This has been my setup for a while now! I’ve skated venture lows my whole life and with decks getting wider, I wanted to size up but didn’t want to change my trucks and that’s how I arrived at this amazing setup! It’s nice to see that more people like it too!
After 9 years I went from 5.25 low tot indy 144 because everybody said it was better for a 8.25 board... went back after a couple of sessions. Just ride what you're used to.
It's crazy to me now we can have every setup in skateboard, when I started skating in Brazil was horrible! No maple, no imported trucks or wheels, maaan that was hard.
Been riding a quarter smaller trucks for a while. My favorite setup was the indy 149 on an 8.7 polar and worn down 56mm conical fulls. Also loved ace 60 on a polar 9.0.
Leo Romero rides an 8.25 board with 8.0 trucks, but there are quite a few pros that have a similar setup. Some of the members of the wider board, smaller trucks team are: Pedro Barros, Curren Caples and Nick Trapasso. Jamie Foy, Alexis Ramirez and Trent McClung do the opposite, bigger trucks with smaller board, as far as I remember. Nerding out is fun. I found all of these advantages that you mentioned years ago, until 8.25 trucks made an appearence, but you now you're making me wanna go back to the 8.0 trucks, 8.25 board gang.
I'm on the small trucks and small wheel era, absolutely loving it. 8.5 deck with 147 thunder hollow lights and 52mm wheels. It's so light and flips so easy, makes me feel way more confident for some reason
Thunders are almost the lightest only heavier than tensor mag/mag light/mag light low. Of which are significantly super noticeably lighter than all other trucks especiallyyy the lows. Biggest difference 4 thunders tho is that their standard trucks would be equivalent to venture lows/other brands low trucks. And that each model actually has a different baseplate which adds/takes away a millimeter of height
Can’t wait to check out some Ben. Been crushing it on the board lately. I owe my heelflips to you Big Ben. Watching you over the last few years and watching your heelflips I was inspired to work on mine a while back. Proud of them now 💪
I use to ride this exact setup. I did notice some personal pros and cons. The pros were flips tricks ended up being so much easier. The consistency of the flips were so much better especially down drops. The cons I found for my self was I really struggled to bs crook ledges, bs feeble rails and also locking into flip trick grinds. Overall definitely worth people trying.
Awesome video. I'm 25 and just got back into skating recently after a 5 year hiatus. I had no idea how much goes into your board setup until I started watching your videos about 2-3 months ago. I'm still skating my 149 thunder hollow lights from before I stopped skating. I'm commenting because I skate the exact setup that you described that some people love, 149s on an 8.25 deck with conical 54s. I'm so hesitant to change up with what I'm skating because I don't feel as if I understand enough about the changes I'd be making. I'm biased to my set up because I'm better than I've ever been and don't want to mess that up. My bushings had blown out the first week got back into it, and just figured I could get any paid. Somehow I've become the tight truck guy even though I used to skate trucks so loose my friends would avoid my board. I'm afraid to even mess with my truck tightness because I'm afraid I won't know how to get back to that setting if I don't like the changes, not to mention ever getting new trucks with random hardness on bushings. Any tips to open my mind to changing things up and help with my limiting beliefs would be much appreciated. Anyone who had a similar set up to mine and made a change that liked the change, I'd be curious to hear as well. Thanks for the great information, Ben. You're like a mad scientist and I'm jealous of your ability to try new things. (And your endless supply of skate supplies 😂)
i have an 8" board with 5.0 venture lows, 1/8" risers and 56mm wheels. it's one of my primary setups, probably current favorite. i got used to trucks a bit narrower from when boards started getting wider in the '90s and still having 7.5-7.65" trucks. i think 1/2" narrower is about the limit, depending on the wheel width. i do not like trucks wider, i don't want to see my axle nuts/wheels.
Ramp skater here. I sized down from 8.5 to 8.25 and did noooot have the same experience on the mini. I felt jittery initially and felt how i was missing some truck space. Everyones gonna have a different feel but just throwin my 2 cents. Still riding 8.25-8.38 and I don’t notice it as much anymore but I am skating more street. Thanks for the vid Ben !
Oh man riding an 8.25 board with 8.0 trucks would drive me CRAZY. Props to you for sticking it through and making it work for you. I'm still at an 8.5 and I'd love to get down to a 8.25 but being a size 13 and 240lbs I need all the help I can get. I've been shedding some weight now that I'm back on the board though so hopefully by next summer I can be riding an 8.25 and the BIGGEST I'll go is 8.38.
i'm a size 12 & skate 8.25. If you practice sooner than later with the new size you will actually surprise yourself. Give it a shot, try a 8.25 & if you think you're weight may break the board, throw on some bones grind rails for extra durability to keep the board from snapping on you in the middle. The only thing you really have to worry about are your tail and nose snapping when you have the rail set up. Thats how i do it personally and its so fluid you'd think you're still on a 8.5. (I used to ride Creature 8.5s before swapping into Powell Peralta, Creature & Santa Cruz 8.25s, Those 3 brands are pressed using the same molds so anything you snag between those brands will always have the same tail and same nose that you're familiar with, which is important.)
