Monday, May 07, 2012

Penny Vs. Globe Bantam Vs. Stereo Vinyl Cruiser Vs. Fish Skateboards

For more discussion please check out plasticskateboarding.com/forum 

My thoughts after exactly one week of having the Globe Bamtam and much more weeks of having the 3 other boards.
From Left to Right: Penny Skateboard, Globe Bantam, Stereo Vinyl Cruiser, Fish Skateboard
The decks of the Penny, Stereo and Fish are all very similar.  The Bantams differences are pretty big in comparison.  The Globe is bigger, 6.5x23.5 vs the others 22.5x6.  It feels bigger that the difference in the number suggest to me, maybe because it tapers less towards the tail.  I have read elsewhere that the Bantam was stiff.  I do not find this to be the case.  I found the Bantam to be the most flexy, followed by the Penny and the Stereo and Fish to be the stiffest.  A factor is that the Globe has a little longer wheelbase, not by much though,  Most of the extra length on the Globe is in the nose and tail.  
The grip pattern is unique, but after riding it to the beach a few times and riding it home with wet shoes it will still need a sheet of grip tape before too long.  
I feel like the trucks are the biggest difference between these stock.  The slant trucks are pretty standard new school trucks, just narrowed to fit the board.  Much better in my opinion than the Penny or Stereo versions.  The Penny and Stereo boards did come with more appropriate bushings though.  The Slant trucks on the Bantam came with what I believe are 94a bushings.  These feel a lot stiffer than I would normally ride on a cruiser like this.  That will probably be the first thing I replace on the Bantam as I keep riding it.
The Bantams wheels I really like also .  They are a little wider, bigger, 62mm and harder, 83a than the Penny or Stereo.  I have been riding 62mm wheels on the Stereo and they might be my favorite size right now so these wheels are just about perfect.  The photos show them vs. wheels that come stock on a Stereo Vinyl cruiser.  Both good sized wheels if a little different.  The slightly harder Globes fit my preferences better though.
The bearings seem pretty good so far also, Im not sure if I will be swapping them out once I start to upgrade the Bantam.  
Hardware is standard, I was a little surprised that the Globe came with risers.  1/4"
This is the only board of the 4 with risers, the wheels are a little bigger, but with the hardness of those bushings a don't know if they are needed.  I may leave them on because I will go to much softer bushings, but I will probably try with out too for a while.


More thoughts to come as I get more time in riding the new board.

For more discussion please check out plasticskateboarding.com/forum 


107 comments:

  1. Very nice. Already having an upgraded Stereo and all, I definitely want a Bantam now. It just felt sooo nice when I rode it at the shop I went to. How much did you get yours for?

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    1. Around $100. I have put off upgrading so far, but Im starting to think about it.

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    2. We got our bantam globes from tillys.com They shipped free and we used a 20% off coupon. With tax it cost us under 80$. They are having 25% off and free shipping from the Globe site.

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  2. the globe is much more flexy? i would have thought that it would be much more stiffer due to its reinforce bar looking thing under the board

    -redeye

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    1. Nota huge difference, but yeah, the globe flexes a little more under my weight.

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  3. Getting my stereo tomorrow any expectations on the wheels? Do you feel like the stereo's transparent wheels are any different from the penny's solid wheels? Sorry if these are bad questions this is my first real skateboard. All I've had thus far was a cheap Walmart cruiser so this is a pretty big upgrade for me.

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    1. Congratulations on the new board, you should have a lot of fun on it. Those are great questions. I feel like the wheels that I got on my Stereo (clear purple) are a little softer than either of the sets of Penny wheels I have (solid red and solid blue.) Until you get yours and do some riding on it you won't know if that will be more or less to your liking. Some people prefer softer wheels because they ride a little smoother and some like harder because they are little faster in general. Some guys like different wheels for different surfaces and some people don't care about all that, they just want to go skateboarding. My advice is to ride it a bunch, way down the road, when you wear out the Stereo wheels you will have a better idea of your style and that will make the choice for your next wheels easier.

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    2. Just got it but haven't taken it out yet but already in love with it. How are your 62mm wheels on it? Im taking your advice and giivong the stock wheels a chance since as you alerted me, they are very soft. I have a set of 62mm wheels as well from the old Walmart board which were pretty decent but were more conical than tunnel wheels so I've got less grip with those. I plan on getting some 65mm wheels when I get my board from ehlers in the coming weeks.

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    3. Im glad you like it. Wait until you get on it, it will be even better.
      I like the 62mm Alligators, they are one of my favorite wheels. The 59s are a good size too though, i actually just ordered 2 more sets of 59mm wheels to set up another board or two. Until you get some time on them you won't know whether you want to go bigger or not. That will have a little to do with the surfaces you ride on too.

