I may need to sue Original Skateboards for visual impairment, after my eyes damn-near popped out of my skull from shock, the first time I rode the Hybrid 35.
With the stubby 21" wheelbase, this thing is a carve demon. I dig Original trucks a lot. I have 2 other boards with Originals. However, on those other 2 boards, the shortest wheelbase is 28" wide. Cutting down those extra 7 inches makes an astounding difference in performance. In fact, the 28" wheelbase board (Torpedo 40) uses the exact same wheels and hangar-width as the Hybrid 35 - so other than wheelbase, the carving capabilities should be identical.
Wow.
Not identical. Not remotely close. The 21" wheelbase scared the heck out of me the first time I rode this thing. Now I can see why Original does not recommend this board for beginners. I can actually do a 360 degree turn INSIDE THE WIDTH OF A PARKING SPACE. I can't do that on any other board I own - not even one of the other Original decks!
The craziest part of all? I upgraded to the heavier red-springs immediately. I didn't ride the board a single inch on the black-springs. Based on my past experience with Originals, I was afraid the black-springs would be far too twitchy and easy to turn. I figured going to the red-springs right out the gate would be a wise move. Yet, even on the red-springs, this deck is amazing in how easy it drops into a carve.
I could already tell 2 things based off my first impressions:
1 - This board will require some getting used to.
2 - It's going to be VERY fun once I have become accustomed to it.
Later that day, I took the board to The Cove in Santa Monica and rode the skatepark for the first time. Honestly, I didn't like it at first. Even with the red-springs, the board could carve to incredibly tight and amazingly fast that it was hard to keep a solid line in the bowls without getting speed wobbles. Speed wobbles on vert is darned spooky. Frustrating too, because you loose all your speed - can't pump through a speed wobble. The board was just too darned unstable to enjoy - and I had ridden my Torpedo 40 in skateparks many times and had totally enjoyed it! The Hybrid 35? Not so much. Too sketchy.
However, after a good hour or so in the skatepark, I began to get accustomed to the nuances of the Hybrid 35 and it gradually transformed from a "I'm-not-sure-about-this" board into a "Wow-this-is-fun" deck. I even managed to drop-in on the 5 foot bowl about half a dozen times. I was quite leery of dropping-in on such a big deck (I've always been too scared to drop-in on any other longboard). The drop-ins were far more stable than I imagined they would be too. Very solid. Not sketchy at all.
All in all, the Hybrid 35 is a blast in the skatepark. I could consistently power through some of my highest and tightest carves ever on that board. I cut some lines that I could literally never do on any other deck. Needless to say, they weren't exactly the most graceful or elegant lines, because they were so different from what I'm accustomed to doing - but, man, they were fun!
The Hybrid 35 is truly an aptly named board - it honestly is a cross between a carving longboard and a pool deck. Placing both feet on the center platform, that short wheelbase makes that sucker carve tighter than anything I've ever ridden. Placing a foot on the tail gives the deck some really bizarre control and carving characteristics - bizarre in a good and unusual way, not in a negative way. Carving with your foot on the tail definitely takes some adjustment. I'm still not entirely accustomed to it - the thing just turns SO sharp from the tail that I still feel squirrelly carving that way. I'm slowly developing the skill to do it, but, wow, it's just wicked fast!
Definitely one of my favorite decks for skateparks now. Once I got the feel for it, the thing was awesome.
So, if you want something that is not quite a pool deck and not quite a longboard, but is something inbetween, the Hybrid 35 should be just what you need.
I am such a supportive advocate of Original Skateboards on these forums that I'm afraid people are gonna start to talk!
I swear no monetary or tawdry favors have been bestowed upon me in exchange for my digging their stuff so much. (Although I would settle for Chrissy's phone number...)
I actually just got a Hybrid 35 and am kind of equally stoked on it. My old ride was a similar shape and length but with seismics on it.
The hybrid seems to carve way way deeper. Hills I used to have to bomb or do slides on I can now just carve if I choose. I own all banked driveways.
I was so happy I bought some 200mm Orginals to put on my 57" inch Ed Economy. The trucks compliment the board perfectly. I can carve down narrow streets on a 57 inch board with these trucks on. Its a blast, and peoples eyes bug out of their heads when they see me.
EthanOB
Originally Posted by LTRS
Yeah, I thought about that.
I am such a supportive advocate of Original Skateboards on these forums that I'm afraid people are gonna start to talk!
I swear no monetary or tawdry favors have been bestowed upon me in exchange for my digging their stuff so much. (Although I would settle for Chrissy's phone number...)
setup on Hybrid 35:
150mm orig trucks
red springs
grippins (78 duro i think)
bones swiss bearings
I'm gonna try sliding on the Hybrid with 90a Comets (yellow ones, no longer made)... I'm sure it'll be fun, but the board seems built for deep carving more than sliding.
