My Perfect Skateboard Setup For Transition

[@Sjur_sm57]

I just setup a new all round board today. I watched the older setup videos for reference. Running an 8.5 deck, 149 indy hollows, bones stf 54mm with the reds big balls. I got myself some pads, and new shoes. Hitting the park tomorrow, I’m excited!

[@ZackDowdy]

Nice!!!

[@natooo8312]

Big reds man, on transition they hold your speed so good! Have fun!

[@benoduartebd]

Hey bro I know you ain't married lol cool skate decks on the wall. Iam jealous love your vids brother 👍✌️

[@benoduartebd]

Dude 60 mm hawks for wheels. You move bro know that! Brawnson ceramic bearings.

[@BlackMarketHoney]

I also like to change brands as much as possible. It makes a skate more interesting and sometimes more challenging. I think Polar decks super tough compared to other brands. They also seem to stay stiff for longer. I think spitfire formula 4 wears down quicker than other brands, but the upshot of that is that you can fix flat spots by doing a bunch of power slides. Rumour has it is that if you feed them, they grow again! I also like OJ wheels. They have a more 'rubber' feel to them. Spitfire have a more damp ride, OJ's have a more lively ride. I like both equally. I switch between Santa Cruz Slime rails and Powell rib bones. They are both the same height, but the slime rails are harder ABS plastic and slide quicker The rib bones are softer polythene plastic and slide slower. Both great and both wear in the same way. All the best, Rich in Sweden.

[@idhatemet00]

i highly doubt santa cruz deck rails are ABS brother. abs gets extremely brittle overtime especially when exposed to sunlight and heat. powell uses uhmw-pe (ultra high molecular weight polyethylene) which is one of the highest density and longest wearing plastic composites available. santa cruz doesn't specify exactly what is used, but they do state that they use a "high density" plastic aka most likely uhmw-pe as well or possibly hdpe (high-density polyethylene).

[@MikkoHenrikki]

It would be great to hear review on Nfg wheels!👍 I just upgraded from my usual 54mm spitfire tablets to Spitfire 56mm 99a Conical Fulls. Definitely game changer for locking in grinds, speed and more enjoyable on coping!

[@SquaredCircle777]

Lots of great insight in this vid. Thanks for the bushing tip to break them in before tightening. Also the wheel rotation halfway through their life sounds like a great idea to extend their life.

[@kevinfletcher2198]

I been riding a set of 56mm Santa Cruz slime balls mini vomits and they are my favorite wheel I've ridden by far. 98a but still slide

[@jaek4489]

I have a pair and they rock. Their 78a 54mm minis rock too

[@chase3253]

I went from 3-boards to an all-purpose 9.25 deck and I skate it more than I did the other 3 combined. Something too easy about just grabbing and going without putting much thought into it. Bones Rough Riders and my 159's compliment the setup. Perfect for bowls and street!

[@declinetostate938]

Mini super juice. Great for bombing hills/garages and skating random spots with crappy pavement. I usually leave them on my main board and swap out for hard wheels when I get to a decent spot or the rare skate-park visit.

[@stephenberlin7797]

I love the Mini super Juice...excellent wheels for sure!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@contorta960]

ACE 55s or 60s and Orangatan 62mm Skiffs. You might wonder about the wheels. Well my skatepark is borderline. Some real bad bits at the bottom of the bowl. My spitfire f4's lose a lot of speed going over that eaten up concrete. That is the main reason. Secondly the 86a skiffs, paired with bronson ceramics make my board is damn near silent. Makes for 1am shreds much more stealthy which is good in a city to be safe. But like I say it's the terrain that led to these wheels. Recommend the 86a versions if you have bad terrain in your bowls. Just use the spitfires for learning slide tricks/ and anything but transition really. Oh and deck I went with a Polar Rozenberg FACESCAPE P9 with Eheel Wells. Also use a 1/8th soft riser (deck side) and a 1/4 hard riser (truck side). Logic is I carve hard, wheel bite is always an issue. My spitfire set-up has no risers just feel the need for these taller wheels.