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  4. which one is better for skating (stock and upgraded, with about $60+ or how much u used)?

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    1. I might give a different answer to this next week after some more playing and riding, but today:
      The best stock in my opinion is the Bantam. Good wheels, good bearings, and the best trucks of the bunch.

      With a 60$ upgrade budget, Penny, keep the deck and wheels and mounting hardware, get some reds, get some midtracks or ace00 depending on if you are feeling old school or newer school, upgrade the bushings either way and add a sheet of grip tape.

      Unlimited budget, Probably my current Stereo setup, Stereo deck, Midtracks, Bennett Alligators, Venom Bushings, Bones Swiss and a sheet of grip. I have spent more, especially on trucks, but this is a solid fun setup that I grab on the way out the door more than anything else.

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  5. how much did you pay for your stereo with upgrades ?

    so you would recommend a bantam and why?

    greets

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    1. Probably around $200. If i were building is again I might do Reds instead of the Swiss and save $50.
      I do like the Bantam. I have only had it for a few weeks so I am not sure yet if i would recommend it over a Penny or Nickel though yet.

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  6. yeah but in the shop here in belgium i can chose between a stereo vinyl or a bantam
    it's 100 for the stereo and 110 for the globe with colored trucks what schould i pick

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    1. For that small of a difference I would get the Globe if you are going to keep a lot of the stock parts. I like both decks a lot, but the Bantam is just set up better in my opinion.

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    2. hey matth, what shop in belgium sells them?

      thx

      lio

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  7. hey i own a stereo and am about to upgrade the hardware, trucks, and bushings. i was wondering if you prefer Khiro or Venom bushings more, and what type of them. Also what size of Khiro pivot bushing fits the midtracks and what size hardware is best. And for the future when i get some aligator wheels,do the standard 8mmX10mm bearing spacers fit them.

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    1. I like both Venom and Khiro. Venoms are tall unless you get conventionals. I think in my Midtracks when I was playing with Venoms I was using a barrel boardside and one of the cones from a set of conventionals roadside. If I remember correctly, their regular cone wouldn't fit with the barrel. For Khiros I like barrel board side and insert roadside. The tall insert will fit if its a rt-s baseplate, the small insert if its a dart baseplate. Hardness for either depend on your weight and style you want.
      The smaller size of the Khiro pivot cups fit the Midtracks.
      I like the truss head hardware, but it will sit on top of the deck so some people don't like it. The Flathead is what most people use, and what comes stock on all of these boards. Im not big on any brand over another, as long as they have the normal sized head, not the really small ones.
      Yes, standard spacers.

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    2. What kind of baseplates come with the midtracks?

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    3. You can get them with either baseplate.

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    4. which do you prefer?

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    5. And where did you get yours if you bought them online?

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    6. I currently ride a dart in the back and a Rt-s in the front. I have had them for a while, I am not sure where I got them. You should have no trouble finding them though.

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  8. Which one is better for skating out of the box and upgraded?
    is it easier to learn to ride the globe because its wider, than the stereo and penny?

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    1. I think the Bantam is set up best completely stock. With upgrades, they all are equal.
      In my opinion the globe is no easier to ride. If you look at the posts Nicole is starting to learn to ride in, she seems to think bigger decks are easier. So that one can go either way.

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  9. Have you tried the Khiro double barrels? also are the Khiro inserts the same size as the cones.

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  10. Also do you know if the double barrels fit the midtracks?

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    1. I like the barrels if there is room for them. The midtracks will not take them unless you put a bigger kingpin in. Yes, the inserts are the same height as the cones, just have the washer built into them.

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  11. are fish cruisers as good as penny/stereo's?

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    1. Sa far as the decks go, in my opinion, yes. I have not ridden a Fish complete to compare though. I just regripped my orange fish. It is a fun board.

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  12. Hi! i'm new to cruising , are you supposed to lean with your hips to turn or do you just shift your weight? Which of these skateboards is good out of the box?

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    1. You will have to ride around and see what feels right. Sometimes just putting some pressure with your ankles is enough, sometimes you have to really lean into the turn. Depends, there is no right or wrong way.
      I think the Penny or Globe are the best set up out of the box. Not in this post, but the Nickel is set up really well also. The Penny is probably my favorite though if I was riding one completely stock.

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    2. Hi, great site - really informative and i'm going to buy a cruiser because of your reviews.
      Only one problem, I can't decide between the bantam and the penny! I already have a longboard but am only a casual skater, but hoping to change that by using the cruiser for part of my daily commute (in London). My main concern is that the penny could feel v cramped and maybe not run as well on our crappy roads... what provides the smoothest ride and feels more like a longboard? (if that makes sense!) Cheers.

