The fine art of dealing with wobbles

**Rudie** · 07-26-2004 07:44 PM

I went carving and bombing downhill for the first time this afternoon and got pretty bad wobbles. At first I didn't understand what the hell was happening, the board was shaking pretty bad. I then remembered having read about getting low on the board to reduce wobbling, so I did. No winner, it just kept feeling like a rodeo. Since I was going pretty fast (for a first downhill ride) I saw no other solution than to aim for the side of the road and hope to meet the grass. Got out this one pretty safely, but I did destroy some guy's front lawn.

Before going downhill on that road again, I'd like to know how to deal with speed wobbles other than falling off the board. For technical purposes, here's what I'm riding:

48'' Sector Nine Original Cloud 9
Randal II 180s trucks, set medium loose
Some crappy 76-78a wheels about 65-70mm, that are already a bit eaten through after a couple of slides (a fellow longboarder told me they're probably Madrids)

Any help please?

**Mellow Out** · 07-26-2004 07:50 PM

tighten your trucks and don't tense up. Attack it like a mad man. Be feerless but don't be stupid.

**silversurfer** · 07-26-2004 07:52 PM

some new wheels might help, and maybe some khiro bushings in a med to hard duro.

**joseph** · 07-26-2004 09:29 PM

had emwice on my buttboard on sunday at 95 kilometres an hour. completely new experience. i recomend relaxing and gradually getting into an airbraking position if you tucking.

**lexx** · 07-27-2004 01:47 AM

Stay focused on the horizon - dont concentrate on your feet.

Stay calm and relaxed, breathe slowly.

Get low on the board, hold a rail with your hand - some speed wobbles start with vibrations in the board.

Tighten your trucks a little till your more confident with the hill.

DONT PANIC.

**ichiban** · 07-27-2004 02:29 AM

Lexx is right, don't panic. Ive gotten out of some really sketchy situations by staying calm. Breathing does help, some long deep ones. I dont necessarily use the "rail grab" technique, I just kinda keep my legs bent and fluid to help absorb the impurities in the road until the board stabilizes again.

Tightening trucks and using hard bushings do help me as well.

**sniffleless** · 07-27-2004 08:02 AM

I've found that some mellow carving can get rid of the wobbles. When I start to wobble on a straight bomb I just carve out not much just enough to get the control back. If you carve too hard you can get thrown. And keep your cool. Nervousness will translate into wobbles.

**ol'dude** · 07-27-2004 07:48 PM

The small pieces of elbow floating in my arm agree with Lexx (and THHGTTG)... Don't Panic.
Remember that your carving set-up is not a bombing set-up. Tighten the trucks, run stiffer bushings, flip the hangers. All of the above can be accomplished in one fell stroke. Two minutes, if you please.
I've got a set of bushings that came with some excellent trucks that will-not-be-named that are harder than stone. I keep them in my pad bucket, along with my tools. When the time comes, two minutes and I'm bombing like a P-38 Lightning, baby.

And definately relax. Most wobbles begin in the foot, not the truck. Especially 180's.

:alien:

**birdkiller** · 07-28-2004 02:53 PM

**sniffleless** · 07-31-2004 02:22 PM

I like what Birdkiller is saying here. He makes some very good points and observations.

**Michael Billings** · 07-31-2004 03:07 PM

Originally Posted by sniffleless

I like what Birdkiller is saying here. He makes some very good points and observations.

He is hard to understand.

**Longboardloser** · 07-31-2004 05:51 PM

Give him a break, he is swedish, which is quite a different language from english, I know some, I learned by the pillow method which I'm sure at least Boe is familier with...