramer.

Dave Hackett.

Jamie Hart.

Rick Floyd.

Ethan White.

John Ravitch.

Miguel "Mig" Marco and Brad Jackman (foreground). Big Thanks to Lenny Poage for Cone Fest 10 and to all of the racers who traveled from near and really, really far to participate in the World Championship of Slalom Skateboard Racing this year!

Slalom World Championships in Ashland, KY

Lenny Poage's Cone Fest has grown so much over the last ten years that this year the International Slalom Skateboarding Association has granted the three day race World Championship status! The three day event features giant slalom on Friday and Sunday, with tight and hybrid race courses being ran on 17th Street on Saturday. For more information click here.

September Slappy

Leaves are starting to fall. Cool mornings and hot days are the rule. It must be September again. Wednesday evening curb slappy through some crunchy foilage. Photo Em.

Bones Rough Riders Wheels

I rarely ride wheels smaller than 58mm, but I had to check out these Bones Rough Riders. I am a big fan of all terrain skateboard wheels due to the fact that most of the spots I frequent are rough to say the least, so these were right up my alley, or parking lot, or bank to curb.

So, what sets these apart from OJ Keyframes, or ABEC 11 subLIME SoftBallz or other cored softer wheels on the market? To begin with, I would first say the unique hub/core. Bones" "New H5 Hub" which is "Chemically bonded for an extremely strong hold" gives the wheel the firm ride of a harder wheel with all of the benefits of Bones ATF all terrain formula. According to Bones, "(ATF) wheels are poured in a special soft urethane we call All-Terrain Formula or (ATF). ATF wheels are excellent for rougher terrain so regardless of road quality, this revolutionary formula will roll you there quickly and smoothly."

Quickly and smoothly indeed. These wheels are FAST! The hub/core combo makes these wheels perform incredibly. Combined with the soft urethane of the all terrain formula, you can literally roll over anything! I spent the better part of tonight's session pushing, pumping, and carving through places I typically avoid at my local spot. Pebbles, twigs? No problem. Cracks? Whatever. Roll on. Read more details after the pic.

While slightly shorter than the Powell Bombers (60/85)that I have been riding, the Rough Riders are considerably faster. I even managed to coax them into a couple of fakie tail slides despite the fact that ATF wheels aren't intended to slide a lot. I made a few minor adjustments for these wheels. The first is that I added a bearing spacer to my set up despite the fact that I haven't used spacers since probably 1987, but, they really helped these wheels to roll better on the axle. The second adjustment was that I only used one washer on my axles instead of two because I couldn't get the axle nut on the threads as well as I like with both washers, and I ride my wheels borderline rattly loose!

All in all, these Bones Rough Riders are killer wheels! I highly recommend them for those of you who like to frequent spots that are otherwise not approachable if you are rolling on 101a.

Slappy Edit

Bones Rough Riders All Terrain Wheel

The Bones Rough Rider 56mm 80a All Terrain Formula wheel boasts the following features: "a New H5 Hub -Chemically bonded for an extremely strong hold -Smaller hub radius for smoother ride -Wider core to support complete wheel -Maximizes roll for more speed over rougher surfaces..." I have a set on the way and am looking forward to giving them a spin and will be posting a more comprehensive product review in the future.

Boardslide Forever

Powell Peralta Bombers III

The 60mm 85a Powell Peralta Bomber III is a "soft to medium hard" wheel that is good for all terrain. I chose these because I was looking for a wheel a little on the softer side than my previous set, a wise choice considering most of the spots I frequent here are rough.

Similar to my favorite Rat Bones, sized at 60mm with that all terrain 85a durometer, but sporting a center-set design and a 40mm contact patch, the Powell Peralta Bomber III will roll over rough surfaces while allowing you to keep your speed and them some.

NOS Tracker 1/8" Base Grip Foam Risers

I imagine these will make your ride stealthily quiet! I have always liked a bit of a riser, even in the early 1990s when it was mandatory that you not use them. Just my thing. Thank you good buddy Steve R. for the kind donation! Stoked!

Getting Dialed In

Stage XI Independents getting broken in properly along with my new Fickle 10" x 34" deck. Stoked.

The Sauce

Never wax a curb again. The best thing I have found to keep my curb spot going.

13 Points Designs Rips The Ripper!

13 Points Designs - Art by Adam Warnick is producing limited runs of these awesome pins that are a must have for the skateboard riding Grateful Dead fan in your life! The second drop was just released and the numbers are limited, order yours today.

