SL 2002 a flop?

Slalom Skateboard Trucks

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W. Kilner
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Post by W. Kilner » Wed May 21, 2003 10:32 pm

Kind of sad. Gullwing has a lot of goodwill with old school skaterboarders who remember them from the 70s, but the SL 2002 doesn't seem like it has been a success at all on the retail level. I wonder how Gullwing is keeping it together at all these days. Not popular at all with kickflippers. They're kind of in no-man's land these days.

So what went wrong? Should they have simply reissued their original slalom truck designs, or did they need to come up with something new, but better than what the SL 2002 was?


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: W. Kilner on 2003-05-21 22:13 ]</font>

Adam Trahan
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Post by Adam Trahan » Wed May 21, 2003 11:35 pm

I was hoping for a re-issue of the split axle design but when the sl2002 was released, it looked too much like the Phoenix, I had Phoenix trucks in the past, I liked splits better. Not many slalom enthusiasts used Phoenix trucks, everyone was after split axles.

I would like to know who made that decision and why didn't they meet the customers wants in a Gullwing Split Axle?

The interest was there at the point that the new slalom truck was released. My perception of online enthusiasm lead me to believe that they would have answered the requests of many for a split axle design. I personally requested the split to be made, I am sure there were others who did the same thing. One only had to look at what was posted on the split axle, the prices for them on eBay and the bantor about them at http://www.ncdsa.com You could probably do a search at http://www.ncdsa.com and see what Gullwing had to work with or did they even listen to the community?

You reap what you sew.

In my opinion, they didn't listen to the community.

I have used a few pairs of Gullwing trucks in the past but I do not see myself using them in the future unless they re-make the split axle design.

This is in no way a jab at the new Gullwing slalom truck. I have not used it and am really not interested in using it, doesn't mean it's a bad design, it could very well be an awesome truck but it isn't my choice.

I would have made the old split axle if I were Gullwing and then I would have supported a team. After that, who knows, produced a new version of the split axle design. It was a wave of enthusiasm that they could have ridden but they didn't make the wave and now there is a lull.

I still think that it isn't "too late" for them. I would purchase a pair of splits and I think that there are many out there who would too.

Glad to see someone actually addressing this, I would like to read more about what others think.

W. Kilner
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Post by W. Kilner » Thu May 22, 2003 4:11 am

I know there was quite a buzz about a new GW slalom truck at time. But it also felt a little like they were jumping on the bandwagon (albeit a <i>tiny</i> bandwagon). I don't think it's too late for GW either, but it doesn't really feel like their heart is in it. It doesn't feel like their heart is into making any trucks, to tell you the truth.

It's the same thing with Kryptonics.They were pretty much ignoring the skateboard market. But then slalom started making some waves, Stradas were <i>the</i> slalom wheel for a while, so they decided to release Krypgrips. But by the time they came out, they'd been eclipsed by other wheels designed by companies with real slalom enthusiasts at the helm.

Slalom is interesting in that way, you're only as good as your products. Nostalgia will work for a little while, but if the products aren't up to snuff, how quickly you can be forgotten.

To be fair, I <b>have not</b> ridden SL 2002s or Krypgrips, but I really don't hear anyone talking about either product these days.

Vincent Berruchon
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Post by Vincent Berruchon » Wed Nov 17, 2004 11:26 pm

So anybody ever ride these trucks?
http://www.gullwingtrucks.com/sl2002.htm

looks like a flop...

Seth Levy
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Post by Seth Levy » Thu Nov 18, 2004 4:28 am

i like em, but not for ts. good for skinny longboards and for old school pigs with wider wheels (like shogo kubo bds wheels)

Sam Gordon
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Post by Sam Gordon » Fri Nov 19, 2004 8:03 pm

Two simple things hindered the wide usage of the SL2002.

Firstly the truck came with no user instructions to discuss comparable angle settings, dismantling and typical setup. It was a different design to that which was known to work, yet did not suggest itself to be any better than, for example, the easily dismantled RTX. Why would one risk changing up to the more expensive, complex and unproven SL2002s?

Secondly, the bushings provided with the truck did not suggest a slalom application. In fact they are the most solid and unyielding of any I have yet tried, including both Radikal and Khiro blacks.

Being nervous of the speed of the Super G at the 2004 Worlds, I put said bushings into a TTC and ran the setup at Turri Road. My tail end was stable as a rock. Front end was a different matter. Why did Gullwing not offer slalom bushings that worked 'boxfresh?'

The upshot is that the SL2002 needed more perseverence from the rider than sales and marketing energy had been provided by the manufacturer.

