Skateboard suspension is an idea that sounds long overdue — modern skateboarding is a lot rougher than it was when my parents were young. Professional riders fly through the air, grind across metal rails and land on hard concrete after jumping down enormous flights of stairs. They do it all without suspension, forcing them to make hard landings. It sounds unpleasant.
I’m not a skater — I’m not even dexterous enough to ollie — but I wish I was. Avenue Suspension Skateboard Trucks seems like the perfect solution to that whole suspension problem. It’s exactly what it sounds like: a redesigned skateboard truck that ads suspension.
Avenue Trucks use spring-loaded baseplates to absorbs impacts and vibrations, which translates to less stress on the board and rider and facilities smoother turns. The reduced vibrations reportedly allow the board to reach higher speeds, too.
These redesigned trucks will probably never be allowed in official competitions or become standard, but they’re a neat evolution on an old technology. They’re almost cool enough to make me want to try to learn to ollie again. Almost. [Kickstarter]