A new era begins! (1.91cm hangers for eskate trucks)
Since @squishy654 began eskating and talking to producers he has noticed one continuing need of the entire industry, and that’s a need for a standard form factor, where most or all of the parts from different makers and producers fit together, allowing us to make and personalize our builds from the best options and parts available at any given time. As it stands today not much of this industry is interchangeable, while the skateboard industry as a whole is completely standardized and has been for decades.
The skateboard companies like NHS, don’t just make completes or decks. NHS is actually made up of lots of brands, including indy trucks, OJ wheels, santa cruz skateboards, so in effect when you are in the store buying a skateboard from many brands, sometimes it’s still just one brand or company, but the consumer doesn’t know this. I think the eskate industry can learn from this, but companies are not able to follow this business model with eskates while there is no standard form factor for everything they may produce to even fit together.
Right now the builders and consumers must search out all the eskate parts and it’s a crap-shoot if it will all fit, we see the results in the numerous threads all asking “if this list of shit fits together” or not before they buy it all. So why don’t we work to change this and create some standards or adopt the best standards and make it known this is how we want it? Things like wheel core shapes or truck hanger shapes and sizes could go a long way in making all the brands fit each other. this isn’t about removing the competition within the marketplace, this is about making it easier for the consumers to enter the market and increasing the profits of all the producers involved.
A few months ago @squishy654 was privy to inside info as he helped consult with Avenue trucks on a new design meant for this market, a new electric skateboard truck, with suspension designed for eskating. While the development was going on he learned enough to confidently suggest to the entire world that truck hangers for eskates should be 19mm square. Due to all kinds of science and crap he will not go into this size is ideal as a standard. That is his unbiased opinion from his crash course in truck manufacturing and his knowledge comes from experts in machining such parts, it’s not just a guess.
@squishy654 believes he had written it in several places in these forums hoping it would be noticed and adopted, but it’s only a small part of a bigger picture. It’s only one standard we need to settle on, but we can use it as an example and spread the news. Imagine if all future eskate truck makers made them 19mm square in whatever width, be it 160mm to 220mm, we would then be able to pick from a list of mounts that all fit this size (19mm) and slide them on the truck hanger to fit our needs. Manufacturers can then have confidence in their products fitting the needs of builders, no matter what the application, dual or single mount, no matter the mount or the motor.
Today @squishy654 noticed a teaser on facegram from @torqueboards and was shocked to find out that they are planning to release a new PRECISION truck made for eskating. During a short exchange he also learned it will have a 19mm square hanger! It has begun, people have listened, and right now he knows of 2 badass-looking precision trucks coming out in the future which both feature a 19mm square hanger and are exclusively designed for eskating. Mount makers may want to take notice.
This is the type of thing we need to happen in all the places we insist on a standard. As a community we have the knowledge and testing power to find the best standards and suggest them to the companies wishing to break into this new market. BUT, they will be hesitant to enter a market without standards to the parts, the risk is too high for them and we can help change that.
@squishy654 doesn’t propose to do this himself, he’s just suggesting everyone start thinking about it as you read, build, and ride. Maybe suggest new standards, debate them, test them, and make them known to manufacturers so we can all benefit from them quicker. He has tried to lead through example with his work behind the scenes and it is possible to make progress on this front. We cannot just sit and wait for companies to figure it out organically through capitalism, we can help them get there much faster.
We are the demand in this situation so let’s start demanding that our shit all fit together, no matter the company or brand making it, who’s with him?