[@elpadre4202]

Right now my all round board is 8.5 antihero, Indy 159s, spitfire 53mm 101a and modus black bearings. Loving it.

[@Brian_Davies]

crazy how everyone is different. stick indy bushings as they come I get wheel bite just looking at the trucks.

[@holdemdang]

Your videos are an island paradise in a sea of stress. Thanks for the therapy... and tips!

[@ZackDowdy]

THANK YOU!

[@32srt32]

spitfire 97a wheels are amazing! so are the oj 95a nomads!

[@keithreynolds6359]

My son rides those spitfires and is loving them. I have the oj wheels on one of my boards for krustier spots. Great grip but find them maybe a little too grippy for smooth concrete parks

[@32srt32]

@@keithreynolds6359 I agree depends on the park, i have a couple parks that have a 6ft border of loose dirt and the ojs grip great but others i can slide them but a little more effort. Wish more companies would have a 97a.

[@theoriginalrabbithole]

I love my gold, Ace AF1 55s on my 8.5" Element Seal and my gold, Ace AF1 33s on my Alva OG#1. I have Indy 215s on my 10" pool deck but only because Ace doesn't make an '88' model for 10" boards. I never thought I'd switch from Indy but the Ace AF1s ride better! Thanks for the reviews, Zack. YOUR input was key in trying Ace trucks. Keep up the good work!

[@burneraccount9829]

been loving the shaped polar 8.5 decks for slappy/transition...great shapes and pop...board is worn out and still has lots of snap to it...

[@wyatthunter987]

I like the P2 shape they make nice boards tbh

[@markrutten9294]

Such a sick board! Thanks for the video my guy love your stuff from here in Australia

[@bagis9066]

New stock indy bushings are good. Preeeetty loose at first but they break in like 30min. btw got the same polar board with indy 159 hollows.

[@ZackDowdy]

Agree!

[@inspirationx1]

Alta Wheels- (Hosoi& Jimmu wilkens, Tom shaar) Absolutely great ride

[@keithreynolds6359]

My weapon of choice right now is a Madnesss Sam Beckett 8.75 deck with Indy 169 Hollows and 58mm Spitfires with Reds Big Balls. Hearing great things about Bronson though. I skate almost exclusively transition. Ordering a new deck this week which will be my third Sam Beckett model.

[@ZackDowdy]

Sam rules so hard, big fan.

[@rileyhearon9793]

Try some oj hardline 54 and up wheels

[@dutchmckracken9025]

My new all around set up. 9 x 32.5 Darkroom w/ Blackmagic Ablack 5 grip. Indy 169 forged hollows w/ Bones soft black bushings pretty loose. Also im running some silencers instead of risers. Digging that. Can still use 7/8 hardware. Spitfire 60mm OG classics with Bronson G3. And as for Spitfire, my opinion is theyve been the best wheels ever. Ive been skating 30+ years and have ran every wheel from bones to ojs to satori to blanks to everything. Spits have always been solid at a reasonable price. Everyone has an opinion and feel all theyre own tho so i get it. Ride on bros

[@ZackDowdy]

Sounds like a super fun setup!

[@mikeyverano5453]

I’m rocking 8.5 deck. AF1 55 trucks. 1/8 inch ace risers. Bones Swiss bearings. And the same wheels you got! (58mm og classic)

[@StylianosManios]

Zack … great set up video…. You’re so brave…58mm wheels on stock ace bushings…and no risers….ever wheel bite?

[@ZackDowdy]

I do get wheel bite sometimes! I've sorta learned to accept it haha

[@roybatty4578]

Maybe try some Bones SPF 58s? They're my favorite and it would be cool to see you shred the shit out of the bowl like you always do on a set of those!

[@cheviot2988]

Ive been riding a really crappy 40 pound board for about a year, last week i got a 8.5 element board, 149 indys, 54 mm bones spf and bones red bearings ! it skates like a dream, i only park skate and this set up seems perfect for me !

