Topmount VS. Dropthru VS. Dropdeck

[xjweezyx]

i have yet to try a topmount speedboard so this is just in general for boards ive tried.

topmounts- i cant stand sliding on them i feel so weird when im commiting to putting my hands down. they seem to have wayyyy more more leverage which for the most part makes up for feeling weird when sliding.

dropthrus- again not too much expeirence with them but i think i like these the best. i hit a 25-30 ish hill with a flex 2 derv and it wasnt that unstable. it was totally fine. it also felt alot better sliding and drifting.

dropdecks- im riding a drop deck now and i really like it. feels pretty good sliding and has just enough leverage to make some technical turns. i like bigger wheels and/or higher trucks and/or risers and/or a small drop. on boards with anything over like 1.5 inch drop i like over 75mm wheels with like 1/8 risers. i dont like the feeling of being "under my wheels". ive ridden a nemmy on some really small hills and it feels really nice. i think a 1 inch drop is perfect. you still have some leverage and its low to the ground for sliding and stability. that said i like a slightly narrower drop deck. the spud is like a perfect width for me. the nemesis is a little wide but i bet if i gave it some getting used to i would like it.

these are not expert opinions. im a noob and this is just my experience in general with boards.

[jman1365]

Che are prolly our best dh

that's really saying something...

[driftfreak]

I'm an anomaly that feels most stable on a top mount. I ride a Earthwing Mystery Model 50/35 and feel a LOT more stable on it than my Comet Pagan 42/42 or 50/42. I gets wobbles fairly easy with the Pagan with green Elims in the rear and red Elim/red Reflex barrel top compared to the red elims rear and red Elim/red Reflex barrel top. I have no idea why. I enjoy my Pagan but it doesn't feel as stable as it "should". Could it be the rocker? When I first got my FSM on 42* plates it felt less stable than my Arbor fleewood (cambered top mount). I think I'm just a top mount guy. However, I enjoy the #### out of the Nemesis for freeriding. Haven't straight up bombed anything on it yet.

another "anomaly" to prove the point: it's more the rider than the board. with the same set-up, my avenger feels as stable as a pagan, meaning i get wobbles when i screw up anyway. just kiddings :P well, they really do feel the same as stable to me personally. does that make me an anomaly also?

[ProStoke]

The rider can make any deck good for anything, but physics wise and from experience Topmounts can grip in corners that Drops drift.

physics wise this statement does not make sense to me.

[Brendonia12]

I'm pretty new to DH, and I like dropthrough boards. I like that they are close to the ground for footbraking, and easier to drift/slide.

If I want it grippier, I just run bigger, softer wheels. With loose trucks and big soft wheels, a dropthrough CAN be super grippy.

[oldnbroken]

so I'm experimenting with tubular pivot cups. it really makes a difference

Huh? I don't understand. Please explain.

[tomes]

physics wise this statement does not make sense to me.

At full lean, a topmount rider's weight is more on top of the wheels than one riding a lowered platform.

[Blix]

Huh? I don't understand. Please explain.

Pivot "cup" made out of braided hose.

[elvk-]

I'm an anomaly that feels most stable on a top mount... I think I'm just a top mount guy.

Yeah bro i am the same way. My 09 avenger (50*/35*) feels just as stable if not more stable than my fsm(50*/50*, 42*/42*) or caften (45*/35*, 52*/28* FINAL angles) ever did. The control and grippyness of a top mount adds to my confidence thus creating a better mindset on the top mount (for DH). I think that confidence transfers to stability at speed. I also do a lot of intense balance/ankle stability training in the gym.

My only qualm with riding a top mount is the height, going to try some zealous hangars and see if they will make my avenger that much more glorious.

If im going to be freeriding, drop-thru or bust. I LOVE my fsm for going sideways standing up, it's aight for hand-down slides. i prefer the avenger for slides with my hand down. when it comes to predrifting the 09 avenger conquers all (ive never ridden a 09 hellcat or killswitch though).

I'm over drop decks unless i want to throw some gnarstar drifts.

[Hmann]

Huh? I don't understand. Please explain.

braided hose pivots.
with a standard pivot cup the very end of the hanger that sits in the pivot cup is the only part that contacts the pivot cup. but with the braided hose cups more of the hanger is in contact with the pivot and therefore reduces alot of slop

[driftfreak]

My only qualm with riding a top mount is the height, going to try some zealous hangars and see if they will make my avenger that much more glorious.

kahas will make any topmount speedboard much much MUCH more glorious.
it made the difference on my 07 avenger when i switched from grizzly 1052's to kaha 204's.
i've never tried zealous before though. let us know how it goes, man.