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    3. Thank you.
      The globe is a little bigger, but neither one is going to feel like a longboard. If you are worried about feeling cramped maybe look at a Nickel and add it to your comparison.
      The globe also has more flex. Im not sure what kind of longboard you are used to, that might be a positive or negative.
      Any of the three will give a smooth ride on reasonable roads. If the roads are really bad, the brand isn't going to matter, going to bigger wheels is the only way to deal with that.
      If you have any more questions, let me know. And keep me posted on what you end up getting.

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  13. Ok thanks.

    I have a Lush Longboards 'The Thing' (a UK company) and the board is only 32" so pretty short = it is a bullet, great fun! (you can read about it here: http://www.longboardsource.co.uk/workshop/?p=85)

    I ended up going for the Bantam, hopefully arriving today and I've also ordered some Bones Reds to go with it.

    Any thoughts on changing the bushings out in near future? I think you mentioned it's a pretty firm set-up from stock...

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  14. Thats great. Hope it shows up soon and you can get out there ad see what you think.
    Yeah, I changed the trucks out pretty quick, but if I had kept using the stock trucks the bushings would have needed to go. They are pretty conventional new school trucks so anything will be an upgrade as long as they are not too tall. Venom Conventional, Bones Hardcore, or Khiro barrel/shortcone would be a couple of my choices to try. What Hardness will depend on your weight. Im about 170 lbs and I usually start with Khiro red and decide if I want to go harder or softer from there.

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    1. great thanks.
      had a v quick run with it yesterday, loved it.
      need to ride it more before making any tweaks.
      was v smooth and seemed to roll for a long time before i needed to push so happy with that!

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  15. Is there a difference between hard and shock angled riser pads?

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  16. The soft ones will absorb a little more vibration, not a big difference though.

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  17. is the fish as good as the others out of the box

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    1. As far as the deck goes, the Fish is just as good as any of the others in my opinion. I can't compare completes, as the 2 Fish decks I have I bought as deco only, never ridden a complete by them.

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  18. and which is better stereo or fish, because it will be my first board, and i dont have the money to upgrade at all

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    1. Again, I am not in a position to say because I have not ridden a complete by Fish Skateboards.

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  19. or buy a penny or globe

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    1. If I were going to be riding it stock indefinitely I would do the Penny from my experience with the 3 completes, Stereo, Globe and Penny.

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  20. where could i get a penny cheap

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    1. and is a stereo as good with bones REDS as the penny

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    2. I don't really support any specific online shop. If you google around you will find some good prices and free shipping. That said, there is something to be said for buying and forming a relationship with a local skate shop even for a little more money.
      In my opinion even with reds the Stereo wheels feel sluggish compared to the Penny's.

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  21. i got one globe bantam 27" and yes the bushings are too hard, what brand and kind(87a is ok?) of bushings you recommend me? venon or khiro ?
    thanks a lot!!
    great post!!

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    1. Yeah, those stock ones are suprisingly stiff. What do you weigh?

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    2. i am 1.83 tall, size 10 in foot and weight is 70 kilograms. thanks a lot

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    3. i think i i will go for the:
      KHIRO T-CONE/L-BRL BUSHING/WASH KIT 73a X-SFT WHT
      or
      KHIRO T-CONE/L-BRL BUSHING/WASH KIT 85a SOFT BLU

      my friend is going to make the order to his distributor please let me know soon as you can!! really thanks a lot!

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  22. i am 1.83 tall, size 10 in foot and weight is 70 kilograms. thanks a lot

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  23. i can get any bushings of the: http://www.easternskatesupply.com/
    thanks

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  24. i didnt know there was so many different bushing!!

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    1. Yeah, there are tons of bushings out there. For the khiros you will want barrels boardside and short cones or short inserts roadside. The tall cones won't fit with the kingpin that come stock in those slant trucks. For your weight the whites will be too soft. Try all blues or all reds, or blues in the front truck, reds in the back truck.

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    2. can you please copy and paste the ones you think are the best for me, (sorry is because i dont understand all the english) iam from Peru.

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  25. Hey man great post but I still need some help!

    I'm going to get either a Penny or Globe. I weigh 55kg and stand at 160cm. I have small feet so the penny isn't going to be any problem for me size-wise.

    Aesthetically I'm more inclined to the globe. But I want a 'surf' feel as close to a longboard as possible and am worried the thicker board might not give me that or if I'm not heavy enough to get a good amount of flex on the board. I intend to ride stock till the first wheels wear out.