[@rocknrollanp]

You just described my setup. :)

[@gorryman]

I buy trucks and skate , no adjustments , Indy,venture ,Ace , whatever , the only trucks I’ve noticed that seem to come loose , or carvy , are thunders , but I don’t like the way they turn anyway so , I passed after a few tries

[@sk8fm448]

I have a 9.5 shape, with Indy 149, and oj 54 square 99a. Surprisingly it feel nice.

[@rowdynixon6643]

Try the new Powerflex wheels. Jim Gray brought them back and they are so good. I have skated most brands but these are the best ever.

[@MC_795]

Dude I love the power flex wheels! I got the gumball ones and they are the best wheel I’ve ever had. Grippy when you need it and still slide really good without getting flat spots

[@ZackDowdy]

I gotta check these out!

[@rowdynixon6643]

Zack I use the harder wheels. I skate transition and curbs. Having skated Indy for so long the Ace trucks are amazing. I use the Powell bushings medium in them.

[@runitbackchop8923]

I personally love independent trucks with Thunder 98 hardiness bushings and very loose trucks so I get a very loose very controlled turn

[@ZackDowdy]

That's a nice secret sauce!

[@ifell3]

I like your hanging lights!!!

[@ZackDowdy]

Thank you! The lady knows her home decor ;)

[@JaviBoardslide]

Hey Zack! are you able to flip that board easily? or you use a smaller board for fliptricks in ledges or transition? I know that the shoe size is not too much relevant with the board size but what size do you wear? Im' just curious :) .Great video as always!! Thanks!

[@rocknrollanp]

8.625 Darkroom deck, Ace AF1 55s, 54mm Spitfire F4 Conicals, Bones Blue Balls bearings.

[@TylerRaffle92]

8.625 is the way

[@ChristianStamer]

HYGGE. Mate, that is a Danish word. Fits the room great.

[@sebamtorres]

Love your videos! if I may ask you something, Do you think owning and using different size set ups can be something good? I currently own an 8 size set up, and because I wanted to Start transition I bought a 8.4 and 139 indies. Should I sell the 8 set up? Do you think it Could be advantageous to use both boards in different scenarios or it would just slow down the process or getting comfortable in my new 8.4 🤔

[@ZackDowdy]

I think if you have the resources to have 2 skateboards, do it! It'll help you in those different environments. I used to only have 1 board, now I have a few haha.

[@robertcastillo7923]

I SKATE 8.75 .ACE trucks. INDEPENDENT hards bushings.BRONSONS bearings and 54 hards

[@untitlednoiseB]

pleaaace review a catrina or tool skate from mexico

[@frankrotthier4392]

I just got my first Polar deck. It’s the 8.5” Paul Grund (slick I believe) and I really like it. A bit too heavy maybe for street skating but I might try one of their 8.25’s or 8.3’s for that 😉 Love my ACE’s as well although I am not used to skate that loose but I’m trying 😀 I’ve got both the Classics and the AF1’s and the AF1’s are even looser than the Classics ☺️

[@ZackDowdy]

I really want to try the AF1's next!

[@frankrotthier4392]

@@ZackDowdy I think you’ll love them! They feel like butter, can’t express it any other way 😊

[@akira83842]

@@ZackDowdy после твоих видео купил ace af1 55 и они прекрасны

[@mrzoom214]

I got bones ceramic bearings - pretty damn fast and smooth

[@wattom5441]

my vert board creature8.8 darren nav bons spf60mm 84b bones 6balls bones hard bush independent159 standard powell railbar

[@rodrigoanderson8933]

Try bones rollersurfer wheels

[@YouFit100]

I love my ace 55s but how are you riding 58s and not getting wheelbite? I ride 55m wheels.

[@peinves662]

Where are you buying your deck rails?

[@stephenberlin7797]

OJ's Keyframe's are my favorite wheels...also, what bearings do you prefer???

[@ZackDowdy]

I used to love OJ's it's been so long, I normally just ride some reds because I skate such dirty spots they get destroyed fast.

