Longboard Reviews for Summer

Comments

June 9, 2006 at 3:16 pm

(1) John says:

Steve,

It would be nice if you reviewed some of the Sector 9 longboards considering it is the most popular brand on longboards on the market.

Thank you.

John

December 12, 2008 at 2:50 pm

(2) Lee says:

I just bought a sector 9 and I love it, but it’s super squeaky when turning. What can I do to get rid of the squeak?

Thanks,

January 25, 2009 at 9:08 pm

(3) Josh says:

Depending on wear the squeak is coming from there are several things you can do. It is very likely it is the bushings which in time will break in or you can just get new ones. The other squeaky noise can sometimes come from hard plastic risers pads. I usually recommend getting a 1/8 soft rubber riser pad to put below the plastic riser pad. Both of these should help eliminate any squeaks.

February 12, 2009 at 5:08 pm

(4) boog says:

Hi Steve,
Have you ever heard of Skatebrake? I recently bought a board kit (Cruiser 42) from there because I am commuting to work and have some big hills to deal with and no room for turns.

I have some mixed feedback to give and here it is:

Pro’s :
The brake system works.
I like the board shape and the curved up sides (and ends) helps turning. (note that the board shape is not as advertised (front /back symmetrical, no round nose)
All components mounted with nylock nuts.
Hand brake is good and feels comfortable.

Con’s :
The board is noisy 1 (hand brake bracket vibrates, if road isn’t very smooth – irritating)
The board is noisy 2 (brake actuators vibrate, if road isn’t very smooth – irritating)
The board underside graphics are not as advertised (blue with a chincy sticker instead)
There seems to be some potential difficulties with the bearing nut tightness and the clearance with the brake pad (the recommended solution to reduce pad contact is to loosen the bearing nut … seems like something wasn’t properly thought out design wise)
The hand brake mounting bracket drops the hand brake if road isn’t smooth … yikes … look out !!
The product info claims tight turning radius … I’m not an expert but I found the trucks very stiff and hard to turn. Even after loosening the king pin nut I found the board hard to turn.
The deck cut outs for avoidance of wheel bite are very ambitions relative to the truck spacers and the truck turning performance (ie the wheels don’t get anywhere close to the deck)

So for people planning on getting a skatebrake system … be forewarned, and expect to do some tinkering to get the board running how you want. In retrospect I would have opted for softer wheels (to dampen vibration), sealed bearings (because I’m in a wet climate). Also note that if you plan to do some pushing don’t expect to get lots of arm swing to help you out (the brake cable length restricts your arm motion). The board deck seems very high so for lots of pushing you will get a good front leg work out.

Anyway there it is for anyone who is thinking about getting one as a commuter board.

February 18, 2009 at 11:31 pm

(5) brian says:

john,
sector 9’s are garbage. Steve certainly as the right idea with reviewing arbor boards.stopbeing sour

March 21, 2009 at 12:54 pm

(6) ThisGuy says:

So i took your advise and researched the Arbor fleetwood and then a couple others and according to their site there boards are Maple and I currently have a sector 9 and love t

September 8, 2009 at 8:26 pm

(7) sector 9's rock! says:

uhh, sector 9’s garbage?
hmmm, dude, do you even skateboard is my first Q?
sector 9’s are the biggest in the market for a reason..although arbor makes just as good boards
so both are prettty sick
but i have a couple of both and s9
are far from crap!

September 9, 2009 at 6:11 pm

(8) Comment 411 says:

“Sector 9’s Rock!” is totally right…

Sector 9 has been been at the main front of longboarding and THEY ARE the 1st company to take the concept of skateboards into longboards. Up until s9 came along in 1993, all longboards bacicaly made of a peice of a stable wood with trucks and wheels.

Sector 9 are the most popular for a reason. THEY WERE the FIRST to “press” multilpe sheets of ply and carbon to make the board way more durrable; like the basic sk8 deck you see today. THEY WERE the first company with proffesional team of pro riders who all compete in pro competion downhill racing! Sector 9 have been ther’re from the start of inovation of longboarding and still conitue to keep inovating the way longboards are produced and have helped gain the popupararity and fun of riding as of whats know today – while other company’s play “catch-up” and copy how s9 boards are built.

-NOTE: Arbor Boards are Really Good Boards too. I currently own an Arbor as well a Sector 9. Arbor were one of the first pioneers of longboards and their company was founded in the hills of Hawwaii. Fact is – Arbor made thier own boards until the popularity greatly grew, and shortly after realized that Sector 9 was truely ahead of the game.

Arbor teamed up with Sector 9 and now they make the boards for Arbor, so technecly when you buy an Arbor board, it’s accually a Sector 9’s board w/ an Arbor logo and thier own graphic design. But please don’t count that out. Arbor makes great looking boards and the use of Hawaiian Koa wood is sick and makes the wood boards stick out w/ thier clear grip finish.

Ssoooo BRIAN,
-Do You Even Sk8…? Start duirng you’re research!!!

September 23, 2009 at 12:44 am

(9) marinko Vracevic says:

sector 9 are alright but because of their popularity and affordability, they are the best selling longboards. they are the most popular. any shop you go to sells their boards and even wheels and accesories. my first board was a sector 9 and it definetly got me hooked. i thought it was the best it gets. then i got an Original skateboard”s Terrapin 34″. their trucks make such a difference! carving is unbeleivable and the stability on the hills is the same, if not better than most boards. the big difference is the spring in the OS trucks. you can acheive board to ground angles that will have you feeling like you’re surfing or snowboarding. also. the sector 9 are stiff, where the OS boards have a flex to them allowing you to pump on flats and pop you out of wide hill carves with great stability and speed. the springs also allow you to return to center and keep you there(reducing speed whabble). most shops dont carry them B/c they are fairly new( i think they started out in 2001) and their boards ride differently than the regular skateboards or longboards. most people dont get an OS b/c they get scared when they feel the trucks and the twist angle of the board to ground. they are well designed and have no chance of wheel bite(dont worrie) agian, sector 9’s are good and are best sellers b/c their pricing, availability , popularity and name, but if you wanna expirience something new and life changing( not just a longer skateboard) then i say look into Original skateboards.

September 23, 2009 at 12:51 am

(10) marinko Vracevic says:

ohh, OS have more than one model and i have ridden most of them, ( terrapin 34, ape 37, torpedo) the boards range from 27″ to almost 50″

October 25, 2009 at 2:18 am

(11) betterthanu says:

rayne, landyachtz, loaded, original, insect, arbor and motion. sector 9s suk compared to these so dont talk crap to john cuz hes right u posers

October 25, 2009 at 2:20 am

(12) betterthanu says:

i mean brian

October 28, 2009 at 9:55 pm

(13) chris uy says:

i say that i tried arbor and sector nine and i think there great..but when i tried the apex 37 from original skateboards it was great.