New Plank

My Fickle custom has arrived! This 10" by 34" deck sports a 15.25" wheelbase with a 6.75" tail and 7" nose. The shape is a subtle fish shape that resulted from my conversation with Lew, a conversation in which I expressed my absolute love of board shapes during the period of 1989 - 1991.
So, what was happening at that time that was so important that I would want to step back 25 years to pick a shape for my newest board? Well, board shapes were changing, evolving if you will. But, while evolving, most skateboard decks still held some common characteristics. The evolution of board shapes beginning in 1989 was the result of innovation. Skaters at the time wanted a double kick board with a longer nose. Schmitt's 15 degrees was "a big kick in the nose" at the time but it was just the beginning. Boards were beginning to have 5 to 5.5 inches of nose and by 1990 and 1991 we were seeing a lot of double drilled boards being produced to give skaters the option of a few more inches of nose. It was never really advertised as a "dual wheelbase," it was all about the nose.
The other part of the shape evolution during this time is that the ever popular fish shape board started to get a little more subtle. There was still some width behind the front truck but the rails were starting to become a little more parallel. And the tails of most boards were starting to taper in as opposed to flaring back out like its predecessor.
Take a look at the early Blind boards or the Dogtown boards of this time period to get a good idea of what I'm talking about here. These were some of my favorite shapes of all times so when it came down to having a board handcrafted by someone who cares about what you ride, it was a "no brainer" that I went with a modern version of a basic shape of what I consider to be one of the most innovative periods in skateboarding in regards to board shapes and riding styles, one influencing the other and vice versa.

Gnarleston's "social" Documentary on DVD

Trace at Gnarleston Goods worked for over a year on this documentary film which focuses on how social media has changed skateboarding. The short film is comprised of lots of skating along with interviews with local skaters of varying ages describing the role social media plays in their skateboarding lives. Social is a worthwhile watch for skaters in today's digital age and is available on the Gnarleston website. Order yours today.

Wax Off, Gloss Enamel On

For years I have complained about how sticky this curb gets during the Summer months. Between the heat and the humidity it becomes sludge covered and stops you quicker than a pebble. A friend suggested lacquer, clear gloss enamel to be specific. I scraped as much of the wax as I could off of the curb and coated it with the gloss. It's more like a shiny new curb that can actually be skated now! Thank you friends at The Parking Block Diaries facebook group. St. Elmo's fire?

The Waiting is the Hardest Part

The search for my perfect deck has come to an end with the decision to have Lew at Fickle Skateboards craft me a custom shape to pair with my Indy 169s. In the meantime, I am waiting patiently on this investment in stoke. I chose a classic shape to start with and will post pics once I receive correspondence from the master craftsman. Photo courtesy of Fickle Skateboards.

Free Fall

Clocking in just under the vert. Fayetteville Skatepark, photo Em.

Finding the Right Deck

Finding a deck suited to you and your riding style can sometimes seem to be a never ending search. Size, shape, and application are important factors, along with functionality and practicality.

Size matters. There has been a lot written about the importance of choosing the right sized deck. I personally buy into the whole philosophy of buying a deck according to your stature. I say this because I stand at just over 6 feet tall and of all of the different boards I own, I am typically most comfortable on a 9.5" x 36" board with an 18" wheelbase. The shortest wheel base on any board I own is 14.5". I feel that a 15" to 16" wheelbase is ideal for me, but keep in mind this is subjective data that will vary from skater to skater. Recently I set up and rode a 10" x 30.5" fish deck and found it be too short in length and an awkward ride. 31.5" to 33" is an ideal length for me these days.

The shape of things. Finding a deck with shape today is no problem. There a punk points, blunt noses, shovels, pops, early '90s style tapered football and cigar shapes, fish tails, hammerheads, stingers, money bumps, and pigs. Finding the shape suited to your liking and your riding style is crucial but don't be afraid to try different things. If you have always ridden a pop for example, then try a square tail board. Remember that Jason Lee was doing 360 kickflips on a fish shaped square tail board long ago and that Mark Gonzales can be found riding an assortment of boards of different shapes and sizes (12" wide BDS for example) even to this very day. Challenge yourself and have fun.

Application is a somewhat important factor. How will I ride this board? Park set up, street, cruiser, pool? How and where the board will be used is always something to consider. Or you may do what I have done in the past and have one board with two or three different sets of wheels in varying durometers for various terrain.

The last two factors, functionality and practicality overlap to a degree, but are equally important in the overall equation of what skateboard deck you want under your feet. Most all boards on the market are functional for the most part, even the ones shaped like pizza slices, cartoon characters, and malt liquor bottles, but they may not seem practical. If you are looking for a solid every day rider, then you may want to steer clear of the gimmicky side of shop. Find what works for you and go from there. Regardless of what you do, it's skateboarding. And it should be fun and not frustrating, which is where I am today, frustrated as the search for a good deck to pair with my set of 169mm trucks continues. In the meantime, I'm lucky to have a few other solid set ups that I can ride, which is why we do this thing to begin with, right?

Rebound

SuperCush Bushings. Back in the day they had the best half-page ads in Thrasher. Today they are back on the scene with an offering of their bushings in five different durometers ranging from 88a, 90a, 94a, 97a, and up to 99a. I have opted to order the green 94a in hopes they will provide me with stability and control.

Rites of Spring

The six month long Appalachian winter is finally drawing to a close and that can only mean one thing. Curb skating. Jeff locked and loaded on a Saturday afternoon. C.Risk photo.

World Freestyle Round-Up

This year's World Freestyle Round-Up Skateboard Championships will be held May 15-18 2015 in Cloverdale, British Columbia, Canada.