Technique Discussion

[Racer128]

I know that we have 2 gear stickies, but not one sticky for discussing dh techniques. So I thought I would start a thread, and hopefully get it stickied. Please keep everything on the topic of speedboarding techniques. I also think this could be a good question and answer thread.

n00bs, read this: Use the search function before you post ultra-stupid questions, like if lighter paint makes your board go faster

[gavmck]

Ok I'll start with some technique, seems quite an open question, so not entirely sure what to put. Here goes....

When taking corners, the slowest path through the corner (Therefore the one where you can hold the most speed and brake/drift less) is outside/inside/outside.

Start at the outside line of the corner, head to the inside for the middle of the corner, then back to the outside for the end of the corner. I get round many turns where I wouldn't be able to otherwise because of this little technique. I believe *SWEET* first explained it to me, so props to the french speedyman!

[neuros]

Yeah, outside-inside-outside on a corner gives you the longest straight path of any around a corner... basically like cutting a corner so that you have a straight cut line across the curve rather than having to run along it.

On another technique note, I noticed recently that how I treat grabbing rail and putting my hand down has changed a lot since the fall... I used to grab rail on most turns and put a hand down a good deal of the time for sharp corners and I drifted a lot (topmount, pinkz in back and 84a gums front). I guess over the winter I stopped putting my hand down and grabbing rail and was doing a lot of cornering standup (probably because of the crap in the roads up here). Now I'm on a new setup (topmount, s9 race wheels) and am only grabbing rail if I need extra torque in a turn... But have stopped putting my hand down unless I absolutely have to put my body parallel to the ground. I've been riding a lot this week and have 100% gripped and railed every turn including the local hairpin, and it's just from leaning in and steering with the deck. Keeps me fast through the corners and feels fantastic. Maybe it's that I'm on a stiffer deck (10ply vs old warped 7ply) and because of that it's more responsive, but I feel like this style would only need to change over 40-something miles an hour when grip starts to differ (I've been taking right and left hand 90's at 30 mph this way and railing them fine).
Anyone else have specifics about their hand usage in weighting, or grabbing rail? When do you find it appropriate, when do you not? I know a lot about these are rider style...

Sorry for the rant I get excited when my riding style and ability evolves

[gavmck]

Hmmm interesting...

I think I only ever grab rail in a corner when I feel a bit sketchy and want a nice solid position for if anything goes wrong. I will tend to not put my hand down unless the board does something strange and the extra hand down will help to balance me. Although to be fair, we haven't exactly got mopuntain road hairpins anywhere near here, so maybe I'm just not going fast enough to need a hand down.

[longboardnation]

Ok I'll start with some technique, seems quite an open question, so not entirely sure what to put. Here goes....

When taking corners, the slowest path through the corner (Therefore the one where you can hold the most speed and brake/drift less) is outside/inside/outside.

Start at the outside line of the corner, head to the inside for the middle of the corner, then back to the outside for the end of the corner. I get round many turns where I wouldn't be able to otherwise because of this little technique. I believe *SWEET* first explained it to me, so props to the french speedyman!

i agree with that
i dont know if you have ever heard of highway 421 but it has some massive turns.
the outside/inside/outside works really well going down that, as long as you know there isnt going to be a car/motorcycle comming through at the same time.
thats the only worries we have.
i think that deff. is the fastest way through a corner.
no matter what corner it is
less sliding faster you get through. thats what i have always thought

[AJ]

In some cases, Taking the tightest inside line all the way through is fastest.
Pre-drifting AKA Speed-checking is a slide performed early in the hairpin or corner to scrub off the right amount of speed to take the rest of the turn without drifting or drifting as much.
This way you maintain speed that may have been lost in a long ''outside-inside-outside'' drift.
It is also a sketchy way to take the inside line when racing, when your opponents are going wide, you have already pre-drifted sufficently to lead the heat into a corner.

NB: Learning how much pre-drifting is sufficient to corner is really an art. It takes practice knowing when to stop sliding to grip the corner and obtain minimal speed loss.

[gavmck]

Mmmm I'll go with that. Especially in a situation where you CAN make the inside line through the turn without drifting. Inside line is less distance meaning faster through the corner. My inside/outside/inside line is generally used for freeriding by me when I don't want to drift, but I do want to make the corner.

Eg. one of my fave hills which happens to be about 3 foot wide. Drifting could easily send you off the edge into doom land.



Extra random thought: In speedboarding, people seem to assume racing, but it counts as freeride too, right?

[243racing]

Bump for good thread.

[gavmck]

So what other techniques do we have? Seems people have a lot less to say here than in the 2 million gear threads

Freeriding again: One of the funnest/most useful things I have learnt recently is the ol' heelside slash turn/ back wheel drift/ standup speed check. I'm not entirely sure of the name, but you bust a hard carve and let the wheels slide out a bit to slow you down. I got fed up of killing my shoes with footbreaking all the time and most of the roads I skate have too much traffic/ not enough room to bust a full pendy on so I like to do slash turns to slow down. I think that learning them has made me skate slower because they are so much fun to do I end up bleeding off all my speed!

I find there seems to be a perfect weight distribution between front and back that lets the board slide, but not too much thats you get chucked off. A bit of foot out to the heel edge, so you can really feel the edge, seems to help too. Oddly, my favourite board for these is running lemon zig zags, a massively grippy wheel, but I find they slide very nicely, even if the hookup is a bit abrupt.

