my new dragon is FLY

[noremac]

So I finally got to go pick up my new dragonfly from Insect this morning, and I've got to say it's everything I hoped for. Since I live in the Seattle area, I didn't really want to pay the shipping fee and instead asked Steve (the brawn and brains behind Insect) if I could just stop by the shop and pick it up once it was ready.
Before I went, I expected to see a pretty big shop, with a bunch of equipment and a handful of people scrambling to make their boards.....boy was I mistaken. After I finally found the "shop," there was Steve standing in the back of the one-car garage that serves as Insect's HQ. I got to chat with Steve for a little while, and got to find out how he goes about building his boards. In the garage there was only one board press, a barrel of fiberglass resin, a few rolls of fiberglass, and a couple sheets of carbon fiber laying around. Besides the small appearance of Insect's operation, all I can say is that the products are top notch.
I've been riding my dragonfly all day, and the flex is awesome......the seismic trucks did take some getting used to, but I think I'm starting to like how precise they can be. No wobbles or twitches through 25+ mph. The gumballs are great too, and I think the 78a was a perfect choice for the type of cruising/carving I'll be doing. Here's a few pics, and sorry for rambling on...

[Longbourder]

Sweet man, Its great that you got to see where the boards are built. Its crazy he's got people all over the world riding his boards. I'm glad to see that some else is enjoing the stoke of Longboarding.

[DD]

small garage eh?

that sounds amazing..

hewlett packard started in a garage too.

this steve gentlemen sounds like a genius to me!

[bpz]

damn, that looks top notch. this dude sounds like a great guy who deserves my money when i next have enough to put together a board. i was looking at the lightning bug a week or two back, his stuff looks to be of great quality. your setup looks very nice, ive been considering getting a pair of seismics...do they go nicely with the insect type boards?

[yooeu]

Which width seismics? And why did you make that particular choice?

[revelation2]

dude I thought the same as you. It always has occured to me that "big builders" like insect would have state-of-the-art facilities and incredible numbers of workers.

And the amazing part is how he keeps on churning out the boards. By golly, after hearing your story I wish I could help him somehow.

He needs to find a skate shop owner who would be willing to let him use half of his store.



...


anyway, that's a sweet board you got there. How are the seismics working out?

[Airin]

Ah yes the Insect 'factory', my favourite type of skate manufacturing set up. I too was awed by what I saw when I travelled down to pick up my Big Bug. It was fascinating to see the shop and it was a pleasure to meet Steve.

It is a lot of work and a bit of magic that produces the Insect boards. No doubt you'll keep loving you DragonFly for years to come.

Any concerns about wheelbite on the deck?

[noremac]

my seismics are 155's and i decided to go with that width because I thought the 130's would be a little too narrow and twitchy when cruising at higher speeds. As far as liking them, I love the seismics. Awesome trucks, and they work great with the board.

The only wheelbite problem I had was when I first stepped on the board in my garage and i tried to turn in a very tight circle.........kinda bit the front right wheel. I just tightened all the springs one turn w/ the spring adjuster screw, and that seemed to do the trick.

[mark grimace]

beautiful board.....I'll be getting an insect...more than likely next season...

how do you like those siesmics...I love mine...I keep getting new springs and changing things around....

[V1RG1N14 L0NG804RD3R]

Never ridden an insect but they sure do look sweet!

[Airin]

Never ridden an insect but they sure do look sweet!

..you gotta try one some time. Very precise.

[Jax]

Hey noremac, I went down that same day, just after you left. I was wondering who the other "local guy" was that just came and picked up his board. I got the same setup as you, but with 84a Gumballs. At first, I couldn't really get comfortable on the Seismics (my first) but now, a few days later, I love the setup. I've been really pushing it trying to see what it is good at, and my word, the Dragonfly may just be the perfect board. Great for pumping, carving, cruising, even a little bombing now and then. But I really like it the most for parking garages. I'm going down to Seattle tonight to go ride some of the garages there with one of my buddies. I'm taking the Insect.

[Dustin]

i too got the same set-up but the gumballs are to be 75a, if i remember

hopefully it will be coming any day now

[BOMBHILLER]

I love Insect boards and you got a sweet one!!

I'd also like to see pics of the one-car garage that serves as his HQ!
Any chance?

[AllDownhill]

nice board

[noremac]

nah i meant to take my camera with me when I went to pick up my board, but I got excited and forgot it.....

[lonerider68]

So I finally got to go pick up my new dragonfly from Insect this morning, and I've got to say it's everything I hoped for. Since I live in the Seattle area, I didn't really want to pay the shipping fee and instead asked Steve (the brawn and brains behind Insect) if I could just stop by the shop and pick it up once it was ready.
I've been riding my dragonfly all day, and the flex is awesome......the seismic trucks did take some getting used to, but I think I'm starting to like how precise they can be. No wobbles or twitches through 25+ mph. The gumballs are great too, and I think the 78a was a perfect choice for the type of cruising/carving I'll be doing. Here's a few pics, and sorry for rambling on...

Yea, I really like the precise feel of my Insect Sidewinder. When are you heading back to school? I work in Santa Clara on Great America Pkwy. How much do you weigh? (just wanted to know what flex the Dragonfly is set for - I asked for my Insect to be a little flexier than normal based on the two Dragonflies I got to demo).

[noremac]

I'm heading back to school on Sept. 10th....Isn't Great America Parkway where In-n-Out is and the theaters and stuff? I weigh about 150, and just went with the medium flex. It's very responsive, but I think going with a little lighter flex would have been fine too.

[lonerider68]

I'm heading back to school on Sept. 10th....Isn't Great America Parkway where In-n-Out is and the theaters and stuff? I weigh about 150, and just went with the medium flex. It's very responsive, but I think going with a little lighter flex would have been fine too.

Yea, the AMC Mercado 20 is there (with an In-n-Out in the complex area). I'm 150 lbs myself as well. Let me know when you get out here if you are looking for someone to ride with.

[willpumpforcone]

this has inspired my eighth board of my collection, i think i wanna insect....not sure which one, message me with suggestions im down for anything i dont want anything shorter than my landy dh, its too short as it is....