On Ed Economy
200mm orig trucks
red spring in rear, black in front.
strikers 77mm 78a
random mixed bearings (I just put in whatever was around for now)
Well, by an inch, at least. My Derringer's been re-drilled to 20 inches, mounting-hole to mounting-hole. 150mm trucks & black springs. I just had it at the skatepark this morning, so I know what you're talking about. It's a fricking blast carving that thing up & down those walls, you can literally just go anywhere you feel like. You can be going around the bowl clockwise, ride up the wall, and come back down circling counter-clockwise. That might not sound like much at first, but I'm doing it with no kicktail, and no kickturns. All carve, baby.
I'd like to try that Hybrid sometime, and see what a tail could do for me.
I've had my hybrid for almost a month now. With the exception of 10 days rest to allow my Achilles to heal, I've ridden this board quite a bit.
Like LTRS said, it's best to start riding with your feet in the middle to get used to the feel before riding with your back foot off the tail. This board is a absolute BLAST to ride on streets or garages.
I've ridden a carveboard since 04 because it was hyped as the closest feel to surfing. The Hybrid blows the carveboard out of the water. Like surfing, you can pump down the line and set up your turn by sliding your foot onto the tail and carving. The board does exactly what they said it would. This board is turning out to be more fun than I ever expected. The squeaks from the risers is the only thing I don't care for.
The squeaks from the risers is the only thing I don't care for.
I can't be positive, but I suspect the squeaks are from the cams and are due to heat-expansion.
The reason I say this is because all of my Original trucks squeak too. But, they ONLY squeak after pumping/carving for an extended period of time (about 40-60 seconds of non-stop carves will do it). If I wait awhile and carve again, they are silent. If I carve again anytime soon thereafter - squeaks.
So, I suspect that friction causes the plastic cams to heat up and expand and that causes the squeaking. Once they cool off and shrink to their normal size, the squeaking stops.
Again, this is just my theory. I have no proof. Perhaps if anyone from Original reads this, they can confirm or deny the notion.
None of mine squeak or rattle, never have. Not sure what makes mine different from yours. I've cleaned and re-lubed the cam area with white lithium grease, and removed all lube from other areas, maybe that's it. I've also removed one of the big metal washers completely, and replaced the other with a slightly thicker nylon washer. Maybe your squeak comes from the metal washers I don't have?
None of mine squeak or rattle, never have. Not sure what makes mine different from yours. I've cleaned and re-lubed the cam area with white lithium grease, and removed all lube from other areas, maybe that's it. I've also removed one of the big metal washers completely, and replaced the other with a slightly thicker nylon washer. Maybe your squeak comes from the metal washers I don't have?
Hmmm. Perhaps. As I said, mine only squeak after extensive pumping - never during normal riding.
Which washer did you remove and which one did you replace? The washer with the small kingpin hole, or the washer with the larger hole which goes around the spool on the hangar?
I'm honestly not sure right now.. I had replacements for both, but they turned out to be thicker than the metal ones and they wouldn't both fit. I think I just used the small-hole ones. They're easier to find, anyway.. I had to ream out the holes for the big ones myself.
Another benefit to removing a big washer: The single washer I have left isn't as thick as both metal washers. Therefore, the spring isn't compressed as far for a given kingpin adjustment. This means that you have to tighten the kingpin further top get the same ride. This in turn pulls the locking flange deeper into the slot. With the flange deeper, you should see less metal wear on the flange and in the slot area, which means less slop developing in the trucks over time. This will also remove slop from trucks that already have metal wear, by pulling the flange down deeper and getting contact between the areas that haven't worn yet.
Another benefit to removing a big washer: The single washer I have left isn't as thick as both metal washers. Therefore, the spring isn't compressed as far for a given kingpin adjustment. This means that you have to tighten the kingpin further top get the same ride. This in turn pulls the locking flange deeper into the slot. With the flange deeper, you should see less metal wear on the flange and in the slot area, which means less slop developing in the trucks over time. This will also remove slop from trucks that already have metal wear, by pulling the flange down deeper and getting contact between the areas that haven't worn yet.
Interesting.
I haven't had my Originals long enough to develop that kind of wear. But I think I understand what you mean and can visualize what you are talking about. Good tip to know.
Hmmm. Perhaps. As I said, mine only squeak after extensive pumping - never during normal riding.
Which washer did you remove and which one did you replace? The washer with the small kingpin hole, or the washer with the larger hole which goes around the spool on the hangar?
ltrs, did you manage to resolve the squeking? cause i just got my board and it squeks as well after pumping a while.
ltrs, did you manage to resolve the squeking? cause i just got my board and it squeks as well after pumping a while.
Nope. I've never resolved it. if my theory of heat-expansion is correct, then I imagine making sure they are greased up really well might help. But I'm not positive how to get rid of the squeaking. Honestly, I don't pump-carve very much, so it never bothers me.
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Originally Posted by Andres Blea
My Derringer's been re-drilled to 20 inches, mounting-hole to mounting-hole. 150mm trucks & black springs. I just had it at the skatepark this morning, so I know what you're talking about. It's a fricking blast carving that thing up & down those walls, you can literally just go anywhere you feel like. You can be going around the bowl clockwise, ride up the wall, and come back down circling counter-clockwise. That might not sound like much at first, but I'm doing it with no kicktail, and no kickturns. All carve, baby.
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