@@Rexcelot Yeah I've been on DLX boards for about 10 years(Real, sometimes Anti-Hero depending on the shape, and every once in a while Krooked cause Gonz is the man) and prior to that I was riding Girl/Chocolate boards for 6 years, every once in a while going back cause the way Girl does their graphics is on point with the veneers (I have the feeling that pay extra to get the crispy pink and blue veneers lol). I gained a lot of weight during the pandemic so hopefully I'll get down to 8.25 - BIGGEST being 8.38, cause I like being able to flip my board lol.
I started out on indy's back in the day and changed to low narrow ventures in the early nineties with tiny wheels. My boards have always been wider than my trucks so I know the feeling xx
I skated this type of setup for years because Indy’s never made 144mm. When they finally did I got them, and it definitely changed everything in the way of board flipping and the way I lock in to grinds, especially front and back krooks. But now I’m used to it, and the points you made, made me realize why my skating and the way I do things has changed. I also skate the conical fulls, but I used to skate stfv1 on smaller trucks as well
5.6 V-lights gang here too! Been on these with a 8.25, 14’ WB for over a year and love it. Palace makes some good ones in that shape, the Jamal Smith special 😊
Ben you find a new "perfect" setup every week! 🤣 lol jk. PS- where you find 5.6 V-light Lows?? Or were those highs at the end PPS- I just upped my trucks to 8.75 Indy forged hollows for big bowl riding on 8.7 deck
Amazing, as always. I tore my meniscus 3 months ago, it’s hard to recover, no surgery, and can’t still skate, but I am happy every time you post a video. It makes me feel positive for the future
I’ve always felt what you said about the coping with wider trucks - ppl say wider trucks have more space for grinding, but locking into grinds always felt like I was in the wrong spot on my foot relative to the center of the board.
Really love to see a "Now i love my trucks smaller than a deck" type of video ends up with "axle flush to the deck" setup. It helps my "skateboarders bipolar disorder" a lot. Thanks Ben! :)
Be careful pushing and riding fast with smaller trucks. If your front foot goes into the nose pocket by your toes, by the hip and where the nose starts to pitch, the board will pivot and shift sideways, but you'll keep going straight; which sucks because it takes your feet from under you and you go flying and slam. I had to get trucks that fit my 8.25 instead of an 8.0 because this happened to me a few times. It catches you off guard for sure, and then you can't just ride fast or faster comfortably. If you don't go fast sometimes, then no biggie, because you should have time to prepare for a fall if it happens. I've had a major "swellbow" for the last 5 months because of this. Upside is I have a built-in elbow pad now, and it doesn't hurt when I fall on it. Downside is you'll be out for a bit here and there, and when you slam you'll probably "see stars," which is when it seems like everything becomes pixelated because you slammed so hard. I've even bounced once, and when I "saw stars," my vision went out for a millisecond, and I heard a pixelated high-pitched sound. Just a heads up!
I've had this happen and it really sucks but I don't see how it relates to smaller trucks, it's more about foot placement. Also my dude pls get your elbow to a doctor, swelling shouldn't last 5 months.
@@Christophe_L You know how Ben was talking about pivoting easier on transition and also later on how he had more leverage, well, the leverage causes the pivoting. It's just more likely to happen when you have smaller trucks, and when you first switch over. I was at a place where taking the time to get adjusted wasn't optimal to where I was in my skating. My elbow is more made-up of hardened tissue rather than fluid, or like a tear. It's kind of like when mu-thai kickboxers kick trees to strengthen their shins. Thanks though, I appreciate your concern!
I’m riding a 8.38 14.4” wheel base at symmetrical Krooked board with broken in 148 thunder lights), 52 mm wheels. Really a setup I wouldn’t picture myself riding. I usually stick to the 8.25 with 148 trucks, and a 14” wheel base but, why not experiment sometimes! 1st session was yesterday, kickflip a actually felt better on it, and so did tre flips, the crooked grinds were throwing me off a bit and my heelflips did not seem to be reacting down some stairs as they usually snap a bit faster. Very interesting , yet some of the tricks felt good having that bigger board to catch. Interested to see where it goes from here…I’m definitely having in a bit of a board madness / exploration stage. Your videos are great and I enjoy your style of skateboarding. Thank you for sharing your content.
I was running 8.25" film trucks on my 8.75" anti hero deck and it felt like it was better than now, where i have 8.5" thunders on it. The one thing ill say is, you have less margin for error with smaller trucks in general which depending on the trick can make a big difference.
OMG your dog and cat at the end were beyond cute! Made an already fantastic and entertaining video even better lol Funny thing is last year, when I got back into skating since I was in middle-high school almost a decade ago, I got a deck that was an 8.375 so I got a pair of indies to go on it, and I thought I got 8.25 trucks (I think for Indies that would be 144's) and the trucks weren't flush with the side of the board. I figured it was the difference of 8.375 and 8.25, even though the deck stuck out more than I thought it should for that difference. I didn't get to skate much the rest of last year plus I don't do anything advanced yet anyway, so recently I decided to retire the deck. I took off the trucks, saw the sticker with the barcode and stuff was still on the truck where it's pressed against the deck, and this WHOLE time I had 139's, which I believe is either for 8.0 decks or something like 7.75-8.0. Yeah... Explains why the deck stuck out way more than it felt it should rotflol. Boy did I feel stupid, but honestly it rode well and felt comfortable either way. Now I'm rocking Thunder trucks anyway and digging how low they are. I figured this would be a funny story to share on here with the nature of the video haha
Hey Ben this is great a vid man thanx a lot! I’m actually wanting to size up from 8 to 8.125 keeping the my 139 indys. So watching and understanding all you explain here really makes feel more confident about it 👌🏻
I love this video, gives me courage to ride what I use to ride. Narrower trucks. 7.6 trucks on 7.8-8. And similar to your and nyjah 8 trucks on 8.12-8.25
I’m skating for 2 years and I started with this setup, I searched A LOT before doing my first board and I though the wider board wasn’t the issue slowing down flips o a physics way of thinking, it was actually the wheels, onde you have to get all this weight into momentum it gets harder the longer your trucks are. Everyone called me “the weird guy” for doing this setup but now they are all doing the same 😅
Ben needs to be an industry boss. Sitting in rooms with Reynolds, Thomas and Hawk discussing topics of the day. All of them enjoying hot tea and being fucking awesome.
