Balut Wheels
Once we collectively began to dabble in new directions in sliding, we found inside ourselves want of a new and different wheel. Our existing lineup of freeride wheels (the Durian, Stimulus, and Devoid of fat) maintained a conservative balance of traction and driftability that is meant for downhill freeriding. The present emphasis is on the capability to grip and hold a line through corners at speed. The slide facet of these wheels is dependant on shaving off speed (in the pragmatic fashion) as well as to begin exploring progressive freeriding.
The Balut is the consequence of our desire to investigate other end from the grip-slip spectrum: a freestyle slide wheel that enables for extended drifts and quicker, more numerous rotations with minimal speed loss. It is a first step in a new direction for all of us, and we’re excited to determine where it requires us.
Baluts will be available worldwide on Thursday, February 2nd at $54 per set (MSRP).
Specs
Diameter: 72.5 mm
Contact patch: 35 mm
Width: 44 mm
Durometers: 80a, 83a, 86a
Weight: 4.7 oz (per wheel)
Bearing seat: centerset
Design
The Baluts are centerset and symmetrical, allowing for maximum flexibility when rotating and flipping to advertise even wear on all wheels. By using a larger spoked core and removing quite a lot of urethane involving the bearing seat and outer side of the core, we had been able to reduce the overall wheel weight for increased agility in slides and freestyle tricks alike.
The core used in the Balut is relatively wide in comparison to the wheel. Along with a stiff and rounded lip profile, the core provides plenty of rigid support for the contact patch and facilitates smooth slides having a predictable release and hookup.
Urethane
In the development process, we quickly realized that the first protos of this shape lent themselves to unreasonably long standup slides and thus demanded a urethane that could withstand the inevitable abuse and was right for this specific (narrow) shape. The design was dialed several months ago, but we’ve been holding off on the release to locate this magic thane. And thus the Euphorethane formula was created, offering exceptional durability and flatspot resistance while still retaining an even, predictable drift and reliable (albeit nominal) speed control.
Wheel Rotation
Good rotation habits can help even out wear patterns and dramatically extend the life of your wheels. Bear in mind, though, that wheel rotation will get a bit confusing, especially since wear patterns often vary from rider to rider.
The best suggestion to keep in mind is always to swap your most worn wheel with your least worn wheel, swap another two wheels, and flip when appropriate.
Beyond that basic principle, here are a few suggestions and info tidbits that we’ve found helpful in our sideways smile sessions:
Uphill wheels (in your heelside rail for heelside/frontside slides as well as on your toeside rail for toeside/backside slides) have a tendency to cone (faster wear inside lip), while downhill wheels have a tendency to reverse cone (faster wear externally lip).
Over a board with a centered stance (snowboard style) the majority of the rider’s weight is usually on the front truck, so expect leading wheels to use faster compared to rear wheels. On a board having a rear stance (e.g. ridden with all the back foot totally on the kicktail) there is certainly usually much more weight applied to the back truck, therefore the rear wheels often wear faster compared to front wheels.
On the directional setup (ridden mostly in a single orientation) we generally recommend rotating your wheels diagonally (front left with rear right, front right with rear left). On a symmetrical setup (ridden equally in both orientations) we generally rotate wheels for a passing fancy hanger (front playing front right, rear left with rear right).
A symmetrical centerset shape also enables you to flip each wheel to counteract coning. If you rotate your wheels, determine if many wheels are beginning to cone and flip them as needed. Make sure you think about the wheels’ new positions around the board along with your personal riding habits (should you choose more heelside slides than toesides, you could expect your heelside wheels to cone along with your toeside wheels to reverse cone).