Vincent Berruchon
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Post by Vincent Berruchon » Wed Mar 16, 2005 10:53 pm

I've tried some SL 2002 yesterday. Ever tried them and it was the same than last time:
the guy who own them really don't know how to set up the front truck to make it turn as a slalom turck shoud turn...
He changed the bushings, try different things but it doesn't turn - Really disturbing behaviour.

It seems it a better rear truck than a front truck. Or is it just that we don't know how to use them?

But do you have hints to set up these trucks?

Mike Elwood
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Post by Mike Elwood » Mon Jan 23, 2006 3:37 am

I agree that the 2002's are fine at the rear but have not been able to make them work on the front. I keep falling off the board. My brain thinks I'm about to turn and yet I end up going straight. It seems like they just don't turn well. I tried soft bushings, I trimmed bushing thickness, adjusted the angle and found that I needed to have the setup so loose that it was ridiculous. I haven't given up on them yet but it aint looking good.
John 3:16

Jean-Sébastien Dennebouy
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Post by Jean-Sébastien Dennebouy » Mon Jan 23, 2006 4:04 pm

I love Gullwing, especially their ad in the Concrete Wave vol 4 number 3 showing a great ditch ride with a guy on.. Randals...
Gullwing people must have a great sense of humor !

Mike Elwood
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Post by Mike Elwood » Fri Feb 17, 2006 5:30 am

They must've had the same ad guys as Carver....the guy in the Carver ad was wearing an Independent hat in that same issue.
John 3:16

Chris Barrett
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Post by Chris Barrett » Fri Feb 17, 2006 6:00 am

Mike: how much wedge are you using on it?
Image

Tyler Hager
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Post by Tyler Hager » Wed Feb 22, 2006 4:08 pm

I have a set. Sure they seem cool at first with the adjustable kingpin so you can change the "wedging" without having to swap out risers. But, does anyone know what those safety plates are for? Its to keep the truck together incase the kingpin snaps. I guess Gullwing didn't hear that all thread kingpins are bad.

Ive tried them with good bushings, on a multitude of different boards, and I still dont' like them. The pump is so unpredictable.

Dominik Kowalski
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Post by Dominik Kowalski » Thu Feb 23, 2006 2:23 am

I tried those too, but after the first two or three pumps I almost thought I had to threw up over myself....
not only because of the feeling of the ride more because of buying those things. At first I was so stoked about finding such an aswesome reissue...
and all the tuning you could do.....but tried also other bushings, which wouldn´t fit, srew here srew there....tried some hills....puked!
In one position they feel shaky on the other lame...

I still have a set, still under perfect conditions, anyone who wants to buy those please leave me a massage. Thank you ;)
<a href="http://www.pavel-skates.com" target="_blank" class="postlink">SEX, DRUGS & BACKSIDE ROCK'N'ROLL...</a>
keep on rollin'...

Christopher Bara
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Post by Christopher Bara » Mon Apr 03, 2006 2:54 am

nice looking trucks, but i hate to tell you guys, the old split axles are in such high demand for sentimental reasons, not for performance.
They were the coolest looking trucks in the 70's, but if you were to get on a pair now, you'd find they respond much like the SL2002's you bought (well, maybe not AS bad, but not as good as most other slalom trucks on the market today)

that being said, wouldnt the SL2002 work ok as a rear truck?....the geometry seems right for a rear....terrible for a front

Paul Howard
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Pauliwog's SL 2002 Experience

Post by Paul Howard » Sat Apr 15, 2006 5:06 am

Hey, I didn't like them much, I gave them to my neice for her scoot-around board for the neighborhood. I remember the old original split axles having a better feel but not a whole lot better like Bara 'sez. Adios-Paul
I just dig slalom!

Bas de Man
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Post by Bas de Man » Thu Oct 19, 2006 7:58 pm

Sorry to kick this up. But would those trucks work on a retro styled board. Like a blckhill with krypto slalomwheels? Or as asked as a back truck?

Paul Howard
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GullWing SL 2002's

Post by Paul Howard » Fri Oct 20, 2006 3:12 am

Yes, I think they would be fine for a cruising around application, They're just not what you want a slalom truck to feel like if you're actually racing. My main complaint was the obviously bent and not-alignned-in-the-hanger axles. Now that I know LOADS more about slalom since when I had them I could probably do more with them but I'd still relegate them to a cruiser or a board for my neice to scoot around on. I WOULD NOT GO DOWN ANY HILL WITH ANY SPEED with them however. I would go down hills with the original HPIV's or whatever the split axles were called and that was a little sketch but do-able, but not with these.-Paul
I just dig slalom!

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