I had a setup that I didn't expect to like before that shocked me. I know my setup is not something you would like but it surprised me. I had a 9.05 shaped(still a popsicle just a squarer tail) that I didn't quite like on my normal trucks (ACE 55 Classic). I tried thunders and tried Indys and it just never worked out. I ended up buying some Gullwing Pro IIIs and it actually made it work for me. I ended up really liking it for a while but eventually I came back to my standard setup which is usually a Santa Cruz old school deck(I love their Cruz Missile II concave) and Ace 55s. Recently though I tried a 9.0 Antihero popsicle and I'm actually loving it on my Aces but they have 15" wheelbase that I'm used to on old school boards that feel familiar to me.
Was riding 149 indys on an 8.25, have switched to 148 thunders and the change has prompted a noticeable improvement on pretty much all grinds, improved lock/balance. Backside 50-50s on ledge did need an aim adjustment that took some geeting used to, great insights Ben. @bendegros it would be awesome to see you review the new Andy Anderson shape when it's released...saw his preview breakdown of the shape on Dan Corrigan's channel.
That salvage countertop pad cracks me up. Wonder if my sparky Dad ever figured out why so much of the EMT conduit stashed in the garage was covered in scratches and wax...😅 Also, wouldn't be surprised if the slight 'tippyness' of narrower < 5.5" trucks on 8.38" boards makes them so popular as an intermittent width.
Hey Ben, new nano-cubic wheels from Powell Peralta would probably make your Venture lows feel like they are 8.125 because they are asymmetrical. They are designed by Andy Anderson, based on 97A Dragon formula and should work quite well for slappys so there are many reasons for you to try them out and give us a proper review. Btw I'm on twin tail 8.25 Santa Cruz VX McCoy deck with Tensor Maglight 8.0 lows.I found that such low and light trucks compensate pretty well for heavier board with steep kicks on it, I can't wait to add nano-cubic wheels to them. Interestingly enough low trucks are becoming very rare and almost none of them go above 8 inches.
Came here to say this about the andy wheels, I'm on them and loving them so far. Definitely could make this odd truck size situation feel a bit more normal. Though it might counter some of the unexpected positives ben found here.
I've always ridden narrower trucks than my deck, it just gives smaller/lighter people a little more leverage as well whilst still riding not completely loose trucks. Sick session at the end as always Ben 👊 Currently riding a Flip 8.4 with Indie 149s with 94A bushings, and in Japan my park deck is a Flip 8.125 with Indie 139s (I like the nose on Flip decks). Despite the 8.4s size, I'm actually really liking it, seems to work well on park, transition and for cruising distance (cruised 6 miles on it the other day... yeah 😂)
I got back into skating not long ago after about 35 years give or take. And I ride a Winkowski board that’s 10.5” wide, and I found that the best trucks for me at least was Indy 159’s! Which kinda surprised me to be honest. But it just feels “right” to me, I wish I could explain it better like Ben does using facts and numbers to prove his point. But the best I can give anyone is that they just feel the most stable while having a good turn radius and hangin on well to coping on the mini half’s I mainly ride. I use Slime Ball 64mm 97A and even without risers I’ve never had wheel bite even doing bigger tricks on the street with harder landings. Still no wheel bite. 🤷🏻♂️ Then one day I saw a video of Eric Winkowski talking about his setup, and he uses the same size Indy’s that I ride! So at least I’m not the only one…😂. I mainly skate mini half, pool, and street. And I’m grateful for everyday I can still stand on my board still! 😅🙏👍
I am currently on 44 Aces and had them on an 8.25, threw on an 8.5 I had waiting with them and I am enjoying the magic carpet ride for many of the reasons you just stated!
Very interesting! I religiously skate Venture 5.8 (8.5in) on both 8.38/8.5 boards. For no reason at all, I got a pair of Venture 5.6 (8.25in) and put them on an 8.38 board…BOOM! Possible Goldilocks setup for me. I 100% agree with the same positives that you discovered. Really enjoying the setup
My current setup is an 8.5 Anti Hero deck on 8 inch Venture low trucks with 54mm orange slimeballs and quantum isotope bearings. I feel like I can do all my tricks easier on this setup.
I ride 8.38 dlx deck 5.6/8.25 venture raw with 58mm classics, the truck deck width difference is small enough to have the benefits and the width of the classics with the profile helps stay nimble
Funny you put this one out after I recently tried 159's on an 8.25" board and being mainly a transition/slappy skater, I've been loving it. Normally I ride Ace 44 classics and after so many years, lately I just felt they were a bit too narrow. Sizing up to 149's would barely be wider so that's why I jumped to 159's. I run them on Ace classic baseplates and it makes them turn 100% Ace.