[oldnbroken]

braided hose pivots.
with a standard pivot cup the very end of the hanger that sits in the pivot cup is the only part that contacts the pivot cup. but with the braided hose cups more of the hanger is in contact with the pivot and therefore reduces alot of slop

I always thought/still think that the round point and the sides of the pivot pin contacts a standard pivot cup. Wouldn't a braided hose sleeve just give you contact around the top/end/neck of the piece of hose? Wouldn't that make the contact point the hanger itself not the pivot pin? Wouldn't that make the pivot pin float, making 100% of the pressure at that point (neck) where the pivot pin enters the tube? More restrictive with all the pressure on the hanger and not the pin ... but is it really more stable? I would think it restricts turn but not much else, no?

[Hmann]

I always thought/still think that the round point and the sides of the pivot pin contacts a standard pivot cup. Wouldn't a braided hose sleeve just give you contact around the top/end/neck of the piece of hose? Wouldn't that make the contact point the hanger itself not the pivot pin? Wouldn't that make the pivot pin float, making 100% of the pressure at that point (neck) where the pivot pin enters the tube? More restrictive with all the pressure on the hanger and not the pin ... but is it really more stable? I would think it restricts turn but not much else, no?

it looks that way but it isnt true. the neck does not contact in a standard pivot cup. there is a gap of almost 1/32 of an inch between the cup and neck. so you get a much sloppyer ride. but by using a piece of tube the neck is the only part in contact. which make turns more even, and more stable. so from what ive found it really does make a big difference! give it a try you can get all the tube you need for like $1

[oldnbroken]

it looks that way but it isnt true. the neck does not contact in a standard pivot cup. there is a gap of almost 1/32 of an inch between the cup and neck. so you get a much sloppyer ride. but by using a piece of tube the neck is the only part in contact. which make turns more even, and more stable. so from what ive found it really does make a big difference! give it a try you can get all the tube you need for like $1

What I said was that the normal set up has contact at the tip of pin and the sides of the pin and not the hanger/neck. I don't see slop of any kind unless the cup does not fit the pin or is loose in the hole in the baseplate (like the grizzlies used to be). The tube makes the neck the only contact point and makes the pivot pin end float and not sit in a cup. I would think the pin in a cup would be more stable than floating. The tube and neck set up seems to make more restriction to turning but not more stability than a pin in a proper socket that supports weight correctly, no? A pivot pin floating above a surface and not sitting in a cup means the whole hanger is sitting on the edge of the little tube of vinyl hose. I would think a Delrin cup machined to fit the pin could make a noticeable improvement though.

[elvk-]

kahas will make any topmount speedboard much much MUCH more glorious.

chyea man i bet. if zealous didn't fit on alllllll of my boards (i skate randals), i'd totally splruge for the kahas. ill write a review up or something on the zealous after i get them.

[Hmann]

What I said was that the normal set up has contact at the tip of pin and the sides of the pin and not the hanger/neck. I don't see slop of any kind unless the cup does not fit the pin or is loose in the hole in the baseplate (like the grizzlies used to be). The tube makes the neck the only contact point and makes the pivot pin end float and not sit in a cup. I would think the pin in a cup would be more stable than floating. The tube and neck set up seems to make more restriction to turning but not more stability than a pin in a proper socket that supports weight correctly, no? A pivot pin floating above a surface and not sitting in a cup means the whole hanger is sitting on the edge of the little tube of vinyl hose. I would think a Delrin cup machined to fit the pin could make a noticeable improvement though.

just give it a try i bet youll like it!

[FlexOneasdasd]

At full lean, a topmount rider's weight is more on top of the wheels than one riding a lowered platform.

That seems like the opposite of what the graphic at the top shows....

[xjweezyx]

Pivot "cup" made out of braided hose.

can someone tell me what size to get. should i just bring a baseplate in and ask what size would fit or something?

[snozzboarder55]

can someone tell me what size to get. should i just bring a baseplate in and ask what size would fit or something?

depends on the truck. the ID (inner diameter) needs to match the hanger pivot size and the OD (outer diameter) needs to match the baseplate pivot cup size

[Xgecko]

hummm after seeing the design for the new Soda Factory topmount I think I might be persuaded to give one another try...