    What do you recommend? Thanks in advance :)

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    1. I think you should get the Globe. You like the looks better. You want a longboard feel and it feels noticeably bigger because it is a little bigger and stays wider the length of the deck. You want flex and the Globe has more flex than the Penny in my experience. I think everything adds up to the Globe being the best choice for you.

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  26. Does nickel feel like the smaller boards when riding? Does it have the same cruising feeling?

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  27. I differences I fell most is that the Penny/Stereo/Fish sized board is a little quicker turning and the Nickel is a little more stable and comfortable. The smaller boards are still comfortable and the Nickel does turn quick, just not as much so. They all make nice boards to cruise around on, they all feel good.

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  28. I came across your blog and got pretty interested. im interested in getting a plastic cruiser.i had the penny/globe/stereo on my mind but i got stuck on choosing either one. im a beginner with no prior experiences. i wanna try skateboarding merely to get to places with a few tricks. i wonder which would you recommend? thanks :D
    extra : im around 5ft 5 and 105 pounds

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    1. I like the Penny best, even though they are all fun. For a first board, I would try the Penny and see what you think. If you have any more specific questions, just let me know.

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    2. what are your thoughts about a globe for a beginner then? heard they're pretty stiff . thanks for the advice though.
      thumbs up for the blog.

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    3. The Globe would be just fine. With everything stock its a close second to the Penny in my opinion. In my experience they are a little less stiff than the Penny.

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    4. hmmm. sounds great. i think i would go for either one depending on the store stocks. thanks for the the advise .

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    5. You're welcome, Let me know how it turns out.

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  29. I am a big guy
    1.95 tall and weight is 96 kilograms.
    what cruiser do you suggest? they have weight limit?
    thanks a lot

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    1. The Stereo lists about 175 lbs. The Penny, Nickel and Globe don't list a limit. At your size you will probably be most comfortable on the Nickel. It is an awesome board, that is my suggestion.

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    2. will the globe or penny bend noticably if i weigh 94KG (207 lbs)? i want a globe but fear i may be too heavy...

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    3. im 5'10 and 217 lbs and the nickel suits me fine :)

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  30. Hey,
    I'm getting a cruiser soon.
    I just wanted to clarify cause you kinda seem to be answering the same question over again. You like the Penny best out of box for a beginner?
    Also, what about loosening the trucks? I think I've seen people suggest that before.
    I wanna go fast, but I'll be on a sidewalk, and you know neighborhood sidewalks tend to be uneven so I'm mostly worried about the wheels for that.
    And do you know anything about the mini banana cruiser? I know its not plastic but I was also considering that too.

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    1. You are correct, the Penny is my favorite in most situations.
      If the trucks seem like they don't turn enough you can loosen them if it is just a minor adjustment. Too much and it will get sloppy and you are better off getting softer bushings.
      The wheels are soft, 78a so they roll over bumps and cracks pretty well. Much better than new school wheels, but not as good as really big longboard wheels. Kind of a middle ground. I wouldn't worry too much about them. Unless you have some really crazy sidewalks they will do just fine.
      Sorry, I do not. If it is wood it is likely to be much stiffer, but I cant comment on it too much not having ridden one.

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  31. Hi! so, i am tihinking about buying that skateboards, but i want the one that's easier to learn, what do you think i sthe most easier to learn how to ride?

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  32. I am 5 ft. tall and 83.776 pounds weight.

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    1. I think that the Penny is the best set up out of the box. Since you are learning and will want to focus on that instead of changing parts out it will ride the best without changing anything. That is what I would get as a first board out of the above.
      A case could be made for the Bantam because it is a little bigger and my girlfriend who is just learning thinks bigger boards are easier to learn on. At your size I think you'll be just fine with the Penny though.
      Speaking of your size, that is one accurate scale you have, I feel like you might have made 2 or 3 of those numbers up.

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  33. Sorry, i didn't understand the last part, i am from portugal and i speak english well, but i didn't understand. but i have a problem, here in portugal there are just the stereo vinyl cruiser and the globe bantam, should i choose the globe bantam? yeah i am a little kid, i am just 13 years old ahahah

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  34. Yes, I would get the Bantam over the Stereo. And your English is just fine, let me know how you like it when you get one.

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  35. ok, i'll do it :) oh, and also ,what is the difference between the globe bantam retro rippers , dip sticks and mashups??

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  36. The dip sticks are all one color and the mash ups have different color trucks, wheels and deck. Sorry, Im not sure what the retro ripper name designates.