I rode 8.25 with 8 inch low for years, then I messed up and got into a lot of different set ups, but I’m back on 8.25 with Indy high. It works well, I’m being more drawn to transition
I recently bought a 8.125 Real deck and paired it with 8 inch Ventures and 51 Spitfire tablets and was not really a fan of it. I initially paired it with 52 Powell Dragon wheels but I kept getting wheel bite and that was driving me insane. I did like the trucks but I think I was having trouble finding a nice set of wheels to go with it. I switched the trucks with Indy 149's and put the powell dragons back on and now I am enjoying it again. I do really want to find a good deck to go with the Ventures so maybe next time ill get a 8.25 with some 51 Spitfire classics and see how it feels for me. Great video Ben, love your content!
ben i have an idea, let see how it sounds to you. andy anderson said he has new wheels. they are not symmetrical and they cover the axle nuts. i just think, if you try to make wheels symmetrical and try to protect your axle nuts, it will be too wide contact patch. now i watched your video and you are talking about shorter hangars and the idea popped my head: "m" shape wheels. in the middle you can reduce the contact patch but you will have 2 surface area. it will cover your axle, they will be closer to each other, they will be stable and they will slide easily. what you think?
Damn I think about this like 3 days now. Put 139 from 149 to my 8.25 set up. In my head are same benefits. I thoug that 360 flip were be lot easier. I see tomorow. Thanks Ben, peace.
We the miniramp skaters have known about this hack for years. Now that you have small trucks with a wider deck, try learning backside 5-0s to fakie on the coping. Super fun trick and 10 times easier with that combo!
Just set up an 8.38 with indy 149s instead of my usual 8.25 and its kinda similar. I like the board width but dislike my wheels being further in under my deck when I look down at it.
Yeah I can’t do it!… I also have to skate trucks the same size as my deck. If I can’t look down and see white, I’m just going to hate the look. I know loads of dudes that do it, but I just can’t do it.
I've been riding 8 inch thunders and venture low trucks on 8.25 decks. I like it for mellow decks and flatground tricks. I need to skate more, especially more slappies and mini ramps.
I used to skate this, then I went back to matching sizes. Then I tried going back to this setup and hated it. Right now skating 8.25 with 5.8 ventures and it’s working except crooks pinch feels awkward , the wheel bite is too close to the heel
Now you see that's it's not the board setup the problem.. It's you! You're so good that you can ride anything!!! But please, don't stop worrying about your setup, it makes some good vids!
Ben found his Goldilocks setup again. Tune in next month for the next one!
Ben finally tried the Reynolds setup.
Reynolds skates Indys
@@conradquiroz185 think they just mean that the decks wider than the trucks. reynolds does it too
This is exactly what I thought when I watched the first few minutes haha. Reynolds’s skating 139s on 8.25!
Sheckler rides 8.75 trucks on a 9 and 8.25 trucks on a 8.5 🫶
@@Bigpantzthat trips me out i gotta be able to see my wheels when i look down
Been riding 8.25 with 8" trucks for probably 7 years. best combo
13:48 The dog and cat kissing at the end made my day 😂
This has been my setup for a while now! I’ve skated venture lows my whole life and with decks getting wider, I wanted to size up but didn’t want to change my trucks and that’s how I arrived at this amazing setup!
It’s nice to see that more people like it too!
After 9 years I went from 5.25 low tot indy 144 because everybody said it was better for a 8.25 board... went back after a couple of sessions. Just ride what you're used to.
It's crazy to me now we can have every setup in skateboard, when I started skating in Brazil was horrible! No maple, no imported trucks or wheels, maaan that was hard.
Been riding a quarter smaller trucks for a while. My favorite setup was the indy 149 on an 8.7 polar and worn down 56mm conical fulls. Also loved ace 60 on a polar 9.0.
Leo Romero rides an 8.25 board with 8.0 trucks, but there are quite a few pros that have a similar setup. Some of the members of the wider board, smaller trucks team are: Pedro Barros, Curren Caples and Nick Trapasso. Jamie Foy, Alexis Ramirez and Trent McClung do the opposite, bigger trucks with smaller board, as far as I remember. Nerding out is fun.
I found all of these advantages that you mentioned years ago, until 8.25 trucks made an appearence, but you now you're making me wanna go back to the 8.0 trucks, 8.25 board gang.
True pioneer. Try 7.75 trucks on a 9 inch board
I'm on the small trucks and small wheel era, absolutely loving it. 8.5 deck with 147 thunder hollow lights and 52mm wheels. It's so light and flips so easy, makes me feel way more confident for some reason
should i try thunder been on aces cause i love slappys but i need something light my shits so heavy
Thunders are almost the lightest only heavier than tensor mag/mag light/mag light low. Of which are significantly super noticeably lighter than all other trucks especiallyyy the lows. Biggest difference 4 thunders tho is that their standard trucks would be equivalent to venture lows/other brands low trucks. And that each model actually has a different baseplate which adds/takes away a millimeter of height
Can’t wait to check out some Ben. Been crushing it on the board lately. I owe my heelflips to you Big Ben. Watching you over the last few years and watching your heelflips I was inspired to work on mine a while back. Proud of them now 💪
Love the discussion on board/truck size, but the dog and cat stole the show!
