Italian slalom deck

[Glenn S]

http://members.xoom.virgilio.it/_XOOM/a ... /pics1.htm

75cm = 29 1/2" lenght
18.5cm = 7 1/4" wide
43cm = 16 7/8" wheelbase

Gianluca Ferrero posted that this is the shape that Luca used in Paris over at ncdsa vendors corner:

italian slalom cones since 25 years used in italian and ISSA races are back in different colours ,fluorescent too.
also slalom board used by LUCA GIAMMARCO world record holder the wood one and the concave fibreflex are avaible on
http://www.broox.it
have a lok soon gianluca

Hey Vlad,
I'm interested in knowing about Luca's deck. The one your holding here looks concave and has a kicktail. Is there a reason for the kicktail on a slalom deck, and is it concave? And I thought I heard mention that it was made by Indiana. And are the above demensions about right?
<img src=http://images3.fotki.com/v25/photos/5/5 ... 024-vi.jpg>

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: glenn on 2003-06-01 00:47 ]</font>

[Vlad Popov]

Luca’s board is flat and quite heavy. I think he’s among a few fast skaters who’s using a solid wood deck. Gatti (?) and Matsukevich also preferred planks. A kicktail is there on purpose to hold the foot. Some fast slalomers like(d) it, some do(i)n’t.

The dimentions seem right.

[Vlad Popov]

The amazing thing is that this set-up worked best on 6-ft “practice” course at Trocadero. Luca was getting his rhythm by the 5th cone after a run-in. The racecourse was loose and the ramps aren’t tall for a fast start, which did not favor his set-up/technique. He wasn’t himself until the last 10 cones (and therefore wished for 10 or 20 more). How he made it work on Special Sl and GS- I don’t know. And that’s what I find amazing about him.

Matsukevich, Ridolli and a couple of others used to beat Luca all the time. Luca’s fast, but let’s not make another hype out of him and his equipment. He’s the fastest Euro we saw skate. But there might be 10 out there who are as fast. Not including the world’s #1 Sandbagger, who beat Luca in 95 and posted the best row time in the last race.

[Jani Soderhall]

All I know about Lucas board is that the current one (solid wood) is made by Indiana especially for him - and not sold. It is an exact copy of what Luca was using before we went on to be sponsored by Indiana.

The actual brand is probably what-ever-from-the-70s solid wood deck. No concave. It is flat on top and three faced below (to be more solid in the middle).

I think I looked at the name of the trucks and realized it was a virtually unknown brand too.

[Glenn S]

The reason I asked about the kicktail is that I've been trying out a Fibreflex "Teamrider" for TS:
<img src=http://www.fibreflexskate.com/images/30teamridertop.jpg>
And I really like the kicktail for back foot placement, and was thinking of adding foam on other decks and making a tail kick for this reason. The Teamrider is 30x8 inch and comes predrilled with a 16.5" inner to inner truck hole wheelbase, but there is room on the nose to drill it out almost another 2 inches if you want. The one that I have is stiff and hardly has any flex even at 18" inner to inner truck hole wheelbase

[Vlad Popov]

Don't forget to take care of that 8-inch fatness.

[Glenn S]

Yeah your right Vlad, I was thinking I'd like to add at least another half inch on that width or so. 8" is too narrow for my big feet.

My ancestors moved from Europe to America many hundreds of years ago where we evolved, growing much taller with big feet. :razz:

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Glenn on 2003-06-11 20:07 ]</font>

[Vlad Popov]

Luca's size 14. I'm getting there. But it's tough.

[John Gilmour]

Luca's rear truck is a cut down Double Deck truck- similar to Bennett geometry. I suppose if he had a metal plate he could likely run a Bennett Pro as a rear truck and not notice much difference.
Luca has gotten to know this particular board very well so he is able to use it for a wider range of events than most skaters would care to pursue. His riding style has adapted to the deck.

As Luca is a skilled slalomer who rarely sees courses that are "difficult for him" in competition, he just adapts his riding style to the course and adjusts his trucks. His system has plenty of "roll" so all he has to do is make it around the cones. For GS courses on less than steep pitches he just double and triple pumps the crap out of the gates and any speed he might lose at the bottom he gains at the top.

Once in a while I jump on any old deck and try to blast it through a course maximizing the deck and compensating like crazy for any flaws in the set up. Luca is an absolute master of this. He tunes his trucks for the best possible performance he can given his choice of wheelbase, deck materials, trucks and then he just wallops the crap out of it.