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  37. oh, ok, this is a retro ripper, they are the cheapest, but i don't know why


    http://ericeirasurfshop.pt/skate-completo-globe-bantam-retro-rippers-3.html

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    1. I don't know what the difference is, other than colors it looks just like mine. Maybe a little less money because of raw trucks instead of painted? That is my only guess.

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    2. yeah i think so

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  38. Hi i am 5 foot 2 and i have a sector 9 looking glass but it does not fit in my locker. i would like someting that would fit and these seem great. i can get the globe, and stero locoally. but i could order a penny. sice the bushings arnt the greatest in the globe .can i put my sector 9 looking glass bushings in the slant trucks? what should i go with?????

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  39. hey there! i need some advice. do you think its better for a beginner to start with a wooden board or plastic? thanks!

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    1. Honestly, I dont think it matters either way. Get whichever you like best and then you will be more likely to ride it often.

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    2. What are the pro's and con's between a wooden and plastic board, and if you had to recommend a complete board of each type, which ones do you think are the best stock?

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    3. That is a pretty broad question. Depends on a lot of factors. Do you skate already? What type of skating do you want to do? That will help me give you a better answer.

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  40. I don't. Probably just cruising.

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  41. Hi I want to buy my 10 year old either a Penny or a Globe, but worried about safety as he's learning. Would we be better off with a Nickle or a Globe if bigger is easier to learn on? He just wants it for cruising about. Also most kids he knows have Pennys so i dont want to embarrass him by getting the wrong thing ! Any help would be much appreciated.

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  42. May some one tell me the prices for the Penny , Globe Bantam , Stereo Vinyl Cruiser ,Fish Skateboards?

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  43. Hey, not sure if you've ridden one or not but should i get a beachglass globe? Will it scratch easy and does it ride as nice as normal bantams. Thanx by the way this comparison was great

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  44. Uhh.. my bantam flexes waay to much and i just bought it 3 days ago... and im only 130lbs.. -___-.. it feels really wierd and my right foot ( im goofy rider) starts hurting because its way too flexy.. and why doesnt it flexes back to its normal flex when i bought it.. it just stays bent.. is that suppose to happen??

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    1. That is definitely not supposed to be that way. I would go to a shop and ask it you can stand on one of theirs. If it feels different then I would talk to who ever you bought your Bantam from.

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  45. How much faster is a penny to a globe. Is there that much of a difference?

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    1. Its a noticeable difference. If you skate them back to back you will definitely feel it.

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  46. Is the woody stereo vinyl is better than the normal?

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  47. Have you tried the Globe Bantam ST?

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  48. do you know where to get a stereo vinyl the cheapest? i keep reading people get them for 30 bucks, but the ones i find are at about 90...

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  49. i hope you still reply to these comments! i bought a globe bantam and have been riding it for 3 weeks, stock with no upgrades. i am new to skating. while it can comfortably roll over many cracks and sticks even, i have to push a terrible lot, it just does not roll very far on these rough streets in my area.

    what can i do to make it better, should i loosen the wheel nut to the bearings a little?
    or swap out the bearings entirely? must i change the wheels?

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  50. i am in the market for either a stereo vinyl cruiser or their wooden version. which material would give me the smoother ride in rough areas, plastic or wood?

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  51. hey
    my weight is nearly 200 lbs and my feets are us 13.
    what board would hold my weight and doesn`t flex too hard?

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  52. The globe bantam clear ones r stiffer not the non seethru ones

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  53. Yeah the "Beach Glass" Bantams are stiffer than any of those other boards, that is what you should get if you are over 60kg or so, or just want a plastic board with less flex. They have less flex than regular Bantams and hold their shape. The Globe's 83a wheels are also much better for heavier people than the 78a wheels on most plastic cruisers.

    The Bantam is small enough to go in a shopping basket and the trucks are narrow enough for dodging pedestrians, but the extra width on the trucks and wheels makes them a lot more stable than Pennys etc. if you want to carve or bomb some hills.

    Put a medium Bones hardcore bushing in the front truck and run it loose for steering, stock bushing in the back truck is fine - run it tighter for stability. Stock bearings are fine, put some bearing spacers in and tighten your wheels up if you like a nice quiet setup.

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  54. Hi, i have a Landyachtz Dinghy and a fishskateboard penny style.
    I don't like the plastic grip of the fish, i want to had a grip on it, but i want to be sure that the penny grip tape have the good size for the fish, i think it's similar size, but i'm not 100% sure...
    We just find penny grip tape on internet, not for fish, so it's important to know before i buy it.
    I also have another solution, buy a normal grip tape to cut.
    But i would like a penny leopard grip tape, because my fish is leopard colour.
    Thanks.

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