I use to ride this exact setup. I did notice some personal pros and cons. The pros were flips tricks ended up being so much easier. The consistency of the flips were so much better especially down drops. The cons I found for my self was I really struggled to bs crook ledges, bs feeble rails and also locking into flip trick grinds. Overall definitely worth people trying.
Awesome video. I'm 25 and just got back into skating recently after a 5 year hiatus. I had no idea how much goes into your board setup until I started watching your videos about 2-3 months ago. I'm still skating my 149 thunder hollow lights from before I stopped skating. I'm commenting because I skate the exact setup that you described that some people love, 149s on an 8.25 deck with conical 54s. I'm so hesitant to change up with what I'm skating because I don't feel as if I understand enough about the changes I'd be making. I'm biased to my set up because I'm better than I've ever been and don't want to mess that up. My bushings had blown out the first week got back into it, and just figured I could get any paid. Somehow I've become the tight truck guy even though I used to skate trucks so loose my friends would avoid my board. I'm afraid to even mess with my truck tightness because I'm afraid I won't know how to get back to that setting if I don't like the changes, not to mention ever getting new trucks with random hardness on bushings. Any tips to open my mind to changing things up and help with my limiting beliefs would be much appreciated. Anyone who had a similar set up to mine and made a change that liked the change, I'd be curious to hear as well. Thanks for the great information, Ben. You're like a mad scientist and I'm jealous of your ability to try new things. (And your endless supply of skate supplies 😂)
If youre skating the best you ever have, then dont change anything!!
The transformation is complete. Ben is a full blown curb gremlin.
i have an 8" board with 5.0 venture lows, 1/8" risers and 56mm wheels. it's one of my primary setups, probably current favorite. i got used to trucks a bit narrower from when boards started getting wider in the '90s and still having 7.5-7.65" trucks. i think 1/2" narrower is about the limit, depending on the wheel width. i do not like trucks wider, i don't want to see my axle nuts/wheels.
so many benefits, you could say they fit, eh Ben? ^^
Ben eh fits
I’ve been skating 7.75 trucks with an 8 in board for the last couple years and really love it
Was gonna try that again.
I remember my flip Tricks beign alot easier and higher with that, instead of the typical 8 board with 8 trucks
Ramp skater here. I sized down from 8.5 to 8.25 and did noooot have the same experience on the mini. I felt jittery initially and felt how i was missing some truck space. Everyones gonna have a different feel but just throwin my 2 cents. Still riding 8.25-8.38 and I don’t notice it as much anymore but I am skating more street. Thanks for the vid Ben !
Oh man riding an 8.25 board with 8.0 trucks would drive me CRAZY. Props to you for sticking it through and making it work for you. I'm still at an 8.5 and I'd love to get down to a 8.25 but being a size 13 and 240lbs I need all the help I can get. I've been shedding some weight now that I'm back on the board though so hopefully by next summer I can be riding an 8.25 and the BIGGEST I'll go is 8.38.
i'm a size 12 & skate 8.25. If you practice sooner than later with the new size you will actually surprise yourself. Give it a shot, try a 8.25 & if you think you're weight may break the board, throw on some bones grind rails for extra durability to keep the board from snapping on you in the middle. The only thing you really have to worry about are your tail and nose snapping when you have the rail set up. Thats how i do it personally and its so fluid you'd think you're still on a 8.5. (I used to ride Creature 8.5s before swapping into Powell Peralta, Creature & Santa Cruz 8.25s, Those 3 brands are pressed using the same molds so anything you snag between those brands will always have the same tail and same nose that you're familiar with, which is important.)
@@Rexcelot Yeah I've been on DLX boards for about 10 years(Real, sometimes Anti-Hero depending on the shape, and every once in a while Krooked cause Gonz is the man) and prior to that I was riding Girl/Chocolate boards for 6 years, every once in a while going back cause the way Girl does their graphics is on point with the veneers (I have the feeling that pay extra to get the crispy pink and blue veneers lol).
I gained a lot of weight during the pandemic so hopefully I'll get down to 8.25 - BIGGEST being 8.38, cause I like being able to flip my board lol.
Came for Ben, stayed for the doggy and cat. They're ridiculously sweet.
I would add that i think the nice groove you have ground into that rear truck is contributing to the way this is feeling.
I started out on indy's back in the day and changed to low narrow ventures in the early nineties with tiny wheels. My boards have always been wider than my trucks so I know the feeling xx
that's my set up!
but a 8" board on 5.0 venture lows
which are get'n hard to find.
I skated this type of setup for years because Indy’s never made 144mm. When they finally did I got them, and it definitely changed everything in the way of board flipping and the way I lock in to grinds, especially front and back krooks. But now I’m used to it, and the points you made, made me realize why my skating and the way I do things has changed. I also skate the conical fulls, but I used to skate stfv1 on smaller trucks as well
5.6 V-lights gang here too! Been on these with a 8.25, 14’ WB for over a year and love it. Palace makes some good ones in that shape, the Jamal Smith special 😊
@Andy Anderson
That's another indirect benefit of offset wheels, because you need the smaller trucks for the flush rails
Ben you find a new "perfect" setup every week! 🤣 lol jk.
