| I see that a lot of people seem to be building these gargantuan setups for their feet.
I am old.. 1st of all
I built my 1st vert skates in 1976 or so.
Chicago 6L alumunum footplates over ACS Lites (magnesium) trucks, cloud cushions and double-conical 63mm Kryptonic Blues w german gold bearings. I added a jump bar for 'coping' with things.
These were extremely light and never failed as I rode my heart out for myself and a Local skateboard team.
Unfortunately, one of those got 'lost' while doing one of the less-than-glamourous things that happned in those days.
I then moved to Portland, Or in Jan 1980.
My cousin soon introduced me to Mark Spooner of Aloha, Or (who had a huge 25' diameter half pipe in his backyard. It was 20 wide, and had 3' of vert on one side.. the other had a full 4' platform and 20' coping with a 'chickenridge' side ramp that extended out another 6'.
Of course my heart sank as (on vertical) I cannot do much (cept maby a fakey 360 under the coping) when riding a styk. I did get to try a ramp bike while there and before I got home I was determined to rebuild a new set of skates.
I got a job a NIKE North American Distribution, so I purchased a set of their skates for 50.00.
They had crap bearings and wheels but that was no problem as they were coming off. The plates where aluminum and had blue suede Nike Blazers hightops on them.
I could no longer find ACS lites and was (and still am) jonsin, as to overall wieght. I instead choose 2 sets of Mid Trackers. Even using only the hangers, they added signifigant wieght. I bought 4 more 63mm Kryptos and the bearings/cushions for them.
These, I still use. Living in midwest now near KCMO.
I have been considering some one offs.. designing from the ground up using 3dsmax and a pal that does CNC milling. This way I can make the stuff perfect and lighter and use custom 40° kingpin angles ect.. bla bla bla..
but reading here.. I may now actually hack up a pair of old Skis I have here!!!
LOVE it.... keep up the faith.. its always been ther :)
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