wheelbase

**SPoKe** · 11-19-2006 01:48 PM

What are the wheelbase ranges for hybrid and a GS decks?

How does the slope (or steepness) of a particular course factor into determing wheelbase?

thanks

**msk** · 11-19-2006 02:09 PM

I prefer using the longest wheelbase I can make the particular course with. On my main GS board, that's 23.5", running 129mm Tracker B2s. For hybrid, I usually run either 22" or 23", with an RTX/RTS combo. Different trucks and different wedging will affect the handling as much as wheelbase will, so that also has to be taken into consideration.

Play around with various setups, and you'll get an idea of what works for your riding style on various courses. What works for someone else may not work that well for you. At one Pump Station GS, I was wishing I had a slightly longer than 23.5" wheelbase, while Mike Maysey was considering switching to a shorter board because his 23" was too long...

**SPoKe** · 11-19-2006 02:28 PM

Thanks MSK. So it sounds like its more preference than science, right?

Is your comfort zone, generally, longer than most? Meaning, do you find yourself riding longer wheelbases than other skaters on the same course? Or is 22" - 23" kinda the standard for a hybrid course?

**msk** · 11-19-2006 03:45 PM

At most of the races I've been to, most people seem to be running about 20"-22" for hybrid. Although I've seen as short as 17", and as long as 24".

Shorter wheelbases obviously make it easier to make the course, but I can't pump them as hard. I'm more comfortable having one long enough that I can just make the course, so I can get the most power out of each pump. But some, like Brent Kosick, run much shorter wheelbases than I do, and his style is more flowing than aggressive pumping. I think that in the end, it really comes down to your individual style, and what you feel comfortable with...

**SPoKe** · 11-19-2006 04:34 PM

Hey MSK, wheelbase is measured from center of inner holes to center of inner holes, right? Or axle to axle?

"At most of the races I've been to, most people seem to be running about 20"-22" for hybrid. Although I've seen as short as 17", and as long as 24"."

**longboardorific** · 11-19-2006 04:39 PM

im running a 20in wheel base wtih tracker b-2s both wedged towards the front(small end to the front). but thats for tight slalom. and then my roe racing deck will get here and it will be all good

**msk** · 11-19-2006 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by SPoKe

Hey MSK, wheelbase is measured from center of inner holes to center of inner holes, right? Or axle to axle?

In any other application, wheelbase would refer to the axle to axle measurement. Skateboard wheelbase is measured inner holes to inner holes, due to variations in axle placement among different trucks. I heard somebody suggest "truckbase" as a replacement term, which personally I think makes a lot more sense, but I doubt that'll ever take over...

In addition to hole placement, wedging slightly affects "real" (axle to axle) wheelbase. And offset rear trucks effectively shorten the wheelbase by about an inch, which adds to the confusion. Throw on an offset hanger without changing anything else, and you've done pretty much the same as move the non-offset truck an inch forward...

**melifont monk** · 11-23-2006 06:48 AM

Admittedly, the events that we have been holding here in Tasmania aren't like the events that we see posts of on the 'fish; but we've found that a 19-22" wheelbase seems pretty good for a GS...haven't been able to set up a TS but give me time to cut one...and get exprenerasive running gear (sob) so much money...so little time...

so much money...so little truck! ah ha!

**Muttlips** · 11-23-2006 11:07 AM

I think a lot of the wheelbase choice depends on the particular course. As MSK said, I think it's often best to take the longest wb you can thru any given course. Some hybrind courses I'll use my GS board for (22" wb), and for some I rely on a smaller hybrind board (19.5" wb), and I also have a 20.5" wb board I can use, depending on what's going to work the course the best... no hard & fast rules. I really think it's course dependant -- pitch & cone spacing -- to ride whatever you can to get the best balance between pumping & generating quick acceleration (something a generally shorter wheelbase will do a bit better) and being able to roll thru & carry more speed (something a longer wb board will do a bit better).

Sometimes you can get a longer board thru the tighter section of a hybrid course, but maybe not as quickly as you would a slightly shorter one, but then maybe the roll thru & large pumps you can get out of the more open sections of the course would outweigh the loss of speed thru the tighter part... Or perhaps the other way around, again, depending on the course.

I think a good way to develop a feel for this is to set up some different courses with a buddy, and take a handful of runs with different boards while timing each other, and see what works better for what kind of application. I've done a bunch of that -- course specific equipment testing -- and I always learn a lot when I do it.