PS- where you find 5.6 V-light Lows?? Or were those highs at the end
PPS- I just upped my trucks to 8.75 Indy forged hollows for big bowl riding on 8.7 deck
Amazing, as always. I tore my meniscus 3 months ago, it’s hard to recover, no surgery, and can’t still skate, but I am happy every time you post a video. It makes me feel positive for the future
I’ve always felt what you said about the coping with wider trucks - ppl say wider trucks have more space for grinding, but locking into grinds always felt like I was in the wrong spot on my foot relative to the center of the board.
Really love to see a "Now i love my trucks smaller than a deck" type of video ends up with "axle flush to the deck" setup. It helps my "skateboarders bipolar disorder" a lot. Thanks Ben! :)
Be careful pushing and riding fast with smaller trucks. If your front foot goes into the nose pocket by your toes, by the hip and where the nose starts to pitch, the board will pivot and shift sideways, but you'll keep going straight; which sucks because it takes your feet from under you and you go flying and slam. I had to get trucks that fit my 8.25 instead of an 8.0 because this happened to me a few times. It catches you off guard for sure, and then you can't just ride fast or faster comfortably. If you don't go fast sometimes, then no biggie, because you should have time to prepare for a fall if it happens. I've had a major "swellbow" for the last 5 months because of this. Upside is I have a built-in elbow pad now, and it doesn't hurt when I fall on it. Downside is you'll be out for a bit here and there, and when you slam you'll probably "see stars," which is when it seems like everything becomes pixelated because you slammed so hard. I've even bounced once, and when I "saw stars," my vision went out for a millisecond, and I heard a pixelated high-pitched sound. Just a heads up!
Maybe that's why the tiny board skaters seem to tend to push with their foot in like the middle of the board 🧐
I've had this happen and it really sucks but I don't see how it relates to smaller trucks, it's more about foot placement. Also my dude pls get your elbow to a doctor, swelling shouldn't last 5 months.
@@Christophe_L You know how Ben was talking about pivoting easier on transition and also later on how he had more leverage, well, the leverage causes the pivoting. It's just more likely to happen when you have smaller trucks, and when you first switch over. I was at a place where taking the time to get adjusted wasn't optimal to where I was in my skating. My elbow is more made-up of hardened tissue rather than fluid, or like a tear. It's kind of like when mu-thai kickboxers kick trees to strengthen their shins. Thanks though, I appreciate your concern!
@@brucebruno842 Okok I think I see what you're saying. Also that's gnarly lol.
I’m riding a 8.38 14.4” wheel base at symmetrical Krooked board with broken in 148 thunder lights), 52 mm wheels. Really a setup I wouldn’t picture myself riding. I usually stick to the 8.25 with 148 trucks, and a 14” wheel base but, why not experiment sometimes!
1st session was yesterday, kickflip a actually felt better on it, and so did tre flips, the crooked grinds were throwing me off a bit and my heelflips did not seem to be reacting down some stairs as they usually snap a bit faster.
Very interesting , yet some of the tricks felt good having that bigger board to catch.
Interested to see where it goes from here…I’m definitely having in a bit of a board madness / exploration stage.
Your videos are great and I enjoy your style of skateboarding. Thank you for sharing your content.
KING skateboards 8.18 👀
I just picked up the exact same trucks, excited!
8.18 fa/hockey boards and thunder 147 has been my go to for 3 years
For me it's 8.25 hockey/fa with 148 thunder, but venture 5.6 work great too
I was running 8.25" film trucks on my 8.75" anti hero deck and it felt like it was better than now, where i have 8.5" thunders on it. The one thing ill say is, you have less margin for error with smaller trucks in general which depending on the trick can make a big difference.
OMG your dog and cat at the end were beyond cute! Made an already fantastic and entertaining video even better lol
Funny thing is last year, when I got back into skating since I was in middle-high school almost a decade ago, I got a deck that was an 8.375 so I got a pair of indies to go on it, and I thought I got 8.25 trucks (I think for Indies that would be 144's) and the trucks weren't flush with the side of the board. I figured it was the difference of 8.375 and 8.25, even though the deck stuck out more than I thought it should for that difference. I didn't get to skate much the rest of last year plus I don't do anything advanced yet anyway, so recently I decided to retire the deck. I took off the trucks, saw the sticker with the barcode and stuff was still on the truck where it's pressed against the deck, and this WHOLE time I had 139's, which I believe is either for 8.0 decks or something like 7.75-8.0. Yeah... Explains why the deck stuck out way more than it felt it should rotflol. Boy did I feel stupid, but honestly it rode well and felt comfortable either way. Now I'm rocking Thunder trucks anyway and digging how low they are. I figured this would be a funny story to share on here with the nature of the video haha
Hey Ben this is great a vid man thanx a lot! I’m actually wanting to size up from 8 to 8.125 keeping the my 139 indys. So watching and understanding all you explain here really makes feel more confident about it 👌🏻
I love this video, gives me courage to ride what I use to ride. Narrower trucks. 7.6 trucks on 7.8-8. And similar to your and nyjah 8 trucks on 8.12-8.25
You should try the hewitt setup
8.38 159 56mm
Love the 8.38 or 8.5 with those trucks
I’m skating for 2 years and I started with this setup, I searched A LOT before doing my first board and I though the wider board wasn’t the issue slowing down flips o a physics way of thinking, it was actually the wheels, onde you have to get all this weight into momentum it gets harder the longer your trucks are.