The best way to learn them seems to be trying to carve a bit 'too much', but you need to be in a nice solid position as it can all get a bit unpredictable in a drift. Heelside is definately easier than toeside as well, especially if you over drift and the back comes round too far.

[bucksaw87]

tucking-
tucks do matter! but, you will be faster in a tuck that you're most comfortable in


side question:
i got the general idea of "freeriding" but i haven't found a concrete definition...is it just basically going fast, hitting a few steezy slides, and generally maintaining the steez whilst going down a hill?

[243racing]

tucking-
tucks do matter! but, you will be faster in a tuck that you're most comfortable in


side question:
i got the general idea of "freeriding" but i haven't found a concrete definition...is it just basically going fast, hitting a few steezy slides, and generally maintaining the steez whilst going down a hill?

I would say that adding a lot of style to your normal everyday cruise (if that makes any sense) would be a good definition for freeriding.

[Racer128]

Hmmm interesting...

I think I only ever grab rail in a corner when I feel a bit sketchy and want a nice solid position for if anything goes wrong. I will tend to not put my hand down unless the board does something strange and the extra hand down will help to balance me. Although to be fair, we haven't exactly got mopuntain road hairpins anywhere near here, so maybe I'm just not going fast enough to need a hand down.

I use the outside/inside/outside technique a lot. In fact, I was using it just 40 minutes ago on these twisty, steep, narrow bike paths... couldn't have made the corners w/o using this

[RastamanD]

you need to learn standups/speed checks...i don't have a speedboard yet but i use my Hypercarve for DH...so i needed to learn how to control my speed, becuase tracker darts and a flexy board= tough to control at speed

BTW Flys and strikers are super easy to drift and slide. smooth and predictable. if you are having trouble doing stand-ups or drifts, maybe your wheels hook up too early for you tastes...try flys or strikers. although you can learn on any wheel those have got to be the easiest ones i have used

[Racer128]

Yeah, outside-inside-outside on a corner gives you the longest straight path of any around a corner... basically like cutting a corner so that you have a straight cut line across the curve rather than having to run along it.

On another technique note, I noticed recently that how I treat grabbing rail and putting my hand down has changed a lot since the fall... I used to grab rail on most turns and put a hand down a good deal of the time for sharp corners and I drifted a lot (topmount, pinkz in back and 84a gums front). I guess over the winter I stopped putting my hand down and grabbing rail and was doing a lot of cornering standup (probably because of the crap in the roads up here). Now I'm on a new setup (topmount, s9 race wheels) and am only grabbing rail if I need extra torque in a turn... But have stopped putting my hand down unless I absolutely have to put my body parallel to the ground. I've been riding a lot this week and have 100% gripped and railed every turn including the local hairpin, and it's just from leaning in and steering with the deck. Keeps me fast through the corners and feels fantastic. Maybe it's that I'm on a stiffer deck (10ply vs old warped 7ply) and because of that it's more responsive, but I feel like this style would only need to change over 40-something miles an hour when grip starts to differ (I've been taking right and left hand 90's at 30 mph this way and railing them fine).
Anyone else have specifics about their hand usage in weighting, or grabbing rail? When do you find it appropriate, when do you not? I know a lot about these are rider style...

Sorry for the rant I get excited when my riding style and ability evolves

I do what you are saying, too. My hand goes down when I need weight on it to slide, and when I need it for extra balance. ANOTHER CONDITION: when the streets are slick with water, I always corner with my hand about an inch off the ground, and I dab it on and off. It helps prevent uncontrolable, unpredictable slides that often shoot your board out from under you. Also in these slick conditions, it helps immensely to make sure you have enough pressure on the toe edge of the board when sliding/speedchecking. But not too much pressure, or you'll high-side. Finding an easy, slow-speed hill to practice on is a good idea.

[RastamanD]

Man i hate skating hills in the rain......i ALWAYS lose control. i guess i should try and lighten up my turn in the rain......

[Racer128]

you need to learn standups/speed checks...i don't have a speedboard yet but i use my Hypercarve for DH...so i needed to learn how to control my speed, becuase tracker darts and a flexy board= tough to control at speed

BTW Flys and strikers are super easy to drift and slide. smooth and predictable. if you are having trouble doing stand-ups or drifts, maybe your wheels hook up too early for you tastes...try flys or strikers. although you can learn on any wheel those have got to be the easiest ones i have used

me? I have just about mastered my speedchecks, except slow speed (i.e. 20mph or so), where my avenger is too grippy. Then it is just easier to foot brake.

[RastamanD]

me? I have just about mastered my speedchecks, except slow speed (i.e. 20mph or so), where my avenger is too grippy. Then it is just easier to foot brake.

no not you specifically...this is a tip thread is it not?

[Racer128]

Man i hate skating hills in the rain......i ALWAYS lose control. i guess i should try and lighten up my turn in the rain......

I love it. It is a real challenge, which I need here in Florida... no super hi speeds so technical runs need to make up for it.

[justgodown]

ride ride ride ride ride ride ride ride ride ride ride ride ride ride ride ride ride ride ride

Then ride alot more. Then dream of riding and get in fights with your girl friend when she says you care about speedboarding more then her. Then agreee, then find a new girlfriend. then ride

[Racer128]

no not you specifically...this is a tip thread is it not?

oh, I thought you where saying you as in a specific person. good tip.

another tip: if you can't footbrake (well), don't even think about dh. footbraking is the most primitive form of stopping, but it is the useful in a tight situation, where slides may not be possible.