[@stephenberlin7797]

@@ZackDowdy Thanks for the reply... My one board has REDS...honestly, you should try CCS brand bearings... I did some tests and they always outperformed my REDS (crazy!!!)... you should get some OJ's...you will love them-promise :)

[@gameboysleepyd4277]

I have the BONES STF CAB 58mm wheels and they roll smoothly. I also have a old school setup with RAT BONES wheels that are 64mm that are hella fast and smooth in pools. Is that the GLOW IN THE DARK JASON JESSEE deck on your wall? What is the deck beside it?

[@ZackDowdy]

It's not glow in the dark, just the lady guadalupe.

[@gameboysleepyd4277]

@@ZackDowdy what deck is beside her

[@ballpaul]

HI Zack, I am quite new to skating transition (actually new to skateboarding) for just a few months, learning basic tricks at small quarter pipes or tiny mini ramps. There is a bigger bowl about 5-6 feet tall at my local skatepark which I can now only pump around but not able to do any tricks in it yet. So for now I don't feel I am lacking speed but I do like the feeling of it. I know bigger board is good for skating transition. Do you recommend a bigger board for beginner like me? I am currently riding an 8.25 with classic Ace 8.375 trucks, 54mm spitfire conical wheels. Should I jump up the size in the first place or step it up when I feel the need to? Honestly 8.5 looks and feels huge to me, or maybe I am not used to it. I am 5'6" tall. Thank you!

[@ramrunsfast]

Baul, going up to an 8.5" after a few sessions will probably feel comfortable for you. The bigger thing is looking at the wheelbase of your board which is the distance between the two trucks. Each truck company will either extend or shorten your wheelbase. In the case with Ace trucks your wheelbase will be shorter. For deck recommendations I would look an Anti-Hero board just the classic eagle 8.5" shape. Go to a skate shop and ask if you can stand on one to get the feeling.Try a few as Anti Hero boards have multiple pressed at once so the concave will vary. Other board recommendations would be Real and Krooked. Hope this helps.

[@ZackDowdy]

Hey Baul! That feeling you're speaking of sounds like part of the learning curve process. Bigger boards/wheels/trucks are always the standard "better" for transition but I do think there's a few things to consider like your foot size, bigger foot = bigger board, smaller = smaller etc. I'm around 5'10" and ride anything between 8.25 to 10 inches. Like Ramon said, wheelbase makes a big difference in transition as well. Lastly, the thing about getting a bigger board is you'll also need bigger trucks or you board will have this hover feel to it. If you can test our other people's board at the park that always helps!

[@ballpaul]

@@ramrunsfast Thank you Ramon! I think you are right. I have had ridden 7.x deck before I skate transition. I then switch to 8.25 which at first feels very bulky and I just don't feel comfortable. But now I am liking it. It is just getting used to something. For wheelbase, my past and current decks happen to have the same 14.25 wheelbase. I really like how the Aces turn compared to Thunders. I think I will stick with Aces for the moment. Thanks again for your help. p.s. Just order a Krooked deck before I read your reply. Lucky me :)

[@ballpaul]

@@ZackDowdy Thank you Zack! That's a good idea to try other people's board. Sadly the scenario here is dominated by 8-8.25 inch popsicles. I will have a hard time in finding someone skating a 8.5 or above in my local park haha! But I will try. I know you have experience with shaped decks. How do you match your trucks size and deck width? Should I focus on matching the front truck/deck width or the back?

[@hughwilla4744]

Check out hyena deck rails. 100% recycled.

[@RikRiorik]

’Hygge’ sign in the back. Hygge indeed.

[@Mikey_Burnett]

I just picked up a Hockey deck and pig wheels

[@ZackDowdy]

Love pig wheels!

[@evanmannell]

I love this channel! PS great drinking game: take a swig every time he says “churn”

[@burneraccount9829]

also aces are the best

[@darkwingduck7212]

I think you mean 8.75

[@ZackDowdy]

You're right it's 8.75" X 32.375" I think the shop had a different sticker size haha, thank you!

[@endthedrugwartoday]

What's the wheel base? Are you into a bigger or smaller wheel base for transition and why?