Everyone called me “the weird guy” for doing this setup but now they are all doing the same 😅
Ben needs to be an industry boss. Sitting in rooms with Reynolds, Thomas and Hawk discussing topics of the day. All of them enjoying hot tea and being fucking awesome.
I had a setup that I didn't expect to like before that shocked me. I know my setup is not something you would like but it surprised me. I had a 9.05 shaped(still a popsicle just a squarer tail) that I didn't quite like on my normal trucks (ACE 55 Classic). I tried thunders and tried Indys and it just never worked out. I ended up buying some Gullwing Pro IIIs and it actually made it work for me. I ended up really liking it for a while but eventually I came back to my standard setup which is usually a Santa Cruz old school deck(I love their Cruz Missile II concave) and Ace 55s. Recently though I tried a 9.0 Antihero popsicle and I'm actually loving it on my Aces but they have 15" wheelbase that I'm used to on old school boards that feel familiar to me.
Trucks couldn't be right to trying skating on a mini ramp and consistency of grinding 5-0 toward the rail.
So enjoyable to watch your vids Ben! Thank you! And your pets just cute!
Been running that for at least 3 years, works great. 8.25 with 8" trucks
Bro, more important than anything. U got a rad style
Was riding 149 indys on an 8.25, have switched to 148 thunders and the change has prompted a noticeable improvement on pretty much all grinds, improved lock/balance. Backside 50-50s on ledge did need an aim adjustment that took some geeting used to, great insights Ben. @bendegros it would be awesome to see you review the new Andy Anderson shape when it's released...saw his preview breakdown of the shape on Dan Corrigan's channel.
Indy are gay now.
That salvage countertop pad cracks me up. Wonder if my sparky Dad ever figured out why so much of the EMT conduit stashed in the garage was covered in scratches and wax...😅
Also, wouldn't be surprised if the slight 'tippyness' of narrower < 5.5" trucks on 8.38" boards makes them so popular as an intermittent width.
Possibly. It’s a good combo
Was thinking about trying this with trucks from 7.75” set up on 8” board.
The cat and the dog were an excellent way to close out the video.
Hey Ben, new nano-cubic wheels from Powell Peralta would probably make your Venture lows feel like they are 8.125 because they are asymmetrical. They are designed by Andy Anderson, based on 97A Dragon formula and should work quite well for slappys so there are many reasons for you to try them out and give us a proper review.
Btw I'm on twin tail 8.25 Santa Cruz VX McCoy deck with Tensor Maglight 8.0 lows.I found that such low and light trucks compensate pretty well for heavier board with steep kicks on it, I can't wait to add nano-cubic wheels to them. Interestingly enough low trucks are becoming very rare and almost none of them go above 8 inches.
Came here to say this about the andy wheels, I'm on them and loving them so far. Definitely could make this odd truck size situation feel a bit more normal. Though it might counter some of the unexpected positives ben found here.
The nano-cubics are just smaller Ratbones. The only difference is on the outside radius. The Nano's have a slightly larger radius on the lip.
@@vorpalblades and probably the urethane formula/durometer
@@DarkoNomad yeah, the RatBones are 93A Dragon formula.
The Nano's are 97A Dragon formula.
@@vorpalblades and ratbones are 60mm in diameter, so quite similar in shape but quite different for skating (btw they are 85A and 85A
) x)
I've always ridden narrower trucks than my deck, it just gives smaller/lighter people a little more leverage as well whilst still riding not completely loose trucks. Sick session at the end as always Ben 👊 Currently riding a Flip 8.4 with Indie 149s with 94A bushings, and in Japan my park deck is a Flip 8.125 with Indie 139s (I like the nose on Flip decks). Despite the 8.4s size, I'm actually really liking it, seems to work well on park, transition and for cruising distance (cruised 6 miles on it the other day... yeah 😂)
I skate 5.2 Lows with 8.18 board and it feels amazing
I got back into skating not long ago after about 35 years give or take. And I ride a Winkowski board that’s 10.5” wide, and I found that the best trucks for me at least was Indy 159’s! Which kinda surprised me to be honest. But it just feels “right” to me, I wish I could explain it better like Ben does using facts and numbers to prove his point. But the best I can give anyone is that they just feel the most stable while having a good turn radius and hangin on well to coping on the mini half’s I mainly ride. I use Slime Ball 64mm 97A and even without risers I’ve never had wheel bite even doing bigger tricks on the street with harder landings. Still no wheel bite. 🤷🏻♂️
Then one day I saw a video of Eric Winkowski talking about his setup, and he uses the same size Indy’s that I ride! So at least I’m not the only one…😂.
I mainly skate mini half, pool, and street. And I’m grateful for everyday I can still stand on my board still! 😅🙏👍
I am currently on 44 Aces and had them on an 8.25, threw on an 8.5 I had waiting with them and I am enjoying the magic carpet ride for many of the reasons you just stated!
Yes! Somebody else gets it. Throw some conical bushings into the lows and its fun af.
great topic
great video
we missed ya
🤙🏼🛹
animals were a fun addition
I can tell you’re loving those Etnies
8.38 with Indy 149's and Spitfire 54mm 99a conical full's is a great street set up
I ride 8.125 boards with 8" trucks. Love it
same but April's 8.125” is kinda 8.18”
Put the andy Anderson new mini cubic on that board. It will fill it out nicely
I always ride a board 1/8" to 1/4" wider than my trucks for sure
Very interesting!