He also never has to get used to a different set up. That can be valuable if the coruses are not overly fast or technical. In current competitions we haven't really seen many truly technical courses (High speed techSl over 20mph) or super fast GS courses (Over 35mph) yet so he is comfortable within those limits on that deck.

In order for a techSl course to get really tech you need a great surface. In order for GS to get really fast you need a steep long hill and great surface and so far we haven't seen much of that that yet. No doubt Luca would still be competitive on whatever he chooses to ride. He is a very accomplished skater and knows what he is doing, and he is the main motivation for me to get better.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: John Gilmour on 2003-06-03 11:45 ]</font>

[Terry Kirby]

On 2003-06-02 11:43, Vlad Popov wrote:
Luca’s board is flat and quite heavy. I think he’s among a few fast skaters who’s using a solid wood deck. Gatti (?) and Matsukevich also preferred planks. A kicktail is there on purpose to hold the foot. Some fast slalomers like(d) it, some do(i)n’t.
dear Vlad , did they really prefer planks or were planks the only thing they had access to so they adapted to them. TK
The dimentions seem right.

[Vlad Popov]

Terry-Daddy,

Some did and do prefer planks. The one Russian that used to beat Luca at times won enough money to get himself a "decent" board and trucks but he never bothered as it "wasn't important for (him)". Top selling Indiana's slalom product is a flexy deck. Yet Mr. Giammarco chooses a heavy piece of wood. Sinodalova said that "a plank has certain advantage at times" in her interview, I just didn't bother to include that. I prefer planks and courses that call for planks. Instant response with no lag and twist.
I'd never use a plank in an FCR race or Cyber Slalom, as these courses call for a softish responsive GS and SuperG decks.
The new Turners have a bit of flex which makes them more forgiving and easier to ride then planks.
Vlad.

[Vlad Popov]

I wish I could say more at this point. Maybe in the near future. All I can say is that the Italians rode/ride stiff decks on purpose.
The purpose might be revealed soon.
Vlad.

[Guest]

What are you thinking Vlad...e-mail me or PM me....I am wondering if we have come to the same conclusion.......

[Vlad Popov]

I pozess some private info that iz vaiting to be made public. The info sayz dead vood has a purpose. The rest I hope to prezent in the best possible way if approved.

[Hunter Singleton]

Glenn, what kind of trucks are on the board on the right?? they look cool!

[Tod Oles]

Hunter,

I believe Glenn may have a set of those trucks and can tell you more about them. but they are Pvds i.e. peter verdone design check out the
Ground Effects thread in the trucks forum. I think there's links to Mr. Verdone's site.

Good luck on your search for a ride! Tod

[Glenn S]

Hunter,
I am assuming that your talking about the very top picture of the two decks that Vlad is holding. He has PVD’s (They were originally called by the maker "Ground Effect's", but that just evolved to PVD’s by the riders) on that deck to the right. I bought a set of PVD's. They are good/great trucks.

But don't worry about having that kind of truck for slalom or think that you need them to win even a World Championship, YOU DON'T. Personally I think that if you set up some conventional trucks like the Tracker RTX's and RTS's, or Indy 101s, correctly with some minor tweaks (different bushings than what come stock, wedging and de-wedging, straight 8mm outside diameter axles from Geezer-x, and a 1/4" longer kingpin, maybe even cut down hanger width) that conventional trucks can be as good or even better for many if not most slalom skateboarders.

What I have found is that if your not that great at slalom, like myself (I am not great at slalom), that conventional trucks give you more room for error if you get off track than the PVD’s do. PVD’s are not as forgiving is my feeling. That is why I am finding lately that I am really liking conventional trucks now for riding through cones. For getting great power out of your pump PVD’s are hard to beat IMHO, there is direct input of power from your pump, but once you start riding cones with PVD's you better have your act together. Conventional trucks just seem to let me recover better if I get off track.

Also, conventional trucks like the Tracker RTX/S, Tracker Mid-Track, Tracker Full Tracks, and Indy 101s are much easier to adjust to different courses on the fly by just tightening or loosening or changing the bushings with one wrench, or quickly adding wedge or de-wedge. Not to mention that they are A LOT cheaper even if you have someone like "Geezer-X" (http://www.monkeywrenchmachineworks.com/) do an axle or hanger width modification. Or if you decided to go with Indy over Tracker buy them from "Chicken" (check his website).