Slalom

There is so much slalom knowledge in ASRA and I never get enough time to talk tech at races so share your set ups and favourite gear here.

Now THIS is slalom!!!!! Hosoi won a slalom com in Bucky's Bowl

Good link there BEAR.
Nice way to kick things off.

Hey guys,
I need some help from you Slalom wiseguys.
On my trucks, if I turn too hard with my front truck, the momentum is lost and I almost topside over the nose. I can pump, just as long as I don't push it too hard so that 'dive' happens.
What do I do?
Thanks guys

What trucks and bushes do you have Elliot? Most of the power in a pump for Slalom usually comes from the rear not the front. I notice if I have the rear too loose or turny that kind of overstear can happen. You might need to look at your rear dewedge.

Tracker RTS/X 106mm combo with Khiro 73a barrels in the front and 85a in the back.
I'm about 65kg too. I'm starting to get into it and i don't have much knowledge, so any help is much appreciated

All of what JudgeK says are wise words. Also I recon learn to pump on a flat netball court or something first otherwise you just tend to be turning around cones going down a hill. Your bushings will work fine and if you want more front turn (and you might eventually being only 65kgs) you could switch to cones or bitch style khiros. Let me know if you want some, at 95kgs they are no good to me!

So Judge you mean 20* positive wedging at the front? At the moment I only have 10* on the front and -7* on the back.
Yeah Marek I often use my board as a commute so that's how I have been learning to pump. I look very different to all those skaters cruising around on Z-Flex's that's for sure!
Yes I think I need some longer kingpins and some other bushings to play around with. Thanks for your help JudgeK and Marek! I really do appreciate it.

Hey Nathan, that bowl slalom does look unreal! To be honest I thought you were taking the piss until I zoomed in and saw the cone stuck to the wall!

five dock or dulwich hill would be rad for that..

In my opinion 20 might be a little too gnarly. go for 14 wedge front and 7-14 de-wedge back.

agreed with robbo - a few years ago when everyone was riding trackers I remember the "default setting" was 15 deg front 10 degree dewedge back, I still have some set up and thats how i have em, its the best start point i reckon(?)
Keep your front loose as a goose and crank your tail down hard..and then give it an extra turn!

With that set up the "dive" shouldnt be gear related as dudes over 100kg can rip in to full pump on that.

Yeah Marek the bowl slalom looks great, I have a line in tuncurry skatepark which would be a fun race. Have seen a lot of fun racing stuff in the "mainstream" skate world lately. The Beauty and the Beast tour have been having a race around a park in oregon in the movie aand girl/anti hero had a race track bowl thing as their obstacle in the latest vans downtown showdown, not to mention the buckys bowl thing and the freshpark skater cross, lots of cool stuff happening, woulod be great to get some different fun events happening out here.

I reckon about 15 front, and -15 rear for a Tracker RTX/S setup. If it's diving it's a technique thing - maybe put a bit more weight on the rear, and just general finesse. Slalom boards are fun commuters, and it's a the best way to learn to pump.

Boomer, we've run a slalom at Dulwich Hill a couple of times - twas fun. Luxford killed it. Five Dock would be better/gnarlier - we could even make a super-advanced course requiring spine transfers - imagine people doing spine transfers where speed was the thing...

Thanks Robbo.
Also, how important is it for the wheels to be level? As in with the different angles, the board might not be parallel to the ground. And how do I measure it?
Thanks again

measure the gap from the top of the wheel to the deck. In my book you don't want the back higher then the front

Heere's the Randal guide.

Looks like one of Steve C's diagrams.

Elliot - don't worry about whether the board is parallel to the ground. I've ridden with all kinds of different setups and just ride whatever feels good. In Canberra I was riding 70mm wheels in front and 75mm wheels in back - no worries! You don't notice the minute difference in height at all. For the last two years I've been riding with two angled risers in front and an almost flat but slightly negative wedge in the back. Which means that on 70mm wheels front and back my back foot is lower than the front. I really like that feel actually. But on a tracker truck i would de-wedge it a bit more, like -10 or -15.

You might try a harder bushing in the back. I'm the same weight as you and as your pump gets stronger you will find you get more power out of the back when you ride harder bushings. I ride 73a barrels in the front and as hard as I can find in the back! Definitely not your average longboard setup!

Doglog/Bugs - maybe its time for a park slalom event again! dulwich hill was good fun...

Hey i finally got my virages from the uk! The vite is fine like a better turning tracker rtx but the rear is a bit weird. It's reverse king pin but the angle look to be less than 20 degrees if run flat so it really seems not to turn at all. Any one got some experience setting up a rear virage. I'm considering wedging it a bit (ie not dewedging it) And yes Judge I guess I'm talking to you as your the only other bloke in oz I know of with virage!