I religiously skate Venture 5.8 (8.5in) on both 8.38/8.5 boards.
For no reason at all, I got a pair of Venture 5.6 (8.25in) and put them on an 8.38 board…BOOM! Possible Goldilocks setup for me. I 100% agree with the same positives that you discovered. Really enjoying the setup
Your killin' it! Your flip tricks look better too.
My current setup is an 8.5 Anti Hero deck on 8 inch Venture low trucks with 54mm orange slimeballs and quantum isotope bearings. I feel like I can do all my tricks easier on this setup.
tall people like narrow hangers and tight trucks, short people like wide hangers and loose trucks?
i'm 6'3, 230-235. my trucks would probably be too tight for a smaller person.
Ishod's on an 8.3 with 8" Thunders. But he adds 3 washers on the inside to help get some width back.
Is that a freaking marble top box? Classy!
I ride 8.38 dlx deck 5.6/8.25 venture raw with 58mm classics, the truck deck width difference is small enough to have the benefits and the width of the classics with the profile helps stay nimble
Funny you put this one out after I recently tried 159's on an 8.25" board and being mainly a transition/slappy skater, I've been loving it. Normally I ride Ace 44 classics and after so many years, lately I just felt they were a bit too narrow. Sizing up to 149's would barely be wider so that's why I jumped to 159's. I run them on Ace classic baseplates and it makes them turn 100% Ace.
i never skated any bigger of a truck even when i sized up to 8.25,8.38 i always stuck with 147s
Great video! I always had doubts about this but im gonna try a narrower truck
Wait, didn’t everyone skate 8.0 trucks on 8.25 boards up until 2017 when Indy released the 144 (8.25) size truck.??
Yes, or they had hot rod setups
I rode 8.25 with 8 inch low for years, then I messed up and got into a lot of different set ups, but I’m back on 8.25 with Indy high. It works well, I’m being more drawn to transition
I recently bought a 8.125 Real deck and paired it with 8 inch Ventures and 51 Spitfire tablets and was not really a fan of it. I initially paired it with 52 Powell Dragon wheels but I kept getting wheel bite and that was driving me insane. I did like the trucks but I think I was having trouble finding a nice set of wheels to go with it. I switched the trucks with Indy 149's and put the powell dragons back on and now I am enjoying it again. I do really want to find a good deck to go with the Ventures so maybe next time ill get a 8.25 with some 51 Spitfire classics and see how it feels for me. Great video Ben, love your content!
I ride an 8.125 creature with 139 Indy and 50mm bones blanks, works super good for me
Black eagle and thunder 147s, the old buzenitz setup 👌
ben i have an idea, let see how it sounds to you. andy anderson said he has new wheels. they are not symmetrical and they cover the axle nuts.
i just think, if you try to make wheels symmetrical and try to protect your axle nuts, it will be too wide contact patch.
now i watched your video and you are talking about shorter hangars and the idea popped my head:
"m" shape wheels. in the middle you can reduce the contact patch but you will have 2 surface area. it will cover your axle, they will be closer to each other, they will be stable and they will slide easily. what you think?
I skate a 8.38 with 8.0 indies on it. Sometimes it gets in the way a bit but my only real complaint is landing primo is even more deadly
Damn I think about this like 3 days now. Put 139 from 149 to my 8.25 set up. In my head are same benefits. I thoug that 360 flip were be lot easier. I see tomorow. Thanks Ben, peace.
I had this exact same epiphany when I decided to slap my old 7.75 thunders on an 8 deck as a spare setup. Then I wound up liking my spare better
We the miniramp skaters have known about this hack for years. Now that you have small trucks with a wider deck, try learning backside 5-0s to fakie on the coping. Super fun trick and 10 times easier with that combo!
Stay for the cat. Trust 🎉
I’d love to have a diy park like this around
Welcome to the magic carpet world. It works!
Just set up an 8.38 with indy 149s instead of my usual 8.25 and its kinda similar. I like the board width but dislike my wheels being further in under my deck when I look down at it.
Yeah I can’t do it!… I also have to skate trucks the same size as my deck. If I can’t look down and see white, I’m just going to hate the look. I know loads of dudes that do it, but I just can’t do it.
I've been riding 8 inch thunders and venture low trucks on 8.25 decks. I like it for mellow decks and flatground tricks. I need to skate more, especially more slappies and mini ramps.
Ben - Primitive Dirty P Core (red deck) 8.125, 14” wheel base, 31.75 length. Not crazy about the look but specs are great
I used to skate this, then I went back to matching sizes. Then I tried going back to this setup and hated it. Right now skating 8.25 with 5.8 ventures and it’s working except crooks pinch feels awkward , the wheel bite is too close to the heel
Finally a new video, once a week please 🙏
Now you see that's it's not the board setup the problem.. It's you! You're so good that you can ride anything!!! But please, don't stop worrying about your setup, it makes some good vids!
8.138 deck on 139s w/ 53 mm classics. Love the vid!
How sick is that marble top grindbox
my same exact setup as well. with 52 conical fulls and 6 year old bones reds.
149 indy standard with 8.38 board is my preferred setup these days. sml big wave wheels, similar to a spit full conical
Ive always intuitively skated (slightly) narrower trucks than deck, works best imo, good to see it confirmed now by Dr Degros 😌