Every once in a while a new idea comes along leaving you thinking, ‘How has it taken so long for this to happen?’ The skateboard truck has been refined over the years, but no major rethink has taken place to change the fundamental design of this integral part of a skateboard. That is, until now. Avenue Trucks is a new skate company that have devoted years to the research and development of their trucks, which incorporate suspension into the design. We are not talking about traditional springs and pistons. This new design retains simplicity while also being groundbreaking. Find out a bit more about Avenue Trucks in the next video:
Changing the Game
With so many other wheeled vehicles using suspension to improve performance, why should skateboarding miss out? All the benefits that Avenue Trucks lay out, like increased pop, maintaining speed on rough terrain, increased speed through pumping and a decrease in high speed wobble, are true. However, changing the minds of an entire planet of skaters, who have skated all their lives with a truck setup that hasn’t dramatically changed, could be quite a challenge.
Kickstarter to Success
Avenue Trucks have taken the step of launching a Kickstarter Campaign to see exactly how much support there is out there for their new suspension skateboard trucks. They are hoping to raise $50,000 to put the trucks into production and let their loyal fans have the pleasure of using them first. At the time of writing there has already been over $45,000 pledged by backers across the globe. It looks very likely that Avenue Trucks will reach their goal and the suspension truck will be available to buy before the end of the year.
Down to Business
So lets take a closer look at these trucks and see exactly what all the hype is about. Beginning with the truck axle itself, not a great deal has changed here. Avenue Trucks feature a hollow chromoly axle with a lightweight magnesium design, and they come in a range of sizes. Where the big change is becomes clear when looking at the baseplate. The curved piece of metal is a high compression spring loaded baseplate, which has half an inch of travel. Avenue Trucks also feature a trademark steering technology, called True-Flo Steering, which stands out with a never-before-seen floating pivot cup.
Getting Your Hands on a Set
At the moment you can’t actually buy a set, but if you pledge $45 you will be sent a pair of Avenue Trucks as soon as the first batch has been manufactured. This is likely to happen in a few months, with an estimated delivery date of sometime in September this year. Also, $45 is actually a great deal because the company plans to sell the trucks for 30% more when they go to market. You can find out all the details at the Avenue Trucks Kickstarter campaign page. Lets take a look at another video of these trucks in action at the skatepark, just in case you aren’t convinced yet…