20
ASK
THE
DOCTOR
With Rick Blackhart
UPTIGHT
I have a problem. Every time I get new
bearings they always get all screwed up
after a short time. What should I do?
Matt Wells
Sometown, USA
The most important bearing preserva-
tion technique is to avoid riding 'em in
water, sand, mud or dirt. Also, don't
tighten the wheel nut down too much..
DE-RAILED
I was doing some rad railslides the other
day, when-wham-my rail snapped. I
thought, oh well, old rails, and bought a new
pair. Today I just snapped one of the new
rails (the right side, again). I'm a natural foot
skater and I come on to this thing from the
right to do a frontside slide. Please tell me
what I'm doing wrong.
Pistol Pete
Capetown, S. Africa.
Again, don't tighten your mounting
hardware too much or it will stress your
rails and cause even new rails to bust. Or,
find a smoother painted curb to railslide.
OLLIE SCREWED UP
I've been told to turn my front bolts up
so the nut is up. Does this screw up your
ollie or help it?
A Child In Need of Help
Wichliffe, OH
You're talking about turning your front
truck bolts upside down so that the nut
is on top of the deck? Why? To help your
foot get that little extra edge in executing
the ever-so-par-for-the-course anti-
gravitational ollie? Maybe. A lot of skaters
do it so they can feel exactly where their
front foot is. As far as helping or hinder-
ing goes, it's your call. Try it. If you like
it, do it. This is one of those personal
preference situations.
WEIGH YOUR OPTIONS
I have a problem; I'm afraid of breaking
my board. I weigh about 160 and I don't feel
free to do many tricks on jump ramps. I have
a large flexible board, a plate that takes
pressure and I can decompress great. I
want to ride a jump ramp that will take me
between 6-12 feet high. I have taken all
precautions and I'm trying to lose weight.
The main questions is, should I wait and
lose weight or should I launch?
Mark Lawless
Holiston, MA
You want to slap it? Then slap it,
hombre. If your board breaks, you'll know
it was too much. There's no way I can tell
you that your deck won't break. Have you
ever broken a deck before? I think you're
aware of the precautions available, so do
it and find out. You can only learn from
a mistake-or a break!
ANTI-SKATE AUNTIE
I've got a real problem. I live with my aunt
and uncle. My aunt is a real nag. She bought
her 14-year-old son a Nash and got on his
case when he wouldn't skate it. But since
I got a Craig Johnson, she's been trying to
discourage me from skating. The whole
family is trying to discourage me, especially
my preppy cousin. What should I do?
Discouraged
Lafayette, LA
Do you really think you're going to quit
skating because your family doesn't like
it? Yeah, right. Why do you skate in the
first place? How about because it's an
outlet of your own personal expression.
Not bad, eh? If you're worried that some-
one else is going to talk you out of
anything, whatever it is, then you don't
want it bad enough. If you quit skating.
you won't be a skater.
SHOP TALK
The only skate shop in our town is run
by a bunch of posers. I ask to see a board
and they say to get lost. I almost bought a
snowboard and the guy said, in front of my
parents, to get lost. My dad told him what
to do with his crappy attitude. I think we
should kick the crap out of them. What do
you think?
John Mitch "Wart"
Tacoma, WA
The guy at the shop was probably tired
of people coming in, asking for boards
and then not buying anything. Not
exactly a good way to sell things, but then
again if you wanted the board you would
have bought it. You've already hit him
where it hurts, in the cash register. Try
mail order next time.
Been looking through your massive
collection of shirts but still can't decide
which one to wear? Make it easy-just
order an Ask The Doc T-shirt. Just send
$10.25 (postage and handling in-
cluded) to: THRASHER, Ask The
Doc T-shirt, P.O. Box 884570, San
Francisco, CA 94188-4570.
Ansa
SHISIN
WITH THE NOW
BOAT GENERATION!!!
Natal Nores • IRVING CALIFORNIA 92714